how to quit drinking sodaMy best friend was addicted to a particular brand of diet cola. She needed it to function first thing in the morning, and she'd gulp down several more throughout the day. One day after a can, she got sick and threw up. She never touched the stuff again.

That's one way to quit drinking soda.

ilovexzavier is looking for a less dramatic fix. Cherry cola is all she drinks, even though she knows it's not good for her. Not only is it all artificial and packed with empty calories, some data suggests soda boosts the risk of kidney stones.

She wants to set a good example for her little boy, without getting withdrawal headaches.

Some of the ways other moms suggested she try to quit drinking soda:

-- We use carbonated flavored water. You still get the "pop/soda" sensation with the carbonation, but all the rest of the bad stuff is gone. Then transition to regular bottled water with flavor packets.

-- If you go cold turkey, have a huge bottle of ibuprofen or something else for migraines. Be prepared to be tired, bitchy, forgetful, and everything else.

-- Pour some cola over an old nasty penny, and watch it come out nice and shiny. It will make you see what it's really doing to your body.

-- When hubby and I went cold turkey, we had some mild headaches. But if you replace the soda with tea, you are still getting some caffeine. It's been eight months since we've drunk any soda, and now we don't even crave it.

How has the advice been working for ilovexzavier?

"I have cut way back! Now I mix tea and juice in there. I haven't cut it out all together, but a lot more than I used to. I did go through the headache aspect and that was no fun."

Have you ever tried to quit drinking soda? How many sodas per day is too much for good health?