Caffeinated Cracker Jacks

Seriously?: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57550726/caffeinated-cracker-jacks-concerns-consumer-group/

I just don't get the hoards of people who have to "charge"themselves with 5 hour energy drinks, coffee all day long, or any other form of caffeinated stuff. I was shopping in the supermarket one day and a young kid was unloading some super charged product and told me I should try it. "Why, I said, I already have so much energy, it make me tired!" Really, if a person is reasonably healthy, eats well, and sleeps at least 6 to 8 hours, don't we have enough energy to get us through the day? I don't get needing to be supercharged. Being tired, at times, is part of life, it is expected. Thank God, I have a brain and can still use it.

I just don't get the hoards of people who have to "charge"themselves with 5 hour energy drinks, coffee all day long, or any other form of caffeinated stuff. I was shopping in the supermarket one day and a young kid was unloading some super charged product and told me I should try it. "Why, I said, I already have so much energy, it make me tired!" Really, if a person is reasonably healthy, eats well, and sleeps at least 6 to 8 hours, don't we have enough energy to get us through the day? I don't get needing to be supercharged. Being tired, at times, is part of life, it is expected. Thank God, I have a brain and can still use it.

You have put your finger on the problem. A shocking percentage of adults (and an even higher percentage of teenagers) live their lives perpetually sleep deprived. Doctors say that if you need an alarm clock to wake up, you are not getting enough sleep. Studies have also shown that teenagers are more at risk for sleep deprivation because they need more than 8 hr and schools start too early (of course, if they went to bed at 9 pm, that wouldn't be a problem, but how many teenagers [or adults] do that?). Sleep deprived people need caffeine and other stimulants to cope and also crave sugar more, hence the appeal of sweet, caffeinated drinks. They are also, as a consequence, more prone to obesity problems -- go figger!

Mark Lipton

I just don't get the hoards of people who have to "charge"themselves with 5 hour energy drinks, coffee all day long, or any other form of caffeinated stuff. I was shopping in the supermarket one day and a young kid was unloading some super charged product and told me I should try it. "Why, I said, I already have so much energy, it make me tired!" Really, if a person is reasonably healthy, eats well, and sleeps at least 6 to 8 hours, don't we have enough energy to get us through the day? I don't get needing to be supercharged. Being tired, at times, is part of life, it is expected. Thank God, I have a brain and can still use it.

You have put your finger on the problem. A shocking percentage of adults (and an even higher percentage of teenagers) live their lives perpetually sleep deprived. Doctors say that if you need an alarm clock to wake up, you are not getting enough sleep. Studies have also shown that teenagers are more at risk for sleep deprivation because they need more than 8 hr and schools start too early (of course, if they went to bed at 9 pm, that wouldn't be a problem, but how many teenagers [or adults] do that?). Sleep deprived people need caffeine and other stimulants to cope and also crave sugar more, hence the appeal of sweet, caffeinated drinks. They are also, as a consequence, more prone to obesity problems -- go figger!

Mark Lipton

That is what I hear, and how sad it is that the way they run their lives attribute to the problems. We had a 23 year old grandson from Ohio come to stay with us for 6 months. By his own words he told us he needed to focus on his life, get back into shape and be healthy and he knew if he came out to stay with us, we would help him. We agreed. He continued his old habits with computer gaming and staying up half the night. I put up with it for three days, then out went his computer into Gene's workshop. That helped, but then he was glued to the TV. When he got a job that required him to be at work at 8 am, and the fact that he was dealing with oxygen patients and traveling each day to mountain communities he found that he needed more sleep. I persuaded him to get to bed by 9:30 each night., since he hit the gym at 6 am every morning. He agreed to try it and finally because of his good diet, and the rest he was getting, it became a way of life for him and he could not believe how much better he felt. He was not allowed to bring any power drinks into our hose. Since he was working out a a gym 5 days a week, he was allowed the protein drink they suggested drinking during his workouts. He is a healthy, happy guy right now, living away from us but still in town. He learned a lot. He totally got off of fast food too, which made him feel 100 per cent better. What he chooses to do from now on, is up to him.

That is what I hear, and how sad it is that the way they run their lives attribute to the problems. We had a 23 year old grandson from Ohio come to stay with us for 6 months. By his own words he told us he needed to focus on his life, get back into shape and be healthy and he knew if he came out to stay with us, we would help him. We agreed. He continued his old habits with computer gaming and staying up half the night. I put up with it for three days, then out went his computer into Gene's workshop. That helped, but then he was glued to the TV. When he got a job that required him to be at work at 8 am, and the fact that he was dealing with oxygen patients and traveling each day to mountain communities he found that he needed more sleep. I persuaded him to get to bed by 9:30 each night., since he hit the gym at 6 am every morning. He agreed to try it and finally because of his good diet, and the rest he was getting, it became a way of life for him and he could not believe how much better he felt. He was not allowed to bring any power drinks into our hose. Since he was working out a a gym 5 days a week, he was allowed the protein drink they suggested drinking during his workouts. He is a healthy, happy guy right now, living away from us but still in town. He learned a lot. He totally got off of fast food too, which made him feel 100 per cent better. What he chooses to do from now on, is up to him.

What a valuable lesson learned, but how few people are willing to teach it. We are watching this right now in the life of our 8 year old son. His friends at school bring Doritos and gummy bears for snacks and some now drink sodas with their meals. Our son by contrast brings Frosted Mini Wheats as a snack and drinks milk with his meals. Jean and I never felt like zealots or extremists (and still don't) but just trying to raise our child the way we ourselves were raised places us well outside the mainstream of parents today. I don't get it: was my generation of parents so unhappy with their lives as children that felt the need to give their own children all the junk food and soda that they want? One thing that researchers have learned is that the more sweets one has as a young child the more habituated one gets to sweetness and that leads to everything becoming sweet. We feel very fortunate that sweets have always been a treat in our household and never eaten before a meal. (For that matter, we eat three meals with few between-meal snacks, another rarity these days) Of course, we also cook our own meals most days and eat meals together as a family, so that again makes us the exception to the rule these days.

Mark Lipton

Mark, good for you, but I have to tell you that in our little circle of friends, we all cook meals, every night. We are all 65 +. Keep it up and do not be daunted by society. Lead and do not follow!
I don't know your age, but we are 72 and 79.....we always ate our meals together and insisted on it with our children. Unfortunately, they are not following our lead in that respect, but in other ways, mainly discipline, they are.