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Diet Soda Increases Cardiovascular Risk

By Expert HERWriter
 
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Heart Disease related image Photo: Getty Images

Looking for another reason to stop drinking those diet sodas? Besides the fact that it’s full of aspartame, a new study shows that diet soda increases your risk for myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, and vascular death. In fact, the lead investigator reports that people who drink diet soda daily have a 61 percent increased risk than those who don’t drink any soda.

Many people turn to diet soda as an attempt to eliminate the sugar and calories filling regular soda. As we all know, regular soda comes with its own cardiovascular risks but now that we know that diet soda is just as bad should encourage you to kick the habit.

The artificial sweetener in diet soda is called aspartame and there are a lot of political and medical controversies surrounding it. As it moves through your system, it breaks down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, formaldehyde (seriously), and formic acid. With all these chemicals, side effects can include migraines, headaches, skin rashes, weight gain, insomnia, heart palpitations, increased anxiety, diabetes/pre-diabetes, osteopenia/osteoporosis, ADHD, muscle pain, bone pain, increased hunger and now increased cardiovascular risk.

Want to quit? Try switching to water with lemon, iced tea, carbonated water, or stevia sweetened drinks that don’t have all the chemicals and sugar in it. If you’re addicted to diet sodas, you may have a detox reaction to the soda with increased mood changes, fatigue, and headaches. These should only last a few days but you have to stay strong and stay hydrated with another drink of choice.

Other risks to cardiovascular events include obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, estrogen (like the pill, ring and hormone replacement), and poor dietary choices. Don’t be a risk factor! Change what you can and make positive choices in your life – including no more diet soda.

Add a Comment3 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Sodium bicarbonate can neutralise the bacteria that cause smelly feet and body. A rubber compound with water plants can help athlete's foot.

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February 14, 2011 - 2:27am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

High levels of sugar contributes to several effects associated with the soda. There is obesity and dental problems to consider

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February 11, 2011 - 12:43am

I think it's safest to avoid putting anything artificial in your body.

If you want to move beyond sweet drinks, why not go all-out and actually start drinking unsweetened drinks, such as tea or herbal tea. It's not a medical or scientific theory, but my own personal opinion, which you can read on my blog, is that drinking unsweetened tea changes the palate so as to prefer bitter and aromatic foods over sweet, salty, bland foods.

If you are loading up on the artificial sweeteners, not only are you harming your health with these artificial chemicals, but you're missing the opportunity to train yourself to enjoy bitter foods. Many of the healthiest foods are bitter: think cabbage or broccoli, many healthy herbs and spices, hot peppers, numerous other vegetables! People don't like these tastes by default, but once you get into them you can really love them. You need to acquire a taste for them.

Try cutting out not just sugars but sweet-tasting things, and see if you can learn to enjoy bitterness just as much as sweetness!

February 10, 2011 - 1:20pm
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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