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JUNE, 2006 NEWSLETTER
3430-D Anderson Hwy, Powhatan VA 23139 ~ 804-598-5352 ~ www.herbalconsultant.com
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SODA FACTS
Anyone who knows me also knows that I strongly believe soda consumption is one of the major contributors to bad health in the world. Sodas have nothing to offer nutritionally except wasted calories, caffeine, sugar and/or harmful artificial sweeteners, and acidic carbonation. When I gave up drinking sodas many years ago, my digestive disorders improved, my skin improved, and I had more energy. Dr. Joseph Mercola reports that sodas account for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States and more than 15 billion gallons were sold in 2000. That works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child in the country. Here are some more alarming statistics about sodas:
* Carbonated soda pop provides more added sugar in a typical 2-year-old toddler's diet than cookies, candies and ice cream combined.
* Fifty-six percent of 8-year-olds down soft drinks daily, and a third of teenage boys drink at least three cans of soda pop per day.
* Since 1978, soda consumption in the U.S. has tripled for boys and doubled for girls. Young males ages 12-29 are the biggest consumers at over 160 gallons per year-that's almost 2 quarts per day.
*Sodas are sold in 60 percent of all public and private middle schools and high schools nationwide, according to the National Soft Drink Association (2005). [Recently, the soft drink industry agreed to stop selling sodas and sell sports drinks, flavored waters, & juices. Some sports drinks and juices have as much or more sugar than sodas, so be cautious!]
* There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce can of soda. In an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (November, 2004), researchers found that women drinking one or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks a day were twice as likely to develop diabetes as women who drank fewer than one a month. Even when they considered such factors as weight, diet and lifestyle differences, the researchers still found that women drinking sugary sodas were 1.3 times as likely to develop diabetes.
* Over the past 25 years, the incidence rates of esophageal cancer have risen by more than 570 percent in white American men. Esophageal cancer kills almost all its victims, according to the American Cancer Society. The number of esophageal cancer cases directly follows the rise in intake of carbonated soft drinks, as concluded by a team of researchers at Tata Memorial Hospital in India. They studied U.S. Department of Agriculture data that showed carbonated soft drinks cause the stomach to distend, which in turn causes the gastric reflux associated with esophageal cancer. They concluded that drinking sodas greatly increases our risk of getting esophageal cancer. This data held true in other countries the researchers studied.
* Even Sunkist Orange has caffeine and Mountain Dew is loaded with it. Caffeine is an addictive drug which increases stress and the risk of heart disease. An article in Psychosomatic Medicine (May/June 1998;60) points out that caffeine elevates both blood pressure and heart rate which, over an extended period of time, can lead to heart attacks and/or strokes. While plenty of caffeine-free alternatives are available, they account for less than 9% of total market share among the top 10 sodas, according to Beverage Digest (March 4, 2005).
* Vitamin A, calcium and magnesium are all depleted in our bodies when we drink sodas. A recent study published by the American Society for Bone Mineral Research showed a link between daily soft drink consumption and low bone density. Phosphoric acid contained in soda interferes with bone mineral absorption. A typical can of cola contains 44 to 62 mg of phosphoric acid. Low bone density often leads to osteoporosis.
* The USDA reports that one-fifth of one and two year-old children consume soft drinks. Toddlers drink an average of seven ounces per day.
* Per the FDA, cancer-causing levels of benzene have been found in at least 5 types of sodas. In Great Britain, sodas that contain benzene have been banned completely. Benzene, a chemical linked to leukemia, can form in soft drinks containing two ingredients: Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, and either of the two preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate. (ABC News, 5/19/06)
Other health risks of sodas include kidney stones, tooth decay and obesity. And we could write an entire book about the dangers of the artificial sweeteners in sodas! If you'd like to make a change from sodas, try these alternatives: herbal teas, 100% fruit juices diluted half and half with water (to cut down on sugar content), and lots of good old pure, fresh, un-carbonated and un-flavored water!
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Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity."
~ World Health Organization, 1948
“It is much more important to know what sort of
patient has a disease than what sort of disease a patient has.”
(1849
– 1919)
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“Let food be your medicine and
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