We have all had those relationships in our lives that we know aren’t any good for us. It’s completely one-sided, there’s highs and lows, you feel empty after every encounter— you know what I am talking about. At this point in our lives, we deserve to have positive and mutually-beneficial relationships not only in our personal lives but, also, when it comes to what we put in our bodies. It’s time to break up with soda (and all those other bad food/drink relationships you can’t seem to walk away from) and here’s why.
1. SODA IS NOBODY’S FRIEND; ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
But, what about diet? I knew you were going to ask about diet soda. Did you know that diet soda’s artificial sweeteners actually could help you gain weight? Yup, putting all those faux sugars into your body could actually hinder your body’s ability to manage calories. Also, take a look at that label and if you can pronounce 5 out of the many ingredients listed on the back not only will everyone be impressed, but you should also be worried about what exactly those things are that you’re putting in your body. If you’re not sipping on diet, then here’s a better question, “What are you doing sipping on liquid sugar all day?!” Each can of soda ranges from about 100-170 calories. If you exchanged this beverage for water, you could be saving yourself hundreds of calories each day.
2. YOU’RE MAKING YOURSELF AN EASY TARGET FOR GETTING SICK.
How is that possible? It all comes down to sugar. In fact, if you’re a diet drinker (consuming an average of two cans a day), the amount of sugars/artificial sweeteners you’re drinking actually decrease your while blood cell’s ability to fight off germs by 40%!
3. YOUR SODA INTAKE COULD ACTUALLY REDUCE YOUR LIFESPAN.
Okay, people, soda is literally cutting your life short! A study conducted by the American Journal of Public Health analyzed the length of telomeres (a compound structure at the end of a chromosome) of two groups. Group A drank regular soda and Group B did not. It was found that those who drank regular sugar over time had shorter telomeres, which translates to have a shorter lifespan than those who don’t drink soda— by four years! (This does not impact those who drink diet soda)
4. YOU’RE GOING TO FIND THAT YOU’RE ADDICTED.
If you’ve been a habitual soda drinker for years, be prepared for the withdrawal of a lifetime! Prepare yourself with an ibuprofen, water, and tea because you’re in for a headache for a few days until your body adjusts.
5. YOU MIGHT NOT BE FREQUENTLY USING THE BATHROOM AS MUCH.
Did you know that caffeinated soda is a diuretic? Yep, this is why you feel like you’re always going, because you probably are.
We all have bad habits that we have to break sooner or later, so consider this your wake-up call. Soda is nobody’s friend, especially not yours. You may love that carbonated pick-me-up around 2pm, but just think about the hard truths: it’s promoting weight gain, it’s potentially cutting your life short and you’re addicted to it (to name a few)! Do yourself a favor in 2016, and make positive and healthy choices for yourself!
