I gave up diet soda for a week

Each time they come out with a new artificial sweetener, I try it, just to see what it tastes like. I usually don't get past a sip.
They all taste like crap IMO.
I don't even like stevia.

a reply to: butcherguy

Me either.

Besides, studies have shown that sweet is sweet - whether it's real or fake - your brain proceses it the same and activates your hormones accordingly.

Calories are one thing, hormones are an entirely different matter and way more troublesome.

originally posted by: texasgirl
What were your symptoms?

NONE until one of the stones decided it was time to move from my Kidney and it 'passed'. I had no clue that I had kidney stones prior to that. Then at 1:30 am I woke up from sleep and ... BAM! ... The pain was unbearable. Hours and hours of it. Throwing up too. Pain where the kidney is .. all the way from the back to the front. I was in the car on the way to the hospital (husband driving) and I had so much pain I was on the edge of passing out. I've never felt anything like that before or since (and I even took a beach umbrella impalement through the leg, didn't use any pain killers, and it still hurt less than that kidney stone).

Three days later, after it passed, there was visible blood in the urine for a day or so. The test of the stone showed the typical calcium stone. (it looked like a kidney bean).

The xrays showed more stones in both kidneys.
I'd rather die then go through that again. I mean it.

a reply to: ChiefD

I wanted to see if I felt any positive things from drinking only water. It's only been a week, but I feel like I have more energy. Also, my arthritis pain has gone down quite a bit. One of the most dramatic differences is in my complexion. I used to have dark circles under my eyes. Those are gone, and my complexion looks noticeably better.

I think most of the improvements you are seeing, are from the increase in h2o intake. I started drinking more water years ago. Oddly, it's one of those things -- the more you drink, the more you want. Most people can't start out with a lot right at first, you have to ease into it. At one time, I was up to 10 bottles a day, and my skin never looked better, among other things. All my internal organs seem to function better. Even my brain.

But I couldn't really keep that up, so now I keep it at about 4-5 bottles a day.

*It's true you can die from drinking too much water. There was a patient in a mental institution long ago, who committed suicide that way. It's literally drowning. The cells become too saturated, and you drown. But's it a huge amount, can't remember. There was a water fountain on her hallway, so she had complete access to it. (She was nuts though, and tried to have sex with the water fountain also. Just thought I'd throw that in for your amusement.)

But do keep up the water. After a month, you can really tell the difference, and if you stop, everything will go back to "dull". " )

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: texasgirl

What were your symptoms?

NONE until one of the stones decided it was time to move from my Kidney and it 'passed'. I had no clue that I had kidney stones prior to that. Then at 1:30 am I woke up from sleep and ... BAM! ... The pain was unbearable. Hours and hours of it. Throwing up too. Pain where the kidney is .. all the way from the back to the front. I was in the car on the way to the hospital (husband driving) and I had so much pain I was on the edge of passing out. I've never felt anything like that before or since (and I even took a beach umbrella impalement through the leg, didn't use any pain killers, and it still hurt less than that kidney stone).



Three days later, after it passed, there was visible blood in the urine for a day or so. The test of the stone showed the typical calcium stone. (it looked like a kidney bean).



The xrays showed more stones in both kidneys.

I'd rather die then go through that again. I mean it.

Thanks for that story. You have now scared me away from coffee, LOL.

I don't drink soda at all. I haven't had one for probably 20 years.
I did decide to quit smoking a few days ago. Haven't had a smoke in 4 days.
It definitely takes a little will power.

www.cafehydrate.com...

There is a huge menu on google when asked "Are Americans dehydrated"? Most say 75% of us, are.

There are also studies indicating we get enough water from other things we drink, food, etc. For those studies I say:
pfft!

The link above gives a good run-down of things that can go amuck when dehydration occurs.

originally posted by: FlyersFan
I used to drink TONS of diet caffeine free Pepsi. Then in 2008 passed a 4 mm kidney stone and found out that the dark colas can cause them. (so can coffee and tea). It was a hard break with the pepsi but my kidneys were happy about it.

Good luck with your diet soda break. I hope you are able to keep up with it.

Hi.

I think the dehydration aspect of being prone to stones is very important.

Alcohol, coffee and other diuretics cause the body to dehydrate because it makes us pass more water as urine than intake of water.

And Aspartame; "blisters, tachycardia, fixed eruptions, headache, diuresis, and sensory neuropathy." are associated symptoms.

I don't drink alcohol (well one glass of wine with a meal with the folks every two or three weeks). I have the occasional real coffee. I drink very weak instant coffee and tea (would like to change that to healthier things like green tea and water), keep well away from soda, canned drinks, juices that are sweetened. Only use honey as a sweetener.

The diuresis is very linked to kidney stones.

originally posted by: skunkape23
I don't drink soda at all. I haven't had one for probably 20 years.
I did decide to quit smoking a few days ago. Haven't had a smoke in 4 days.
It definitely takes a little will power.

Good luck. Smoking was rough. Dip was worse. Haven't backslid for 20 + years.

a reply to: ChiefD

Always a good idea to stop drinking soda.

Another thing that helped me was to stop eating potato chips and replace it with dry bran flakes,raisin bran-the cheap kind without all of the extra sugar.

I feel not only more energetic-but it seems to have gotten rid of some digestive (digestion? lol) problems I was having from all of the booze and extreme use of "substances" from my pre-30 yr old life.

a reply to: lonesomerimbaud

We all think that we are indestructible when we are younger-but the booze and stuff always seems to catch up with us sooner or later.

a reply to: ChiefD

awesome, no doubt you are correct

A 100% Diet Coke addict here.

I've been drinking it for years. Yes, I have given it up for awhile. I'll go a few months at a time and then slowly add it back. Each time I stopped I gained weight. And, no, I didn't feel better.

I do know it's bad for me in the long-term but I don't get any short-term benefits from stopping so that makes quitting all the harder.

When people nag me about stopping, they are usually the health nut types. With all sorts of advice like drink green tea. Sorry to me green tea ISN'T as good and never will be.

I really do believe there's something in the DIET (not regular) version of coke which makes it addictive. Very few people have a hard time kicking the regular coke habit but I know many who just can't give up diet coke.

I've tried to find a good substitute but nothing ever comes close.

Too much water is not good for you. It will wash the minerals and electrolytes right out of your body if it is done for over a couple of weeks. Take mineral supplements if you do that. Also make sure to get enough electrolytes, including plain old salt. The kidneys along with other organs have methods to reclaim sodium and potassium but the other minerals flush out. Those methods do not always work right in people though, half of the people lose sodium or potassium by drinking excess water. Drink when you are thirsty not because you make fad dietary changes based on unreal evidence. Flushing the body out with water occasionally isn't bad, but doing this long term can cause a slow decrease in health and immune function.

Congrats on dumping the diet soda, that is a good move.

I gave up fizzy drinks, Diet Coke in particular, some years ago and drank water instead. Not loads of water, enough to replace my lunchtime drink and then just when I felt thirsty or couldn't be bothered to make tea.

I never see the point in regretting things from the past because they can't be changed BUT how I wish I could have sent a message back in time to tell myself to give up the soft drinks years before I did.

I remember all the feelings I used to have of just 'not being very well' and various other things including headaches - it really decreased my efficiency at dealing with life in general.

I'm lucky, right from when I was tiny I refused to have sugar in my tea - no idea why - and it's just one of those things I'm grateful for. I hate to think how much a lifetime's worth of 2 teaspoons of sugar in each cup of tea and coffee would add up to.

One thing I would say though, although sugar is EVIL I don't think it's as bad as any of the substitutes. I never touch the stuff but if I really, really had to have sugar of or a sweetener, I'd choose the sugar. Gawd - I hope that never happens

a reply to: ChiefD

I drink water and beer only.
No soda beverages, juices, maybe a green tea here or there. But it's mainly water all throughout the day and a few beers at night.
When I gave up drinking pop and juice and other super sugary drinks I found myself more energized, my body felt more contempt and when I did get around to that nice cold one after work it felt so much better. Added sugar is the devil, fake sugar is even worse.
I doubt you will get any bad withdraws, the only substance you need to worry seirouesly about your health in that matter is alcohol, you can die from the withdraws. The worst you might feel is headache, sleepless nights, maybe a bit of anxiety. But to get off it I'd suggest maybe getting some club soda, or a sparkling water. When I do my 'no beer' month once a year, I will be found with a bottle of Perrier after work.

I admire the OP and all who gave up pop. I am a diet coke addict (sucking one back right now). It's hard for me to imagine eating pizza or a burger without a delicious fizzy drink. Whew! Maybe today is the day to make a change (after I finish this one )

a reply to: rickymouse

Rickymouse, have you done any research on erythritol? It's made through a fermentation process. It's a sugar alcohol, like sorbitol or malitol, but it seems to not cause nearly as much digestive problems as those two sugar alcohols can. Supposedly it passes through your body without affecting anything. I've been using a little of it in my tea, and in some baking, and it tastes pretty good to me (no bitter aftertaste or anything). It tastes pretty much like sugar to me.

authoritynutrition.com...

Regarding soft drinks - I never drink them. Only tea and water, with an occasional beer or glass of wine at dinner.

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: rickymouse

Rickymouse, have you done any research on erythritol?

I have. It makes my stomach churn.

I believe I am crippled from Coca Cola.

My fractured calcaneus, which is a permanent and debilitating injury, would NOT have happened if I hadn't flushed the calcium from my bones with the litre of coke a day habit, I once had.

Hiatal hernia, diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and depression are just a few of the other side effects of "The Real Thing".