Bad Girl Gone Good Gone Bad Again! My Diet Soda Relapse

I write this with a scowl at the knowledge that you all now know the truth! I have had a diet soda relapse. I had been so good for the last 3-4 months and did not even miss that #$@ Diet Pepsi, and Coke Zero and then all of a sudden there it was again tantalizing me. Oh I tried and tried to resist the lure of that delicious ice cold diet soda, but sometimes even the most evil temptations come calling and like that one person that you just knew (and so did everyone else-especially your mother) was bad for you, no good, and would eventually break your heart, you just dove in head first leaving caution to the wind (generally a BIG mistake that I apparently never learn from).

The first few sips of that soda were delicious and innocent and then a couple more sips turned into a couple more and then to me covertly running in the gas station to grab a Diet Pepsi and run out before being noticed (by who I have not quite figured out). Then I started telling my friends that I was only having an occasional diet soda (lies, all lies) as they looked at me suspiciously. Oh no, what has happened to Health Nut Wannabe Mom? Don't worry, I still eat my fruits and vegetables, have chocolate in moderation (unless under extreme duress which is a given I think), drink my 8 glasses of water and am a vegetarian (trying to be vegan). Well, I have given my confession and now I am on the rocky road to diet soda recovery once again.

Just in case you missed my post on why I gave up the ever delicious yet dangerous diet soda habit, I am posting the dangers of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners.

Diet Soda Dangers


*** Aspartame has been associated with a variety of UNPLEASANT SIDE EFFECTS such as gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, and mood swings (hmm, that could cover the mood swings my husband complains about).

***TOXICITY FEARS
-Aspartame has been approved by health and regulatory authorities in 100 countries throughout the world. Despite this, many reputable scientists still have concerns that aspartame may cause a range of health problems. Most relate to the way it is broken down inside the body.When we eat aspartame, it is converted into methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid. Methanol can be toxic at very low levels, and there has been no extensive testing of the effects of chronic, long term exposure.The amount of methanol needed to cause acute toxicity varies widely from person to person.Chronic formaldehyde exposure, at very low doses, has been shown to cause immune system and neurological damage, as well as headaches, poor general health, permanent genetic damage, and a number of other serious problems. High levels of formic acid in the body can damage the retina, leading to blindness. More here.

***A LINK TO SEIZURES-Among others, The Lancet medical journal has published reports of nine[ actually 3 ] cases of seizures linked to aspartame use. In an independent study of aspartame in children with epilepsy, it was shown that a single dose could provoke the sort of brain waves that cause seizures. One theory is that the epileptic seizures may be triggered by the effects of formaldehyde (yes formaldehyde from aspartame in the diet soda). More here.

***PARKINSON'S DISEASE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, AND LUPUS have all been rumored to be associated with Aspartame intake. Here is a really interesting article to support and back up these claims. I really recommend this piece if you want to delve deeper. It pretty much did it for me and I am a tough sell on this. I can rationalize anything if I really want to but this kind of made me say okay, that's it for me!

***Being the odd and suspicious sort I think there is some kind of CONSPIRACY THEORY/payoffs in the FDA for saying it is okay to have Aspartame (this is only my neurotic opinion).

So, hopefully after having reread this post I will give it up for good. Are you addicted to diet soda, chocolate, anything?

45 comments:

  1. Sad to hear about your relapse, but glad that you are, as you say, "on the rocky road to diet soda recovery once again." My only concern is that the "rocky road" does not lead to a relapse into eating tons of decadent ice cream.

    peace,
    mike

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  2. It's ok...that happens! I am glad that I am not a big soda fan. Try sparkling water with lemon or lime...it's good for you (as you know!). Just so you know, I was a huge equal consumer (4-6 packets a day with my coffee). I changed to organic sugar (evaporated cane juice) about 2 months ago...woo hoo! It tastes much better, too!

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  3. I am so addicted to diet soda...diet drinks period, like Crystal Light. I hate water. I wish I liked it, but I don't. I know that I need to kick the habit though. Maybe we can do it together. I do like water if I squeeze some sort of citrus juice into it, so maybe I will get back to doing that. Good luck to you!

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  4. Addicted to anything? Yes, Diet Coke. And now there you go saying it's bad.

    The sad thing is, I suspect you are right.

    Guess I should just stick with coffee, yeah?

    The Natural State Hawg

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  5. i'm glad i don't drink soda, except when there's really nothing elso to drink.

    btw, you have been awarded
    http://liz.mommyslittlecorner.com/2008/07/brillante-award.html

    see yah ;)

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  6. Tut tut, Heidi ... you know you'll regret it. I'm not sure what you mean by diet soda but it looks like Coca Cola. I have never been a fan as it always makes my teeth feel on edge and as though I have parted with some enamel. I used to enjoy Vimto when I was younger but that was with all of the sugar.
    Is diet soda safe? I always thought that it contained Aspartame ...
    I think you would probably be better going the full way and having something with sugar, on the whole it probably is safer.
    My weakness is honey especially the blossom honey by Rowse - the thin variety is yummy poured and the thick variety is just like toffee - mmmmm ... think I'll have a spoonful right now. lol ... now see what you have done you have brought out the tiger in me!!!!

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  7. Diet sodas aee actually worse than normal sodas because a harmful chemical is added to burn the sugar in them, hence sugar-free but very harmful!
    Be careful.

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  8. I think I am going to use the diet pop thing as an excuse for my PMS..sounds good to me...
    It is hard I try and stay away from pop too but I am just not able to put the pop down at times...on a brighter note I do drink a ton of water...life is about balance right..now were is the bathroom seems like I live in there

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  9. Hey young lady,

    As they say, the first step in recovery is admitting that you have a problem.
    At least you understand that diet sodas are detrimental to your health and well being.

    BTW:The info on Aspartame is great.

    It may be a rocky road but things will smooth out quickly.

    This is one of the things I like most about blogging.
    You have thousands of accountability partners to reach out to at a moments notice.

    We are all behind you and wish you much success.

    Thank you for sharing your story with us. :D

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  10. Health Nut Wannabee Mom

    When you feel like a methanol hit--as in the poisonous alcohol... in aspartame, check this out.

    http://myaspartameexperiment.com

    Thanks for letting me post.

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  11. I hate you healthnut but I love you too! I admittingly am a diet soda holic - i definately appreciate the advice - I need to do something about this!!!!

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  12. You'll be ok Heidi just refer to this blog post whenever you get the urge. As long as you drink in moderation you should be fine although cold turkey is probably better.

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  13. Add to all the above that the phosphorus in dark colored sodas robs calcium from your bones, beginning in the jaw. Yep, loose teeth and osteoporosis. I went cold turkey 7 years ago. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, and I had a few relapses along the way, but I absolutely cannot touch the stuff because it is so addictive. Like smoking and drugs, it just isn't worth it.

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  14. You are not crazy for thinking something conspiratorial is going on. From what I have read, ex-FDA top workers often leave the FDA and go to work for companies like Monsanto, etc.
    They do the right thing (for corporate giants) and they get a big pot of gold. Gary Null wrote about this years ago concerning the AMA and various pharamceutical companies.

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  15. Oy.. thanks for this info. I've been doing diet soda's lately because I've been craving sweets and wanted to be good. I didn't think sweets would be this hard to kick, but apparently I enjoyed them more than I thought!

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  16. I don't really drink those stuff. Still prefer fruit juice

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  17. Interesting facts about diet soda or should I say abour Aspartame. Good thing, i haven't been drinking sodas for 11 years now since I found out I have gastritis and acidic.

    But there are rare occasions I have relapses too when I visit someone and they offer me something to eat for a snack or meal and the accompanying drink is a soda. Not unless I was able to tell beforehand that I cannot take a soda. I think, it's not just the formaldehyde in aspartame but the carbonic acid in sodas that causes seizures (suspicious and odd sort, too). = )

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  18. What happened to my health Guru???? Have you tried Del Monte's Fit N' Right? It's not a soda but it's close to that. It's more of a juice with L-Carnatine... Check it out!

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  19. Oh, btw...I have updated my domain name to www.riablahgs.com

    See you in the party's new domain!!! Ciao mama health nut =) easy on the soda.....

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  20. Oooh! I love conspiracy theories! I have one about the government turning us into obese diabetics by promoting a carb laden food pyramid and subsidizing corn.

    Interesting info on the effects on epilepsy. My foster kid is epileptic and I was trying to get her to convert to diet pop since she's a high-fructose corn syrup Dr. Pepper junkie. Maybe it's not a good move, eh?

    me? luckily I'm a water and unsweetened tea drinker, but also a RABID chocoholic! Foam at the mouth and everything!

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  21. I am addicted to Diet Coke. I confess! I have tried to reduce my intake to one can a day instead of two or more, but then I had a really bad day last week and now I'm back up to at least 2 cans a day. They make patches for nicotine addiction, why can't they make patches for diet soda addiction?

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  22. At least you know about the dangers. Many still believe 'Diet Soda' has some benefits. :-(

    I guess I'll never figure out this line of reasoning...

    "I'll have the biggest hamburger you've got, with extra cheese, large order of fries, a shake or whatever, and a diet soda on the side, PLEASE."

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  23. To be honest I never understood what all the buzz was with diet soda anyway. Yes it is lower in calories than regular soda but I really don't like the taste. I'm sure that regular soda has just as many nasty chemicals in it (I've not done any research on this but I bet it does) and I know sugar isn't good for your teeth or your body in large quantities. That's why I try to avoid sodas altogether. However, when the time comes that I do let myself have the occassional soda I always go for the full version, not the diet version.

    Tom

    P.S. Since we're sharing diet weaknesses I think cheese is the big one for me. I find it really hard to hold back on the cheese and want to cover whatever I eat in the stuff.

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  24. I never acquired a taste for soda, any kind of soda. Sometimes I like it, but I rarely drink it. maybe because my parents never bought it? But I'm a real sucker for cheesecake. :|

    I have a friend who used to work with aspartame products-- not even the rats will touch it, he said. He advised me to never eat it. The stuff smells horrible in its raw form, until they do something to make it smell more palatable.

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  25. Excellent post! I just recently put a post up on my blog about the dangers of artificial sweeteners including diet sodas. Don't worry about your relapse...you're only human. Just stay strong and fight those temptations.

    Weight Loss Blog

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  26. It is OKAY! You can do it! Goooo, Heidi!

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  27. You can always try the math method... 2 diet sodas per day at a cost of $1 each not consumed but invested in a Roth IRA times 40 years = $100,000+ in extra retirement income! Now take that times the 4 people in your family (assuming your beautiful girls will never want to leave home until AFTER they turn 40) and you are looking at nearly
    HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!! (Of course your results will vary depending on more realistic returns in your portfolio and will probably be less than the
    fictitious returns I just made up.)

    On a more serious note I haven't
    had any carbonated beverages for over 15 years and haven't had
    chocolate in 21 years. That's no joke! It can be done... Further proof of my weirdness.

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  28. I have heard alot of bad things about Aspartame, that it is linked to causing cancer.. When I fall off the soda wagon I fall off good. I get a regular soda! :)

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  29. Hi Heidi,
    I am addicted to regular soda. I like the taste and it satisfies my sweet tooth. I'm just trying to cut back and trying to drink more water also. I will never completely give it up. Unless they quit making it. It is my treat and I deserve it, I tell myself. Heidi, you look great, healthy and I think it is ok to have something you like, every once in a while. They should take it off the shelves, if it is not safe to drink. I'm not saying it is ok to drink stuff, that is bad for us either. Maybe try something else to drink, that has a taste that you like, besides diet soda. Be happy! :-)

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  30. Interesting post! I'm trying to get my blood sugar and my weight down, but I seem to have problems with aspartame. It seems to help with the weight loss, but it also seems to make my blood sugar go way too high.

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  31. Wow that was a lot of information on Aspartimine. I don't drink much soda, but will drink a real pepsi, maybe once a month rather than a diet soda. Thanks for reminding us about the dangers of sugar substitutes.

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  32. Sorry you've succumbed again - I try in vain to fight my addiction and it's sadly only getting worse. Though, the links to other problems you mentioned are all the more reason for me to finally kick this bad habit!

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  33. I, too, broke the diet soda habit, but I do occasionally still have one and I don't feel any guilt over it.

    I think at my age if you are doing most things right, it's just not that worth it to feel guilt about the rest.

    I hear that there are 2 brands of sodas made with Stevia - I think Hanson's is one.

    Has anyone tried that?

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  34. I have left soda completely. My teacher say its like tiolet cleaner.

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  35. What is worse is those new "flavor collision" Doritos laced with MSG! I was highly addicted and I am not a junk food person. I am sure there are equally as addicting chemicals in soft drinks.

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  36. aaahhhhh! Please stop apologizing! You don't owe us any explanations, you are accountable to you and you alone! Things happen... It is part of our human nature! You are still the health nut wanna be mom that we all know and love... and idolize!!
    Blessings!

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  37. Heidi, Heidi, Heidi. How could you fall victim to Aspartame. That's like drinking rat poison. Are you suicidal? You have an addiction, girl. I urge all your readers to pray for your soul.

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  38. AHHHHHHH! okay everyone thank you for your comments and inspiring me to drink out of the toilet before I drink another diet drink. So it is quite sure now that I will no longer drink the rude, vile diet sodas. hmmmm, I may be cranky for awhile. Why can't it be good for me? sigh.

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  39. Here's a link that might interest you...I was blown away....http://macrobiotics.co.uk/sugar.htm almost TMI.

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  40. Everybody slips up once in awhile...Drinking diet soda is not the best thing for you, but it's not the worst either :)

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  41. I too was doing so very well by not drinking pop/sodas. Then I tried Coca Cola Zero. Hook, line and sinker! I can't drink enough of the darned stuff. And it's loaded with Aspartame *hangs head*. I know, I know, it's not good at all. I'm trying to reach for a water instead.

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  42. I don't think you should take that relapse so serious because it seems that you are aware about it and not in denial so I totally believe that you can recover.

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  43. does this mean my regular coke is okay? :)

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  44. Ya know, there are many diet sodas that contain splenda, which is a sugar derivative, and quite tasty.

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  45. Interesting... It is nice to have alerts about "Diet Soda Dangers"......It is better to leave from "Diet Soda", Am I right?

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