Swearing Off Soft Drinks: An Oath For A Healthier Life

Little did I know that watching Dr. Oz on the Oprah Winfrey show a few months ago would change my life. On the show, Dr. Oz talked about how obesity is an increasingly worrying problem in the US & other parts of the world. He mentioned that we can cut down the risks of having obesity by cutting out at least 100 calories per day. 1 can of soft drink has roughly 110 calories. 

*I'd already cut out Coke since I was 14*

I'd no idea what lunacy overtook me that I swore to my mom that I'll lay off soft drinks for the rest of my life. Sounds silly, huh? But it seemed like a good idea at the time (like I said, I must've been crazy); mainly because soft drinks isn't a good/healthy drink for you. It's a beverage with loads of calories, sugars & caffeine but no nurtritional value. 

How did it become so bloody popular?

Soft drinks are extremely popular among the youth; it's no wonder seeing that being young is usually being foolish & who could resist the fizzy sweet taste? The top consumer of soft drinks are kids, they are targeted by the companies & the trend has affected entire nations. We see soft drink commercials starring our favorite idols; fast food restaurants had made it a (almost) necessary addition to the high-calorie meals they sell; it's everywhere, literally.

David Beckham & Britney Spears promoting Pepsi

How bad is it for us?

Pretty bad, actually. I'm not saying that soft drinks are the only culprit at play here but we can't deny that they aren't exactly squeaky-clean either:

• Obesity: high in sugar, consumed relentlessly; toss in today's generation's lazy attitude & lack of exercise, & we see "bigger" people everywhere. 
• Tooth decay: what do you get when you chug down a lot of sugar & acids everytime you take a sip of Coke? Tooth decay, that's what. A can of Coke isn't worth another (traumatising haha) trip to the dentist's. 
• Caffeine dependence: there is a significant level of caffeine in soft drinks (especially Coke!); it's not like kids need another addiction with their already worrying dependence to the TV, Internet, fast food, video games etc.
• Bone weakening: phosporic acid is present, albeit in low levels. Is it truly something to worry about? Yes, especially during the bone-forming yrs ie. childhood & adolescence. We're already worrying about osteoporosis when we get older, do we need another bone deficiency on our plate?

Rough general ideas that convince me this oath isn't such a bad thing after all. If Mom's happy, I'm happy. I admit it wasn't easy since it was automatic impulse that would drive me to grab a can of soft drink everywhere I go, but I'm coping & doing well with it. I'm not gonna drag everyone with me into my personal agreement with Mom, I agree that we should practice everything with moderation, but oh well...

If I can live without soft drinks, so can you :D