Are soft drinks really all that bad? In the March 12, 2012 issue of the journal Circulation, it was reported the sugary beverages, one daily, is associated with a 20% risk of heart disease. But what about diet soft drinks? The January 27, 2012 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine helps answer that question. After following 2,600 older adults for a decade, those who consumed one diet soda every day were 44% more likely than diet non-soda drinker to have a heart attack or stroke. Coupled with a study out of Loma Linda University which showed a 50% decrease in the incidence of heart attacks with drinking just 6 or more 8 ounce cups of water daily, its a “no-brainer;” DRINK WATER! The Loma Linda study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology (Vol. 155, No.9) revealed that total fluid intake did not confer the same benefits. Only water offered these benefits. Take home message, “Drink the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)