A few months ago I decided to ditch the coffee at least for a while.  I don’t like the way I feel when I drink to much of it and I needed to give my body a break.  Occasionally I look for new products to replace the ones I am using because sometime you just need to change things up.

Not let’s be clear I don’t drink coffee everyday, not even every other day but when it’s need it, I REALLY need it.  So when I decided to cut coffee, I needed to have something that would work and something that would work quick.

There were three options that I tried to kick coffee that worked pretty well.  Let me tell you about them.

Macaccino

This is a drink I stumbled upon at Natural Product Expo East.  It smells great almost like hot chocolate even though it doesn’t taste like it. Macaccino has no caffeine so say goodbye to those jitters or that really uncomfortable feeling you get sometimes when you drink to much of it, something I love.  You don’t have to brew it all you need is hot water and a spoon.  If you want you can add cream and sugar, but that is totally up to you.  It only took one tablespoon or Maca to get the job done.  It’s a fine powder that you add to water a smoothie, a protein shake you decide.

What I thought about it..

The Maca definetely helped with the extreme fatigue I felt.  After I drank it I felt awake, but not wired.  I felt more mentally alert, which was helpful too.  I was able to sleep which was something else I appreciated, having this drink didn’t translate being up for hours, something else I really appreciated.

When I tasted it at the Natural Product Expo I thought the flavor was amazing, but when I tried it straight out of the bag I thought it could use some help.  What I realize now is this is a drink you are going to want to dress up.

Cream and sugar definitely made the Macaccino more appetizing, but coffee .  Some important extras, Maca is a superfood that has a number of health benefits.

Garden of Life My Kind Organic B-12 Spray

Now this might seem like a really odd addition to the list, but surprisingly it works really well.  If you need a short burst of energy and some mental clarity this little gem is a must have item.

I love Garden of Life B-12 spray because it’s natural, it works on the go and well it’s works well with your body.  I fell in love with B-12 when I was pregnant with my daughter, my doctor recommended them to combat the fatigue and they were amazing.  After that I made sure that I added B-12 to my list of vitamins since it is something our bodies use a lot.

The spray is small enough to fit in your purse and it works pretty fast.  It’s also something you can use again and again, just don’t overdue it.  There is no jitters and no caffeine, and the best things about this Garden of Life product is the ingredients.

This is a great item to have just in case you need it.  Garden of Life also has a great Vitamin D and Vitamin C spray, they won’t help you stay awake but I love the Vitamin C to help fight off colds.

Peppermint Essential Oil

This addition is one I use often.  I love the way that it smells and it works pretty well too.

You can put the oil on your skin especially under your nose and around your neck.  The sensation and smell does a great job of perking you up.  Of course, it’s natural so there is no jitters and no caffeine.  I’ve been using this for years as evidenced by the wear on the label, but I love it.  You can also add it to cocoa butter or coconut oil for a great smelling moisturizing lotion.  I’ll have to share that with you later.

These products aren’t traditional, but they are great ways to ward of the fatigue and give yourself a lift with out adding caffeine, so give them a try.