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tea

All About Coffee

COFFEE blog

How to Biohack Your Morning Cup of Coffee, Caffeine Alternatives That Actually Taste Good, & Why Cutting Out Caffeine Could Help Save Your Hormones

Did you say Coffee? Heck yes, of course I love coffee. I don’t know many people who don’t. Especially when it’s paired with your favorite creamy frothed nut milk, full fat coconut cream, or a little raw honey and a dash of cinnamon. Wait a second, isn’t this article supposed to help me get off the coffee craze?!  Well, kind of. The key is not to completely eliminate your favorite beverage all together. We want to help you find new (and perhaps tastier) ways to consume your favorite stimulant, but it’s possible that after reading this you might be excited to try other alternatives. The point is that you are choosing a morning beverage that is supportive and balancing to your individual health while also maintaining the rituals that you love.

Caffeine, like any strong stimulant, is highly addictive. This is why it can become increasingly difficult when it comes to limiting your consumption. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing is never really all that good. There is a famous quote in the Bhagavad Gita explaining, "that which seems like nectar at first, eventually will taste like poison.” The key is finding the appropriate balance and applying moderation to everything you choose to take into your body. Finding balance will differ from person to person and is best discovered after you have first eliminated the stimulant, allowed for a detox period, and then slowly added it back in. (This goes for most foods and allergens). Another way to determine whether or not you tolerate coffee is through genetic testing. It might sound extreme, but genetic testing can give you a lot of insight to what’s going on internally. However, I’ve found that the elimination method is super effective. It is only then that you can really figure out where your sweet spot is and whether or not you’re overdoing it with your caffeine intake.

Overloading your system with caffeine can lead to some unwanted negative side effects to your health. Caffeine, especially coffee, elevates your cortisol (your body’s main stress hormone) which can wreak havoc on your endocrine system (especially if you are a woman). And, when your hormones are out of whack this can then lead to a lot of other issues like: sleep disturbances, weight gain or a stall in weight loss, PMS, increased anxiety, increased blood pressure, and that unwanted jittery feeling.

Ugh, sounds like a lot right? 

The good news is there are SO many amazing coffee alternatives out there with tremendous benefits to your health. Once you get past your initial caffeine withdrawal you might even like your new replacement beverage even better than your usual beloved cup of coffee.

Our Favorite Coffee Alternatives

Rasa Original Herbal Coffee: Backed by Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rasa herbal blends are packed with herbs and adaptogens to give you more wakeful energy without stressing out your nervous system. Also in Rasa’s line up:

  • Rasa Cacoa Herbal Coffee
  • Rasa Dirty Coffee
  • Shakti School insiders get a discount with the promocode SHAKTIXRASA

LAKA Matcha Green Tea: Although green tea still has caffeine is has significantly less and it also includes L-Theanine which helps to calm the nervous system

Paavani Hydrating Blend: Another ayurvedic herbal alternative. They have also a nice Rooibos Tea

Four Sigmatic Reishi Cocoa Blend & Foursigmatic Matcha Green Tea

  • For 10% OFF Four Sigmatic with promo code SHAKTIFOUR

If You're Still Going to Drink Coffee...

Don’t worry, there is an upside to all of this. The good news is that it is true there are some benefits to drinking small amounts of coffee. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid which is the main component contributing to it being a good source for antioxidants. Additionally, studies continuously show that drinking coffee increases your lifespan, aids in liver detoxification, increases insulin sensitivity and improves beta cell function, and not to mention it leaves you with a little boost.

If you have determined that you can tolerate coffee (through elimination and reintroduction or by testing your genetics), you still want to be extra careful when it comes to which coffee you choose and how you prepare it. If you’re not ready to kick coffee to the curb, here are some helpful tips:

  • Always Buy Organic: Non-organic coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Those narly chemicals & pesticides go straight into your morning brew and have an affinity for female reproductive organs.
  • Always Buy Mold-Free: Unfortunately, coffee is one the #1 food item in the grocery store that is highly susceptible to mold. Make sure to do your research on your favorite roasts to ensure that you’re drinking the cleanest coffee possible. Many coffee companies are starting to advertise for mold testing.
  • Choose darker roasts: darker blends actually have the least amount of caffeine
  • Don’t Filter Out the Healthy Oils: Using a metal filter, a french press, or any other brewing method where you’re not losing the oils to a paper strainer (those oils are the source of antioxidants
  • Use Spring Water
  • Properly Store Your Coffee: Coffee beans are best stored in an opaque, airtight container, not in the freezer or stored in glass on your kitchen counter. Coffee is highly absorbent so it’s best to keep it away from moisture, sunlight, oxygen, or other odors that could diminish the benefits of your coffee.
  • Consider Adding Fat: Blending your coffee with fat such as grass-fed butter or coconut oil may help to avoid a blood pressure spike which could also cause  an increase in cortisol.

Our Favorite Coffee Products

  • Kion Coffee
  • Bulletproof Coffee
  • Kimera Coffee
  • Coffee Gator For Proper Storage

Herbal Cacoa Latte
(can also be made with coffee 😉

-1 cup of hot rasa coffee (or your favorite mold-free coffee)  

-1 tablespoons organic cacao powder

-1 tablespoon coconut butter 

-1 tablespoon cashew butter

-1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon 

-1 scoop of collagen (optional)

-¼ cup of warm nut milk (optional) 

-A tiny dash of cardamom

Place all ingredients in a high powered blender, blend on high for 15 seconds, pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

Herbal Cacoa Latte

References

  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2257922/
  • https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/coffee-tips-tricks-hacks-or-getting-the-most-out-of-coffee/
  • https://chriskresser.com/rhr-is-drinking-coffee-good-for-you/
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TheShaktiSchool

We are throwing two LIVE book launch parties in Vi We are throwing two LIVE book launch parties in Virginia. Author talk + community fall intention ritual + the sweet sounds of @djcopavida DANCE shakedown…Featuring @common__house @djcopavida @bluebirdandco @bluebirdbookstop 🥳shoot us a line if you are coming - it’s filling up ❤️🍁🩵🍁
What if… you could come celebrate my new book Gl What if… you could come celebrate my new book Glow-Worthy with me AND bring your bestie AND possibly win a spot for BOTH OF YOU in Ayurveda School Level 1!!?✨✨✨⁣
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(yes, if you have already signed up for our 2024 class you can still win this spot)…⁣
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In celebration of the official release of my new book, Glow-Worthy, we are inviting you to a special 2-hour FREE love-event: ⁣
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✨ A Morning of Glow ✨⁣
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It’s part workshop, part party 🎈And 100% for you. ⁣
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Yes, we are gonna’ confetti you all with a TON of abundance gifts in celebration of the birth of this little book baby 🎉🎉🎉⁣
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This online party is a straight-up Godmother Oprah giveaway.⁣
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Check out all this beautiful stuff we’re giving away for the people who come LIVE👇🏼👇🏼⁣
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✨2 FREE SPOTS TO LEVEL 1 AYURVEDA SCHOOL! ⁣
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Bring your bestie and stay for the whole event where the winners will be announced! We will also send you Glow-Worthy, Healthy Happy Sexy, the beautiful bound copy of our color-printed manual AND the textbook for class. (That’s 4 books!)⁣
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✨1 WINNER will get a free private coaching session with Katie, where we can dive into your life, career and meditative practice goals and dreams as well as how to approach perceived roadblocks and emotional obstacles. Katie currently does not see private clients, so this is a rare opportunity to connect with her on a one-on-one level. ⁣
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✨3 WINNERS will get a personalized love note and signed copy of Glow-Worthy sent to your door. ⁣
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✨3 WINNERS will get Katie’s Winter Skin and Sleep Kit ⁣
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✨EVERYONE! The recorded audio meditations from Glow-Worthy with Katie ⁣
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✨EVERYONE! Katie’s Fall Recipe FAVES E-book⁣
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Tag your bestie below and then get on our email list ASAP for the invite (linked in bio)! 💌💌💌
Hey beauties- 🍂🍁🍃join me for the time-tes Hey beauties- 🍂🍁🍃join me for the time-tested secrets to a fabulous fall. We will go into some of the basics of Ayurvedic fall routine- but you know me - we are going to take it deep! How can we use the portal of fall, where the veil begins to thin, to enter into a deeper relationship with SOUL loving and living? Register to attend! Links in bio 🍂🍃🍂🍁
We are stoked as all get out to have the AMAZING @ We are stoked as all get out to have the AMAZING @micah_rewilding teaching in our Level 2 classes in Ayurveda School! Micah will be joining us for a course on: REWILDING: How We Can Bring Our Ayurveda Back Outside. ⁣
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Micah is a true visionary leader and expert in mindfulness, rewilding, and nature connection. ⁣
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He is the Founding Director of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and the author of the book Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature, which found its way onto the International Space Station in 2022 and profoundly impacted US astronaut Colonel Mark T. Vande Hei's record-breaking mission. ⁣
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We cannot wait to have him teach our Level 2 students. Definitely check out our podcast conversation with Micah via the link in bio, and you can also find all the deets for Level 2 there 🌿🌿🌿
It’s getting to be that time of year in the Nort It’s getting to be that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere! 🍂🕯️☕️Come join us for a free Fall-inspired webinar on Ayurvedic practices for the cooler months (no matter what season you’re in, come and learn how you can work with Ayurveda when it’s cooler out!)⁣
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In this webinar you will learn:⁣
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🌬 What is Vata dosha and its connection to the Fall season⁣
🍠 Tips for balancing Vata through lifestyle practices, spices and food⁣
🌿 Herbal support for fighting the Fall blahs⁣
🔑 The absolute top-priority key to balancing Vata this Fall⁣
🍯 Learn about the Ayurvedic concept of Ojas - immunity, vitality and love! ⁣
🧘🏽‍♀️ How to build Ojas and the common ways we lose it during the busy fall season⁣
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Plus, you’ll also receive a downloadable booklet of delicious and healthy Vata-balancing recipes! ⁣
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Make transitioning into these cooler months so much smoother (and more aligned with Mama Nature) with Ayurveda - sign up via the link in bio to secure your spot!

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