Do Yoga & Coffee Mix?

The more I'm learning about this yoga thing, the more I'm really enjoying the practice. Except for one tiny detail. Yoga practitioners everywhere agree: caffeine is a no-no.

I'm sorry, but you're going to have to come over here and say that to my face. And then wrestle this coffee mug from my cold, dead hands.

The Case for Coffee

It's not the caffeine, so much, as it is the coffee. I love the taste of coffee. I can drink decaf in the morning (sometimes I do), but let's remember that I'm also the mother of a toddler. You try sitting on the floor and playing blocks when you feel like you got hit by a bus because a certain little lady wanted to get up at 1 AM, 3 AM, and then start her day at 6 AM. Try it, and we'll talk.

But beyond my silly reasons, I also drink one cup of coffee everyday for the proven health benefits. According to WebMD, regular coffee drinkers are less likely to have Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson's, dementia. We also have fewer cases of some forms of cancer, heart disease, heart rhythm problems, and stroke. See what I'm talking about? So it's not preventing these diseases, but it certainly can help to ward off certain health problems. Coffee itself is an antioxidant, which probably explains these protective benefits, and aren't we supposed to get a lot of those into our daily diet?

The Case Against Coffee

Of course, over-caffeinating or becoming addictive to caffeine isn't a good idea. According to Find Bliss, "Caffeine triggers stress hormone production and stress hormones alter the delicate balance of your endocrine system." Delightful. It has also been shown to play a factor in some health problems, such as PMS, anxiety, depression, chronic headaches, fatigue, heart palpitations, and ulcers… for starters. It's also a common trigger for IBS (which I have), but luckily, it doesn't seem to bother me at all.

Yoga practitioners also advise that caffeine can interfere with your daily practice, making meditation difficult, and interrupting your natural flow of energy. By boosting adrenaline production, it gradually drains your energy levels over time. Then, poof! You fall asleep on your yoga mat! (Well, maybe not, but you see what I'm driving at.)

Now What?

So what's a poor yoga-loving, coffee-drinking mom to do? I could live without it, but with all the sacrifices I'm planning to make (gluten, dairy, and meat…more on this later), can't I just keep this one little treat for myself?

For now, it's staying. Moderation is the key here, I think. I'll stick to my one cup of coffee a day, maybe aim to drink decaf a couple days of week, and go totally decaf on my nightly cup of green tea. The tea's not for the caffeine, anyway, that's just for the healthy weight-loss boost and antioxidants. I think I can live with that.

If I ever do decide to give up that morning cup of java, you'll hear all about it right here.