Snack or Diet Soda?

[tulip]

So sorry to hear about your sister-in-law, papaver. What an ordeal.

What do the doctors say about the diet sodas? Do they constrict blood vessels or something? I just see no benefit to them at all. If I'm thirsty, I'll drink water. If I want a soda, I'll go out and get a real Coke or Dr. Pepper. But that's a pretty rare treat (on a hot day).

[papaver]

So sorry to hear about your sister-in-law, papaver. What an ordeal.

What do the doctors say about the diet sodas? Do they constrict blood vessels or something? I just see no benefit to them at all. If I'm thirsty, I'll drink water. If I want a soda, I'll go out and get a real Coke or Dr. Pepper. But that's a pretty rare treat (on a hot day).

Well it's the aspartame that isn't good for the brain. I wasn't there when the doctors told her this, so I couldn't ask for more info.

[shootingstar]

Well it's the aspartame that isn't good for the brain. I wasn't there when the doctors told her this, so I couldn't ask for more info.

You don't need to answer this question, if you don't want to: How is she now? Is she fully functional after the cycling accident? Brain injury is a serious injury.

[papaver]

You don't need to answer this question, if you don't want to: How is she now? Is she fully functional after the cycling accident? Brain injury is a serious injury.

Physically she's fully recovered. Almost every bone on the left side of her body was broken. Mentally there has been a change... people who don't know her won't notice but we do. She is more naive (almost like a child), she can't follow a conversation with more than 2 people, she can't read books anymore. And she won't be able to work for the rest of her life.

BUT she was very very lucky. This happened on the parking lot of the best hospital in Belgium. Within 2 minutes she was in the O.R. Those doctors really fought hard for her. She was in coma for about 6 weeks, she had 3 brain surgeries, and after 6 months she could leave intensive care.

[shootingstar]

Though your sister in law is alive and can interact with people, it still is sad that she never fully recovered from the brain injury.

A totally different type of medical case, for a woman just 1-2 years younger than I, I met awhile ago, was someone who suffered neurological damage (brain and nervous system) from what appears to be medical malpractice. Her case will be heard in court.

She went into a coma, etc. Before her surgery (I can't remember what it was for), she was cycling and running half-marathons.

She had problems focusing on certain tasks, can no longer do fine drawing/painting (she has a formal degree from one of Canada's top art colleges), etc.

Good health, being fully functional in terms of our body and brain, is so precious.

[Crankin]

Diet soda just makes me ravenously hungry. I would bring more/bigger snacks.

[aeiea]

I weened myself off all sodas five years ago, which was tough since I grew up in Coca-Cola country with Diet Coke parents. It went from sodas mixed with sparkling water... then to sparkling water... then to water. I haven't missed it since.

However, I recently fell in love with Kombucha as a fun snack drink. There are some theories (I think japanese?) that encourage eating all the different tastes at a meal -- savory, sweet, sour, etc -- as separate entities, not mixed. The theory was more complicated than this, but my simplified version helps when I'm snacking -- if one "taste" doesn't satiate me, I'll try another. Kombucha tends to fulfill the sour... and the bubbly makes it fun to drink.

Very interesting thread, and I had no idea aspartame affected the brain. A similar accident happened to a friend of mine, and we've noticed the personality changes in him. But we're happy he pulled through. I'm hoping the doctors also told him about aspartame (or whatever it is in the diet sodas).

[szsz]

Kombucha rocks! I won't touch soda, I drink a ton of water and I gave up coffee six months ago. So, while it is expensive, I find it a reasonable indulgence especially since it is also a vegan probiotic, of which there are few.

Also, since it's best to drink kombucha on an empty stomach, that adds in some additional discipline.

[snapdragen]

I keep a jar of raw almonds at my desk to snack on. Just a few seem to help that mid afternoon snack attack.

[OakLeaf]

I wish I knew someone local who had a kombucha growing. My sister has one, and it was "spawning" when I visited her last year, but I don't think TSA would've let me take it on the plane...

[limewave]

I keep a jar of raw almonds at my desk to snack on. Just a few seem to help that mid afternoon snack attack.

DH has just started doing the grocery shopping for us as I've "had-it" with the grocery store.

He came home with a 3lb bag of almonds . . . "they were on sale!"
So, I think I'll do what you do. Bring a big jar to work