This year, like every year since 1992, I shall be giving up caffeine for Lent*. (And alcohol, and salt snacks and chips/French fries and confectionary and carbonated soft drinks and, since last year, meat. But more on this later.) Giving up caffeine is physiologically the hardest. Doing so from one day to the next leads to massive headaches that can last over a week. So, in recent years, I've taken to quitting caffeine in gradual stages. Yesterday morning I switched the usual caffetiere of Lavazza Crema for a mug of Lipton's White Tea. A low-level headache ensued. A 200ml bottle of Coca-Cola gave some minor relief; a glass of red wine with my lunch finally did the trick.
Today, in the office, I'm suffering a slight headache, tension in the back of the neck. I've had my white tea, I'll have another, but when all around me are sipping coffees and the aroma has pervaded the office, I could really, really do with one. That's the nature of addiction. Exercising the will not to do something once a year is a tough thing to do, but it works.
* Lent starts this year on Wednesday 6 February and lasts until Easter Sunday, 23 March. More, much more on the subject of Lent in coming weeks.
GRADUALIST !!!!
ReplyDeleteGIVE IT UP IN ONE GO AND DRINK BRIAR WATER
Rain water filtered through the wildest and rankest briar reminds the drinker of their lowly status upon this plane! Drink and slake thy thirst! Drink only from overflowing gulleys and the guttering of old farmhouses and ruined mansions that steep and overflow with water! Become "poor Tom" from King Lear!