Health and Mind
Artificial Stimulants: The Number One Enemy of Body Energy
Why these everyday habits could be quietly draining your body’s strength
- R.L. Orpelts
- פורסם כ"א תמוז התשע"ח
(Photo: shutterstock) #VALUE!
Artificial stimulants are considered the number one enemy of the body’s natural energy. While they may give a short-term feeling of alertness or well-being, in the long run they wear down the body and can cause real harm. If you find yourself unable to get through the day without coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate, cigarettes, or alcohol, it may be a sign of dependency on stimulants.
Coffee contains caffeine, which is also found in chocolate, cola, diet cola, various teas (not herbal teas), medications for asthma, and many carbonated soft drinks. In the Far East, coffee is used only during spiritual ceremonies to help with alertness. It’s hard for people there to understand how, in the Western world, people drink coffee every morning and throughout the day. This habit, though common, is actually quite harmful.
Even decaffeinated coffee isn’t innocent. It still contains other stimulating compounds. These can disturb sleep, increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, and quietly harm the body in other ways.
Tea (including green tea) also contains caffeine and tannin. These are stimulants and diuretics. They can reduce the body’s ability to absorb important minerals and, when consumed in large amounts, may even contribute to ulcers.
Alcohol breaks down in the body similarly to sugar. While it may create a temporary feeling of relaxation, it can have many negative effects, especially when used regularly.
Cigarettes contain nicotine, a substance that stimulates and calms at the same time. It’s actually more addictive than heroin. In addition, cigarettes contain 16 other chemical compounds that are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
Cola drinks are a mix of sugar, food coloring, and caffeine, all of which act as stimulants. While they’re sweet and fizzy, they contribute to the cycle of stimulation and crash that wears out the body.
Even headache medications can contain caffeine. So while they may help relieve symptoms quickly, they are still part of the broader stimulant picture.
