For the past two weeks I have dedicated 15 minutes a day to the lovely TRX.
I decided to focus on core strength during these 15 minutes. So, I pulled out the Interval Timer and did as many reps per workout (below) with a 60 second rest period in-between. I have been able to make it through the first two sets without touching down for a break. However, I was so fatigued during the suspended bow and arrow set that I had to take a break a few minutes in. Hopefully next week I can make it all the way through this last set without stopping!
1. Suspended pendulum swings. (5 minutes)
(60 second rest)
2. Suspended crunch/pike. (5 minutes)
(60 second rest)
3. Suspended bow and arrow. (5 minutes)
Wandering through the grocery aisles, you might head towards your favorite summer foods. You find the tomatoes you are getting from a country far away do not taste quite as good as the tomatoes grown in the farm up the road from you. Your local fruit is filled with flavor, bursting at the seams with juicy sweetness.
LOCALLY GROWN
Eating fruits and vegetables grown locally can make a significant difference in your life and your community. You will find the foods pack a punch in flavor, offer the greatest nutritional value, and that you can be assured of their quality. You can choose organic produce bought in bulk at a considerable discount. Your purchase in turn, helps the farmer and supports the community.
We live in a time where we can have food at our fingertips from anywhere in the globe at almost a moment’s notice. However, worldwide distribution has also resulted in a substantial increase in processed foods and foods that traveled more than a thousand miles to get to us, often reveals an associated wear and tear, with less flavor and nutrition. Some foods are also heavily laden with chemical agents, preservatives, and wax coatings to protect them and make them last longer in the journey.
Eating foods in season is not only synonymous with many cherished memories (eating watermelon in the summer, squash at Thanksgiving, etc.) but also offers a natural balance for nutrition.
WINTER
Ward off winter colds with a dose of beta carotene found naturally in pumpkins and squash. Eating nuts also offers rich nutrients desired by the body as the temperature falls. Look for foods with the most color, because they are packed with the most nutritional value. By eating seasonally, you get the most flavor and nutrition in your foods. Winter also relies on fall favorites as well as nuts, corn, and eggs.
SPRING
In spring, look for spinach, Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce, basil, dill, and parsley.
SUMMER
In summer, when fruit ripens to maturity, turn to apples, strawberries, plums, pears, mint, cilantro, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, and summer squash.
FALL
Fall invokes harvest foods of carrots, garlic, ginger, and potatoes. By simply steaming or sautéing food, and adding freshly ground black pepper, salt, and a few spices, you can bring out the natural flavor of foods.
VARIETY IN FOODS
The best diet contains a good variety of foods so make your meals enjoyable by focusing on fresh produce, trying out a new item every week, and trying new recipes. Check out recipes on the web or share with your friends and family. Enjoy delicious, wholesome meals that you look forward to every day. Try out new cuisine ideas from different regions and check out handy tips offered by grocers and cooks above foods and in the fish, poultry, vegetable, and cheese areas. Subscribe to a healthy food magazine where you fill find a ton of ideas on preparing food for each season and special occasions, with dietary considerations as well. By choosing carefully, you can enjoy hearty, delicious fare every season.
Found a great quote and wanted to share it with you today:
“Taking charge of your body can help you take charge of your life. And that power can help you go wherever you want to go, every single day.”
- Cheryl Bridges Treworgy, member of five U.S. World Cross-Country teams
Triathlons have sprouted all over the country and in many places around the world as a popular endurance sport for people of all ages. A triathlon is a race that consists of swimming, cycling, and running segments. A competitive triathlon athlete has to be proficient in all three aspects and know how to maintain their energy level and endurance, while quickly transitioning out from leg of the race to the next. Hence most triathletes are incredibly fit. Since triathlons involve cardiovascular exercise for the whole body, the overall effect from training is a toned and fit body balanced all over whereas training for one sport alone offers muscle development in only specific areas. Many athletes choose triathlons because of the amazing benefits of these cardiovascular exercises.
The reasons why people choose to do triathlons may vary. However, the benefits are immediate and universal. Training for and participating in a triathlon is one of the most rewarding activities you can undertake in your life, building your self-confidence, giving you meaning and self-discipline in your exercise habits, inspiring and motivating you, as well as expanding your horizons and ability to take on new challenges.
Lose Weight and Tone Simultaneously
Training for a triathlon helps you lose weight significantly while toning up all over, making you incredibly fit in a well-balanced program that burns fat while building muscle. You will experience greater energy levels while feeling stronger and more confident than ever before. Also training requires proper nutrition and feeding your body regularly nutritious foods. You will look and feel younger, while being more energetic and powerful. While running will help you develop long and lean muscles, cycling will build strength and tone your lower body. Swimming sculpts your upper body while promoting flexibility.
Triathlons also prevent injuries because cross training limits the stress you put on your body when you overuse certain joints, tendons, and the same body parts again and again from doing just one sport. Training for a triathlon also is never boring. There is enough variety and challenge from different workouts to help you stay motivated while keeping up your fitness regimen.
Regular cardiovascular exercise from triathlon training helps lower your risk for disease and cancer, while promoting both physical and mental health benefits. You will also add years to your life, while sharpening your mind and focus, helping you return to your activities with freshness. Your ability to handle stress will also grow and you will develop grace under pressure. Training for a triathlon also is one of the biggest boosters to your self-esteem. Your self-confidence will skyrocket. You will be challenged to grow both physically and mentally. You will notice significant improvement in your moods while your motivation to exercise will also increase. You will overcome both mental and physical blocks, replacing weakness with strength, while feeling good about yourself.
Training for a triathlon transports you into another world of self-growth. You will meet like-minded people who enjoy individual sports on a highly personal level. Whether you are a young twenty-year old just starting out, or a grandparent, you can participate in a triathlon and become a world-class professional. Training for a triathlon is highly motivating and inspiring, increasing your sense of purpose in the world, while pushing you to be the best that you can be. You will find significant improvement in every aspect of your life from the discipline, focus, new energy, enthusiasm, and love that you put into your training, that will now flow into everything else in your life. As the triathlete Dave Scott said, “If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race; its up to you.”
Every pet owner or sitter, who enjoys the companionship of a dog, can benefit tremendously from regular exercise with his or her pet. Dogs require regular social interaction, exercise, and attention from their pet owners. By simply taking your dog for a walk, you can provide all of this.
You and your dog together will:
1. Expend some energy
2. Take in fresh air
3. Stimulate the senses
4. Feel connected to each other and your environment
5. Feel good
So many well-intentioned pet owners end up spending most of their time indoors with their pets because of personal and work obligations and inclement weather. However, taking your dog for a walk not only benefits your dog, but also offers you a lot of benefits as well. Just taking the dog for a walk a few times a week offers significant benefits to your health such as better cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, reduced stress, and stronger muscles and bones. Pet owners also experience greater self-esteem from the unconditional love and companionship free of judgment offered by dogs.
1. Dog’s Health
Your dog’s health also significantly improves from regular walks. Pets that do not have enough exercise become overweight and sometimes obese, resulting in illnesses and conditions that include cardiovascular disease, increased anxiety, osteoarthritis, and liver disease. People who walk dogs also often engage socially with others more and experience greater enjoyment during their regular walks. Stress is significantly reduced by interactions with a pet. When you take your dog for a walk, be sure to have a good leash that gives you control over your pet and a plastic bag to pick up after your pet. If you have a pet that is used to spending a lot of time indoors, it may come as a big surprise to both of you how your pet reacts to the outdoors. Encouraging your pet will help them overcome any shyness and fear, while also keeping them fit and agile. Your dog is loyal and committed to you and the enjoyment from spending time in your company cannot be easily surpassed.
2. Dog Socialization
Taking your dog on regular walks also helps eliminate antisocial behavior, reduce pet anxiety, prevent behavioral problems, and encourages your animal to interact appropriately with both people and other animals. By praising and encouraging your dog, your pet will grow closer to you, more confident, aware of behavior that elicits positive responses from you, and be less likely to experience separation anxiety from being left at home.
Interested in getting your body toned and sculpted into beautiful shape? The TRX® Suspension Trainer™builds strength and flexibility, while maximizing core stability. Whether you are a first-time user or a sports athlete, fitness trainer, or in the military, the
TRX® Suspension Trainer™provides fitness and training in fun and effective complete body workouts. With just a single piece of equipment that is portable and easy to customize, you can get in shape and enjoy expert support through live workshops, videos online, and DVDs.
Traveling or looking for equipment for your home gym? The TRX® Suspension Trainer™can be used at a fitness facility or at home. Popular among fitness enthusiasts, the suspension training process is incorporated in the daily fitness workouts of some of the most well known sport and fitness athletes and coaches from professional NBA, NFL, tennis, and kickboxing champions to triathletes and gym owners. Some notables include
Drew Brees the NFL Quarterback from New Orleans Saints, Robin White, a two-time
US Open Doubles Champion, Dr. E.J. “Doc” Kreis, Hall of Fame Speed-Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Mike Brungardt, NBA Strength Coach for the San Antonio Spurs.
Why do so many of the best athletes and trainers choose the TRX® Suspension Trainer™for their daily workouts? The TRX system’s focus on developing core strength, while promoting flexibility and overall fitness provides amazing conditioning for the entire body, while also offering limitless opportunities for variety, thereby preventing boredom. Many athletes such as Drew Brees are attracted to the program because you use your own body weight against gravity, which prevents injury while toning the body.
Portability enables you to take your workouts with you wherever you go so you can maintain top performance anywhere. From building strength and stamina, to developing core stability, flexibility, and balance, TRX is an integral component of overall fitness. By “enabling us as a coaching staff to better prepare our athletes for competition,” Dr. E. J. “Doc” Kreis encourages every strength trainer and coach to use the system to maximize effective training in shorter intervals of time. The TRX system also complements training tools throughout athletic training sessions and even on the road.
Safe and effective, the TRX is innovative and varied enough to challenge everyone, whether you are an athlete or want to build general strength. Every person has a unique body and the TRX® system allows you to adjust each exercise to suit your level, customized to your own workout. By harnessing your own bodyweight to create resistance, the TRX® offers limitless versatility without requiring additional weights.
The TRX® system enables you to build a strong core that helps prevent injuries while developing balance and stability. Maximize your training time with varied workouts where you can easily switch from one workout to another in just fifteen seconds. Through multiplanar training, the TRX® Suspension Training System efficiently works your body in different motions and directions similar to your natural movements, thereby working multiple joints and muscles. The TRX® Suspension Training promotes balance and prevents injuries. Ideal for gentle rehabilitation, the TRX® system can be used by people just starting a fitness program, looking to lose weight and gain strength, as well as athletes desiring to maintain their fitness and improve their performance.
Considering running a race? After several weeks of running, you might feel ready to start picking up the pace to run a longer distance. Training for your first race is motivating and can help get you out the door and running. It is also one of the best goals you can have to start a lifetime of fitness and healthy living. Participating in a race is beneficial in so many ways. You will feel a sense of accomplishment, connection with a larger community, and reach personal fitness goals.
Where do I start?
Your next question then probably is where do I start? For beginners, the perfect length for a first race is a 3.1mile race, also known as a 5k race. This is an easy goal that can be achieved for a new runner while still posing enough of a challenge for an expert, who wants to develop speed and go for greater intensity.
A 3.1mile race is an attainable goal and by starting out with a simple plan you can succeed and feel good about your success. Always run within your comfort range and avoid pushing your limits in order to prevent injury and burnout. If you follow a good program for eight to ten weeks, you can participate in a race and also develop the lifestyle changes that will encourage a healthy fitness plan that you can maintain all your life.
For your first race, focus on doing the race and completing it. Do not be worried about being first or winning but rather enjoying your run and achieving your goal. By achieving this goal, you will boost your self-esteem, while tuning up your cardiovascular system, alleviating stress, and improving your mood and energy levels.
Participating in a 5k race involves steady running for thirty minutes and for most runners, this will involve training for eight to ten weeks prior to the event. Before you begin, make sure that it is safe for you to commence a running regimen by checking with your doctor first.
What kind of fitness plan do I need?
Initially, you will start by running and walking for twenty to thirty minutes at a time, four times a week. For people who are not used to running at all, you will want to start with walking and then build to running. You can begin by walking first and alternating it with running, such as walking for five minutes, running for two minutes, and then walking again for five minutes, followed by running for two minutes, till you build up to thirty minutes. You will want to do this four times a week. Slowly, you will be able to increase the running segments. Always do this routine within your comfort range. Avoid pushing yourself too far where you feel weak or lightheaded. Always celebrate your successes.
Try to add one minute to your running time each week and take off one minute from your walking time until you can reach your running goal of thirty minutes straight comfortably. This is a great accomplishment so enjoy it and keep it up. The key to success is gradual training so be sure to build in slow increments and always have adequate rest time. Also stay hydrated and eat healthy. You may find that your appetite increases. Feed your body well and pay attention to what your body is asking you. Also get enough sleep. Some trainers say that you need one extra minute of sleep for every minute you run. Your body needs enough recovery time. Make sure you have good running shoes suitable for your personal needs and for the kinds of surfaces that you are running on (inside track, outside pavement, dirt trails, etc.) The best surface to train on is a track, followed by asphalt, then concrete, and finally a dirt road. Also dress in layers. You can try out some of the new fabrics that wick away moisture while keeping you warm and dry. Try to stay away from cotton. Try to train at the time that your race will be. For example, if you have a morning race, train in the morning so that your body can adapt. Get to know your race. If it involves running in town, practice running in town. If your race involves steep hills, run up and down hills so that you feel comfortable with the routine. Also just like other sports, cross training is advisable. So on days that you do not run, try other activities such as pilates, yoga, and strength training, while allowing those muscles worked during running to rest.
Minutes Not Miles
Focus on the minutes instead of the miles. This is a more gentle and gradual approach that is also self-paced and will help you build strength and confidence. Run comfortably and gradually increase your training so that you can improve both your speed and endurance. Through interval training such as running three one-mile intervals instead of doing the entire distance at once, you will build endurance and increase your speed. Alternate between fast and slow running and always start and end your running with a gentle warm up and cool down for five to ten minutes each.
You can run a 5K race in just five weeks of doing three to four runs a week. By working for something specific and having the date of a race on your calendar, you will gain purpose to training and find the motivation that you need to keep up your program. The great thing about a 5K race is that you can achieve this goal as a beginner and it is so much fun.
Celebrate Your Success
Running a local 5K race is excellent for improving your health, getting in shape, and building your self-confidence. You can also support your community through the small donation fee and other non-profit causes, while meeting new people. Also you can continue to build up your running distance and speed and go on to participate in other races and marathons.
Strength training and flexibility go hand in hand and are necessary for the overall healthy functioning of your body. Some exercises such as pilates, astanga yoga, and power yoga combine both. Flexibility training and strength training actually enhances each other.
What is flexibility?
Flexibility refers to the range of movement in a joint or series of joints. You can be flexible in one part of your body and not in another. Some people may start out being very flexible and over time, lose flexibility if they do not do exercises that work those areas in the body. Stretching enhances flexibility while also improving your cardiovascular performance since it loosens up, relaxes, and gets blood flowing in the body prior to heart-pumping activities.
Flexibility can be dynamic or static. Dynamic flexibility involves motion where you are able to move muscles through a full range of motion in the joints. Static flexibility does not involve motion. In static flexibility, there are two states, active and passive. Active flexibility involves maintaining extended positions while stretching muscles using only your muscles. Passive flexibility also involves holding positions for extended positions but does not solely rely upon your own muscle power as you can use your weight or another apparatus for support.
Active Flexibility
Active flexibility takes more time to develop since it requires both a foundation of passive flexibility for range of motion and then muscle strength to hold and maintain those positions. Flexibility is affected by factors that include your body’s health and history as well as the environment around you. Internal influences include the joint you are flexing, bony structures that prevent movement, resistance within a joint, and the elasticity of muscle tissue, skin, tendons and ligaments, as well as the temperature of the joint and tissues associated with that joint. Increased flexibility has been noted in people who are exercising and their body temperature is 1 to 2 degrees higher than normal.
External Factors
External factors that can affect flexibility include temperature of location, time of day, stage in joint recovery after injury, age, gender, clothing and equipment. Your experience and level of commitment also plays a large influence on your flexibility. Drinking more water also significantly increase mobility as well as contributing to greater relaxation for the body.
Factors that can limit flexibility include bone structure, excessive fatty tissue, muscle mass, connective tissue, injury, and disability. The bone structure can cause limitations depending upon the type of joint and its condition. This is also where age comes into play since older joints are not as flexible as younger joints.
When either fatty tissue or muscle mass is developed massively, it can disrupt the ability of nearby joints to perform a full range of motion. Lastly, in terms of connective tissue, most flexibility exercises assist in reducing internal resistance of connective tissue. Connective tissue offers resistance to lengthening. Overused connective tissue limits flexibility. If certain muscles are inactive, connective tissues change over time to restrict flexibility. Elastin loses elasticity and collagen grows dense and stiff. Hence inactive connective tissue can have the same effect as aging.
The most elastic tissue in the muscles is in the fascia area of the muscle. Avoid overstretching ligaments and tendons that can weaken joint integrity and increase the likelihood of injury.
At Any Age
Regardless of age, everyone should practice flexibility. However, your flexibility will be very different from that of your partner, friend, or neighbor. Also, flexibility is harder to develop the older you are because of changes in the connective tissue, loss of suppleness, greater calcium deposits, dehydration, and other factors. However, performing flexibility exercises will significantly increase your range of motion, body appearance, and blood flow. Yoga and pilates offer significant benefits to flexibility through a series of flow movements to build flexibility in all major muscle groups.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the best ways to develop flexibility and you can do this right after strength building exercises such as weight lifting or repetitions. After weight lifting, muscles are shortened from repetition of muscle movement and contain lactic acid that makes the muscle appear bigger. Stretching the muscle afterwards restores range of motion to these areas, while removing waste products from the body and contraction in muscles. Static stretching is important after strength workouts.
Strength Training
Flexibility training should go hand in hand with strength training. You should always perform exercises for both flexibility and strength in any group of muscles you work out for balance. Strength training significantly can improve the appearance of your body to provide definition whether it is in the arms, legs, stomach, or buttocks. Strength training when combined with flexibility exercises can help you develop a strong and well-toned physique that has definition with a longer and leaner look.
If you only do flexibility exercises, the connective tissues loosen up and weaken, becoming easily damaged through overstretching or muscle contractions. However, strength training prevents such injuries. For many women who do not want the short physique of a bodybuilder, dynamic strength training can offer you strength without bulk through a series of light dynamic exercises with lighter weights and more repetitions. Dynamic flexibility exercises should be performed prior to any heavy weightlifting exercises.
You can strengthen your body through exercises such as lifting weights and cardiorespiratory activities such as walking, dancing, jogging, and bicycling. The overall look and feel that you desire is always a matter of personal choice. You may want to build a bigger body like a bodybuilder or go for the slender physique of a dancer, or desire overall fitness. You make your muscles stronger by working them against resistance from weights or gravity. If you are first starting out in strength training, begin with light weights and work your muscles on non-consecutive days 2-3 times a week. Over time, you will build strength and be able to add more weight for more of a challenge. Always stretch after strength exercises when your muscles are warmed up. Strength training is an integral part of fitness programs for adults and should include eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises for the major muscles groups. Some strength training moves include the bench press, lat pulldown, overhead press, bicep curl, tricep pulldown, squat, leg extension, leg curl, and abdominal crunch.
Playing sports improves physical fitness and coordination, while teaching discipline and teamwork and enhancing confidence and personal satisfaction. The world of sports has changed dramatically as more girls are playing a greater variety of sports and more sports that were once seasonal, have grown to become year-round activities. About 75% of American households with children have at least one child who participates in an organized and competitive sport. Sport injuries have also increased greatly and hence, proper preventive care has grown more important in reducing the risk of incurring sport injuries.
The risk of physical injury is part of participating in sports. Yet most injuries can be prevented. Some of the most common injuries include torn ACLs, bone fractures, and concussions. In adolescents, the body is still growing. Preventing sport injuries can be as simple as choosing shoes with the proper fit to avoid ankle, knee, and ligament injuries. While girls tend to be more flexible than boys, their skeletal frame and bone structures are different. In fact, the sport most frequently associated with injury for girls is cheerleading, accounting for up to 2/3 of sport injuries and deaths for high school girls according to studies conducted nationwide over the last twenty-five years.
Cheerleading
Cheerleading has grown in to a fully competitive sport of its own, where girls practice aggressively 12 months of the year, doing various gymnastics and body work that requires proper fitness, nutrition, and workout schedules to maintain good health and avoid serious injuries. Often these gymnastic stunts can be quite dangerous and complex and hence learning the rules to avoid injury can help you keep your child out of the emergency room. Examples of complex feats include the basket toss and helicopter toss, where girls catapult into the air.
Gymnastics and Track
Other sports that incur high injuries include gymnastics and track. In general, collision and contact sports have higher rates of injury than other sports while injuries sustained from individual sports tend to be more severe. Many sport-related injuries occur during practice rather than at a game. Often, children aged 14 years and younger have slower responses to injury, which can increase their risks. Another reason for injury can be lack of knowledge and not wearing proper protective gear.
In fact, estimates show that about 250,000 people will rip their ACL or anterior cruciate ligaments in primarily non-contact injuries. Majority of these injuries are sustained by young girls and women in the age group of 15 to 25, many of whom are female athletes. ACL injuries are so commonplace now that parents of teenage girls are often used to seeing entire athletic teams wearing Ace bandages or braces.
What is the ACL?
What is the ACL? The ACL or anterior cruciate ligaments are small fibers that attach the femur of the upper leg to the tibia in the lower leg, stabilizing the knee. ACL ruptures are very painful and require complicated reconstructive surgery. Rehabilitation is a slow and painful process, taking up to nine months for full recovery. So many young women used to injuries or their friends getting ACL injuries, push through the pain, accepting their injuries as part of their regimen for training and competition and endure tremendous pain to keep playing sports they enjoy or excel in.
Fat more than Muscle
Unlike boys who develop more muscle and strength during adolescence, girls become more flexible while adding more fat than muscle. When girls run, they are more upright than boys who run in a more flexed position on average. This positioning places most girls to greater susceptibility to injuries when they change direction.
Prevention
How can sport injuries be prevented? Wearing protective equipment appropriate to the sport, following safe playing conditions, and the regular enforcement of these rules, as well as learning techniques to prevent injuries are all methods that can significantly reduce the likelihood of having sport injuries.
Every child should have a general health exam prior to enrolling in a sport. Children should always be grouped in teams according to skill level, appropriate weight, and physical maturity. Many injuries come from smaller children competing against larger children in sports where weight is an issue. Make sure that children stay hydrated and have adequate rest especially during hot and humid weather.
Resources:
National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC). Sports Injury Fact Sheet. Washington (DC): NSKC, 2004.
Glass, Kat. McClatchy Newspapers: Cheerleading tops sports-injury list for girls. August 12, 2008.
Every day, millions of Americans gulp down different energy drinks in the hopes of quenching their thirst and gaining some energy in the process. Since the late ‘90s, when the drinks grew in popularity in mass culture, energy drinks have come to symbolize a certain youthfulness and vitality. The energy drink market is accelerating in growth now, with each drink purportedly offering you increased energy and stamina.
Yet, what is in your drink? Most people do not know what they are drinking and sometimes, even for an experienced and well-read aficionado, reading labels on the side of bottles can be a bit confusing. Let us take a closer look so we can understand what are in the energy drinks we consume on a daily basis. Having a better knowledge of what you drink will keep you and your family healthy and hydrated.
Most energy drinks come in 8 ounce (oz.) serving sizes since that is considered the typical amount required for a beverage. Each drink has a different number of calories, carbohydrates, caffeine, and vitamins.
Click on the image above to enlarge.
This list shows the top energy drinks consumed across the nation. Promising “natural energy” for “high performance” and “increased vitality,” energy drinks line gas station refrigerators and grocery store shelves. What goes into an energy drink? Energy drinks are made to increase energy, stamina, and physical performance. They are very popular with students and with people looking to stay up late or last longer during the day. The main reasons that people drink energy drinks are to help them stay awake longer, increase their alertness, give them a burst of energy, improve their short-term memory, and when mixed with alcohol, can reduce intense hangovers.
The principal ingredients in these drinks are caffeine, taurine, and glucuronolactone. These drinks also have other ingredients that give them their distinctive taste. Over time, many energy drinks can become quite addictive. Caffeine produces an instantaneous boost, while dehydrating the body and is a major concern because of its effect in higher doses upon the central nervous system.
Caffeine is not a source of energy itself but rather breaks down fats that give energy. Fat breakdown gives faster energy than carbohydrate breakdown. However, when caffeine combined with sugar is consumed, the person can end up being more tired afterwards. As Lona Sandon, dietician at the American Dietetics Association explains, “Energy drinks are not much different than a soda, but with a little bit more caffeine. They’re not a healthy drink by any means. Mostly they’re just loaded with caffeine to make you feel as though you’re energized, but they’re not really providing a health benefit.”
Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid, found in breast milk that is frequently listed as one of the key ingredients in many energy drinks. However, the true nature of what taurine does remains a mystery. Many manufacturers claim that taurine enhances energy.
Glucuronolactone is a naturally occurring chemical compound that helps in building connective tissue. Currently, no side effects have been discovered and with any ingredient, use in moderation is always recommended.
Energy drinks make you feel alert and can improve mental performance and give you more energy temporarily. However, they can also affect the natural rhythm of the heart. The health benefits and risks of taurine are unknown and there has not been enough research regarding the effects of caffeinated taurine drinks. This uncertainty has led to a warning label on certain energy drinks and the banning of certain energy drinks in many countries.
How does the energy drink work? The energy drink works by stimulating the nervous system to cause changes in neurotransmitters, and thus make people feel more energized. However, it is important to look at what ingredients cause this energy change.
The ingredients within the energy drink can vary greatly such as the chemical compounds, herbs, fruit juices, and vitamins that affect taste, nutrition, amount of energy produced, and have certain health effects. Not sure where to start? Well, beginning with ingredients, let us take a look at some of the ingredients to avoid or to minimize.
Sugar: Natural sugar is more preferable than processed sugar, which can come from genetically modified corn sources and have detrimental side effects to the human body. Hence, it is advisable to avoid energy drinks that list high fructose corn syrup as a principal ingredient. Sugar provides a short energetic high that has a laxative effect, causing a crash in energy once the sugar has left the bloodstream. Pay attention to the amount of sugar and fat in the label as well as the source (fruit juices, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) Fruit juices are natural and preferable.
Caffeine: Caffeine in small doses, can accelerate athletic performance and boost energy. However, if caffeine is the principal agent for creating energy in a drink, then it has strong laxative and diuretic effects, leaving you lethargic and dehydrated after your initial buzz.
Minerals: What kinds of minerals are in your drink? Sodium should be in smaller amounts because larger quantities can have serious side effects for many people. If you have any health conditions that require avoiding specific ingredients, it is all the more important that you pay attention to what ingredients are listed on the label. Some energy drinks have vitamin B (B1, B2, B6, B12), vitamin C, and vitamin A supplements added to the drink, which is a positive benefit. Depending upon the fruit juices added as well, you will receive health benefits from those ingredients.
Carbohydrates: High percentages of carbohydrates in energy drinks can make food and nutrient absorption into the bloodstream from the intestines more difficult. As a result, people may develop gastrointestinal problems and distress. Since the rate of fluid absorption decreases, it can become harder to hydrate yourself, which in turn, is detrimental to your health. So pay attention to the amount of carbohydrates.
Other Ingredients: Additional ingredients can also produce their own effects. Echinacea is said to bolster the immune system, while Ginkgo biloba and ginseng are claimed to improve memory. Ephedra, Ciwujia, and hydroxycitrate promote burning of fats.
Energy drinks side effects really vary depending on the brand and the exact combination of ingredients. From our list above, the only drink to contain high fructose corn syrup is Full Throttle. Taurine is present in all of the drinks listed. Some other ingredients listed include echinacea, astralagus root, reisi, and ginseng for Xs energy; Yohimbine HCL, a derivative of the natural aphrodisiac yohimba in Redline; gingseng, biloba, and milk thistle for Rockstar; and caffeine, taurine, ginseng and guarana for Spark. Spark is the only drink to combine both caffeine and alcohol.
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol has become a popular pastime in many bars and dance clubs and even in smaller restaurants and franchises. However, there are risks associated with doing this. While drinking Red Bull can give you a large dose of sugar, vitamins, amino acids, and caffeine, Liz Applegate, a sports nutritionist at the University of California at Davis, says, “These cans of energy drinks have some enticing, very sexy-sounding claims — that they lift you up, that they give you more energy. Frankly, they’re nothing much more than caffeine in a can with a lot of sugar.”
Despite the company’s advertisements, Applegate advises not drinking Red Bull or other caffeine-loaded energy drinks during exercise because of their heavy concentration of sugar and caffeine, which decreases the body’s ability to take in water. Many doctors advise against mixing Red Bull or other energy drinks with alcohol despite its popularity in bars where locals may down several concoctions in one evening. “If they were to drink multiple glasses of this mixture or concoction, I think there’d be a potential for significant danger — danger such as a racing heart beat, elevation of blood pressure and even potentially a heart attack,” said Dr. Laurence Sperling, a cardiologist at the Emory University School of Medicine. One of the largest concerns here is that people who drink this may feel alert because of the caffeine and go out and drive, despite having consumed more alcohol than the limit.
So what are a few alternatives?
Coffee: In contrast to energy drinks, a typical cup of brewed black coffee with 1 tablespoon of half and half, has 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 calories. Again, it is your choice of coffee that makes the difference. If you have a café latte with espresso coffee at Starbucks made with whole milk, your fat intake jumps to a whopping 14 grams, while your carbohydrates rise up to 21 grams, and your calories to 260 grams. However, coffee is a known diuretic, so you do not want to consume more than 1-2 cups a day (maximum) while drinking at least 16 full ounces of water.
Gatorade: Some sport nutritionists advise drinking Gatorade because the drink works because it helps in accelerating fluid absorption, while providing you with energy to working muscles, and even encouraging you to drink more. Gatorade however contains a derivative of high fructose energy called glucose-fructose syrup in large quantities and hence its long-term effect on the body is not known. Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 8 fl oz; calories 50; total fat 0g; sodium 110mg; potassium 30mg; total carbs 14g; sugars 14g
Fruit Juices: One of the most popular fruit juices on the market today for its natural flavor and high quality ingredients is Odwalla. Below are two examples of two fruit juices offered by the company. While the caloric intake is higher, the ingredients are beneficial in numerous ways to the body because of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and natural fruit juices contained inside the drinks.
Blueberry B Monster
Ingredients: orange and tangerine juices, blueberry puree, mango puree, banana puree, apple juice, concord grape juice, ascorbic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin 5 phosphate, calcium pantothenate, niacin, thiamine hydrochloride, biotin, cyanocobalamin
Nutrition Facts:
serving size 8 fl oz; servings per container about 2; calories 140; fat 0g; sodium 15mg; total carb 33g; dietary fiber 2g; sugars 26g; protein 0g; vitamin a 15%; vitamin c 80%; thiamin 360%; riboflavin 360%; niacin 45%; vitamin b6 360%; folate 4%; vitamin b12; biotin 60%; pantothenic acid 60%; 100% juice/puree
Serious Energy
Ingredients: apple juice, purified water, honey, lemon juice, ginger juice, lime juice, passionfruit juice, orange juice, cordyceps mycelium (750mg), American ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Gotu Kola (750mg), Reishi Mycelium (250 mg), and Green Tea Extract
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 8 fl. oz. Servings per Container: About 2 Amount per serving: Calories: 150 Total Fat: 0g Sodium: 35mg Protein: 1g Total Carbohydrates: 36g Dietary Fiber: 1g Sugars: 21g Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 15%, Calcium 0%, Iron 4%
Pay attention to what you are drinking. Read the label and compare drinks so that you choose the best option for you. If you do choose energy drinks, do not mix alcohol with energy drinks. Avoid energy drinks before or after strenuous activity. Do not drink more than 2-3 energy drinks a day. Children, pregnant, breast-feeding women, and all people with caffeine allergies, should avoid energy drinks.
Resources:
Taurine at www.nichd.nih.gov
Coffee at www.starbucks.com
Cohen, Elizabeth. Energy drinks pack a punch, but is it too much? CNN Medical Unit: May 29, 2001.
Cup of Coffee at U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2006
Cup of Coffee at www.mayoclinic.com
Steinert, Brandon. Energy drink ingredients spark health concerns. The Fairfield Mirror: April 3, 2008.
