Do you crave soft drinks? Part of the reason is the secret formula in Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola products that is highly addictive. These secret ingredients are hidden and undisclosed due to their patents but are so addictive that I have nicknamed it “liquid crack.” There are many diseases linked to soft drink consumption.
Sodas increase insulin levels in the body, which makes one more prone to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, premature aging, arthritis, kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, liver damage, tooth decay, heartburn and acid reflux, hypertension (high blood pressure), impaired digestion, osteoporosis and now we know that it is also linked to various types of cancer.
The types of cancers that increase with high sugar consumption are breast, throat and colon cancer. Some cancers have been seen to disappear upon changing to a keto diet, which removes all carbohydrates from the diet to starve out the cancer cells that then die.
The average person consumes over 40 pounds of sugar per year, and some of this is in the form of high fructose corn syrup used in soft drinks, which is about 20 percent sweeter than white table sugar.
A daily soft drink can cause more than one pound of weight gain monthly; just add two per day and that is a weight gain of 24 pounds a year. In four years, you will have gained almost 100 extra pounds.
People who drink a lot of sodas are more prone to develop risk factors for heart disease. Those who drink more than one soft drink per day are in risk of the development of a metabolic disease, which has the following symptoms: Central obesity, high blood pressure, elevated fasting blood sugar, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and elevated fasting triglycerides.
The sugar content in soft drinks causes blood insulin to rise thereby creating weight gain. Daily soft drink consumption stresses the body’s ability to process sugars. Some researchers believe that the high sugar consumption of Americans has caused the Type 2 diabetes cases to more than triple over the years.
Drinking soft drinks when one should be drinking clean water causes dehydration, which can cause joint pain, premature wrinkling and sagging skin and other symptoms of aging.
The high phosphoric content in colas changes the urine in a way that promotes the formation of kidney stones. The chemicals and carbonation are very hard on the kidneys and can damage them.
Overconsumption of sodas can put you at risk for cirrhosis of the liver. The excess sugar can cause cavities in the teeth. The high acidity can cause heartburn in soft drinks. The carbon dioxide bubbles can cause distention of the stomach.
Some researchers believe that high consumption of soft drinks leads to hypertension and this finding is with both regular and diet soft drinks.
Digestive problems are also seen with soda consumption such as upset of the acid-alkaline balance in the stomach. It can lead to stomach and duodenal lining inflammation.
Dr. Ramona Valentine
Hope this information proves helpful for your quest to good health.
If you have any questions regarding this article, please email me at doctorvalentine@aslimmeryou.us
Dr. Valentine is a weight loss consultant, a health consultant and a chiropractor. You can reach her at 855-771-SLIM (7546) or stop by A Slimmer You at 10300 49th St. N, Suite 211. Log on to www.aslimmeryou.us for more information.
