Health
Quitting Coffee: Roasting the coffee bean out of my life
Roasting the coffee bean out of my life.
It was a regular morning when I overreacted. Now usually I’m calm, composed, I’m the guy that lets things slide off my shoulder. But on this day, I became a linguist of profanity. It’s not someone I feel I am in my core or someone I consciously strive to be.
I was triggered, triggered by the way my body reacted to the caffeine; it was time to give up coffee.
As a business owner, I get clients that request meetings with me all the time, and who’s business is dependant on the melding of minds, I’m always meeting clients for the first time at trendy coffee shops. So kicking the coffee cup was a conscious decision. Something of which I thought of for a while, but my lack of focus prevented me from achieving the perk-free focus I wanted.
Now, I love coffee, and I have since my mid-twenties since I purchased an espresso machine, which I used for a few months before stuffing it in my cabinet. You see, it wasn’t just the coffee I loved or the caffeine I craved, but I loved the coffee shop culture. It was hip, cool, filled with busy, successful-looking people.
With every order, my inner voice always questioning, “hmm, I wonder what all these $6.50 coffees are doing to my body, should I worry?” or another question I’d ask myself, “am I an addict? Nah,” I’d shrug inside, as I placed an order for a drip coffee with room.
I convinced myself I had my coffee intake under control because I only consumed it around my business meetings, which were, on average, up to 3 times a day. And the caffeine karma was always clean because I would offer to pick up the bill for clients I would meet. “no-no, it’s ok. I got this!” It was full of warm goodness, positive energy over discussions of our software project together, or next movie production, and ideas seemed to explode.
Things changed. It started to become a problem because my want for coffee was percolating between meetings. A promise I made to myself that I’d only consume coffee during meetings, I figured, if I were going to have a bad habit, it would be while I’m going to be productive.
My days started with a morning coffee with my wife during breakfast, then I’d grab a quick cup to sip while coding a software project, or filming, which I’d have close to me on set in a to-go cup, and times it was at night when visiting with friends or family.
It’s only been three days since I’ve quit, it’s been the three most productive days of my life. That’s why I’ve chosen to write this article. I love to write, but while in my coffee-addicted anxious haze, I always had that false sense that I never had the time. But since I’ve quit the bean, I’ve felt present, focused, and just…happy. And now that I’m #CaffeineSober, I realized what coffee and the caffeine in it did to me. I’m sharing this because, a quick google search, I couldn’t find a decent article I could connect with, so I thought I’d write one.
I’m well aware the drug affects people in different ways, but my coffee consumption made me:
- foggy in my mind
- feel like I never had enough time
- react or overreact to stressful events
- feel like I was carrying the weight of the world’s projects
- feel distant from my wife and kids
- feel like I couldn’t handle my daily stress loads and would push myself to get through them.
- not find the joy in the admin tasks of my business, like invoicing, or writing an article like this.
- not want to go to the gym because I would see a workout as an unachievable entire body, two-hour commitment, where now I see them as more focused, micro workouts.
- feel bloated around my waistline
The list goes on, but I didn’t feel GOOD.
I enjoy my coffee with lots of cream and lots of honey. I suspect there’s a possible combination of the three, caffeine, dairy, and sugar, a triple whammy of things which are affecting my mental health, and something I’m going to be tracking, but that’s an entirely different article. But for now, I’m enjoying a flatter stomach as well.
I’m not basing my article off any science. But there seems to be a common observation of the side effects of coffee. According to WebMD, coffee containing caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and other side effects.
And if you hold a celebrity’s opinion as an expert’s, here’s an article. Harry Quits Alcohol, Tea, and Coffee for New Year as Meghan’s Healthy Lifestyle Rubs Off
I’m not arguing about the benefits either. I’m sharing my own experience in hopes that if you’re like me, there’s nothing wrong with finding the solution for your happiness.
Roasting the bean from my life hasn’t taken the joy out of meeting clients at trendy coffee shops — sipping something over discussions about video game development, software development, and movie production projects. I’ve switched to teas, I still pick up the bill, and my days are a bit brighter, and my resting-smile-face just a bit larger.
Tell me how quitting coffee has made you feel?
Raoul Bhatt
https://www.facebook.com/BhattTech/
About me, the Author:
I began my career as a graphic artist when I was still in high school, then followed with eight years of developing software before having the courage to create my own Windows XP based software in the mid 2005s with the goal of licensing it to users around the world. During that time, I had a secret passion for film, and making shortfilms and music videos, of which I wasn’t public about…. Fast forward to 2019. I’ve accumulated nearly a million users of my softwares, and developed over 2000 unique projects of which I’ve spent as the writer for, leading and developing my skills for the larger projects I create today which I post frequently on my channels.
Addictions
Ontario to restrict Canadian government’s supervised drug sites, shift focus to helping addicts
From LifeSiteNews
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government tabled the Safer Streets, Stronger Communities Act that will place into law specific bans on where such drug consumption sites are located.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is making good on a promise to close so-called drug “supervision” sites in his province and says his government will focus on helping addicts get better instead of giving them free drugs.
Ford’s Progressive Conservative government on Monday tabled the Safer Streets, Stronger Communities Act that will place into law specific bans on where such drug consumption sites are located.
Specifically, the new bill will ban “supervised” drug consumption sites from being close to schools or childcare centers. Ten sites will close for now, including five in Toronto.
The new law would prohibit the “establishment and operation of a supervised consumption site at a location that is less than 200 meters from certain types of schools, private schools, childcare centers, Early child and family centers and such other premises as may be prescribed by the regulations.”
It would also in effect ban municipalities and local boards from applying for an “exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) for the purpose of decriminalizing the personal possession of a controlled substance or precursor.”
Lastly, the new law would put strict “limits” on the power municipalities and local boards have concerning “applications respecting supervised consumption sites and safer supply services.”
“Municipalities and local boards may only make such applications or support such applications if they have obtained the approval of the provincial Minister of Health,” the bill reads.
The new bill is part of a larger omnibus bill that makes changes relating to sex offenders as well as auto theft, which has exploded in the province in recent months.
In September, Ford had called the federal government’s lax drug policies tantamount to being the “biggest drug dealer in the entire country” and had vowed to act.
‘No’ new drug sites in Ontario, vows Health Minister
In speaking about the new bill, Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones said the Ford government does not plan to allow municipal requests to the government regarding supervised consumption sites.
“Municipalities and organizations like public health units have to first come to the province because we don’t want them bypassing and getting any federal approval for something that we vehemently disagree with,” Jones told the media on Monday.
She also clarified that “there will be no further safe injection sites in the province of Ontario under our government.”
Ontario will instead create 19 new intensive addiction recovery to help those addicted to deadly drugs.
Alberta and other provinces have had success helping addicts instead of giving them free drugs.
As reported by LifeSiteNews, deaths related to opioid and other drug overdoses in Alberta fell to their lowest levels in years after the Conservative government began to focus on helping addicts via a recovery-based approach instead of the Liberal-minded, so-called “safe-supply” method.
Despite public backlash with respect to supervised drug consumption sites, Health Canada recently approved 16 more drug consumption sites in Ontario. Ford mentioned in the press conference that each day he gets “endless phone calls about needles being in the parks, needles being by the schools and the daycares,” calling the situation “unacceptable.”
The Liberals claim their “safer supply” program is good because it is “providing prescribed medications as a safer alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply to people who are at high risk of overdose.”
However, studies have shown that these programs often lead an excess of deaths from overdose in areas where they are allowed.
While many of the government’s lax drug policies continue, they have been forced to backpedal on some of their most extreme actions.
After the federal government allowed British Columbia to decriminalize the possession of hard drugs including heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, meth and MDMA beginning January 1, 2023, reports of overdoses and chaos began skyrocketing, leading the province to request that Trudeau re-criminalize drugs in public spaces.
A week later, the federal government relented and accepted British Columbia’s request.
Nurse practitioners expand primary care access |
The Alberta government’s Nurse Practitioner Primary Care program is showing early signs of success, with 33 nurse practitioners already practising independently in communities across the province.
Alberta’s government is committed to strengthening Alberta’s primary health care system, recognizing that innovative approaches are essential to improving access. To further this commitment, the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program was launched in April, allowing nurse practitioners to practise comprehensive patient care autonomously, either by operating their own practices or working independently within existing primary care settings.
Since being announced, the program has garnered a promising response. A total of 67 applications have been submitted, with 56 approved. Of those, 33 nurse practitioners are now practising autonomously in communities throughout Alberta, including in rural locations such as Beaverlodge, Coaldale, Cold Lake, Consort, Morley, Picture Butte, Three Hills, Two Hills, Vegreville and Vermilion.
“I am thrilled about the interest in this program, as nurse practitioners are a key part of the solution to provide Albertans with greater access to the primary health care services they need.”
To participate in the program, nurse practitioners are required to commit to providing a set number of hours of medically necessary primary care services, maintain a panel size of at least 900 patients, offer after-hours access on weekends, evenings or holidays, and accept walk-in appointments until a panel size reaches 900 patients.
With 33 nurse practitioners practising independently, about 30,000 more Albertans will have access to the primary health care they need. Once the remaining 23 approved applicants begin practising, primary health care access will expand to almost 21,000 more Albertans.
“Enabling nurse practitioners to practise independently is great news for rural Alberta. This is one more way our government is ensuring communities will have access to the care they need, closer to home.”
“Nurse practitioners are highly skilled health care professionals and an invaluable part of our health care system. The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program is the right step to ensuring all Albertans can receive care where and when they need it.”
“The NPAA wishes to thank the Alberta government for recognizing the vital role NPs play in the health care system. Nurse practitioners have long advocated to operate their own practices and are ready to meet the growing health care needs of Albertans. This initiative will ensure that more people receive the timely and comprehensive care they deserve.”
The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care program not only expands access to primary care services across the province but also enables nurse practitioners to practise to their full scope, providing another vital access point for Albertans to receive timely, high-quality care when and where they need it most.
Quick facts
- Through the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program, nurse practitioners receive about 80 per cent of the compensation that fee-for-service family physicians earn for providing comprehensive primary care.
- Compensation for nurse practitioners is determined based on panel size (the number of patients under their care) and the number of patient care hours provided.
- Nurse practitioners have completed graduate studies and are regulated by the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta.
- For the second consecutive year, a record number of registrants renewed their permits with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) to continue practising nursing in Alberta.
- There were more than 44,798 registrants and a 15 per cent increase in nurse practitioners.
- Data from the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program show:
- Nine applicants plan to work on First Nations reserves or Metis Settlements.
- Parts of the province where nurse practitioners are practising: Calgary (12), Edmonton (five), central (six), north (three) and south (seven).
- Participating nurse practitioners who practise in eligible communities for the Rural, Remote and Northern Program will be provided funding as an incentive to practise in rural or remote areas.
- Participating nurse practitioners are also eligible for the Panel Management Support Program, which helps offset costs for physicians and nurse practitioners to provide comprehensive care as their patient panels grow.
Related information
COP 29 leaders demand over a $1 trillion a year in climate reparations from ‘wealthy’ nations. They don’t deserve a nickel.
Five Government Programs That Musk’s Government Efficiency Agency Could Put On The Chopping Block
Ottawa’s avalanche of spending hasn’t helped First Nations
It’s time to supersize charitable tax credits, not political ones
Trudeau government to roll out another digital border crossing app by 2026
MAiD In Alberta: Province surveying Albertans about assisted suicide policies
DOGE seeks ‘super high-IQ’ people willing to work 80 hours a week for free
-
conflict2 days agoUS and UK authorize missile strikes into Russia, but are we really in danger of World War III?
-
Alberta2 days ago
Early Success: 33 Nurse Practitioners already working independently across Alberta
-
armed forces1 day agoJudge dismisses Canadian military personnel’s lawsuit against COVID shot mandate
-
Business1 day agoCBC’s business model is trapped in a very dark place
-
Addictions2 days agoBC Addictions Expert Questions Ties Between Safer Supply Advocates and For-Profit Companies
-
Alberta22 hours agoAlberta government announces review of Trudeau’s euthanasia regime
-
Aristotle Foundation2 days agoToronto cancels history, again: The irony and injustice of renaming Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square
-
Alberta18 hours agoPremier Smith says Auto Insurance reforms may still result in a publicly owned system
You must be logged in to post a comment Login