spacekadet blog

Monica at age 10:
a budding coke addict

It’s been over four weeks since I first felt the tickle in my throat that turned into the weirdest, worstest cold-like lurgee that I’ve ever had. The theory is I have whooping cough, an illness charactarised by severe coughing attacks that often end in difficulty to breath in air (hence the “whoop” sound). All the signs listed at the Mayo Clinic suggest whooping cough:

• Severe coughing attacks that bring up thick phlegm
• Coughing attacks that end with a high-pitched “whoop” sound during the next breath of air
• You may even bruise or break a rib if your coughing episodes are severe.
• Coughing may be worse at night.
• Over-the-counter cough medicines have little effect
• A case of whooping cough usually resolves in six weeks but may last longer.

I’m heading into week five of this bullshit and things are finally starting to look up. My energy is coming back and the coughs are far fewer and far between. Best of all, the strain in my ribs has eased up and I’m swimming again.

But what does this have to do with soda??

I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m sick, I lose all will to better any part of myself except my immune system. I’ve been trying to lay off the diet soda for a while now, but when I started whooping, my mind instantly went “screw it, I want soda, and I want lots of it.” I even started buying 2L bottles of Diet 7-UP and Coke Zero instead of 500mL bottles (at least I haven’t stopped being economical).

Then, a few days ago, No Calories Needed announced that he had consumed his “last Diet Mountain Dew.” His reasons made total sense:

I’m tired of wasting money on soda when tap water is free.

I’m tired of dealing with sugar and caffeine highs.

I need to drink water - and when I drink sodas, I don’t feel like drinking water.

This must have inspired me because I haven’t bought a diet soda since. And since I’m feeling better (whoop, there it is), why not draw a real line in the sand: I’m not drinking any more diet soda from this point forward. “PERIOD!”

Crossposted to SmarterFitter.com

Related posts:

1. I still think I had whooping cough
2. who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
3. Do Home Remedies Ever Work?
4. SmarterFitter Food Calorie Database
5. A Food Diary That Tracks More Than Just Calories