Break the Diet Soda Habit
July/August 2008
Is diet soda healthy and will it help me lose weight? Unfortunately not. As much as we're led to believe it's a low calorie alternative, it actually has the opposite effect on weight loss. The American Cancer Society has documented that people using artificial sweeteners gain more weight than those who avoid them. Diet sodas are filled with artificial chemicals which are worse for your health than regular soda. Aspartame, the artificial sweetener NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful and Equal-Measure, is in SO many foods including both sugarless & regular gum, jello, vitamins, baked goods, toothpaste, soft drinks, diet teas and low-cal juices. Aspartame is 200x sweeter than sugar. When ingested it signals the brain that a sweet is coming without delivering any calories which causes:
- Increased appetite, especially carbohydrate and sweet cravings
- An increase in your body's fat storage
- Fluid retention causing bloating and puffiness
- Unstable blood sugar levels & hormonal imbalances
Now there are dozens of useful purposes for diet soda:
- Cleaning your dirty toilet bowl
- Removing rust spots from chrome
- Getting gum out of your hair
- Getting rid of skunk odor
- Cleaning grout
If you feel compelled to drink soda, drink soda with sugar. However, keep in mind that drinking just one soda a day can increase your risk of obesity by an amazing 60 percent! And it will increase your risk of diabetes by 85 percent! Soda drinkers have a higher throat cancer risk. Food dyes and preservatives are also troublesome, including the preservative sodium benzoate--an ingredient in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings--causing some kids to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible. Another ingredient, phosphoric acid interferes with your body's ability to use calcium, and can lead to osteoporosis or softening of your teeth and bones.
If you're still thinking "I just can't give up my diet soda!" consider this:
- Aspartame is broken down by the liver and metabolized into its toxic components - phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol.
- These toxic chemicals stress your liver & brain!
- Aspartame causes the brain to cease production of serotonin, which can lead to depression.
- There are many reports of Aspartame's toxic effects, with over 90 different health side effects associated with Aspartame including joint pain, arthritis, brain tumors, leukemia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, memory loss, vision loss, insomnia, asthma, headaches, irritability, weight gain, lyme disease, fibromyalgia, epilepsy/seizures, diabetes and Alzheimer's.
How can you break the diet soda habit?
- Slowly reduce your intake by a can or half can a day until you are down to none (or one occasionally)
- Be prepared and have a healthy "fuel" snack on hand when you need a "pick-me-up" (a piece of fruit along with a small handful of nuts)
- Try EFT to break the habit; it really helps to reduce stress & change unwanted habits!
- Take three deep breaths to release the urge for a soda
- Begin a daily meditation practice to create a sense of calm and higher intention
- Substitute filtered water instead, with a squeeze of lemon or lime
- Try Green Tea Cola, a natural soda, with no artificial chemicals or preservatives, as an occasional treat
If you'd like assistance in eliminating unhealthy habits and finding new ways to meet your needs for energy and comfort, contact Andrea to set up an appointment. Wellness Coaching will help you make changes that last!
847-971-3643 / andrea@hgcoaching.com
