Energy drinks are extremely popular. But some have got a bad rap for potential side-effects, particularly in kids and young adults, eg agitation, heart throbbing and hypertension.

Which has opened the door to relaxation drinks, some of that may trigger their own set of health issues.

Such drinks contain herbs like valerian root and the hormone melatonin, which can produce feelings of relaxation — and will even prompt sleep.

That is the problem.

Some health mavens stress about folk grabbing a drink off the store shelf and then driving an auto, attending a session or operating machinery while beginning to get increasingly unfocused or maybe groggy.

The drinks generally have alert labels, but clients may not notice.

Chillout, a new “natural relaxing drink,” made its debut at the Expo. The 8.4-ounce canned drink contains chamomile, valerian, lemon relief and vitamins.

The drink doesn’t come with an alert label. Chillout isn’t to be confused with Just Chill, another new drink that does not contain valerian or melatonin of kava. Just Chill, the product of a grouping of Southern California surfers, has selected to circumvent the arguable ingredients, asserted Caleb Davidge, the L. A. representative of the Chill Group Inc.

The drink contains the amino acid L-theanine as the important ingredient for relaxation. “We see our drink as more for stress relief,” he announced.

“it doesn’t cause drowsiness.”

In total, two thirds of the world’s population will be faced with this problem.

Over the past century, the growth rate of water consumption is almost twice faster than population growth.

Researchers tell that today 1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water, 2 billion are constantly faced with scarcity of supply and another 2.6 billion do not have at their disposal necessary sanitary facilities (e.g. water supply).

70% of water consumed by mankind is used in agriculture.

In some developing countries agriculture’s zone reaches 90%.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), today four out of every ten people in the world do not have access to common toilets with dump wells and two out of ten are forced to constantly use contaminated water.

WHO operates the following statistics: 1.8 million people die each year from diarrhea diseases (including cholera), 90% of whom are children under 5 years old.

These diseases in 88% of cases are caused by using contaminated water and inadequate sanitation.

Improved water supply reduces diarrhea morbidity by 6-25%. Improving the quality of drinking water may reduce the incidence of diarrhea by 35-39%.

Improving access to safe water sources and hygiene practices can reduce trachoma morbidity by 27%.

In particular, Alzheimer’s disease – a progressive brain disease whose symptoms include reduced intelligence, memory loss, disorientation.

“Natural antioxidants reduce the vulnerability of cells to disease and aging – said Alan Crozier, professor of plant biochemistry and nutrition at Glasgow University (UK). – In addition, they improve health and protect against chronic diseases.”

The richest in antioxidants is dark grape juice.

For its medicinal properties the researchers liken it to red wine.

Unclarified apple juice is on the second place, and on the third – cranberry juice.

Doctors also advise to drink grapefruit juice regularly.

In a rapidly changing and aging world more and more people suffer from age-related decline of intelligence or dementia.

Scientists are looking for more new methods to combat it, because this illness dramatically reduces the quality of life of the patient and often leads to the necessity of reconsidering the ways of living of all family members.

Flavonoids and antioxidants that are found in cocoa beans may be good sources of medicine in this situation.

Ian MacDonald, the scientist from Nottingham, United Kingdom, describes an experiment in which young women were drinking a cup of cocoa before performing complex tasks and performed them under control of a magnetic resonance imaging procedure.

The device showed a significant acceleration of cerebral blood flow in the group.

The next step was to study the impact of cocoa on the brains of people who have initially reduced cerebral blood flow.

According to the researchers, the benefits that cocoa brings were discovered during the investigation of health of the tribes of South America who drink this beverage in very large quantities.

However, the problem lies in the fact that cocoa powder which is delivered to the shops is poor with flavonoids. They are artificially extracted from raw materials, as flavonoids give this drink a bitter taste.

The researchers also fear that patients will “look” the same substance in chocolate that will lead to problems with obesity. Chocolate is food for pleasure and it will never improve health as opposed to cocoa in anticipation of bright future, scientists say.

Many of the problems that are associated with age-related changes or alcohol abuse, such as cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease can be caused by usual soft drinks.

After spending a huge amount of time on experiments in his laboratory, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, P. Piper came to the conclusion that sodium benzoate (E211), a widespread preservative in food industry being accepted by relevant authorities in different countries, can be very dangerous for your health.

Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern, but at that time it dealt with its carcinogenic effect.

The fact is that in conjunction with vitamin C in soft drinks, sodium benzoate produces benzene – a carcinogenic substance. There are even cases of withdrawing of some brands of drinks from the sale due to increased benzene content.

However, in general E211 is considered a safe additive, of course, with respect to current regulations at its maximum content in products.

Peter Piper has checked the effect of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells and found that this agent affects an important area of DNA in the mitochondria. He reported that these chemicals cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria and completely inactivate it.

Mitochondria give you energy and if you hurt them in large quantities, the cells start to malfunction. There are many diseases that are associated specifically with defect of this part of DNA: Parkinson’s disease and several neurodegenerative diseases; and yet it is associated with aging.

As a result of his experiments, the scientist proposes to revise standards of levels of E211 in food.

He believes that the existing methods for determining the damage from sodium benzoate are not quite true. Piper is particularly concerned of children who consume carbonated drinks in large quantities.

But soda isn’t just water, corn syrup and carbonation — a can of Coke or Pepsi also contains chemical additives for coloring and flavoring. And according to one public health group, those additives could increase your chance of getting cancer.

That’s the message from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington-based consumer watchdog group. CSPI has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the “caramel coloring” that is used in Coke, Pepsi and other sodas, on the grounds that the chemicals are carcinogenic.

CSPI says the artificial brown coloring — which doesn’t have much to do with actual caramel, despite the name — is made by reacting corn sugar with ammonia and sulfites under high pressures and at high temperatures. (Just like Mom used to do it!) Those reactions produce the chemicals 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole — chemicals that government studies have found to cause lung, liver or thyroid cancer in lab rats or mice. “It’s a small but significant risk, and it’s the kind of thing that government agencies should deal with,” says Michael Jacobson, the executive director of CSPI.

Is Jacobson right? A 2007 study by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) found “clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) in male and
female B6C3F1 mice based on increased incidences of alveolar/bronchiolar neoplasms,” otherwise known as lung tumors. The state of California has also concluded that 4-MEI is a carcinogen, and is in the process of crafting regulations that may require food and drinks containing significant levels of the chemical to bear cancer warnings.

According to California’s regulators, a level of more than 16 micrograms per day would pose a significant risk — meaning it could result in at least one excess case of cancer per 100,000 exposed people. Given that there are roughly 130 micrograms of 4-MI per 12-ounce can of soda — and given that the average American drinks 14 ounces of soda a day, with young men drinking far more — that would mean that most of us would be at some risk.

As a result, CSPI has been petitioning the FDA to change the name or ban the use of the chemicals in soda and other foods, or at least force manufacturers to put warning labels on their packaging. “We think industry can solve this problem,” says Jacobson. “They don’t want to put warning labels on their products.”

The soda industry, however, is fighting back. In a statement the American Beverage Association — an industry group that includes soda makers — denied that 4-MEI posed any danger to human health:

4-MEI is not a threat to human health. There is no evidence that 4-MEI causes cancer in humans. No health regulatory agency around the globe, including the Food and Drug Administration, has said that 4-MEI is a human carcinogen. This petition is nothing more than another attempt to scare consumers by an advocacy group long-dedicated to attacking the food and beverage industry.

In California a number of industry groups — including the American Beverage Association — have filed a lawsuit against state regulators to block efforts to list 4-MEI as a carcinogen:

The state agency’s decision does not reflect sound science and failed to follow its own regulations. Also, it did not take into account all the data available on the subject in this process.

Source: http://healthland.time.com

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.

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?

Scientists will test the effect on children between 6 months and 16 years old who have moderate to severe eczema. The reason why water softeners are being installed is because past studies have revealed a correlation between hard water areas and a prevalence of eczema.

In the UK, nearly 20% of children have eczema conditions of some level and it is usually found on the ankles, face, knees and neck.

The study originally started in 2007 with 230 participants and before it comes to a conclusion in August 2009, the study leaders want to enrol another 80 participants.

The study involves the children’s parents keeping a record of the eczema symptoms and the child wearing a wrist band that detects scratching at night. Also, for 3 months a water softener is installed in the home and then removed for 4 weeks to observe if there is any change to the symptoms.

One mother tells the story of her son’s participation in the study:

Anne-Marie said “Dylan (her son) had bleeding sores, and even changing him was heart-breaking. Every time his skin was exposed, he started scratching. And he wouldn’t sleep for more than an hour without waking up to scratch.”

“We had about a dozen different creams on prescription and I was at my wit’s end,” she added.

The water softener resulted in a fast and pronounced improvement in the baby’s condition.

Anne-Marie described the effect of using softened water in the home: “Less than two weeks after the softener was installed there was a dramatic improvement. Now there’s barely a mark on him. He’s a completely different baby.”

From Portsmouth University, Professor Tara Dean who is looking after the study said: “If water softeners are found to improve the symptoms of eczema it will be a breakthrough for both patients and doctors.”

In fact, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption is associated with a somewhat smaller rate of death from heart disease.

“Coffee consumption has been linked to various beneficial and detrimental health effects, but data on its relation with death were lacking,” says Esther Lopez-Garcia, PhD, the study’s lead author. “Coffee consumption was not associated with a higher risk of mortality in middle-aged men and women. The possibility of a modest benefit of coffee consumption on heart disease, cancer, and other causes of death needs to be further investigated.”

Women consuming two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the follow-up period (which lasted from 1980 to 2004 and involved 84,214 women) as compared with non-consumers, and an 18 percent lower risk of death caused by something other than cancer or heart disease as compared with non-consumers during follow-up.

For men, this level of consumption was associated with neither a higher nor a lower risk of death during the follow-up period (which lasted from 1986 to 2004 and involved 41,736 men).

The researchers analyzed data of 84,214 women who had participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and 41,736 men who had participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. To be in the current study, participants had to have been free of cancer and heart disease at the start of those larger studies.

The study participants completed questionnaires every two to four years that included questions about how frequently they drank coffee, other diet habits, smoking, and health conditions. The researchers then compared the frequency of death from any cause, death due to heart disease, and death due to cancer among people with different coffee-drinking habits.

Among women, 2,368 deaths were due to heart disease, 5,011 were due to cancer, and 3,716 were due to another cause. Among men, 2,049 deaths were due to heart disease, 2,491 were due to cancer, and 2,348 were due to another cause.

While accounting for other risk factors, such as body size, smoking, diet, and specific diseases, the researchers found that people who drank more coffee were less likely to die during the follow-up period. This was mainly because of lower risk for heart disease deaths among coffee drinkers.

The researchers found no association between coffee drinking and cancer deaths. These relationships did not seem to be related to caffeine because people who drank decaffeinated coffee also had lower death rates than people who did not drink coffee.

The editors of Annals of Internal Medicine caution that the design of the study does not make it certain that coffee decreases the chances of dying sooner than expected. Something else about coffee drinkers might be protecting them. And some measurement error in the assessment of coffee consumption is inevitable because estimated consumption came from self-reports.

This study was supported by National Institutes of Health research grants.