Energy Drinks - Are They Good For You?

Energy drinks are all the rage right now and personally, I don't like them. To give me energy, I stick to healthy water or green tea, both of which boost metabolism. Are energy drinks good for you?

A recent study suggests that energy drinks, even when consumed by healthy young adults, raises systolic blood pressure by 10 points and increases heart rates by 5 to 7 beats per minute. This study was done on people consuming two energy drinks daily. Most of these energy drinks contain very high levels of caffeine and the amino acid taurine.

This is the effect of energy drinks on healthy people. Imagine the effects on people who already have high blood pressure or heart disease?

Think regular or diet soda is a healthier choice? Studies show that soft drinks, even diet soda, also poses health risks. Those drinking only one soda a day were more likely to develop high blood pressure, high triglycerides (part of your cholesterol count), heart disease and diabetes.

Drinking energy drinks and soda can be a habit and a habit can be broken. Replace your energy drinks and soda with water or green or black tea (iced or hot is fine). Once you get into the habit of drinking healthier drinks, you'll actually prefer them and wonder why you ever reached for that soda or energy drink.

Easy Healthy Living Tips

Here are some healthy living tips that are easy to do:

Add lemon or lemon juice to your green tea before drinking - this helps you absorb up to 13% more of the antioxidants that are in the tea.

Don't drink tea with high iron foods, such as meat. This keeps you from absorbing the iron in meat or whatever you eat.

Remedies for Indigestion

Drink a cup of hot peppermint tea or ginger tea to ease indigestion. Candied ginger also works well for indigestion. If you often suffer from indigestion, drink the tea as a routine after dinner each night.

Tip for a Good Night's Sleep

Sip a cup of chamomile tea before bed to help you sleep. Avoid caffeine after noon and switch to decaffeinated products.

Tip for Stress

Drinking green tea slashes the fattening stress hormone cortisol by 20% helping to control your stress.

Healthy Supplement Tip

Take your iron supplement with orange juice or other vitamin C containing juice or purchase an iron supplement with Vitamin C in it. This helps your body absorb the iron better.

Take your iron supplement separate from your other vitamins as iron blocks the absorption of some vitamins. If iron bothers your stomach, look for a formula that is easy on the stomach.

Drinking 3 or more cups of coffee per day lowers women's risk of utering cancer by 60% according to a study of 54,000 Japanese women.

Easy Tips to Prevent Colds and Flu

Don't dry your hands with hand blow dryers in public restrooms. They blow bacteria back onto your clean hands.

Use your own pen when out in public. Germs can survive on pens for up to 4 days.

73% of the handles on grocery carts tested harbored the germs that cause diarrhea. Use the antibacterial wipes now provided by many stores for wiping down the cart handles. If they don't have some, carry your own in your purse.

Great Weight Loss Tip

Eating protein in the morning, soon after rising. This helps regulate blood sugar and decrease hunger all day long.

Prevent colds and flu with these natural remedies