Coffee and Health: Tips for Keeping Both in Your Life

If you love coffee (like me) but struggle with low energy, cravings, anxiety, headaches or other hormone-related symptoms, these tips may help:

Eat before your first coffee.
Caffeine raises stress hormones (cortisol), which can also increase insulin levels. Having food first helps stabilise blood sugar and reduces sharp spikes that can happen when coffee is consumed on an empty stomach. This is especially important if you’re dealing with chronic stress.

Avoid coffee with meals.
This matters most if you’re menstruating or tend to run low in iron, as coffee inhibits iron absorption. Aim to have coffee 1–2 hours away from iron-rich meals. 

Choose quality over quantity.
Low-quality coffee can contain mould, mycotoxins, and pesticide residues, things you definitely want to avoid!

Protect your sleep.
Avoid coffee in the afternoon. For most adults, it takes about 5–6 hours to clear half the caffeine consumed and depending on genetics, age and liver health, it can stay even longer. This can interfere with sleep, especially deep, restorative REM sleep.

Hydrate first thing in the morning.
After sleep, the body is mildly dehydrated. Drinking water before coffee helps wake up the brain and supports digestion.

Listen to your nervous system.
Caffeine can contribute to anxiety, so if you’re already feeling wired or anxious, try decaf or a caffeine-free alternative like chicory or herbal tea.

And last but not least, drink it mindfully ♡