I have decided today I am going to give up soda for good. I have really limited my soda intake over the past year or so, but every time I allow myself to have one I immediately regret it and end up paying for it. I love the taste of a fresh diet coke in the afternoon, but the coke doesn’t like me. I always end up feeling bloated and unhealthy. There are so many positives about giving up soda, I really need to commit and I know I will be successful.
Even though I don’t drink soda often, it costs money that I don’t need to be spending. I saw a statistic once that if you drink just one soda a day it costs about $365 a year. I could use that money to treat myself or spend it on something healthier.
Not that I needed much motivation to stop drinking soda, I found some great reasons why giving up soda is great for you and your attitude. If you are a soda drinker, maybe you will find a few reasons why life can be better without soda.
• Giving up soda might actually help you live longer. Because of the high sugar content in soda, it causes you to age faster similar to cigarettes…yes, cigarettes. Reading this really made me want to give up soda and hydrate on fabulous free water.
• Soda has been connected to childhood obesity….not that I am a child but still very interesting, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, and gout. As an aging woman, I want to keep my body as healthy as possible to prolong my active life.
• It is known that soda is not good for your teeth because of the high sugar content, but the acid is also damaging to your smile. The acid causes your teeth’s enamel to erode and leave your teeth vulnerable to other health problems.
• We have all heard of vegetable oil, but have you heard about brominated vegetable oil? It is a chemical banned in Europe and Japan because it is used as a flame retardant and is linked to memory loss, nerve disorders, and behavioral health problems. Brominated vegetable oil is used in sodas like Mountain Dew and other fruity flavored sodas.
• Water is cheaper than sodas, better for you, and will actually hydrate you. I don’t need much more convincing.
I am excited to finally give up soda for good. Having a few sodas during week has been hindering me to live the healthy lifestyle I want to live. I don’t think it will be that difficult giving it up because there are so many other options that are better. Wish me luck!
Until Next Time,
Nancy
