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This week’s task may cause some resistance to some participants, especially the avid coffee and soda drinkers. This week, we are going to try going caffeine-free, sugar-free and alcohol-free.

I have never been a big soda or sugar person. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so I am fortunate, but I have impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes stage) and so I have to watch the sugar. Getting enough fluid in-take via water and natural fruits can really rejuvenate your life and mental clarity.

Caffeine… is a diuretic. A diuretic is a drug that speeds up the rate of urine production – meaning it removes water from your body. While you can get your thirst quenched when drinking Coke, you do not get as hydrated as compared to if you just drink pure water.

Not only that, did you know that caffeine is also a psychoactive drug? What is a psychoactive drug?

Wikipedia Wrote:  A psychoactive drug, psycho-pharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior.

[A psychoactive drug] affects the central nervous system and alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. By increasing the levels of adrenaline (a stress hormone) in your body, you end off setting off feelings of anxiety and tension in your body. Instead of being able to operate as a fully conscious being, you end up having less control of your thoughts, emotions and behavior.

Common drinks with caffeine:

1. Soda
2. Coffee – Note that a lot of coffee comes with decaf options now, so opt for the decaf option if you can’t do without coffee
3. Tea – Tea contains caffeine too, including iced tea
4. Energy drinks

Continue this habit for the whole of 21NLS

After this week, I challenge you to try going caffeine free from just a day to a week and see how it feels. And from a week to a month. In not drinking caffeine, you may find some new things about yourself that you didn’t notice from before.