Tuesday, February 23, 2010

the bull about red bull

a number of years ago i wrote an essay about all the horrible health truths about the energy drink red bull. a 14 year old boy on a friends soccer team had a heart attack because of the drinks so i was inspired to get the truth out there.
here are the main highlights from that essay
1. the red bull website sights this drink as suitable for sport and will have a positive affect on your game
 truth: your body needs water and electrolytes when you are exercising - red bull does not have a balanced amount of either. infact - the website states that this drink is not for re-hydrations, however this warning is not on the actual product.
2. red bull contains the same amount of caffine as a strong cup of coffee
truth: with the amount of sugar in the drink, its more like a cup of coffee with around 5teaspoons of sugar in it. and there are other sources of caffine - such as guarana which are listed seperatly and not as a source of cafffine. the total affects of ingrediants such as guarana are not known.
3. vitamin b is benefical to your body
truth: too much vitamin b (like most vitmains) is toxic. it can cause rapid heart rate and numbness 
4. alcoholic drinks are sold mixed with red bull.
truth: it says right on the container that these drinks should not be mixed with alcohol.  when consumed together, it makes people feel less drunk than they actually are. this can lead to alcohol poisoning, drinking andd driving - because they dont feel that drunk and much more.  bars can actually be fined for mixing alcohol and energy drinks - it is that dangerous!!

-another interesting fact - red bull is the only energy drink approved for sale in canada - the rest are only on temporary permits because they have not been approved by the fda.


these drinks are very popular and are very alluring - but you need to know your facts before you pick up another red bull before your soccer game, for mixing with your vodka, or because you are thirsty or need a little boost of energy.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

5 day fit yoga

here are the reviews finally!

Moms review of Gaiam 5 Day Fit Yoga - AM Peak
day one of am peak performance yoga,
28 minutes, described as s series of gentle morning stretches that will help awaken the body. I have not done much yoga over the last year, and think this routine over the next little while will be just what i need to get back into a nice stretching routine. Rod stryler, moves quite quickly from one pose to another - following the breath, the narrator helps to guide the moves, and reminding us during each posture, of some of the intricricies, what is important ie - keeping a straight back on forward bends.

it is short enough that most people, especially those starting out, could find an extra 1/2 hour in the morning, or as we did it, right after our dinner went into the oven, but before it was ready, and in the late afternoon it provided an energy boost for the evening. (much better for you than happy hour and a cocktail)

My Review
I am not a huge fan of yoga - it takes a lot to get me to go to a class, but I actually enjoyed this. The 30 minutes was a good length of time for starting out. The poses were not out of my range and Rod moved fast enough that it was a stretch not a strength workout.
The narrator was good to remind you to breathe in and out at certain times. Over all it was a very relaxing half an hour and I had a ton of energy afterwards.
I would recommend this DVD for anyone trying to get moving, or trying to get into yoga but is a little intimidated by the classes.

Friday, February 12, 2010

exercise review

new feature! every week, or couple of weeks my mom and i are going to try a new workout dvd or class and then report back about what we think about it. there will be a review from both of our points of view as well as all the information about the dvd, or the class - where to find it, how long it is ect.

last night we tried Gaiam 5 Day Fit Yoga. we did the first one, AM peak performance.
reviews to come.

in the meantime check out the vitmain g block on glamour.com - it is a daily health and fitness blog. lots of great recipes, fitness tips, and articles about general health and well being.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

pop = cancer

in case you needed another reason to cut pop from your diet - your in luck! more evidence has come out showing just how bad pop is for our bodies.
having a pop as few as twice a week could double your chances for pancreatic cancer.
pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with only 2-3% surviving for five years after their diagnosis.
this study only shows a correlation between drinking pop and developing cancer - but it is definitely something to think about the next time you buy a coke.

check out the article here

update: apparently the link wasnt working - so ive changed it. hopefully this one works!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

if you...

if you brush your teeth every day for the health of your teeth - shouldn't you also exercise every day for the health of your body?

from our very first tooth it is ingrained into us to take care of our teeth - we are taugh to brush them, floss them and rinse them. we are told not to eat food that rots them. the dentist tells us about sugar bugs. and for the most part we all learn and we all do take care of our teeth. we need them. teeth are important. strong teeth. white teeth. clean teeth.

why do we not put the same emphasis on the health of our bodies? we are supposed to exercise a minimum 30 minutes a day. supposed to. not have too - like we have to brush our teeth. we only have one body, and we need to take care of it. we should be taught that running, playing, and jumping are just as important for us to do flossing, rinsing, and brushing.

we need to change our state of mind when it comes to exercise. exercise is necessary for living a healy life - it is just as important as as hygiene, and breakfast.
i challange you to try to think of your health as something you must work to maintain every day - just like you maintain your teeth.
it takes 21 days to form a new habit - make exercise a habit. do 30 minutes of activity every day and feel better - live better.

Monday, February 8, 2010

tv time

the other day i read an article in basic sciences about a study that found a correlation between tv watching and reduced muscular fitness. they found that watching 2 or more hours of tv a day will decrease your muscular fitness, regardless of your physical activity.
this study supports what the american academy of pediatrics has been saying for a long time - time spent infront of the tv should be limited to less than two hours a day.
so that is my goal for this week. it might be kind of hard - i live alone and like to have the tv on for some background noise. i am going to listen to my ipod more, and watch the tv less. i will let you know how it goes

how much tv are you watching?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

hero


nearly a year ago my mom was diagnosed with throat cancer. the day she told us, we - as a family, took a stand against cancer. mom was the only one who could fight.  everyone else could only rally - we all did what we could. i tried to use what i knew from school about nutrition and health and fitness. my sister did the ride to conquer cancer raising $4,400 to go towards research for head and throat cancers. grandma and granpa, my moms parents, came to live with my mom and bill to support in anyway they could - rides to and from the hospital, housework, and company. bill was by my moms side every step of the way, at the doctors appointments, and learning as much as he possibly could. we came together. the treatment was intense but later in the summer my mom was declared cancer free. she is a survivor. she is our hero. this is for her. for her recovery, and our journey back to a life full of health, adventure, travel, and family. xox
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