Labor Day Energy Drink Warning

Do you enjoy a lift from a handy energy drink? Well, if your drink of choice is Red Bull, read the article by Reuters below that appeared in a recent edition of Scientific American.

Red Bull Increases Risk of Stroke With Just ONE Can! - based on an Aussie study.

Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people, Australian medical researchers said on Friday.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings," caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

"One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease," Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper.

Willoughby and his team tested the cardiovascular systems of 30 young adults one hour before and one hour after consuming one 250ml can of sugar-free Red Bull.

The results showed "normal people develop symptoms normally associated with cardiovascular disease" after consuming the drink, created in the 1980s by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz based on a similar Thai energy drink.

The Austria-based company, whose marketing says "Red Bull gives you wings," sponsors Formula 1 race cars and extreme sport events around the world, but warns consumers not to drink more than two cans a day.

Willoughby said Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting.

"If you have any predisposition to cardiovascular disease, I'd think twice about drinking it," he said.

Copyright Reuters

I'm not a fan of energy drinks or even magic fruit juices from far away jungles. Our desire for sweet, fast pick-me ups has lead to dangerous levels of sugar consumption in all forms, increased lack of sleep, a Type II diabetes epidemic, and unprecedented levels of obesity, to name just a few negative results from runaway sweet cravings.

This Labor Day, why not try some new and interesting fruit 'scented' drinks? I'm a big fan of essential oils, so here are a few suggestions for adding a fragrant drop to your water. Really, a drop is all you need.

Try lemon, orange, lime, peppermint, grapefruit, bergamot (used in Earl Grey tea), tangerine or mandarin, or any combination of 2 or 3 in a pitcher of purified water. I've made ice cubes with mint leaves in them - very pretty - and added 2 drops each of lemon, tangerine, and lime to a 64 ounce pitcher of water. It's quite refreshing and delish.

As we say goodbye to summer, have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.

Finnish Fish Study and Your Brain, Plus Exercise

If you like fish, your in luck. Finnish researchers have determined that eating certain fish - tuna, salmon, and mackerel - do have health benefits that have long been suspected.

The protective oils in these fish help ward off silent killers, like stroke, aka brain infarcts.

Baking your fish, rather than frying seems to be a key factor in preserving the benefits of the Omega-3 fats, specifically EPA and DHA. People consuming three fish meals per week were twenty-five percent less likely to suffer from stroke than their counterparts.

This was true in older adults, 65 and older, who were part of the large study. Click on the title above to read the entire article in Scientific American.

However, eating fish, without other beneficial health habits, may not be the ticket to a long, stroke- and dementia-free life. Habits such as regular exercise, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, eliminating fast food and fried foods, and reducing excess weight are also important.

While it is widely recognized that a little exercise is better than none, it is also known that moderate exercise at least 5 days per week is better than light exercise when it comes to overall health.

The University of Pittsburg published a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine in July, 2008, showing that to keep off a 10% weight reduction, women needed to exercise 55 minutes per day.

Here is the link to the study results, published by the BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7530345.stm

So, eat more fatty fish, exercise at least 1 hour per day, stay away from fast food and fried foods, limit your sugar intake and refined carbohydrates, and you'll reap benefits for years to come.

For more information on weight loss using an innovative product that reduces leptin and creates a feeling of fullness and satiety - naturally, visit my website

Or, email me at my new email addy:
mailto:letseatsmart@gmail.com

Check Out this Washington Post Article

As a member of the Weston A. Price Foundation and local WAP Chapter in Lane County, OR, I receive updates from the national office.

Today I received a link to an article in the Washington Post. It details the foundation's work, Sally Fallon, the controversial diet recommendations, raw milk advocacy, and more.

While I don't eat nearly the amount of fat that Sally Fallon recommends, I am a strong advocate for real food, raw milk dairy products, and buying locally.

Check out the article to learn more about Weston A. Price, the foundation, and real food.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/08/05/ST2008080502711.html