The Good and Bad of Healthy Eating

Things happens when you do some research into the foods you eat.  Some good things:

• You learn about the foods you eat
• You alter your diet
• You lose excess weight
• You get healthier

Some bad things:

• You give up foods that most people still enjoy — milk, ice cream, sugary desserts, processed foods, etc.
• You need to learn to enjoy new foods and new cooking techniques  (this could be good or bad)
• You want to share your knowledge and as a result
• You drive everyone around you crazy!

In a recent post I talked about the serious health problems associated with drinking cow’s milk as a result, I have been eliminating milk from my diet.  Switching to soy milk in my cereal has been relatively easy.  But what about ice cream, yogurt and half and half for my coffee?  That is proving to be a bit more difficult. (I know I should probably give up coffee too, but there is positive research about coffee and health).

As for driving everyone around me crazy, perhaps I probably shouldn’t refer to the little packets of Equal and Splenda as “poison” when a friend asks me to pass them across the table.  And I’m pretty sure that if I post one more article about the dangers of sugar (like this one) I will lose a few friends!  So, if you want to read a good article, by all means click on the link, and if you don’t, I won’t push it on you!!

Just say NO to Diet Soda

I want to share a post from a fellow blogger, Brett Day, writer of NoTimeToW8 a very motivational blog that follows Brett’s weight loss journey.  He very clearly and succinctly stresses the dangers of diet soda.  Read on…

Drink Diet Soda? You Might Want to Reconsider.

Posted on February 8, 2012

If you are one of the millions of Americans who drink diet soda because you think it is a healthier alternative to regular soda, you may want to reconsider opening that next can of diet pop. A new study which has been published by the Journal of General Internal Medicine has shown that drinking diet soda on a daily basis increases your chances of having a stroke or heart attack significantly.This new study which is titled ‘Diet Soft Drink Consumption is Associated with an Increased Risk of Vascular Events in the Northern Manhattan Study‘ was conducted by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

During this study the University studied the drinking habits of more than 2,500 people over a 10 year period. The results were staggering. The study showed that those who drank diet soda on a daily basis were 43 percent more likely to suffer from a stroke, heart attack, or other vascular condition when compared to those who did not drink it,  even if there were pre-existing vascular conditions in those who did not drink the diet soda. Those who drank less than one per day were also less likely to be at risk of having a heart attack or stroke when compared to those who drank a diet soda every day.

The specific connection between drinking diet soda and having a stroke or heart attack was not clear, despite the overwhelming evidence linking the two together. Researcher Hannah Gardener said; “results suggest a potential association between daily diet soft drink consumption and vascular outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which soft drinks may affect vascular events are unclear”.

For a long time, researchers have believed that artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, and Saccharin play a large role in the increased risk of stroke and heart attack events among those who drink diet soda on a daily basis. Artificial sweeteners have also been linked with other health issues such as tinnitus, headaches, nervous system disorders and even cancer.

Next time you are thirsty do not automatically reach for a can of diet soda, (or any soda) especially if you have had one for the day already. Soft drink makers want you to believe that diet varieties of their soft drinks are better for you, but with a 43 percent increase in your chances of having a life altering event, you have to stop and think; ‘is drinking a soda worth cutting my life short?’.

Make healthy choices and live a long, fruitful life,

Brett