Are Sports Drinks Safe for Your Child?

Every day, we are bombarded with advertisements for a plethora of sports drinks. Though Gatorade and Powerade overwhelmingly dominate the landscape, there are many more lesser known brands with similar compositions. As these drinks have been studied and their ingredients more closely looked at, health professionals have begun to warn consumers about their possible dangers and negative side effects. It turns out that they may not be the best choice of hydration in most situations and can be especially harmful to children.

What may surprise many is that one of the main culprits is an astounding amount of sugars and/or artificial sweeteners. One 32 oz bottle of a sports drink can contain as much as 200 calories, many of which come from up to 52g of sugar. That’s not far behind the amount found in soda pops such as Coca-Cola and well above the American Heart Association’s recommended daily allowance. 

Why so much? This amount of fast-burning sugar taken before and during the intense exertion of professional athletes and others doing lengthy high intensity activities - the individuals these drinks were initially designed for - can be necessary. However, for most this is overkill - especially when considering more than one will often be consumed. When used as simply a thirst quencher, these drinks can actually contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes. This is especially true in children. The inclusion of High Fructose Corn Syrup in many of these drinks exacerbates the problem. So then low-calorie sports drinks are the way to go, right? Not at all - these come with their own dangers.

Low calorie sports drinks are no less sweet than their counterparts (and often even more so) - this is due to the use of artificial sweeteners. Sucralose may be the most popular - it is many hundred times as sweet as natural sucrose and as the majority of it is not broken down by the body, it is non-caloric. That also means, however, that it does not provide any energy. Some studies have also shown sucralose to be linked with weight gain, to affect glycemic and insulin responses and to remove beneficial intestinal bacteria. Concerns about the possibly carcinogenic nature of other artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium persist as well as research suggesting some may affect prenatal development.

Another ingredient of sports drinks that can have negative side effects is the artificial coloring that gives them their distinctive hues. Considered ‘food grade,’ they are cleared for use by the FDA. However, many European countries have banned a number of food dyes still used in the United States and certain dyes have been linked to hyperactive behavior in children, asthma and other allergies, insomnia, thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage and cancer.

Many other causes for concern have been raised about the make up of sports drinks. Their acidic nature throws the mouth’s pH balance off, with the acid destroying tooth enamel and contributing to dental erosion (Harvard Public School of Health). Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO), used solely to prevent separation of ingredients can negatively affect the thyroid and is banned in many countries across the world other than the United States. Monopotassium Phosphate, used as a potassium source, carries the risk of upsetting the calcium/phosphate balance which can over time result in weakened bones.

Quite simply, the consensus seems to be these sports drinks should be drank sparingly by those doing long sessions of very intense athletic training - and preferably, not at all. The advertised necessity to ‘prevent thirst’ by drinking large amounts of the sugary and additive-filled beverages before and during exercise is a fallacy.  If you believe you need an electrolyte booster, look into ones with natural ingredients and without added sugars. It may not taste like candy or be neon blue, but it’ll definitely be better for you!

Until next time, keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve!

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Customized Supplementation vs. Buying Over the Counter

Perhaps the most important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is proper nutrition. The foremost way to do this is, of course, ensure that your are purchasing and preparing healthy foods rich in all necessary nutrients. However, busy schedules, budget constraints and a myriad of other reasons can make it difficult to ensure that you are always receiving all nutrients and in sufficient amounts.

Nutritional supplements are widely recognized as an effective way to augment one’s diet - either through single-nutrient supplements (Iron, Vitamin C etc.) or compound supplements like multivitamins. However, in order to ensure you supplementation is both yielding optimal results and is completely safe, matching your nutritional supplements with your lifestyle, medical conditions and any medications that you may take is extremely important. Previously considered an opulent luxury, a customized supplement plan based on standardized testing should be strongly considered as it is not only beneficial to your health but now affordable as well.

Regardless of our best intentions and attempts, it is not possible as laymen to accurately pinpoint where our nutritional shortcomings are and what appropriate supplement dosages should be. Attempting to do so and address deficiencies by purchasing over-the-counter supplements is often at best inefficient and at worst, dangerous. With incorrect assumptions on deficiencies, large sums can be spent on vitamins and other supplements that are providing no help whatsoever. And by ingesting incorrect doses of supplements, needed or not, we may actually make ourselves ill, in extreme cases causing damage to our bodies and increasing our risk of cancer [University of Colorado Cancer Center ].

This is where testing comes in. A comprehensive nutritional assessment in the form of a questionnaire designed by medical professionals is the first step. It covers basic information such as sex, age, weight/height etc. as well as medical history, medications currently and previously taken, lifestyle and activity levels, habits, nutritional and sleep patterns and any other information deemed pertinent. Always ensure that any such health assessment is certified as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ) compliant as this act protects the public from, among other things, health care fraud and privacy violations [Tennessee Department of Health]. Following this, the information is plugged into an algorithm that takes over 7500 peer reviewed, third party scientific studies to recommend a customized nutritional supplementation program that will be specific to the individual and construct a complete profile.  No more guessing.  The report can be downloaded and used to make lifestyle changes and your supplements can be ordered, if you choose, and come shipped to you in a convenient strip pack with your name on each pack for evening and morning dosing.  

Armed with this information, you can now be confident in what you are taking.  Not only does the plan specifically target the areas where you most need nutritional fortification, there is no danger of interaction with prescription medications or exacerbation of medical conditions. Often overlooked, but equally important is the removal of the risk of over supplementation - a very real hazard with certain nutrients.

A customized nutrition supplement plan helps ensure that the level of vitamins, minerals, and all other nutrients in our bodies are at an optimum level, that our organs and vital systems are being properly supported and regulated and that, quite simply, we are nutritionally as healthy as we can possibly be! 

Until next time keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve!

ELLEN MAY
INTEGRATIVE NUTRITIONIST AND EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST


Take your FREE HIPAA compliant health assessment at: http://www.coachellen.idlife.com/IDNutrition

You Know You Are "Next Gen" When….

Those of us over 30 are just now coming around to accepting a world that doesn't include a 9 to 5 job and a Corporate America pension.  We were trained as children to go to school then to college, get a job and work 40 hours a week only to find out after 30 years that our retirement isn't going to hold us over.  Over 60% of the people who retire have to go back to a part time job just to make ends meet.  The younger generations figured it out.  Millions have been made from dorm rooms in colleges all over the country so today I thought I would give you 6 ways to tell if you are truly "Next Gen" or at least have the mindset of that generation.

You know you are "Next Gen" when….

1.  You've watched as your roommate made his half of the rent from his mobile phone at starbucks.

2.  You've listened to your professors speak of pensions, retirement plans and investments and thought of how ridiculous it is to worry about any of those things when you can generate enough income to retire working from your laptop in your p.j.'s in the time it takes for your professor to reboot his dinosaur computer.

3.  You've had at least 3 business meetings over the beer pong table in the common room of your apartment complex.

4.  You can generate more in 3 hours on the computer than your parents combined income for the year.

5.  A 40 hour work week isn't even in your vocabulary and 9 to 5 is a Dolly Parton song.

6.  Your parents think network marketing is a pyramid scheme, but you bought their last three Christmas gifts, birthday gifts and anniversary gifts with your check from your network marketing business.

I'm not so sure that the next generation has such a bad idea.  We could learn a lot from their laid back, work from home mentality.  So to the beer pong business meetings I say "Cheers!"

Until next time, keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve.

Are you a "Next Gen" looking for an opportunity? Go to www.satisfied.idlife.com to get started today.

Divine Motivation

As I was speaking to a friend today, she inspired me to write today's blog topic on "Divine Motivation."  Now I know some of you may not have the same Christian back ground that I have, however, this can still be applied to your belief system wether you believe your success comes from a desire that was already in you at birth, a higher power that operates in your life or from the people who influence you.  The point is that we all have something that keeps us going.  Some inner motivation that pushes us to be better.

In the book of Romans, the bible says, "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you."

We all have dead places in our life.  It may be feelings of inadequacy, feelings of fear, lack of good health, past failures or an entire host of other things.  We lock them away in a sort of tomb so that we can pretend they don't exist, but the truth is THEY DO, and the longer we avoid identifying those things the longer we will stay stuck in our current life, health and relationships.

But what if we actually took the time to identify the places and things in our life that are feeling flatlined?  It is at this point that we can clearly see where God, or whatever you identify as your inner voice, is waiting to bring a resurrecting work.  God longs to fill you will overcoming power that can only come from him.  Those things that are holding you back don't have to stay buried in a tomb.  They can be released and in doing so it will bring on a freedom and motivation to change and fix the things that we need to face.

I don't mean someday, I mean NOW!  Someday is a curse word from now on.  Simple and plain profanity.  If we want to truly transform our lives, our health, our relationships and our finances then we must stop hiding behind the "maybes" and "somedays."  Too many dreams have died on the altar of someday.  Aren't you sick of waiting?  Aren't you sick of looking back at yesterday and saying, "I'll start today instead" and then the next day saying the same thing?

Jesus only stayed in that tomb for 3 days.  We have to let the things that are keeping our dreams and hopes buried out of the tomb and begin to live the life that Jesus died to give us.  What dreams and hopes have you been keeping buried out of fear or lack of belief?  Start taking action today to make them happen and stop focusing on your fears that you can't do it.  YOU CAN!

Until next time keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve.



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The Daniel Plan - Eliminate Negative Self-Talk

Click Here for Original post ===>>>>The Daniel Plan - Eliminate Negative Self-Talk



By Rick Warren - June 3, 2013

"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."Proverbs 4:23 GN

Long before psychology came around, God said your thoughts determine your feelings and your feelings determine your actions. If you want to change your life, you have to control the way you think.

You're constantly talking to yourself — all the time. Your mind is talking to you! You're talking to yourself right now. Research indicates that most people speak at a rate of 150 to 200 words per minute, but the mind can listen to about 500 to 600 words a minute. That's why you can listen to me and plan today's dinner at the same time.

In fact, our internal dialogue — the conversation we have with ourselves — is at a rate of 1,300 words per minute. How? Because our mind sees in pictures, and you can see a thought in a nanosecond!

The problem is that a lot of us are like Job, who says, "Everything I say seems to condemn me" (Job 9:20 GN). He's saying, in effect, "Everything I say puts me down." If you are typical to the human race, you are your own worst critic.

We're always putting ourselves down. We walk into a room, smiling, but inside we're thinking, "I'm fat. I'm dumb. I'm ugly. And I'm always late!"

God wants us to stop putting ourselves down. When you put yourself down, who are you really putting down? When you say, "I'm fat. I'm dumb. I'm ugly. I'm no good. I have no talent," you're really pointing to the Creator who made you. When you say, "God, I'm worthless. I'm no good. I can't do anything," you're saying, "God, you blew it with me." That's why God says it's wrong to put yourself down.

How do you eliminate negative self-talk so you can become a more confident person?

The Bible teaches the principle of replacement.

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right … Think about all you can thank God for and be glad about"Philippians 4:8 LB

In other words, don't think about all those weaknesses in your life. Focus on who God wants you want to be and on what God wants to do in your life.

There isn't a better thing you can do to raise your confidence level than to start believing what God says about you. As I read through the Bible, chapter by chapter, and find a verse that speaks to me, I write it down on a card, memorize it, and then I affirm it back to God: "Father, thank you that I am valuable; I am significant; I am forgivable; I am capable." Let God renew your mind because "your life is shaped by your thoughts" (Proverbs 4:23 GN).

Talk About It

• I don't know any better antidote to low self-esteem (or to facing your hurts, habits, and hang-ups) than to read God's Word every day: Study it, memorize it, meditate on it, and apply it in your life.
• How are doing with self-discipline in your daily quiet time with God?

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

Until next time, keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve.

LOOKING TO CHANGE YOUR HEALTH?  TAKE YOUR FREE HEALTH ASSESSMENT TODAY AT www.satisfied.idlife.com

Enjoy Your Vacation While Eating Healthy

Absolutely nothing should get in the way of your vacation enjoyment! You’ve worked hard, and now it’s time to play hard. Sometimes, even pleasurable travel can be stressful. I’ve learned that one of the best ways to minimize travel stress and enjoy a vacation to the fullest is by finding ways to carry healthy-eating habits with me on my trip.

Several aspects of travel present challenges to healthy eating. First, your regular routine changes when you travel. Second, away from home you will face different types of foods as well as temptations that you know how to avoid at home. A little advance planning will help you navigate the labyrinth of unhealthy and processed foods you will encounter on vacation and keep you eating healthy through the duration of your trip.

Before you leave, take the time to learn about your destination. Doing a little research into the hotel and restaurants in the area can go a long way. I have found reviews be extremely helpful in my travels because they provide the most unbiased and true information. I recently found a great site that listed the hotels in Las Vegas I was interested in with reviews regarding restaurants, amenities, and things to do. This information made it extremely helpful to maintain a healthy lifestyle while away. Find out all you can about local restaurants. Locate a health food store in the area where you can stop for snacks to keep in your hotel room, and look for a hotel that has in-room refrigerators so you will be able to stock fruits and veggies there to ward off late-night cravings.

If you plan to fly, consider what you will eat on the plane. I always pack some healthy snacks like raw almonds and some fruit or fresh veggies in my carry-on bag to keep me from succumbing to high-sodium or sugary refreshments served on the plane. If an in-flight meal will be served, take the time to order an alternative to the regular meal. Low-sodium or vegetarian options are best.

Drink plenty of water throughout your trip. This may be easier at home, but it’s just as important when you travel. I like to carry a water bottle along with me that I can refill anywhere. This will save you money at tourist attractions where bottled water can be very expensive. It will also help you avoid the temptation of drinking soda or other sugary and caffeinated beverages.

On vacation, you will probably be eating at several restaurants. Follow the same guidelines you do when eating out near your home. Before heading to a nice dinner, eat a handful of raw carrots or an apple to take the edge off your hunger and keep you from filling up on bread before your meal arrives. Read the menu carefully. Find healthy selections under words such as “broiled” and “steamed.” Avoid words like “battered,” “smothered” or “bottomless.” Speaking of bottomless, avoid all-you-can-eat restaurants as well. It’s too easy to keep eating after you are full when you’ve paid to eat all you possibly can.

Of course, when you get away on vacation, you may want to splurge a little. Feel free to enjoy some local delights. The key to vacationing healthy is moderation. If you eat a healthy breakfast, go ahead and enjoy that world-famous corn dog at lunchtime. Just be sure to follow it with a healthy afternoon snack if you get hungry later.

Until next time, keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve.

GUEST AUTHOR:  Cole Millen

Ready to get your health or weight under control?  Take your FREE health assessment at www.satisfied.idlife.com and get a plan of action in place to reach your goals.

Practical Tips On Building A Healthy Meal

A healthy meal starts with more fruits and vegetables and smaller portions of breads and starchy foods.  Think about how you can adjust your portions on your plate to get more of what you need without too many added calories.  And don't forget the dairy -- make it the beverage with your meal or add fat-free or low-fat dairy products to your plate.

1.  Make half your plate fruits and veggies. Vegetables and fruits are full of nutrients.  Choose red, orange and dark green vegetables when possible like tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli.

2.  Add lean protein.  Choose protein foods, such as lean beef and pork, or chicken, turkey, beans, or tofu.  Try to make your foods seafood at least twice each week.

3.  Include whole grains.  Aim to make at least half your grains whole grains.  Look for 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat in the label.  Whole grains are much more nutrient dense and have more fiber than refined grains. 

4.  Don't forget the dairy.  Pair your meal with a cup of fat-free or low-fat milk.  You get the same amount of nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories.  If you prefer, you can try soy milk or include fat-free or low-fat yogurt in your meal.

5.  Avoid extra fat.  Using heavy gravies or sauces will add extra fat and sodium to your diet.  For example:  Steamed broccoli is great, but avoid topping it with cheese sauce.  Try substitutes like low-fat parmesan cheese or a squeeze of lemon.  

6.  Take your time.  Savor your food.  Eat slowly and enjoy the taste and texture of your foods.  Being mindful of your eating and taking your time helps you to avoid overeating, and helps with better digestion.

7.  Use a smaller plate.   By using a smaller plate, you can help with portion control.  That way you can finish your entire plate and feel satisfied without overeating.

8.  Take control of your food.  Eat at home as often as possible.  That way you know exactly what you are eating rather than guessing at how it was cooked.  If you do eat out, check and compare the nutrition information and choose baked over fried.

9.  Try new foods.  Keep it interesting by trying out new foods and recipes that you have never tried before.  You may find a new favorite food.  Try a recipe exchange with friends and encourage each other to try them out.

10.  Satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way.  Indulge in a naturally sweet dessert dish -- FRUIT!  Serve a fresh fruit cocktail or a fruit parfait made with yogurt.  For a hot dessert, bake apples and top with cinnamon.



Remember that small changes can add up to big gains in health.  Until next time, keep reaching for that healthy, happy life you deserve.


Want to know what steps to take to get your health under control?  Contact me at www.coachellen.idlife.com to set up your FREE health assessment.