Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Columbia University Medical Center studied the soda-drinking habits of 2,564 people in a multi-ethnic, urban population over a 10-year period, and discovered that daily drinkers had a 43 percent higher risk of having a vascular event than non-drinkers.
In today's fast paced climate, where zero calorie sodas find their way in many people's daily lives as an assumed healthier alternative to sugary drinks, many are disregarding much solid evidence showing that diet sodas are associated with multiple side effects.
The Ingredients:
Caffeine is quite dehydrating. For every ounce of soda, one needs 2 ounces of water to handle the toxin level. Caffeine causes irritability and palpitations in some. Caffeine elevates cortisol levels which contributes to weight gain, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. It is addictive in nature and depletes B-vitamins, especially B1 (thiamine). Fatigue, nervousness, general aches and pains, and headaches are all symptoms of a low B1 level. This level can be assessed by your physician. It contributes to a general malabsorptive state, and therefore depletes a variety of minerals as well, leading to fatigue and muscle cramps.
The FDA granted aspartame, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar, a "generally recognized as safe" status, or GRAS. It is composed of two amino acids – phenylalanine and aspartic acid, and contains 10% methyl alcohol, a light volatile flammable liquid alcohol used as a solvent and anti-freeze. It is a known neurotoxin.
Saccharin is quite dangerous as well. It is a non-caloric petroleum derivative and is 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is excreted unchanged in the urine being that it is not modified by the body.
Phosphoric acid's acidic nature dissolves calcium out of the bones. Caucasian women in particular have been shown to suffer from osteoporosis in the setting of high phosphoric acid intake (soda & coffee).
In spite of this study and prior research on the ill-effects of diet drinks, the diet soda industry is not going downhill after this study, especially being that soft drinks in general account for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States.
Note to my beautiful Blog-aficionados: Consider trading in your diet soda, diet anything, regular soda, Red Bull, and Monster drinks for Arbonne's Energy Fizz tabs. So many of my patients have made the switch.
Check out http://mymdplanb.myarbonne.com/ for ingredient information.
Safer, Cleaner, and Better in 2012.
MUAAAH
Tina
