Interesting health stuff
So. In trying to do the counting points thing this time around (wherein I really need to pay more attention again -- this is about the point at which I stop being able to brain it), I gave up on soda for the umpteenth time. And that, you see, is when the interesting things started.
Now, Ohio is somewhat unusual in that in its stores, you can get sucrose Coke rather than HFCS Coke. With Pepsi, the only option is cans of Throwback if they have it in stock, but with Coke it's reliable. I don't know what strange law makes it this way, but it's so. Not sugar, mind you (still have to get Mexican Coke for that) but far closer. This is relevant shortly.
So, here's the thing. I'd been drinking mostly sucrose pop for a while, then, but still getting bottles or fountain out elsewhere. When I started dieting, I (mostly) stopped doing the purchases out. What I discovered is that not only did I lose a lot of water weight -- my fingers stopped feeling so puffy, in the mornings, especially if I've been up and around and moving like I should--but that my nighttime stomach issues went away, something that's been a mild but sadly reliable part of my life for ages. To test the hypothesis, I picked up an HFCS soda again, and the gas and bloating came back and persisted through the next day. Got rid of it and didn't drink more, and I stayed feeling better.
So. I dunno if it's a mild corn issue or fructose maladsorption (it's a thing, really), but whatever it is, I'm happier like WHOA without HFCS, and honestly keeping the corn presence minimal in my life as well. It means I don't eat a lot of processed food, but then again, we really didn't anyway. I can have a soda now and again (I think I'm at 3 or so a week, which is reasonable if not perfect) if I'm willing to make room for the calories, and I can have better health through label reading. It's a far more preferable thing.
For anyone else out there... I'd recommend seeing if you can cut HFCS out of your diet and see if any mild digestion issues clear up. If so, I'd love to hear about it.
Now, Ohio is somewhat unusual in that in its stores, you can get sucrose Coke rather than HFCS Coke. With Pepsi, the only option is cans of Throwback if they have it in stock, but with Coke it's reliable. I don't know what strange law makes it this way, but it's so. Not sugar, mind you (still have to get Mexican Coke for that) but far closer. This is relevant shortly.
So, here's the thing. I'd been drinking mostly sucrose pop for a while, then, but still getting bottles or fountain out elsewhere. When I started dieting, I (mostly) stopped doing the purchases out. What I discovered is that not only did I lose a lot of water weight -- my fingers stopped feeling so puffy, in the mornings, especially if I've been up and around and moving like I should--but that my nighttime stomach issues went away, something that's been a mild but sadly reliable part of my life for ages. To test the hypothesis, I picked up an HFCS soda again, and the gas and bloating came back and persisted through the next day. Got rid of it and didn't drink more, and I stayed feeling better.
So. I dunno if it's a mild corn issue or fructose maladsorption (it's a thing, really), but whatever it is, I'm happier like WHOA without HFCS, and honestly keeping the corn presence minimal in my life as well. It means I don't eat a lot of processed food, but then again, we really didn't anyway. I can have a soda now and again (I think I'm at 3 or so a week, which is reasonable if not perfect) if I'm willing to make room for the calories, and I can have better health through label reading. It's a far more preferable thing.
For anyone else out there... I'd recommend seeing if you can cut HFCS out of your diet and see if any mild digestion issues clear up. If so, I'd love to hear about it.