Transcriber: Yana Ananeva Reviewer: Mirjana Čutura
How many of you wish you could live a lavish and luxurious life?
Come on!
We've all been there when we wish we could be that famous person
that we see every time we turn on the TV.
But what if I was to tell you
that there's something more important than this?
What if I was to tell you that what is more important than that
is not education
or the successful career that you dream to have one day,
but your health?
Numerous things can benefit or ruin your health in today's world.
Things like protein powder and vitamins
could all be called here your "health's best friend."
But on the contrary,
there are many things
that could also be called here your "health's worst enemy."
And one of those things is soft drinks.
Soft drinks have been ranked number one for the most consumed beverage in America.
News flash, people - there's nothing soft about them.
And today, I want to focus on a particular brand
that's taking your health and life down the wrong path.
And that company is none other than Coca-Cola.
Their slogans have become so drilled in our brains:
"open happiness," "taste the feeling" and so much more.
But what do you really open when you open this Coke?
Their ads claim that when you consume their product,
[you'll have] the best time of your life.
But could it be that when you drink this Coke,
you actually could be allowing your body's worst nightmare
to slowly ruin you?
I'm so honored that I have the privilege of sharing with you today
that Coca-Cola is not beneficial to your health in any way.
When you drink this Coke,
you may think you're just drinking some extra sugary, carbonated water
with added preservatives here and there.
But what if I told you that you were actually drinking acid?
See that? Oh, you probably can't see that.
There you go. Acid.
This phosphoric acid here is a mineral acid
found in many cleaning products,
just like this one.
How refreshing does that look?
I know I wouldn't want to drink that.
If this ingredient here has the power to remove stains such as rust,
can you only imagine then
what it does once it gets inside your body?
Now, believe it or not, I actually used to be a Coke drinker myself.
I would always drink their Sprite and Cherry Coke
until after seeing one picture, I made the decision to quit drinking it.
It's kind of ironic how I came across this picture.
I stumbled upon a Christian website,
and as I scrolled through the articles on it,
I found one about Coca-Cola.
Yes, Christians drink Coke too.
And as I clicked on the article,
I saw the picture that changed my whole perspective on Coke
in just under one minute.
And I'm going share this picture with you guys today.
So, as you see,
it shows the effects of Coke on the body in just one hour.
So, within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system.
That's this much sugar.
In 40 minutes, your liver dumps that sugar into your blood stream.
Now comes the time where you start to feel drowsy.
Is there anyone here who can honestly say that they are addicted to Coca-Cola?
Don't worry, I won't bite.
OK.
Here's why.
Within 45 minutes of drinking it, the drink has an effect on your brain
that actually stimulates the pleasure centers in it,
which is, ironically, the same way heroin works.
That's right, I said it. Heroin.
Is this what you want to be addicted to?
And in one hour,
you urinate out important minerals
that your body needs to carry out basic functions,
such as maintaining a healthy immune system
and bone building.
So think about it.
Is that drink really benefiting anything else other than your taste buds?
Who here is ready to hit the beach this summer?
Anyone?
OK.
I'm sure you'll be blowing up your Facebook feed with tons of photos
from your lovely time at the beach.
But when you post that photo,
would you like your teeth to look like this
or this?
(Audience exclaims)
That's someone who drinks Coca-Cola.
I wonder how many likes you'll get on Facebook with those.
And OK, I know what some of you might be thinking,
"I'll just drink Diet Coke or Coke Zero.
That has less calories and no sugar.
I'm making a healthier decision, right?"
Uh, wrong.
It is true. This drink here has less calories and no sugar,
but because of that, it's actually much worse for you.
Because it has no sugar to keep the drink sweet,
Coca-Cola adds an ingredient called aspartame.
And according to the American Cancer Society,
aspartame is related to health effects ranging from headaches to dizziness
to more major things, including Alzheimer's, birth defects
and, that's right, diabetes.
And I thought this drink was supposed to be for people who were diabetic.
I also find it funny because Diet Coke was made for those who are on a "diet."
But the ironic thing
is that it can actually make you gain weight.
A study from the University of Texas Health Science Center
found that just two servings of diet soda can increase your [waist] lines
by over three inches.
Three inches!
Regret nothing? I don't think so.
So now, the next time you go to pick up that Coke,
ask yourself, "Is it really worth it?"
The Bible says in 3 John 1:2,
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health."
So before you enjoy that prosperity, you must be healthy.
Then one day, you may become that famous person
that you see every time you turn on the TV.
But for the time being, would you still like a Coke?
Thank you.
(Applause)