With a new school year fast approaching – a reminder that sports physicals are provided.
Many of our clients have been discouraged from seeking Chiropractic care by either their Medical provider or from the local urgent care facilities. We see this often after work related injuries or personal injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents. As a reminder, your Chiropractor is a primary care provider. You have a legal right to choose the care of your preference. Work comp and Motor Vehicle insurance cover your care. You are in no way obligated to see “their doctor”. If you’ve any questions or concerns, contact our office and we will provide you any information you need regarding your choice of provider.
In today’s health care environment, it is more apparent than ever that the safest and most cost effective means of treatment are wellness based – focusing on recovery, rehabilitating, and maintenance. Wellness care is not sickness care or symptom driven care, but is instead care that restores you to a state of optimal physical and mental well-being, and then provides you tools and means to maintain. All too often the result of sickness care or symptom relief results in drug dependency (as seen in the opioid addiction epidemic), or unintended side effects and consequences of drug use and inappropriate or insufficient healing. Chiropractic is a proven safe, effective, and cost efficient means of providing you a full and comprehensive approach to restoring and maintaining health.
If there is one thing and one thing only you could do to jump start a weight loss program and clean up your diet, it may very well be getting soda out of your diet.
The reasons to stop drinking soda are abundant. Whether you want to cut down on empty calories and added sugars, consume less artificial sweeteners, wean off of caffeine, or even save money, ditching soda is a great place to start.
I actually used to be a big soda drinker. As a young man working in construction I used to drink soda instead of water. Often a six pack a day. Because I was lean and exercised regularly, I assumed it wasn’t harmful for me. Then I got sick. I became excessively fatigued. I began to experience withdrawals’ when I couldn’t get a RC cola (I date myself). My Chiropractor at the time diagnosed me with adrenal exhaustion and taught me how the adrenals were involved in sugar metabolism, put me on a supplement regimen, and helped get me on the path to... Diet soda. Something about it being calorie-free gave me permission to drink it. I used it as a buffer or to satisfy my sweet tooth. No Sugar, no problem. Then the headaches began. Back to my Chiropractor who explained to me how the artificial sweeteners in sufficient doses create the headaches. So I quit pretty much all sodas. There just really isn’t anything positive to be gained from drinking them.
Over the course of about a year I went from drinking several sodas a day to several a week, to only a handful a month. I still very much enjoy a cola with my occasional pizza or with some sit down Mexican food, but now that I drink it so much less frequently, I have no problem treating myself to the real deal.
As a former soda-drinker, I thought I’d share some tips and tricks I found helpful along the way for those of you who also want to get off the sweet stuff:
1. Be okay with scaling back slowly.
If you drink 3+ sodas a day, switching to tap water cold turkey will most likely make every sip feel like a punishment… not to mention induce some serious caffeine withdrawal headaches. I bet you can rather painlessly replace 3 sodas per week with tap or sparkling water, though. Heck, maybe even 1 per day! Whatever the number, make it reasonable. Soda has not, and will not kill you over the next few weeks or months while you gradually get off of it. Over time, you’ll miss those first few sodas less and less and eventually you’ll be ready to cut out one or two more.
2. Get on a soda schedule.
Keeping #1 in mind, jot down a schedule for weaning your soda consumption. By writing a plan, you’re thinking through and committing to a reasonable approach to drinking less. For example, if you normally drink 3 sodas per day, cut down to 2 per day for an entire month, and then 1 per day the month after. From there, you can gradually cut down even further. Allow yourself 5 per week for the 3rd month, 4 per week for the 4th month, and so on.
3. Explore tasty alternatives.
Once you start cutting out soda, you’re going to want to replace it with other fluids so you don’t get dehydrated. When I first started cutting down on soda, I really missed the carbonation + flavor combo. Bored with tap water, I began exploring the wonders of sparkling water. Most of the time the carbonation alone did the trick–but when I craved a sweeter beverage, I found just a splash of juice worked wonders. 1-2 ounces of cranberry, orange or any other 100% fruit juice blend can make all the difference. Another favorite soda alternative is flavored water. Adding some cucumber slices, berries, citrus fruit or fresh mint to a pitcher of water gives it a refreshing essence of flavor.
4. Have alternatives handy.
Once you find a few suitable soda alternatives, make sure they’re within reach when you get thirsty. If you just love the tingle of carbonation on your tongue, keep your cabinets stocked with club soda, or invest in a Soda Stream or one of these more classic soda carbonators and make it yourself at home. If you like flavored water, slice up a bunch of oranges, cucumbers or rinse off some berries at the beginning of the week and make a fresh pitcher every morning. Fill up a water bottle before heading out to run those afternoon errands. If you’re prepared, when thirst strikes you’ll have one less excuse to grab for a soda. Oh, and if you’re prone to caffeine headaches, have an anti-inflammatory on hand, or a bag of green or black tea to help ease those withdrawal pains.
5. Adopt a no soda policy.
When I first decided I wanted to stop drinking soda, the first thing I did to start scaling back was adopt a “No Soda at Home” policy. It was highly effective. Seriously, if it’s not in your house you can’t drink it! This one change helped kick start my journey to cut back. Here are some other “No Soda” policy ideas:
No Soda…
At work
On campus
On road trips
Before 5pm
At restaurants
At the movies
As mixers in alcoholic drinks
Try choosing one to start, and then adopt more as you feel ready.
6. Break the routine…by substituting a new one.
For me, soda drinking, much like my morning cup of coffee, was a ritual. Every meal eaten outside the home had a soda with it. Often coming home from work the first thing to grab is a cold drink. Think about when you habitually grab a soda and then figure out how you can change the scenario and make a healthier beverage choice. After just a few weeks your old, bad habit will likely be replaced with your healthier routine. For me, just not having it in the house and instead grabbing bottled water, made it all the easier to abstain.
7. Make yourself accountable.
If you’re the type of person who is motivated by accountability, telling your family, co-workers and friends that you’re giving up soda really works. When I decided to cut out soda, I proclaimed it to my family and let my kids harass me. It kept me honest when we were together and accountable when we were apart – I certainly couldn’t tell them to eat and drink for wellness and fitness if I wasn’t myself. When you start cutting out soda, keep yourself accountable by telling people around you, and reap the benefits of having their support along the way.
8. Redefine the word “stop”.
After reading the 2nd paragraph you might look at the title and think, “He still drinks soda though…” Why yes, on occasion I do! But I no longer consider myself a “soda drinker.” There’s a big difference! Just because you want to “stop drinking soda” doesn’t mean you can never enjoy one again. Maybe for you “stop” means getting down to 1 per week, say when you’re out to a nice dinner or as a lunchtime treat on Fridays; how is it possible to enjoy a good Mexican meal or a pizza without an ice cold soda? The best way to approach a long-lasting behavior change is by making it sustainable and avoiding those feelings of deprivation. If allowing yourself a soda on occasion makes you happy, by all means! In the end, it’s about making healthy habits the default and enjoying treats along the way.
Final word –
Thomas Edison famously said, “The Doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease”
Today’s health model necessarily requires that we intervene long before crisis or sickness shows up in life. Maintaining health is about eating well, exercise, taking care of our soul and emotions, and maintaining a healthy nervous system through regular consistent chiropractic care! Let us help you improve the quality of your life!
In health,
Dr Wallace and staff
With a new school year fast approaching – a reminder that sports physicals are provided.
Many of our clients have been discouraged from seeking Chiropractic care by either their Medical provider or from the local urgent care facilities. We see this often after work related injuries or personal injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents. As a reminder, your Chiropractor is a primary care provider. You have a legal right to choose the care of your preference. Work comp and Motor Vehicle insurance cover your care. You are in no way obligated to see “their doctor”. If you’ve any questions or concerns, contact our office and we will provide you any information you need regarding your choice of provider.
In today’s health care environment, it is more apparent than ever that the safest and most cost effective means of treatment are wellness based – focusing on recovery, rehabilitating, and maintenance. Wellness care is not sickness care or symptom driven care, but is instead care that restores you to a state of optimal physical and mental well-being, and then provides you tools and means to maintain. All too often the result of sickness care or symptom relief results in drug dependency (as seen in the opioid addiction epidemic), or unintended side effects and consequences of drug use and inappropriate or insufficient healing. Chiropractic is a proven safe, effective, and cost efficient means of providing you a full and comprehensive approach to restoring and maintaining health.
If there is one thing and one thing only you could do to jump start a weight loss program and clean up your diet, it may very well be getting soda out of your diet.
The reasons to stop drinking soda are abundant. Whether you want to cut down on empty calories and added sugars, consume less artificial sweeteners, wean off of caffeine, or even save money, ditching soda is a great place to start.
I actually used to be a big soda drinker. As a young man working in construction I used to drink soda instead of water. Often a six pack a day. Because I was lean and exercised regularly, I assumed it wasn’t harmful for me. Then I got sick. I became excessively fatigued. I began to experience withdrawals’ when I couldn’t get a RC cola (I date myself). My Chiropractor at the time diagnosed me with adrenal exhaustion and taught me how the adrenals were involved in sugar metabolism, put me on a supplement regimen, and helped get me on the path to... Diet soda. Something about it being calorie-free gave me permission to drink it. I used it as a buffer or to satisfy my sweet tooth. No Sugar, no problem. Then the headaches began. Back to my Chiropractor who explained to me how the artificial sweeteners in sufficient doses create the headaches. So I quit pretty much all sodas. There just really isn’t anything positive to be gained from drinking them.
Over the course of about a year I went from drinking several sodas a day to several a week, to only a handful a month. I still very much enjoy a cola with my occasional pizza or with some sit down Mexican food, but now that I drink it so much less frequently, I have no problem treating myself to the real deal.
As a former soda-drinker, I thought I’d share some tips and tricks I found helpful along the way for those of you who also want to get off the sweet stuff:
1. Be okay with scaling back slowly.
If you drink 3+ sodas a day, switching to tap water cold turkey will most likely make every sip feel like a punishment… not to mention induce some serious caffeine withdrawal headaches. I bet you can rather painlessly replace 3 sodas per week with tap or sparkling water, though. Heck, maybe even 1 per day! Whatever the number, make it reasonable. Soda has not, and will not kill you over the next few weeks or months while you gradually get off of it. Over time, you’ll miss those first few sodas less and less and eventually you’ll be ready to cut out one or two more.
2. Get on a soda schedule.
Keeping #1 in mind, jot down a schedule for weaning your soda consumption. By writing a plan, you’re thinking through and committing to a reasonable approach to drinking less. For example, if you normally drink 3 sodas per day, cut down to 2 per day for an entire month, and then 1 per day the month after. From there, you can gradually cut down even further. Allow yourself 5 per week for the 3rd month, 4 per week for the 4th month, and so on.
3. Explore tasty alternatives.
Once you start cutting out soda, you’re going to want to replace it with other fluids so you don’t get dehydrated. When I first started cutting down on soda, I really missed the carbonation + flavor combo. Bored with tap water, I began exploring the wonders of sparkling water. Most of the time the carbonation alone did the trick–but when I craved a sweeter beverage, I found just a splash of juice worked wonders. 1-2 ounces of cranberry, orange or any other 100% fruit juice blend can make all the difference. Another favorite soda alternative is flavored water. Adding some cucumber slices, berries, citrus fruit or fresh mint to a pitcher of water gives it a refreshing essence of flavor.
4. Have alternatives handy.
Once you find a few suitable soda alternatives, make sure they’re within reach when you get thirsty. If you just love the tingle of carbonation on your tongue, keep your cabinets stocked with club soda, or invest in a Soda Stream or one of these more classic soda carbonators and make it yourself at home. If you like flavored water, slice up a bunch of oranges, cucumbers or rinse off some berries at the beginning of the week and make a fresh pitcher every morning. Fill up a water bottle before heading out to run those afternoon errands. If you’re prepared, when thirst strikes you’ll have one less excuse to grab for a soda. Oh, and if you’re prone to caffeine headaches, have an anti-inflammatory on hand, or a bag of green or black tea to help ease those withdrawal pains.
5. Adopt a no soda policy.
When I first decided I wanted to stop drinking soda, the first thing I did to start scaling back was adopt a “No Soda at Home” policy. It was highly effective. Seriously, if it’s not in your house you can’t drink it! This one change helped kick start my journey to cut back. Here are some other “No Soda” policy ideas:
No Soda…
At work
On campus
On road trips
Before 5pm
At restaurants
At the movies
As mixers in alcoholic drinks
Try choosing one to start, and then adopt more as you feel ready.
6. Break the routine…by substituting a new one.
For me, soda drinking, much like my morning cup of coffee, was a ritual. Every meal eaten outside the home had a soda with it. Often coming home from work the first thing to grab is a cold drink. Think about when you habitually grab a soda and then figure out how you can change the scenario and make a healthier beverage choice. After just a few weeks your old, bad habit will likely be replaced with your healthier routine. For me, just not having it in the house and instead grabbing bottled water, made it all the easier to abstain.
7. Make yourself accountable.
If you’re the type of person who is motivated by accountability, telling your family, co-workers and friends that you’re giving up soda really works. When I decided to cut out soda, I proclaimed it to my family and let my kids harass me. It kept me honest when we were together and accountable when we were apart – I certainly couldn’t tell them to eat and drink for wellness and fitness if I wasn’t myself. When you start cutting out soda, keep yourself accountable by telling people around you, and reap the benefits of having their support along the way.
8. Redefine the word “stop”.
After reading the 2nd paragraph you might look at the title and think, “He still drinks soda though…” Why yes, on occasion I do! But I no longer consider myself a “soda drinker.” There’s a big difference! Just because you want to “stop drinking soda” doesn’t mean you can never enjoy one again. Maybe for you “stop” means getting down to 1 per week, say when you’re out to a nice dinner or as a lunchtime treat on Fridays; how is it possible to enjoy a good Mexican meal or a pizza without an ice cold soda? The best way to approach a long-lasting behavior change is by making it sustainable and avoiding those feelings of deprivation. If allowing yourself a soda on occasion makes you happy, by all means! In the end, it’s about making healthy habits the default and enjoying treats along the way.
Final word –
Thomas Edison famously said, “The Doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease”
Today’s health model necessarily requires that we intervene long before crisis or sickness shows up in life. Maintaining health is about eating well, exercise, taking care of our soul and emotions, and maintaining a healthy nervous system through regular consistent chiropractic care! Let us help you improve the quality of your life!
In health,
Dr Wallace and staff
Enspire Manager
