caffeine
I've been tryng to gradually reduce caffeine intake for the last few days, with the goal of getting through Yom Kippur (25-hour complete fast) without a caffeine headache. Last year I had to take one Advil; I'm hoping to do better this year. I'm currently at the point of alternating units of caffeine with units of non-caffeine, so here it is almost noon and I'm only partway through my second can of Diet Pepsi. This is pretty good.
You may wonder why I don't just keep myself caffeine-free after Yom Kippur instead of drinking a couple of liters at the break-fast meal. The answer is that I seem to be unable to maintain a caffeine-free existence for the long haul without undesirable tradeoffs (like those withdrawal headaches, and sleeping too much). But it's ok; I'm comfortable with my current addiction. I would prefer to be able to get my caffeine without being accompanied by either sugar or nutrisweet; I've heard that someone is now selling just plain water with caffeine, but I haven't found it yet. (No-Doz is too concentrated, and I loathe the taste of coffee. Hot tea doesn't get it into the bloodstream quickly enough, and iced tea I would have to make myself because no one sells it in cans/bottles without some sort of sweetener.)
Ah, the challenges of addiction-management.
You may wonder why I don't just keep myself caffeine-free after Yom Kippur instead of drinking a couple of liters at the break-fast meal. The answer is that I seem to be unable to maintain a caffeine-free existence for the long haul without undesirable tradeoffs (like those withdrawal headaches, and sleeping too much). But it's ok; I'm comfortable with my current addiction. I would prefer to be able to get my caffeine without being accompanied by either sugar or nutrisweet; I've heard that someone is now selling just plain water with caffeine, but I haven't found it yet. (No-Doz is too concentrated, and I loathe the taste of coffee. Hot tea doesn't get it into the bloodstream quickly enough, and iced tea I would have to make myself because no one sells it in cans/bottles without some sort of sweetener.)
Ah, the challenges of addiction-management.