I'm thirsty. What to drink?
 Many of us have grown up drinking lots of things besides water. When we want to lose weight we think of all the foods we need to give up, but rarely the beverages we need to stop consuming. Lately that has changed slightly as more and more people become aware of the calories that sweetened drinks contain. The one beverage we need to drink is pure, clean water. This is not tap water. This is clean water. This is not bottled water, this is clean water. The best way to get clean water is to clean it yourself, using the best filter device you can afford.
Below are some other options. Green is for good, yellow is for caution, and red is to stay away from.
Herb teas
These are good if they are made with clean water and use organic, clean ingredients. Sweetening them defeat the purpose. All herbs have medicinal purposes. Make sure these purposes are in line with what your body needs. As an example an herb tea that relieves constipation is not suitable for someone with diarrhea.
Coffee
Again, this should be made with clean water, using a good organic coffee. If you have problems with acidity this is not the beverage for you. The same holds true if you have problems with caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee is not always a good option. Most of the methods of decaffeination leave behind chemicals that are much more dangerous to your body than the caffeine. Adding commercially grown milk and most sweeteners turns this beverage into something dangerous for your body.
Milk
Unless you are drinking raw organic milk you are putting things into your body it is not capable of digesting. This includes the anti-biotics, hormones, and pesticides brought into the milk by how the cow was fed. In addition to this the pasteurization process changes the proteins into a form that the human body cannot digest. This is where a lot of the ‘lactose intolerance’ comes from.
Juices
There are two things here. Most store bought juices are really sugar water made with high fructose corn syrup and flavored with chemicals. Even freshly made juices have a problem. They are concentrated nutrition, including the natural sugars. The fiber that slows down the digestion is missing. This can cause us to ingest too much sugar at one time. Diabetics need to be extremely cautious about this.
Sodas
This is where many people get into trouble. There are many beverages that are sodas in disguise. A lot of the energy drinks fall into this category. There is a wonderful breakdown of what happens to the body after drinking a soda. Most of it is the sugar, but it is compounded by the phosphoric acid. This acid leaches the minerals out of the body in an effort to rebalance the ph.
Within 20 minutes your blood sugar spikes, causing insulin spike. The insulin tries to turn the sugar into fat in order to store it.
Within 40 minutes the caffeine is absorbed. This causes the pupils to dilate, the blood pressure to rise and the liver to dump more sugar into the blood stream.
Within 45 minutes your body increases dopamine production, stimulating the brain similarly to the way heroine does.
Within 60 minutes the phosphoric acid binds to the minerals in your body, including calcium, magnesium and zinc. This depletes your body of these minerals, so it draws more from your bones, depleting them and making them weak. It also affects the bones we call teeth.
Within 61 minutes the need to urinate more is noticed. This is due to the diuretic effect of caffeine. This increases the depletion of the minerals along with the sodium, electrolytes and water needed by the body.
Within 62 minutes the ‘sugar crash’ starts. This makes you tired and/or irritable.
Artificial sweeteners can get rid of the sugar high, but not the other effects. These chemicals come with their own problems. These are numerous, but the most common include headaches, migraines, dizziness, memory loss, depression or aggression, chronic fatigue, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Many people that think they have MS find out that it is really aspartame poisoning.
Overall soda consumption, even in moderation, has been linked to diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases.
There are some things you can safely use to add flavor to clean water for the occasional treat. I use essential oils, but some of my friends use flavored stevia. Both are safe and enjoyable ways to add a little zing to my favorite beverage.
Sources:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/12/what-happens-to-your-body-within-an-hour-of-drinking-a-coke.aspx
Gloria Gilbere LLC
|
|
|
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of the author(s). Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the authors. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
|
|
|
