Caffeinated beverages and foods cause erratic blood sugar levels, and their addictive properties are well known to the user. Many people are treated for sleep disorders, anxiety, high blood pressure, and other symptoms, when a simple reduction in their caffeine intake would solve their problems. Coffee, black teas, colas, and chocolate, which are all high in caffeine, should therefore be be used with moderation.

You know you are a caffeine addict if your doctor measures your heartbeat on the Richter scale. —Anonymous

A switch to decaffeinated teas and coffees is a big improvement, but be aware that even these contain low levels of caffeine and other chemicals - so restrict your intake. The cycle of stress, leading to exhaustion, propped up by stimulants, leading to deeper levels of exhaustion is indeed a vicious one, condoned and even glorified by our culture.

The chemical brews that make soft drinks so popular can also wreak havoc with our health. These drinks are either high in sugar - offering empty calories that displace hunger for more nutritious foods - or they are laced with chemical sugar substitutes that may cause even more harm after years of consumption. And, of course, many contain caffeine as well.

de•caf•a•lon n.
The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

Caffeine has been cited as a contributing factor in breast tumors and has been linked with ulcers, some birth defects, osteoporosis, and fertility problems. William Uy, PhD, in his book Curing Airborne Allergies, has found increased caffeine use to be directly connected with the increase in airborne allergies that growing numbers of the US population, including children, suffer today.

Many caffeine lovers today are making the switch to green tea, which supplies a much lower amount of caffeine while offering the benefits of being one of the most potent herbal antioxidants available. As already mentioned, antioxidants "eat" free radicals, thus preventing them from damaging the body. White tea, the least processed form of tea, has been shown to have potent cancer-fighting activity and has an even lower caffeine content than green tea.

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