Drinks with Problems

During the first Yogiños Instructor Training in Corpus Christi,
Damla and Claudia practice double boat pose.

by Damla Eytemiz

Nowadays… We are either watching our weight, diet or we all just want to be healthy. Yesterday I came across a game online, called FATWORLD.  It is a video game about the politics of nutrition. It explores the relationships between obesity, nutrition, and socioeconomics in the contemporary U.S. The game's goal is not to tell people what to eat or how to exercise, but to demonstrate the complex, interwoven relationships between nutrition and factors like budgets, the physical world, subsidies, and regulations. For more information, please check fatworld.org. Weighty topics section provides more information related to nutrition, exercise, diet and meal plans, obesity and other health concerns, children’s nutrition and etc.

I am a bookworm, especially when it comes to health and nutrition books. I enjoy everything I read especially if it is something I can bring to action. After starting working at Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®, I can tell that I felt so much healthier physically and emotionally. Yoga made me search more about health and nutrition and each day I started to do better in picking what I should eat and drink and what I should avoid. However, I met a lot of people who thinks a healthy body is only related with eating healthy food.

I call on people to realize that eating and drinking are sisters or brothers. One shouldn’t be considered separate.

I want to share with you some information from about the drinks we should avoid drinking and/or be more concerned about. The following four drinks with problems are form a recent posting by Andrew Weil, MD. 

Coffee drinks with full-fat dairy, artificial flavorings, and extras such as chocolate sprinkles. These can pack as many calories (and fat) as a meal. A better option is a plain coffee with soymilk or, better yet, antioxidant-rich green tea.

Frothy summer cocktails. Whether it's a margarita or a pina colada, sugary drinks pack a double dose of calories due to alcohol and sugar - some can top 800 calories in one drink.  A better option is a glass of red wine (60-100 calories) or a light beer (about 100 calories).

Non-juice "juice drinks." Before buying juice, read the label and make sure it is 100% juice (not just "made with" real juice) and check for added sweeteners and calories. Many of these products are no better than drinking sugar water.

Soda. There just isn't anything nutritious about soda, whether it's diet or regular. If you're a soda addict, break the habit by eliminating soda as a treat, and stop reaching for it automatically with a meal or as a thirst quencher.

Next week, I am writing about WATER and how it is important for our life. Keep up with us ogiños: Yoga for Youth®  lovers ! And be the change of your life.