by Tony Isaacs

(The Best Years in Life) Energy drinks were first introduced over 20 years ago. Though their use grew slowly for the first several years, today they have become a modern day phenomenon with tens of millions now being consumed daily. Energy drinks are the number one growth market for beverages and annual sales are forecast to top $9 billion for 2011. Around one-third of teenagers and young adults report drinking one or more energy drink daily, and in many instances consumers drink several energy drinks each day.

Liquid Life Complete

What’s not to like about having more energy and alertness – particularly if it comes from beverages which often tout herbal and other “natural” ingredients as the secret to their success? As it turns out, there is a very great deal not to like – and many of the millions of energy drink consumers may find one day find that the temporary boost they are getting today comes at the expense of health problems tomorrow.

Some of the more common unwelcome side effects reported for energy drinks include elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and interrupted sleep patterns. Due to a combination of ingredients commonly found in energy drinks which cause elevated heart rate and blood pressure, energy drinks may end up putting added stress on the heart. Such stress may lead to hypertension and ultimately heart and other cardiovascular problems.

It is also believed that the combination of ingredients in energy drinks, including sodium benzoate, may lead to extra risk of various forms of cancer. Some energy drinks may also contain ingredients which stress the pancreas and could lead to diabetes. The effects and side effects of energy drinks are elevated when combined with coffee and other caffeinated drinks and the combination of alcohol and energy drinks, a growing practice among younger drinkers, may be particularly dangerous.

Until recently, energy drinks and their side effects have been lightly studied, as a report earlier this year in the medical journal Pediatrics noted when it described energy drinks as overused and understudied. After examining data from the government and interest groups, scientific literature, case reports and articles in popular and trade media, the reports authors warned against energy drinks and cited potential harms which included heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death.

Dr. Marcie Schneider, an adolescent medicine specialist in Greenwich, Connecticut, and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics nutrition committee, praised the recent report and stated that “"These drinks have no benefit, no place in the diet of kids."

Late last year, poison control centers started tracking energy drink overdoses and side effects nationwide. 677 cases occurred from October through December. The chart's list of reported energy drink-related symptoms included seizures, hallucinations, rapid heart rate, chest pain, high blood pressure and irritability.

Two of the most common ingredients found in energy drinks are sugar and caffeine, both of which provide temporary stimulation (as opposed to actual energy) and both of which may have serious side effects when regularly consumed in large amounts.  Notably, both sugar and caffeine, as well as other ingredients in energy drinks, stress the adrenal glands.  Adrenal fatigue is considered to be the number one cause of lack of energy.  Thus energy drinks create their own catch-22 of causing long term tiredness and lack of energy at the same time they give their temporary boosts.

Just one of a huge number of health risks caused by processed sugar is the risk of diabetes – which has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Very large amounts of sugar can ultimately overwhelm the pancreas, the organ which generates insulin to offset sugar intake. If your pancreas is "worn out" by being overworked from too much sugar, diabetes can begin.

Some energy drinks containing up to 7 times the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. While small amounts of caffeine are not generally considered dangerous, too much caffeine can over stimulate the central nervous system and can dangerously elevate blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine is also addictive and withdrawal symptoms include headaches and irritability. Caffeine also causes a loss in valuable B vitamins which are needed for "normal" energy creation.

When sugar is not used, dangerous artificial sweeteners are employed. Perhaps the most dangerous is aspartame, though increasingly, the sugar substitute of choice has become sucralose. Sucralose is a chlorinated organic compound, a chemical group which includes several compounds known to be harmful to animals and plants and which has been linked to birth defects and other prenatal conditions. The body does not recognize artificial sweeteners like sucralose as food, but instead essentially processes them as toxins.

Other potentially dangerous ingredients commonly found in energy drinks include:

*Sodium benzoate. Sodium benzoate is widely used as a preservative in energy drinks as well as other beverages and foods. Last year a study conducted by an expert in molecular biology and biotechnology linked sodium benzoate to cell damage and an increase in the production of free radicals.

Even more concerning is the fact that sodium benzoate in combination with vitamin C can result in the formation of the potent carcinogen benzene. Many energy drinks contain vitamin C, especially the fruity energy drinks.

As noted health authority Chris Gupta reports, “This is not a small thing, although the so-called experts will try to tell you that there's no harm at these benzene levels. But there is no safe level of benzene. And no one is talking about how it reacts with other carcinogens in your body, which could be a serious problem. We already know it reacts with healthy substances like vitamin C.”

“There is a solution”, Gupta added. “Eliminate all processed foods and unnatural drinks. All processed foods have chemicals in them for preservation. And many of these preservatives can damage your health."

*Phenylalanine. Though an essential amino acid, phenylalanine is also a neurotoxin and is one of the three main ingredients which make up aspartame. Too much can excite the neurons in the brain to the point of cellular death.

*Guarana. Guarana (or guaranine) comes from the seeds of the guarana plant, which contain up to 3 to 4 times the caffeine as coffee beans. Thus the amount of actual caffeine for many energy drinks which also contain guarana may be even more than is reported.

*Ephedra. Ephedra has been described as a drug that increases heart rate and blood pressure at low doses and strokes, seizures, and possibly even death at high doses.

Despite their potential dangers, energy drinks have become a very large part of today’s beverage industry. As we have seen time and again, once any product or group of products and the ingredients they contain become hugely profitable and popular, it may take many years – if ever – before they are curtailed despite evidence of danger. Aspartame is a prime example and such may well end up being the case with the multi-billion dollar energy drink market.

However, the good news is that there are far safer natural options for achieving greater energy than energy drinks – such as super foods powders, juiced vegetables and whole-foods derived multi-vitamin products for example. The very best long term option for achieving greater energy is an active lifestyle combined with adequate sleep, avoidance of energy robbing toxins and stress and a healthy nutrient-dense diet.

Traditionally, Candida was considered to be a form of a localized yeast overgrowth, but it has become clear that the infection is much more complex. The actual manifestation of the disease is frequently characterized by the presence of overwhelming tiredness, recurring yeast infections, and digestive problems. Besides an amplified "toxic" feeling, patients can also experience various neurological symptoms, including sugar cravings, headaches, mental fog, and poor short-term memory.

The condition can have multiple causes, including antibiotic overuse, immunocompromising drugs ( such as anabolic steroids), hormonal imbalance (birth control pills), high-sugar diets, weakened immune system (especially in cancer and AIDS patients), and excessive stress.

In his book published in 1983, Dr. William Crook set the basic criteria for a diagnosis: a history of repeated or prolonged courses of antibacterial drugs or steroids, taking "the pill" for more than three years, and the presence of the aforementioned symptoms in combination with unusual sensitivity to chemical odors such as perfumes and colognes.

There`s no lab test or X-ray that can 100% tell that a person has a Candida overgrowth, and many allopathic doctors are not trained in treating or diagnosing the disease. However, a trained naturopath or integrative MD can provide an accurate diagnosis based on the presence of symptoms, patient history, stool test, and/or a trial of an anti-candida regime.

The latest trend in treating Candida infection is using a multi-faceted approach to control or manage the disease. Many alternative health experts recommend using probiotics and antifungal supplements in combination with a low glycemic eating plan, also known as the Candida diet. The diet restricts the consumption of simple carbohydrates and processed foods, while promoting fresh vegetables, fruit, gluten-free grains, and high-quality animal products.

Besides working with your doctor, it is also recommended to reduce your stress levels with strategies such as yoga, meditation or deep breathing. Exercise regularly and don`t forget to get plenty of sleep and rest. Following these simple steps will give your body the chance to heal and repair naturally.

In 2006 the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association posted warnings on their websites advising caution when preparing powdered infant formula. They suggested parents use non-fluoridated water to avoid the increased risk of fluorosis. Fluorosis is a developmental disturbance that causes permanent spots or streaks to appear on a child`s teeth. Today there is increasing scientific evidence that fluorosis also results in a lowered IQ and more bone fractures. Called a "low grade chronic poisoning" by H. Trendly Dean, the father of fluoridation, fluorosis has always been a negative side effect of water fluoridation. It was accepted as a trade-off for reducing tooth decay through fluoridation. But the latest survey showed that 40% of American teenagers have fluorosis. This year the federal government proposed lowering the amount of fluoride added to tap water to reduce fluorosis.

Yet in the midst of this great increase in fluorosis most public health agencies have decided not to do anything except post web pages. They have not called for warnings to be placed on infant formula packaging. They have not called for educating doctors, dentists and parents about this issue. The WIC programs (Women, Infants, Children) hand out free powdered infant formula to low-income parents. But very few WIC programs will inform parents about the fluorosis risk when the formula is prepared with fluoridated tap water. A typical example is in Mississippi where a state dental official wrote:

"Based on the critical need to reduce the impact of untreated dental disease on children in Mississippi, the Oral Health Program does not advise the WIC Program to discuss fluorosis and community water fluoridation. We should make consumer-friendly information on fluorosis available as the need arises. But our goal is to eradicate tooth decay and we appreciate the WIC programs support to encourage not discourage the use of optimally fluoridated water."

In other words, the idea that fluoridated water is a bad choice for infants could "discourage the use of optimally fluoridated water" for other age groups. Here is what parents should know about this issue:

1 Very few in the public health or the scientific community say that newborn infants receive a benefit from the fluoride found in tap water. Of the few that advocate fluoride for this age group, none has said how much benefit infants might expect because no studies have been done that show a benefit for infants.

2 Mother`s breast milk is acknowledged as the best nutrition for infants. Breast milk is extremely low in fluoride. Nobody in public health is advocating that parents give fluoride supplements to infants on breast milk. Nobody is saying infants consuming breast milk will have more tooth decay than infants consuming formula made with fluoridated tap water.

3 For decades public health agencies have said that fluorosis is only a "cosmetic effect." But the cosmetic dentistry required to fix ugly fluorosed teeth can be expensive. And there now is increasing evidence that fluorosis causes more harm than simply malformed teeth.

The truth is that public health agencies have refused to inform the public about this risk to infants for the simple reason that it casts doubt on fluoridation.

by: Selena Keegan

(NaturalNews) Top baby formula brands sold in stores contain alarmingly high levels of corn syrup and sugar. In light of rising rates of childhood obesity and diabetes, parents need to read labels carefully to protect their children's health.

If you think the gurus on Wall Street are smooth criminals "getting away with murder," the latest toxic-laden preservatives are moving in undetected, compromising consumers state of health in the short term and the long term, including immediate heart problems and central nervous system disorders. Some of these "repeat offenders" include detergents and aluminum that are injected directly into your veins in flu shots, leading to seizures, autism, miscarriages, and even Alzheimer's disease.

These "efficient delivery devices" are often ignored by the general public because many consumers just follow along with the masses, believing that the FDA and the United States Government would never allow poisons in foods, cosmetics and vaccinations. Immediate gratification has many consumers preoccupied with the conveniences of an over-stimulated society, and up to 23 of the 25 average products that aren't strictly organic are toxic.

If you think you're being careful by requesting additive free vaccines and flu shots, you've only scraped off the tip of a dangerous iceberg. Even if there is no polysorbate 80 or aluminum in an injection, vaccines are capable of inducing prolonged activation of the brain's microglia immune cells. This prolonged activation is associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and vaccine-related encephalitis.

Here are the most frequently used chemical emulsifiers

Are you ready to check the labels and ingredients on everything in your pantry, refrigerator, bathroom cabinet, and in those flu shots yet? Which flu shots are the most dangerous, and are there any safe ones at all? Fluvirin and Flushield contain chick embryonic fluid and synthetic emulsifiers. Polysorbate 80 is associated with allergic reactions like difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, sudden loss of balance, and coughing up blood.

Many vaccines and flu shots contain aluminum, which serves as a delivery vehicle, for helping certain components stay soluble. Do some research on aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate and potassium aluminum sulfate, and you may never get another flu shot in your life.

Sorbitol is in almost every diet food, diet drink, gum, breath mint, eye drop and contact lens solution. Fooling the body because it tastes sweet, this softening agent fuels the development of colon cancer because the body cannot process and excrete it properly. Sorbitol is a known carcinogen that maintains the softness for food and gives eye care products that slippery feel.

Poloxamer 407, the key ingredient in most mouthwashes, is a detergent. It causes bladder cancer in animals. Long term use of mouthwashes is associated with an increased risk of mouth and throat cancers. Listerine contains Poloxamer 407.

Soy lecithin increases risks of breast cancer. Soy lecithin is produced as a result of the sludge that is left over after crude soy oil goes through a "degumming" process. It is a waste product that contains solvents and pesticides.

Sodium caseinate is a fancy name for casein, a known carcinogen. Manufacturers add hydrochloric acid to this processed milk protein in order to reach desired pH levels. Look for casein in paint, glue, cheese, most soy and whey protein shake mixes, and in those popular protein bars. Casein can act as a histamine releaser, aggravating autism and promoting cancerous cell growth.

The label "natural skin care" doesn't mean a whole lot these days either. Kiss My Face is a brand known to call everything natural, while still containing toxins like sorbitan oleate and other dangerous emulsifiers.

Watch out for phenoxyethanol, a popular antibacterial and preservative chemical often referred to as natural by organic skin care brands. Phenoxyethanol can act as an endocrine disruptor, causing damage to the bladder, brain, and nervous system in animals. Try not to forget that humans are also animals.

Strontium, which was discovered in 1808 and was named after the Scottish town of Strontian, is element number 38 of the periodic table of elements and it lies directly below calcium on the table. Strontium is naturally present in trace amounts with around 100 micrograms in every gram of bone and it is part of the same chemical family as calcium as well as magnesium, two other minerals vital for healthy bones.  Thus, supplementing with strontium will make more of a vital natural element available for your bones.

Scientists have discovered strontium has a unique method of action which provides a dual activity in your bones. Bone cells are continuously growing and being re-absorbed at the same time; bone growth drugs or rock-based calcium primarily affect only the resorption side of the equation. Strontium provides the double benefit of inhibiting bone resorption while simultaneously stimulating bone growth. No other natural substance or drug is known to provide this dual effect.

Strontium was studied in both animals and humans from the early 1950s to the early 1960s and was shown to have important bone health properties. For example, in 1959, Mayo Clinic discussing a study involving strontium lactate for osteoporosis, reported "the therapeutic value of the drug appears to be established".   In the 1980's a pair of studies also returned promising results for strontium on bone health.

Human studies within the past decade have reported extraordinary results for strontium.  In one large multi-phase study it was found that post-menopausal women added 8.1% new bone growth over a three year period whereas they would normally have lost about 1% of their bone mass each year.

Notably, most of the recent year studies on strontium have used strontium ranelate, a patentable (and thus profitable) compound which binds strontium to the synthetic cation ranelate.  Unlike natural forms of strontium, the ranelate form could be dangerous.  Strontium ranelate contains phenylalanine and the detailed data sheet for strontium ranelate warns chillingly of deadly risks of venous thromboembolism as well as dermatitis.

Fortunately, clinical studies on several natural forms of strontium salt have also had positive results – without the side effects.  It appears that strontium is the active component, and not the carbonate, ranelate, lactate, or citrate part the strontium is attached to.

Important Notes:

1. Strontium supplements should be taken along with adequate calcium consumption and the two similar minerals should be taken apart from one another since they compete at the sites of absorption.

2. Strontium should not be used as a treatment in children since it may alter the architecture of their rapidly growing bones. Thus far, no studies have been done using high dose strontium on children.

3. Strontium should not be used as a single "magic bullet".  For the best results, one should use a comprehensive approach to regaining bone strength and include such other natural modalities of bone support as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium, boron, vitamin K2, and weight bearing exercise.

You may have already seen some of the outrageous headlines associated with the study, including such gems as "Study links vitamins to higher death rates in women," or "We've Been Wasting a Ton of Money on Vitamins and Dietary Supplements." As scary as these might sound, the reality of the matter is that not only was the study conducted in a illegitimate and untrustworthy manner, but its data does not even match the final conclusion made that nutrients are potentially deadly.

"This study says absolutely nothing about vitamins," stated Dr. David Brownstein during the INN interview. "If this study was done in reverse where vitamins were shown to be effective, no journal would have printed this study because it was so poorly done."

You can watch the segment from the October 13 edition of INN, which begins at 21:46, at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBgf…

Researchers conducted the study observationally over an 18-year period, and participants were asked to fill out a survey on three different occasions. Gathered as part of the larger Iowa Women's Health Study, this data included the women's dietary habits and supplement intake compared to their overall mortality rates.

You can also view a summary of the study here:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/co…

General Mills "Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups," for instance, do not actually contain strawberries. They are, however, loaded with questionable additives like corn syrup, dried corn syrup, refined sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and various other chemicals and petroleum-based dyes. The only fruit-related ingredient in "Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups" is a form of pear concentrate that represents only a small fraction of the overall product's content.

Similarly, General Mills "Fruit by the Foot Strawberry" snacks, which bear a label claiming they are "fruit flavored," are packed with the same refined sugar, corn syrup, artificial food coloring, and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil as Fruit Roll-Ups — and they also contain no strawberries.

Many other "fruit" snacks marketed by General Mills also contain labels that say things like "fruit flavored" and "naturally flavored," and are typically marketed as if they are high in nutrients, and healthy for children. In truth, though, these products are nothing more than junk food posing as loosely-defined health food.

"General Mills is basically dressing up a very cheap candy as if it were fruit and charging a premium for it," says Steve Gardner, litigation director at CSPI. "General Mills is giving consumers the false impression that these products are somehow more wholesome, and charging more. It's an elaborate hoax on parents who are trying to do right by their kids."

General Mills makes many phony natural products filled with junk ingredients
Earlier in the year, NaturalNews conducted an investigation into General Mills cereals and found the very same thing about many of them. General Mills "Total Blueberry Pomegranate" cereal, for instance, contains neither pomegranates nor blueberries. It does, however, contain many of the same harmful ingredients as Fruit Roll-Ups and "Fruit by the Foot." This list includes refined sugar, corn syrup, and petroleum-based dyes (http://www.naturalnews.com/031053_G…).

More recently, the Cornucopia Institute (CI) issued a shocking report about "natural" cereals in general and found that many of them are no better than conventional varieties made by brands like General Mills. Though marketed as if they are the equivalent of organic, and often priced more expensively than organics, these imposter cereals are typically loaded with genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and other chemicals

Chromium GTF

Glucose, used in this capacity, is the newest revelation made by scientists attempting to explain the overwhelming demands of rapid decision-making on the individual. This theory, however, is merely a fresh application of a long-standing hypothesis first posed by Freud. He believed in a human quality called "ego depletion": that the self (or ego) needed a transfer of energy to perform mental activities, and that these stores of energy are finite. It was not until the end of the twentieth century, however, that scientists began applying his theory in the context of "decision fatigue", a state even more acutely felt in this age of fast-paced technology and information overload.

Reaching beyond the impact of glucose on decision-making skills, psychologists at the University of Wurzburg tested the strength of individual willpower when confronted with a series of challenges related directly to pleasure. Armed with a blackberry as a recording device, 200 individuals were asked to document the number of times in a day they were confronted with desire.

The study concluded three things: (1) people spend between three to four hours each day in a struggle over whether or not to resist a particular desire; (2) frequent episodes of denial made it increasingly more likely that the individual would give in to the next temptation; (3) glucose stores influence the ease with which an individual approaches each struggle of will.

So what can you do to fight the fatigue of decision-making and desire? The following are two possible methods (not addressed in the study) that may prove helpful:

1. Meditation: Literally step away from the problem
Rather than munching your way through a stressful day, take 5 minutes and close your eyes, breathing in and out deeply. If possible, empty your mind of all distractions and unnecessary entanglements. Try to free it from the pressures of your day. Another possibility would be to seize some quiet time for yourself and go for a short, brisk walk.

2. Give in to desire!
Instead of repeatedly denying yourself what you want, as appropriate, you could change the object of your desire to a positive, yet similar choice. For example, if you have been trying to eliminate sugar from your diet, a different approach would be to allow yourself a taste that is sweet throughout the day; however, change it to raw honey in your tea, dried fruit on cereal, a superfood smoothie made with cacao. The general idea would be to replace an unattainable desire with another pleasure that could lead to long-lasting, successful results.

Most likely, Freud would have been intrigued to learn that mental energy could be influenced by fluctuating glucose levels. Understanding the influence of food on thought and willpower is a fascinating breakthrough, and it empowers the individual to plan meals and snacks more effectively throughout the day. At the very least this discovery gives context to something we suspected all along.

Assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences, Joshua Lambert, who was part of this research, explained that "in this experiment, we see the rate of body weight gain slows down."

Green tea is believed to have originated in China, although many Asian cultures traditionally prepare and consume this type of tea. It is produced from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have only undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea has the highest content of antioxidants among commonly consumed foods and beverages, and that is why it has consistently attracted scientific attention over the last few decades.

Green tea can also provide the body with considerable amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, and trace elements (including chromium, manganese, selenium and zinc). Both animal and human studies have revealed that green tea has the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and to help with the prevention of tooth decay by improving bone quality and density, as well as to fight against different forms of cancer.

The study recently conducted at Penn State had the test mice on a high-fat diet enriched with Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (or EGCG), which is an important compound found in green tea that is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. These mice gained weight at a 45% slower rate than the control group of mice, who were on the same high-fat diet.

The mechanism of action is believed to be linked to how the body absorbs fats. The analysis of fecal matter from the test mice revealed that they eliminated 30% more lipids than the mice in the control group, which implies that green tea may reduce lipid absorption.

Assistant professor Lambert explained: "[T]here seems to be two prongs to this. First, EGCG reduces the ability to absorb fat and, second, it enhances the ability to use fat." Moreover, green tea had no impact whatsoever on appetite, as both groups of mice consumed roughly equal amounts of food. To match the EGCG quantities used in the study, a normal person would have to drink around 10 cups of green tea per day; however, Lambert assures us that only a few cups per day may also help obese individuals control body weight.

He also added that although his study was conducted on mice, "human data, and there's not a lot at this point, shows that tea drinkers who only consume one or more cups a day will see effects on body weight compared to nonconsumers."

Assistant professor Lambert's team included Kimberly Grove and Sudathip Sae-tan, who are both graduate students in food science, as well Mary Kennett, professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences. The study was featured in the online version of the journal Obesity, and it is supported by the National Institute for Health.

The science team pointed out that although green tea interferes with lipid absorption in individuals of all body weights, its impact is more noticeable when used with overweight individuals who want to shake off extra pounds.