Attempting to live in the “crunchy” world can sometimes be overwhelming. Between the confusing terms (GMO, HFCS, Essential Oils, Etc) to the never ending mound of information of the effects of this or the benefits of that, one can get lost. I, for one, am still trying to get past just scratching the surface of the crunchy lifestyle and attempting to dive deeper into changing my life for the better. So, if you’re anything like me, one step at a time is the least scary way to live a healthier life.
With that said, here is one step you can take to a crunchier lifestyle; stop drinking soda. Soda is not crunchy! Nope, not even the diet kind.
Soda has cancer causing ingredients.
- Soda has both 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, which has been found to cause cancer in animals and BPA is used to line soda cans and has been linked “to everything from infertility to obesity and diabetes and some forms of reproductive cancers.”
Soda is harmful to your organs.
- Soda “increases the fat buildup around your liver and your skeletal muscles,” leading to insulin resistance and diabetes.
- Soda is linked to kidney decline, heart disease, obesity, and the disruption of “the body’s natural ability to regulate calorie intake.”
Soda has numerous harmful chemicals.
- “The excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels.”
- “Sodium and potassium benzoate were classified by the Food Commission in the UK as mild irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.”
- “Soft drink cans are coated with the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to everything from heart disease to obesity to reproductive problems.”
But Water is so boring!
Yes, water sometimes becomes mundane, so here are some alternatives.
- Iced Tea: A glass of unsweetened iced tea is a great alternative to sugary soda. See below for some ways to sweeten your iced tea.
- Fruit: Sweeten and add flavor to your water by simply adding your favorite fruit. Leaving fruit in a pitcher of water overnight, in the refrigerator, will give you more flavor.
- Lemon & Lime: Cutting up several lemon or limes slices, or a combination of the two, and adding them to your water can add some much needed flavor.
- Cucumbers & Mint Leaves: You are probably getting the idea by now, but these two things, separate or combined, are great to add too!
So, there you have it, a simple step to becoming a crunchier you; avoid drinking that soda!
If you have some alternative sweetening suggestion please join in the conversation!
