Sodapop is my biggest trap. It costs a lot of money in a fast food meal, at restaurants, and to bring home. I can very easily drink 6-8 cans a day of soda if I’m not paying attention. By the end of the day, I might drink only enough water to take my medicine.
I used to be addicted to Dr. Pepper or Mt. Dew. Then I switched to diet sodas, just to discover that my TBI trauma was triggered by aspartame. It was like there was sand in the fractures in my skull which were probably actually the nerves.
I’ve given up soda before per doctor’s requests and for only 30 days at a time. I was to give up caffeine initially and I switched to decaf tea. It wasn’t too much suffering but I was also able to drink fruit juices back then.
As my food restrictions became more problematic, I kept soda through it all. After all, many mornings my stomach won’t tolerate water yet I could drink soda. I still don’t understand that but it’s true.
In May of 2022, I decided I would give up soda for a week. My grandmother’s passing was my trigger and only because she was a very disciplined person. She rarely drank soda. It was a treat to have with pizza which was also a treat.
There are many reasons to cut out soda pop. Mine are these:
- Dehydration – detracts from drinking water
- Upset stomach
- Extra wasted calories
- Preservatives are MCAS triggers
- High fructose corn syrup tends to make an apple not seem sweet
- Added expense (easily $2-4/meal)
- Inconsistent intake of caffeine can trigger migraines
I’ve been drinking Dandelion Leaf and Root tea iced. I also enjoy some fall Turmeric hot teas. Somehow these are not so easily accessible nor do I tend to have enough on hand. This is what I used to get me through my one-week detox from soda pop.
My Detox Experience:
- Day 1: Frequently thinking I should get a soda or I want one. Then a sense of pain after I said no to myself.
- Day 2: Less frequent but the same response to saying no
- Day 3: Occasionally thinking about soda and short bummed sensation after saying no
- Day 4: Once or twice thought about it and no sensation with saying no
- Day 5: Same
- Day 6: Same
I eliminated soda one more time nearly 2 months later and the pattern was the same but a bit shorter to transition to thinking about it but no pain or disappointment when saying no.
So why do I keep going back to drinking soda?
I get bored with water. It’s also easily accessible/available. I want the caffeine to make me clear-headed (which often doesn’t work). It’s also a habitual part of my routine.
I also don’t get any miracle improvements in my health, at least not in one week. I also didn’t try to cut out other sources of sugar at the same time.
I’ve tried fizzy water and I HATE it. It doesn’t appear to be the thing that I need to replace, yet a caffeinated drink doesn’t really do it either. I don’t have an answer to this question, unfortunately. Not yet.
Alternatives:
If you can’t make tea at work, or at least not easily enough. There is also the possibility to bring fruit slices or herbs with you to infuse into your water. Veggies like cucumber can also flavor water slightly. I like both of these options, but neither has been a good replacement for soda.