Lab mice given large doses of quercetin were able to run as much as 37 percent longer on a wheel or treadmill while those given a placebo showed no such improvement. The muscles and brains of the mice given quercetin also showed new mitochondria, the part of the cell which helps produce energy.

FRS, the makers of a sports drink containing quercetin, bankrolled a small study in 2006 which featured top-level cyclists who “significantly improved high-intensity cycling time-trial performance through enhancement of power output,” after drinking the quercetin-containing beverage.

Other studies, however, did not provide encouraging results. Runners who used quercetin before the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run in California, did not place better than those who didn’t take the supplement.

The largest and most comprehensive study on quercetin and athletic performance was conducted on a group of 30 healthy but untrained young men at the University of Georgia. This was reported in August in The Journal of Applied Physiology. The researchers hypothesized that quercetin might not work for trained athletes because regular aerobic exercise had already maxed out their mitochondrial production, but it might stimulate mitochondrial production in the untrained and boost their athletic performance.

The results were disappointing because there was no difference between the quercetin group and the placebo group. This study is not definitive but it also means that researchers can’t generalize from mouse studies to humans. It also stressed the point that improved performance cannot be delivered by supplements alone – athletes still need to exercise, train and eat right.

Physical preparation is just one step. Some athletes also have to deal with performance anxiety. Whether you’re shooting hoops, cycling or running a marathon, the mental battle is also crucial.

The Meridian Tapping Technique or MTT (also known as the Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT) can help balance an athlete’s body energy to help him/her perform in the most pressure-packed situations.

MTT is a simple do-it-yourself tapping procedure gently done with the fingertips on key acupuncture points and takes less than a minute. This minute could spell the difference between an average showing and an elite performance

Positive thinking and optimism, besides helping improve your relationships, career and general outlook in life, have many proven health benefits.

A new study from the University of Pittsburgh, the largest study on the effect of positive thinking on health to date, suggests that being an optimist can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and even death.

Some 97,000 women were monitored as part of a long term study and were asked simple questions to define who was an optimist and who was a pessimist. The researchers found that optimists had reduced their risk of developing heart disease by nine percent and their risk of dying from any cause by 14 percent.

Also, scientific evidence shows that optimism influences recovery time. Patients who have positive thoughts and expect to recover well usually do.

Your mental attitude can greatly influence your physical health. Whatever you focus your constant and consistent thoughts on are often manifested into reality. That is why positive thinking is one of the most profound things you can do to stay optimally healthy.

You can exercise and strictly follow a proper diet and lifestyle but if you don’t pay attention to your emotional health, your other healthy living efforts may go to naught.

Dr. Joseph Mercola recommends the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) (formerly known as the Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT ) as one of the top strategies to help give you a positive outlook on life. EFT is a simple and effective method which helps turn positive affirmative statements into reality in your life.

Keeping a journal, meditating and praying are also other tools you can use to improve your outlook. Seeing a half-empty glass as half-full can help you live a fuller and healthier life.

Let’s face it: carbonated drinks are everywhere. Coke and Pepsi are not shy when it comes to flooding your television with advertisements. Ginger Ale, A&W’s root beer, Mountain Dew, Sprite, Dr. Pepper’s and the list goes on – they’re all over the supermarket in bottles and cans and are in vending machines and fast foods! In the year 2000 alone, 15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks were sold in the United States – that’s about one 12-ounce serving for every man, woman and child.

It’s not the first time you’ll be reading or hearing this but soda is one of the worst beverages you can consume. You’ll probably agree that soda doesn’t really satisfy your thirst but you’ll drink it anyway. Soda addiction is a habit that’s hard to kick. But what are the dangers of soda to your health?

Here are 10 diseases linked to too much soda consumption:

1. Obesity – Many people put on extra pounds in a hurry because they often don’t keep track of how many calories they consume when they drink soda. If you drink a 330 ml can of soda per day, you’ll gain a pound of extra weight every month. Studies show that for every additional soda consumed, you increase your risk of obesity by 1.6 times.
2. Diabetes – Not only does soda make you fat, it also inhibits your body’s ability to process sugar, increasing your risk of diabetes. Some scientists believe that the soda addiction has TRIPLED the number of Americans suffering from type 2 diabetes.
3. Heart disease – Soda addicts are more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease because research shows that drinking more than one soft drink per day may increase your risk of developing the metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms including central obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting blood sugar, elevated fasting triglycerides, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein. Your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes increases when you have three or more of these symptoms.
4. Liver damage – It’s not just alcohol that’s bad for your liver. You also increase your risk of liver cirrhosis by drinking too much soft drinks.
5. Kidney damage – All carbonated drinks contain high amounts of phosphoric acid, which is known to cause kidney stones. You increase your risk of developing kidney stones if you drink around three 12-ounce cans of soda per week. A new study featured in Epidemiology also reported that drinking two or more colas per day doubles your risk of chronic liver disease.
6. Osteoporosis and weak bones – Phosphoric acid is also linked to osteoporosis or the weakening of the skeletal structure because it may lower calcium levels and increase phosphate levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels are low, your bones are depleted of calcium. (Coca-Cola and Pepsi contain virtually no calcium and are high in phosphate) High soda consumption in children is also linked to impaired calcification of growing bones.
7. Hypertension – Studies suggest that soda, whether it’s regular or diet, leads to an increase in blood pressure, and that black teenagers who consume soft drinks are particularly at risk from hypertension.
8. Digestion problems – If you drink sodas, especially on an empty stomach, you can upset the fragile acid-alkaline balance of your digestive system, creating a continuous acid environment which can lead to inflammation of your stomach and duodenal lining and gastrointestinal distress.
9. Tooth decay – Did you know that the acidity of soda is more harmful to your teeth than the sugar found in candy? Because soda eats up your tooth enamel, soft drinks are tagged as the culprit in increasing the incidence of tooth decay.
10. Heartburn and acid reflux – Drinking too much soda can cause heartburn because carbonated beverages are very acidic and deliver a lot of air in the form of carbon dioxide.

Besides these 10 diseases, numerous studies have also linked sugar and the increased rates of cancer. Soda contains high amounts of high fructose corn syrup, which is basically sugar from corn.

How to kick that soda addiction out of your system

Reducing or eliminating sugar intake is one of the best things you can do for your health because it will normalize your insulin levels and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Getting rid of your soda habit will be a giant step towards that direction.

• Decide to stop drinking soda – First things first: you have to decide to give soda up. It will take a strong commitment on your part to make it happen but it’s not impossible.

• Use Emotional Freedom Techniques to resolve and determine issues related to the soda addiction – Click here to learn about Turbo Tapping and deal with your soda habit.

• Drink water – As I’ve said in my last post, nothing beats water. Gradually decrease the number of carbonated drinks you take each day, replacing them with water as you work towards your goal of completely kicking the soda habit. Have patience. It may take weeks, months or even a year or two to truly forget the craving. Water may be boring for you at first if you’re really big on carbonated drinks but you can make your water more exciting by adding non-caloric flavors like a sprig of mint, a slice of lemon or a frozen strawberry.