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Drinking enough fluids is especially important in summer. But only drinking water is boring. And fruit juice is not always the healthiest alternative! This gave rise to the latest trend, “Fruit Infused Water” or “Detox Water”. Flavor water is incredibly easy to prepare.

Not only are these delicious drinks delicious, but they’re also healthy because the ingredients release minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants into the water, which you, in turn, put into your body.

Why is infused water so healthy?

Some combinations of infused water have a particularly positive effect on different areas. Lemon, for example, brings energy, boosts metabolism, and improves digestion. Like cucumber, it is also very refreshing. This is particularly pleasant in summer. All types of fruit and berries add sweetness to the water and provide energy. They also strengthen the immune system. Rosemary is said to be a muscle relaxant and regenerating herb, which improves memory and concentration. Mint prevents allergies and also improves the complexion.

The trend drink is so easy to make!

For the Fruit Infused Water, mix a liter of still water with about a handful of your favorite ingredient and let the mixture steep for a few hours. You can add fruit, vegetables, or herbs. Cucumber, ginger, lemon, and mint are particularly popular. Your creativity knows no limits!

Special combinations can also be used to counter specific complaints:

  • Belly fat can be counteracted with a combination of cucumber, strawberries, and basil.
  • Lemon, cucumber, berries, and oranges can provide more energy.
  • Strawberries, cucumber, lime, and mint in your water have a stress-relieving effect.
  • You will become slim and fit with the combination of lemon and coconut water.
  • Fat is easily “washed away” when you add cucumber, grapefruit, tangerine, and peppermint leaves to your water.
  • With grapefruit and mint, your complexion will improve.
  • A healthy bubble tea alternative can be mixed with chia seeds and water or coconut water.

When shopping for your infused water, make sure you’re buying quality products, such as organic. Before you put the ingredients in the water, you should wash them well.

We wish you a good thirst!

In order not to gain weight and not to have to do without alcohol when partying, young people fast before drinking alcohol – and thus endanger their health. EAT SMARTER enlightens you about the dangerous phenomenon of drunkorexia.

What is drunkorexia?

The term drunkorexia is made up of the English word “drunk” (intoxicated) and “anorexia” (anorexia). A recent British study shows that more and more young men and women are giving up food before drinking to stay slim.

Alcoholic beverages are high in calories and hit the hips. For example, half a liter of beer has 200 calories, a glass of white wine (200 milliliters) provides 150 calories and glass (300 milliliters) of the Caipirinha cocktail contains 320 calories. For many young people, however, a party without alcohol is unimaginable. Instead of drinking a glass or two of wine with relish and enjoying the evening tipsy and fully conscious, many people get drunk to the point of intoxication. Excessive consumption of alcohol also means a lot of calories.

In order not to gain weight, it is better to forgo food than one or two cocktails in the evening. Often the aim is even to drink so much alcohol that you throw up. This is to get rid of the calories you have taken in. Very few are aware of how dangerous such behavior is and how much it damages the body.

That’s how dangerous fasting before intoxication is

It is still controversial among medical professionals whether drunkorexia is an independent clinical picture, but it is definitely dangerous and harmful to health. In order to stay healthy, our body needs nutrients, minerals and vitamins. We eat these when we eat. Substituting alcohol for food can quickly lead to acute malnutrition. In addition, alcohol damages the body. For example, it removes minerals from the body, inhibits the regeneration of skin cells, and can lead to liver damage in the long term.

Alcohol consumption in moderation

Having a glass of wine or a cocktail every now and then is okay. Aiming for a healthy body weight too. However, one’s health should not be jeopardized either.

Beer should not be missing in your household. Whether for a snack, after work or at parties, people like to have a beer. But you can also use it in the household.

Everything shines: beer as a furniture polish

Maybe you see it now as a pure waste. But beer is not only suitable as a thirst quencher after work, it also works well as a furniture polish.

Do you perhaps have a beautiful old piece of wooden furniture in your apartment? An old wooden table? A chest of drawers? Then just polish it every now and then with some beer.

To do this, put just a small sip on a soft cotton lamp and gently rub it over the furniture. The good piece is already shining again. We can all make mistakes when cleaning and, for example, damage the surfaces of furniture rather than clean them carefully.

Coffee stains: The stain is quickly gone with beer

You can use beer to clean surfaces very well – coffee stains in particular can be removed very well with the help of beer.

After a few minutes, gently wipe over it with a sponge. For stubborn stains, repeat the process several times until the stain is gone. To neutralize the smell of beer, finally wipe with a little clear water – done.

The after-work beer, the digestive schnapps or a glass of wine – alcohol consumption is part of everyday life for many. But from what amount is it too much? And why are older people particularly at risk when it comes to alcohol?

Alcohol consumption among older people is often underestimated

Older people often have more experience drinking alcohol, which does not mean that they drink more sensibly. Drinking habits are all too often not questioned – not by oneself and not by those around them. However, especially in old age, excessive alcohol consumption is not to be taken lightly. As you age, your body’s response to alcohol differs from the pattern we’ve seen before. For example, the body cells can no longer store water as well as they used to. The body’s fluid balance decreases. As a result, the same amount of alcohol consumed now results in a higher blood alcohol concentration. In addition, the liver does not break down alcohol as well as it used to. Therefore, if you drink more than 0.3 liters of beer per day as a woman or more than 0.6 liters of beer as a man, you are already in a health risk area.

There are two groups of older people who consume alcohol at a risky level. The first and larger group consists of people who have had a drinking problem for years. The health risk is particularly high here. The second group includes people who started drinking alcohol to a risky degree quite late. The reasons for this can be very complex. Possible reasons for dangerous alcohol consumption in old age are often critical phases of life such as retirement, reduced social contacts, financial problems or the loss of a partner, according to the Federal Center for Health Education.

Certain drinking habits often creep in, such as the digestive schnapps, the after-work beer or the daily glass of wine. But sometimes it doesn’t stop there. Drinking large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can be dangerous. This does not only apply to older people! However, older people often go unnoticed when they consume alcohol at a risky level. There are various reasons for this. For example, because the risky drinking behavior of relatives and other people around them is tacitly accepted or because consequential damage is wrongly attributed to old age.

The danger of alcohol in old age

In older people, even small amounts of alcoholic beverages can lead to undesirable effects. There are also possible drug interactions. Alcohol consumption can also further worsen health impairments such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, memory loss and mood instability, according to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) on the occasion of the day of the elderly.

Prof. Dr. Heidrun Thaiss, head of the BZgA: “Alcohol consumption harbors dangers at any age. In older people, they show a particular spectrum: alcohol consumption, for example, can increase the risk of falls and other accidents because balance and reaction time are impaired. These effects can occur in older people even with small amounts consumed. If alcohol is consumed in large quantities over a longer period of time, the risk of certain types of cancer increases. In addition, the gastrointestinal tract, the liver and specific brain functions are impaired. In older people, the breakdown of alcohol by the liver can also be delayed. Previously ‘well tolerated’ amounts can therefore have a stronger effect with increasing age. For these reasons, older people should consume alcohol with particular restraint.”

Water supplies the body with vital minerals. But how many liters you need every day to stay healthy depends on various factors. Drinking too much water can even be dangerous for digestion and blood values.

Water Intoxication: Can You Drink Too Much Water?

If you take in more fluid than your body eliminates, the fluid stays in circulation and dilutes the blood. This has a negative effect on your body. Muscle weakness, disorientation or epileptic seizures can then follow. In very rare cases, it can also be fatal if water intoxication (hyponatraemia) occurs.

Symptoms of water intoxication:
drowsiness
nausea
headache
seizures
However, the risk of not drinking enough is much higher because it is often simply forgotten. Become aware of how important it is for you and your health to drink enough water.

Health benefits of drinking water

Drinking water has many health benefits:
high concentration/performance
improves the complexion
serves as a lubricant for the joints
helps against headaches and menstrual pain
promotes health and digestion
helps the body regulate temperature
Many underestimate the positive effects of water and resort to unhealthy sweet drinks as an alternative to quench their thirst. They taste delicious, but our health does not benefit from them. The water, like the blood, serves to transport oxygen and nutrients to the organs and their cells and to remove “waste”. So water cleans the body from the inside.

It is best to buy a reusable drinking bottle* that you can refill as you wish. Or you set a limit in the morning for how much you want to have drunk by the evening and adjust the amount to your individual constitution.

Losing weight with water: is that possible?

You can lose weight by drinking water. Water increases the number of calories you burn even when you are resting. Drinking before and during meals is also said to help with weight loss as it fills the stomach and thus reduces appetite. However, too much liquid during food intake quenches the “digestive fire”, which in turn is less beneficial because the liquid prolongs digestion time.

Because hunger and thirst are closely related in the brain, it can make you feel hungry even though your body needs fluids. The advice here is to drink a glass of water first and wait to see if the feeling of hunger persists.

Diabetes, heart attack, dementia: moderate beer consumption can help prevent diseases. The drink is also isotonic and many people like it. So is beer drinking good for us?

Healthy and tasty: beer can prevent diseases

1. Beer increases bone density: According to US researchers, beer can prevent bone loss. Their conclusion is that beer made with lots of hops and lots of malted barley contains the highest proportion of a bone-strengthening mineral, according to the findings of the “Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture”. Moderate beer consumption can even counteract osteoporosis.

2. Beer reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease: Various research results indicate that a low to moderate alcohol consumption of 10 to 25 grams per day, which corresponds to one to two glasses of beer of 0.3 liters, has a positive effect the risk of cardiovascular disease. A study found that drinking beer in moderation reduces the risk of heart attack by 30 percent. The risk is therefore higher both with frequent beer consumption and with complete abstinence from beer. According to the Deutsches Ärzteblatt, the cardioprotective effect appears to be due to a complex interaction of a wide variety of mechanisms such as an increase in HDL cholesterol levels or a reduced tendency to form thrombosis, but also through effects on stress perception and stress control.

Positive effect: This is how beer affects cholesterol and diabetes

3. Beer has a positive effect on cholesterol levels: A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that those who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis had better cholesterol levels than those who did not drink at all consumed alcohol. Beer in particular helps to increase the proportion of healthy HDL cholesterol in the body or to slow down its breakdown. It protects against heart attack and stroke.

4. Beer lowers the risk of diabetes: According to a study by the Statens Institut for Folkesundhet, those who drink alcohol three to four days a week have a lower risk of diabetes. According to the study, moderate alcohol consumption could protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. According to the study, men who consumed 14 alcoholic beverages and women who consumed 9 alcoholic beverages per week were least likely to develop the metabolic disorder. However, people with existing type 2 diabetes are advised not to consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol can inhibit the release of glucose from the liver, which can provoke hypoglycemia in diabetics.

5. Beer can help flush out kidney stones: This assumption is widely held. What is certain is that alcohol and especially beer have a dehydrating effect. This diuretic effect of the beer means that the kidneys are flushed out well and this in turn means that possible stones could be flushed out. The problem with this is that alcohol dries out the body after this inundation and the urine thickens, which can lead to larger stones. Alcohol-free beer is much better recommended. It is isotonic, has the beneficial effects of beer but without the harmful effects of alcohol.

Beer protects against dementia: Moderate “drinkers” have an advantage

6. Beer can protect against dementia: In a study, researchers found that people who had not drunk alcohol for decades had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia in old age than moderate drinkers. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia as a teetotaler is statistically higher than that of moderate drinkers. Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, greatly increases the risk of developing dementia.

Cola is the number one bestseller among soft drinks. But what actually happens when you drink too much of it? Here we tell you what lemonade does to your body.

Coke accelerates weight gain

The high sugar content in the soft drink, along with its equally high calorie count, can increase weight gain. With almost 9 grams of sugar per 100 grams of cola and a calorie content of 40 kilocalories per 100 milliliters, cola is a real calorie bomb.

In addition, the drink lacks vitamins and minerals, which in combination with an unhealthy diet can quickly lead to obesity.

Phosphoric acid damages teeth and bones

The high sugar content not only leads to obesity, but also to bad teeth. Because the sweetener settles on the teeth and thus creates the ideal breeding ground for bacteria. But the phosphoric acid contained in the soft drink also attacks the tooth enamel – even in small quantities.

If phosphoric acid is consumed in excess, it can inhibit calcium absorption and thereby promote bone formation. Calcium is particularly important for bone structure, so a deficiency can lead to a decrease in bone density and thus promote osteoporosis.

Blemishes are inevitable

In addition to hormone fluctuations and stress, an unhealthy diet is the main trigger for skin blemishes. Foods in particular that cause blood sugar levels to rise sharply promote acne and pimples. With its high sugar content, cola is particularly beneficial for annoying skin blemishes.
In addition, excessive sugar consumption can also affect the formation of wrinkles.

sense of taste deteriorates

The sweetness of the drink also has a negative effect on your sense of taste. Regular consumption of cola can even dull your taste buds at worst. This can mean that you no longer recognize other tastes as well.

nervousness and cardiovascular disorders

In addition to sugar, the soft drink also contains a high proportion of caffeine. If you not only drink cola but also other caffeinated drinks such as coffee or tea every day, it can quickly become too much. Because: A high caffeine consumption can cause serious damage to your health. According to a recommendation by the German federal government, you should not drink more than four cups of coffee a day. This corresponds to around 350 milligrams of caffeine.

If you exceed this amount, it can increase the pulse, which can result in a faster heartbeat if you regularly consume too much. This not only increases the risk of insomnia and nervousness, but also cardiovascular disease. Because a faster heartbeat can damage your vessels, which can also calcify your arteries.

Water supplies the body with vital minerals. But how many liters you need every day to stay healthy depends on various factors. Drinking too much water can even be dangerous for digestion and blood values.

Water is the source of life and provides the human body with important minerals. On average, an adult should drink around 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day, although only seven out of ten adults claim to actually do this. Since the body loses about 2.5 liters of fluid a day, it must be replenished regularly. Depending on your age, weight, state of health and physical activity, the amount of water you should drink every day varies and can go up to 4 liters. We should drink more, especially on hot days, as we lose more fluid through heavy sweating.

Water Intoxication: Can You Drink Too Much Water?

If you take in more fluid than your body eliminates, the fluid stays in circulation and dilutes the blood. This has a negative effect on your body. Muscle weakness, disorientation or epileptic seizures can then follow. In very rare cases, it can also be fatal if water intoxication (hyponatraemia) occurs.

Symptoms of water intoxication:
drowsiness
nausea
headache
seizures
However, the risk of not drinking enough is much higher because it is often simply forgotten. Become aware of the importance of drinking enough water for you and your health.

Health benefits of drinking water

Drinking water has many health benefits:
high concentration/performance
improves the complexion
serves as a lubricant for the joints
helps against headaches and menstrual pain
promotes health and digestion
helps the body regulate temperature

Losing weight with water: is that possible?

You can lose weight by drinking water. Water increases the number of calories you burn even when you are resting. Drinking before and during meals is also said to help with weight loss as it fills the stomach and thus reduces appetite. However, too much liquid during food intake quenches the “digestive fire”, which in turn is less beneficial because the liquid prolongs digestion time.

Because hunger and thirst are closely related in the brain, it can make you feel hungry even though your body needs fluids. The advice here is to drink a glass of water first and wait to see if the feeling of hunger persists.

Filter, espresso, cold brew: coffee is cult – but is it also healthy? When are beans fair trade? What can you do while drinking coffee to protect the environment? Here are the most important facts about sustainable coffee enjoyment.

Is drinking coffee healthy?

100 ml of coffee contains an average of 50 mg of caffeine – a natural stimulant that stimulates our circulation and metabolism: the heart beats faster, blood pressure rises and we become more alert and receptive again. Because of this effect, coffee is one of the so-called “legal drugs” – and is very popular among students, office workers and even athletes.

But like any drug, coffee has all sorts of side effects and can even become addictive: as soon as the body gets used to the regular intake of caffeine, drinking coffee becomes less and less effective – and if you stop drinking coffee, withdrawal symptoms can occur. Those who consume too much often suffer from insomnia, headaches or are generally irritable and nervous. The European Food Safety Authority recommends a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine per day – i.e. no more than 800 ml.

Caution: Pregnant or breastfeeding women should be particularly careful about how much coffee they drink – babies are also supplied with caffeine, but are much less able to break down the substance than an adult.

5 tips: How to drink your coffee more sustainably

In addition to the Fairtrade seal, there are numerous other ways to make drinking coffee in the morning a little more environmentally friendly:

Coffee to go: Many drink their coffee on the way to the office – and buy it in paper cups with a plastic lid at the nearest bakery.
Anyone who brings their own coffee from home saves money and can decide for themselves what kind of coffee ends up in the cup. However, if you don’t want to do without the brewed coffee from your regular baker, you can ask where he gets his beans from.
On the go without a thermos mug? Then keep an eye out for Recup: The reusable coffee mugs are already widespread in many big cities – you can take them with you for a deposit of 1 euro and return them to the nearest branch with Recup mugs. There they are washed and sent to the next customer.
Small regional roasting houses with hand-distilled varieties have sprung up in large numbers in recent years – you can also find them in your big city. The advantage: Here you can drink high-quality coffee, in which the roasters have invested a lot of time and love – and you can taste it too. Most of the varieties are even organic and fair trade. Get your beans from a local roastery and support quality over bulk.
Drinking less coffee is doing the environment a big favor. Coffee cultivation is anything but resource-friendly: 140 liters of water are used for one cup. So only drink coffee occasionally – this way you can appreciate the aromatic drink more and feel the effect more intensively again. Coffee withdrawal will also do your body good.

The optimal drinking temperature of sparkling wine. So that every sparkling wine is a pleasure. Also useful tips for the correct storage and preservation of sparkling wine in sparkling wine bottles. Sparkling wine in the fridge is also possible without a cork.

What is the optimal drinking temperature for sparkling wine?

The taste of sparkling wine (with the exception of red sparkling wine) develops best when it is generally drunk at a temperature of between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius. If it is warmer than 8 °C, the carbon dioxide evaporates too quickly and it tastes bland. If it is drunk colder than 6 °C, the taste buds will go on strike. The best drinking temperatures depend on the type of sparkling wine:

  • White sparkling wine between 5 – 7 °C;
  • Rosé sparkling wine between 6 – 8 °C;
  • Red sparkling wine between 9 – 11 °C.

If there is no cold sparkling wine in the fridge for a suitable occasion, do not put the bottle in the freezer, but preferably in a water bath or champagne bucket cooled with ice cubes for about 20 minutes.

How long can sparkling wine bottles be stored?

In contrast to quality wines, sparkling wine does not improve with storage! Over the years, it can lose bound carbon dioxide and pressure. Therefore, the sparkling wine should be drunk as soon as possible; he is a young drink. Sparkling wine in bottles can be kept for a maximum of 3 to 5 years, provided it is made from high-quality base wine. It also plays a role in whether a natural or plastic cork was used. With natural corks, the pressure is retained longer.

Store sparkling wine without a cork

If the cork can no longer be found and there is still something drinkable in the champagne bottle, there is the following trick: Put a teaspoon in the champagne bottle and the carbon dioxide remains in the champagne. This way you can drink and enjoy the champagne as if by magic even days after opening it a tingling experience;)

What does the right champagne glass look like?

A wonderfully sparkling glass of sparkling wine tastes best in slim, thin-walled glasses. They should have a tulip or flute shape so that the full bouquet can develop well. Deep champagne glasses that are slightly roughened on the bottom, the so-called mousse point, are ideal. The mousseux unfolds and rises to the surface as a pretty string of pearls. Champagne bowls, which were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, are taboo today. Glasses with wide surfaces are a taste killer for enjoying sparkling wine, as the bouquet escapes very quickly.