's motd Thursday February 17, 2011 - Diet Soda

[Guest guest]

THE DIET SODA

WAR

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Awww, poor old diet sodas. I feel

so sorry for you. Oh, you get picked on all the

time. For years now, there's been lots of research

done on the possible side-effects of drinking too many

diet sodas. In fact, one study even asked how

beneficial diet sodas were for weight-loss, at

all. Still, millions of Americans guzzle one

can or bottle of them after another, thinking those

diet sodas are going to help them win the weight-loss

war.

One visit to the supermarket

will reveal how many diet sodas are purchased in this

country...every week. I mean, just look at

how many 6-packs and 12-packs you spot dumped

into people's grocery carts when you're standing in

the checkout line at Walmart. And hey, is your

cart filled with them, too?

Like I said, lots studies have been conducted on the

effects of all those diet sodas Americans consume.

Well, get ready for another one. Just a couple of

weeks ago, findings were released at the American

Stroke Convention held here in Los Angeles.

In this study, 2500 people were followed, taking a

look at those who drank multiple diet sodas daily and

compared them to those people who didn't. Now here's

the shocker. According to the results of this study,

those people who regularly drank diet sodas had a 61%

greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke

than the people who didn't. WOW! That is

news, huh? Not to mention...scary news!

Of course, the sodas companies came out with their

boxing gloves on. They alleged the study's findings

were flawed and didn't take into consideration other

factors, such as whether the person smoked or consumed

lots of fatty foods. And to be fair, a number of

doctors also questioned the results of the study

insisting follow-up studies should be conducted.

Still, as of right now, I'd say the findings are just

another cause for concern when it comes to your

consumption of diet sodas.

I remember talking to a lady from

West Virginia who told me she probably drinks a 6-pack

of diet soda everyday. She even admitted that her

days began with a diet soda...at breakfast!

I just had to point out to her that, at the rate she

was drinking those diet sodas, she was consuming

pretty close to 200 cans of them...a month!

I asked if she might consider limiting herself to just

one can a day. That's when I got a long pause of

silence over the phone.

Look, I believe that overdoing our consumption of many

foods or beverages is a big mistake. And I have to

include all diet and regular sodas on that

list. I don't know how many diet sodas you drink a

day but please, if you're a regular diet soda drinker,

I wish you would make a change immediately.

Here's an idea. Whenever you want

a diet soda, how's about reaching for a big glass of

water, instead? Okay, so it may not taste like a diet

soda. But wouldn't you rather have a naturally

refreshing drink instead of all that artificial flavor

and other "stuff" you get with every can of diet soda

you turn up to your lips?

You know what I made yesterday? I made a pitcher of

lemonade. I added some fresh-squeezed lemon juice to

a pitcher of water, just a little sugar for taste and,

I'm telling you, it was really refreshing. Give it a

try. It's very thirst quenching and so much better

for your body than those diet sodas.

Okay, so the study on the whole

diet soda-heart attack/stroke connection may be

incomplete. But I've been telling you for years

to steer clear of diet soft drinks. And now, it looks

like you've got one more reason to take my advice.

Satisfy your thirst and be good to your body with an

ice-cold glass of God's "diet soda"...good old

water!

Love,