Curb caffeine cravings for the good of your health

LAURA GOULD/Charleston Catholic High School

By Jeff Johnson
South Charleston High School

Caffeine is an addictive drug, but that doesn't stop a large portion of the population from consuming it on a daily basis. It is a stimulant - just like cocaine and amphetamines but milder. One of its many side effects is the narrowing of blood vessels, which causes the body to become alert. People often take caffeine to fight off sleep and gain more energy.

Just as with any drug, caffeine can give a momentary high that will lead to unpleasant symptoms after its effects wear off. These withdrawal symptoms will often last longer than the high itself and then the body craves more carbohydrates to feed the tolerance.

Caffeine side effects can include everything from bone density loss in females to drowsiness, lack of concentration and needless worrying. I discovered that when I stopped drinking Coca-Cola, I began to suffer some of the more common withdrawal symptoms, including increased headaches and irritability.

It took me a few days to feel better after I began cutting down on my Coke consumption. But after a while, I didn't feel the need to drink it anymore, and within a month, I was drinking water and had no Coke cravings at all.

The key to kicking caffeine is not to stop using it all at once but to gradually cut back on it. If you've worked up a considerable tolerance to it, as I had, it's much harder to pull away. Also, simply stopping a sizable caffeine intake all at once can cause a rise in blood pressure.

The magic elixir that I used to stave off my cravings was water. Nobody can say anything bad about water and the feelings it gives its drinkers. I instantly began to feel better when I drank pure water from a bottle. I then switched to tap water, which was just as good as bottled water. I felt like I had even more energy than I had when I was drinking Coke. Plus, I didn't have those pesky withdrawal symptoms that could sometimes be unbearable.

My advice to anyone out there addicted to caffeine and sugar is to start drinking more water and leave the caffeine on the shelves at the store. Whatever your addiction, try to embrace the healing powers of good glass of water. I'm not saying to drink eight glasses a day. Just start with one, and then maybe you'll work your way up. If you drink enough water, you'll decrease the craving for caffeine and make your body healthy.

It wasn't easy to quit my caffeine addiction, but with a little time and patience, the headaches and the irritability faded. I'm a much happier person because of my new addiction to water.

So, put away the Coke and grab a bottle of water - your mental and physical well being depends on it.