Brain Boosta

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braintoniq.com

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Confounded again by the Kwik-e-Mart’s energy-drink array, I found myself nervous as I reached for a can of TRUETONIQS BRAIN TONIQ ($2.59 per 8.4oz can, braintoniq.com). I’ve become accustomed to the sugary spikes and jittery caffeine crashes that accompany my hectic lifestyle, so I was hesitant to put 1,830mg of healthy energy into my body. But all went well: the all-natural Toniq, first devised to revitalize zombie-eyed computer programmers, boasts neither caffeine nor processed sugar. Instead, it’s made with Rhodiola root, choline, DMAE, eleuthero (Siberian ginseng), and an extract of wild blue-green algae. Sweetened with organic agave nectar and citrus extracts, Brain Toniq, true to the pitch, delivers quick focus and no “crashes,” making it good for cragging pick-me-ups.

—Leah Miller

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"The Nutcracker" explores the mental challenges of solo climbing and the tactics Cornell used to help him send the route.