From there, it’s on to the big one: coffee. The best way to kick coffee to the curb is to taper off in small increments so as not to trigger those dreaded withdrawal symptoms (especially the headaches). The mission here is to slowly dial down your caffeine consumption, so your body can acclimate over time. Here’s a strategy to try when you’re finally ready to ditch the caffeine: Kicking a caffeine habit can be incredibly difficult, but it also can be well worth your while. Your sleep might be longer and of higher quality, and your overall health can improve as well. Who knows, you might even be able to introduce coffee back into your diet someday—only now, it might be more of an aromatic treat than a morning necessity. After his initial medical training in his native South Africa, Lipman spent 18 months working at clinics in the bush. He became familiar with the local traditional healers, called sangomas, which kindled his interest in non-Western healing modalities In 1984, Lipman immigrated to the United States, where he became the chief medical resident at Lincoln Hospital in Bronx, NY. While there, he became fascinated by the hospital’s addiction clinic, which used acupuncture and Chinese medicine making him even more aware of the potential of implementing non-Western medicine to promote holistic wellbeing. He began studying nutrition, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, functional medicine, biofeedback, meditation, and yoga. Lipman founded the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in 1992, where he combines the best of Western medicine and cutting edge nutritional science with age-old healing techniques from the East. As his patient, chef Seamus Mullen, told The New York Times, “If antibiotics are right, he’ll try it. If it’s an anti-inflammatory diet, he’ll do that. He’s looking at the body as a system rather than looking at isolated things.” In addition to his practice, he is also an instructor in mbg’s Functional Nutrition Program. A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
