This week Dr. Oz issued a 28 Day Soda Pop Challenge for Americans to reduce or eliminate their Soda Pop intake. It’s like a drug addiction, so it’s not easy to quit. You should try!

The ‘name of the game’ is to replace your typical soda pop favorites with healthy alternatives. Can you spell ‘substitute’?

The problems with soda pop areso numerous that we cannot cover all that ground in one post, but it stands to reason that drinking soda pop is contributing to obesity, heart disease, degenerative diseases, and the epidemic of diabetes in this country and in countries around the world where Pepsi and Coke and other famous brands have been distributing their unhealthy beverages. Sure, there’s a lot of money in putting water with artificial coloring and flavoring and sugar in a bottle or a can. Then you add to cheap ingredients to make the drink more enticing by throwing in some caffeine and some fructose to give people that jolt. It’s makes money for the companies who produce and distribute these sodas, but the people who consume them pay the price of degenerative disease and poor health. It’s not exactly a fair trade!

People are lazy and it’s quick to grab a soda when they get thirsty. Bu they don’t realize that it sets in motion a horrific chain of metabolic processes that deteriorates their health. The pancreas, the endocrine system, the liver, the kidneys, the entire body has to deal with the problems of drinking soda. If that’s all you drink, you can also suffer from dehydration. Not all liquid that enters your body is treated the same once you drink it. Soda pop will deplete the minerals from your food to be metabolized and it takes vitamins to help your body break down the ingredients in most sodas. You’re forcing your body to work overtime when you drink a soda…and that’s just plain stupid!

It’s really is simple to quit drinking soda pop when you have options to substitute other healthy beverages for your old faves. You can still keep the fizz… You may have to go to a health food store, a Whole Foods Market, or a Food Coop in your community, if your general grocery store won’t carry these healthy choices. What are they?

My absolute favorite number one:

Brain Toniq

BRAIN TONIQ…did you notice the IQ in toniq? This is a ‘think drink’ that will actually enhance and improve your cognitive function while still tasting great. The ingredients are all excellent for your health and you can conveniently order your six pack cases online. They will be sent to you from Colorado. You can also find them at locations around the country by checking on their website for a place near you. We can also arrange to have Brain Toniq sent to you and we’ll give you a special deal that will sweeten your wallet in the process.

Next, my second most favorite natural soda is: China Cola. China Cola has natural ingredients that support your digestion. It tastes a LOT like a typical cola, but it’s healthy for you. It’s best when chilled.

The same company that distributes China Cola makes Reed’s Ginger Ale and this is going to satisfy your taste for something spicy while soothing an upset stomach.

Blue Sky and other companies are making some great natural sodas, too. There are too many to name here.

If you want to get away from the fizz; then you can find a good assortment of teas and herbal beverages at Frontier and Jones Soda or any of our affiliates for fine green teas and herbal teas. It takes a little more time to brew the tea and boil the water, but it gives you some time for taking care of yourself by doing something wonderful for your body.

If you decide that you want to replace your soda with pure water, then consider adding some natural ingredients to your water to jazz it up occasionally, so you don’t miss any flavor in your drinks. You can add citrus juices like lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, and orange along with some blue agave syrup to sweeten your drink. You can add pomegranate juice, Vital 18, and protein powders to provide more nutrients. You can learn how to make great Smoothies and you’ll find many recipes online to suit your palate.

Organic coffee is a healthy alternative to soda pop in the morning and during the day, but not too late at night. You do need to use a natural sweetener, instead of sugar.

The other substitute for soda that is still fast and convenient are the new cartons of almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, and coconut milk in most well-stocked grocery stores. They have expiration dates, but once you taste them, they will become your fast favorite ‘go-to’ beverage with meals and you won’t have to worry about them going sour.

This twenty-eight days of substitutes and alternatives will change your Life. You will most likely feel that you have more energy, you will sleep better, you will think more clearly, and you will feel better in general. Really…really!

It’s only one month and you will extend it to be a part of your daily Lifestyle once you get past the first two weeks. You’ll probably never want to go back to drinking Coke or Pepsi or diet sodas. I have never gone back and I have never missed one bottle of Dr. Pepper or Orange Crush. There are too many great alternatives and I can definitely feel the difference. It’s a matter of choosing what is best for your health, every sip of the way to wellness.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at 3:39 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.