Are you starting to consider replacing that soda with another beverage that will not only keep you from harming your bodily systems and your mental and emotional states, but WILL actually hydrate you? Old habits can die hard, however, understanding what is actually going on inside of you and the short and long-term effects of soda can be just the ticket to help you make that decision for change much easier. Let’s continue exploring the ingredients of soda and their effects.
- Addictive properties – Sugar, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup ( HFCS), artificial sweeteners and caffeine are the most notable. The beverage as a whole makes us crave more simply because it is actually dehydrating the body instead of replenishing it.
- Sugar is usually the most common evil brought up when discussing sodas. It is a major culprit of metabolic imbalance giving us highs and lows from the spikes in our system. Insulin is the vehicle through which sugar enters and exits the cell; however, the pancreas becomes taxed over time, unable to keep up with the demand. In addition, repeated exposure to high sugars causes plaque buildup in the blood stream inhibiting the insulin to do its job. The adrenals become tired making the body conducive to metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes, weight gain, etc.), and if allowed to continue, into a diabetic and/or other disease state.
- Artificial Sweeteners – Diet soda is even worse than sugar-laden sodas and numerous studies show actual increased weight gain due to the Pavlovian Effect whereas the body reacts to the artificial sweetener the same way it would with sugar and still over-stimulates the pancreas to release insulin to counter the effects. The most popular artificial sweeteners are saccharin (Sweet n Low), which is a non-caloric petroleum derivative (ummm, yum!), and aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet), which creates seriously unhealthy levels of methanol in the body. Methanol is connected to many disorders, such as headaches, optic nerve damage, gastro-intestinal problems, MS, Lupus, and other nervous system disorders (too many to mention). Splenda (xylitol, sucralose) is just now starting to produce enough of a history to question its lack of safety, as well. The bottom line is that NO artificial sweetener is worth replacing the real thing; AND we never need more of the real thing (especially refined sugars) beyond that which comes from healthy whole food consumption.
- Caffeine disrupts hormone function, prevents water absorption in cells causing dehydration and promotes excretion of vital nutrients that otherwise may have been taken up by the system. It can over-stimulate the digestive track causing irritation from increased stomach acid to intestinal ulcers as well as diarrhea or constipation. Caffeine also creates an imbalance of the right hormone production at the optimal times of day, disrupting sleep patterns and your “internal clock” regardless if you only drink it early in the day. Our hormones navigate our body’s systems 24/7. Much becomes imbalanced if our hormones are out of whack.
- Kidney and Liver – Just one to two sodas a day over a period of time can cause kidney damage and development of kidney stones. A fatty liver has also been connected to two or more sodas a day which increases chances for heart disease and cirrhosis.
- Obesity – A Harvard study showed that just drinking one to two sodas a day increases obesity in kids up to 2 times more than if not consumed at all (adults have similar statistics, of course); and one can adds 835 more calories to their daily caloric intake. This is extremely excessive and stores fat and toxins taxing the system in its efforts to prevent all types of diseases short and long-term.
So, in summing it all up, the statistics show that decades of drinking soda have contributed to epidemic proportions of metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These can include abnormal weight gain and/or obesity, adrenal exhaustion, depressed immune system and other neuro-toxic disorders. Once these processes start to manifest in the body, it’s a domino effect unless the toxins are cleaned out and a nourishing diet along with physical activity is incorporated.
Still want to grab for that soda after knowing the breakdown? We have all heard a few things about soda not being good for us; but the fact is, the soft drink industry would prefer you buy into the happy, upbeat, refreshing advertisements that they promote to get you to drink more instead of ever letting you get close to the truth.
There is absolutely nothing good to come from drinking a soda, and much to avoid in the way of a toxic beverage! Not to mention the fact that it will never hydrate you, but instead cause you to just want to drink more – that’s what the beverage industry IS interested in! Try some fresh, clean water and see if that doesn’t give you an opposite effect – hydration and satiation! After all, a healthy hydrated body is made up of 70% life-giving water – not nutrient-depleting soda.
If you’d like more information on how to truly make great nutritional choices to serve you for a lifetime, click here for more information. Start living a happy, healthy life on purpose today!