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Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug Get ready to give up that morning latte and kiss cola goodbye. Here comes Caffeine Blues, by Stephen Cherniske, M.S., the first book to expose the dark side of America’s No. 1 drug: caffeine. If you are one of the nearly 80 percent of Americans hooked on caffeine–a natural component of coffee, tea, and chocolate and a common ingredient in drugs, soda, candy, and other products–this book will be a wake-up call.In Caffeine Blues, Cherniske, a nutritional biochemist with more than 25 years of academic research and clinical experience and author of the bestsellerThe DHEA Breakthrough, reveals the truth about caffeine and explains how to kick the habit forever. Cherniske discusses how caffeine affects the body and brain and why it can increase your risk of dozens of health disorders ranging from osteoporosis, diabetes, and PMS to hypertension and heartburn. After spending 300 pages documenting all of caffeine’s evils, Cherniske finally offers a decaffeinated life line: “Off the Bean and on to Vitality,” a step-by-step, clinically proven program to help readers kick the habit and boost energy levels naturally. –Ellen Albertson
Customer Review: Anxiety and Panic attacks have gone away
In December of 2007 I was in Barnes and Noble enjoying my coffee looking for books on nutritional supplements when I stumbled upon this book, “Caffeine Blues.” Due to a constant depression and anxiety I was feeling and an ability to cope with running a business from 2005 to 2007, I was prescribed antidepressants. At that time, small problems would send me into a panic and I would literally have to leave the office. I started taking natural supplements in October 2007 (same, tyrosine, gaba, l-glutamine, flax seed oil and multi vitamins) to combat my depression and anxiety. These supplements definitely helped. My business suffered substantially from 2005 to the middle of 2008 due to my inability to handle stress. My typical day consisted of a large coffee from Starbucks in the morning, a large coke or Dr. Pepper for lunch and a medium coffee in the late afternoon. I tried to get off of caffeine unsuccessfully a couple of times for about a month when I had an upcoming audition. (I am a professional musician as well as a busniness owner).
After I read this book over the holiday break in 2007, my view of caffeine changed completely. I now view putting large amounts of caffeine in my body as pure poison. The caffeine depletes much of the minerals and vitamins I was taking. The nutritional supplements that I take without caffeine screwing up the bodies ability to absorb them has made a big difference in adjusting to life without caffeine. I am taking several of the supplements that are recommended in this book and other books: check out “Depression Free for Life” by Gabriel Cousens. I have been caffeine free for 10 months now and these are the changes that have occured:
-My depression is gone.
-My stress levels are back to normal (My business is doing much better)
-I wake up early and want to sleep at a decent hour.
-I’m not craving sugary foods near as much during the day and late at night.
-I am much more clear minded.
-My digestive system is clearing up (no constant diahrrea and 30 minute bathroom stops throughout the day).
-I have consistent energy levels throughout the day. (Supplements and Vitamins are crucial in getting off caffeine and having focus and energy).
-I have lost 25 lbs.
-I don’t feel any need for coffee in the mornings.
Cherniske’s challenge is this: try his program for 60 days and see what happens. You can always start drinking large amounts of coffee and soda again. I need to reread this book about twice a year to remind myself of this “Poison” I was putting in my body on a constant basis.
Customer Review: Caffeine may be the Culprit
“Caffeine is a Trojan horse. It looks like a gift but instead delivers adrenal stress, low blood sugar, mood and energy swings, fatigue, depression, malnutrition and disturbed sleep.” ~ pg. 94
If you have ever had a caffeine withdrawal headache then you are probably already aware of the addictive qualities of coffee or your favorite soda. Stephen Cherniske calls caffeine a psychoactive drug. In this intricately researched book he describes the effects of caffeine and explains why it might be the culprit. This drug can cause everything from insomnia to chronic pain. Stephen Cherniske also answers the following questions:
Is coffee really responsible for Monday morning heart attacks?
Can drinking coffee really cause accelerated aging?
Why is drinking coffee after a meal the worst thing you can do?
Is tea a better alternative?
Why do artificial sweeteners cause weight gain?
Can caffeine really damage your nervous system?
Until I read this book I thought of coffee as comforting. I don’t drink it that often but now I think I’ll try to avoid it altogether. Since I’m only drinking one to two cups of tea a day I think I’m on the safe side. When I do drink coffee I normally experience insomnia. The facts are that 100-300 milligrams of caffeine can cause a “disruption of sleep patterns.”
I like the way Stephen Cherniske searches out the truth and then applies it to daily life. This book is filled with interesting case studies and even has a program to help you ease your way out of caffeine addiction without the headaches. After reading this book you may also find yourself thinking differently about guarana and yerba mate.
Pregnant women should definitely read this book. I had never considered that women could have “caffeine addicted babies.” I’d also recommend this book to doctors, massage therapists and anyone in the health care industry. The information in this book could literally save your life or the life of someone you love. This book will be especially useful to anyone suffering from Heart Disease, Heartburn, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, Headaches, Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Asthma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Anemia.
If you are also interested in the topic of “anti-aging” then you may also want to read another essential book by Stephen Cherniske:The Metabolic Plan: Stay Younger Longer.
~The Rebecca Review
If you’re used to hearing the buzzing, chirping, whistling, whooshing, roaring, ticking, clicking or humming noises of your tinnitus, then you may have already explored many different treatment options.
There are even some prescription drugs that help tinnitus, unfortunately none show any long-term cures. My thought - why compound the problem? All drugs powerful enough to help a medical illness have powerful side effects. Here are some of the drugs used to treat tinnitus and their side effects.
- Xanex and other anti-depressant drugs. Xanex is used to treat panic disorders and anxiety problems. It has also been shown to reduce the severity and volume in a large percentage of tinnitus sufferers. It acts on the brain and central nervous system to produce a calming effect, enhancing the actions of certain natural body chemicals (GABA). Xanex can also be habit-forming (addictive) and encourage abnormal drug-seeking behavior. If you suddenly stop taking Xanex, you may get seizures. Xanex is a very powerful mind-altering drug with serious side effects.
- Heart and Circulatory System Medications. For most, if not all sufferers with subjective tinnitus, these types of medications are a waste of time and money and have many serious side effects - too numerous to list here. If you happen to have pulsatile tinnitus, usually objective in nature, and is one of the rare types of tinnitus that can sometimes be treated. Resulting from problem blood flow or increased blood turbulence in or near the ear (”noisy” blood flow), pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by increased blood flow in the carotid artery and jugular vein - both close to the inner ear. Treat the high blood flow (high blood pressure, etc.), and if there is no physical blood vessel abnormality near the ear, your tinnitus may improve.
- Anticonvulsant drugs. Anticonvulsant drugs such as phenytoin (Dilantin), diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan) are all drugs that are primarily used to prevent seizures (epileptic). Side effects include major birth defects such as microcephaly (a small head), retardation of growth and deformities of the face and fingers known as anticonvulsant embryopathy.
Say No to Drug Therapy For Tinnitus
With all of the new and exciting tinnitus remedies and treatments that have been developed over the years, why put your general health at risk by taking powerful drugs, mostly designed for other illnesses, only to risk some temporary relief for dangerous side effects. For me, the risk isn’t worth the benefit of drugs that help tinnitus.
Hopefully, you’ve seen your medical doctor first - to rule out any medical condition that can cause tinnitus. Chances are your tinnitus is “subjective,” meaning that the noises can only be heard by you and, medically, there is very little that can be done to relieve the noises, including drugs that help tinnitus.
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