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We Have a Problem; Energy Drinks Are the Symptom
The other day I was at a gas station. You know the kind, like a vending machine on steroids? I was looking, in vain, for sparkling water, instead I found a massive case filled with an incredible array of energy drinks.
When I went up to the counter to pay for my un-sparkling bottle of water, I mentioned it to the young clerk. He said he loved energy drinks; I kind of whined and said, “But they’re full of crap!” and he responded with a shrug. With a smile I said that he’d probably not be so cavalier when he got to be my age. He laughed. (I’m sure he thought I was just another old lady.)
But it got me thinking: What’s going on that our young people need energy drinks? Why do they appeal? Why do young adults feel the need for more energy? What drives a 16-year-old or a 23-year-old to say, “I am exhausted and need more energy?” Isn’t that an age where energy should be exploding out of them? Didn’t parents years ago try to find ways to harness that energy?
I’m far removed from the young generation, but since my mission is to be a catalyst for healthy change, thought I might posit a few ideas about why the energy drink phenomenon. It makes the most sense to start with a diet upgrade; It will automatically boost energy which will spur an increase in movement, which will in turn reduce stress and allow for better…
