The drink that made soda not cool.

I've almost always been a heath conscious individual. When I was a kid however, I would down enough soda and candy to keep the average person on a sugar high for months! As I entered my teen years of life, I started realizing how bad candy and soda was making me feel; so I made my first adult decision. (I was smart and (or) odd for my age.) At 14 I decided to fast soda for a whole year! What I realized a couple of months into this fast, I felt a lot better, even as a kid, I realized that I had more energy throughout the day.After the year was up I couldn't wait to have my first soda! The first sip was amazing, it was a great carbonated feeling that I hadn't had in a year. But, half way through this first soda, I realize that I no longer had the same taste or desire for it. I liked the carbonation and the idea of drinking something cool other than water, but the overall effects of it, I didn't miss.I decided to give up soda, indefinitely. I didn't miss it much, every now and then though, you just get this craving, again, it is mostly the cold carbonation. Recently I found a good alternative that helps me kick the craving for soda that occasionally comes up! It's sparking water called LaCroix. (LaCroix water is 100% natural sparkling waters make for an alternative to sugary juices, cola and diet cola beverages. It is free of sodium, caffeine, calories/fat and sweeteners.)

The drink that made soda not cool: Sales of major soda companies have dropped by more than 17% over the past 8 years. While sparkling water has increased by 100%+. (Numbers by: washingtonpost.com)

The goal of this post is not to get people to drink sparkling water. I am writing this today to encourage healthier drinking habits. I'm just not the type of person to bring up a problem without a solution. Soda is a very sugary drink which leads to a lot of heath issues. I'm not going to get into details about the negative effects, I believe most people know them these days. Sparkling water gives a lot of the same pleasures as soda without all of the negative effects.[easy-tweet tweet="Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live. - Jim Rohn" via="no" usehashtags="no"]If you are like me and have a fully capable sound body with no issues at all, you're one of the most blessed people in the world just for that reason. Not everyone has the same luxury as we do. It is important to be a good steward with the things that God has blessed us with, including our bodies. I'm reminded of the parable of the talents in the bible. (Matthew 25:14-30) 2 of the 3 men in this story used what they were given to go off and build more, but the 3rd man buried what he was given in the ground. Let's be good stewards with the templates that God blessed us with!