What You Should Know If You Like Potato Chips

Americans Including Christians Drug of Choice: CAFFEINE

Caffeine is the Christian drug of preference. Drink a glass of red wine or light up a cigarette during Sunday Night Fellowship Hour, and you will be thrown out on your ear. But a two-hundred-gallon pot of black adrenal-rush will bring friendly smiles of delight. The meeting would not be the same with the absence of its nutty aroma filling the church basement. Little white Styrofoam cups floating in small clusters of heavenly conversation.

Caffeine is the world's most popular stimulant—the drug that four out of five Americans take on any given day. Most of the caffeine we consume comes from coffee.
The United States buys nearly one-half of the world's supply of coffee beans.
Caffeine is highly addictive. Quitting coffee can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, sleepiness and irritability. The acidic nature of coffee can lead to stomach ulcers. When the excess acid enters the bloodstream, it also increases calcium loss in urine. Coffee has no nutritional value.

Coca Cola put cocaine in their drink at the turn of the century. It sold extremely well. Some consumers succumbed to the addictive quality of cocaine and started to drink undiluted Cola syrup. When cocaine was banned for use in soft drink the bottlers switched to caffeine. The top selling soft drinks are loaded with caffeine: Coca Cola, 62 mg; Mountain Dew, 49 mg; and TAB, 45 mg. Similarly, instant coffee contains 66 mg per cup.

On those warm summer days, young children can drink large amounts of caffeinated pop. Children with half the adult weight and three times the sensitivity. One can of cola for them is equivalent to 3 cups of instant coffee for an adult. Caffeine, combined with sugar, salt, and a diet high in synthetic food, creates one unmanageable youngster.

In a survey, the four top reasons for people quitting coffee were: central nervous system disorders, 39%; gastrointestinal problems, 37%; to break the addiction, 19%; and fibrocystic breast tumors, 15%.

Monkeys are sensitive creatures. During the Boer War, the enemies of the British often poisoned their food supplies. Soldiers used monkeys to test the food. They chose what to eat by holding the food to their lower jaw and if the food was poisoned, the monkey would throw it away. A natural health practitioner, fascinated by the account, decided to test baboons to see if they had a similar ability. An apple was injected with strong coffee by a hypodermic needle. Two apples were given, the untouched apple was eaten hungrily by one baboon, a second baboon received the injected apple. He held it to his jaw, let out an angry screeching sound then tried to attack the experimenter. When he was given a good apple he went off to the corner and ate happily.

Caffeine is able to penetrate deep into vital tissue. Evidence shows that it may be linked to male infertility and also birth defects by passing through the placenta. Drinking coffee during breast feeding will cause caffeine to be present in mothers' milk.

Caffeine has a powerful effect on coronary arteries and the pulmonary and systemic vessels, causing a greater flow of blood to the heart muscle, but decreasing the flow of blood to the brain by constricting cerebral blood vessels. Caffeine can cause abnormally fast, abnormally slow and irregular heart beats. It also wreaks havoc on blood pressure, commonly producing hypertension. Coffee has been linked to heart disease, pancreas and bladder cancer, and hypoglycemia.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, providing that familiar kick on which we have come to depend. But as with all stimulants, there is a price to be paid. If you run the body on overdrive for an extended period of time by artificially stimulating the adrenals, expect breakdown to occur.

Other serious problems linked to caffeine:

* Cortisol- Can increase the body’s levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”, which can lead to other health consequences ranging from weight gain and moodiness to heart disease and diabetes.
* Dopamine- Caffeine increases dopamine levels in your system, acting in a way similar to amphetamines, which can make you feel good after taking it, but after it wears off you can feel ‘low’. It can also lead to a physical dependence because of dopamine manipulation.

* Sleep- Caffeine can affect your sleep by keeping you awake longer, thereby shortening the amount of sleep you get, and giving you less time in the restorative stages of sleep, which takes a toll on your level of alertness the next day and overall health.

* Coffee is a thief! It robs the body of very important vitamins and minerals.

* Weight Many experts believe that increased levels of cortisol lead to stronger cravings for fat and carbohydrates, and cause the body to store fat in the abdomen. (Abdominal fat carries with it greater health risks than other types of fat.) Also, if increased cortisol levels lead to stronger cravings for caffeine-laden foods, the body goes into a cycle that leads only to worse health.

*There is mounting evidence suggesting that if you want to avoid certain cancers, you are well-advised to kick the coffee habit.

*Caffeine, which is the main chemical in coffee, is a powerful poison! A drop of caffeine injected into the skin of an animal will produce death within a few minutes. An infinitely small amount injected into the brain will cause convulsions. The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee is quite small, yet we drink coffee because of the effect of the caffeine, just as we smoke because of the effect of the nicotine. Both are drugs, and both are habit-forming. Both are poisons.


References:Charles F. Withal, Elizabeth Scott M.S., Katy Chamberlin,Ron Lageruist

Can't Have Just One Syndrome

How I Just Nipped Childhood Obesity With My Son

Why Are Some Vegetarians FAT?

Q: Dear Joy, I know some people who are vegetarians and tout it like they deserve a trophy, but yet they are still fat! How can that be?

A: I guess one would assume that someone who chooses to become a vegetarian or vegan would enjoy better health, energy and weight loss or maintenance but if not, it is usually because of 1 or more of the following 4. (Assuming they workout and are just jacking up their dietary choices)

#1. Instead of "WHERE'S THE BEEF?", "WHERE'S THE PRODUCE?"! That should be the foundation of such eating plans and consisting of at least 50% of raw produce. If those "live" powerful foods are missing, so then will your benefits be missing too.

#2 Undereating
If they are eating below their caloric needs (energy), then they are a metabolic catastrophe and marked as a human fat storing machine.

#3 Eating too much fat
We can only get the bulk of our fuel from 1 of 3 nutrients: Fat, Protein or Carbs...if are eating too much fat then fat is easily stored and you will be marked as a human fat storing machine. If you think you do not fall into this category REALLY pay attention to what you are putting in your pie hole. The average American consumes about 40% of their calories from FAT!

4.Eating too many refined carbs/sugars
John Alvino, a Strength and Conditioning Specialist mentions refined carbs and what he feels the top 3 culprits are.

John Alvino focuses on vegetarian fat loss and he say's the 3 foods you must NOT eat if you are a vegetarian that wants to lose fat are....

Controversial stuff...here it is:

#1 Food to avoid on a vegetarian fat loss diet:

Excessive soy products

Most vegetarians consume copious amounts of soy. Heck, it is not uncommon to see soy milk for breakfast, soy burgers for lunch and soy ice cream for a late night snack.

These foods can stop your fat loss dead in its tracks. In addition to all of the sugar and salt these products contain, soy has an estrogenic effect in the body.

Excess estrogen binds to the fat cells and causes an increase in the size of estrogen-sensitive fatty tissue such as belly fat.

#2 Food to avoid on a vegetarian fat loss diet:

Flour products

This list of fat loss no-nos includes: breads, pasta, muffins, cereals and just about all other baked goods.

These foods increase a hormone named insulin in the body which directly promotes the storage of fat.

Flour also has an inflammatory effect in the body. The last thing you want is inflammation in your joints which can cause pain and prevent you from being active.

#3 Food to avoid on a vegetarian fat loss diet:

Cheese

Cheese contains animal based saturated fat which has a negative effect on your carbohydrate metabolism.

In the presence of saturated fat, ingested carbohydrates are directed to your fat cells for storage instead of being diverted to your muscle cells for energy.

Vegetarian diets are typically higher in carbohydrates and anything that interferes with their utilization should be minimized or completely avoided.

Trick Or Trick

Many years ago it was more of a treat to have junk on Halloween because it was not common for kids to have sooo much junk on a regular basis. Today however is a different story. I am writing this on my laptop as I sit on a field where kids football games surround me. I see kids drinking on processed, sugar filled juices while a tote full of Oreos awaits them upon completion. Sports teams and coaches are supposed to promote health, strength and be great examples of human anatomy. Kids have ample amounts of candy daily from their homes to schools and all the way around to churches. So how is Halloween their day for a treat? Oh maybe the life-long sugar binge that is being developed with the help of parents wouldn't be complete without it's own special day to gather by the ton. So what is a parent to do on such a day that is not interested in participating in the normal festivities(for whatever reasons), while not seeming like the Halloween Grinch to the child?

Well I can think of 3 things:1.Some churches have come up with great alternatives that they have put in the place. However you may have to volunteer with foods/snacks if you want healthy alternatives to junk. 2.You can host a party in your home that consists of healthy foods/snacks like bananas on a stick that they can dip in peanut butter with an orange food coloring and games like bobbing for apples. 3.If you do plan on letting your child do activities that include junk you can let them pick 7 pieces out if they are 7 years old for example and discard the rest. Soooooo parents....what do you think? What do you do and why? Am I on point or over exaggerating? Would you be upset knowing that a parent through the candy away that you spent your hard earned money on? Do you want to do away with Halloween?

Unbeliebvable New Junk Food Craze

What is the world coming to when health is fully ignored, in place of momentary satisfaction. It is like adults running around like kids going,"Oh that's full of salt, fat and sugar...YES, I will take it! Well that is what is happening right now with the help of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. People are making a 1500 calorie bacon cheeseburger sandwich using the doughnuts as the bun. Many people would not dare think of killing someone else because they feel that morally it would be wrong, but they do not bat an eye when they reach for things like this that is ultimately killing their own bodies. Not to mention the kids, since kids eat what their parents eat.

Huge Butt And Thighs....HELP!

I am always blown away by some of the questions I see on different fitness forums, websites and in general. I am sometimes blown away at the answer that is given as a response. I personally feel that every single question is valid and applaud people who seek information. If you have a health/fitness/food question for me, you may email me or put it in the comments section in Monday's Q and A day. You can also email a picture without your face and I can tell you how long it should take you to hit your goal.

QUESTION:
when I was 11 I was 100lbs. and from about age ten wanted to lose weight I currently have huge butt and thighs. I am totally embarrassed about them. I also would like to lose a bit of fat on my calves and stomach but that can wait. HELP HELP HELP!!!!!

ANSWER:
At 10 years old you should have been focused on school and play(not weight), but I know that you can't control what went on your plate at that age, which is what started this mess. You can't treat weight loss like going to Subway and ordering a sub:"Excuse me I would like tomatoes and onions but hold the lettuce." It sounds like you are storing the bulk of your fat in your butt and thighs, so you want to make sure to do interval training, including sprints, squats and lunges (FITNESS). Change your eating to at least 50% produce or fall victim to saying "I must be big boned because I can never lose weight(FOOD)." Add L-glutamine, an amino acid for muscle soreness and recovery and to help you work out efficiently(SUPPLEMENTS). Lastly, do not be embarrassed, because if you knew for a fact that you would look amazing after 3 Months of focused discipline, you would be excited. You feel despair when you feel that their is no hope (MINDSET).

The Truth About Protein Bars

What makes these any better than a candy bar? Well, to be quite honest, in a lot of cases not much. You've probably seen a million ads for healthy snack bars: Nutri-this, Healthy-that. These really are just glorified candy bars.If you go in most gyms across America, you will almost always see protein bars being sold. The diet industry wants to give people what they want(high fat/salt/sugar), but make them feel like they are not really getting high fat/salt/sugar. People have been conditioned to want to appear health conscious, but if you were to look in their kitchens, you would see the ugly truth.

I used to LOVE protein bars and thought they were good for me. I vowed to stop sugar and ended up eating about 3 or 4 of these a day. I really was still just satisfying my habit, but clearing my guilty conscious. It has been about a year since my last protein bar and I am so glad that I let them go. I highly suggest avoiding bars, whether they be protein, low-carb, meal replacement, etc. as the nutritional content is for the most part not ideal.These bars are convenient but perhaps too convenient as they are high in fats (saturated) and sugars.It's much more difficult to create a great-tasting, moist, and generally high quality bar without adding a ton of sugar, corn-syrup, and/or fructose. Eat one, and your insulin levels will skyrocket for half an hour, then plummet causing even sharper hunger pains than you had a half hour before. So, it is doing the exact same thing in your body as plain ol' SUGAR!

A "Real" Woman Controversial Ad

The above picture was published in the American edition of Glamour magazine, it appeared amid hundreds of pages of adverts and fashion shots in which the models have no blemishes, no frown lines, no wrinkles and certainly no body fat. Hundreds of readers flooded the magazine's website the moment after the image first appeared, roaring their approval and appreciation with comments like: 'I love this picture. I was starting to despair of ever seeing real women in magazines and it made me reassess how I look at myself.

I loathe the words "real women" because I consider all women that are breathing real. It is usually used as an insult to women who are fit. Some people may say that the "average" women looks this or that way and that is why it is used. But the majority rules concept is still hogwash when you are talking about being healthy. It saddens me that women would get excited to see someone who looks like them for justification purposes. Misery loves company and it is miserable to not be healthy. The model in the picture is 2o years old (no kids) 5'11 and 175 lbs. There is NO excuse for her to have a hanging stomach. I know that in today's world you can see many girls younger than her who are overweight or obese and that should not be either. It is not just about looking good but being healthy. Having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Some types of cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• Insulin resistance
• High triglycerides
• Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol
• Metabolic syndrome
• Sleep apnea

Now going back to the magazine ad for a moment..I also do not like when models are being airbrushed to give off the appearance of perfection and ideal beauty. That industry wants to downplay health and shoot for thinness by any means necessary and that comes with many dangers too. The bottom line is, realize that you can have both a fit and healthy body and that should be your goal. It appears as if many women have that goal but the things you have to do to achieve it is not in the majority.

Q: How Often Should I Have A Bowel Movement?

Ok so picture this: I am 19 or 20 years old and running down the stairs speedily to answer the phone. I trip and long story short, was rushed to the E.R. by ambulance. The nice lady checking me into the hospital asked me a series of general questions. She asked how long it had been since my last bowel movement. When I told her it may have been about 2 weeks ago she looked at me in horror. That is when I knew I was doing something wrong. Fast forward to today and I know exactly what I was doing wrong…EATING CRAPPOLA! Today, thanks to eating healthy I have 2 to 3 bowel movements per day.

So what is constipation? Constipation is a common digestive problem. It may be difficult for you to have a bowel movement, or your bowel movements may be infrequent. You may be getting constipated if you start having bowel movements much less often than you usually do. As the food you eat passes through your digestive tract, your body takes nutrients and water from the food. This process creates a stool, which is moved through your intestines with muscle contractions (squeezing motions). A number of things can affect this process. These include not drinking enough fluids, not being active enough, not eating enough fiber or produce, as well as taking certain medicines. If you eat three meals a day, then you should have three bowel movements each day. The first bowel movement should take place in the morning when you wake up or soon after you have had breakfast. Typically you should experience the urge for a bowel movement 20-30 minutes after you eat. The other bowel movements should be during the day and just before bedtime.

In her book, Healthy Digestion the Natural way, 2000, D. Lindsey Berkson defines constipation as,"A healthy person should have at least one bowel movement a day. Medical textbooks state that individual variation goes from several times a day to several times a week. However, having worked with people for many years on improving their health, I would define constipation as not having one to several daily bowel movements, or having too long an intestinal-transit time."

If you eat three meals a day and only have one or two bowel movements, then the second and third meal are backing up in your colon and staying there too long. When your fecal matter stays too long in your colon, water and toxins are pulled out of the fecal matter and absorbed through your colon wall. This makes the fecal matter stiff and hard. Your colon will now have a hard time moving this hard fecal matter through its sections and out the rectum.

Foods rich in fiber
• Unprocessed wheat bran
• Unrefined breakfast cereals
• Whole-grain bread and brown rice
• Fresh fruits
• Dried fruits (such as prunes, apricots and figs)
• Vegetables
• Beans (such as navy, kidney and pinto beans)

Catch Us On The Soup Tonight (E-Channel)

I've been told that a clip of us on the show "Wife Swap" made the the top 20 best of '09 so far on "The Soup". The E entertainment channel has it showing Th 8.27 at 10:30p.m., Fri at 6p.m and Sat at 11:30 a.m. My guess is that they will show the following clip.
p.s. I am not sure of the date that ABC will re air the show in it's entirety.

MUST SEE MOVIE: Food Inc

I just finished watching Food Inc. and encourage you all to run, not walk to your local theater to see it. It is only showing in "select" theaters. My guess is that theaters make money from the concession stands and the health conscious moviegoers may avoid the counter like a plague. Not to mention the people who need to attend the most will probably disregard it. I really hope that it attracts people on the S.A.D.(standard American diet), so they can see how manipulative the food industry is and realize they are paying for it with their money and health. *UPDATE* Just as I was about to set up a private local showing for our clients/friends,the movie theater informed us that tomorrow will be the last day of showing and then it will be pulled. They said that people have not been buying tickets in the week that it's been there!...So sad:( A real example of "My people will perish for lack of knowledge".

This Marketing Was Sick, Careless and Ruthless

I was watching "The beautiful Truth" (which I highly recommend everyone watch), and it showed the following commercial. A 1949 ad showing Doctors and beautiful women glamorizing cigarettes. This makes a few points ring loud and clear to me. 1.If the majority does something (even if it is idiotic), then people will eagerly follow and ignore the consequences. 2.If well respected or desired/admired people are doing something, then people will follow and ignore the consequences. Not to mention the challenge at the end to try it for 30 days to see the enjoyment. They are clever enough to know that after 30 days you will be hooked and addicted. Let's use 30 days to create a positive and healthy habit, instead of falling for dumb marketing ploys that will ultimately bring destruction.

Pile It On

This is fake..I repeat this is a parody! However, it is a parody that rings true for many Americans. Watch it and tell me what you think. Do you feel it was accurate or over exaggerated?

Oprah Please Learn From Michael Jacksons Mistake

I happened to turn on the t.v. and the Oprah Winfrey Show was coming on. I was mesmerized by her and could not stop staring. I noticed a powerful, rich and smart woman who looked like she had 1 foot in the grave. Her eyes were bloodshot and teary. Her complexion was drab and lifeless. She is apparently obese and looked lethargic. Now I am well aware of her disclosure of the following: And on a recent appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, Oprah let fans in on her recent weight gain. She told the audience:

I was going through some stuff. I'd lost one of my lovely dogs ... and I had just not taken the time to slow down. I was so stressed at the end of the season that I was really almost like king of numb - to the point where I blew out my Thyroid and literally had to stop and give myself some time to create more balance for myself.

Unexplained weight gain is a common symptom of thyroid disorder.

But at least one doctor believes that there may be more to the story. Dr Ralph Miller, a professor at the University of Kentucky College Of Medicine, believes that Oprah may have destroyed her thyroid. The doctor is claiming that Oprah should seek medical attention immediately - because if left unchecked - it could be fatal.

I really would dislike to see her have access to the best of everything, yet not have anyone who is knowledgeable or bold enough to motivate her to nurse back her health (similarly to Michael Jackson). Oprah has been known to do quick weight loss gimmicks and fad diets, but never successfully mastered eating for a zestful, energetic optimum life. Now that her health is obviously compromised, I can tell that she is just taking prescription meds as her source of hope. Instead of focusing on stress reduction DAILY, eating high to all organic raw foods as medicine DAILY, working out DAILY, proper sleep DAILY, supplements DAILY, meditation/prayer DAILY and changing her mindset DAILY!!!!!!

And DO NOT friggin ask me how I know that she needs to change her mindset because fruit grows from EVERY seed. If she does not have positive fruit being displayed on the outside, then their is either no seed or weeds on the inside. For example: She has some of the best motivators and Authors on her show and I am sure that stress reduction has been discussed numerous times in numerous ways. But this year she just made the above statement indicating that she does not know how to personally apply methods to reduce or eliminate stress from her life. She said that stress has contributed to her ailing health. If you knew how to effectively deal with stress, you would nip it in the bud long before it starts to deteriorate your health.

It is unfortunate because there are people around her that may be able to help her but they may not want to comprimise their relationship by being assertive and honest. Oprah you need me for 30 days! I fear no one and if you fire me, OH WELL ! I will be able to sleep at night knowing that I did not quit on you, but that you quit on me. What is wrong with this world? What happened to honesty? What happened to everyone helping each other? What happened to people loving life and loving themselves enough to take care of their bodies and their children's bodies? Obesity, diseases and death (ODD) will take out anybody! It does not care if you are a celebrity or a teacher or mom or a dad. You have to know that you have led (ODD) into your life by your choices and your can eliminate them by your choices.
......stepping down from my soapbox now,
Joy

This Is A Joke, Not A Solution

Someone on Yahoo Answers asked the following question: I started a workout routine two weeks ago. I have not starved once. I've been eating healthy, then out of nowhere last weekend I had this intense, huge craving for candy. (I used to buy tons of candy and eat it all in one sitting.)It got so bad, that I went to the store and bought a ton of candy, and ate half of it. Didn't get sick, nothing. My body just likes it. I was eating great before that.

Then, today, (few days later) out of nowhere, I get really hungry and crave Wendy's. So at lunch I got there and ordered a large crispy chicken sandwich meal and devoured it like a drug addict.I feel out of control. I'm still working out, but I gained back the two lbs I lost.How do I control these uncontrollable urges? I seriously am addicted!! Help, please!

~Someone responded by saying it was ok to eat junk periodically and they experience the same uncontrollable urges. They mentioned that they eat a few mini kit kats everyday and it helps with the cravings.

~The above response to someone's problem is majorly pathetic!!! You mean to tell me that the answer to controlling "uncontrollable cravings" is to feed the beast?! That is like saying the only way to stop a toddler from having a temper tantrum is to give them what they are crying for. All that does is guarantees you will be experiencing the same thing again. Unfortunately each time you feed the beast it gets bigger and bigger.

How Do Sumo Wrestlers Get So Big?

Understanding how to gain fat is a great tool to lose fat, by knowing what not to do. Sooooo, what does a Sumo Wrestler do?

• They skip breakfast By depriving their bodies of food after eight hours of sleep, their metabolic rates stay low.
• They workout fasted If their bodies have no food, their metabolic thermostats are turned down even lower to conserve fuel.
• They eat a TON of calories 5,000 to 20,000/day
• They eat 1-2 large meals during the day Sumo wrestlers typically eat only twice a day, but they eat very large portions of a type of beef stew with white rice and beer.
• They drink Beer with food Alcohol increases cortisol levels which creates a layer of fat around the belly. This way your abdominal area will become the “beer belly”!
• They go right to sleep after each meal (for 3-4 hours during the day or overnight after last meal) Going to bed with full stomachs means that their bodies must respond to the huge flood of nutrients with a rush of insulin, forcing their bodies to store some of it in the cells as fat instead of in the muscles and organs as nutrients.
• They eat with others in a social atmosphere According to leading researchers, a meal eaten with others can be at least 44 percent larger and with 30 percent more calories and fat.

Obviously the most important things to do to lose weight would be the opposite of the above. But here are a few more important reminders:
~Instead of going to bed or sitting in an office chair immediately after eating, get up and move! With as little as 10 - 20 minutes of walking after eating, your blood sugar levels will decrease and less will be converted to fat.
~High glycemic eating has no place in a fit person's eating plan: Candy, cookies, juices or soda with high sugar content, white pastas, anything with white or processed flour, white rice, or sweet snacks.
~High insulin levels (from the above eating)cause your body to slow its metabolism and to store extra energy as fat. It also causes you to crave sugar and increases your appetite. This continues in a vicious cycle: higher insulin levels, more eating, more weight gain, more craving, more eating, more weight gain, more craving…on and on and on.

Today Is National Junk Food Day Soooo...

I know good and well you guys did not think I was about to say go out and binge on junk food!:) The following excerpt from "Beating the food giants" by Paul Stitt will help you to realize that your day of binging can easily turn into days, weeks or years: "Many nasty tricks are used by the Food Giants to make you overeat. Adding lots of fat, sugar and salt are obvious ones. They also put things in junkfoods that make your tastebuds and cravings go crazy. Have you ever eaten just one Oreo cookie? Bet you can't, either. They look so sweet and innocent!

What you should realize is that the Nabisco Company spent millions developing that formula so that you can't eat just one. It contains 23 different appetite stimulants and 11 artificial colors. I saw the recipe and I was aghast. It's not easy to make a cookie that will hook every last American. So next time you buy a package of Oreo Cookies, be assured that you'll eat them all at one time and gain another pound. And, the Food Giants will have another dollar in their pocket."

Is Sprite Green Their Cash Machine

SPRITE SPEAKS: Sprite has rolled out a new soda that they say is intended for the "young, active and health conscious crowd". It is sweetened with Truvia (derived from Stevia) and claims that it has 50% less calories than soda.

CUSTOMER SPEAKS: I read a review and a "dieter" put that she is happy that Sprite came out with this, but that she wishes that they come out with one that is 0 calories.

JOY SPEAKS: Sodas make you FAT, diet sodas make you FAT, sweetened drinks of ALL kinds make you FAT!!! How? Scientists at the Monell Research Center found that as soon as the tounge tastes something sweet, the body converts glucose in the blood into storage fat, causing the blood sugar to drop. You then will get cravings for refined foods/snacks. This viscous cycle repeats and many studies have shown a strong correlation between these drinks and storing fat (especially in the belly) and people still sip on this crap all day. Studies even show that 1 drink a day will increase your chances of health problems and weight gain by 40% . The bottom line is that if you are the "young, active and health conscious crowd" that Sprite is seeking, do yourself and health a favor and drink water!