Nothing beats the instant gratification provided by a can of chilled soft drink. However, the sheer amount of sugar in it can wreak havoc to our health over long-term consumption, and this poor man learnt it first hand.
According to China Press, a 58-year-old man from Singapore drank six cans of soft drinks every day without fail. By 21, he was already diagnosed with diabetes, which ultimately led to a kidney failure.
The former chef known as Lim, left school when he was only 12 and started working his way up in a restaurant to become a chef. Due to the intense temperature in the kitchen, he was always drenched in his own sweat.
To quench his thirst, he always opted for soft drinks instead of water. One can after another, he consumed a minimum six cans of soft drinks in a day.
Although his mother and wife were both diabetic, their condition didn’t seem to deter him from consuming those sugary drinks. Besides, he used to stay out overnight and drink with his friends. Over the years, his unhealthy lifestyle have taken toll on his body.
During a medical check-up as part of the requirement for National Service, the doctor shockingly revealed that he has diabetes. It was hard for him to believe because he was only 21 at that time. Instead of taking the diagnostic as a wake-up call, he simply chucked away the medicine given by the doctor.
“I thought diabetes was for elderly folks only, and since I was still young, I didn’t take my condition seriously,” Lim said.
After 19 years, Lim who was home alone one day, felt dizzy and vomited before passing out in the toilet. Luckily his younger brother came home and rushed him to the hospital.
Shockingly, his blood sugar level was higher than the average person by three times! His kidney was also barely functioning at that time, which led to other diseases.
“Diabetes is a silent killer. It seemed like nothing at first, but it’ll slowly take away your vision and your limbs,” he said.
He started going for dialysis at age 40, three times a week. At 43, his left leg was amputated because the bone was crumbling.
“There’s nothing I can do after losing one leg. I had to resign and stay at home while relying on my elder sister to support me. If I knew this was going to happen, I would’ve taken good care of my health,” Lim said.
The amount of sugar inside these drinks is just unbelievable!
Carbonated drink is fine if we consume it once in a blue moon, but daily consumption is definitely a big no-no. Stay healthy guys!
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