After 45 years, I gave up Cokes

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I am 56 now, Believe it or not, since about age 10, I have been drinking almost nothing but Cokes (Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, etc). I literally would go a month or more without drinking any water at all. I drank at least a 2 liter of Coke every day, sometimes 3L. The only other liquids I drank was maybe Gatorade on very hot days, or milk in my breakfast cereal, or an occasion sip of water from a drinking fountain.

Two weeks ago, I realized this simply had to stop. I suddenly stopped drinking Cokes and replaced them with water. It was tough. I have to get up at 3AM for work and I needed the Coke boost. I had headaches for at least a week and was lethargic, but I have moved past it for the most part.

My flawed rationale was "Since I don't drink alcohol, or smoke, never did any drugs, and I excercise, and my weight is not too bad, SO, it must be OK to drink so many Cokes. I was wrong. Drinking Cokes exclusivly for almost 50 years is BAD. Hopefully, its not too late to recover from it. I have drank more water in the past two weeks that I probabaly have in the past 10 years. Thats got to help, I have to believe.
 
Good for YOU! That's quite an accomplishment. The carbolic acid in sodas is very bad for you, not to mention the sugar. There's probably very little sugar in any non diet drink these days as the artificial sweeteners are so much cheaper. But that stuff can be bad for you as well.

I wish my wife would stop. She's still at a liter a day.
 
I had great parents I loved dearly, but looking back they had absolutly no concept of healthy living practices. I wish I could go back at age 10 and never pick up a Coke. However, Mom kept a refrigerator full of them for us to drink all we wanted, and I did.
 
Good for you to see the light.
If you spill coke on metal it will stain it....imagine what it does to your stomach.

Also, 'high fructose corn syrup' is banned in some countries (but the corn lobby keep it around in the USA).

Finally, it has been shown that sugar feeds cancer tumors.
 
Originally Posted by JohnG
Good for YOU! That's quite an accomplishment. The carbolic acid in sodas is very bad for you, not to mention the sugar. There's probably very little sugar in any non diet drink these days as the artificial sweeteners are so much cheaper. But that stuff can be bad for you as well.

I wish my wife would stop. She's still at a liter a day.


Yes, some health athorities say diet drinks are as bad if not worse overall, in a different way. I don't know, but I gave them both up.
 
Good for you!

I'm not convinced that diet soda is as bad as people say it is... but I'm not sure it qualifies as good either. So I avoid soda as a rule. Although lately, out of the blue, I've had a hankering for diet cola--no idea why. Wife thinks I'm craving sodium, but I think it comes from drinking too much Michelob Ultra, it's probably messing with taste buds.

Just don't ask me to give up my coffee, people might get hurt...
 
That's great to hear. I am fighting the same issue, but with energy drinks. I've grown dependent on energy drinks over the years to wake my self up mentally in the mornings and I took this quarantine/work-from-home as an opportunity to stop. I'm a month and a half in, and it will get easier as time goes on. Best of luck to you!
 
Gotta have coke for my dark rum plus one can of Coke Zero per day with ice. But yes, I'm done with regular (classic) coke. Never cared for Pepsi. For weight issues, getting off sugar drinks yields really good results.
 
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Yes, some health athorities say diet drinks are as bad if not worse overall, in a different way. I don't know, but I gave them both up.

****

Best to dramatically limit either of them:

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...2l6&sclient=psy-ab#spf=1589376000828

Whether taken cold or hot, green tea decaffeinated and/or caffeinated is a better option, along with plain water and some limited alcohol (beer and wine with me).
 
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Originally Posted by gfh77665
I had great parents I loved dearly, but looking back they had absolutly no concept of healthy living practices. I wish I could go back at age 10 and never pick up a Coke. However, Mom kept a refrigerator full of them for us to drink all we wanted, and I did.


I'm a couple of years older than you...and I grew up in NYC...where there were 'candy stores' (which also sold soda) on every block.
My mother always told my 4 siblings and I not to drink soda...as it caused pimples. We would only get soda
at home on the rare occasion that we had pizza...it was a treat. I have avoided soda (except for club soda and seltzer) ever since.....but beer is another story....but at least some beers have nutritional benefits (like Guinness stout) ha..ha..
 
Given the fact I never really had any other vices, I am cautiously optimistic I have dodged the bullet. Other than Cokes, my body has not been abused, I am not a sickly person, I have decent genetics, I guess. I have never had any real health issues. Cautious optimism is where I am at.
 
but at least some beers have nutritional benefits (like Guinness stout) ha..ha..

****

Irish friends introduced me to the black and tan, which I like. The benefits of growing up in multiethnic NY.
 
Gee I thought folks only called Soda Pop "Coke" up here for any sugary carbonated beverage!

Back in the 60's it was "Tonic" For Coke or Fresca or 7up

Back in Indianapolis, that was something the Barber put in your hair!

_________________

Moxie for the Win!

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Soft drinks., booze., sweets . Tobacco etc should be a special treat not a food group
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Soft drinks., booze., sweets . Tobacco etc should be a special treat not a food group


Beer
Burgers
Pizza
Beer

The four essential food groups
 
Originally Posted by gfh77665
How so? I don't feel bad, no outstanding issues that I know of.

You're basically at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, gout, and certain types of cancer later on in life. Tooth decay is another possible issue.
 
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