Researchers combing through archives discovered that cigarette makers had applied their marketing wizardry to sweetened beverages and turned generations of children into loyal customers.
What do these ads featuring Joe Camel, Kool-Aid Man and the maniacal mascot for Hawaiian Punch have in common?
All three were created by Big Tobacco in the decades when cigarette makers, seeking to diversify their holdings, acquired some of America’s iconic beverage brands. They used their expertise in artificial flavor, coloring and marketing to heighten the products’ appeal to children.
That tobacco companies once sold sugar-sweetened drinks like Tang, Capri Sun and Kool-Aid is not exactly news. But researchers combing through a vast archive of cigarette company documents at the University of California, San Francisco stumbled on something revealing: Internal correspondence showed how tobacco executives, barred from targeting children for cigarette sales, focused their marketing prowess on young people to sell sugary beverages in ways that had not been done before.
The archive, known as the Truth Tobacco Industry Documents, was created as part of a settlement between major cigarette companies and states that were seeking to recoup smoking-related health care costs. The researchers published their findings on Thursday in the medical publication BMJ.
Using child-tested flavors, cartoon characters, branded toys and millions of dollars in advertising, the companies cultivated loyalty to sugar-laden products that health experts said had greatly contributed to the nation’s obesity crisis.
At a time of mounting childhood obesity, with nearly a third of children in the United States overweight or obese and rates of type 2 diabetes soaring among adolescents, the study’s authors said it was important to chart how companies created and marketed junk food and sugary drinks to youngsters.
“We have a chronic disease epidemic but we don’t understand the vectors very well,” said Laura A. Schmidt, an author of the study and a professor of health policy at U.C.S.F. School of Medicine. “These documents help us understand how food and beverage companies, using strategic and crafty tactics, got us hooked on unhealthy products.”
R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris no longer own the drink brands and declined to comment, as did the companies that later acquired the brands.
Experts said tobacco executives had a keen appreciation for the importance of earning customer loyalty at an early age. Jennifer Harris, who studies corporate marketing at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, said introducing sweetened beverages to young children can have lifelong implications.
“If a kid gets used to drinking Kool-Aid instead of water, they are always going to prefer a sugary beverage,” said Ms. Harris, who was not involved in the study. “And the advertising creates positive associations with these products in the minds of children.”
Hawaiian Punch, as in this ad from the 1950s, was originally marketed to adults. Punchy is nowhere to be found.
Before its atomic red, sweet bouquet came to dominate school cafeterias and birthday parties nationwide, Hawaiian Punch was sold as a cocktail mixer for adults and came in only two flavors. After purchasing the brand in 1963 from the Pacific Hawaiian Products Company, R.J. Reynolds rebranded the beverage for children, according to company documents. Executives expanded the repertoire of flavors to 16, and discontinued Amber Apple, a product favored by mothers, after taste tests with children found they preferred Red Apple.
An ad from the 1960s. Credit via Alamy
The centerpiece of their marketing efforts was Punchy, a cheeky pugilist splashed across schoolbook covers, Sunday newspaper comics, drinking cups and branded wristwatches. In the 1960s and ’70s, Punchy made frequent appearances in television ads that touted the drink’s generous supply of vitamin C, but made no mention of the prodigious sugar content that kept children coming back for more. (Even today, Hawaiian Punch contains five percent fruit juice and a single serving has 14 grams of sugar — more than half the recommended daily limit for children.)
In 1973, RJR World, the company’s in-house publication, extolled Punchy’s “instant eye-appeal” and described him as “the best salesman the beverage has ever had.”
Ad from the late 1960s, with Punchy extolling the drink's wholesomeness.
That same year, R.J. Reynolds introduced pop-top eight-ounce cans — “perfect for children,” according to company documents — that provided an alternative to the mammoth 46-ounce metal canisters that had to be punctured by a grown up, armed with a can opener.
By the 1980s, the brand was pulling in $200 million annually, with growth fueled by the introduction of child-friendly juice boxes (“A handy little carton that comes with its very own straw,” promotional material said.) as well as Hawaiian Punch as a shelf concentrate, a frozen cylinder and powders that could be mixed with water.
Dr. Schmidt, one of the study authors, said the marriage of tobacco companies and sweetened beverage brands was about more than marketing. Cigarette companies were frequently introducing new flavored products, and many of the chemicals that went into cherry-scented chewing tobacco and apple-flavored cigarettes found their way into children’s drinks. A 1985 company report attributed the success of Hawaiian Punch to R.J.R. scientists who had created “a beverage formula starting from our knowledge of flavors we already produce or have in our flavor library.” The goal, the report said “is to leave people wanting more.”
A Kool-Aid ad from the 1940s. Credit via Alamy
A version of the Kool-Aid Man making an early appearance in the 1950s. Credit via Alamy
Flush with cash, and with the prospect of government regulation mounting, cigarette companies accelerated their purchase of food and beverage companies. In 1985 Philip Morris, impressed by R.J.R.s success with Hawaiian Punch, applied the same marketing techniquesto Kool-Aid, which it acquired when it bought General Foods, according to company documents.
A 1986 ad for Kool-Aid reflected the company's new focus on marketing to youngsters.
For decades, Kool-Aid had been sold in powder form as a cheaper alternative to soda, with ads aimed squarely at penny-pinching housewives. Philip Morris quickly shifted gears by halving its advertising budget for mothers to $10.7 million, and more than doubling the amount spent on children’s marketing to $6 million, according to company figures.
“We’ve decided to focus our marketing on kids, where we know our strength is the greatest,” a company executive boasted at an industry conference in 1987. “This year, Kool-Aid will be the most heavily promoted kids trademark in America.”
The mascot, Kool-Aid Man, was an anthropomorphized glass pitcher who was fond of crashing through walls and fences, sending terrified adults into goofy pratfalls.
The following year, Philip Morris introduced a loyalty swag program, Wacky Wild Prize Warehouse, modeled on the Marlboro Country Store, which rewarded frequent smokers with branded camping gear, clothing and poker sets.
In 1992, a Philip Morris marketing analysis described Wacky Warehouse — a collaboration with toy makers like Nintendo and Mattel — as “the most effective kid’s marketing vehicle known.” By then, Kool-Aid had expanded into a dizzying constellation of frozen pops, bursts, jammers and shots that came in dozens of flavors like Great Bluedini, PurpleSaurus Rex and colors that changed when mixed with water.
A 1966 ad for Tang when its marketing focus was on mothers.
The success with Kool-Aid persuaded Philip Morris it could apply the same marketing magic to Tang, the 1950s-era powdered drink that people of a certain age will recall as the beverage supposedly favored by astronauts. In 1996, Philip Morris, which inherited Tang from General Foods, declared the brand “as dead as the space program.”
The solution: Rebrand Tang for young adolescents.
The company unleashed a wave of television ads that positioned Tang as an “extreme orange breakfast drink for today’s extreme tweens.” The ads featured orangutans on motorcycles and sleepy teens zapped awake by a glass of sugary Tang. The company forged marketing arrangements with Sports Illustrated and Schwinn bicycles and created a loyalty program to rival the Wacky Warehouse.
Tang ended up in the portfolio of the snack food giant Mondelez International, which owns such brands as Oreo, Cadbury and Nabisco. Tang may have lost some of its pizazz in the United States, but it still has broad appeal overseas, especially in the developing world, where it has been creating new flavors to appeal to local tastes. According to the company’s website, Tang brought in $900 million in 2016.
♦ ♦ ♦
About the Author: Andrew Jacobs is a reporter with the Health and Science Desk, based in New York. He previously reported from Beijing and Brazil and had stints as a Metro reporter, Styles writer and National correspondent, covering the American South. @AndrewJacobsNYT
A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: Big Tobacco Hooked Them Young, on Sugar.
> > > Live well.
Article by Andrew Jacobs | The New York Times | March 14, 2019 Researchers combing through archives discovered that cigarette makers had applied their marketing wizardry to sweetened beverages and turned generations of children into loyal customers. What do these ads featuring Joe Camel, Kool-Aid Man and the maniacal mascot for Hawaiian Punch have in common? All […]
Excerpts taken from original article by Lauren Venosta | The Chopra Center |
Ginger is a flowering plant and its official name is Zingiber officinale. The rhizome, more commonly known as the root, is what you are likely familiar with. The root is spicy and peppery in flavor, with loads of medicinal properties. It’s used all over the world in culinary and clinical applications—both for good reason.
Ginger has been called a superfood time and again, but what makes it so powerful? This root has the following superpowers:
1. Stimulates Digestion
...Ginger is your new best friend for supporting digestive health. Ginger may help increase the body’s ability to empty food from the stomach more quickly (known as gastric emptying). With this increased motility in the digestive system, it may be less likely that heartburn or indigestion will occur.
The more efficient your digestion is, the more energy you will have. Researchers have found that approximately 60 percent of your body’s energy goes to metabolism. If ginger can improve digestion, your metabolism may improve and may help to make energy more available.
2. May Help Reduce Nausea
Nausea is no fun. Ginger has also been found to help reduce the amount of nausea you might otherwise experience in everyday life, from motion sickness and beyond.
3. May Help Reduce Mild Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural and healthy response to protect the body. However, when inflammation is excessive or ongoing, it can be very damaging.
The active constituents in raw ginger—gingerol, shogaol, and paradol—are responsible for many of the natural inflammation-fighting powers of ginger. This root may be a great, easy way to help reduce mild inflammation in the body caused by everyday stress.
4. Antibacterial Properties
In oral health, two types of ginger have been shown to have natural antibacterial properties which may help inhibit the growth of pathogens that contribute to gum issues caused by bacteria.
5. Blood-Sugar Regulator
Ginger may help regulate the mind-body system to support balanced blood sugar levels.
How to Use Ginger
Knowing all these benefits of ginger is great, but how can you easily incorporate ginger in your daily routine? Ginger is pretty spicy, so you may not enjoy its taste. Luckily, there are many options for those who love ginger and those who may be new to the root.
Fresh ginger root: This is the most potent form of ginger, but also the most versatile. You can slice it and steep it in hot water for tea, mince it into stir-fry dishes, juice it, add it to your smoothies, or even take a slice and suck on it! Dried ginger or ginger juice is great for a mid day snack.
Ground ginger: Ground ginger can be used in similar ways to fresh ginger. It can be steeped in hot water for tea or added to your favorite recipes. Powdered ginger is also great to use for baking.
Ginger capsules: This is the easiest way to get ginger into your diet—especially if you aren’t a fan of the taste! Ginger capsules, or ginger supplements, are simple. The ground ginger powder is added to a capsule for easy consumption at any time of day.
Ginger tea: As mentioned, you can make ginger tea using fresh ginger or ground ginger. But you can also buy ready-to-go ginger extract tea bags at the store. These are great to have on hand if feel nauseated or want to settle your stomach after eating.
Ginger chews: Ginger chews are like ginger candies and tend to be more mild in flavor and can be taken anywhere. Make sure to check the ingredients to make sure you’re not consuming unwanted ingredients like corn syrup.
Ginger oil: Ginger oil can be taken internally or rubbed topically to treat pain. Ginger essential oil has many soothing properties and is useful to use for massages.
*Editor’s Note: These statements have not been reviewed by the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease.The information in this article is intended for your educational use only; does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Chopra Center's Mind-Body Medical Group; and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.
Two of the blends made by LIFEAID Beverage Co. contain ginger (along with other clean vitamins & nutrients your body needs).
LIFEAID Vitality Blend - to help reduce mild inflammation form everyday stress
IMMUNITYAID Wellness Blend - to help defend & boost your immune system
Excerpts taken from original article by Lauren Venosta | The Chopra Center | Ginger is a flowering plant and its official name is Zingiber officinale. The rhizome, more commonly known as the root, is what you are likely familiar with. The root is spicy and peppery in flavor, with loads of medicinal properties. It’s used all over the world […]
Just in case you missed GolferAid athlete Ryan Moore's epic hole-in-one shot on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass of the 2019 PGA Tour, check out the unbelievable moment here:
Congratulations, Mr. Moore — what a shot!
♦ ♦ ♦
Whether Ryan Moore is on or off the course, he proudly chooses GolferAid to help optimize his performance.
GolferAid provides the clean nutrition you need to help you level up your golf game with the following ingredients:
GolferAid is best enjoyed ice-cold during your next round of golf, 15 minutes before tee-off or at the turn. Each can contains no Taurine, no added caffeine, no sodium, and no artificial sweeteners. Lightly carbonated with a refreshing Tropical taste, GolferAid is the perfect addition to your golf game for improved performance and recovery. Available at golf courses, pro shops and retailers nationwide.
Just in case you missed GolferAid athlete Ryan Moore’s epic hole-in-one shot on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass of the 2019 PGA Tour, check out the unbelievable moment here: Congratulations, Mr. Moore — what a shot! ♦ ♦ ♦ Whether Ryan Moore is on or off the course, he proudly chooses GolferAid to […]
1) Were you an athlete growing up? What’s sports did you play?
I have always enjoyed sports and played basketball, baseball and tennis growing up as well as water and snow skiing.
2) How or what evolved you to a lifestyle of fitness?
Fitness has been a part of my life since day one. The more fit we are, the better we feel and the better we can perform on and off the field. Staying in physical shape also is a great confidence booster and allows me to live in alignment with the best version of myself.
3) What was the ‘WHY’ behind creating LifeAid?
The big beverage companies have gotten a free pass for over a hundred years for poisoning our kids with their sugar water. For every customer we get off the high-sugar, and high-caffeine "sports", energy drinks and sodas, we are permanently affecting their health and life trajectory in a positive way.
4) What similarities come from being underneath a heavy barbell and building a company?
With both you have to push into the uncomfortable zone regularly in order to grow.
5) I heard you speak about alignment as one of your core pillars, can you expand on that and the others?
We all visit the ATM machine when we need to get out money. Life itself is an ATM that will keep "paying" you in perpetuity by following Alignment, Trajectory, Momentum.
Aligment starts with yourself as you look in the mirror. Are you happy w/ the person you see? If everything you did showed up on the front page of the NY Times, would you be ok with that? Alignment extends to our spouse, business partner and team. Henry Ford says "when everyone is moving forward together, success will take care of itself." To me, that is an alignment issue.
6) High-school athletes always seem, as many do, to underestimate the value of recovery; Can you speak about its importance?
You can get away with a lot when you are in your teens and early 20s because testosterone and growth hormone are on your side. That being said, injuries can and will come back to haunt you. If you want true longevity in athletics, emphasis must be put on "prehab" and "posthab" as well as injury treatment and prevention. Nutrition, hydration, stretching, strength and conditioning, ice, therapies, etc. all play a role.
7) If you could go back and tell 16-year-old Aaron one truth you’ve learned from starting a business and/or being an athlete, what would it be?
Be smart with your money. Keep moving forward. Don't underestimate what you can accomplish in the next 5 years, focus on trajectory over momentum. And lastly, buy Facebook and Google stock!
8) Definition of Success?
Have a completely packed church at my funeral. I believe the value you contribute to the world is reflected by who and how many people show up at your funeral.
> > > Live well.
Interview by Tyler Johnson | Feb. 28, 2019 I heard LIFEAID president Aaron Hinde on Jon Gordon’s Positive University podcast and was excited he was willing to be a part of elev8 questions. Find him on Twitter or Instagram. Thanks for reading! 1) Were you an athlete growing up? What’s sports did you play? I have always enjoyed sports […]
We all know that jumping rope is a great way to:
Stay fit & healthy
Improve cardiovascular health, coordination & bone density
Burn calories in a portable, fun way
But how do we get better at this simple exercise with proven health benefits?
In this video, MobilityWOD guru Kelly Starrett provides helpful tips to help improve your "Jump Rope Mechanics" for optimal efficiency and performance.
About MobilityWOD MobilityWOD is the ultimate guide to resolving pain, preventing injury, and optimizing athletic performance. Humans have been evolving for 2.5 million years and the human body is extraordinarily engineered. While people are born with this incredible machine, they aren't born with the right software to run that machine. The MobilityWOD is designed to help you hack your body's mechanics and provide the tools to perform basic maintenance on yourself.
BONUS: Want a free jump rope?
Now during the 2019 CrossFit OPEN, you can receive a FREE RPM Sprint Jump Rope + FREE SHIPPING
with every single order of two 24-packs at LIFEAIDBevCo.com. (Offer valid while supplies last, Feb. 21- March 25, 2019.)
We all know that jumping rope is a great way to: Stay fit & healthy Improve cardiovascular health, coordination & bone density Burn calories in a portable, fun way But how do we get better at this simple exercise with proven health benefits? In this video, MobilityWOD guru Kelly Starrett provides helpful tips to help […]
Adding lighter fare like salads to the usual burgers and fries has meant more options for time-pressed diners. But the meals are largely less healthy now, a new study finds.
“The big picture is that there have been some positive changes,” one researcher said of fast food menus, “but they're small, and over all, the changes have gotten worse.” —Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
Fast food chains have tried for years to woo health-conscious diners by mixing lighter fare like salads and yogurt with the usual burgers, fried chicken and shakes.
But as menus swelled over the past three decades with grilled chicken wraps (McDonald’s) and “fresco” burritos (Taco Bell), many options grew in size and the calories and sodium in them surged, according to new study from researchers at Boston University and Tufts.
The researchers studied 1,787 entrees, sides and desserts at 10 chains — Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s and Wendy’s — from 1986 to 2016. In that time, the number of items in those three categories rose 226 percent.
According to the study — published last week in The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — even with lighter items in the mix, fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago.
ENTREES
Bulging portions at the heart of the meal
The fat and salt content and the sheer size of fast food meals have long been a public health concern. They are often blamed for pushing up the obesity rate among adults in the United States, which rose to 40 percent in 2016 from 13 percent in the early 1960s.
The new study suggests the problem is getting worse.
Across the 10 chains, the researchers found, the average entree weighed 39 grams more in 2016 than in 1986 and had 90 more calories. It also had 41.6 percent of the recommended daily allotment of sodium, up from 27.8 percent.
Customers could be forgiven for not knowing. Local governments have adopted menu-labeling initiatives that require fast food restaurants to list calorie counts for the items they sell, but such measures have faced substantial opposition, including from the Food and Drug Administration.
“The restaurants really haven’t done enough,” Megan A. McCrory, the lead researcher, said. “The big picture is that there have been some positive changes, but they’re small, and over all, the changes have gotten worse.”
DESSERTS
More than just a little something sweet
In 2016, the average fast food dessert weighed an extra 71 grams and had 186 more calories than the average dessert 30 years earlier, the researchers found.
One possible reason is that restaurants are counting on bigger sundaes and cookies as a way of increasing the amount spent on each order and attracting more customers, said Darren Seifer, a food and beverage industry analyst at NPD.
“The majority of fast food traffic is around lunchtime, when people aren’t typically getting dessert,” he said. “But offering larger portion sizes is one way restaurants can promise more value.”
Just last month, McDonald’s introduced “donut sticks” dusted with cinnamon sugar. Six sticks have 280 calories.But you can also order a serving twice the size for less than the cost of two single orders.
SIDES
Adding those extras adds up
The researchers found that there were 42 more calories on average in items like chips, soups and French fries in 2016 than there were in 1986. Sodium content rose to 23.2 percent of the recommended daily allotment from 11.6 percent, even though portion size did not grow substantially.
Consumed together as a single meal, the study found, the average entree and side account for nearly 40 percent of a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
The study mentions several proposals meant to help consumers scale back their fast food intake, including a system that would let them order smaller portions at lower prices.
Whether the industry will embrace such ideas is unclear. In the meantime, menus continue to grow, sometimes blurring the line between entree and side. Jack in the Box is testing Burger Dippers, which the company describes as “the burger you eat like a fry.”
As with those that preceded them, some of the new offerings appear to be geared toward people who want to eat healthy foods. Carl’s Jr. recently added a plant-based burger, the Beyond Famous Star, to its lineup.
Ordered with cheese, it has more than 700 calories.
Sources: Megan A. McCrory, Allen G. Harbaugh, Sarah Appeadu, Boston University; Susan B. Roberts, Tufts University.
Tiffany Hsu is a breaking news reporter on the Business Desk. Before joining The Times in 2017 she covered economic news for The Los Angeles Times and earned an M.B.A. from Columbia University. @tiffkhsu
Source: The New York Times by Tiffany HSU | March 3, 2019 Adding lighter fare like salads to the usual burgers and fries has meant more options for time-pressed diners. But the meals are largely less healthy now, a new study finds. “The big picture is that there have been some positive changes,” one researcher […]
Things got a little buttery last night...
CrossFit's sweetheart Rory (Ro) McKernan joined The Buttery Brothers & well-known media team duo—Heber (Heebs) Cannon & Marston (Mars) Sawyers—Thursday evening for the Open Workout 19.2 LIVE Announcement. The trio anxiously huddled around the TV in the FITAIDbox, located at the office of LIFEAID Beverage Co. in the old Wrigley building on the west side of Santa Cruz, California.
Everyone was eager to hear what the workout would entail as they tried to mentally prepare for the good old-fashioned head-to-head throwdown that lay ahead of them. Despite a slightly disjointed announcement broadcast from Australia, the group finally pieced together the details of the workout:
If you complete all of the above movements under 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to clock and proceed to next round. 25 toes-to-bar
50 double-unders 11 squat cleans (225 lb.)
If you complete the above round under 4 minutes, add an additional 4 minutes to clock and proceed to next round. 25 toes-to-bar
50 double-unders 9 squat cleans (275 lb.)
If you complete the above round under 4 minutes, add an additional 4 minutes to clock and proceed to final round. 25 toes-to-bar
50 double-unders 7 squat cleans (315 lb.)
Time cap: 20 minutes
Now armed with all the workout details, the athletes scattered like ants and started talking strategy as they warmed up in the FITAID box. They each methodically got their equipment all set up, carefully preparing for battle as they passed around a few light-hearted taunts. Trust us, this crew is accustomed to hyping each other up to compete.
The last time this trio competed was during the LIVE Announcement of Open Workout 18.5 in Iceland (in 2018), where Heber walked away with the win. Since then, plans for redemption have been spoken of in hushed tones by both Rory and Mars ...
"Daddy, let's go kick some butt," Rory's daughter said with an aggressive high-five for her dad just before the workout began.
3, 2, 1...Go!
True to form, Mars came out "hot" and was in the lead after Round 1. But a determined Rory and Heber weren't too far behind as they all started Round 2 ...
Amidst repeated shouts of "Go, Daddy, go!" from Heber's two little boys—Finley (2) and Maverick (4)—who cheered madly from the corner, Cannon managed to stand up his 11th squat clean at 185 lb., finishing just 2 reps shy of completing Round2 within the 8-minute time cap.
As Heber sat and attempted to make a buttery recovery, Rory and Mars were forced to forge ahead into Round 3 without the company of their lusciously long-locked companion.
Mars hopped back onto the pull-up bar first, while Rory strolled slowly over in an attempt to catch his breath. Quickly it became apparent just how winded both of the remaining athletes were after having sprinted to complete those final squat cleans in the previous round.
With every rep, the athletes took extended hunched-over breaks, often turning their toes-to-bar into painful singles.
Ro & Mars continued chipping away at their remaining 25 toes-to-bar in Round 3. Mars finished his first and advanced to the 50 double-unders. Meanwhile, Rory remained on the pull-up bar.
As the third round's 4-minute time cap approached, Mars managed to get to the barbell and power through 5 squat cleans at 275 lb., taking the overall win and bragging rights for 19.2! Rory advanced to the jump rope and completed a total of 12 double-unders in that third round, securing his second-place finish. With only 11 of the required 13 squat cleans under his weight belt prior to the 8-minute time cap of Round 2, a humbled Heber found himself in an unfamiliar last place compared to his previous first-place finish in their Icelandic battle for 18.5.
Great job, boys! It's been a long time since Rory found himself in the middle of a sandwich this buttery:
Even though none of these three buttery beasts completed the work requirement within the third round's 12-minute time cap (necessary to advance them into the final two rounds), all three of them are winners in our book. Just don't think for a second that they're gonna let Heber forget this one any time soon ...
Redemption was sweet for both Mars and Rory!
In case you missed the LIVE action, do not fear—you can still watch it over on the @FITAID Instagram page! (Just click on the Story, then select "Watch Live Video")
"When was the last time you had pancakes for dinner?"
—The Buttery Bros.
It's the sound of our friends, family members and fellow athletes cheering us on, paired with our ongoing inner desire to dig deep and do our best—that's what makes CrossFit great. —LIFEAID staff
> > > Live well.
Things got a little buttery last night… CrossFit’s sweetheart Rory (Ro) McKernan joined The Buttery Brothers & well-known media team duo—Heber (Heebs) Cannon & Marston (Mars) Sawyers—Thursday evening for the Open Workout 19.2 LIVE Announcement. The trio anxiously huddled around the TV in the FITAID box, located at the office of LIFEAID Beverage Co. in the […]
Here are snippets from a recent article on HealthLine.com about the natural properties of Turmeric and Curcumin:
"Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence."
Many studies have shown that it may have major benefits for your body and brain, including the following:
1. Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It is a very strong antioxidant that may help reduce mild inflammation from everyday stress.
TIP: It helps to consume black pepper with it (which contains piperine), enhancing the absorption of curcumin by 2,000% (3).
Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.
2. Curcumin Is a Natural Compound That Helps Combat Mild Inflammation
...Scientists now believe that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in many health issues.
Curcumin naturally helps fight mild everyday inflammation on a molecular level...
3. Turmeric Increases the Antioxidant Capacity of the Body
Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own but also stimulates your body's own antioxidant enzymes.
4. Curcumin Boosts Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Linked to Improved Brain Function
Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF, which increases the growth of new neurons and boosts overall brain function...
The Bottom Line
Turmeric and especially its most active compound curcumin have many scientifically-proven health benefits.
It’s a potent antioxidant that may help reduce mild inflammation while also helping to improve overall well-being.
You can also SHOP all of our blends, four of which contain TURMERIC which may help reduce mild inflammation from everyday stress, at LIFEAIDBevCo.com! Join the movement: #ABetterWayToDrink
> > > Live well.
Here are snippets from a recent article on HealthLine.com about the natural properties of Turmeric and Curcumin: “Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.” Many studies have shown that it may have major benefits for your body and brain, including the following: 1. Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds Curcumin is the main active ingredient […]
... Believe it or not, the simple act of jumping rope can do more for you overall than the same time spent jogging. Plus, jumping rope is also easy to do anywhere. A jump rope slipped in your backpack or bag can be brought along on a trip, to work, school or at home ...
Here are a few benefits of jumping rope that you might not know about:
1. Improves Coordination
Jumping rope actually improves your coordination by making you focus on your feet. Whether or not you’re paying attention to them, your brain is aware of what your feet are doing. This practice, over and over again, makes you “lighter” on your feet. Training for one of those warrior-style obstacle course races? Jumping rope can help. According to expertboxing.com's Boxing Training Guide, “the more tricks you do with the jump rope, the more conscious and coordinated you have to be.”
2. Decreases Foot and Ankle Injuries
Jumping rope is beneficial for those active in other sports. Many athletes in basketball, tennis, football and other sports often suffer foot and ankle injuries from running and then stopping quick and turning. This is very common in both tennis and basketball. Jumping rope not only improves your foot coordination but also increases your strength in the muscles surrounding your ankle joint and in your foot, decrease the chance of injury to those areas.
According to the Jump Rope Institute, “jumping rope teaches players to stay on the balls of their feet, as opposed to being flat footed or on their heels. And since you are on your toes the entire time you jump rope, you will find that staying quiet on your toes when playing tennis will become easier and second nature.”
3. Burns Major Calories
Compared to jogging for 30 minutes, jumping rope actually burns more calories. According to Science Daily, “This aerobic exercise can achieve a “burn rate” of up to 1300 calories per hour of vigorous activity, with about 0.1 calories consumed per jump. Ten minutes of jumping rope can roughly be considered the equivalent of running an eight-minute mile.”
4. Completely Portable and Fun
A jump rope can go anywhere with you. Take it to work, take it to school. Warm up before your basketball game or cool down after a bike ride. Learn to do tricks and double dutch with your kids or have competitions between you and your family — how long, how low you can jump, how high, spinning — all kinds of tricks can be done with a jump rope.
5. Improves Bone Density
Dr. Daniel W. Barry, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, at Denver, and a researcher who has studied the bones of the elderly and of athletes, says that the best exercise to improve bone density is simply jumping up and down.
“Jumping is great, if your bones are strong enough to begin with,” Dr. Barry says. “You probably don’t need to do a lot either.” (If you have any history of fractures or a family history of osteoporosis, check with a physician before jumping.)
According to The New York Times, “in studies in Japan, having mice jump up and land 40 times during a week increased their bone density significantly after 24 weeks, a gain they maintained by hopping up and down only about 20 or 30 times each week after that.”
6. Improves Cardiovascular Health
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, skipping rope is highly recommended for aerobic conditioning. In order to increase your heart and lung health you must do it three to five times per week for 12 to 20 minutes at a time.
7. Improved Breathing Efficiency
In addition to improved heart health and stamina, jumping rope also improves how efficiently you breathe. This becomes very beneficial when doing other activities because you won’t be as out of breath after running down the court or swimming laps in the pool.
8. Makes You Smarter
Believe it or not, jumping rope can make you smarter. According the Jump Rope Institute, jumping aids in the development of the left and right hemispheres of your brain, which further enhances spacial awareness, improves reading skills, increases memory and makes you more mentally alert. Jumping on the balls of your feet requires your body and mind to make neural muscular adjustments to imbalances created from continuous jumping. As a result jumping improves dynamic balance and coordination, reflexes, bone density and muscular endurance.
9. Improves Your Ability to Stay Calm
Because you are actually working your brain and your body at the same time, boxers in the ring who jump rope actually are more calm overall than those who don’t. The Jump Rope Institute attributes this to the bio-mechanical perspective.
“As one dissects this exercise further and views it from a bio-mechanical perspective, it represents a composite movement combining a circular motion with an angular momentum. The body resembles a projectile subject to all the laws that govern projectile motion while the rope becomes a dynamic flywheel subject to all the laws that govern rotary motion. It is in the synchronous and harmonious coordination of these movements where the secrets and benefits are received.”
Your improved ability to jump rope and be synchronous with your body, mind and the rope, can actually help you be more calm in other situations.
CONCLUSION
Grab a jump rope, get hopping and be amazed by the different ways your body and mind will benefit.
Now during the 2019 CrossFit OPEN, you can receive a FREE RPM Sprint Jump Rope + FREE SHIPPING
with every single order of two 24-packs at LIFEAIDBevCo.com. (Offer valid while supplies last, Feb. 21- March 25, 2019.)
By Michelle Kennedy Hogan at LifeHack.org Let’s just jump right in! … Believe it or not, the simple act of jumping rope can do more for you overall than the same time spent jogging. Plus, jumping rope is also easy to do anywhere. A jump rope slipped in your backpack or bag can be brought along […]
Scientists have discovered the dangerous effects Diet Coke is having on your body.
The following article appeared in the UK's The Sun this week, exposing the dangers of drinking Diet Coke, and shocking many with its claims ...
THE SUN — Drinking Diet Coke everyday increases your risk of dying young, experts have warned.
Two or more artificially-sweetened drinks a day ups the risk of stroke by a quarter and heart disease by a third, new findings show.
Drinking just two diet drinks a day increases the risk of stroke by a quarter and heart disease by a third. And compared with people who never touch them, the risk of early death is 16 percent higher for diet drink guzzlers.
'Diet drinks are NOT harmless'
Scientists warned their findings should serve as a warning to those on diets.
Dr Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, lead author of the study at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York said: "Many well-meaning people, especially those who are overweight or obese, drink low-calorie sweetened drinks to cut calories in their diet.
"Our research and other observational studies have shown that artificially sweetened beverages may not be harmless and high consumption is associated with a higher risk of stroke and heart disease."
Heart disease is where the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood narrow, increases the risk of a heart attack, angina and stroke.
The new findings are based on a big study of women and show some groups are at even greater risk, with those drinking two or more diet drinks a day who were also obese having more than double the stroke risk.
And African-American women also had a higher risk of stroke.
Dr Mossavar-Rahmani did stress while their findings suggest a link, they couldn't prove diet drinks cause stroke and heart problems.
The research, published in the journal Stroke, included data from 81,714 post-menopausal women (who were aged 50 to 79 at the start of the study) and who were tracked for an average of 12 years.
One serving of diet drink was regarded as 355ml.
Dr Mossavar-Rahmani said the study had not looked at individual artificial sweeteners, saying: "We don't know specifically what types of artificially sweetened beverages they were consuming, so we don't know which artificial sweeteners may be harmful and which may be harmless."
More research is needed
Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation said more research is needed to fully understand the link found in the study.
She said: "We're all too familiar with the fact that sugary drinks are not only bad for our teeth, but the excess calories can make us put on weight, increasing our risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
"Although this study rightly suggests that diet drinks don't do us any good, it's observational.
"This means we don't know why these drinks might be linked to an increased risk of heart and circulatory disease.
"To definitely understand the link between diet drinks and disease risk, more research is needed.
"But that doesn't mean you're off the hook.
"Put your sugary drink down and swap it for water. Your body will thank you for it."
Cutting calories? Drink water instead
The American Heart Association has recently published a science advisory which found there was inadequate scientific research to conclude that low-calorie sweetened beverages do or do not affect the risk of heart disease and stroke.
But it states that water is the best choice for a no-calorie drink.
Dr Rachel Johnson, professor of nutrition emeritus at the University of Vermont, said: "Unfortunately, current research simply does not provide enough evidence to distinguish between the effects of different low-calorie sweeteners on heart and brain health.
"This study adds to the evidence that limiting use of diet beverages is the most prudent thing to do for your health."
There is a growing body of evidence that does suggest diet drinks are not good for your health.
> > > Read the full article and watch the video from The Sun HERE.
Original article by Lizzie Parry, Digital Health Editor
With these findings in mind, there's never been a better time to ditch the soda and join the LIFEAID movement — #ABetterWayToDrink.
Visit LIFEAIDBevCo.com to learn more about our clean, healthy nutritional blends containing no artificial sweeteners. Only 45 calories per can, each blend is made with essential vitamins and nutrients for your body and mind.
> > > Live well.
Scientists have discovered the dangerous effects Diet Coke is having on your body. The following article appeared in the UK’s The Sun this week, exposing the dangers of drinking Diet Coke, and shocking many with its claims … THE SUN — Drinking Diet Coke everyday increases your risk of dying young, experts have warned. Two or more artificially-sweetened […]
