WHY STAY AWAY FROM SOFT DRINKS?

Soda. Pop. Coca-cola. Whatever you like to call it, there are over 1500 different types of soft drinks in the United States. In the US, over $3.2 billion dollars is spent on soda marketing in attempts for people to buy their products and it must be working because Americans consume 57 gallons of soda per year, making it the second most consumed beverage, losing only to water. We all know soda has a negative connotation, but do you know exactly why it is bad for you?

Why You Should Stop Now
• No Nutritional Value: The biggest risk for regular soda drinkers is the excess calories. The calories in regular soda are coming entirely from added sugar, and you’re not getting any value in terms of vitamins or minerals, or even good quality carbohydrates.
• Tooth Decay: Sugar and acid in soft drinks easily dissolve tooth enamel. Since tooth enamel is not a mineral, it does not grow back causing permanent damage.
• Kidney Issues: Soft drinks contain high phosphoric acid levels linked to kidney stones.
• Heart Disease and Diabetes: Most soft drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, which has been associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition associated with an elevated risk of both diabetes and heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. Also, those who drink more soda have an 80% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Obesity: The relationship between soft drinks and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times. In addition to the threat of reaching obese levels, researchers also found after following forty-thousand men for two decades, those who drank a sugary beverage each day had a 20 percent increased risk of having a heart attack.

Don’t Let the Word "Diet" Fool You
Just because it says “diet” soda doesn’t mean it’s any healthier for you than regular soda. While the diet sodas are better for your teeth because the artificial sugars do not allow plaque to grow, it still has a lot of the same negative side effects as regular sodas. Diet sounds like it could mean “weight loss” but artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas have been found to increase sugar cravings because it’s not a natural source of sugar and the brain continues to seek the real deal. This can lead to increased eating and drinking because your body isn’t satisfied. Artificial sweeteners are also linked to type 2 diabetes, headaches, depression and other negative side effects.

Of course, nothing is bad in moderation, but why take the chance when there are other options with nutritional value? Leave the soda behind and make a better choice for your body.

Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/27/health/stop-drinking-soda/
http://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/soft-drink-dangers-8-ways-soda-negatively-affects-your-health-319054
http://www.medicaldaily.com/diet-soda-vs-regular-soda-one-worse-you-other-308063

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Can you spot Signs of a Stroke?

Did you know that having a stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States? Maybe you’ve had a family member or you have seen someone on television suffer from a stroke but do you know what it is or the warning signs?

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a “brain attack”, an attack on the brain. Although it is more common for women over the age of 55 it can happen to anyone at any time. It occurs when blood flow to an area of brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory and muscle control are lost. How a person is affected by their stroke depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged. For example, someone who had a small stroke may only have minor problems such as temporary weakness of an arm or leg. People who have larger strokes may be permanently paralyzed on one side of their body or lose their ability to speak. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than two thirds of survivors will have some type of disability. Having a stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the United States.

Signs of a Stroke

The American Stroke Association uses the acronym “F.A.S.T.” to spot the warning signs of someone having a stroke.

F- Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is their smile crocked?
A- Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S- Speech Difficulty: Is the speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence and see if it is repeated correctly.
T- Time to call 911: If someone is showing signs of these symptoms call 911 or get to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you know when the symptoms appeared.

Some other symptoms may include: Numbness of face, arm or leg. Confusion. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination. Sudden severe headaches.

Prevention

Luckily, up to 80% of strokes can be prevented.

The first step to preventing a stroke is to identify conditions that can increase your risk of stroke such as heredity, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes, hormones and circulation problems. All of these factors can be discussed with your health care professional.

There are some things you can control at home on your own such as:

Quit Smoking: Smoking accelerates clot formation, thickens blood and increases the amount of plaque build up in the arteries.

Watch What You Eat: Try to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, along with foods that are high in fiber. Eating less cholesterol and fats may reduce the plaque in arteries.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Carrying extra weight can make you more apt to develop a high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes.

Be Active: Physical activity can help you lose weight and reduce stress which can lower blood pressure.

Drink Less: Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure and increase the risk of a stroke.

Now that you’ve read our blog you know how to spot a stroke and how to prevent a stroke. You could save someone’s life as well as your own!

Sources:

http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/what-stroke
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp

http://www.stroke.org/sites/default/files/resources/prevention-brochure-2015.pdf

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