Abundant Life Chiropractic Health Centre: Nutrition 2

Thirsty? If you reach for a handy bottle of water, you're like millions of Americans who have changed their water drinking habits over the past decade. And I admit I'm one of them. I keep a small water bottle on my desk, and two or three times each day I trek down the hall to the water cooler and fill it up. It seems logical, right? Why spend money on a fresh bottle every day when I have access to an easy fill-up right here at work?

But before you take your next sip of water from a plastic bottle, I have some information that might change the way you quench your thirst. It certainly has changed mine.

Two recent studies from Idaho and Canada bring important warnings for the millions of people who enjoy their water in convenient plastic bottles. First the good news: I'm not going to tell you bottled water is bad for you. But you may be surprised to find out that what you do with the bottle after you've drained it might lead to serious health problems.

Researchers from the University of Calgary collected water samples from 76 plastic bottles used by students in a Calgary elementary school. About one third of the samples contained bacterial contamination severe enough that, had the water come from a tap, health officials would have issued a "boil water" advisory. Some samples even contained fecal coliforms. Cathy Ryan, the lead professor of the study, noted that if fecal coliforms were found in a town water supply, it would have to be shut down.

These contamination problems are a direct result of reusing water bottles without proper washing between each use. The researchers speculated that the contamination of the elementary school water bottles was likely complicated by insufficient hygiene - specifically, a lack of thorough hand washing. Nevertheless, any water bottle reused again and again without washing is subject to contamination with bacteria.

Cleanliness doesn't guarantee safety

A University of Idaho survey revealed that the reuse of water and soda bottles was widespread on the UI campus, with some individuals using a single bottle for several weeks. One participant reported that they had reused the same bottle for six months. This survey was taken in conjunction with a graduate program study that examined the effects of repeated bottle use.

The UI study tested water samples from typical soft-drink and water bottles made from a plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Analysis of the samples showed that with repeated use, toxic chemicals in the plastic can break down and migrate into the liquid inside. One of the toxins that appeared with regularity was di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, a carcinogen that has been shown to cause liver damage and reproductive problems.

Furthermore, when bottles were used repeatedly, the concentration of toxins gradually became more pronounced. And ironically, washing the bottles didn't help - in fact it only made matters worse. The UI data suggested that the break-down of toxins was accelerated by regular exposure to hot water and soap. Source: Institute of Health Sciences Return to Top

Get ready to ditch your soda habit. Recent research has shown that artificial sweeteners in soda may interfere with your body's ability to estimate how many calories you've ingested, so you eat more than you need.

In a new rat study, animals that ate fake sugar consumed more calories overall and gained weight, compared to those that didn't eat artificially sweetened treats.

This is just one study, but it's enough to make me want to kick the can habit. Need more convincing? For every diet soda you sip daily, your risk of becoming overweight can rise by 37 percent, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

We also know that regular soda is a total sugar bomb - most people I know gave it up long ago. At roughly 225 calories a pop, a 20-ounce bottle of regular soda packs nearly as many calories as a chocolate bar (but is much less satisfying).

Typically, soda also contains zero nutrients - so who needs it? Still have some soda around? Fine, stow it for guests who haven't decided to quit. Next time you want a fizz hit, try seltzer with lime (or for a caffeine fix, green tea). What are your favorite low-cal soda substitutes?

Source: http://health.yahoo.com Return to Top

How to Quit Drinking Soda Pop

Steps:

Determine why you are quitting soda. There can be several reasons, and any one of them can make living a soda-free life an attractive option:
- reducing caffeine intake
- reducing sugar intake
- avoiding high fructose corn syrup
- limiting carbonation
- limiting artificial sweeteners
- minimizing acid intake - the phosphoric acid present in most dark sodas is detrimental to bone health and softens tooth ename
- saving money - if you add up how much you spend on soda in a month, you might have enough for a retirement fund.
Stock up on substitutes. Water is the healthiest and cheapest replacement for soda, but quitting soda cold turkey and making the big switch to water might mean setting yourself up for failure. The best way to quit any kind of addiction is to ease your way out of it, but check your numbers. Some fruit juices have more calories and cost more than soda which may defeat the goals you just set up. Here are some suggested soda substitutes:
- flavored water
- juice
- seltzer/ sparkling water
- juice spritzers (carbonated juices)
- sports drinks
- iced tea (e.g. iced green tea)
- milk alternatives (soy, almond, hazelnut, hemp, oat, rice, etc.)
- water with stevia (a no-calorie sweetener)
Track your soda consumption. Estimate, as accurately as you can, how much soda you're drinking per week. (This is very important for the next step.) Do you drink soda with lunch at work? In between classes? While you're unwinding in front of the TV? Calculate how many calories you're racking up from soda alone; to get an idea of how fizz might be affecting your weight, calculate how many calories you're supposed to be getting per day and see how much of that you're getting from soda. For many people, this is a powerful observation that might give you the motivation you need to change this habit.
Make a quitting schedule. Whatever the amount of soda you drink per week, cut that amount by 25% for one week, then by 50% the next, and so on.
- Gradually increase your consumption of the substitutes you chose.
- Be sure that you're still consuming the same amount of liquid (if not more) or else you may become dehydrated, which will make quitting even more difficult.
Buy less and less soda every week. If you drink most of your soda at home, this will be easier to do. If the soda isn't purchased, then you won't feel the urge to drink it when you're at home.
- If you drink a lot of soda from vending machines, don't carry a lot of extra change with you. If you carry a lot of extra change around, it may be time to start paying for other items with that change so you won't have the urge to stick that money in the machine for the soda.
- If somebody who you live with loves to drink soda, then ask them to hide it so you won't have to drink any. This may seem a little strange, but it will eventually pay off.
Prepare for caffeine withdrawal. Do not underestimate the addictive power of caffeine. If most of the soda you drink has caffeine, you may experience headaches and other withdrawal symptoms for about a week, especially if you cut your soda consumption dramatically. Likewise, if you depend on both the caffeine and sugar fix that soda pop brings to get you through the day, you'll probably feel more tired while your body adjusts to not having carbonated "pick-me-ups". If the symptoms are too dramatic, tweak your schedule so that you're weaning yourself off more gradually.
Remind yourself what your goal is constantly so you will not forget. Write yourself a note that says something along the lines of "Don't drink soda," and stick this note in a place where you are likely to see it.
- One very effective way to remember that a 20-ounce bottle of soda is the equivalent of 17 teaspoons of straight sugaris to fill empty bottles with that amount of sugar and keep them in places that you normally drink soda (the fridge, at your desk, etc.).
- If you normally drink from the can, find out how much sugar is in each can, put it in a zip lock bag, and drape it over the top of an empty can. The sight of all that sugar can be a sobering reminder of what you're really trying to avoid.
Calculate how much sugar is in a particular bottle or can: to do so look on the nutrition label for how many grams of sugar there are per serving. If you have a scale, weigh out that amount of sugar; you can also remember that there are about 4 grams of sugar per level teaspoon. Repeat for every serving that there is in the container (check the label) and you'll see how much sugar you're consuming with each bottle or can.

Tips:

Drink water more often. If you used to drink soda for supper, then replace your soda can with a glass of water. This way, you will be starting a healthier habit.
If you want something sweet or a snack, try fruit for a healthy option, or a cookie or two. Fruit contains important nutrients, and even cookies do not carry as great of a health risk as soda.
Remember, drinking soda pop once in a long while is okay. Everything in moderation.
Buy a refillable water bottle. When you have something you can grab and go, even if its to the other room, it helps a great deal!
Put a water cooler in your home.
Try seltzer water as a substitute. It has the same can and fizz to mimic your soda habit with less cost and no unhealthy ingredients.
Another good substitute is a refillable water bottle with an herbal or fruit-flavored tea bag. No boiling necessary. Just put in the tea bag, fill it with water, and by the time you get to work, you'll have a flavorful, no-calorie, no sugar, no artificial ingredients drink.
If you get the urge to drink a soda, do something constructive then when you are busy the time will fly until you get thirsty enough to appreciate some tea or water.
Also try Xylitol. Despite its chemical-sounding name, it's a natural sweetener, made from plant fibre.

WarningsS

How Much Caffeine is in
Your Daily Beverage Habit?

Caffeine (milligrams/mg) per 12 oz. Soda
Caffeine (milligrams/mg) per 7 oz. Coffee

A&W Creme Soda = 29 mg
Barq's Root Beer = 23 mg
Cherry Coca-Cola = 35 mg
Coca-Cola Classic = 35 mg
Coca-Cola Diet Vanilla = 45 mg
Code Red = 54 mg
Coffee Brewed = 80 to 130 mg
Coffee Dripped = 120 to 170 mg
Coffee Instant = 60 to 100 mg
Diet Cherry Coca-Cola = 35 mg
Diet Coke = 47 mg
Diet Dr Pepper = 41 mg
Diet Mountain Dew = 54 mg
Diet Pepsi = 35 mg
Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry = 38 mg
Dr Pepper = 41 mg
Mello Yello = 53 mg
Mountain Dew = 54
Mr. Pibb = 40 mg

Mr. Pibb Sugar-Free = 58 mg
Nestea Earl Grey = 55 mg
Nestea Honey Lemon Green
= 38 mg
Pepsi = 38 mg
Pepsi One = 55 mg
Pepsi Wild Cherry = 38 mg
RC Cola = 44 mg
RC Cola, Diet = 36 mg
Ruby Red Squirt = 39 mg
Shasta Cola = 44 mg
Snapple Green Tea w/Lemon
= 24 mg
Snapple Lemon = 31 mg
Snapple Peach = 31 mg
Snapple Raspberry = 31 mg
Sunkist Orange Soda = 41 mg
Surge = 52 mg
Tab = 46 mg

Sources: The Coca-Cola Co., 2007; DR Pepper/Seven Up Inc., 2007; Journal of Food Science, 2007; PepsiCo Inc., 2007
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How to Quit Drinking Soda Pop