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12 Things You Should Know about the Dangers of Drinking Soda

Posted on April 12th, 2010 by admin  |  3 Comments »

It’s no secret that massively aggressive advertising has attracted people to the taste and energy-boosting, caffeine effect of soda. But behind the pleasure of drinking soda lurks serious dangers to your health. Doctors say that extreme soda consumption can increase the likelihood of suffering from a wide range of chronic and debilitating conditions including muscle weakness and paralysis.

kids drinking soda

Research by Dr. Clifford Packer in 2009 explains that heavy soda consumption can decrease your blood potassium to “dangerously low levels” which may result in a condition called hypokalemia. Potassium depletion can lead to diarrhea and other conditions. If you have a pre-existing condition like congestive heart failure, it can even increase your risk of death.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, a natural health expert, also affirms this danger: “Soda is on my list of the five absolute worst things you can consume, and it’s the number one source of calories for most Americans.”

 

Discover the Health Risks of Drinking Too Much Soda

Dr. Mercola breaks down the 12 ways that soda harms your health:

  1. Weight Gain – Drinking soda is one of the major causes of obesity. Watch out for all kinds of soda–especially diet sodas which will likely cause you to gain weight.
  2. Diabetes – Soda is loaded with fructose, and over consumption of fructose can lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
  3. Kidney Disease – High phosphoric content in soda alters your urine and promotes kidney stone formation.
  4. Tooth Decay – Soda’s acidic property has the ability to dissolve tooth enamel and is linked to increasing incidences of tooth decay.
  5. Heartburn (Acid Reflux) – Soda can trigger this burning and painful sensation in your esophagus.
  6. Liver Damage – Over consumption of soda can lead to liver cirrhosis–a potentially fatal disease that impairs your liver’s ability to function.
  7. Heart Disease – Drinking soda raises your risk of developing high blood pressure and obesity–which contribute to heart disease.
  8. Osteoporosis – Soft drink consumption can impair your body’s ability to absorb calcium which can weaken your bones.
  9. Poor Digestive Health – Soda can disrupt the delicate acid-alkaline balance of your stomach and gastric lining. This can lead to inflammation of your stomach and duodenal lining.
  10. Conditions Related to Caffeine Consumption – Insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, rapid heartbeat, and gastrointestinal upset may result from heavy soda consumption.
  11. Hypertension – Excessive soda consumption has been associated with an increase in blood pressure levels.
  12. Gout – A recent study reveals that soda consumption can contribute to gout.

Replace Soda with Pure & Clean Water

If you think that staying away from soda is impossible, think again. One of the simplest steps you can take is to refrain from buying and drinking soft drinks.

“Replacing soda and other sugary drinks with clean, pure water may be one of the most important dietary changes you can implement that will have a major impact on your health.” adds Dr. Mercola.

But he warns not to drink tap water or bottled water, citing the likely contamination that comes from fluoride, arsenic, lead, and other toxins found in your water supply. He recommends getting a high quality water filter, which will ensure that you’re getting safe, potable water.

If you want to find out more about water filters, check other articles on this site.

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Responses to “12 Things You Should Know about the Dangers of Drinking Soda”

  1. Jen says on :

    Plus, soda will deplete vitamins in your body.

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