This year, 2017, nearly half of all Americans will drink or will have drunk coffee outside of the home. Do you realize how many green straws that is?
People are surging to coffee shops looking for some extreme energy.
Energy is attractive to just about everybody: early risers with a commute; parents trying to survive their kids waking up at obscene hours; dedicated gym-goers before the gym body traffic, etc.
But the solution to sustaining energy isn’t clear across the board. Most are consulting coffee.
The current data show youth drinking more coffee than adults like never before. I say “adult” because most of the youth looking for extreme energy are not adults. From ages 13-18 (or post-millennials/Generation Z), youth are demolishing coffee and doing so extravagantly–what we call “gourmet” coffee.
Not only is the unprecedented rise in coffee consumption a caution for health, it is also a bane of our wallets, especially when gourmet coffee, ranging from tall plain coffees at $2 each to venti frappuccinos, filled with sugar, at upwards of $5-6 each.
That is unreasonable. And for most Americans, getting caffeine should not need its own budgeting plan; it shouldn’t cost us so much. We believe that strongly.
As the economy presses its mighty hand on all of us, especially on the young generation, we might lean toward stimulation as a distraction. And that is okay, provided we find the right source of caffeine for us.
Here’s what caffeine does
Caffeine is the most consumed central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It increases energy metabolism in the brain and affects the local release of dopamine, the chemical in the body that plays a heavy role in our motor control, motivation, sexual gratification, and much more.
While dopamine is naturally released in the body, caffeine helps activate the neurons in our brain to release more dopamine. Since caffeine is readily consumable, most Americans experience this CNS reward daily; and the way many are getting it is by stopping by the coffee shop on the way out of the house.
It’s no doubt that caffeine lends to moderate mental awareness and acuity. The research bears out that, under certain thresholds between roughly 75mg and 200mg, most caffeine consumers experience vigilance and visual attention increases. In cases where the caffeine consumer is a habitual one, the dosage can rise up to 400mg.
You can bet that 400mg of caffeine can render some pretty extreme energy, provided the consumer isn’t desensitized from drinking too much coffee. But do you need to load your system with 400mg of caffeine to get the mental benefits?
Definitely not.
Caffeine, in tandem with providing mental awareness, is also known to be a considerably rich source of antioxidants. Whether you want to compound the antioxidant effect of caffeine or find an alternative, there is no better way than powerful mixtures of nature’s own cleansing agents. For more information on these benefits, read about the best natural detox ingredients.
Is coffee the only solution?
If you look at the raw numbers, the nation would appear to vote coffee as the best caffeine source…
A few years ago, only 10% of dedicated coffee drinkers would say they were addicted. While addiction is a medical term, we anticipate that number will rise as they always do. But we don’t need to be dependent on coffee; and we also don’t need to be dependent on caffeine.
So many green straws…
Caffeine is a great way to give yourself an alerted boost and aid you in whatever physical or mental venture you have before you: but remember that the body has its ways of naturally giving you energy.
The healthy way
You hear the word “supplement” a lot; and you probably see it on our site. But don’t forget that the word means “add,” not “replace.”
Supplementing your body’s natural energy is the healthiest choice above all. It means you don’t need to spend hundreds to thousands (if you go for the gourmet drinks) a year on stimulants; and it means you don’t have to stop at a drive-thru before work every morning to get your fix.
We recommend a healthy lifestyle filled with fruits, vegetables, protein, and lean fats, along with plenty of water throughout the day. And if you find yourself needing that extra energy–or perhaps on some days you need extreme energy, choose a convenient and cost-friendly alternative.
Don’t do your body’s job when it comes to your energy levels: just help it out.
I‘ll bet you can already hear it: the sinister laughs of Mr. Skeleton in the howling breeze; the brooding bellows of the lurking Oogie Boogie; and, alas, the harrowing yet mellifluous screams of children as they prepare themselves for the most dastardly, invigorating night of the year.
BOO! Halloween is coming.
Halloween, as kids know–and parents mostly certainly know–is not just a day. It’s a week; sometimes it is a whole month, because we know when the first leaves fall, grocery stores magically introduce candy onto their shelves.
Candy. Candy everywhere.
This is what we think happens Halloween week:
Buy the candy early.
Set it on the table and don’t touch it.
The kids eat all the candy and there’s none left for us to eat.
SUCCESS.
But what actually happens…
We buy more candy than kids even exist in a 10-mile radius–just in case we run out.
We want the deal, so we buy candy a week early.
We put the candy in the spooky bowl by the front door… to be, like, prepared.
The night before Halloween: WHO ATE ALL THE CANDY?
Halloween finally ends, and though the trick-or-treaters had pillowcases filled with candy, you won: you ate the most. And your reward is… BOO! A wrenching stomach pain and an extra few pounds on your stomach.
Healthy Tips for Sugary Lips
Avoiding sweets on Halloween is probably the hardest thing to do in the world, aside from plugging in a USB flash drive correctly the first time. (Why does it always take three times to plug it in when the chances are 50/50?) Follow these tips to be healthy this Halloween.
Don’t open the candy early
It’s tempting to open up the bag of candy to add it to your bowl so you can once and for all finish your Halloween decorations. But really… there’s no need to do that. Don’t make it easy to eat candy. Ever.
Place it outside
Whether or not you waited until Halloween night to let the candy out the bags… literally, don’t let that bowl of filled-to-the-brim candy sit inside your house.* Place it outside with a sign (“2 pieces each… or else”) to avoid eating it yourself.
Set aside your limit
Set aside a small number of candies or chocolates that you’re allowed to eat so you don’t bury your face in the bowl. My rule is one handful… so I find the largest hands in the neighborhood and ask for a favor.
Count the wrappers
This may seem silly, but nothing is more haunting than lifeless wrappers who once housed calories now sitting there beside you on the couch, watching you eat “just one more.” Count them. Assemble them by the unwrapped candy and let them glare at you until you’re satisfied. Throwing the wrappers away piece-by-piece is a cop-out.
Quarantine the binge
Okay, so you’re going to binge. You’ve decided that in advance. If you’re really going to binge on that Halloween candy, save the date. Save the time. Use a countdown timer like that of New Year’s Eve and savor the moment. But once that time is up… Walk away from the candy. Run if you have to.
Eat before you treat
Whether you’re encamped in the house or out with the kids knocking on strangers’ doors, eat before you treat; and eat a well-balanced meal, particularly one with few carbohydrates and plenty of greens. It’s like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach: you never make the good decisions then.
Choose smaller bags
Is using pillowcases as a candy container passe? Are those days over? They probably should be. We recommend you opt for something closer to a gift bag or a grocery bag instead of an entire bed sheet–that way when you reach your bag’s limit, you have to return from trick-or-treating: you have no more room for candy!
Barter
Usually, parents have better control over their sweets intake than kids do. If you find your kids or grandkids consuming too much sugar on Halloween night, barter with them. Offer them the perk of staying up late or going on a special trip in exchange for some of their candy. You can even trade them a healthy meal for some of their candy so they make better decisions (just don’t, ya know, eat the candy yourself).
Walk, don’t drive
You may live far from the popular trick-or-treating neighborhoods, but use that time to enjoy the night. Walk yourself, your kids, and whomever else to the scene. Take the long route, not just the one strip of houses that offer the full-size candy bars. You’ll get far more exercise on Halloween night than you think!
Get energy from a good source
It’s a big night full of crazy kids, wildly expensive costumes (because you asked), and extended curfews. You’re going to need energy… just don’t get it from the candy. For clean, long-lasting energy, take a natural energy booster before you begin the madness; and if you’re really trying to fend off the sweets, combine energy and appetite control in a weight loss stick to brave the night.
Oh… and #11: Brush your teeth on Halloween night.
*If you place your candy outside, you risk little monsters stealing the entire bowl of candy. You were warned.
As there are many types of toppings for pizza, so are there many, many preferences for a colon cleanse. Some people like plain Jane, run-of-the-mill cheese-only pizza. Some like fishy, briny anchovy pizzas. Some like a farm’s worth of vegetables on their pizza. And some like pineapple on their pizza, but we don’t talk to them.
But there are also many types of detox/cleansing methods that we can do to help us live healthier lives. We have to be careful, though, because some of the methods are better than others. You’re catching my drift with the pineapple thing…
Let’s talk about some colon cleansing methods to see which one you should or shouldn’t do. Even if it’s touted on a television show or featured on a website with an aptly-worded title, practice healthy skepticism.
Before you pursue any one method of detoxing, check here first because, well…
You don’t want to be mid-enema and change your mind.
Types of Colon Cleansing
This list does not include home remedies that our moms would force us to do, like using castor oil.
Those days are over. THANKFULLY.
Hydrotherapy
Also known an “irrigation cleanse” or “high colonics,” hydrotherapy is a method that will require you to leave your house but take your wallet with you. A colon therapist will use a plastic hose in the rectum to softly flush out waste and determine the health of your colon mostly by assessing the color of the excreted feces.
This procedure, while lasting only an hour, runs the risk of potential perforation in rectal tissue. Not only can the process be damaging, but the fix is not long-term: You would need to punctuate your schedule with frequent visits to the colon therapist, and that rectal ritual gets costly. There are better colon cleanse alternatives to hydrotherapy.
Diet-based
This category hosts the widest array of options: there’s plain ol’ fasting, fruit detoxing, various drink detoxing, fiber-filled diets and more. Diet-based colon cleansing is the most natural of methods, with the caveat that it’s going to be, for most people, one of the most demanding methods. Getting the right diet in this day and age is difficult.
(Then again, there are more vegetarian restaurants in Portland, Oregon than anywhere else in the U.S. You might have an easier time up there.)
The easiest method here is seeking out a something that’s already in your food, albeit in lesser amounts: fiber. Commonly called a “bulking agent”, Fiber is often one of the first suggestions by a doctor for a colon cleanse. Fiber is a natural laxative, and it acts as a peristaltic agent that helps move contents in your colon to their porcelain demise.
The best sources of fiber as a whole will be grain foods, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts. You can pack your lunches with oats, beans, and fruits for soluble fiber; and by adding wheat and earthier vegetables like carrots or cucumbers you’ll get insoluble fiber. Regardless of the digestive method, it is a healthy way to help you cleanse your colon.
Herbal
An herbal cleanse, may it be under the alias herbal detox cleanse, herbal colon cleanse, colon cleanse supplement, etc., is the act of using naturally formulated pills packed with natural colon cleansing agents to achieve your detox.
Some of the popular ingredients you’ll find in these supplements are Cascara Sagrada, Senna, Dandelion, Artichoke, Fennel, and Milk Thistle; and, for gentler formulas, alleviating agents such as Aloe Vera.
The biggest perk about this colon cleansing method is that it’s safe, natural, effective, and can be adjusted to the doses that work best for both your body and your wallet. Vis-a-vis detox methods that must be performed on a schedule, herbal detox supplements allow your colon to be under the auspices of your will: you control your colon health, and your body doesn’t have to be invaded by a tool.
Laxatives
Laxatives, also known as purgatives or aperients, both induce bowel movements and soften the stool, but they are notably artificial and may evoke the imagery of a fire hose. As a colon cleanser, laxatives are less a solution to colon health and more an ad hoc fix.
Because laxatives generally use chemicals to flush out the colon, they are often associated with unforeseen and deleterious effects when used without proper caution. This has caused the FDA to publicly warn consumers of taking over-the-counter laxatives because of the number of people who aren’t reading the Drug Facts labels, which can result in some pretty dangerous consequences.
Enema
Enemas do deserve a mention, but they are not in the same category as methods above. Because they are not performed on a frequent basis and are rather invasive, we don’t consider them a substitute for a detox supplement, for example.
Credit: justdoc.com
Enemas, for some reason not called outemas, involve the placement of water deep within your colon that it may take gravity’s ride back out and flush out the build-up in your colon. Since the tool used for an enema colon cleanse is cheap and accessible, many people use this method as an at-home remedy. The price may be compelling, but I guarantee you the experience isn’t.
Our recommended method
We recommend a mix of two methods for a colon cleanse: a healthy and varied diet consisting of fiber from different food sources, and herbal supplements.
It is always vital to make healthy decisions when it comes to your health, but sometimes it gets difficult and we miss the dietary mark. Using herbal supplements help you “supplement” your efforts and cleanse your colon from both sides… figuratively.
If you’re scared of the invasive methods, don’t worry: You can try a gentler solution today.
Remember when nobody was addicted technology and people didn’t have their phones out during dinner; when people would converse with one another about their day and use… wait for it… eye contact?
Yeah, those days are over.
The faux social media detox
If you are a Facebook fiend or a social media mogul (or just someone who browses social media all day long), you have probably seen a post like this:
Hey guys. I’m taking a hiatus from social media. Txt me if you need to get a hold of me. See you soon! <3
Gag me with three spoons.
And, if you’re an astute person–no, you are Sherlock manifest–you are counting the minutes until that person who pledged to surrender social media for him or her to break the pledge and post a status or picture.
Haha. You lasted 7 hours, dude. C’mon.
But you must admit that it is a bit fatuous of us to declare to the social world we are taking a break from it. We do this, though, because we are in so much thralldom to the social web that traps us and feeds on us.
This isn’t Charlotte’s Web anymore.
What I’ve described above is what we’d call the formal announcement of a digital detox: a break of social media for the sake of prioritizing your own health, may it be physical, emotional, spiritual, et cetera. With phones at our sides and in our hands at all times, maybe it’s wise to consider one for ourselves?
Digital meets body detox
Is a digital detox worthier than a complete body detox or a colon cleanse? It depends.
Chances are, if you live in America or eat like a normal person and have a conventional diet that consists of 3-5 vegetable servings a year, you definitely need an herbal detox. And since your diet probably won’t change significantly unless you transform your ways, you might want to stick with daily detox supplements.
As for the digital detox, you might need that one too. We are addicted like never before.
Now I want to use the word “addiction” cautiously, because it is a psychological term, and flippantly diagnosing people is unwise. Mike Masnick at Techdirt notes that “addictions” for social media are less captivating addictions and more symptoms of underlying health problems, such as depression.
Our tendency to shy from interpersonal communication and seek respite on the web or through technology can be a coping mechanism, especially when we are not satisfied with the depth of personal interaction we receive on a daily basis–if any.
I’ve always thought it would be cool to have a genuine, candid conversation with a barista or someone. She may be busy, so there are times when it doesn’t work.
But the trite exchange of “How are you? “Good. And you?” “Good.” has got to go.
It’s a reflection of a text-based world we live in where everything is truncated, optimized, and streamlined to make saying or doing anything completely effortless. Phone calls are replaced with text messages, and coffee dates are superseded by swift Skype calls in bed. With groups in the generation Y, for example, logging an average of 20-21 hours of social media per month, there’s no wonder face-to-face interactions are suffering.
A bane or a boon?
It’s true that the majority of this generation feel technology makes their life easier, with many saying they feel closer to friends and family. But at what cost?
You don’t have to delete your social accounts or make binding vows, but are a few practical ways you can begin a digital detox from social media.
Delete the apps
When your muscle remembers your thumb movements, it will go to that same place on your mobile screen every time without fail. Make it harder for your muscle memory and just delete the app. You can always download it later; you can even stay logged in. Sometimes if an app isn’t readily there for your thumbs to tap, you may look up.
Choose off-grid times
Set certain hours, or even whole days, like the weekend or certain weekdays, to guard your heart from social compulsion and not check anyone’s posts or blogs or selfies. If someone needs to contact you, he/she can find a way; or you can notify important people in your life that you may be unavailable through certain media.
Tell a friend
I knowww… I mocked that one person with the digital detox disclaimer above: but seriously, tell someone. It doesn’t have to be announced to the world, but when you tell someone you have made a vow, you gain an accountability partner. Accountability is very potent. If nobody knows you made yourself a promise, it’s a whole lot easier to say, “Ah, who will know anyway?”
Call more than text
This is kind of a life hack. It actually works wonders for getting to know people better than before. Since so much of social media involves text input and on-screen interaction, hearing someone’s voice over the phone removes the artificial distance you feel in social media. You hear someone’s intonations, and each of you are beautifully revealed like never before–no longer behind a screen or app.
Put it in your pocket
Not only will incessantly holding your phone in your hand increase the chance of dropping that thing that’s near pricier than your car, it will also make it way too easy to lift up your phone and check it for some notification. Simply keep your phone in your pocket, and if you can keep it on vibrate, just wait for the buzz to check it. Buzz.
Charge your phone in the other room
“Hey, well it’s charging over there so I guess I’ll check social media on my laptop now.” NO. Let it charge; let it be forgotten. It needs its sleep. Much like you and I need our deep, recuperative slumber to make us pretty and functional, so does your phone (this might be just an analogy).
These tips for a digital detox will get you started. They might even allow you to be neighborly as never before! What are some successful ways you have detoxed yourself from media?
This procedure, while lasting only an hour, runs the risk of potential perforation in rectal tissue. Not only can the process be damaging, but the fix is not long-term: You would need to punctuate your schedule with frequent visits to the colon therapist, and that rectal ritual gets costly. There are better colon cleanse alternatives to hydrotherapy.
(Then again, there are 
Some of the 
Because laxatives generally use chemicals to flush out the colon, they are often associated with unforeseen and deleterious effects when used without proper caution. This has caused the 
