Life Without Carbonation

***The following information is not meant to be preachy,
judgmental, or soap-boxy. Just interesting,
eye-opening, and life-changing in my case.***

If you know me, you know that I usually have a can of Coke Zero in my hand, or the 32 oz. fountain version of Coke Zero sitting in the cup-holder of my car. I could easily guzzle down anywhere between 3-6 cans a DAY of the shiny, black-cylinder elixir. I felt out of control, constantly craving sugar, carbs, fats, salt...everything that wasn't good for me. I always thought diet soda wasn't bad for me because it didn't have sugar in it, right?

And then, my world changed. I went to a dietitian. Not only did I find out WHAT soda did to me, but how it effects mood swings, eating habits, etc. And just what does soda do to a person's body?

First off, phosphoric acid... most sodas (diet or regular) have this ingredient. It robs your body of calcium. Not only does this acid rob calcium, it also interferes with absorption of calcium. A double-whammy. After age 30, women especially need calcium for bone density later in life. My bones must look like Swiss cheese, but I am still young enough to reverse some of the damage I have done, thankfully.
Secondly, caffeine... slows metabolism. What? I always thought that little "pep" raised my metabolism. Not so. The temporary boost from caffeine is always followed by a crash, which equates to a slow-down in metabolism. So, you pop open another can of soda to not feel so sluggish and tired. (Vicious little addictive cycle, caffeine is.)
Thirdly, NutraSweet. It artificially spikes your insulin levels (the same way sugary sodas do), only with diet sodas, there is no sugar to counter-act the insulin. So, even though your teeth may not rot, your over-inflated insulin equates to fat storage, (and lots of it in my case).
And last but not least Carbonation, any carbonation (sometimes called Carbonic Acid) whether it's Coke or beer or sparkling mineral water, sucks the water out of your body, and most soda drinkers don't drink enough water anyway. Dehydration sets in, and triggers your body to eat more/drink more.

I am happy to report I am a reformed Coke Zero addict. I have not had a drop of soda in 9 days. This is the longest I have gone without soda my entire adult life. And I don't crave it. I finally feel free from the mood swings, fatigue, and irritability I have always felt while drinking soda all day, every day...(and not knowing why). I am a water girl now. Not only do I feel better, I understand what signals my body is sending me. LONG story short, I feel wonderful. I never want to drink soda again. Really.