So here it is..my big confession. I am a former coke addict. Coke as in the soda pop and not as in the other Coke. I am only 26 days coke free so that does make me an addict or a recovering addict. Who knows. I used to drink diet coke every day. Only 1 can or small bottle but still every day. It didn’t use to be so often and when I was pregnant I really limited my intake but after Izzy was born and I was oh so tired I used it a pick me up. I don’t drink coffee and only drink red bush tea so I told myself it was ok – it really isn’t. I knew diet coke was unhealthy but I really had no clue as to just how bad it was. Within 2 weeks of stopping drinking it I noticed a difference in my waistline, I feel less bloated and although I don’t know if I’ve lost weight ( I’m not keeping track ) I felt much better and my clothes fit nicely. Over 3 weeks on and I feel much better in general. I’m not going to set myself up for a fall and say that I’ll stop drinking it forever but I know that I will never go back to drinking it daily.

Today my sister had a bottle of diet coke and offered me a glass. I said no but I was alarmed at how much I actually wanted it. It really is addictive. I suppose it’s no different to any other kind of addiction and in some cases just as dangerous. If you are a fan of the artificially sweetened fizzy drink read on.. You may just find you won’t want it quite so much.

A 10 minute Internet browse found these lovely little nuggets of information:

* Crumbly Bones Caffeinated sodas, diet or not, pose the biggest threat to your bones. Recent research shows that it may be the caffeine in some sodas, rather than the acids in all of them, that coax excess calcium out of your skeleton.Diet Coke also contains phosphoric acid, which, especially when combined with a low-calcium diet, has been linked to skin cancer and osteoporosis by scientists in two separate studies at the Emory University School of Medicine and Tufts University. Although these studies do not prove a conclusive link between Diet Coke consumption and illness, if you are a regular drinker you should make sure you get plenty of calcium from elsewhere in your diet or take a supplement.

* Chance of scary health problemsDiet soda increases your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Three major studies have found that people who drink even one diet soda a day have a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to diabetes and heart disease.

* Even diet coke can make you gain weightYou may find that Diet Coke helps satisfy your sugar cravings by giving you the sweet taste, without the calories. However, some studies have actually connected artificial sweeteners with increased appetite and even weight gain, such as research findings by Purdue University. A possible explanation for this is that you will eat more after consuming artificial sweeteners because your body is still expecting the calories to match the sweet taste sensation it experienced from the sweetener. Drinking more than two servings a day of artificially sweetened beverages, such as Diet Coke, has also been linked to reduced kidney function by a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

*TeethDiet Coke has high acidity and lowers the pH of your mouth for up to an hour after you have consumed it. Lowered pH can cause tooth enamel to lose its natural minerals and break down, increasing your risk of decay and causing yellowing. Dentists suggest that if you are going to drink Diet Coke, you avoid sipping it over an extended time and instead drink it all in one go.

*Extra CaffeineDiet Coke has a caffeine content of 46 mg/12 fl oz., according to information provided by the Coca-Cola Co. Regular Coke has 34 mg /12 fl oz. Caffeine is a stimulant and can be addictive, which is another reason to stick to moderate consumption of Diet Coke, especially if you also drink coffee and tea – I know the extra caffeine will seem like a benefit to some. We have all had days when we need it!

You know you want me

I know this isn’t my normal blog post but I do feel quite strongly about it!

For the record I’m a diet coke with cherry kinda girl.

* info taken from sites including: http://www.azcentral.com and http://www.bistromd.com