Nikki Sommer, a nurse with the Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning for Medical Matters.
Let’s talk about citrus soft drinks. The drinks have an ingredient that keeps everything mixed together so there’s no need to shake the drink to get the citrus flavor throughout.
Sommer explained, “I think finally the FDA is on board of removing it as a safe ingredient in the US. It is called brominated vegetable oil and it has been used I guess since the 1930s to ensure your citrus flavored drinks don’t float to the top of sodas. It has been banned in several countries already. So the US is finally on board with trying to get that eliminated from our soft drinks.”
A number of studies have shown BVO can slowly build up in our fat tissues.
Sommer said, “We’ve talked about the thyroid before and that’s why I found this interesting. It actually can prevent iodine from doing what it’s supposed to do within the thyroid, causing thyroid issues. So as we’ve talked about this, iodine is needed to make the heart the thyroid hormones pyroxene and D4. These help regulate your metabolism. So the important thing is it affects the way your metabolism works. So they decided that this chemical should be removed from soda.”
This has been regarded as safe since the 1950s.
Sommer said, “If you think about it, that was 74 years ago.”
Studies in the UK showed that BVO can build up in human tissues in a high concentration, creating heart and behavioral problems as well as the thyroid issues.
Sommer said, “It’s already been banned in Japan, certain European countries and India and now California actually in 2022, they had passed legislation that’s going to take effect in 2027. I’m not sure why it takes that long, but to have it removed, not to have anything with BVO in it. Most of the soft drink companies like Pepsi and Coca Cola have removed it. There are still a few. It’s mostly found in kind of like the generic brands that you find on the grocery shelves. So Sun Drop, I believe that’s popular in the dollar stores and the Dollar Tree. The Walmart brand has some in there Mountain Lightning Citrus Soda, Great Value Orangette and fruit punch.”
There is a list of brands that can be found on www.ewg.org.
Sommer said, “It lists all the different local groceries and it’s really all their brands. One that struck my mind is Food Lion. Seven sodas from Food Lion are on that list.”
Is BVO truly a vegetable oil?
Sommer said, “It’s an oil that keeps everything from separating, so you don’t have to shake and it doesn’t explode all over you when you open it. It’s just so important to read the label. It was in Diet Mountain Dew. I’m not sure if it still is. My kids they every once in a while, we do not buy Mountain Dew, but they will come out of the store, they bought it themselves.”
The legislation to remove it won’t take effect in California until 2027.
Sommer said, “That’s in California. There’s still a lot of legislation to go through to get it removed, but at least we’re moving in the right direction and the major soft drink companies have recognized it and have used alternatives.”
Skin rejuvenation is also important and Key West Surgical Group has the PicoSure laser to help with that.
Sommer underwent the procedure herself and showed results from the first treatment.
She said, “I did show results, and they tell you that you can, you might not see as dramatic results as after your second or third treatment, but actually over the weekend, my husband and I were out to dinner and we were talking about the laser and I said how this patient came in and she had really great results, but she didn’t want to look at her results. She didn’t believe it. But her before and afters are pretty amazing. So as we’re talking, he’s asked me if I got Botox. He said, did you get Botox? I said, no. He goes, you got Botox? I said I did not. And he goes, when was the last time you got Botox? I said before Christmas. So this is from the laser. So he noticed and let me tell you, he’s never ever said anything about my skin whatsoever. So he said my skin looked tighter. Coming from a man who is low maintenance. He noticed a difference. It brightens your skin. It does tighten your skin, but it all works together. So you have like a glow.”
Sommer also now knows exactly how the procedure works.
She said, “We numb you for 45 minutes with a lidocaine cream, and then we wash it off. Now everybody has a different response to pain. So I think I’ve said this before, I’ve had a micro needling procedure where I felt that was a little bit more uncomfortable. Somebody I did this week agreed with me. Then I have other patients that say it’s tolerable, but it hurts. I think it’s just a pain tolerance thing and what to expect. It’s hard to explain what it is other than hot little shocks on your skin temporarily. But it resolves when the treatment is gone.”
The laser can also do tattoo removal.
For more information click here: https://www.keywestsurgicalgroup.com/