| acts: | | | | Healthy Alternatives |
| • Sodas with added sugars act as a | | | | Biologically, we drink liquids for two reasons: to |
| diuretic, flushing water and minerals from the | | | | flush the system of impurities; to minimize the |
| body. These drinks actually make one thirstier. | | | | amount of food we eat. Consider the following to |
| • Carbonated beverages contain | | | | quench your thirst: |
| excessive amounts of phosphorous. This | | | | Water. The ultimate thirst quencher. However, not |
| interferes with calcium uptake in the body, greatly | | | | all forms are safe. The EPA (environmental |
| exacerbating the effects of osteoporosis in | | | | protection agency) says our drinking water is |
| middle-aged woman. The same effects are true | | | | safe. They analyze 30 elements in our water to |
| for men; the only difference being a 10-15 year | | | | determine purity. Dozens of highly regarded |
| lag before becoming obvious. | | | | independent scientific studies show that the levels |
| • The amount of caffeine in regular soda | | | | of substances the government says are safe, are |
| is 45 mg. per 12 oz. Children who drink six cans | | | | not. While testing for thirty elements sounds very |
| per day are exposed to more caffeine than | | | | impressive, there are over three hundred |
| adults drinking two cups of strong coffee per | | | | elements comprising our water. Tap water is not |
| day, while weighing half as much. | | | | healthy; it is dangerous, filled with heavy metals. |
| • Soft drinks cause weight gain due to the | | | | Only distilled water goes through the heating and |
| ‘cephalic phase response’ – | | | | purification needed to insure safety. Artisan spring |
| a reflex established when the brain reacts to | | | | water, well water, etc., do not go through these |
| sweet tastes and is tricked into sending false | | | | steps and are not fit to drink. |
| messages to the liver. When sugars (artificial or | | | | Green Tea. Because our diet consisting primarily |
| natural) stimulate the tongue, the brain programs | | | | of processed foods, we do not ingest nearly |
| the liver to prepare for the acceptance of new | | | | enough anti-oxidants. Further, some foods and |
| energy. The liver in turn, stops manufacturing | | | | drinks, because of their make-up, require the |
| glucose from the protein and starch reserves and | | | | body to draw on its stores of anti-oxidants to |
| instead begins to store the metabolic fuels that | | | | process them. Soft drinks fall into this category. |
| are circulating in the blood. When the sugar that | | | | There is one liquid that will not only satisfy our |
| was promised by the taste buds is nowhere to | | | | thirst, but also add to the body’s stores |
| be found, the brain and liver panic – | | | | of anti-oxidants: Green Tea. It contains |
| instructing the person to eat more. | | | | polyphenols (a powerful class of antioxidants). By |
| • The carbonation in soft drinks – | | | | weight, polyphenols comprise about 30% of the |
| when ingested in conjunction with food - bloats | | | | green tea leaf. One recent study compared |
| the system, disrupts the release of stomach acids | | | | polyphenols with the standard of antioxidants, |
| (interfering with digestion), and halts the | | | | vitamin E. The green tea extract was shown to |
| absorption of minerals. | | | | pack 200 times the antioxidant punch of vitamin |
| • Sodas with added sugar have been | | | | E. Drink up. But drink the right liquids for all the |
| implicated in ADD, adult onset diabetes, and a | | | | right reasons. |
| litany of other health problems. | | | | Tid-Bit: Diet That Can Save Your Vision |
| • Caffeine and aspartame (the primary | | | | Macular degeneration affects up to 25% of people |
| sweetener in the majority of diet soft drinks) are | | | | age 75 and older and is the leading cause of |
| Excitotoxins, chemicals that excite brain cells till | | | | blindness in those over age 55. In a recent study |
| they die. They are very similar to MSG in their | | | | including 260 patients over a ten-year period, |
| deleterious effect on the nervous system. | | | | elderly people who had early signs of macular |
| • A new study found that significant | | | | degeneration risked faster vision loss if their diets |
| correlation between carbonated beverage | | | | were high in specific types of fat, including trans |
| consumption and esophageal andenocacinoma | | | | fats in processed baking goods. Diets high in |
| decades later. In the past 25 years, the number | | | | saturated fat from red meat and dairy products |
| of cases of this cancer has risen by 570% among | | | | also increased risk but not as much. Those whose |
| Caucasian men in the U.S. – the group that | | | | diets were high in omega-3 fatty acids, found in |
| consume the most soft drinks. | | | | fish and nuts, had the lowest risk. |