AVOID THIS COMMON DRINK (CAUSES BLOATING AND DEHYDRATION)

Look, most everyone knows that you shouldn’t be drinking soda, diet or otherwise, if you want to achieve a fit, healthy body and a trim waistline.
But is drinking other carbonated beverages like carbonated mineral water, tonic water or club soda a good alternative?
The answer is unequivocally NO and here's why:
Have you ever noticed that sipping a carbonated beverage tends to make you feel fatter, even if you aren’t?
That’s because its bubbly fizz can cause gas to get trapped in your belly, which results in an uncomfortable, bloated abdomen – and, nothing is worse than feeling bloated and having to fit into a bathing suit or a sexy pair of jeans, right?!
Not only that, but many carbonated beverages contain added sodium to decrease acidity and improve taste, which is also known to contribute to bloat.
And, if you happen to suffer from digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome, the bloating, gassy effects are likely to be even more severe.
Bloat isn’t the only issue that carbonated drinks cause.
While you probably think that you’re doing your body a favor by keeping it nice and hydrated with carbonated beverages, the truth is, you aren’t.
Carbonation actually shrinks the cells, which causes dehydration!
Dehydration leads to a lack of oxygen in the blood, which not only zaps your energy, it affects athletic performance.
Bree-dehydration-graphic
Whether you’re working hard to get fit or you’re competing in a race, feeling fatigued toward the end of a prolonged period of exercise can result if you’re dehydrated by as little as 2% of your body weight.
If you participate in high intensity interval training, consider that your ability to perform may be reduced by as much as 45% from dehydration, which corresponds to a loss of just 2.5% of body weight. That’s a significant difference!
And, if you decide to sip a carbonated beverage before exercising in hot weather, the dehydration affects are even worse. You’ll also be at a greater risk of heat-related illness, like heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Conditions like these can interfere with both your physical strength and your mental capacity, which can lead to serious danger in some cases.
The main reason that dehydration has adverse effects on the body’s performance is due to:
♦ A reduction in blood volume
♦ An increase in core temperature
♦ Lessened sweat rate
♦ Decreased heat dissipation
♦ Increased rate of muscle glycogen use
♦ Decreased skin blood flow
So, what can you do if you’ve successfully kicked the soda habit by replacing it with other carbonated drinks?
First, congratulations – and, second, don’t worry, because you’ve still got options other than plain water.
One healthy alternative is to use natural flavoring, such as adding slices of your favorite fruits like lemons, oranges, limes or watermelon, to a pitcher of ice-cold water. It makes a wonderfully refreshing, and flavorful drink!
Putting chopped-up fruit in an ice cube tray, adding water and freezing, is another way to enjoy a fabulous, instant flavored beverage. After the colorful fruit cubes are frozen, just put them in a glass of water and enjoy.
Naturally flavored herbal teas – meaning teas made with herbs and without any added sugars, like
Traditional Medicinals’ Raspberry Leaf or Numi’s Orange Spice, is another quick and easy way to enjoy a healthy, flavorful beverage.
Yours in Health,
Danette