Step Away from the Energy Drink!

Anxiety, hypertension, elevated heart rates, interrupted sleep patterns and headaches are just some of the side effects commonly associated with energy drinks, and those problems are more pronounced in children, according to a recent University of Miami study.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These drinks have also been linked to heart palpitations, strokes and sudden death.

The term “energy” drink is an unfortunate misnomer, says food science expert Budge Collinson. They don’t give your body energy; they stimulate you with brief jolts of caffeine and unregulated herbal stimulants, he says.

“Soccer moms and dads buy these ‘stimulant’ drinks for their kids before matches because both kids and parents want that competitive advantage,” says Collinson, founder of Infusion Sciences and creator Youth Infusion, (www.drinkyouthinfusion.com), an effervescent, natural multivitamin beverage that helps people maintain consistent and healthy higher energy levels.

“For a few moments, you’ll get that spike, but it’s a short-term experience with a heavy long-term toll.”

So, what are some ways kids can get a healthy energy boost? Collinson offers the following tips.

Go for a speedy bike ride together, take a brisk walk or hold foot-races in the yard. Numerous studies demonstrate the power of vigorous exercise in boosting energy. Exercise pumps more oxygen – pure, healthy fuel — into the bloodstream and to the brain and muscles for a short-term energy boost. Exercising regularly will increase lung capacity, so the body will gets more oxygen on a sustained level for the long term. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemical, which makes us feel happy. And happy people are energized people.

Seek nutrition from a variety of sources. As humans, we need more than 40 different vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies functioning optimally. Since there is no single food that contains them all, it is important for children and adults to eat a variety, including as many different vegetables and fruits as possible. Adding a daily multivitamin supplement with essentials such as CoQ10, arginine, theanine, resveratrol and magnesium can help ensure bodies young and old are running at top speed.

Drink plenty of water – the natural energy drink. Even mild dehydration can leave children (and adults) feeling listless, so encourage children to make a habit of drinking plenty of water. Kids need more water than adults because they expend more energy, and they may not recognize when they’re slightly thirsty. Parents, too, often don’t recognize the signs of dehydration; a national survey of more than 800 parents of kids ages of one month to 10 years found that more than half feel they don’t know enough about dehydration. A quick, light pinch of the skin on the child’s hand or arm is an easy check. If the skin is slow to resume a smooth appearance, the child is likely at least mildly dehydrated.

image via shape.com

 

The Top Knot

The Top Knot can (and should!) be your go-to hairstyle when you need to look gorgeous in very little time. It’s actually best when done on “dirty” hair and looks just as great running around town as it does at a formal event. Jenny Balding, NYC Cutler/Redken Stylist, shares how to create the perfectly imperfect topknot:

  1. Start with day two hair onwards as your hair will be easier to manage with an already ‘lived -in’ texture.
  2. Mist hair with dry shampoo, focusing primarily on the roots for more texture, grip and volume.
  3. Then mist a light hairspray throughout for some hold and extra grip.
  4. Sweep your hair into high ponytail. Check what it looks like from your profile so you can position your ponytail at the most flattering point of your head for your face shape.
  5. Take the ponytail and back-brush from the underneath lightly to create a slight disheveled texture.
  6. Sweep around the base of the ponytail and pin using U shaped hairpins. These really anchor the hair best which means you will only need 2 or 3 to secure.

Consider:

  • Clean Dry Shampoo ($10), a talc-free, paraben-free and sulfate-free formula that absorbs excess oil and leaves behind a light, fresh scent.
  • Bumble and Bumble Spray de Mode ($15) is a quick-drying, flake-free, flexible hold hairspray, perfect as a working or finishing spray.  (image via pinterest)

 

Suit Up!

In the past, I’ve written about my honeymoon in Italy when my newly minted husband and I carved out two whole weeks to sight-see, sun and sin. We scheduled a few days in Rome followed by Florence, Tuscany, Positano, Capri and Venice.

It all went according to plan until we hit the Amalfi Coast. It was by far our favorite place and a few days in Positano just wasn’t enough so we made reservations to return the following year but before the year was through I was pregnant with Emma and then Sam and then we bought a home outside the city and the vacations we took weren’t quite the same. We haven’t made it back.

Positano was just a distant and magical memory until I received this Positano print one piece ($90) from Island State Swimwear. I took one look and was immediately transported back in time to to the Hotel Il San Pietro and those laissez-faire and decadent days where we rented a private boat and swam in the Blue and Emerald Grottos. We explored small towns and climbed crazy-steep steps carved right into the cliffside to lunch on fresh figs and cheese and sip limoncello. I might not actually be in Positano, but if I look at myself and squint a bit I almost could be back on those gorgeous, rocky cliffs of Amalfi.

The fact that the Positano print one piece is super flattering and totally glam is just the icing on the cake and for now, it’s the next best thing to being there. Try one on…see where it takes you!

Island State Swimwear is a new to the states collection of swimwear, kaftans, dresses and more.

(photo courtesy of Island State Swimwear)

August 6th is Fresh Breath Day!!!

Apparently there’s a “day” for almost everything…and if this isn’t proof, I don’t know what is. Today, August 6th is officially National Fresh Breath Day (shouldn’t it be every day!!!) and with 65% of Americans suffering from persistent halitosis there’s no time like the present to jump-start your extra attention to oral hygiene. Here, some help for halitosis:

  • Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep your saliva oxygen-rich.
  • Brush and floss after every meal to remove plaque and food particles.
  • Brush or scrape your tongue daily since 90% of odor causing bacteria resides on the tongue. Try DenTek’s Comfort Clean Tongue Cleaner ($2.50), designed to clean your tongue in 3 easy swipes.
  • Stay away from breath mints or gum with sugar in it.  Sulfur-producing bacteria flourishes in the presence of sugar. Instead, you’ll like Hello BreathSpray ($3.75) in Supermint. It’s small enough to tuck in your bag or pocket. The line also includes mouthwash, toothpaste and more, available in a variety of flavors and promises clean breath without the use of alcohol, artificial sweeteners, dyes or chemicals.
  • Avoid alcoholic beverages and mouthwashes containing alcohol. They dry the mouth out, an ideal breeding situation for bacteria.

Now, you’ve got something to smile about!

 

(featured image, Kate Moss by Paolo Roversi)

Foundation Salvation!

If you’re not 100% satisfied with your foundation, check out my latest story here for Beauty in the Bag to help you find your perfect match! xoxoNancy

 

photography courtesy of chanel.com