Do you love sweet drinks? Who doesn’t, right? But, if you’re feeling old these days I will take the bullet and be the bad guys here and try to convince you to stop drinking the poison – oops, I mean, stop drinking all those beverages, including soda, iced tea, lemonade, sweetened energy drinks and even coffee with sugar in it. I’m sorry!
There’s more…
The sweet drinks are so incredibly bad for you that I am asking you to make this a top priority in your wellness plan. I know it can be really tough to break this particular habit, but trust me – your body and mind will thank you for it. So PLEASE, raise a glass to your health and well-being, and make a commitment to ditch those sugary drinks for good!
Not convinced yet?
How about this? First, read below, The 5 Reasons to Quit Sugary Drinks to Stop Feeling Old. Next, I will tell you more reasons from my own personal experience. It was so profound that I want to share it with everyone I can.
Here we go…
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Table of Contents
5 Reasons to Quit Sugary Drinks To Stop Feeling Old
1. Nutritional Deficiencies: Lack of Nourishment
Relying on soda as a beverage choice deprives our bodies of essential nutrients they need to stay strong and vibrant.
Medical Concerns: Low intake of essential vitamins and minerals can contribute to various health problems in retirees, including:
- Weakened Immune System: Vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and Zinc play a crucial role in immune function, and deficiencies can increase susceptibility to infections.
- Muscle Loss and Weakness: Protein and essential minerals like calcium and magnesium are vital for maintaining muscle mass and strength, which can decline with age.
- Bone Health Issues: Calcium and Vitamin D are essential for bone health, and deficiencies can increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
- Feeling Old: You’re right if you realized this isn’t an officially diagnosed medical issue. But truly, all the concerns above are contributing to the “feeling old” syndrome!
2. Blood Sugar Rollercoaster: A Bumpy Ride
Fluctuations caused by sugar spikes (from eating or drinking something sugary) can worsen feelings of being old by causing sudden blood sugar crashes, potentially leading to issues like swollen fingers, and knee, hip, and back problems.
By eliminating sugary drinks, we can help stabilize blood sugar and enjoy more consistent energy levels throughout the day. You can help yourself stop feeling old!
Medical Concerns: Rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels can lead to various health problems in retirees, including:
- Fatigue and Crashes: Sudden drops in blood sugar can cause fatigue, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.
- Increased Risk of Diabetes: Chronically high blood sugar levels can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
- Cardiovascular Issues: Over time, fluctuating blood sugar can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
3. Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: The Aging Culprit
Sugary drinks contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, both of which become more common as we age.
Cutting out sugary drinks can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, allowing for greater ease and comfort during retirement years.
Medical Concerns: Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are linked to various age-related health problems, including:
- Joint Pain and Arthritis: Inflammation contributes to pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints, making conditions like arthritis worse.
- Cognitive Decline: Chronic inflammation can damage brain cells and contribute to cognitive decline and memory problems.
- Increased Risk of Cancer: Oxidative stress can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer development.
4. Gut Health Disruption: A Balancing Act
Sugary drinks can disrupt the delicate balance of gut microbiota, which can lead to digestive issues and other gut-related problems.
Opting for gut-friendly beverages like herbal tea or infused water can support gut health and contribute to a smoother, more comfortable retirement.
Medical Concerns: An imbalanced gut microbiome can contribute to various health problems in retirees, including:
- Digestive Issues: Disruption of gut bacteria can lead to constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
- Weakened Immune System: A healthy gut microbiome plays a vital role in immune function, and imbalances can increase susceptibility to infections.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Gut bacteria play a role in nutrient absorption, and imbalances can lead to deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals.
5. Medication Effectiveness: A Delicate Balance
Sugary drinks can interfere with the effectiveness of medications commonly used by retirees to manage health conditions like high blood pressure and arthritis.
Effective Management: Eliminating sugary drinks can ensure medications work as intended and help manage health conditions more effectively.
Medical Concerns: Sugary drinks can interact with some medications commonly used by retirees, potentially leading to:
- Sugar can interfere with the absorption of certain medications, reducing their effectiveness in managing health conditions.
- Sugar can interact with medications and worsen side effects.
My Personal Experience: From "Feeling Old" to "Feeling "Normal"
Let me start by apologizing! I know I have a tendency to be long-winded, but when you accomplish something you thought impossible, you want to shout it from the rooftops!
Suddenly, around the ripe age of 50, I remarried and found myself with young teenage children in the house. With them came the usual suspects in the: processed foods and sugary drinks, soda, iced tea, juice – gallons of juice!
As anyone knows, having those temptations around makes it incredibly difficult to resist. And resist I did not.
The consequences were swift and unpleasant. My fingers would swell overnight, so much so that I had to take off my rings to avoid waking up to blue sausages for fingers. (Gross!) I even started developing those painful knobby bumps on my knuckles.
The aches and pains didn’t stop there. My hips started throbbing at night, and my back decided to join the party.
In the despair of desperation, I convinced myself that going gluten and dairy-free would solve all my problems. I stuck with it for a couple of years, and while my gut did feel better, the other issues persisted.
Fast forward five years and a few new complaints (useless knees, frozen shoulder), I stumbled upon a YouTube video about the benefits of a sugar-free diet. True to form, I went all in. Completely cut out sugar, with the occasional slip-up, of course. But overall, I did a pretty good job!
And guess what? The problems vanished! All of them. Over a number of months I started to notice things. No more swollen fingers for the past five years! My hips feel like new, and my knees are back to their 20-year-old selves.
Here’s the crucial part: All this newfound health and pain-free mobility disappears like smoke if I indulge in my sugary cravings. It starts with the finger swelling, followed by a domino effect of other issues. Then all of a sudden, I am feeling old again!
Why would I backslide? Because I have a major sweet tooth! It’s rare for me to backslide because I know it’s such a slippery slope. A bad week, fueled by holidays or stress, can lead to months of indulgence before the pain gets bad enough to force me to clear out the sugar again.
The good news is, once you cut out sugar, it gets easier to resist over time.
Stay tuned! In the next installment, I’ll be sharing my hard-earned tips on how to live sugar-free with minimal slip-ups and without feeling deprived.
- Watch my video here: Aches and Pains – #1 Simple Tweak Can Change Your Life
Okay, Okay, No Sugar! What to Drink Instead?
Believe it or not, you can train your palette to actually LOVE unsweetened drinks! You may find yourself missing the sweetness for the first few days, but you WILL get over that and eventually you will not even crave or even like that old “cup-o-sugar” any more!
Here are some beverage suggestions. Only you know what you can tolerate and what you might like, but keep an open mind, please. I really want you to try this. Please comment if you do it and stick to it. I’d love for your success to encourage others!
Have fun with these – mix, match, make mocktails, do whatever it takes to make you stick to it! It will all be worth the effort when you’re not feeling old anymore!!!!
Drinks Menu
Carbonated
Plain sparkling water (seltzer, club soda)
Carbonated water with a splash of fresh citrus juice (such as lime or grapefruit)
Caffeinated
Iced black coffee or cold brew with or without milk
Dairy
Milk (Organic, Grass Fed is best)
Plain unsweetened kefir or yogurt-based drink
Other Plant Based Drinks
Almond milk or other plant-based milk
Iced herbal lemonade (using fresh lemon juice and herbal infusion)
Matcha latte (using unsweetened matcha powder and plant-based milk)
Almond milk or coconut milk turmeric latte
Plain (unsweetened) coconut water
Cucumber-infused water
Iced mint or basil infused water
Water
Plain water, Iced water or any of the infusions mentioned previously! Get creative! Best to use filtered water if you are not sure of your water quality.
Teas / Herbs
Unsweetened herbal tea (e.g., peppermint, chamomile)
Cold brewed unsweetened iced tea (such as oolong or white tea)
Cold herbal infusion (e.g., ginger, lemongrass, mint, ginger)
Cold brewed unsweetened hibiscus tea (known as “agua de jamaica”)
Iced unsweetened dandelion root tea
Unsweetened iced green tea
Rooibos tea (also known as red tea)
Mocktails
This one is up to your imagination. Use whatever you have on hand that doesn’t have a lot of carbohydrates listed (by a lot I mean that anything over 1 or 2 grams of carbohydrates per Tablespoon). Here’s an example you can use as a guide:
- First Muddle one of the following in the bottom of the glass:
- Mint
- Basil (fancy restaurants do this!)
- Berry (pick one!)
- Add:
- Ice
- Carbonated Water or plain water
- 1 Tablespoon of a colorful unsweetened fruit juice, such as cranberry or cherry.
- Garnish with a slice of low sugar fruit, such as:
- Orange
- Lemon
- Lime
- Strawberry
Artificial Sweeteners - What NOT to Drink Instead
One more thing. You’ve likely noticed that I didn’t suggest any artificially sweetened drinks.
Well, I am really going to push the envelope with this last bit, but it’s for a good reason.
Please try NOT to substitute your sweet drinks with artificially sweetened or flavored drinks. Why? Studies have shown, time after time, that artificial sweeteners come with their own terrible health effects. When you cut the cord, just jump in and do it right!
There are indeed a couple of “alternate” sweeteners on the market that are okay health-wise, but if you can avoid using them, you will be better off since your palette will have evolved past the desire for the sweets.
If you have not yet been convinced by the 5 reasons to quit sugary drinks, please consider doing further reading on this topic. Educate yourself. It is truly that important for your health that we will stress this as much as possible.
- If nutrition and wellness interests you, also check out this Holistic Nutrition Certification Course.
Here’s a book that I found very enlightening. It was part of a holistic nutrition curriculum for a course I once took. This book really left an impression on me and helped me make hard but good decisions about my diet.
“The Food Fix” exposes how our food system, particularly its reliance on sugar, is a major contributor to the global health crisis, and offers solutions for a healthier way of eating.
