Kicking a redbull addiction

pulliptears

Ive been cutting back on Pepsi, I'm allergic to aspartame and it can leave me with crippling stomach ache so I can't even go to diet pepsi.

What I did do was buy a soda stream. OH and the kids use it for pop and buy the syrups, I fizz up water and add a little fresh fruit juice like raspberry and apple for a healthier drink.

brook2jack

For acidity of herbal/fruit teas (erosion potential)Here is a link to original research paper in Bristol http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12735917

and this an American paper saying much the same http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2011sandiego/preliminaryprogram/abstract_147220.htm

This Turkish paper has results table page four, I think, BlackBerry tea is worst offender
http://www.google.co.uk/url?url=http://www.oralhealth.ro/volumes/2010/volume-2/V2-10-4.pdf&rct=j&sa=U&ei=B4vhUPiKBoHPhAen84CIBQ&ved=0CCYQFjAE&q=ph+blackberry+tea&usg=AFQjCNFx_NGlVP2ijByvTY8t4ZlL-_u0rg
basically chamomile, unsweetened mint ok but as soon as fruit added you're in trouble.

skintandscared_2

Who would have thought hydration was such a minefield! :rotfl:

I don't drink hot drinks at all, so teas are out I'm afraid.

I do drink milk but only when it's ice cold, so having that sat on my desk to sip throughout the day wouldn't work.

With everything taken into account, I do still think that a very weak diluted squash is my best bet, alternated with glasses of plain water. At least that way I'm getting more hydration and less of the fizz.

I plan to start the cut-down tomorrow and will let you know how I get on!

brook2jack

Ah it's even more of a minefield than you think!

Every time you take even a sip from even a weak sugary drink it takes an hour for the acid produced to go away.

The very worst thing for your teeth is taking little sips of drink all day long, it means your teeth are under constant attack. Drink a drink with even a tiny amount of sugar all in one go, don't sip.

If you want something to occupy your mouth chew sugar free chewing gum , preferably one containing xylitol, it will stimulate saliva flow, keeping your mouth moist, and neutralise acid.

skintandscared_2

pulliptears wrote: »

Ive been cutting back on Pepsi, I'm allergic to aspartame and it can leave me with crippling stomach ache so I can't even go to diet pepsi.

What I did do was buy a soda stream. OH and the kids use it for pop and buy the syrups, I fizz up water and add a little fresh fruit juice like raspberry and apple for a healthier drink.

Did you know that none of Sainsbury's diet drinks have aspartame in? I just checked our Morrisons diet lemon squash and it's not in that either...

skintandscared_2

brook2jack wrote: »

Ah it's even more of a minefield than you think!

Every time you take even a sip from even a weak sugary drink it takes an hour for the acid produced to go away.

The very worst thing for your teeth is taking little sips of drink all day long, it means your teeth are under constant attack. Drink a drink with even a tiny amount of sugar all in one go, don't sip.

If you want something to occupy your mouth chew sugar free chewing gum , preferably one containing xylitol, it will stimulate saliva flow, keeping your mouth moist, and neutralise acid.

arghhhhhhhh! Does using a drinking straw make a difference?! I'm sure my dentist mentioned it's a good idea to keep the drink away from teeth.

brook2jack

It helps with acid but not that much with sugar. Sounds as though you've already had erosion problems then!

Drinks cause two types of dental problems,
erosion where the acid in anything fizzy or fruit based, sugar free or not, eats away the teeth, If the acid doesn't touch the teeth ie you use a straw not so much of a problem

decay where bacteria use the sugar to produce acid that destroys teeth and using a straw makes little difference.

Some people get into a habit of swishing drinks through their teeth that makes things even worse.

pulliptears

skintandscared wrote: »

Did you know that none of Sainsbury's diet drinks have aspartame in? I just checked our Morrisons diet lemon squash and it's not in that either...

I did yes, I'm partial to the occasional snowball at Christmas and I had a heck of a job finding a full fat lemonade that didn't contain it let alone a diet one. Sainsburys and Asda were the only 2 supermarkets that had a standard lemonade without aspartame in it.

I believe a lot of Supermarkets have since stopped adding it. Thats partly why I like the soda stream as well, none of the syrups have it in.

blinko

i dont think its caffeine addiction with red bull, its other chemicals.

otherwise coffee would satisfy the craving, they do it with all the energy drinks. the best advice is to fight the craving and totally avoid them

alas they are legal drugs so its a case of trying to control your temptation

Primrose

When you open each can could you try pouring it into an empty lemonade bottle. Then dilute each drink with some fizzy mineral water.