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    My Heart Challenge Contestant Shares Benefits of Going Soda Free

    My Heart Challenge Contestant Shares Benefits of Going Soda Free

    quit_soda_cold_turkey-Jeremy

    He writes,

    I have noticed a lot of benefits from participating in this challenge. I feel like i've got more energy, I feel like I sleep better, and I've started looking for more activities to keep me busy and challenged. One of the biggest health benefits I've seen is I rarely suffer from acid reflex any more.

    Previous to starting the challenge I was drinking at least one can of soda pop a day, and often it was 2-3 cans. When I started the challenge I decided to quit cold turkey. I knew that soda pop was not really very good for me, even if it was the diet stuff. Since quitting i've learned to love water, and have looked for different ways to flavor it up a bit. I started using the water enhancers such as Mio and have found they give a lot of variety to my water.

    A benefit to changing to water along with eating healthier is that my acid reflux has essentially disappeared. Prior to starting the challenge, I had been taking Zantac daily along with Tums several times a day. It was miserable. At times the reflux was so bad I would wake from a sound sleep with my throat burning from the acid. Since I started the challenge, I have taken Zantac a couple of times and that was when I had some social situations and couldn't eat as well as I would have liked. Additionally I do not shy away from acidic foods such as lemonade and pineapple. Prior to the challenge, I would have been afraid that the acids in these foods would aggravate my acid reflux.

    I am so excited about this benefit as I feel so much better without the acid reflux. This reason alone has given me so much motivation to continue long after the challenge is over.