For your health, get off sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks now! These drinks are made to be very addictive, and cold drinks are extremely unhealthy to our systems. High fructose corn syrup is like a poison to our bodies. (Actually in studying research and using myself as a guinea pig, the artificial sugar substitutes act on the brain to cause you to gain even more fat). Do the research and get off now.
1. Get some green tea (organic is nice), or organic black tea. Bigelow brand has a wonderful organic green tea and an Organic Ceylon Black Tea that is out of this world. Their teas do not have metal staples, either. Newman’s Own Organic Black Tea is very good, but the tea bags have metal staples. Newman’s tea should be okay for making tea in cold water. It isn’t smart to brew tea with metal staples in hot water. (Where are these metal staples manufactured, and what metals, besides aluminum, are in the staples????).
2. Put one or two bags in a glass of filtered water for a few minutes (don't have to heat—just leave the bag in the glass). Sweeten with stevia (a natural sweetener—the liquid form is the easiest to use), or with unprocessed natural sugar or honey or even natural maple syrup--or a combination of stevia and one of the sugars. Remember, you are getting off of very addictive artificial drinks. Slowly decrease the sugar or sweet content until you can let go of most of the sugars. Stevia doesn’t react in the body the way sugar does, so you may want to continue to use it for a while. Let go of the sweetness until you are drinking just the tea.
3. Feel good about yourself each time you substitute tea for artificial cola drinks. I really enjoy just plain green or black tea now. Some people get off of caffeine completely--but I have not achieved that except for short times of a week or two. I work better and have more energy with some green tea--or at least the addiction has convinced me of that fact.
(Do not use artificial sweeteners--Do not ever use artificial sweeteners or any drink with high fructose corn syrup--Check labels!)
4. Make yourself drink lots of filtered water. Drink a full glass as soon as you wake up in the morning—before tea or coffee or anything else. Soon your body will know how good the water is and want it on its own. Soon you will be thirsty in the morning.
5. Fresh lemonade is also wonderful--especially when made from organic lemons, and makes a great pick me up at any time—right when you might be craving the ugly "high fructose" in those cola or other soft drinks. Cut and squeeze fresh lemon into a glass--add stevia and/or some natural unprocessed sugar or honey or natural maple syrup. Keep adding as less sugar as you can. Remember, our bodies do need some sugar--just not all the artificial and unnaturally processed "ugly, unhealthy" stuff.
6. Pure organic cranberry juice can be mixed with about five or six parts filtered water, then use liquid stevia to sweeten, shake in some organic ginger and cinnamon, and stir—a wonderful drink that will also quench hunger.
6. Soy milk shakes are great for the times when you have to indulge. Use frozen fruit (especially bananas), soymilk, with or without a soy protein mix, or even cocoa or vanilla. Add stevia to sweeten. Wow! Experiment with it!
7. Fruits like apples and bananas are good to eat for snacks and help your body start craving good healthy foods. A few walnuts will add some protein.
8. After six weeks, you will be amazed by how artificial (positively awful) a cold drink will taste. I wouldn’t try to even taste an artificial cola drink again. I haven’t in many, many years. Remember, the companies that make soft drinks formulate them to be very additive.
We are beautiful beings and we need to visualize and treat ourselves as such--regardless of how society (the corn and sugar industry) may have tried to program us. Let it go. Release the control, and make your life a little better each and every day.
Remember also, that life's an adventure! You can improve your health and reduce fat by getting off artificial drinks.
Zebe is a speaker, artist, and teacher; Texas certified in art, psychology, ESL, special education, health, and social studies. She is also a certified hypnotist. When speaking, she often states her belief that, "Death does not make life a tragedy; ignorance does! Life is an adventure to be experienced regardless of circumstances."
Zebe's art, writing, speaking, and research add to the world and to the creative thought that flows through everything. She also teaches creative thinking and fat loss workshops.