Coffee is Good, Vegetables Are Not

Health guidelines and facts are constantly changing as we learn more about the human body and what we need to stay strong. To maintain optimal health, you need to keep up to date with the newest in fitness, nutrition and medical research.

By Kayla

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- My morning cup (or 7) of Joe has been my favorite workout buddy for a long time. Not only does it give me energy, but new research proves that it lessens the pain that comes after an intense workout! Caffeine blocks the brain and spinal cord from processing the biochemical adenosine, preventing pain during and after your spin on the stationary bike. You don’t need to drink as much caffeine as I do (shoot…I shouldn’t be drinking as much caffeine as I do!) to feel the benefits. A modest 2 cup serving of java will do the trick. Just don’t go overboard; if you’re heart rate is too high, working out may be more difficult than necessary.

- Still haven’t rid yourself of the Winter blues? Chase away that depression by packing a healthy lunch! Research shows that eating foods with the amino acid tryptophan raises you body’s serotonin levels, battling depression. To pack a brown bag full of this “happy hormone,” toss in a banana, turkey sandwich and some cottage cheese. These three foods are known to have the highest levels of tryptophan. If you’re on the go and feeling low, pick up a delicious Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba Juice. This smoothie is crammed with bananas and other fruit and a sixteen-ounce serving is only 170 calories…now that’s sweet! And if you’re swinging by a coffee shop for your caffeine fix, grab yourself a serving of low-fat cottage cheese to flip that frown upside down.

- Researchers are starting to think that you may follow in your mama’s virginity footsteps. Did she submit her V-Card early on? Your DNA may reveal that you will too! Although societal and cultural aspects play a larger part in determining when you’ll have your first time, your genes can be up to a third of the reason why you will hit the sheets at a certain age. This is most likely attributed to the presence of intense levels of the risk-taking, impulsive DRD4 gene. Ask your mom about her early escapades to see if the apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree. (That is, if you really want to hear the answer…)

- Do you look up to the healthy lifestyles of those celery-chomping Vegetarians? Well, maybe you shouldn’t envy them so much. Studies show that adolescents and young adults who currently (or have in the past) follow a vegetarian diet are more likely to suffer from eating disorders. Veg-Heads have less control when it comes to binge eating and are more apt to engage in dangerous weight control behaviors such as purging, diet pill popping and abusing laxatives and diuretics. Although a vegetarian diet lessens the risk of obesity, is it really worth the possibly deadly impulses?

Scientists and researchers keep discovering better ways to help our health, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take advantage of the information we have today! While we wait for next week’s brilliant discoveries, be sure to have a coffee with your workout, a banana with your lunch, a birds and the bees talk with your mama and a healthy view on Vegetarianism.