Diet Pop and Cardiovascular Disease

I had a lovely Davids Tea date with a friend this morning. We were chatting about health because her husband got her some kind of new and exciting wellness monitor for her birthday. One topic lead to another and I told her about a study I read yesterday about diet soda being associated with a higher risk of stroke.

I also read the same info in the Globe and Mail Life section this morning. The new study presented at a stroke conference in LA this week found a link between diet drinks and cardiovascular disease. Results showed that people who drank at least one diet pop a day had a 48% higher risk of having a heart attack, stroke or fatal cardiac event than those who reported no soda consumption.

Am I surprised? Of course not. My two big guidelines when talking to patients are no cold cuts and no artificial sweeteners. I seriously don't get comments around this study saying it's too soon to urge people to shun diet soda. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Yes water is boring. But is essential for life. Why bother with diet soda? It's a chemical... your body doesn't get it. Have real sugar or honey or maple syrup -- in moderation -- at least your body knows what to do with it.

I could go on and on....