Dear Diet Coke, from Wendy Flynn on Slide.ly.
Hey Diet Coke,
We’ve been through a lot together. You’ve comforted me in times of stress. You’ve gone to Girls Night Out and the movies with me. You’ve given me energy when I was feeling sluggish. You’ve been with me at the celebrations, and you’ve been with me when I’m sad.
But lately, I’ve been hearing things about you that I don’t like. Friends have been telling me about some of the things you’ve been doing to me, and I don’t like it.
You broke your promise.
When I first started with you, Diet Coke, I thought you’d help me lose weight and stay skinny. In fact, some studies show that drinking diet soda may increase the incidence of obesity and/or prevent you from losing weight.
You’re going to rot my teeth.
With a pH of 3.2, diet soda is very acidic. (As a point of reference, the pH of battery acid is 1. Water is 7.) The acid is what readily dissolves enamel, and just because a soda is diet doesn’t make it acid-light. Adults who drink three or more sodas a day have worse dental health, says a University of Michigan analysis of dental checkup data. Soda drinkers had far greater decay, more missing teeth, and more fillings.
You’re going to make me look older.
Soda is made up of a number of acidic chemicals. It is one of the most acidic substances humans ingest. The acids in diet soda demineralize the bones and teeth, and can lead to fractures and osteoporosis. Acid in the body also can lead to a number of health conditions such as inflammation and corrosion of body tissue. When your body is overly acidic your skin will not be as beautiful or youthful.
You hang around with a bad crowd.
You run around with a bad crowd, Diet Coke. I’m addicted to the energy that I get from your friend, Caffeine. Caffeine also excessively taxes the liver and can hamper its ability to cleanse and filter toxins from the body. Additionally, caffeine can trigger stress hormones, which can result in chronic stress and weight gain. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which dehydrates the body. And Caffeine is artificial stimulant and addictive substance. It’s best to avoid Caffeine in all its forms, particularly diet soda.
I’m also addicted to the sweetness of your friend, Aspartame. Aspartame may contain fewer calories than sugar, however, the toxic sweetener has the potential to cause serious damage to the nervous system and in the worst case scenarios can be fatal. They trick my metabolism into thinking sugar is on its way. This causes my body to pump out insulin, the fat storage hormone, which lays down more belly fat. Aspartame also confuses and slows my metabolism down, so I burn less calories every day. Aspartame also makes me hungrier and crave even more sugar and starchy carbs like bread and pasta.
You’re probably going to give me a heart attack.
A study at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine4 showed that people who drank diet soda daily had a 61 percent increased risk of a cardiovascular event. The study followed more than 2,500 participants for about nine years, during which 559 vascular events occurred. Even accounting for age and other risk factors, the risk with diet soda consumption appeared to be at least 48 percent higher. With that kind of risk, why should I stay with you?
You are bad for my kidneys.
I also recently learned that you might be bad for my kidneys. In an 11-year-long Harvard Medical School study of more than 3,000 women, researchers found that diet cola is associated with a two-fold increased risk for kidney decline. Kidney function started declining when women drank more than two sodas a day. Even more interesting: Since kidney decline was not associated with sugar-sweetened sodas, researchers suspect that the diet sweeteners are responsible. Oh great, your friend Aspartame strikes again.
You are filling me with toxic chemicals.
You contain all kinds of chemicals that add to my body’s toxic burden, lowering my immunity, contributing to inflammation. There’s no reason I should put up with this – especially when I have other options.
I know we’ve been together for a long time, Diet Coke. But I’ve come to realize that you’re just no good for me. I care about myself too much to let you continue ruining my life.
So, we’re through. Starting on Monday, I won’t see you any more. And I have a group of friends who are checking up on me to make sure that I don’t get tempted to get back with you – even for one night.
Wendy
Wendy’s Slidely from Wendy Flynn on Slide.ly.
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Interesting Wendy. I’ve heard some of these things but not all. So, does this apply to all artificially sweetened caffienated drinks (I’m thinking iced tea in particular)?
Aspartame and Caffeine are really bad for us. So, I’m thinking your ice tea is similar in many ways to Diet Coke. It’s probably less chemically because it doesn’t have the carbonation, coloring, etc.
Good for you, Wendy! I know you have just the right kind of will power to break up once and for good with your pal, Diet Coke. YOU CAN DO IT!
I know it is going to be hard. Next week will probably be the worst. The caffeine withdrawal is brutal. Please check up on me and help me stay on track!
I haven’t had a diet Coke in years – and I relied on it DAILY when I first started my diet. I can’t stand the chemically taste of it, nor do I like artificial sweeteners anymore…and again, I used to be hooked on that stuff. You are doing your body such a favor by giving this up – GO WENDY!!!
P.S. I still loves me my caffeine – black coffee, unsweet iced tea, non-fat iced lattes. The Mayans will officially have come for us if I ever give up caffeine, lol!
Thanks for the encouragement, Shelley! I’m looking forward to getting past this. The caffeine withdrawal will be the toughest part, I think.
When you started with “hanging out with the wrong crowd” I thought you were going to say rum! HAHAHA See, the captain and I have gotten into a lot of trouble with diet coke in the past!
Good luck kicking the habit! I stopped drinking soda a few years ago – only having it occasionally now ( with Rum ). I get migraines from it so I try to stay far away…
I also gave up diet Pepsi a few years ago – I lived on it when I worked at the Exchange. Now I just drink water or seltzer. The first few days are torture. The headaches were so painful but I’m so glad I’m off the stuff and that the kids don’t see me drinking it.
I can only imagine how you must have needed the extra energy when you worked at the Exchange. I’m starting already to feel the symptoms just as I reduce my intake. Next week will be a toughie – but I will handle it! I’m so eager to conquer this addiction!
I’m on day#4 and I can totally relate to the first few days being ‘torture’
I did give up diet soda a few years ago and last year I gave up coffee. I did have caffiene withdrawal symptoms, but I haven’t completely given up caffiene because I drink tea, both hot tea and iced tea, usually unsweetened. I will drink the occasional crystal light iced tea that is sweetened. I recently bought decaff tea bags, I still have regular tea bags but plan to switch to the decaff tea bags once I am out of the regular ones.
You will do great without the diet cokes, before you know it you will have broken the habit.
Thanks for the encouragement. I can already feel the effects of reducing my caffeine intake. I should warn everyone that I’ll be grumpy next week
I quit drinking soda several months ago moslty because of the expense. I really don’t miss it at all and I drank diet coke for 25 years. I was surprised at how little I missed it. I recently found out I have diabetes and my kidneys aren’t functioning like they should. I am so glad I gave up the soda, I am sure it wasn’t good for my kidneys.
Thanks for sharing your story, Christine. I love hearing about those who are successful in quitting diet coke!
Just found your blog while searching for ‘how to quit diet coke’.
I’m an addict and well its been 4 days and I’m going crazy already!
How has your progress been so far?
I’m glad to hear from you! I’ve been a hard core Diet Coke drinker for at least 12 years. So, this is a big change to my life and diet. I’m on day 12 myself. I spent 2 weeks prior to quitting ramping down and increasing my water intake. I am finding that it is going well. Something that is very helpful is that I have a group of 2 others who are quitting on Twitter, and we check in with each other daily and encourage each other. That’s a huge help!
The main problems I have right now are fatigue (I really miss that boost that the caffeine gave me) and food that I used to ALWAYS drink Diet Coke with. For example, when we go out for breakfast burritos or when I get my favorite popcorn at Target (not good foods, I know, I know). For now, I try to avoid those foods.
Yesterday, I had a special breakfast date with my hubby, and we always get breakfast burritos. Uh oh! I decided ahead of time that I would allow myself a Diet Coke. I was surprised when I found that it wasn’t “all that.” It wasn’t nearly as good as I had it puffed up in my mind
I’m back to no coke again today, and I am feeling like I’m having to establish new habits so that I can forget the old habits, and not be tempted by them.
In a lot of ways, it is like quitting smoking. The behavioral modifications are very similar.
If you are on Twitter, look me up – I’m @TufMotherRunner. I would love to include you in our daily check up group!