The Secret to Living Forever—Green Tea?

Certain foods and drinks have developed associated health stigmas throughout the years. Whether they are true or false, positive or negative, the only certain thing is that these stigmas exist. Have you ever been out with your friend who is on a “diet”, and they order a large salad with bacon bits, cheese, croutons, and about a half-gallon of ranch dressing? Most people think they are eating healthy when they order a salad, sometimes failing to realize the cheese, meat (such as fried chicken), and dressing in it can add up to over 1,000 calories. On the other hand, pizza is commonly vilified and associated with pigging out, or eating junk food, but in reality a fresh, homemade slice of pizza can contain a mere 150 calories, while satisfying your cravings! The point is that not all associations hold true—but what about the ones that do?

One of the most revered, and mysterious drinks, is green tea. Green tea has been said to make you healthy and strong, awake and alert, fight cancer, improve memory, vastly increase the duration of your life, and achieve world peace. Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea. How much of what is said about this enigmatic plant is true? What could possibly be in a tea leaf to have such vital, healing effects on people? Believe it or not, the answer is actually simple; catechin polyphenols. Medical research has shown that these catechins are beneficial for the good health of not only humans but also plants. The most influential catechin polyphenol in the green tea leaf is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. This is a very powerful antioxidant, which not only is shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, but it actually kills the cells without causing any harm to the healthy tissue! These catechins are able to prevent the activity of free radicals, another contributor to cellular damage leading to cancer. Furthermore, EGCG has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels, thus decreasing one’s chance of strokes and heart attacks. These are just the scientifically proven health benefits. Many more rumors about this magical leaf have been circulating for thousands of years—and hey—how many of you would have believed that green tea can help fight cancer just a few years ago?

If you are like most people, and don’t believe everything you hear, don’t be so quick to dismiss some of the claims that green tea proponents are, and have been making for thousands of years! Perhaps green tea won’t make you live forever, and cannot bring you infinite wealth and wisdom, but if an apple a day keeps the doctor a way, just imagine what a cup of green tea a day could do! Green tea is one of the main ingredients in Phix Energy—so grab your Phix and a water bottle and get energized and healthy!

The Science Behind Losing Weight—Lose 1 LB in 1 week

To put it simply and state the obvious, to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. Now, I know what you may be thinking—‘I eat 2,000 calories a day, there’s no way I can burn close to that much!’ However, this task isn’t nearly as daunting as you think. Believe it or not, you are CONSTANTLY burning calories, when you’re sitting still, sleeping, or even eating! Everyone burns a different amount of calories, depending on your gender, age, height, and weight, as well as your personal metabolism activity levels. To get a number for about how many calories you expend at REST, while not doing anything, you have to calculate your BMR—Basal Metabolic Rate. You can find your BMR simply in about 10 seconds by using this: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Now that you know how many calories you are burning by doing nothing, let’s get a feel for how many calories you expend on a typical day. Use the following scale to determine your needed caloric intake to maintain weight.

·         Sedentary (little to no exercise): BMR x 1.2

·         Lightly active (light exercise, 1-2 times per week): BMR x 1.3

·         Moderately active (moderate exercise, 3-5 times per week): BMR x 1.5

·         Very active (heavy exercise, 6-7 times per week): BM R x 1.7

Let’s say you are a 25 year old, 5’4” female who weighs 125 pounds. If you are lightly active (you run for 30 minutes, twice a week) you can calculate your needed caloric intake to maintain weight as follows:

BMR = 1382.05

1382.05 * 1.3 = 1796.665. This means that you could consume approximately 1800 calories per day and maintain your current weight (assuming you exercise twice a week, lightly). But what if you want to lose weight? Yes, you need to eat less, or workout more…but how much more?

One pound of body fat is approximately equal to 3,500 calories. To simplify this, if you expend 500 calories more than you consume every day, you will lose 1 LB in 1 week. (7 days * 500 calories = 3,500). Using the previous example, you would either need to consumer 1300 calories a day, burn 500 calories a day, or find a medium; such as consuming 1500 calories and burning 300 calories.

Cut out that Caramel Macchiato in the morning and that mid-day soda and there’s your 500 calories right there! It’s not as hard as it sounds—that morning muffin packs about 500 calories. Sub it for a 100 calorie protein shake with much more nutritious value and you’re almost there. Spend an extra 30 minutes in the gym; go the extra mile—literally! If you set your goals, and keep track of what you are putting into your body, and how many calories you are burning, losing weight can be THAT much easier. When you are able to track your progress, it makes the process so much easier. Who said your 2012 New Year Resolution wasn’t going to last?

Your Friends at Phix

Vitamin B12, Are You Getting Enough?

Are you feeling sluggish and having trouble focusing, especially at night? Are you experiencing low-efficient workouts which require you to rest for 10 minutes after every 5 minutes of exercise? Do you find it difficult to recall things that happened just a few minutes ago?  Do you find yourself in a bad mood, or stressed out over even minor issues? If any two of the above situations have been happening to you, it’s highly probable that your body is giving you  signs that you have a Vitamin B deficiency.

Vitamin B12, a water-soluble vitamin that is commonly found in foods such as fish, shellfish, meat, eggs, and dairy products, is an essential vitamin that protects our nervous system. Permanent deficiency in Vitamin B12 can result in blindness, deafness, dementia, fatigue, and tingling in the hands or feet. Often these symptoms develop gradually over several months to a year before being recognized. However, you don’t need to worry if you have been a typical meat eater for most of your life, your body should have stored enough B12 to prevent overt deficiency for a number of years.

Generally, Vitamin B12 can be found in all animal products, but there is also controversy over whether plant products can be a reliable source of B12 within the nutritionists’ community. The overwhelming mainstream consensus is that plant foods are not an abundant source of vitamin B12, and fortified foods or supplements are necessary for the optimal health of vegans, and even vegetarians in many cases. 

So, for vegans, how can you make sure that your body is getting enough Vitamin B12 and  truly nutritious and balanced meatless meal?

1. Eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least three micrograms (mcg or µg) of B12 a day or
2. Take one B12 supplement daily providing at least 10 micrograms or
3. Take a weekly B12 supplement providing at least 2000 micrograms. 

Most vegans consume enough B12 to avoid anemia and nervous system damage, but many do not get enough to minimize potential risk of heart disease or pregnancy complications. So, be alert when you plan out your new vegan diet. Just to let you know: Phix Energy drink is also an excellent source of Vitamin B12. Each Phix pack contains .0025 mg Vitamin B12. So when you pack up your healthy vegan lunch box, you should take Phix Energy into consideration as wellJ

In Good Health,

Your Friends at Phix 

Ready, set, Zumba!

         Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that you want to do. Often, we have to choose between doing something that we want to do, and something that we ought to do. Now that the New Year has officially commenced, many of us have made resolutions to go back to the gym, while a lot of us have promised that we will make more time for ourselves! Which one of those people are you?  If you had to choose between going out dancing with your friends, and working out, what would you do? Depending on what your goals are, both of these options could sound great to you. You could leave both scenarios either saying: 

     a)  I just got back from dancing with my friends! We alternated between salsa, hip-hop, merengue and even some belly dancing. It was so much fun!

     b)  I just got back from such an intense aerobic workout! I worked out my abs, core, complete lower body, and did a ton of cardio—what a great workout!

        But what if I told you that they are both responses to the same activity, and you could be saying both of those things? Do I have your attention now? Many people look at going to the gym, going for a run, or working out as a chore, or a dreaded activity. Sticking to a workout plan and getting the most out of your time exercising largely depends on your attitude. If you dread it, you may be looking for ways to justify not going to the gym, or you may do the bare minimum just to say that you exercised, and then leave. If you truly enjoyed your workout, why wouldn’t you do it as much as possible? You would.

          That is why Zumba is such a rising trend in the vast and expanding world of fitness. ‘Accidentally’ created by Alberto Perlman and Beto Perez, many refer to Zumba as a “fitness party” or a “dance party”. In fact, Zumba instructors are actually trained to not give too much verbal criticism as to not dampen the positive mood and the fun of the participants. Zumba is a great mix of fun, learning, and exercise—it appeals to so many different people. From those who just love dancing, to those who want to get better at dancing, to people who want to exercise, this combines all of those categories. Not to mention, you do not need a partner for Zumba, you can just show up alone and dance the night away judgment free! Perhaps this is why Perlman has said, "Zumba is liberating and magical.”

          Zumba’s choreography dance styles vary depending on the instructor, or class you are taking. The dancing styles include, but are not limited to, hip-hop, soca, merengue, belly dancing, mambo, salsa, samba, squats, lunges, and even martial arts! One of the coolest parts of Zumba is how much it has grown in the past 5 years or so—Zumba is now available for all ages and thrill seekers! One can take a Zumba class, a Zumba Gold class, classes designed either for active older adults, or for beginner exercisers, Aqua Zumba classes (in the water), Zumba Toning classes in which you use sticks to incorporate different parts of the body, as well as Zumbatomic for children between 4-12 years of age! All of that being said, it is not surprising that for the first time ever, Zumba has cracked the top-10 of the 2012 fitness trend projections list.

          Next time you are thinking about whether you feel like exercising, or doing something fun—do both! If you are feeling tired, instead of vegging on the couch, put on your gym pants and dancing shoes, grab your Phix Energy stix and shake a leg!

New Year Greeting and Resolution of Phix

                                 

Phix, your all-natural energy drink friend wants to take this opportunity to extend our New Year wishes to all our customers and make our continuous commitment in quality manufacturing and community involvement in 2012.

“2011 witnessed a productive year for Phix, and we know that we can’t achieve anything without the support of all our customers,” said Doug Brown, President of Phix. “At the moment while we are ringing in the New Year, the whole Phix team wants to express our most sincere gratitude and best New Year wishes for all the Phix fans.”

Last year, Phix grew fast and spread wide its name and good will across the globe. From sponsoring Badwater Ultra-Marathon Tournament to fuel the self-challenging athletes, teaming up with Grassroots Soccer to raise money for the kids in the AIDS-stricken areas in Africa, the charitable donation in Susan G Komen Foundation to fight against breast cancer, to the engagement in the Muddy Buddy Race for brand building etc., Phix was making every endeavor to develop and give back to the society.

“As a healthy energy drink manufacturer, we know safety and quality of our products should always be our priority,” said Doug, “So besides our community engagement, we also devoted in developing our products to satisfy our customers’ needs, and the upcoming sugar-free Berry Grape energy drink in 2012 is just one of our new progresses in response to our health-oriented customers’ requests.”

Phix is also in the process of holding a blogger contest early 2012 to show the gratefulness for the bloggers who brought the most traffic to the Phix website. Your Phix team is trying our best to give back to each support we were given and we think that appreciation and devotion are the rule-of-thumb which will guide Phix throughout the New Year and also further in the long run.

Again, Phix thanks our customers’ support and we wish each of you a happy and fruitful 2012.

Best Regards,

Phix Team

How to Stay Happy and Healthy This Flu Seas

Fever, headache, fatigue, running nose, sore throat…I am pretty sure those are the last things you would like to experience during the Holiday season when everybody is in party and celebration mode, right? However, while everyone is busy preparing for the most anticipated days of the year, flu viruses are also in the holiday hustle and bustle spirit, since winter is their most active, and favorite season to hang out. You may be wondering, is there any way to cure your flu and to protect yourself against the stubborn viruses? Your friends at Phix have put together a few tips that can help keep you healthy and happy this Holiday season. It could be possible that some small details that you regularly overlook in your daily life are mounting up to become the culprits of an upcoming flu virus!

More fresh vegetables and fruits instead of supplements

If you think that taking several tablets of dietary supplements are enough to ward off the flu, then you are so wrong. Eating a fresh and juicy orange is much better than drinking the instant Vitamin C powder because what you get is the whole package of the nutrition: magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and antioxidant-rich flavonoids. According to scientific research, the reason that fruits and vegetables do a better job of keeping your immune system ready is because they also contain vitamins A and E, as well as the flavonoids that work along with vitamin C to keep your immune system and your whole body healthy.

                                             

Hot baths to kill the viruses

Water vapor and hot baths are the most common home cures for fighting those pesky winter viruses. Either standing in the bathroom with hot water running all over your body or inhaling the vapors over a pot of boiling water can help facilitate decongestion and kill the stubborn virus in the nasal cavities through the high-tempered steam.

Lots of rest

I know it’s hard, especially during holidays, but you have to get a lot of rest if you are already sick or feel yourself coming down with something.

 Many people take it for granted that they can overcome their cold without rest, but actually rest is the most important factor that can help cure winter sicknesses. You need to get some good rest in order for your body to resist the flu virus better, faster and more efficiently. If you have a fever, you should absolutely stay at home, turn off your cell, disconnect your Facebook and Twitter and tuck yourself into bed for the whole day. Plus, avoid exercise and all sorts of physical activity, for 3-4 days in order to give your body and immune system enough energy to fight off the virus.

Hot liquids

Although right now there is still not sufficient scientific research that proves that hot liquids can cure colds, according to Ronald Turner, a cold researcher at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, “Heated drinks have a more intense taste which stimulates the flow of saliva and mucus, lubricate the nose and throat and also may help clear bacteria and viruses.”

Think about it! How does it feel having a bowl of warm and tasty chicken soup when you’re feeling sick and gloomy? Soothed and relieved? Yes, many people consider “grandma’s medicine” the best cure for the cold. The advantage of such a traditional cure comes from the broth, which keeps the body hydrated. Research shows that chicken soup is the most effective, among all soups, due to its high protein content--a substance necessary for our body to build antibodies to fight viruses. Hot soup can also reduce the swelling of the nasal cavities and help fight the sickness and speed up the recovery process.

Phix, your all-natural healthy energy drink can also be your pain reliever. Phix is full of green tea antioxidants, as well as Vitamins C and A, which are all necessary nutrients that can boost the immune system and protect your body against viruses. Mix any of your favorite Phix powders with 12 OZ hot water, and let the steam and fruity taste get you out of the winter blues, and feeling happy and healthy!

Last but not least, try to be in a good mood and maintain a positive attitude because all the warm, cozy thoughts associated with that hot Phix or chicken soup may actually activate a healing response in the bodyJ

In Good Health,

Your friends at Phix

Warm Up, Don’t Burn Out!

Its 3 P.M., and you left your trail mix and dried fruit at home. You never forget your snacks. Ever. Today, you are secretly excited that you get to mix it up a little bit and indulge in something out of the daunting vending machine.  You anxiously walk over to the vending machine and stare down the options, knowing you only have one chance to make this huge, ever-so-important decision. B5— NO, WAIT, B7. Uhh…Your finger nervously goes back and forth between the two. Finally, not knowing if you made the right decision, you press B7 and… wait, what just happened?! The coil kept spinning and TWO of your favorite delicious treats fell right into your eagerly awaiting hands. This is the only analogy I could think of to match the pure ecstasy and satisfaction gained from leaving the gym after an amazing workout, where the weights feel as light as feathers, and the treadmill seems to be getting tired trying to keep up with you. Your spirits are soaring, your confidence is high, and nothing can bring you down. The next day, you feel no soreness at all, so you go back into the gym feeling on top of the world ready to mimic yesterday’s performance. 20 minutes into your workout and something’s not right. Your arms feel like rubber, your legs feel like Jello, and you’re wheezing like a lifetime smoker even though you’ve never before touched a cigarette. This time, you pressed B7 and the coil never spun at all. There are a few reasons this could have happened, we’re going to give you some tips to help you in the gym, preventing burn-out and bad workouts.

 

 Remember when you played little league and you had to stretch and run laps before every game or practice? If you were like me, then you hated that. It’s no coincidence that high school, college, and professional athletes also do this! You should be warming up every single time before any workout you choose to do; be it weights, running, boxing, sports, etc. There are so many benefits to warming up before a workout, it not only increases your recovery and performance for your next session, but it actually directly positively impacts your workout that day! Warming up increases your heart rate and dilates your capillaries, which allows oxygen in the blood to travel faster and at a higher volume, and also enables joints to move more efficiently and with greater flexibility. As the name implies, it also increases the temperature in the muscles, (or warms them up, get it?) which allows increased flexibility, extensibility, and elasticity of muscle fibers, along with increased force and speed of contraction. Also, warming up serves as your best “pre workout” as it releases adrenaline, and increases muscle metabolism. This will supply you with energy through the breakdown of glycogen. On top of this, it also removes lactic acid! Who knew warming up could be so vital to a workout and recovery?

Even the most experienced athletes make some of the same mistakes that people first stepping foot in the gym make. The first mistake ties right into the warm-up. Always do warm-ups relevant to the type of exercise you are going to be doing! If you plan on going for a run, don’t warm up with a light set of bench press, and vice versa. Also, we know that usually more reps of lighter weight gets you “toned” and low reps of higher weight get you “bigger” but don’t only lift heavy weights, or light weights! You need to mix it up, or else your workout will become predictable to your body, and your results may “plateau” or hit a wall. This same concept applies to performing the same workouts over and over. You should be changing your workout plan every month to month and a half, in order to prevent  hitting a plateau. Just because you find a workout that you like, and seems to be working, doesn’t necessarily mean it will continue to work if you don’t change it up!

There are many ways to get burnt out, both physically and mentally—take heed to a couple of these easy tips to not only make your exercise more enjoyable, but to also get more out of your sessions! Also, we know that your energy and intensity levels are high when you’re in the gym, and you want to do as much as you can while you’re there. Sometimes, you don’t realize you’re tired because your adrenaline is pumping-- until you hit a wall and can barely lift your arms. To prevent this, always take time to rest up between sets. It is important to not take too much time, but not rush right into your next set, lap, or exercise either. If you time yourself between sets, take about 1-2 minutes (depending on the intensity and weight/reps ratio you are doing) and then get back at it!

          Even if you follow all of these tips, there are still certain things that are hard to prevent. Burning yourself out, both physically and mentally, is one extremely easy way to not only ruin your workout for the day, but ruin your exercise habits as a whole. The first mistake most new-comers to the gym make is that they are too gung-ho about their new workout routine so they do not pace themselves properly. Do not go to the gym every day, because when you are building muscle, the REST days are when the muscle repairs itself! Everybody is different, and it depends what kind of exercise you are doing, but as a general safe-bet rule, don’t work out more than 4 days of the week, giving yourself at least 3 days to repair the muscle.  Along the same lines, do not overwork yourself in individual training sessions. Do not keep running until you can’t move your legs, or keep lifting weights until your body is too sore to get out of bed. This will not only deter you from going back to your workout plan the next day, but even if you do go, you may be too sore to get a get work out in.

It is also easy, believe it or not, to mentally burn yourself out. By failing to switch up your routine, not only can you plateau, but you can also just straight out get bored! If the motivation is not there, it is going to be very hard, if not impossible, to convince yourself to work out on a consistent basis. On the same note, if you have been working out for half a year straight, (of course with your regular days off), maybe it is time to take a week or two off. I know a lot of you may think you would not be able to get back into the habit, but more likely, if you continue to work out with no breaks, you will just lose interest in working out altogether as it will have become a mundane chore. Finally, keep the right attitude! Everyone is going to have bad days in the gym, it doesn’t mean you aren’t making progress or regressing—it happens to everyone. Regardless of how good, or bad your results are, stick to your workout plan and schedule. Do not increase your days, mileage, or weights, just because you are getting great results, but rather stick to your designed plan. At the same time, if you are gaining weight, or losing muscle (depending on your goals), and that is not what you want do NOT give up on your workout plan—give it a few weeks or a month before you decide if it is working or not. Remember, to put it in a language you may understand. Working out is a marathon, not a sprint. Hang in there!

See you at the finish line,

Your friends at Phix

Winter Wonderland

There seems to be a direct correlation between weather (temperature) and activeness. The nicer the weather is the more active people seem to be. However, when the weather gets cold, simple activities such as waking up for work suddenly become a chore; running out in the freezing cold to warm the car up, checking the weather report, bundling up before leaving, and whatever weird rituals we may have to stay dry and warm. We get home, drink something hot, grab a blanket, and head to the couch for some quality ‘comfort time’. Not a very pretty picture I just painted, now is it? Sadly this holds true for some, if not most of us. Fortunately, while the cold weather, and the early darkness is viewed as disgusting, gloomy, and even depressing by most, believe it or not, there are many that not only live for this time of year, but are the most active in the winter as well!

No, I’m not talking about Eskimos, Penguins, or Canadians (just kidding, of course). When you think of athletes, who do you think of? Mostly football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis players right? That’s because while the majority of us are vegging on our couch drinking hot chocolate and hitting the bag of Cheese Doodles, these athletes are hitting the slopes, tearing up the ice, or even participating in team sports that many people are unaware even exists—such as curling, a team sport that is a similar equivalent to bocce ball on ice. If you think I’m lying, check it out yourself; believe it or not, this is a winter OLYMPIC sport!

With so many winter sports to choose from, being slothful due to inclement weather is not only a bad excuse, but is really a shame! With so many activities to choose from, pick one up, and we guarantee that you too, will be waiting for winter time. Of course, there is snowboarding and skiing. There are many different forms of each though; you can due cross country skiing which is long distance skiing on a flatter surface along a trail, or downhill skiing, which is just what it sounds like, skiing down slopes, hills, or even mountainsides for those more advanced. For professional skiers and snowboarders, wide arrays of activities are available, including ‘vert’ ramps, jumps, trick moves, and halfpipes! If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Winter X Games on ESPN, you’re in for a real treat. These are extreme athletes that do some things you never would have imagined possible on skis, snowboards, and even snowmobiles!

For a more family oriented fun time (that can also double as a workout), head over to a local ice rink and do some ice skating. Ice skating is like riding a bike, it may take a few minutes to get comfortable and gain your balance, but once you do, it’s something that you can take with you for the rest of your life. For those more advanced, there is figure skating, which you can either do alone, or with a partner. This is synchronized skate-dancing, and is a very, very elegant and beautiful activity. For the tougher people out there, along with the extreme thrill seekers, pick up some skates, grab a stick, and play some hockey! This is definitely not for everyone, but for those who enjoy a tough, physical sport, this may just be perfect for you. All you football players out there, if you think you are tough, try this one out!  

Whether you are looking for a new hobby, a fun activity to pass the ‘dead-time’ in the winter, a great new workout, or a way to get out of the house and break the glum slump the winter can cause sometimes, there are great activities for those of all ages! So get off your couch, but down the chips, and get out there and try something new and exciting that will also benefit you!

Stay cold this winter,

Your friends at Phix

Gettin’ Down and Dirty

What if you were forced to wake up at 5 in the morning, dress up in a Halloween costume, run and bike through a vigorous course, scale a wall, and army crawl through a mud pit big enough and gross enough to intimidate pigs? What if I told you that people voluntarily did this every year? About 1,500 participants signed up this year to indulge in the annual Muddy Buddy race. Our thoughts went something like this: “it’s early, it’s physically demanding, and by all hygienic standards, it’s disgusting. We must do it!” Team Phix couldn’t resist the challenge, or the chance to throw mud all over their kids (as opposed to the other way around, for once) and not get in trouble for it. 

    

Before the first race began, at about 7 a.m. there was a costume contest with some pretty awesome prizes given out to the winners. Remember, however these fun-loving thrill seekers dressed up was how they had to race! Because Muddy Buddy is a team event (two racers per team), there were a lot of team costumes too. Everyone had a great time with this part of the event!

Next, came time for the adult Muddy Buddy event. Team Phix had 2 different duos getting muddy for this one. This race was a tough and extremely muddy, yet fun one. The official Muddy Buddy website describes this course by saying, “At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course. At the end of the race, racers crawl through the infamous Mud Pit crossing the finish line together as official “Muddy Buddies”!”

               

             

             Now time for good, old fashioned, parent-child quality bonding time…Mini Muddy Buddy! This smaller course calls for good times for everyone. The little chicks and dudes finally get to roll around in the mud without being yelled at by the big bad parents who don’t want their entire month’s budget to go to interior detailing. On the other end of the spectrum, if mom or dad happens to “accidentally” push their kid face first into the mud after that hour long whine-fest in the car earlier that morning, so be it J Of course, I’m just kidding, and everyone had a great time getting muddy together!

               

                                                    
             Once the final races ended, the MC gathered everyone together at the main stage for the award ceremony, to honor the fastest mud-crawlers out there. After a strenuous, and tiring course like this, everyone needed to stay hydrated, refreshed, and energized. Guess who provided free refreshments for everyone? That’s right, your friends at Phix did, and it sure was a hit! Awards and Phix were handed out to the participants as well as bystanders. Although Team Phix did not place in the timed awards, seeing the hundreds of smiles on everyone’s face was prize enough for us!

As we took the Phix tent down and got ready to leave, something incredible occurred right behind us. Earlier in the day, we saw a large group of people racing in tuxedos and dresses. We thought this was part of the costume contest; but it was so much more than that. As we looked behind us, there was an altar set up, a group of bridesmaids, a best man, and a very, very muddy bride and groom. There was a REAL wedding happening right in front of our eyes, after they all participated in Muddy Buddy! If that isn’t the perfect way to end a great day full of laughter, memories, and well, mud, then I don’t know what is!

Stay muddy my friends,

Phix

5 Most Dangerous Holiday Hazards You Might Neglect

Everyone loves the Holidays. But it won’t be all fun and games if you neglect some hidden, holiday-exclusive dangers that might ruin your fun and even threaten your life. Here are the most overlooked holiday hazards with the highest incidence rates. Check some of these tips out so you can avoid any injures and enjoy a worry-free and relaxing holiday party!

Deep-Fried-Turkey Fireballs

From 1998 to 2007, there were at least 138 incidents involving turkey fryers that caused 36 injuries and more than $7.8 million in property loss. Your best bet is to avoid the complicated procedure of using one altogether. Not to mention, it takes longer to prepare the turkey and is a poor health choice in a season already full of gluttony! But if you must deep-fry your bird, follow your fryer's instructions carefully, and listen to the safety tips.

Poisonous Holiday Plants

Keep the holly or mistletoe away from the kids and pets. The man-made pine cones or even real falling berries can be toxic and probably pose a hazard of poison and choking.

Holiday Heart Attacks

It's the worst time of year for heart trouble, with heart-related deaths peaking in late December and early January Heavy holiday stress ignoring chest pain in fear of disrupting the festive mood, skipping meds in the hustle and bustle of things, and understaffed hospitals all contribute to this deadly hazard. So keep your routine medicine intake the same and of course, moderation of everything is the key.

Flammable Christmas Trees

Each year, more than 400 residential fires involve Christmas trees, resulting in as many as 40 deaths and 100 injuries. Even though Christmas trees cause the fewest holiday-related fires, they account for the greatest percentage of deaths, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So how about buying a flame-resistant artificial one?

Decorating Disasters

Decorations sure are pretty, but the fact that more than 5,000 people are injured in decorating-related falls each holiday season is not. To make sure you're not a statistic this year, do the following when stringing lights or hanging mistletoe:

• Check that the ladder is on secure and level ground.

• Space the ladder 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet high it reaches.

• Stay centered between rails and do not overreach.

• Don't step on the top two rungs.

• For roof access, extend the ladder at least 3 feet above the roof.

• Keep the top and the bottom of the ladder clear of obstacles.

• Make sure the ladder is locked open.

Keep those tips in mind and now you can go have fun!

Be safe,

Your Friends at Phix