Sugary drinks is very harmful to your health...A MUST READ

Firstclass newsline special~Soft drinks look and taste good. They come
in all sorts of packaging, colours and flavours that appeal to all the
senses.
On the average, it's difficult to convince a growing child that
regular consumption of soft drinks does have untoward effects on
health. Indeed, ask the average school kid what he spends his lunch
allowance on, and the first item on the list is likely to be a bottle
of … you fill in the gap!
Sugar eating is not peculiar to kids, though; as some adults seem
unable to control their appetite for sugary beverages, especially
those reportedly designed for weight watchers, which researchers say,
contain as much sugar as do those that could be taken by those who
don't claim to be on any diet.
Indeed, a recent study by scientists at Imperial College of London
suggests that daily consumption of just a 50cl bottle of
sugar-sweetened beverage can raise the risk of developing type 2
diabetes by up to 22 per cent.
The research, published inDiabetologia(the journal of the European
Association for the Study of Diabetes), was carried out by a team of
scientists comprising Drs. Dora Romaguera, Petra Wark and Teresa
Norat. Other researches in Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden,
France and The Netherlands also support their findings.
Experts describe diabetes mellitus as a metabolism disorder. "This
refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth.
Most of what we eat is broken down into glucose – a form of sugar in
the blood. High blood sugar after meals is a key risk factor in the
progression from impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes) to type-2
diabetes and cardiovascular disease," says diabetologist/Medical
Director of Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, Lekki Phase 1, Dr.
Afokoghene Isiavwe.
Asked what constitutes the normal range for blood sugar levels, and
what blood sugar level constitutes a true emergency, experts say when
a healthy individual eats, the blood sugar will not exceed 135mg to
140mg per deciliter, giving a fairly narrow range of blood sugar
throughout the entire day.
In diabetics, however, the story is remarkably different. Scientists
say a diabetic patient's blood sugar can exceed 180mg to 200mg per
deciliter, exceeding the capacity of the kidneys to reabsorb the
glucose, making the patient to spill glucose into the urine. That's
when people pass what is generally called 'sugar-spiked urine.'
Diabetes comes in two types – types one and two. Isiavwe says, "Type 1
diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little
or no insulin that is needed for sugar (glucose) to enter cells to
produce energy."
She explains that various factors may contribute to someone having
type 1 diabetes, including genetics and exposure to certain viruses.
"The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. In most people with
type 1 diabetes, the body's own immune system – which normally fights
harmful bacteria and viruses – mistakenly destroys the
insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Again, genetics and family
history may play a role in this process, while exposure to certain
viruses may trigger the disease," she says.
Experts reveal that glucose is a main source of energy for the cells
that make up muscles and other tissues and it comes from two major
sources – food and your liver.
"Sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it enters cells with
the help of insulin. Your liver stores glucose as glycogen. When your
insulin levels are low, such as when you haven't eaten in a while, the
liver converts stored glycogen into glucose to keep your glucose level
within a normal range.
"In type 1 diabetes, there's no insulin to let glucose into the cells,
so sugar builds up in your bloodstream, where it can cause
life-threatening complications," experts say.
They also say that the far more common type 2 diabetes occurs when the
body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin or doesn't make
enough insulin.
Lamenting the problem, Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide
Idris, once said that "diabetes affects an estimated six per cent of
Lagos populace." This, he says, was responsible for the initiatives of
the state government in organising free screening for diabetes and
hypertension – two potential killer conditions.
Experts say apart from genetics, the risk of developing type 2
diabetes increases with age, probably because people tend to exercise
less as they get older, gaining weight in the process.
"Maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy, balanced diet and
exercising regularly are ways of preventing and managing diabetes,"
Isiavwe counsels.
She notes that in particular, abdominal fat puts you at increased
risk. "This is because the fat releases chemicals that can upset the
body's cardiovascular and metabolic systems. This then increases your
risk of developing various conditions, such as heart disease, stroke
and some types of cancer," she says.
In conclusion, experts say though you may be helpless against
developing type 1 diabetes, you can save yourself from a debilitating
disease like type 2 diabetes by living responsibly.
"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," lead researcher, Dora Romaguera, warns.
Beat type 2 diabetes
*.Eat healthy foods. Choose foods low in fat and calories. Focus on
fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
*.Get physical. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a
day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride a bike. Swim laps.
*.Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing five to 10 per cent
of your body weight can reduce the risk of diabetes.
*.A 15-minute walk after each meal could prevent older people from
developing type-2 diabetes, a study has found.
*.Elevated blood sugar after meals could increase the risk of type-2
diabetes. So, resting after eating "is the worst thing you can do,"
the study says.
Firstclassnewsline.net