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The drink that harms women...
9th November 2008
• The hidden risk of a fizzy drink
• Why this health problem could rocket in 2009...
• The freezing herb that could beat stress
It's not often I shout 'Look out Lara, your life's in
danger!' when she walks into a newsagent.
In fact, I've never done it. And not just because
I'm too busy deciding between a Wispa and a
Double Decker.
But maybe I SHOULD think about protecting Lara
a little more, because there's something lurking in
newsagents, supermarkets, pubs and bars, even
children's parties that can seriously effect
women's health.
I'm talking about the dreaded fizzy drink.
Now as you probably know, I'm no fan of fizzy
drinks especially ones loaded with the dreaded
aspartame.
A) I think they taste horrible and
B) The list of side effects attributed to aspartame
is as long as my arm. Well it would be, if I held
the record for Longest Arms in Britain.
Headaches, vertigo, nausea, insomnia,
numbness, blurred vision, memory loss,
depression, rashes, panic attacks... really, I'd
use up a month's worth of letters if I wanted to
list them all.
So I've never been a fan of fizzy drinks.
But now I'm even MORE set against them,
because of this hidden threat they pose to the
ladies...
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The hidden risk of a fizzy drink
A recent study suggests that fizzy drinks can
promote a greater risk of high blood pressure -
but only in women.
Scientists are at a loss to explain why women
seem to be the ones affected.
And if scientists can't explain it, I'm certainly not
going to have a go.
But here are the results of the study:
'Those who drank at least four cans of sugared cola
drinks daily had a 28% to 44% increased risk of
high blood pressure, compared with women who
drank few or none.'
Hard to believe isn't it? They don't put THAT on the
cans do they?
But here's the bit that REALLY made me laugh...
'Diet sodas also increased the risk, although
slightly less than the non-diet drinks.'
As you can imagine, my laugh was a short, sour
one.
Diet drinks - the drinks that the diet industry wants
us to believe are good for us - can actually
increase the risk of high blood pressure in women.
And yet they're constantly trying to make us
believe that diet drinks are harmless.
Honestly - if cigarettes have to spell out the health
warnings on their packets, I think fizzy drinks
manufacturers should be forced to do the same,
because some people drink this sort of stuff by
the gallon.
And there's no way they're getting off scot free -
especially women.
So here's one bit of health advice that doesn't
need to come from a doctor - don't make fizzy
drinks an every day drink. If you really like them
(and each to his own) then limit yourself to one a
day maximum.
Personally, I think they're so bad I'd like to empty
every can down the sink. But I know I can't change
the habits of a nation, so instead I just flap my
arms about and moan about things while my
family sneakliy raise the volume on the Eastenders
omnibus.
Which brings me to another point... |
Why this common health problem could rocket
in 2009...
Fizzy drinks may make my blood boil, but a lot of
people are going to have a lot more to worry
about than the evils of cola in the coming months.
And because I've heard so many people talking
about how much the current crisis is bothering
them, I thought I'd run through some powerful
stress remedies again.
Job losses are predicted to soar next year,
repossessions are increasing, and mortgages are
still a struggle for some people - even if the banks
have begrudgingly decided to cut their interest
rates.
By the way, can you believe these guys? They
help get our country into a right old mess, go with
their begging bowls to the government to ask US
to pay for their mistakes (and bonuses), then start
griping when they're told to pass the interest rate
cuts onto us!
All I need to do now is see a bank manager buying
a fizzy drink and MY blood pressure will go
through the roof.
Anyway, with the problems we're facing, people
are bound to be feeling under pressure, which
means our old enemy - stress - is going to be on
the rise.
Maybe the current troubles don't effect you... or
maybe you're the calmest person on Earth, but if
you're feeling at all under pressure here are three
natural ways to stop stress getting a grip: |
The freezing herb that could beat stress
- Rhodiola is a Siberian herb, which falls into
category known as 'adaptogens'.
I know it sounds a bit like a transformer, or
the name of a Gladiator.... ('Adaptogen - are
you readeeeeeeeey!'), but adaptogens help
your body regain a normal balance when it's
experiencing stress.
According to a report on CNN, in a recent test
ten sufferers were given rhodiola for ten
weeks. At the end of the trial, five of them
said they felt less stressed, with a significant
reduction of symptoms like headaches,
fatigue and hot flushes.
Now, a study of ten people is a touch on the
low side, and it wasn't 'double blind' (where
one group of people are given the remedy
while the other are given a placebo, with
neither group knowing what they're taking).
But it looks like this herb could have a part to
play in stress reduction.
- Melissa Officinalis is indigenous to the
Mediterranean, but is widespread throughout
the world. It is often used as a general
nervous system restorative, digestive
calmative and to reduce blood pressure. Its
active ingredients include volatile oil, tannins,
flavinoids, tocopherols and choline.
- Lavender is famous for its calming properties
and as a tonic for the nervous system. It
contains the active ingredients tannins,
coumarins, flavinoids, triterpenoids and
volatile oil. Use a little lavender oil in the bath,
or add a few drops to a bowl of boiling water,
drape a towel over your head and inhale
deeply and slowly.
- Passion Flower is used for insomnia and can
relieve anxiety and nervousness. Active
ingredients include flavinoids, cyanogenic
glycosides, alkaloids and saparin. It helps to
calm and soothe and is also thought to
reduce high blood pressure and nervous
tremors.
Okay. That's enough from me today. Enjoy the
rest of your day, and I'll be back next week with
more tips and research from the worlds of natural
health and common sense!
Unless I see an Investment Banker trying to sell
Lara a can of cola, in which case I might end up in
jail. |
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