Get off of That Soda!
Someone got weak and grabbed a soda instead of water didn’t they? Was it you? Oh no, it was that other person that you were sitting next right? Well here is the good news. If you fell off the wagon just get back on! Today, I am going to share another tidbit of information to get your mind going in the right direction so the body will follow.
Does that sound like a fair deal to you? I always believed where the mind goes, the body will follow. Just another way of saying you are what you eat type of thing. Anyway, let’s get this plane off the ground and back down again so you can IMPROVE your life for the better!
You may be one of those people who, on the outside, look as if you don’t need to worry about drinking too much soda because you may be thin or maybe you can even put on some weight and you still look good. I can tell you I once had that same thought process. When I was a young – I was convinced that me and my friends could eat anything and get away with it! Well, the heart attack my friend had at 29 taught me that people are NOT invincible and we must think about what we put into our bodies.
With that said, let me just shed some light on the fact that you have an enemy when it comes to fighting the battle of the waistline 
or getting bikini ready. The enemy is… you guessed it, sugar, and guess where it is easily found? If you guessed soda, then you are a winner of a brand new car! Just kidding.
Here is what I want you to take away from this post today.
In 2006, more than one in every 4 deaths was caused by heart disease. We have all heard about high fructose corn syrup right? This stuff is in just about everything now so read the label. You probably already know that it lately it has been highly scrutinized. Why, you may ask?
It’s been closely linked to a high risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a condition that will elevate your risk of both diabetes and heart disease. Trust me on this one. You don’t want to make the heart unhappy! Because sometimes when it kicks back you may not come back from it.
So there you have it. You have to make better choices when it comes to your choice of beverages! Below are a few ideas.
Agua fresca. If you live in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood, you can get this basically anywhere. If not, it’s essentially water blended with fresh fruit, berries, seeds or whatever else is on hand. Sometimes there’s sugar involved, but it’s honestly not necessary. Blend up some cucumbers or melons with your water, or just dice some, soak them in water overnight and strain the next day.
Unsweetened Tea. This one of my favorites because you can drink it hot or cold. Plus, there is a huge variety of flavors to choose from that you feel like you are getting a different treat.
Choose a healthier “caffeinated” beverage. Antioxidant-rich green tea is an excellent alternative to soda and has been shown to offer a number of overall health benefits. Studies have shown green tea may protect skin from sun damage, stabilize blood sugar levels and decrease the risk for certain types of cancer.
Now don’t get me wrong here. You will see me drink a little Sprite or something like that every once in a while, so I am not preaching to you or anything like that. Rather I just want you to know that I don’t do it every day. Translation? Drink less and less until you get to the point where you won’t even miss it! That it. Can you do that?
Okay, so next week we will put this chapter behind us and be done with kicking the soda habit right? By then you will be ready to get off the soda horse and never ride it again!
