Author: The Nation

A new study indicates that drinking one or more cans of soda a day can
increase one’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. One in five were at
elevated risk of diabetes with as little as one can per day according to
statistics published in the journal *Diabetologia*. Soda has also become a
well-known cause of weight gain, obesity and heart disease.

The diabetic findings were similar to research published in the American
Heart Association’s journal *Circulation*. There study followed 42,833
men’s diet, weight, smoking and exercise patterns for an average of 22
years. The primary finding of the study was men who drank one
sugar-sweetened beverage per day had a 20 percent higher risk of suffering
a heart attack.

The latest diabetes research was compiled from over 350,000 individuals in
the UK, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

"The consumption of sugar sweetened soft drinks increases your risk of
diabetes - so for every can of soft drinks that you drink per day, the risk
is higher,” says lead researcher Dora Romaguera.

Obesity and genetics were once classified as the primary cause of diabetes
and heart disease but the findings of the studies suggest that it’s more
related to the consumption of sugar and other dietary habits.

Soda has also been found to produce inflammation – a major cause of
chronic, long-term health conditions. It increases internal visceral fat
storage, puts additional stress on blood circulation and decreases overall
organ function. Soda has also been shown to spike blood sugar,
triglycerides levels as well as lower HDL or good cholesterol.

Sugary-beverage consumption "appears to be an independent risk factor for
heart disease," says lead author Frank Hu, M.D., a professor of nutrition
and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

However, soda drinks are only part of the problem – they’re just one of the
unnatural, highly processed foods that was looked at. Unhealthy sugars are
in nearly all processed foods that are in a can, box or bag. They are
commonly added because of their addictive, flavor-enhancing qualities.

Research has also linked eating processed foods and drinking soda to
pancreatic cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity and gout. Drinking two sodas
per week increases the risk of pancreatic cancer by 87 percent according to
the journal *Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention*.

Drinking one soda per day increases one’s risk of metabolic syndrome by 44
percent and a child’s risk of becoming obese by 60 percent.  Drinking two
sodas per day increases the risk of gout by 85 percent according to
researchers at Boston University School of Medicine.

If one does drink soda, limit consumption to no more than one soda a couple
times per week. It’s important to eat and drink as healthy as possible.
Hydration is one of the best ways to remove toxins and harmful substances
such as sugary beverages and processed foods.

One’s body weight is approximately 60 percent water. Water is used in all
of the cells, organs and tissues in the body. It’s been found that one must
drink up to thirty-two glasses of water to counteract the effects of one
soda.

Get active. If you don't already exercise at least three times a week,
start now. Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy body weight, reduces
blood pressure and normalizes blood sugar levels.

Dr Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for
numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the
world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization's goals
of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not
necessarily reflect endorsement.