Health Drinks

Drink Tea for Your Health

Drink Tea for Your Health

Since the ancient times, Chinese have been drinking tea.  They have believed and reported health benefits from tea. It has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.  Today, there are numerous studies showing evidences improvements in health attributed to tea drinking.  More and more people drink tea for their health.

In the Journal of National Cancer Institute (published in 1994) they claimed that drinking tea has reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by a huge 60 percent.  While, the University of Purdue researchers claimed that green tea can prevent the growth of some cancer cells.  Tea has polyphenols that can reduce risk not only of esophageal cancer, but also gastric and skin cancers.

It can also help in the prevention or the spread of prostate cancer as discovered by the Center of Human Nutrition at UCLA.  It can also protect the body against cancer brought about by smoking.  Green tea and white tea are significant in fighting colon and lower stomach cancers.

Tea can also improve the ratio of good and bad cholesterol levels in your body.  The same polyphenols help in preventing blood from clotting and are responsible in lowering cholesterol levels.  Thus, drinking tea is a great help for heart disease patients.

These are not only the health benefits attributed to tea. According to Newcastle University’s Medicinal Plant Research Centre study, tea might also delay Alzheimer’s disease.  While, University of Tokyo stated that tea may play a role against fighting AIDS.

Aside from cancer it can also be helpful in rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, infections, and impaired immune function.  There are also new studies claiming green tea helping those who would like to lose weight. Those who drink caffeine and green tea tend to burn more calories that those consuming caffeine only.

Because of its ability to fight and destroy bacteria, green tea can even fight against tooth decay.   It can kill dental plaque just as it can help prevent food poisoning.  In the market, there are also deodorants and skin creams with the component of green tea in it.

How can something be this good?

The secret is the polyphenols, especially the epigallocatechin galleate or EGCG.  ECGC is an anti-oxidant.  This powerful anti-oxidant can kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue and cells. It also has flavonoids and catechins which are also anti-oxidants.  It also has fluoride which is why it can fight tooth decay and helps control bad breath.

Different kind of teas has different levels on anti-oxidants.  White tea has more anti-oxidants compared to other tea.  Freshly brewed teas have more polyphenols than instant or bottled teas.  Thus, freshly-brewed teas have more anti-oxidants than instant teas.

Caffeine is also present in tea.  Caffeine levels or amount in brewed tea depends on the type of the tea.  Black tea has higher amount of caffeine than green tea.  The amount of caffeine also depends of length of time of brewing, and also on the water temperature.  If the leaves are exposed to higher water temperature, more caffeine are drained from the leaves.

The American Diabetic Association reported that a cup of tea has an average of 40 mg. of caffeine.  A cup of freshly brewed coffee has an average of 85 mg. of  caffeine.  An average of 350 mg. of caffeine consumption is still good for a healthy individual.

Currently, the only negative effect reported in drinking too much tea is insomnia.  This would be because of the caffeine content of tea.  So start brewing your tea, drink for your health.

In The Spotlight : Mind Reality
Here is the link: http://www.dietproductsreviews.info/osm

To your health and fitness,
Lisa Health

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Energy Drinks May Not be Healthy at All

Energy Drinks May Not be Healthy at All

Energy drinks may not be as healthy as we think it is.  Energy drinks are just everywhere.  You can get some in corner stores, gas stations, and bars.  Because these drinks are supposed to provide mental and physical stimulation, people are taking it.  But does this drink provide what is best for our health?

There are studies showing that energy drink consumption provides relative improvement in mental and cognitive performances.  These drinks also increase the alertness of the consumer.  But on the down side, excessive consumption may lead to anxiety, insomnia and irritability.

What are the components of your average energy drink?

Some common ingredients would include:

• Ephedrine – a stimulant that commonly found in weight-loss products and decongestants. There are studies raising concern and issues about its effects on the heart.

• Taurine – a natural amino acid needed by the body to help regulate heart beat and muscle contractions.  Currently, researchers are trying to discover its impact as a energy drink additive.

• Ginseng – a kind of root thought to have several medicinal benefits.  It is said that ginseng relives stress and can increase your level of energy.

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• Vitamin B – a group of vitamins that can change sugar to energy

• Carnitine – an amino acid.  Its effects can be mainly on the metabolism of fatty acids in the body.

• Creatine – an organic acid which main contribution is on energizing the muscles for muscle contraction.

• Inositol – a member of the vitamin B complex that helps relay messages within cells in the body.

• Ginkgo biloba – came from the seeds of the ginkgo biloba tree.  There are studies claiming its memory enhancement capabilities. ¬

Caffeine is also present in most energy drinks.  So how does an energy drink work? Caffeine and other minerals blocks certain brain chemicals in sending its messages to the brain.  This brain chemical is called adenosine which mainly involved in sleep.  Thinking that the body is experiencing a problem, the pituitary gland releases adrenaline.

Adrenaline release makes the heart beat faster, eyes to dilate, and the liver to release extra sugar to the mainstream.  This would provide the consumer an extra surge of energy needed for intense physical or mental activity.

Like any other food, drink or drugs, too much is never good for you.  Consuming too much energy drinks can lead to heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, irritability and even being jittery.

It is also dangerous to drink water while doing some exercise, since its effects are more leaned into dehydrating your body.  There are also some people who mix energy drinks with alcohol.  Studies showed that mixing alcohol and energy drinks would make you feel alert and sober, making you unaware of how much you actually drank.  This could also lead to excessive drinking and later on to dehydration.

If you drink energy drinks, then be aware of how you consume it.  There are some energy drinks that have instructions, be sure to follow them.  Avid drinking too much of is, make sure to limit consumption to 2 cans a day.  It is for the best to avoid mixing energy drinks to alcohol.  When doing intense physical activity like exercise, then it would be best to just drink water instead.  For pregnant women and young children, drinking energy drinks is best to be avoided.  They also pose problems for those who have high blood pressure and heart disease.

Energy drinks can provide and be a health drink, as long as it consumed moderately.

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In The Spotlight : Mind Reality
Here is the link: http://www.dietproductsreviews.info/osm

To your health and fitness,
Lisa Health

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The Healthy and Unhealthy Drinks

The Healthy and Unhealthy Drinks

Wondering why you don’t eat too much but still keep on gaining weight?  Then maybe you drink is not healthy at all.  There are hundreds of beverages out there that can boost your waistline.

You have to be cautious of what you drink.  Coffee, although it has significant health effects, can be making you fat.  If you drink coffee with full fat dairy and artificial flavorings, and do not forget about chocolate sprinkles, then it is highly likely that this is more detrimental than beneficial.

To maximize the health benefits of coffee, it is better to drink it plain or with soymilk.   Or you can just switch to green tea which is much better for you since it is a rich source of anti-oxidants.

Sugary summer drinks like margarita or a pina colada doubles your sugar and calorie intake.  A can or a glass of this can give you 800 calories.  If you’re looking for cool, alcoholic beverage to share in a hot night, then switch to red wine or light beer.

Red wine can reduce coronary heart disease and can lower cholesterol count, thus, reducing risk of high blood pressure or hypertension.  Red wine can also maintain the immune system.  It also have polyphenols which is an excellent anti-oxidant.

Polyphenols lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, risks of cancer.  It also has anti-bacterial properties.  Aside form polyphenols, red wine also has flavonoids which is also an anti-oxidant.  Wine can also be associated in reducing stress.  It has a calming influence that helps the body to relax and unwind.

Before buying your juice drink, be careful on reading the label.  There is difference between “100 % juice” and “made with real juice”.  There can be a big amount of artificial sweeteners and big amount of calories included in your juice drink.  Drinking real juice drink can give you the necessary nutrients and vitamins, while there re juice drink which is not different from drinking a glass of sugared water.

Whether it is diet or regular soda, soda still has no nutritional value.  Unfortunately, this unhealthy drink is the leading and most favorite beverage.  There are studies showing soda related to obesity.  Soda is known to be high in calories and sugar.  Even diet soda shows no significant difference in sugar and calories.  Both regular and diet sodas are associated to weight gain.

Drinking soda has also been related to tooth decay.  It is still attributed to high consumption of sugars which is present in all soda drinks.  Caffeine is also present in sodas.  So children who drink too much sodas can develop caffeine dependence.  This may interfere with the development of the brain of children.  Although, this is not yet proven, several medical researchers and health care professionals are expressing concern.

Unfortunately, there are more of unhealthy drinks than healthy drinks out there in the market.  More and more people are forgetting to focus on healthy drinking.  Yes, we try to be cautious with what we eat but we still neglect what we drink.  Then definitely, we will be missing our healthy mark.

So if you would like to create your own drinks minus the sugar and calories, then definitely go ahead.  There are health guides and magazines, even the internet, can help you concoct a savory but healthy drink without the risk factors.

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Health Drink: Alcohol?

Studies have shown that those who consume alcohol in moderate amounts may have better health than does people who do not drink at all.  So would you qualify alcohol as a health drink?

These researches showed that those who drink alcohol moderately have lower risks and fewer heart attacks and strokes.  They are also less likely to have hypertension, peripheral artery disease, Alzheimer’s disease and even the common cold.

In the Old and New Testament, the medicinal properties of alcohol were mentioned.  In the early 1900s, moderate alcohol drinking was already associated with  decreasing the risk of heart attacks.  Since then, there are continuous research studying on the medical attributes of alcohol.

Drinkers who drink sensibly are said to have longer lives.  Harvard and Chinese research showing men who drink has lower risk of death compared to those who does not drink at all.  Average difference would be from 21 to 28 percent.  Longevity is associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease, cancer and respiratory disease.  Moderate drinkers showed that they have less cases of hospitalization.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism discovered that in 20 countries world-wide, those who have 20- 40 percent lower chances of having coronary heard disease are those who moderately drink alcohol.  Those who abstain and drink heavily has higher rate of mortality due to coronary heart disease.  A Harvard study was also conducted and showed that women who drink half a glass or five grams of alcohol a date lower the risk of coronary heart disease by half.

Aside from decreasing heart disease risk factors, moderate consumption of alcohol also increases the survivability of those who fall victims of this disease.  Light to moderate drinking of alcohol a year before an acute myocardial infarction or AMI can reduce the risk of death after.  While those who drink two to four drinks of alcohol after a heart attack are less likely to have a second heart attack incident.  Compared to those who abstain from alcohol, the risk factor is cut into half.

An American Heart Associate research states that light to moderate alcohol consumption can also lower the risk of stroke both in men and women, regardless of their age and their ethnicity.  While those young adults who drink one to three drinks a day have the lowest levels of hypertension.  Moderate drinkers are also less likely to have the Type 2 diabetes compared to high drinkers and abstainers.

Light to moderate drinkers are also more resistant to common colds compared to those who does not drink at all.  They also have lower risk of kidney cancer.  They also have lower risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or cancer by 27 percent compared to abstainers.  And it goes on.  Alcohol consumption, as long as it is light and moderate have significant health benefits.

But once alcohol is consumed in large doses and amounts, then there we will encounter a problem.  When we talk about drinking moderately, medical researchers and professionals would say that is about one to three drinks a day.  For women, it should be 20 to 30 percent less than the average consumption of a man.  It is attributed mainly on smaller size and biological differences.

There are also some studies indicating the consumption of alcohol, even if in moderation, have significant effects on having higher risk of certain disease.  For women, there are studies that showed that an average one to two drinks a day can increase their risk of breast cancer. Pregnant women drinking can also fall victims to miscarriage or fetal alcohol syndrome which can have negative effects on the nervous system of the unborn child.  Cirrhosis of the liver, heart muscle damage and stroke can still e attributed to alcoholic consumption.

There are always two sides of a coin.  For alcohol it can be a drink beneficial to our health, but too much would lead to more sickness than cure.

In The Spotlight : Mind Reality
Here is the link: http://www.dietproductsreviews.info/osm

To your health and fitness,
Lisa Health

P.S.: Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MyHealthReviews

In need of affordable solid hosting? Check out: http://hostinghype.com

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Coconut Water as a Natural Health Drink

Today, people are more conscious about their health more than ever. From food, lifestyle, and down to their fluid intakes—many people are cautious to maintain a healthy body. This thinking led to the emergence of various products that can veer them away from certain diseases such as health drinks.

Into healthy practice

Nowadays, more and more of people are getting into diets that lower down the excessive intake of fats and other chemicals that may cause illness. Many are also those who get into workouts to keep their bodies fit and healthy. And there are also those who use products such as vitamins and other health supplements to improve their bodies’ resistance to illnesses.

But many are not aware that drinking commercial healthy drinks don’t always guarantee a healthy body. In fact, many of the so-called “healthy drinks” in the market contain chemicals and additional substances that may be harmful to the body. Also, make sure that you buy these from reputable stores and manufacturers to ensure your body’s safety.

The wonders of coconut water

If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks, the best way to ensure that you are getting vitamins and minerals with harmful chemicals is to drink natural-based drinks such as coconut water.

In tropical islands such as those in the Caribbean, Southern Asia, Pacific Islands, South America, and Central America, coconut water is considered as the most popular drink not only during summer but also for the whole-year. Aside from being abundant, people in these areas drink lots of it not only because it is the purest natural drink available but also because of its health benefits.

When freshly obtained from unripe coconuts, coconut water is a rich source many organic compounds that are good for a person’s total well being. Experts agree that this is one of the best health drinks out there because it is basically 99 percent free from fat, have low amounts of sugar content and low in carbohydrates which is among the major culprit in gaining weight.

For people who are on-the-go or those who undergo rigorous workout, this is an ideal health drink because it maintains the body’s normal temperature, re-hydrates the body well, and easily replenishes the lost fluids in the body after a series of exercise.

Considered as a natural isotonic beverage, coconut water is considered as one of the best natural health drinks out there aids fast but healthy metabolism, it improves the body’s immune system, while cleansing the your digestive tract very well.

For those who are into maintaining physical beauty, coconut water is a healthy drink because it greatly helps in the rejuvenation of body cells and maintaining the pH levels of the body while acting as an effective natural detoxifying supplement.

Doctors and other professionals in the medical field will also agree that coconut water is very effective in keeping a healthy body. People who want to protect their bodies from various illness, coconut water is a very effective healthy drink because it contains anti-viral properties which protects the body from diseases such as flu, herpes, and others.

It is also useful in maintaining sugar counts for diabetics, effective for those with kidney stones and other urethral conditions, and can reduce the risks of having cancer as well as in the enhancement of the blood’s proper circulation.

In The Spotlight : Mind Reality
Here is the link: http://www.dietproductsreviews.info/osm

To your health and fitness,
Lisa Health

P.S.: Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MyHealthReviews

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Can Coffee be a Health Drink?

A few years ago, there were studies saying that coffee can be associated with cancer.  This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink.  A few years after that study, researches have recounted the research quoting that the research is flawed.  Current research have showed that coffee can give the body a lot of benefits.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when drank regularly, can be a cure for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer.  It could even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems.  It could even be drank to lower risk of cavities.

Research shows that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease.  While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk.  It can even slash the risk of gallstones by half.  There are even studies showing that people who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage because of their coffee intake.

So, what causes these benefits?  It is the anti-oxidants, and surprisingly from the caffeine also.  Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed.  These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component.  Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and  tocophenols which are antioxidants.  These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity.  When we talk about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin.

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound which is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste,  also has benefits.  It can be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive.  These prevent the formation of dental cavities.

But can everybody drink coffee?

Unfortunately, not everybody can drink coffee. People with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid drinking coffee altogether.  Avoiding drinking coffee is also advised to pregnant women and those with high risk of osteoporosis.

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be avoided, then it is recommended just to drink one to two cups a day.  Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary reason why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee.

Excessive caffeine intake can also lead to nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat.  The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work overboard.  Osteoporosis patients are also advised against coffee.  Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of osteoporosis.  But the effects can be reduced if milk is mixed with coffee.

For some people, coffee can also be addictive.  People who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal symptoms.  They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, difficulty in being focused, get irritated easily and sometimes even get depressed.

Over caffeine consumption can also have an impact on your skin, since it increases the risk of developing stretch marks.  Caffeine may also play a role in weight gain.  Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-term, but in a longer period of time, coffee can lead to weight gain.

Coffee both has good and bad effects.  Similar to other beverages and food, once it is taken in big amounts, then it is likely that they may have undesirable effects to your body.  Whether coffee can be considered as a health drink, it is up to you to make the choice.

In The Spotlight : Mind Reality
Here is the link: http://www.dietproductsreviews.info/osm

To your health and fitness,
Tynus Brandon

P.S.: Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TynusReviews

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