Have a Coke and a Smile!

There was recently a news article on Foxnews.com about a New Zealand woman who died as a result of Coca-Cola. It suggests that her excessive consumption of soda (10 liters/day) is a possible cause of hypokalemia – a lack of potassium in the blood – which contributed to the cause of the heart attack.

In smaller print, there is also mention of her vomiting – around 6 times per week due to excessive stress and poor nutrition… Seriously? But Coca-Cola gets the headline for causing her heart attack. When is it time that people will be self accountable and stop trying to pass blame?

I liken this case in a weird way to those unfortunate stories about the extreme marathoners that run through Death Valley and die in the process. No one will deny that these folks are in tremendous physical condition, but too much of anything is bad. For that matter, ask the members of the Chico State fraternity that received jail terms for their roles in the death of a pledge after he was forced to drink excessive amounts of water as part of his “initiation”.

Back to the Coca-Cola…nutritionists and dieticians recommend not drinking soft drinks at all. Soft drinks provide ZERO nutritional value and the only physical benefit may be the caffeine and the smile that Mean Joe Green used to promote on the “Have a Coke and a Smile” commercials.

I fear the day that a nutritionist or dietician is sued for negligence, based on allegations that their advice to avoid soda has caused the “victim” not to smile anymore and resulted in depression.

What do you think?