So here's the deal. I spent the entire week sick in bed with some kind of nasty stomach bug... I will spare you the details, but because I was so sick I haven't had coffee since Sunday. This is a major thing for me, and now I'm thinking maybe I should just give it up altogether. Here's why.

I have had chronic pain in my "left upper quadrant" under my rib cage for years. I've had my heart checked, my gall bladder, my pancreas, chest x-rays, all of it. I got an endoscopy a few years ago thinking I might have an ulcer but the doctor just told me I have "some inflammation" and that it's probably dietary and to eliminate a bunch of foods and slowly bring them back in to figure out what is irritating my stomach. I cut dairy for a week and nothing improved and then I gave up.

Well after not drinking coffee for 5 days that pain under my rib cage is GONE! I actually didn't eat much of anything while I was sick, so maybe it wasn't the coffee... But let's be serious, coffee is acidic and inflammatory and I'm probably onto something here.

I've already dealt with the caffeine-withdrawal headache... on day 2 of my stomach bug I started getting a massive headache too and quickly realized it was probably the lack of coffee. Today that is gone too. So while I feel a little foggy without the coffee, I also think I feel better overall without that nagging pain in my side from drinking coffee every single day.

I've also been thinking about how expensive my coffee habit is! Not only do I go to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks multiple times a week, but in addition to buying $5 coffee drinks, I also end up buying egg sandwiches, hash browns, cake pops, donuts, and all kinds of other stuff that is bad for my health and my wallet!

Have you successfully given up coffee? It's so much a part of my routine I know this is going to be tough... So I need encouragement!

Dana McKay

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