| Pop, soda, or soda pop, whichever name you prefer, | | | | tablespoons of regular table sugar in them. The larger |
| let's face it, is an American icon. I, like many of my | | | | ones have much more. If you drink a few cans of |
| patients, grew up with it and couldn't get enough of | | | | soda a day, you're consuming way more sugar than |
| that ice cold blast of sugary delight hitting the back | | | | is healthy and can be contributing to obesity. The |
| of my dry throat after playing outside on a hot | | | | sugar and acid in soda also contributes to tooth |
| summer day. Who can forget all those rainbow | | | | decay and, as you get older, can put you at risk for |
| colored, knee-high glass bottles of soda with the | | | | developing type 2 diabetes. In kids all this excess |
| delicious fruity names and flavors? | | | | sugar can also aggravate attention deficit disorder |
| Years ago, soda was considered a once in a while | | | | which is running rampant in kids these days. |
| treat. Today, it's become a staple in our refrigerators. | | | | Caffeine: If you're an adult with a healthy heart and |
| Americans consume an incredible 160 gallons of soda | | | | nervous system, a little caffeine in moderation is |
| a year! Next time you're in the check out line at the | | | | okay and can help you feel alert and energized. Too |
| grocery store, look at how much soda people have in | | | | much, however, and you won't be able to sleep, can |
| their baskets! Better yet, look at all the soda bottles | | | | cause heart palpitations, or bring on a bout of gastric |
| returning - some people need several baskets just to | | | | reflux acid. Those trendy "designer" cola drinks in |
| haul them. | | | | those slim little silver cans pack an even higher wallop |
| As I explain to my patients, our obsession with soda | | | | of caffeine. In children, who often substitute sodas |
| consumption has taken its toll on the overall health of | | | | instead of a healthier drink, the caffeine consumption |
| people in the US. Bone loss issues, like osteoporosis | | | | can overwhelm their nervous systems. Some soft |
| (loss of bone density) or osteomalacia (bone | | | | drinks can contain as much caffeine in them as a cup |
| softening), and other bone related diseases are | | | | of coffee! The caffeine jolt is just way too intense |
| growing in numbers. Add to that tooth decay and | | | | for them and can contribute to behavior problems. |
| destruction of tooth enamel as well as chronic | | | | Is There A Healthy Alternative To Soda? |
| gastritis is seen now even in young teenagers. | | | | I'm glad you asked. The answer is, yes, of course! |
| You see, what all those enticing advertisements don't | | | | First of all, drinking a soda here and there is okay. |
| tell us is that drinking soda on a regular basis can set | | | | We need to go back to considering it a "treat" rather |
| you up for developing obesity and type 2 diabetes, | | | | than the dietary staple it seems to have become. |
| osteoporosis, chronic stomach irritation, tooth decay, | | | | Try to limit your soda consumption like this: |
| and a whole host of other ailments and diseases later | | | | Go Free: Look for caffeine free, sugar-free soda |
| in life. | | | | sweetened with Splenda or sucralose. Read the labels. |
| They Taste So Great, How Can They Be So Bad? | | | | Leave the "aspartame" sweetened sodas alone as |
| The biggest consumers of soda are 12-29 year-old | | | | this chemical additive causes a whole other list of |
| males, and its consumption has tripled for boys and | | | | neurological problems. |
| doubled for girls since 1978. Like everything else in | | | | In addition, consider these healthier alternatives: |
| America, the size of soft drink containers has gotten | | | | Make your own! That's right. Health food and |
| bigger and bigger. That petite little 6-1/2 ounce size | | | | better grocery stores now sell an array of sugar-free |
| of soda that I, and most of my over 40 patients | | | | flavorings that you can mix with seltzer water, or |
| used to drink as a kid, has been replaced by | | | | just plain water, to make a refreshing and tasty soft |
| containers that look like something the Colossus of | | | | drink without the sugar, caffeine or chemical additives |
| Rhodes would drink out of! | | | | that the soda companies put in. |
| Like me, my patients associate soda pop with a | | | | Switch To H20 Soft Drinks: Try adding a few |
| pleasant memory from childhood like the ice cream | | | | slices of lemon or lime to ice water, add a little |
| truck or the local candy store. It's hard, then, to get | | | | stevia, sucralose, or Xylitol powdered sweeteners |
| their head around the idea that this seemingly | | | | found in grocery stores. Or, try adding a little real |
| innocent childhood treat could really cause them, and | | | | fruit juice to ice water and get a light, refreshing, |
| their children, so many health problems. It's just | | | | chemical-free "soft" drink as well as upping your |
| sugar, flavoring and fizz right? | | | | water intake. Try commercially bottled, flavored |
| First of all, let's talk about the main ingredients in soda | | | | waters. Grocery stores have been selling these for |
| - phosphorus, sodium bicarbonate, sugar, caffeine, | | | | several years now in flavors like tangerine, raspberry, |
| and what kind of health havoc they can wreak. | | | | lime, strawberry-kiwi, and many others. They are |
| Phosphorus: Leeches calcium out of bones. Low blood | | | | free from sugar, sodium bicarbonate, caffeine, |
| calcium can lead to osteoporosis and damaged | | | | phosphorus and really taste great cold! |
| arteries. The two most popular colas on the market | | | | Create A Soda Bank: A good incentive for both |
| today contain a very high quantity of phosphorus and | | | | you and your kids to kick the soda habit might be to |
| no calcium. This can create a significant problem for | | | | put the amount of money you would spend on soda |
| those of us over 40 who have trouble absorbing | | | | into a bank and at the end of each month buy a |
| calcium from our diets anyway, especially menopausal | | | | special treat for all of you (not soda!) with it. |
| women who are at higher risk for osteoporosis and | | | | Breaking the soda pop habit can be hard, especially if |
| fractures. It can also pose a problem in children | | | | you've been consuming them since childhood. They |
| whose bones are still growing and increase their risk | | | | can be very addictive because of the caffeine in |
| of fractures dramatically. In addition, in people who | | | | them, taste good when you're thirsty, and can be |
| consume sodas regularly, the lining of their throats | | | | associated with pleasant childhood memories that |
| and esophagus can become quite inflamed. | | | | make us happy. In addition, there's usually a soda |
| Inflammation is now known to set the stage for | | | | vending machine almost everywhere you go luring |
| serious disease to develop. | | | | you to grab a cold one! |
| Sodium Bicarbonate: Sodium bicarbonate is used in | | | | However, as mentioned earlier, enjoying a soda here |
| soft drinks to make them less acidic. However, with | | | | and there won't hurt you, especially if you remember |
| sugar, caffeine, and phosphoric acid, there is still a lot | | | | to make sure your calcium intake is enhanced with a |
| of acid in sodas. This excess dietary acid can | | | | good supplement. Remember to stick to the |
| contribute to inflammation of the lining of your | | | | sugar-free and caffeine-free type sodas. As I tell my |
| esophagus and stomach. No wonder that people who | | | | patients who have children, it's best if you wean the |
| drink a lot of soda have chronic stomach irritation | | | | whole family away from soda with one of the |
| that goes away when they stop drinking so much. | | | | healthier alternatives listed above as you'll be doing |
| High acid content in the body can cause inflammation | | | | everyone's bones, teeth, stomach, and weight a big |
| in joints and contribute to arthritis and even cancer. | | | | favor! |
| Sugar: The average size soft drink has several | | | | |