WhyIDontDrinkSoftDrinksII

WHY I DON'T DRINK SOFT DRINKS II
AND WISH YOU DIDN'T
By William Frazier

"Nor am I alone in this conclusion," Haglwara said. "A certain world-famous rfreshing soft drink was once issued the manufacturer of a certain world-famous refreshing soft drink for its suspected effect on the bones of children because of the large amount of phosphoric acid contained in it. Pour coke over an extracted baby tooth or a 10-penny nail and see it totally dissolve in a few days!"

Dr. Clive McCay, working at the Naval Research institute, placed extracted human teeth in cola drinks. Within two days, the teeth became very soft, and the enamel surface lost much of its calcium. Rats, well fed but given nothing to drink except cola beverages, after six months had their molar teeth dissolved down to the gum line. When Dr. McCay reported years ago the rat experiments before the Delaney hearings on chemicals in foods, a lawmaker reminded him that the soft drink industry represented huge economic investments. He suggested that these alarming findings be soft-pedaled to avoid disrupting the industry and the economy as a whole. Dr. McCay countered by stating that "the health of the nation�s children might be as important as the welfare of the soft-drink industry." How do you feel about your children�s teeth being damaged?

                                                           SOFT BONES OR NO BONES!
My file is full of examples of Americans with soft bones (dissolved, I believe, by their phosphoric acid consumption) and my heart-felt concern for fetuses is now a reality - many are being born without face bones, with missing ribs, with fewer than normal carpal bones, and so forth. Do we really care? Do we care enough to change our lifestyle? I sincerely hope so. If changes are not made by millions soon, Dr. James Beasley�s prediction can be upon us. He said, "If Americans do not change their eating and drinking habits, within twenty years we will have nutritional obliteration." I see that as a very viable possibility.

                                     KIDNEYS VS. COLA: A REAL PROBLEM FOR MANY
Dr. Earl Mantel in his book, "Unsafe at Any Meal" says, "For anyone over forty, soft drinks can be especially hazardous because the kidneys are less able to excrete phosphorus, causing depletion of vital calcium." Can a person live without kidneys? NO! Is it easy and/or cheap to get a kidney transplant? NO!

                                 METABOLISM CAN BE ALTERED: THAT SPELLS TROUBLE
Heavy soft drink consumption can interfere with your body�s metabolization of iron and diminish nerve-impulse transmission. Sodas may contain - but are not required to disclose - such ingredients as ethyl alcohol, sodium alginate (possibly hazardous for pregnant women), brominated vegetable oil (found harmful to vital organs of animals and considered a health risk to heavy consumers of beverages containing it) and caffeine.

                                                   MORE "REAL" SYMPTOMS
Cola drinks can interact adversely with antacids, possibly causing constipation, calcium loss, hypertension, nausea, vomiting, headaches and kidney damage. Soft drinks can decrease the antibacterial action of penicillin and ampicillin.

                                                      MORE "SUGAR BLUES"
"The average 12-ounce cola had about 150 calories and over and ounce (9 teaspoons) or refined sugar, a 12 ounce cola has 7 1/2 teaspoons of sugar." Dr. A.Thrash, M.D., found that 24 teaspoons of sugar in one day destroys 92% of the body�s ability to destroy bacteria.

                                      BLOOD PRESSURE ALTERATION: ON THE HIGH SIDE
Diet sodas that are low in calories are high in sodium. Six ounces of regular Pepsi-Cola� has 5 mg of sodium; Diet Pepsi� has 31 mg (But who only drinks 6oz at a time now?) Classic Coke Cola� has 19mg sodium. High blood pressure is a very common aliment in our society; I wonder why!

And who shouldn�t have high sodium in their diets? My personal answer to that question is that any condition, which causes a person to have high blood pressure, should be considered a condition where limiting sodium intake would be helpful. Here are a few of those: certain tumors, kidney disease, adrenal or thyroid or pituitary gland malfunctioning even diabetes and arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Soft drinks should be off-limits to persons with their conditions.

                                                 A DECEITFUL ADDICTION: CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a member of the same alkaloid group of chemicals as morphine, nicotine, cocaine, purine and strychnine. These alkaloids all have one thing in common: they are addictive. Colas are responsible for giving millions of American addicts their daily "fixes." (Forgive my poignant language - but think about it?)