Let’s avoid softdrinks

By Alex P. Vidal

“I don’t drink soda cause carbonation freaks me out.”― Dave Rygalski, Gilmore Girls

JUST because Iloilo City has been placed under the state of calamity as recommended by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) doesn’t follow that Ilonggos can now substitute water for soda or alcoholic beverages.

There is still no substitute for water; water is still the No. 1 thirst reliever, the healthiest and most natural of all liquid drinks anywhere in the world.

Health experts said water helps our body keep a normal temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, protect our spinal cord and other sensitive tissues; and get rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

The average daily water for men is about 15.5 cups and for women about 11.5 cups for healthy individuals, according to Dr. Howard E. LeWine, chief medical editor of Harvard Health Publishing.

That might mean we need only four to six cups of plain water, depending on other fluid sources such as coffee, tea, juice, fruits, and vegetables.

Because of the El Nino there has been a reported “water scarcity” and thus some residents prefer to drink soda despite being warned of its adverse health effects.

The move to declare the metropolis under a state of calamity, by the way, will pave the way for the city government to use more than P12.5 million from its quick response fund to help those affected residents.

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Health authorities have warned that sugary beverages like soda are linked to a long list of adverse health effects, starting with obesity, poor blood sugar control and diabetes.

Recent studies have reportedly found an association with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Having as little as one soda per day measurably reportedly increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

And diet sodas, which have been found to increase hunger and disrupt metabolism, are not any better, according to health experts.

The National Library of Medicine has declared that soft drink consumption has become a highly visible and controversial public health and public policy issue.

Soft drinks are viewed by many as a major contributor to obesity and related health problems and have consequently been targeted as a means to help curtail the rising prevalence of obesity, particularly among children.

Soft drinks have been reportedly banned from schools in Britain and France, and in the United States, school systems as large as those in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Miami have banned or severely limited soft drink sales.

In fact, many US states have considered statewide bans or limits on soft drink sales in schools, with California passing such legislation in 2005.

A key question is whether actions taken to decrease soft drink consumption are warranted given the available science and whether decreasing population consumption of soft drinks would benefit public health.

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POTENTIAL OF RELIGIONS. All the major religions have the same potential to help humanity. It’s not just Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism.

SMOKING makes us grow older. Early wrinkling occurs due to reduced levels of the oxygen needed to keep skin healthy. Smoking is the prime source of oxygen deprivation. If a smoker is in the process of quitting, he or she must drink lots of water.

STRESS CAN DESTROY OUR SKIN. A continual menu of stress causes the skin to become sensitive and prone to breakouts. Regular exercise and mediation will help diffuse its effects. Lying on a bed with our head hanging down off the side is a super destresser.

WHO IS MORE PROMINENT? Millions of people today know of Nebuchadnezzar, and have never heard of Pericles, simply because Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned prominently in the Bible and Pericles, the father of Athens, is never mentioned at all.

CLITORIS POWER. The tip of the clitoris has about 8,000 nerve endings—more than anywhere else on the human body. (Cosmopolitan)

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo. —Ed)