Over the past 40 years the consumption of soda has increased substantially, much to the pleasure of the soda manufacturers; however, so have the ill effects of its over consumption.

The fact is that today kids consume way too much sugar as compared to 40 years ago. Teenagers are drinking less milk and, as a result, are getting less calcium. They are getting about 40% of their energy/sugar calories from soft drinks.

Currently, teens are drinking half as much milk as soda as compared to 20 years ago. There have been research studies which show that teenage girls who require 1300mg of calcium/day are only getting about 800mg. This lack of calcium can predispose one to broken bones and osteoporosis. Calcium is also important for bone development up to the age of 18.

It is a natural fact that teenage girls who drink too much soda have a much greater risk of breaking a bone or developing osteoporosis. Three cans of soda/day poses a serious risk for teenage boys. Males in the 12 to 29 age range are known to be the single largest group of people who indulge in soda. The risks to one’s health from the over consumption of soda include tooth decay and destruction, osteoporosis, obesity, kidney stones, and diabetes.

Soda contents include caffeine, acid, additive dye, and a high fructose corn syrup. An average can of soda has about 10 to 12 tsp of sugar or 40 to 48 grams of phosphoric or carbonic acid.

The fructose syrup contains zero nutritional value. Caffeine, which is stimulant that is mildly addictive, causes calcium excretion that can result in an increased risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.

Most people think that the sugar in the soda is bad and that is what causes tooth decay. However, the research shows that the real danger is in the acid. The phosphoric or carbonic acid dissolves the calcium out of the enamel leaving it a softened matrix for bacteria to enter the teeth and cause wholesale tooth destruction. Therefore, sugar free sodas are not a viable answer.

Most individuals who drink a lot of soda range from some minor decalcification of teeth, with white bands of softened enamel which encircle the teeth at or near the gum line to cases where numerous teeth are totally destroyed from decay.

Many of these individuals are students who study while continuously sipping a soda which creates an acid bath for their teeth. Don’t forget the fact that the sugar itself is also converted to acid by the bacteria on the teeth. Coupled all this with poor dental hygiene and you have a recipe for an oral disaster in the making.

The public should be educated regarding the ill effects and the soda companies need to take some responsibility since they insist on glorifying drinking their brands as being a sort of cool. So the next time your kids or you drink a soda, be aware and concerned. Always use moderation. Don’t bathe your teeth in acid, rinse with water and practice good oral hygiene.

Everyone needs time and energy to achieve big goals. When you have not enough energy then much more precious time is lost. To get some extra energy people tend to consume well known energy drinks, not thinking about the consequences. How to get energy and to remain healthy? Here you can find the answer.

As a result of frequent consuming of different energy drinks people can get upset stomach, leg weakness, heart palpitations, being jittery, nervousness, can have problems with sleeping, and affected blood pressure. All of these are the result of inorganic chemicals used in that drinks.

However, there are some more natural ways to get the needed effect. The same coffee, for example, served with skim or soy milk can help you a lot. It’s important not to overstate it. Not more than 2-3 servings a day of caffeinated beverages are recommended, preferably served along with food. If you find caffeine overly stimulating, try half-caffeinated beverages.

Being dehydrated can lead everyone to fatigue. That’s why sports drinks, fruit juices, water, and low-fat milk are recommended. The best are fresh fruit juices and purified water, of course. You can try some weak green tea, too.

One of the most useful and energizing drinks is the yerba mate tea. This plant is well known in the Latino American Countries. Now it becomes even more fashionable then coffee. The main reason for drinking it is the enormous number of useful ingredients it contains.

A low-fat yogurt or any low-fat yogurt drinks can also give you energy, because of the carbohydrates contained there. Apart from that you can add a healthy diet, physical activity, good night’s sleep, vegetables, and fresh or dried fruits.

However, it seems that your active lifestyle requires some more efficient and portable solutions. Fortunately, there are some. A few energy healthy drinks exist these days, and they are not as known, among big masses, as the unhealthy ones.

One of them is Vemma Verve Energy Drink. It is filled with vitamins, plant minerals, phytonutrients from exotic and rare mangosteen fruits, organic aloe, and green tea. Its secret, as the producers say, consists in the specific way of preparing all this stuff.

Another source of energy is the Electrifire Energy Healthy Drink. This one is known for its absolutely natural composition. It contains purified water, orange, lime, ginger, frankincense, pomegranate, geranium, Ylang Ylang, aronia berry, passion fruit, peppermint, cranberry, rosemary antioxidant, rose, chili, and Vitamin B-12.

A.C.T. energy drinks speed-up your metabolism with natural and whole food ingredients such as guarana, green tea, panax ginseng, and maca root. This healthy drink also contain Fibersol-2, a natural, safe, and healthy source of soluble fiber. It’s known to support and promote healthy weight loss.

Names are different, effects are the same. But the consequences are different, too. If you really care about your health and about your future success, then spend some time on finding out the truth about things you consume. It will definitely economizes lots of time in future.

Yogurt drinks — portable, nutritious, easy to consume, and relatively low in calories. These products typically are about half juice and half fat-free yogurt and they make a lot of sense to today’s consumers.

There are reasons for optimism about the possibility of renewed double-digit growth in yogurt drinks, including new flavors and packaging, rising interest in pro-biotic health benefits, lower cholesterol, high Omega 3 benefits, and the extension of the category into new forms of hybrids, including combinations with energy drinks.

Yogurt drinks have considerable health benefits, and are beneficial to the digestive system. It may offer the perfect balance of taste, convenience, nutrition and, increasingly, specific functionality to demanding individuals.

Yogurt drinks has benefits that the widely used milk don’t have: people who are moderately lactose-intolerant can’t drink milk but they can enjoy yogurt drinks without ill effects, because the lactose in the milk precursor is converted to lactic acid by the bacterial culture.

Yogurt healthy drinks are known and consumed all over the world. Being rich in potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins, including B-12, they help stabilize the immune system, digest lactose and dairy products, and are a good source of iodine.

Yogurt drinks have uses for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, and in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. They also promotes good gum health because of the pro-biotic effect of lactic acids present in them.

Calcium, which is found in dairy products, needs to enter the body in an acid matrix or your body will not absorb it. So the lactic acid of yogurt, as a part of yogurt drink, is a perfect medium to maximize calcium absorption. Eight ounces of yogurt will equal 400 mg of calcium, 25% more calcium than you would get out of a glass of milk.

Another benefit is helping banish the belly. The same calcium stops the production of the hormone cortisol, which increases your stomach fat. So, if you want to look and be fitter then several tubs of fat-free yogurt drink a day can help you a lot.

As the summer is coming, some good, refreshing, yogurt drink recipes will be helpful. One of the most successful is the Spiced Minty Yogurt Drink. You will need: 1 cup of yogurt, ½ cup water, 12 mint leaves, ½ teaspoon cumin, 8 ice cubes, and some whole fresh mint leaves for garnish.

Firstly blend together all the ingredients except the ice cubes and whole mint leaves for the garnish until smooth in a blender. Then add the ice cubes and continue to blend another 20 to 30 seconds. Pour into glasses and garnish with the mint leaves. Then you can serve this refreshing, stimulating, and healthy yogurt drink.

Another Strawberry Yogurt Drink can be made of 1 cup of sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1/2 banana, 3 ice cubes, and some strawberries for garnish. Combine the sliced strawberries, yogurt, banana, and ice cubes in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish each serving with a strawberry. It is very simple and tasty.

And if it’s a really hot day, then you can try this one: Cooler-Than-Cool Yogurt Drink. Blend 2 cups of plain low-fat yogurt, 1 small, diced ripe avocado, 2/3 cup cubes seeded pared cucumber, 5 fresh mint leaves, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper sauce, and 1 cup of cracked ice, except garnish. This really cool recipe will be good for 4 servings.

Yogurt drink is a healthy drink. It can be bought or made at home. It is a part of modern diets and always appears on the table of people who do care about their heath. It is tasty and useful and accessible in the same time. So what will you choose when looking next time for a drink?

There are two ways to lose weight, either reduce energy intake, or increase energy expenditure. Because hypothyroidism, even after treatment, may reduce energy expenditure in some people, patients naturally are looking for options that can help safely help raise the metabolism.

Metabolism (pronounced: muh-tah-buh-lih-zum) is a collection of chemical reactions that takes place in the body’s cells to convert the fuel in the food we eat into the energy needed to power everything we do, from moving to thinking to growing. Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism, and each chemical reaction is coordinated with other body functions. In fact, thousands of metabolic reactions happen at the same time – all regulated by the body – to keep our cells healthy and working.

In a study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a measure of metabolism), plus also had a significant effect on fat oxidation. While some of the effects were originally theorized to be due to the caffeine content of green tea, the researchers discovered that the tea actually has properties that go beyond those that would be explained by the caffeine.

The same amount of caffeine as was in the green tea, administered alone, failed to change energy expenditure in other studies. This led researchers to believe that there is some interaction going on with the active ingredients of green tea that promotes increased metabolism and fat oxidation.

The researchers indicated that their findings have substantial implications for weight control. A 4% overall increase in 24-hour energy expenditure was attributed to the green tea extract, however, the research found that the extra expenditure took place during the daytime.

Thermogenesis is the process by which the body generates heat, or energy, by increasing the metabolic rate above normal. This rise in metabolic rate is referred to as the thermogenic effect, thermogenic response, or specific dynamic action (SDA). Thermogenesis is activated by a few different mechanisms, including supplements, nutrition, exercise, and exposure to cold.

This led them to conclude that, since thermogenesis (the body’s own rate of burning calories) contributes 8-10% of daily energy expenditure in a typical cubject, that this 4% overall increase in energy expenditure due to the green tea actually translated to a 35-43% increase in daytime thermogenesis.

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Like the earth, humans and all other animal life are about three-quarters water. It is therefore no wonder that drinking plenty of water is so vital to our well being.

Many times a day we feel our energy levels falling and we reach for food when, in fact, we are actually in need of water. How often do we spend money and time on medical treatment for conditions which could have easily been prevented through proper hydration. Experts say that we are often dehydrated even before we feel thirsty. Water is essential to keep us fit and healthy

6 Tips on drinking more water:

1. Add flavored packets If water alone bores you, take advantage of the new flavor packets that are sold specifically to enhance the taste of water.
2. Get fun to go containers Always have water with you or in the car. Get good size, fun colored containers. The larger the container, the fewer the refills.
3. Change your daily habits Wake up to your first glass of water.
4. Make it a rule to order water (with or without lemon) instead of a diet soda when you go out to eat.
5. Drink a glass before you eat Water helps to curb your appetite. It is easy to confuse hunger with being thirsty, so try water first. Drinking water makes you feel active.
6. Use straws, add ice and a lemon or even a small slice of orange Make this glass of water feel like a treat.

So what are we waiting for? Let us drink eight glasses of water a day. It is easy, costs nothing and the benefits are life changing.

So how much water should one drink each day? The question seems like it commands a simple answer, but the reality is that the response varies based upon your body’s needs. A lot of sources will tell you that you need a minimum of 8 glasses a day, but the truth of the matter is that you need to obey your own internal requirements.

Experts are now saying that there is no set number. Rather, when you are thirsty, you should drink. If you find yourself experiencing headaches or dizziness, chances are that you are depriving your body of water, whether or not you are meeting the 8 glasses a day standard. If your urine is highly concentrated and anything other than clear/very pale yellow in color, then that is another telltale sign that your body wants more.

So, how much should you drink? – Lots!
Six to ten glasses is a safe bet but if you want to be more specific it’s recommended you drink 50 – 75% of your body weight in ounces depending on whether you are sedentary or active.

You might also want to add a bit more if it’s really hot or you are working extra hard, so for example, a person who weighs 150 lbs, lives in a dry climate and is doing strenuous exercises should drink 75% x 150 oz = 112 oz + 15 oz (activity) + 15 oz (climate) = Total 142 oz per day.

A frequently quoted figure is that adults should drink eight glasses of water a day, although Dr John Leiper, an expert in fluid balance and hydration at Aberdeen University, disputes it. “The figure of eight glasses a day is completely spurious. There is no evidence that drinking that much water does anybody any good. Although it probably won’t be doing you any harm.”

While it is true that individuals will on average lose about eight glasses worth of water a day, it doesn’t have to be replenished by water: soft drinks, even coffee, all help rehydration. “There is nothing wrong with drinking coffee,” says Dr Leiper. “The idea that coffee is a diuretic is nonsense. Yes, if you give someone who is completely caffeine naive a lot of caffeine, then it will act as a diuretic on them. But if you are used to drinking a lot of coffee then it won’t – your body gets used to it.

In healthy adults, fluid intake is regulated by thirst. Water is an essential nutrient for life and is considered the ideal drink to quench thirst and ensure hydration.

Ironically, it is very often ignored as part of our dietary recommendations. Most people are familiar with the general recommendation for adults of eight glasses of water per day. Yet, estimating water or fluid intake requirements is not easy and individual requirements are highly variable.

The National Research Council (NRC) recommends a daily water intake of approximately 1ml/kcal energy expenditure. The eight glasses of water per day is based on this recommendation and on the average weight of a 70kg male.
No single formula fits every individual or every situation and water intake recommendations also depend on other factors such as activity, humidity, climate, body temperature and body composition.

Daily turnover of water is approximately 4% of total body weight and even higher proportions in children.
Water losses from the lungs and skin (insensible losses; 500 – 1000ml/day) are responsible for approximately half of the daily turnover and sensible losses from stools (50 -100ml/day) and urine account for the rest of the daily losses.
Yet, despite of changes in body composition and function as well as the environment, most healthy people manage to regulate daily water balance well across their lifespan.

You can use a very good Hydration Calculator

Current recommendations:

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) established the Dietary Reference Intakes for water . The committee established the Adequate Intake (AI) for total water to prevent dehydration.
Based on a wide range of normal hydration status of the population, the AI was established according to the median total fluid intake (water, fluid from food and other drinks). The AI’s for sedentary men and women (aged 19-50 years) is 3,71 and 2,71 litres per day respectively.

Solid food and digestion of food also contributes to this recommendation. Drinking fluids represents approximately 81% of total water intake, resulting in a recommended intake of 3,01 litres per day for men (12 glasses of 250ml) and 2,71 liters per day (10 glasses of 250ml) for women.