I'm Breaking Up....

There are a few things that are ALWAYS in my cube at work. There are just things you need day to day to make it.  I have a package of gum, a little sewing kit.  I have my personal stash of pushpins and the thin bright highlighters that I like.  I have my knick nacks and my photos.....and one other thing I almost CERTAINLY have is a bottle of diet soda on my little black leather CBRE  coaster. 

Oooooohhhhhhh...soda.  I think I first fell in love with Shasta's as a little kid. Remember  those??  The bright colors and crazy flavors.  Maybe it was the soda pops in the colorful bottles at the hamil_430xN_60296377burger joints.  But those were kiddy crushes.  Things really got serious in high school when I met Route 44's.  I never got over it.  Now, I know enough to stay away from the bad stuff.....the sugar drinks.....I prefer diet.  Diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite, but Diet Coke will work in a pinch.  I love the sound the cap makes when you first twist it off.....Hello Friend!  I like the bubbles and the fizzy that tickles your nose.  Carbonated caffeine!  Does it get any better?  I am looking at a half-empty bottle right now.  (my third one today)  But after a disturbing article I just read, I think the question now is, does it get any worse?

For one, it's getting to be an expensive habit.  I've noticed!  And while I have successfully limited my expensive Starbucks habit, I seem to have replaced it with a soda habit. It seemed a fair compromise at first:  trading the $5 latte for the $1.75 soda.  (Here in CT they put an extra bottle tax...and with the proposed soda tax, they could go upwards of $2 a bottle!) But with a 2-3 bottle a weekday habit, it's no savings. 

Nevertheless, I was not ready to part ways with the bottle.  Not until this afternoon anyway.  I was logging into Yahoo! for my 2:30 email check and the article that popped up on the page was this one:  What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body By Dr. Maoshing Ni.  Curious, I hit the link and started to read.  The ills of sugared soda and childhood obesity, adult on-set diabetes.....whatever....I drink DIET! But I read on.  Here's a portion that struck me:

The Health Effects of Diet Soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a becola-pdtter choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly. ....Huh....got that!  ;)

Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesityThe process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation Depletes Calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis. (Ummm....not being a milk drinker, I find this particularly disturbing)

Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress. 

So, today, November 2, 2009 I am going to break up with soda! It's been fun, but you're not good for me.  So for my wallet, my belly and my general health....I'm drinking my last Diet DP today.  Jayme, you've done this right??  I know Mom's done it.  I can do it!! (...i think...) I am going to have to get rid of my black coaster that just screams for a soda bottle.  Now I need a really cool water bottle!

Comments

Jayme said…
We stopped sodas when we did our "life change"....1 can of soda = 12 lbs a year....diet or not. Even diet has high fructose corn syrup! Really was an easy step to make it's just getting out of the "routine". You can do it!
jenny said…
Wow! That is awesome! Let me know how it goes - I too am in love with the Diet Coke...
kimsingleton said…
Funny....I got quite a few emails on this one. Seems people have a love or hate relationship with sodas. We'll see how it goes. Weird to not have one in my purse this morning!
betty said…
I gave up sodas of all kjnds in Jan 2008 for over a year
U. Bill said…
KILLJOY!!

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