Soda Consumption

Due to copyright reasons, some of the famous names cannot be mentioned right over here in this very blog. But soda, as all of us know, is all about sugar. These days, in western countries, especially in the United States, soda is no longer a mere occasional treat, but it has gained steady increment of popularity throughout the years (over the last three decades). For Americans, consuming soda everyday is a norm, and gradually it turns to a "must". Such trend is also seen in Asian countries, such as Malaysia.

Soda centers in sugar. One 12-ounce soda has around nine teaspoons of sugar and 140 calories, for those who drink soda regularly tend to have higher calorie intake and this causes them to experience drastic weight gain. When the weight increases, so does the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

When things revolve around soda, many tend to ask, "how about diet soda?". In the mindset of many people, diet soda seems to be a "healthier" option compare to regular soda. Frankly speaking, diet soda does have lower calories relatively, but it does not effectively lowers the weight of the drinkers. Studies shown that artificial sweeteners used in producing diet soda may increase sugar cravings and it also may encourage poor food choice, consequently causing poor diet.

Other than that, regular soda consumption brings even worse news to women as it is also linked strongly with osteoporosis. As we all know, consumption of milk, such as GTF Milk Powder, is rich in calcium (a mineral which is vital in strengthen the bones). When soda is consumed, it is possible that phosphoric acid and caffeine found in the soda may promote the loss of calcium in bone.

Brain Health

Brain is the center of nervous system in all vertebrates, and it is so important that most of the people reckon that brain is the one and only tool which takes part in the process of every single outcome and consequence. Although brain is extremely important, but it is extremely complicated too, either in the sense of its very own structure, or its specific functionality.

Research done by John H. Byrne, Ph.D. professor and chairman of the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, revealed some interesting results about studies of neuronal and molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory.

According to the study, there are three main things which you can do to promote and improve the health of your brain. The very first thing to do is: exercise. A handful of recent evidence shows that while exercising, a process called neurogenesis happens, a term which refers to the generation of new nerve cells in the brain. Therefore, exercising does not only do good things to the heart, but it also brings benefits to our brain.

The second factor appears to be our diet. According to the study too, certain foods, which are also known as "brain foods" appear to have great benefits on our brain. So where can we consume these brain foods? Studies shown that foods which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, can build the gray matter in our brain. Other than that, foods which contain antioxidant also appears to keep our brain sharp.

The last but not least factor that we should really take note of, is our brain activity. As always, there is a saying of others, especially Malaysians, sounded like "my brain becomes rusty (berkarat)". It is true enough! According to Byrne, we must exercise our brain cells just as we exercise our muscles. Therefore, activities such as reading or doing a crossword puzzle can protect our brain.