DIET SODA ASSOCIATED WITH LEUKEMIA, NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA AND MULTIPLE MYELOMA

   Are you still thinking you "ought" to give up soda or diet soda?  Eva Schernhammer, MD, DrPH, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, reported on an assessment of 22 years of health data on 125,000 adults who drank at least one can of diet soda containing aspartame, the diet sweetener.  The assessment found that men who drank at least one can of diet soda every day were at higher risk for both multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Those men who drank the same amount of sugar-sweetened soda had a 66% greater risk for developing non-Hodgkin's disease than those who did not drink soda.  Leukemia was 42% more likely to be diagnosed in adults who consumed at least one 12-ounce can of diet soda daily.  

    The current theory on why diet soda is linked to these diseases is that aspartame may break down into compounds that become carcinogenic.  But the conclusions also showed a risk of disease for those consuming sugar-sweetened soda, although researchers are not sure why and recommend more research.  If you are concerned about your soda consumption and want to stop drinking sweetened and/or diet soda, hypnosis can be a valuable tool and lower your risk for developing these frightening diseases.