Thursday, October 18, 2007
A SHORT BUT SWEET GOODBYE
It has been almost two years since realizing that I may be addicted to aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in diet sodas. In fact, I had posted a series of entries about its perils, side effects, and about the man who may have been largely influential for lobbying the Food and Drug Administration to declare this dangerous chemical safe for human consumption.
It has been more than two weeks since the last time I had a glass of Coke Light, and haven't craved for it since. I am now confident and secured enough to bid adieu to aspartame, because I have finally kicked my addiction to Coke Light, as well as for any kind of soft drinks.
I thank God's help in this personal battle of mine.
Goodbye, Coke Light!
posted by Señor Enrique at 1:24 PM
28 Comments:
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said... Good for you. But you shouldn't make the mistake of tasting any of it again, though confident you have overcome your addiction. Just one sip can make you slip back to the habit. Trust me. I know. It happened to me. And now I don't know how to shake it off again. :(
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Señor Enrique said... Thanks, Rhoda!
That reminds me of those times I tried to quit smoking, which was nothing more than fooling myself that I had licked it, but a single whip of a cigarette smoke or from that of a newly-struck matchstick would make me crave for a cigarette, and then sadly, back to the filthy habit of regularly smoking all over again. But these days, even if I lit up a cigarette, it is my body itself that would reject it :)
As for the addiction to aspartame, absolutely advisable not to entertain any attempt for another sip, for it'll only defeat the purpose of overcoming the addiction. That would be akin to an alcoholic having another sip of whiskey after being on the wagon for only couple of weeks. That's how insidious aspartame is to our bodies. Think of it like the illegal "magic sugar" from China.-
ScroochChronicles said...
Hi Senor! I know what that's like. I was able to kick my Diet Coke habit for about 5 years. And then it suddenly just creeped back in..unexpectedly. It's not as bad but I can't resist it when I eat out. Nainspire naman ako sa iyo. Sige, I will jump on the bandwagon and try to kick this nasty habit goodbye :)
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Nashei said...
i am very proud to say that i've never been addicted to any kind of softdrinks...i am not a big fan of them that's why.whenever we eat out i always order juice.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thing is Scrooch, I've been having some minor complaints which may not be caused by conventional eating habits, and this is why I thought of eliminating diet sodas from my diet altogether so as to see if perhaps, aspartame may be their root cause.
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Señor Enrique said...
Good for you, Nashei, and hope those around you would be inspired to do the same :)
Juice is healthy and I'm glad to see many fresh fruit juice stalls at the mall. My favorite is mango and banana, but without the syrup that they usually add to it. Watermelon is fine, too, and so is pineapple.-
carlotta1924 said...
ever since i've read the adverse effects on softdrinks like it can be used to clean a toilet bowl, i've cut down on buying them except when i order a value meal. don't care for the diet sodas coz they taste differently. these days i simply ask for a glass of water. =)
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Señor Enrique said...
Hopefully, Carla, I'm on the path towards a healthier eating habit like yours. Masarap kung masarap ang mga soft drinks pero delikado sa kalusugan.
That was what my nephew kept telling me whenever I ordered a diet coke -- that it can be used to clean toilet bowls because of its chemical contents. Jeeeez!-
nutart said...
I really was shocked to rea about aspartame. A lot of intelligent and well-read people are addicted to it! It's really like getting hooked on cigarettes or a lot of sugars. You know it's poison yet sige pa rin...it's really a form of unconscious suicide. Don't get me wrong...I was one of those who made a go for it but then I can say when I decided to stop, I stopped. And so even the whiff of cigerette smoke smells awful to me na. It can be done. Congrats to your change of diet! I find drinking water helped improve my complexion too! No more cosmetic aids for me.
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Señor Enrique said...
"A lot of intelligent and well-read people are addicted to it!"
It is depressingly true, Nutart. It is something not so easy to kick once you're hooked on it -- it's highly addictive yet many refuse to acknowledge its perils.
Congrats to you, too, for having successfully won the battle :) Perhaps, I will, too, for life.
And thank you for such encouraging and inspiring words, Nutart!-
Photo Cache said...
usually you trade one addiction for another. i found that when i had to stop my diet coke habit (could not drink anything undiet for over 10 years) i had to drink an extra cup of coffee during the day. now i need to cut that and i am looking at tea in lieu of coffee.
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Señor Enrique said...
And any activity/habit deemed socially acceptable, once addicted to it, makes it even tougher to kick, Photo Cache. Caffeine is one since it can be in sodas, coffee and tea. If only we could be like Nutart and stick to water, this would be a better world :)
Thanks!-
said...
Maybe it would be good if we just carry a bottle of water wherever we go para pag naging thirsty, drink na agad and this way - we won't crave anymore for soft drinks.
But isn't the regular coke as addicting as diet coke, Eric? And isn't the reg. coke more harmful - considering it contains 12 heapfuls of refined sugar in every 8 oz?-
said...
12 teaspoonfuls of sugar, I should say. :)
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said...
Good for you Eric. But I guess you can still have Diet Coke once in a while ... Hehe!
Anyway, it's better to not drink so much sodas. I'm sure everyone knows that and the side effects that it'll bring us.
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said...
good for you, Eric. I myself tries to get away with carbonated drinks as much as possible. It's a different thing with coffee and tea though. I can't get by a single day without consuming cups of it. Especially during work.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks, Rey, but again, it's all up to the individual to gauge what is good for his own body by listening to it, so to speak. The young can pretty much get away with much, but once you get to be of certain age, then giving something up altogether or at least consuming it in moderate rate may be best.
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Señor Enrique said...
Oh, no, Kyels! Not even once in a while anymore :(
Problem is, it tastes good and so easy to once again get hooked to it. Anything in moderation is the best :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Technically, Rhoda, anything with sucrose or table sugar is lethal ... hehehe.
I've written bout my sugar blues two yers ago; unfortunately, I think I might have offended others by my speaking against sugar.
1) http://senorenrique.blogspot.com/2005/11/beating-sugar-addiction.html
2) http://senorenrique.blogspot.com/2005/11/sweets-for-my-sweet-child.html
3) http://senorenrique.blogspot.com/2005/11/sugar-is-sweet-therefore-nice.html-
Señor Enrique said...
Oh, yes ... I've purchased those sports water bottle with a case that I can attach to my camera bags. This way, I'm assured of having a personal water supply whenever covering outdoor photoshoots.
But most stores do carry bottled mineral water so that's good :)-
said...
Just plain old water and juicy fruits like pears, oranges or apple will do the trick.
Take it from me. I was addicted to sodas since childhood because my mom once operated a store. Truckloads of these items were stored in her bodega kaya easy ang access sa akin.Pero ngayon, hindi na. di na ako makaubos ng isang can. Sa fruits, doon ngayon ako addicted.
Remember the famous jingle,
I’d like to buy the world a coke
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honeybees and snowhite turtle doves
I’d like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I’d like to buy the world a coke
And keep it company…
That’s the real thing…..
The real thing talaga na dangerous sa health. ha ha ha.-
Señor Enrique said...
THat was such a wonderful goody-goody TV commercial, Rolly! Thanks for bringing back some memories:
Yes! Fruit juices are excellent alternatives to these soft drinks.-
said...
Goodbye aspartame, welcome splenda. Unlike aspartame. this can be a baking ingredient. So Senor, we can have our soda and/or coffee donuts, cakes and ensaymadas.
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Señor Enrique said...
Good God, Anonymous. Just came across this online:
"James Bowen, M.D., A physician, biochemist, and survivor of aspartame poisoning warns about yet another synthetic sweetener, Splenda."
http://www.wnho.net/splenda_chlorocarbon.htm
Which reminds me that MSG, popularly known here as vetsin, remains to be widely used by the locals, I think MSG is banned in the States.-
said...
Heard about this aspartame warnings before but really never thought that it is for real :(
Thanks for the valuable info.-
Señor Enrique said...
And I was already in too deep when I read the disturbing reports on aspartame's perils, BW. However, am I glad I don't crave for Coke Light anymore :)
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docemdy said...
I was once addicted to Coke Light too but stopped last August. I've been Coke Light free since then. I'm proud to say that I resisted their promo in ShangriLa where they gave out free drinks in each floor.
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Señor Enrique said...
Wow! I just read your post, Em ... congratulations!
Folks, if you're having thoughts about kicking a Coke Light addiction, please check out Em Dy's post, and read as well how I was able to kick my addiction to it on his comment box.
Thanks for sharing Em!
