My Health Tip to You

As regular readers will know, I got pretty messed up last Spring.  I became a side effect of some medication which really screwed up my liver to the point where I supposedly was as yellow as Tweety Bird or Bart Simpson.

The whole ordeal prompted me to take a good hard look at my health and, as a result, I pretty much stopped taking (with my doctor's approval) pills other than one baby aspirin a day, Tylenol, and this prescription med for acid reflux. But all this nonsense also provoked me into a different kind of diet as well.  I'm a lot more veggie-centric and there are usually two meals a week with nothing but.   Sadly, I have stopped ingesting wine or alcohol except for the Merlot that shows up for Holy Communion on Sundays. 

I also, for some mystical reason, decided to stop drinking diet soda which I used to inhale by the liter.  I switched this out for fruit juices, lemonade, or carbonated water.   Indeed, if you mix the latter with the former, you get yourself a nice glass of soda anyway.

But ditching the world of low calorie beverages had an amazing and unexpected impact on yours truly.

I lost thirty pounds.   And, according to my trainer, in all the right places.

It is such a myth that diet sodas are helpful in weight control.   I have since learned that these lethal cans actually enhance your appetite cravings.   Psychologically, you think you can drink more because there are zero calories.   Indeed, they will make you increase your calorie intake without you even knowing it.

I also have learned that these sugar-free concoctions will really increase the production of sugar in your system, so, in effect, they are doing just the opposite of what you expect.

I now also have more energy than ever before.   I feel better.  I sleep better.   I am just all round...better.

Okay, I haven't gone completely cold turkey.   These days, I will treat myself to a can of 10 calorie Canada Dry ginger ale one or two times a week.   But, the overall drowning my system in Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi?   That is history.

Try it.  You will see the wonders that can happen.   Wait till you see how those tight jeans fit now.

Dinner last night:  Grilled steak salad.