1. Soda Contains No Nutrition
2. Weight Gain & Obesity - Excess sugar and high fructose corn syrup has been linked to weight gain and obesity.
3. Diabetes - Drinking soda also stresses the body's ability to process sugar. Rapidly absorbed carbohydrates like high fructose corn syrup put more strain on insulin-producing cells than other foods. When sugar enters the bloodstream quickly, the pancreas has to secrete large amounts of insulin for the body to process it.
4. Weakened Bones And Risk Of Osteoporosis - Some scientists believe that the acidity of colas may be weakening bones by promoting the loss of calcium.
5. Dental Caries And Erosion - The acidity can dissolve the mineral content of the enamel, making the teeth weaker, more sensitive, and more susceptible to decay.
6. Kidney Damage - Your body must buffer the acidity of soft drinks with calcium from your own bones. As this calcium is eliminated through your urine, it slowly forms kidney stones.
7. Increased Blood Pressure - Over consumption of fructose, particularly in the form of soft drinks, leads to an increase in blood pressure.
8. Likely To Cause Heartburn
9. Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factor - Metabolic syndrome is a combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.
10. Harmful Effects On Liver - Soda consumption leads to increased risk for liver cirrhosis similar to what chronic alcoholics have.
11. Impaired Digestive System - Soda is the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a pH of about 2.5, about the same as vinegar. Consider that battery acid has a pH of 1 and pure water has a pH level of 7.
Throughout the entire digestive system only the stomach can resist an acidic environment up to pH 2.0. However, the soda passes through all the other organs involved in the digestive system thus causing an abnormal acidic environment.
12. Dehydration - Both caffeine and sugar cause dehydration.
13. High Caffeine Content - High doses of caffeine can cause irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disturbance, excessive urination, irregular heartbeat and other side effects.
14. Toxins - Aspartame - If you think diet soda is better think again. The poison in diet soda is an artificial sweetener aspartame. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol.
Despite FDA approval as a "safe" food additive, aspartame is one of the most dangerous substances added to foods. After you drink an aspartame-sweetened product, aspartame breaks down into its starting components: phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol (that further converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.). There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption.
15. Possible Cell Damage Ability - A new health scare erupted over soft drinks recently amid evidence that they may cause serious cell damage. Research suggests a common preservative, sodium benzoate, has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.
Deirdre Rawlings, ND, PhD advises clients in her local area of Atlanta, Georgia, USA in person as well as remotely, both individuals and groups/corporations. While she has a focus on advising those with fibromyalgia or developing symptoms with a focus on nutrition as solution for wellness, her expertise is global and 'wholistic'. Her complete information can be found at http://www.foodsforfibromyalgia.com/ [1]. She is the author of "Foods that Help Win the Battle Against Fibromyalgia"; check out Amazon.com and Barnes and Nobel.
Links:
[1] http://www.foodsforfibromyalgia.com/
[2] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/15-reasons-not-drink-soda#comment-1266
[3] http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20075358-10391704.html?tag=pop
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/meet-robin-thomas
[5] http://facebook.com/robinthomas.usana
[6] http://linkedin.com/rpthomas
[7] http://twitter.com/robinthomas1
[8] http://robinthomas.biz
[9] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/15-reasons-not-drink-soda#top
[10] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/590%23comment-form
[11] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/590%23comment-form
[12] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/15-reasons-not-drink-soda#comment-1267
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Comments
Perfect! This study confirms so much of your article, Deirdre.
Diet sodas actually increase weight gain
New Study is Wake-up Call for Diet Soda Drinkers [3]
Robin started contributing to Lumigrate in August 2010. "Meet Robin Thomas", a topic in our biographies/vitae forum is at http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/meet-robin-thomas [4] to read all about her journey, which was greatly influenced by the need to help solve her youngest son's significant health challenges. For those who want just the overview here: After working over 22 years in medical research at the University of North Carolina on chronic inflammatory diseases she switched her focus to preventive health in 2004 when she was introduced to USANA Health Sciences. Robin is passionate about helping others improve their health, have more energy, manage their weight, and improve their skin.
I love meeting new friends !
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"I dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health."
-Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences
Good reinforcement, Robin, thanks for posting that link for us to follow and LEARN MORE about it! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [13] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!