In a piece of extremely unfair news, researchers have found that women who drink two or more sugary sodas a day are more likely to show early evidence of kidney disease. But there's no increased risk for men ... how unfair is that?

Researchers aren't sure why women who drank two or more sodas daily have an increased level of the protein albumin in their urine (an early marker for kidney disease). Without a clear understanding, it can't really be said that the soda is the cause of the problem. But researchers surveyed over 9,000 people and the trend was clear ... even if the cause isn't.

Even if the shaky soda/kidney disease correlation is a bit sexist, the other health effects of soda don't discriminate. The added sugar in soda contributes to obesity and all of its related issues, and soda (even diet soda) is terribly bad for your teeth. It's best if all of us -- men and women alike -- stick to healthier beverages.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz! You always say that drinking calories causes weight gain, so I'm willing to try kicking my habit. I'm completely addicted to Coke. There are all sorts of programs to help people stop smoking, but none for cutting back on soda. Help! Brian

A. Thanks for the terrific question, Brian. I'm so glad you've been paying attention! Yes ... caloric beverages such as soda, juice, milk and alcohol are definitely responsible for much of the extra fat folks are carrying around. As an example of this, I once did a series of lectures for a large fire department in my area. I referenced the huge fountain drinks I always saw the firefighters driving around with and showed them how much sugar was in each cup. As their jaws dropped, I challenged each of them to, at minimum, switch to diet soda and, at best, switch to water.

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Diet Coke Plus is supposed to include quite a few vitamins and minerals right in with your favorite soda. But the FDA and the Coca Cola company are in the middle of a he-said/she-said type of battle. Coca Cola stands by its product, but the FDA says it doesn't meet their standards.

In my opinion, the whole concept of getting vitamins and minerals from soda is ridiculous. If you want a diet soda, then go ahead and treat yourself. But know that it's a treat. Soda just shouldn't be considered part of your daily nutrition no matter how many vitamins and minerals are added into the mix. It's the liquid equivalent of those glorified candy bars that are considered health food because they have a little extra protein thrown in.

You're much better of getting your vitamins and minerals from natural sources, such as fruits and vegetables.

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Pinching pennies? Then you might have to switch to diet soda if you're in the New York area. NY Governor David Paterson is unveiling a so-called 'obesity' tax of 15 percent on all drinks except milk, juice, diet soda and bottled water. This means, of course, that a one-Litre bottle of regular Coke will cost $1.15, while a same-sized bottle of Diet Coke will cost just $1.00. It doesn't seem like much, but it can really add up.

I like the idea -- and diet soda is sure better for your waistline -- but is it better for you? The jury's still out on that one.

Will it work? In tough financial times (like now), it just might -- people who are addicted to soda might switch to diet to save, if they can stand the taste, that is. But I suspect those who are really addicted to soda will splurge for their favourite brand, tubby tax or not. What do you think?

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Kids have many health habits that leave a little to be desired. As health habits spiral downward, childhood obesity and related illnesses are on the rise. It's the role of a parent to help change kids' bad habits and replace them with health-promoting foods and activities.

AOL Health counts down some of the worst health habits that kids have today:

• Eating too much white or refined flour. White flour is void of nutritional value, so while it might make that soft and squishy bread kids love, whole wheat is always a better choice.
• Drinking soda. Not only does soda add ridiculous amounts of unnecessary calories, it's also damaging to dental health. To help break the soda habit, don't keep it in your house. Water meets your child's hydration needs better than anything else. Milk and 100 percent fruit juice are also good choices in moderation.
  
• Not exercising. Kids should be active for at least 60 minutes each day. Many schools are cutting back on physical education and even on recess -- so it's important that parents create time for active play. One of the best ways to be sure your kids are being active is to get out there and play with them.
  

Check out the slideshow on AOL Health for more unhealthy kid habits.

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Kids + soda = bad combination. It's a formula that's accepted pretty much worldwide, considering that soda is made up of everything that is bad for you and your offspring. Banning soda from schools is one way to get it away from children and teens, but does it work?

Nope, says a recent study published in USA Today. Apparently, kids who go to schools without readily-available soft drinks consume just as much of them as kids who do have soda in their schools. There's is a silver lining to this cloud, however -- overall, all kids are consuming less soda, on average.

I think this goes to show that ultimately, it's up to the parents to teach healthy habits to their kids. What do you think?

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Soda has received a pretty bad reputation these last few years -- in fact, it's considered the number one cause of obesity. That's just about the most harsh criticism one food item can get, especially since obesity is regarded as one of the top health issues in North America.

But those on the soda side are fighting back against these claims -- Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent recently issued a call to other soda manufacturers to put an end to these claims.

At the recent 2008 InterBev conference, Kent said, "People need to understand that obesity is not about a beverage or a candy bar or a restaurant meal or a PlayStation game or about working longer hours. It's a systematic lifestyle issue that we must address individually and collectively as a society."

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The Thai prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, was recently forced to resign for having a TV cooking show (considered moonlighting). But he could have been canned for cooking his signature dish -- pork leg stewed in Coca-Cola.

It turns out the Thai prime minister's Coke cooking method isn't all that unusual. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has also tried using the soda in unusual ways, and the Coca-Cola website has lots of recipes available including French Onion Soup (with Coke... eew) and Diet Cherry Coke Lentils (double eew).

I can think of plenty of other ingredients that would add better flavor without all the unwanted and artificial ingredients. I think cooking with Coke is clearly a case of just because you can doesn't mean you should.

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Recent research shows that when elementary schools ban soft drinks, the improvement in kids' health is minimal.

Schools who have removed soda vending machines have done so in an effort to improve student health. But research shows that fifth graders who attend schools where soda is banned consume only 4% less than students who have access to soda at school.

As far as I'm concerned, 4% is 4% is 4%. It may be a small improvement, but it's an improvement none-the-less. And since soda bans are relatively recent -- starting in 2003 in California -- I think time will still tell. It takes time to change kids' tastes and preferences. Parents just have to get on board, too, and save soda for the rare treat or avoid it altogether.

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Do you have a soda habit? I went through a period when I used to work in an office and I would drink cup after cup of loaded coffee all morning and bottle after bottle of Diet Coke all afternoon -- talk about sugar and caffeine overload! I have since pretty much cut out soda (and am still working on cutting down on so much coffee) but it wasn't an easy transition. For me the habit-breaking point came when I moved into a home office that (thankfully!) didn't come stocked with a Diet Coke vending machine calling my name from across the room.

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The other day, while hosting over a dozen of my children's playgroup friends here at my house for some outdoor fun....I created a frozen treat guaranteed to fill their little tummies up in a completely nutritious and fun way. Bapaloneo (a weird word my three and five year old children made up) Pops served the purpose I had intended and energized the group for several hours of insanity. Try them this summer.

Fitz's Bapaloneo Pops:

• Cut bananas in half length-wise, and stick a popsicle stick in the flat end.
• Coat the banana with creamy peanut butter.
• Roll the peanut butter coated banana in a bowl of regular cheerios.
• Place pops on a pan covered with freezer paper and then put them in the freezer for an hour or so.

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Motivational pop and rock music is the key to strength training success. Really. A 2006 U.K. study says so.

A York St. John University study found that students could hold a 2.4-pound weight straight out in front of their bodies at shoulder height for up to 10 percent longer when strong lyrics were booming around them. All-music workouts beat out both a partial-music workout and a white noise workout but only when the tunes were powerful enough to pump up exercisers.

Pick a song you'd belt out recklessly in the shower or in your car and use it to power your next workout. Or borrow this Women's Health recommended playlist. Or this one, compliments of Divine Caroline. Or this one, offered by Fitness magazine.

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I love flying but one aspect I don't like the effect it has on my ears. I'm really sensitive to pressure changes, you see, and sometimes the pressure in my ears caused by the altitude change is uncomfortable. If you have the same problems, consider these suggestions:

• Chew gum. Yes, it's the most common suggestion, because it works. If you don't like gum, suck on a candy, sip some water or eat something.
  
• Swallow and yawn, often.
  
• Close your mouth, plug your nose and gently blow through your nose. Gently is the key here -- blow too hard and you can bust an ear drum. Also, don't do this one if you have a head cold.
  
• If you do have a head cold, take a decongestant.
  
• Place a warm, damp towel over your ears. You know, the kind the flight attendants give out to first class. Don't be afraid to ask for one.
  
• Got a baby travelling with you? Try to have them suck on a pacifier during take off and landing.
  

Have any tips of your own? Please share.

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Do you ever wonder why your body makes all those creaky noises? You know, the snap, crackle and pop you sometimes hear eminating from your knees, shoulders, wrists, or wherever else. What causes that? Interested to find out, I started my search. And thanks to the rapid retrival of a Google search, I had my answer in about 3 seconds.

On Men's Health's website, I came across a recently published article explaining why our bodies make these sounds and what health implications, if any, they may signal.

Here's what the article had to say.

SNAP

This sound is the result of friction between two structures (such as tendons) gliding past each other. If the snapping body part (usually the hip, ankle, or shoulder blade) doesn't hurt, don't worry about it. But if the area also feels stiff or tight, the tendons are constricted and could benefit from regular stretching.

CRACKLE

Most cracking sounds are the result of a vacuum being created between two joint surfaces and then releasing (like the noise a wet glass makes when you lift it off a table). Contrary to popular lore, cracking your joints has not been proved to cause damage. In fact, it actually relaxes the muscles surrounding the joint, improving joint movement and reducing pain. Just don't do it too often, or you'll overstretch the joints, making them unstable and injury prone.

POP

In most cases, popping occurs when a joint dislocates and then pops back into place. The danger is that one day it may not go back where it belongs, and the very movement may also irritate tissue around the joint (an especially common problem in the shoulder socket). Rule out exercises that may be causing damage, such as behind-the-neck pulldowns and shoulder presses. Strengthen the rotator cuffs with exercises such as external rotations, but also see a physical therapist for treatment.

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Four things I knew about the effects of soda on your health:

1 - It contains extremely high amounts of sugar, in the form of sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, and just about every other form known to man.

2 - It is bad for your teeth and gums, due chiefly to the aforementioned high sugar content.

3 - It can be high in caffeine; something that can be looked at as being either a good or bad thing. But, considering the fact that so much soda is consumed by kids, I'd venture to say that it's definitely a bad thing.

4 - It can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

One thing that I just learned about the effects of soda on your health:

1 - It can raise your risk of heart disease.

Canadian researchers analyzed the diets of more than 600 healthy people and discovered that those who regularly ate the most sugar-laden foods -- such as soda -- had the lowest level of HDL (good) cholesterol. Given the fact that HDL helps remove arterial plaque left by LDL (bad) cholesterol, and also because low HDL is related to related to high triglycerides, this sugar-based reduction of this cholesterol is far from sweet.