There is a great deal of controversy about what constitutesan unhealthy diet and how precisely to define ‘junk food’. In general, however,it can be stated that an unhealthy diet is one which does not contain a goodbalance of all the components of the diet which are necessary to health, orwhich is eaten in excess of the body’s requirements, or which places a strainon the body’s metabolic system by introducing toxins and chemicals such aspreservatives and colouring which interfere with the natural processes of theliver and intestine. Particularly toxic components of many people’s daily dietsare tea, coffee, and alcohol.
Both tea and coffee contain caffeine, which is a nervoussystem stimulant, and which can be habit-forming. Cola-based drinks alsocontain caffeine, and children in particular can become addicted to them.Alcohol on the other hand is a central nervous system depressant, which exertsits effects by loosening the inhibitions, which usually prevent us from actingin an anti-social fashion. Whether stimulants of depressants, all these agentshave two things in common - they all have a rebound effect (hangover) whentheir effects wear off, which can only be countered by waiting for them toeliminate themselves from the body , or more commonly, taking more of them;secondly, they are harmful to the body’s metabolism, particularly when taken inexcess.
Tip: A pleasant and satisfying hot drink can be made bysoaking a slice of lemon in hot water and drinking it. Alternatively, herb teassuch as rooibos tea, chamomile tea, or hibiscus tea or any of the herbal teamixtures can be pleasant and refreshing without being toxic to the body.
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