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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2015)
8 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2015 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH Artificial sweeteners and weight gain DEAR DR. ROACH: I am cur- rently dieting and, with that, trying to reduce my sugar intake. I prefer drinks sweetened with aspartame over water most of the time. Am I asking for trouble? — P.C. DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m curious how diet soda, which has zero calo- ries, causes one to gain weight. In “studies” that say that, do they look at people who have had diabetes for years and use artificial sweeteners without gaining weight? People will use ANY excuse for their weight. To blame a no-calorie sweetener seems a bit silly, don’t you think? — V.W., R.D.N. ANSWER: There remains confu- sion about artificially sweetened beverages and their effect on weight gain and on overall health. There are two schools of thought: The first is SALOME’S STARS ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Handle a potentially awkward situa- tion by warming up your confidence reserves and letting it radiate freely. Also, expect an old friend to contact you. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) It’s not too early for the practical Bovine to begin planning possible changes for 2011. A recent contact can offer some interesting insights. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A request for an unusual favor should be carefully checked out. Also check the motives behind it. Your generos- ity should be respected, not exploit- ed. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Party time beckons, but for some that artificially sweetened beverages satisfy the desire for sweets, so peo- ple are less likely to consume more. The second is that diet soda, without any actual calories, provokes greater desire for sweets. I do think that using studies is not silly, and might help sort this out. What I found was that in a 2009 study, those who drank more diet soda were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. This was confirmed in a 2013 study. It doesn’t prove that drinking the diet soda was the cause of the increased diabetes risk, but it is a consistent association. By contrast, a 2014 study (funded by the American Beverage Institute) showed that, among a group of peo- ple in a weight-loss program, a greater degree of weight loss was seen among participants who were allowed to continue drinking diet soda compared with a group allowed to drink only water. Alas, scientific studies don’t give us a definitive answer. Clearly, drinking diet soda is much, much better than drinking sugar-sweet- ened beverages. I will have to use my knowledge of biology and give my opinion that water is preferred over artificially sweetened bever- ages, but I can’t prove it. I would say if you are still having trouble losing weight on diet soda, try switching to water to see if it helps. Finally, blaming a particular food — or blaming the person trying to lose weight — is not likely to help that person reach a goal. DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an older male, with irregular heartbeat. I am on medication for it. Will hav- ing sex put too much strain on the heart or cause further problems? — Anon. ANSWER: This is a common concern, and fear of heart attack or other problems often keeps couples from sexual intercourse when one or both have heart issues. In most cases, the risk is low. I can’t tell you in your particular situation, but your cardiologist or regular doctor can answer your question. People at moderate risk include those with a recent heart attack, with stable angina or with multiple car- diac risk factors. Those at high risk include people with unstable, recur- rent angina, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe heart failure and high-risk irregular heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia. Regular exercise reduces heart risk from activity, including sexual activity. Moon Children, so do some work- place challenges. Deal with the sec- ond first, then you’ll be free to enjoy the fun time. LEO (July 23 to August 22) A warm response to an earlier request might be a positive indicator of what’s ahead. Meanwhile, Cupid could pay a surprise visit to single Leos looking for love. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) How you respond to a proposed change in a project could affect your situation. Be prepared to show how well you would be able to deal with it. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) The revelation of a secret could cause some changes in how to deal with a workplace matter. It very like- ly also validates a position you have long held. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) An attempt to get too personal could upset the very private Scorpio. Make it clear that there’s a line no one crosses without your per- mission. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) The savvy Sagittarian might be able to keep a family dis- agreement from spilling over by get- ting everyone involved to talk things out. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Be careful not to push people too hard to meet your ideas of what the holiday weekend’s prepara- tions should be. Best to make it a cooperative, not a coerced, effort. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) An unexpected request could make you rethink a position you’ve had for a long time. Meanwhile, plan a family get-togeth- er for the weekend. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Someone might find that it was a fluke to try to use your sympathetic nature to get you to accept a situation you’re not comfortable with. Good for you. Siuslaw N ews ! AD IT DAY E R TO www. the siuslawnews.com E -E DITION • S PORTS • T OP S TORIES • O BITUARIES • W EATHER • F ORUMS • B LOGS