If there is one thing I crave as much as dairy on this WOE it is coffee. I've been able to stay fairly disciplined with my coffee intake according to time of day. I never drink coffee beyond noon. However, I will have up to 3 cups before then. Drinking 3 cups of coffee is rare. To be more specific I will have about 20 oz of coffee in the morning. Two back to back 10 oz servings of coffee and no more until the following day. How do I take it? Well, I fill my Waterpik with it and floss my teeth. Straight from the Keurig. I have 2nd degree burns all over my gums. No, not really. I do like it black but I still put in some additives. Usually, I do a teaspoon of powdered beef collagen, two drops of Lugol's iodine, and two pinches of pink Himalayan salt.
Why the collagen? Well, I wish I could say it is because I believe it does something magical for my skin or my hair. Like a magic powder that tightens the loose skin one gets from weight loss. But, it's not and I can't say I believe it does anything like that. What it does is provide the coffee with a smooth texture and mellow flavor. To me, that is. I don't want to anger any coffee aficionados. It seems less acidic with the collagen. I don't know the science behind it, but I like the way my coffee taste with a little bit of powdered beef collagen in it.
Why the iodine? Something that came to my attention after I was on this WOE for a few months was the danger of being iodine insufficient. Iodine is important for our bodies, and without it, we become prey to all kinds of side-effects. That's why it is in most salts. It is not in pink Himalayan salt, which is what I use for salt most often. Two drops of iodine in my coffee is mostly unnoticeable and way for me to get that needed daily dose. The worse side-effect I experienced was strange and chronic fatigue but also an inability to get good any decent sleep. Just 4 drops total every morning and I haven't had any more of those problems.
Why the pink Himalayan salt, you ask? There was a time long a go when I enjoyed sweet coffee. It was very long ago, like when I was a child. I began drinking it black solely because I thought it made me look tough. Stupid, I know, but it wasn't long before I realized I like coffee black. You get more out of the taste when you aren't making it with copious amounts of sugar and creamer. Every bean is different and different roasts produce different flavors and there are different roasting methods and so on. Each sip can have a completely different bouquet of flavor. I use the pink Himalayan salt to enhance those flavors. It brings the notes to the front and I can finally understand what the tasting notes on the bag are all about. As I mentioned above, it is the salt I use most. I also drink it mixed up with water in between meals. It helps to keep the electrolytes up. I could drink coffee all day long, but though I love coffee, I'm afraid of caffeine. I've become much more sensitive to caffeine since beginning this WOE. So, much like the yogurt, I treat myself with coffee once a day.
My skyr turned out amazing by the way. If you've never made your own yogurt or skyr, then you are missing out. It's very easy and delicious beyond imagination.