Break the coffee break habit.

If caffeine were a new drug being introduced on the market today, it would probably have a hard time getting government approval and would likely be available only by prescription. So says Dr. Robert Giller, author of the book Medical Makeover. That's because caffeine is offcially classified as an addictive, on the same list as nicotine and heroin.

You may think addictive is a harsh word to apply to the habit of sitting down with a warm cup of coffee in the morning or having a soft drink with friends during an afternoon break. It's true that caffeine has been used for thousands of years and is one of our most socially sanctioned drugs, but it can lead to the same cycle of dependence we experience with more serious narcotics.

You might say, "I drink several cups of coffee every day and don't notice any problems." And if there's no problem, why change? What you don't realize is that even though you feel OK now, you could feel much better without caffeine.

Health problems. Because it makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure, caffeine has been implicated in heart disease. It has also been linked to several forms of cancer and may contribute to peptic ulcers, psychosis, and birth defects. Because it's a diuretic, it can lead to dehydration, and as Ann McGee-Cooper explains in her book You Don't Have to Go Home From Work Exhausted, it flushes chemicals out of the body that are necessary for efficient brain function. The stimulating effect of caffeine can produce insomnia, and its high acid content contributes to heart-burn and indigestion.

Despite these charges, people tend to drink coffee for its stimulating effect. We think it gives us an energy boost, but what we don't realize is that rather than giving energy, caffeine forces our body to deplete its reserves faster than it normally would. Caffeine encourages the liver to release stored glucose, which rushes sugar into the bloodstream and gives us a temporary lift. But when insulin is released to counteract the glucose, our blood sugar plummets, leaving us even more tired and longing for yet another cup of coffee. This rapid drop in blood sugar also makes us feel hungry, craving sugar-rich snacks that ruin our attempts at weight control. This constant and repeated jolt from caffeine is like whipping a tired horse; the more we try to force it into performance, the more exhausted it becomes.

Not a "feel good" drug. We have the misconception that coffee makes us feel good, but the truth is that once we've become dependent on it we feel bad when we try to do without it. According to Dr. Giller, "once your body grows accustomed to caffeine you must take regular, fairly precise doses to stay on an even keel." We need our morning coffee to jump-start our day. We crave caffeineladen soft drinks and chocolate bars to get us through the afternoon, and in the evening we take caffeinated painkillers to combat the headaches that result from a few hours without caffeine. This vicious cycle of consumption, withdrawal, and consumption is what leads to addiction.

An addiction is something you're emotionally chained to. Your life is controlled by an outside substance, and you feel uncomfortable without it. The classic signs of addiction are: (1) a tolerance for the drug that produces a need for more to achieve the same effect, (2) cravings for the drug when it's removed, and (3) withdrawal symptoms--in this case fatigue, headaches, depression, or anxiety. Try doing without your usual dose of caffeine for a day or two, and you'll realize that you do suffer from true addiction!

But it's worth the effort to endure the withdrawal symptoms in order to overcome your dependence on caffeine.

How to quit. There are two ways to get over any addiction: gradually or cold turkey. The method that works best for you depends on your personality and the degree to which you're hooked.

Quitting cold turkey has several advantages. You don't have to make choices about how much to have and when--you simply avoid caffeine. Then after a few days of discomfort, you'll enjoy the freedom of having more control over your life. Here are some tips for making this approach easier:

* Experiment with the wide variety of herb teas now available until you find one you'd like to use as a replacement.

* Take aspirin for headache, but be sure to avoid painkillers containing caffeine.

* Because you'll feel tired for the first few days, allow yourself plenty of extra rest.

* Plan to quit over your vacation or a long weekend so you won't have to deal with the usual stresses in your life.

* Drink more water to help flush toxins from your system, carry needed chemicals to the brain, and rehydrate the body to give you more energy.

* Change your routine so you're no longer involved in the chain reaction of events that contribute to your bad habits. Instead of drinking coffee in the kitchen, try sipping tea in the living room. Take a walk during your coffee break. Even something as simple as sitting in a different chair and using a different cup can remind you of the changes you're trying to make.

* Allow yourself other pleasures to compensate for what you're giving up.

* Change only one habit at a time. For example, don't try to diet and give up coffee at the same time.

* Remind yourself how good you'll feel after you get over this addiction.

Despite its advantages, the cold turkey method might not be right for you. Dr. Roland Griffiths, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, conducted a study and found that some coffee drinkers experienced painful withdrawal symptoms when they tried to give up caffeine abruptly. Because they suffered severe depression, headaches, and nausea, Dr. Griffiths recommended that these people taper off slowly rather than quit all at once. If you feel you're one of these people, here are a few ideas to help you cut down gradually:

* Make your own blend of regular and decaf coffee, adding more decaf each week.

* Wait as long as you can before having your first cup of coffee each day.

* When you really need a "fix," consider using a caffeine tablet, thus avoiding the associations you make with sitting down with a warm cup of coffee.

Don't expect to be perfect--but do expect to improve. When you fall off the wagon, use the experience to help you improve. Examine what factors led to your slipping back into your old ways and how you now feel after drinking coffee. You'll probably find that you no longer have a high tolerance for it, that it makes you feel jittery and uncomfortable.

Being caffeine-free. Once you are caffeine-free, you'll discover a new level of health and well-being. You won't need more and more coffee to stay alert, and you will no longer suffer through the highs and lows that caffeine produces. You won't experience attacks of hunger or crave sweets to combat sudden drops in blood sugar. And you'll actually have more energy, because you won't be dehydrated by caffeine's diuretic effect.

But most important, you will no longer be chained to an addiction. You'll gain control over your life and a sense of mastery when you realize that you, not your habits, are in control of your life. Once you break the cycle of dependence, you can maintain an even keel throughout the day without the roller coaster ride of ups and downs brought on by coffee. Not only will you be caffeine-free--you'll be free.

Caffeine Content of Various Foods and Beverages

Coffee (5 ounces)                  mg. of caffeine
Brewed, drip method                   60-180
Brewed, percolator                    40-170
Instant                               30-120
Brewed, decaffeinated                    2-5
Instant, decaffeinated                   1-5
Tea (5 ounces)
Brewed, major U.S. brands              20-90
Brewed, imported brands               25-110
Instant                                25-50
Iced (12 oz. glass)                    67-76
Miscellaneous beverages
Some soft drinks (6 oz.)               15-30
Cocoa beverages                         2-20
Chocolate milk beverages (8 oz.)         2-7
Milk chocolate (1 oz.)                  1-15
Dark chocolate semisweet (1 oz.)        5-35
Baker's chocolate (1 oz.)                 26
Chocolate-flavored syrup (1 oz.)           4

Caffeine and Pregnancy

New research indicates that drinking three or more cups of coffee a day during or even before pregnancy may significantly increase the risk of miscarriage. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared 331 women who had miscarriages and 993 women who had healthy pregnancies. After controlling for factors such as age, race, education, smoking, alcohol use, occupational exposure to chemicals, and certain medical conditions, researchers found that the risk of miscarriage and growth retardation increased with the amount of caffeine consumed.

As expected, this study has resulted in a wave of controversy. Other researchers are quick to cite studies showing no link between moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy and miscarriage. However, authors of the new study say that given the inconsistencies in the literature, health professionals counseling pregnant women must "navigate between protecting the fetus and besieging women with excessive warnings," but that it's best to "err on the side of caution."

The authors also remind women that tea and cola drinks contain caffeine and should also be avoided by those planning pregnancy, during pregnancy, and during breast feeding.