If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee, right? Problem is that you may have heard that coffee may not be the best choice for women, especially for those with adrenal fatigue.
But what do you do if you’re struggling to make it through the day because you’re wrestling with burnout? Well here is where you’re in luck because I’ve produced a free Adrenal Fatigue Guide which will not only help you get back your energy in seven days but it also has a couple of coffee alternatives there for you.
But am I telling you that coffee is bad for you?
First, how you prepare your coffee matters to this equation. I strongly suggest to clean out your coffee maker with extra strength vinegar because they can get moldy. If you use those Keurig coffee pods consider making your coffee different because they can harbour mold, bacteria and they contain aluminum.
Not exactly.
Here are some of the benefits of coffee:
- High in antioxidants
- Improves circulation to the liver
- Improves circulation to the brain which helps to increase mental clarity.
- Acts as a thermogenic (potentially increasing fat-burning potential)
- It can improve estrogen metabolism by upregulating the CYP1A2 isoenzyme – but only 10% of us actually makes enough of this enzyme!
Here are some of the disadvantages of coffee:
- If you’re a woman taking oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy – these meds can decrease how quickly your body breaks down caffeine
- During pregnancy (particularly the third trimester), caffeine metabolism is also reduced – but this returns to normal several weeks after delivery.
- The caffeine in coffee can overstimulate the nervous system and exacerbate adrenal fatigue and progesterone loss
- It can impact the conversion of T4 (your inactive thyroid hormone) to T3 (your active thyroid hormone)
- It can aggravate your blood sugar leading to a host of emotional reactivity
- Because of its effects on the adrenals, it can deregulate the immune system which isn’t ideal if you’re struggling with an autoimmune condition.
- It stimulates the release of gastrin speeding up intestinal transit time.
- The caffeine effects stay in your system for up to 12 hours, which means if you’re drinking a cup of coffee at noon it absolutely can affect your sleep.
- It can be detrimental to those with anemia – I have always seen my iron tank with daily consumption.
- It can promote the growth of fibroids and ovarian cysts
- With daily use it absolutely can be a huge contributing factor to painful / fibrocystic breasts
So why do I still drink coffee with all those disadvantages?
I honestly believe moderation is key! I only:
- Drink coffee two, maybe three times per week.
- I always butter my coffee (you can use coconut oil / MCT oil too) because it helps to thwart the jitteriness and gut rot that I often get when I don’t butter my coffee.
- I only drink organic because coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world.
- I only drink brands which I know have inspected their beans for mold – this isn’t 100% perfect because the coffee still can be moldy but it’s something.
Which brands of coffee inspect for mold?
Canadian brands:
- Kicking Horse Coffee
- Bean Head
- Salt Spring Coffee
*A little note from Salt Spring Coffee: No coffee can be guaranteed mycotoxin free. However, there are a number of processes along the coffee production pipeline which significantly lower the possibility of the occurrence of these fungus by-products. The most effective post-harvest method of preventing mould formation and ochratoxin formation in coffee is to ensure a safe moisture content level as quickly as possible and prevent re-wetting. The current recommendation for moisture content in green bean coffee is a maximum of 12.5% which is consistent with the prevention of growth of mycotoxin producers. As part of SSC’s food safety plan we have identified the receiving and approval of a new lot as a critical control point. All new lots received have their moisture levels checked and samples are sent to an accredited lab for testing.
American brands:
- Purity Coffee
- Natural Force Clean Coffee
- Bullet Proof Coffee
- Kion Coffee
- Peak Performance Coffee
- LifeBoost Coffee
- Mindful Coffee
Okay with all this coffee talk, I know you may be wondering:
Is decaf a better option?
Given that the main issue is the caffeine in coffee not the coffee itself decaf can be. However, it can still impact your digestive system like regular coffee – but the effects are slightly reduced. Many decaf coffee companies use harsh chemicals to decaffeinate their coffee like methylene chloride so make sure that if you do drink decaf to opt for companies who use a water or carbon dioxide extraction method.
If you have adrenal fatigue you may want to give your coffee a break for just 30-days.
So how on earth will you make it through the day? No worries because in my free Adrenal Fatigue Repair Kit I provide resources that will help including two amazing recipes that are amazing coffee-alternatives that will give you the boost of energy you’ll need.