Hey Now, Don't Drink The Rockstar

It was at some point during my DJ years that I began to enjoy the occasional can of Monster or Rockstar energy drinks.  I mean, how else was I supposed to get energy fast on the go?  Coffee takes time to brew, and cold coffee wasn't my thing at the time and it probably never will be.  So, I turned to energy drinks.  I soon quit them for a while after I stopped DJing, but then picked them back up again Senior Year with the Lemonade-flavored Rockstars because those tasted delicious and a friend got me hooked, and so I also naturally got into the Monster "x+tea" flavors.  Starting overnights saw me turning to the Xyience brand of fruity deliciousness, but those gave me what felt like heart flutters, so I quit them for a while and moved back to Rockstar, where most recently I've been drinking their "Whipped Strawberry" flavor, anywhere from one to three cans most days.  It seems that to say I'm addicted would be an understatement.

Now, the health market puts up a point about these that I feel is very valid.  A quick Google Search on the long-term health effects of energy drinks leads to this article from the United Kingdom's National Health Service.  Per the article, consuming too many energy drinks long term can lead to symptoms such as Type II Diabetes, sensation-seeking behavior (which is even marketed in most Red Bull commercials that I've seen in the last few years), poor dental health, obesity, and perhaps the biggest one of all, a caffeine overdose, which can lead to palpitations at it's lightest, and convulsions and death at it's worst.  Hmmm... It probably seems like I should have put these down a long time ago now, doesn't it also to you?

 But there's a struggle involved.  The sugars and the caffeine have gotten me, and I'm assuming most of you who are reading this that drink energy drinks, addicted.  The reason I've been drinking "Whipped Strawberry" is because it doesn't have that taste that other energy drinks have, the taste of a soda-like material that's very hard for me to explain otherwise.  Rather, this flavor of Rockstar tastes like the strawberries you find at your Sunday morning Waffle bar, slightly covered in syrup and also a little bit of whipped cream perhaps, and although I hate whipped cream in real form, a little bit of it in this drink doesn't wreck it for me. 

Now, let me show you this article from Men's Journal magazine, which states that consuming one to three energy drinks per day can lead to increased risk for cardiac problems, such as irregular heartbeat and a "fluttery rhythm".  Or in some cases they'll also cause "sudden cardiac death".  With me, they also cause acid re-flux from time to time. Per the article, our heart rate can change up to four percent each time we consume an energy drink, and our systolic blood pressure can jump by at least 3.5 points.  Also, if your family has a history of heart problems on one side or the other, a quote in the article from the American Heart Association states that you should avoid them entirely.

But, going cold turkey's not what I'm about.  I tried stopping my soda consumption, and failed horrendously after two weeks, so we know that doesn't do much for us.  I feel that moderation is key to easing ourselves off of something.  So, maybe let's try that with energy drinks together.  For the next few days, let's say through the weekend, I will not consume a single energy drink, and I'll see how I'm doing.  Then we'll go from there.  Perhaps you'd like to take part in the challenge with me?  If you feel on Monday like you don't need one, don't consume one.  That's what I'm hoping we'll get out of this.  But if you do need or want one, have one, and then don't touch them until Thursday or Friday.  As time goes on, extend the number of days between each time you have an energy drink, until you don't need them anymore.  And hopefully by that time, I'll be feeling that way also.  Together, we can do this.