Get my dad to stop the diet soda?

[dreamrawalwz]

I'd like him to transition to water. He drinks MAYBE 8oz a day, usually none. He just has about 5 diet sodas a day. I'm afraid for his health. He says he doesn't like water though...any ideas? He has high blood pressure and a little water weight that I know will go down if he had water. It's a big accomplishment if he has one bottle (approximately 20oz) and that's only after a strenuous day of yard work).

[Lunar*Fey]

Maybe you could make him raw lemonade or limeade? I think there was a recipe floating around that is supposed to resemble cola...I'll take a look and come back

[Lunar*Fey]

Found it!
Lay Lay posted this...

"My mom and dad were watching a show the other day about coke and pepsi really coming from actual natural products, but they add junk in to perserve, fizz, caffeine, etc... but all those things don't really effect the taste of the drink so you can make your own healthy pepsi or coke at home from natural ingrediants. I am going to give it a try when I get some oranges. He would not give exact measurements so I will have to experiment with this to get the right taste. I never was much on cokes or pepsi ever but I thought it would be nice for my husband or a coke icy for me if it turns out good. Here are the ingrediants:

Lemons
oranges
Limes
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Vanilla

More oranges for pepsi"


Maybe you could give that a try?

[Sharon in Colorado]

Maybe you could buy some club soda and put different juices, agave, etc. in there. Keep trying until there's something he likes. He needs to really like something just as much or better than what he is currently drinking if he has no other reason to quit. Some people won't quit, even though the health reasons are right in front of them.

[Lunar*Fey]

Oh yes and also, I have read that any carbonated liquid is quite bad for your bones....just thought I would mention.

[Rawkinlocs]

Yeah, I agree with Sharon...you really can't "get anyone to stop" doing anything unless they choose to stop.

You could give him all kinds of reasons to stop, provide him with alternatives, etc...but unless he wants to do it...you just can't force it.

The only way I was able to get my family and myself off of soda (not diet, but regular) was to just stop buying it. The way I got my kids and myself to drink more water was to stop buying ALL beverages, even "healthy" ones.

When someone is thirsty enough and there's nothing else around, they WILL drink water...when someone eats a lot of cooked food or chips, etc. and that mouth gets all dry from the food and there's nothing else in the fridge but water, they will drink it. But I doubt you can do that since he's the parent and is probably the one buying it.

But there ARE "natural" sodas on the market (my husband gets a root beer once a week from the co-op) and they're pretty good...no weird aftertaste like diet soda.

Just every so often mention that you're concerned about him...that always sounds better to people than feeling someone is "preaching" to them (not saying you do that) and that you'd like to see him drinking more water and less soda. Maybe have a heart-to-heart with him but come at him from the approach of a loving daughter who loves and cares about her daddy and his health and not in a "threatening" way that will make him get defensive. That sometimes helps too!

[PATH301]

dreamrawalwz,
What does he want to do???
My dad also drinks diet soda's. And the last time I was at his place, he had 6 cases of 20 each in the garage. I've told him the same stuff as well about how bad it is. But until he's, ( your dad and my dad ), are ready to change - it want matter what you do. He knows that you care for him. But it sounds like he's not ready yet?

[spicyfull]

The diet ones are worse than the regular ones. Have you tried Prayer??

[frozenme]

top secret recipes website has the recipe for coke. My mother has all the books. I use them to clone my favorite salads from restaurants eliminating all the cooked ingredients.

[lissomllama]

Wow, dreamrawalwz, I wish my father only drank 8-10 oz. a day, my father drinks about two of those huge plastic party jugs of diet soda A DAY. Sometimes more. The only time I have ever seen him drink water is during a heat wave when he was working outside. I am always worried about him. He is not overweight or anything but he gets sick alot and I try to tell him about those chemicals and he doesn't listen. He says he gets his water from the diet pepsi. It is caffeine free but there are even more chemicals added to get the caffeine out, not to mention the horibble sugar substitues. I don't understand it. I wish he would listen to me. I wish I knew hoe to help you. My father is very stubborn, but maybe yous would listen to you if you got some written proof to him.

[dreamrawalwz]

Wow, dreamrawalwz, I wish my father only drank 8-10 oz. a day, my father drinks about two of those huge plastic party jugs of diet soda A DAY. Sometimes more. The only time I have ever seen him drink water is during a heat wave when he was working outside. I am always worried about him. He is not overweight or anything but he gets sick alot and I try to tell him about those chemicals and he doesn't listen. He says he gets his water from the diet pepsi. It is caffeine free but there are even more chemicals added to get the caffeine out, not to mention the horibble sugar substitues. I don't understand it. I wish he would listen to me. I wish I knew hoe to help you. My father is very stubborn, but maybe yous would listen to you if you got some written proof to him.

I've said it before, but it really baffles me how much the human body can semi-adapt (semi as in we still have diesease and stuff, but we're stil alive).

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I know I can't make him change, but he's old (as in much older than other parents with children my age) and I'm only 19 so I always have that constant fear for his life (though he looks 20 years or more younger than his age).

Anyway, I'll try these ideas. He doesn't have a horrible diet, not SAD at least. He does drink 8oz of milk a day and smoe cheese a few times a week. Other than that it's diet drinks, chicken, whole grains, and steamed veggies. Not raw, but it could be MUCH worse . I guess we should tackel one thing at a time right? Milk or diet soda? hmmm. It took 10 years for him to stop red meat according to my mom lol. He's slow at adjusting ;)

[moonstone523]

My Aunt drinks diet coke by the case. She has lost her hair. We thinks its from all the nasty chemicals in diet coke.

[fruit]

I have been telling my Mother about the dangers of diet soda,But she seems to not listen to me neither.
She drinks about a 12pack a day,Not to mention her diet consist of anything that goes in a microwave and no fruits or veggies for as long as i can remember,she always told me thay were gross.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Isn't it amusing how the tables are now turned with children telling parents to eat their fruits and veggies and stop eating junk food?

[Lay-Lay]

Isn't it amusing how the tables are now turned with children telling parents to eat their fruits and veggies and stop eating junk food?

Haha....yeah! My parents, everytime they come over for dinner they ask: "Umm, its not going to be raw is it?" Well my mom and dad never forced me to eat anything. I always loved my fruits and vegetables. When I was little my mom wouldn't let me ever eat candy. I thank her for this.

Let you dad alone. He will transition off the sodas when he is ready. Make sure to make lemonade and juices readily available. My husband loves sodas, but he no longer drinks them because I always have healthy alternatives in the fridge. Who would rather drink a soda then fresh lemonade or juice? Most of the time its just a convience thing. It is easy to just grab a soda. Make the alternatives easy to.