For twenty-four years coffee was my friend, my confidante, through good times and bad. Not one day went by without my morning ritual of grinding the beans, brewing the brew, and relishing that very first sip. The moment my lips made contact was the moment my day began. A coffee-less morning was absolutely inconceivable.
My love of coffee started innocently enough with a mug in the morning. Eventually it became two mugs, then four, and sometimes ten or twelve per day. Many nights I would make a pot of coffee before bed. I always slept like a baby.
I knew I was out of control when one Saturday I made eight cappuccinos. It was like I couldn't stop. I was beyond having a coffee buzz. If blood was drawn I was certain it would come out a nice French Roast. My obsession began to overshadow my joy of coffee. I found myself craving it even when I really didn't want it.
Through the years I developed what can best be described as body migraines where I would become virtually non-functional: physically ill and sleeping for up to two days. At first I attributed it to stress, then to panic attacks, and finally to depression. Deep inside I knew it was something else, but I wasn't ready to face the truth, whatever it was. So I continued being sick and keeping it a deep, dark secret.
These body migraines became more frequent and more powerful as the years went by. I took vitamins. I changed my diet. I exercised and meditated. Nothing seemed to help. In the midst of one bout I went to my doctor who told me there was nothing wrong with me. Foolishly I made myself believe him.
A registered nurse suggested I drink more coffee when I felt a body migraine coming on, assuring me it would help give me energy to fight it off. I did. It didn't help. My last bout lasted three days, and was the most powerful one I ever had. It scared me.
I gathered the courage to confide in a friend. I told her everything: the frequency, the pain, the vomiting, and the crying spells. I left out no detail. It felt incredible to finally get it out in the open. She convinced me to seek help, and steered me in the direction of her acupuncturist.
My first meeting with Rohanna (Acupuncturist, Nutritionist, and Healing Coach) was a pivotal moment in my journey to better health. She immediately sensed it was a food issue causing me so much pain. She had me document everything I ate. I did and the number one constant was coffee. My treasured friend was beginning to look like the enemy.
As Rohanna explained to me, "What made me go so directly into determining that coffee was the cause of your problems was the assessment of the allergy you have for coffee. It was in your Aura and also in your clinical symptoms.
Allergies create peculiar symptoms that sometimes do not fit the parameters of true systemic problems. Your being a healthy person did not correspond with what was happening to you. There is often an allergic reaction to something when symptoms are so pervasive. Unfortunately we become allergic to our dearest security blankets without us knowing it. Even just by repetition of the same food or thought we might become allergic to it. Even more, allergies do not limit themselves to only food. We can develop allergies to drugs, to friends, to foods, to thoughts, to associations, and to thousands of things that we might use in our daily life. This depends in the state of our immune system, our relationship with the world and our belief system.
Human beings are very complex creatures. Getting rid of what causes our problems is as basic as to un-clutter our belief systems. The key to it is to know. That is why sometimes we need help.
In your case, your determination to get well was so direct and the effects of coffee were so detrimental to you that the solution was clear and left no room for options. "
Rohanna put me on an array of supplements and I began to wean myself from coffee. It wasn't easy. I gradually got down to one cup in the morning. Then one morning I stopped the ritual, and I was fine. I think the psychological portion of letting go was more difficult than the physical for me. In my mind I couldn't imagine living without coffee, my security blanket.
My determination for better health prevailed. I am now officially coffee-free. My health has never been better. Sure, there are times I miss coffee, but I know the downside far outweighs that fleeting moment of joy I got from the brewing ritual, the intoxicating aroma, and the very first sip of the day.
Farewell coffee. Hello health.
(c) 2006 MC528. All Rights Reserved.
My love of coffee started innocently enough with a mug in the morning. Eventually it became two mugs, then four, and sometimes ten or twelve per day. Many nights I would make a pot of coffee before bed. I always slept like a baby.
I knew I was out of control when one Saturday I made eight cappuccinos. It was like I couldn't stop. I was beyond having a coffee buzz. If blood was drawn I was certain it would come out a nice French Roast. My obsession began to overshadow my joy of coffee. I found myself craving it even when I really didn't want it.
Through the years I developed what can best be described as body migraines where I would become virtually non-functional: physically ill and sleeping for up to two days. At first I attributed it to stress, then to panic attacks, and finally to depression. Deep inside I knew it was something else, but I wasn't ready to face the truth, whatever it was. So I continued being sick and keeping it a deep, dark secret.
These body migraines became more frequent and more powerful as the years went by. I took vitamins. I changed my diet. I exercised and meditated. Nothing seemed to help. In the midst of one bout I went to my doctor who told me there was nothing wrong with me. Foolishly I made myself believe him.
A registered nurse suggested I drink more coffee when I felt a body migraine coming on, assuring me it would help give me energy to fight it off. I did. It didn't help. My last bout lasted three days, and was the most powerful one I ever had. It scared me.
I gathered the courage to confide in a friend. I told her everything: the frequency, the pain, the vomiting, and the crying spells. I left out no detail. It felt incredible to finally get it out in the open. She convinced me to seek help, and steered me in the direction of her acupuncturist.
My first meeting with Rohanna (Acupuncturist, Nutritionist, and Healing Coach) was a pivotal moment in my journey to better health. She immediately sensed it was a food issue causing me so much pain. She had me document everything I ate. I did and the number one constant was coffee. My treasured friend was beginning to look like the enemy.
As Rohanna explained to me, "What made me go so directly into determining that coffee was the cause of your problems was the assessment of the allergy you have for coffee. It was in your Aura and also in your clinical symptoms.
Allergies create peculiar symptoms that sometimes do not fit the parameters of true systemic problems. Your being a healthy person did not correspond with what was happening to you. There is often an allergic reaction to something when symptoms are so pervasive. Unfortunately we become allergic to our dearest security blankets without us knowing it. Even just by repetition of the same food or thought we might become allergic to it. Even more, allergies do not limit themselves to only food. We can develop allergies to drugs, to friends, to foods, to thoughts, to associations, and to thousands of things that we might use in our daily life. This depends in the state of our immune system, our relationship with the world and our belief system.
Human beings are very complex creatures. Getting rid of what causes our problems is as basic as to un-clutter our belief systems. The key to it is to know. That is why sometimes we need help.
In your case, your determination to get well was so direct and the effects of coffee were so detrimental to you that the solution was clear and left no room for options. "
Rohanna put me on an array of supplements and I began to wean myself from coffee. It wasn't easy. I gradually got down to one cup in the morning. Then one morning I stopped the ritual, and I was fine. I think the psychological portion of letting go was more difficult than the physical for me. In my mind I couldn't imagine living without coffee, my security blanket.
My determination for better health prevailed. I am now officially coffee-free. My health has never been better. Sure, there are times I miss coffee, but I know the downside far outweighs that fleeting moment of joy I got from the brewing ritual, the intoxicating aroma, and the very first sip of the day.
Farewell coffee. Hello health.
(c) 2006 MC528. All Rights Reserved.
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