I chew my way through a pack of gum. Yeah, I know, dentists say it’s ok, even recommended to chew sugar-free gum after meals. But I can go through an entire pack in an afternoon. I’m a chain chewer, if you may.
Dentists say chewing sugar free gum can help to clean your teeth.
Researchers also say chewing gum helps with concentration while studying or test-taking.
But I’m a sugar-holic. And when I start a stick of sugar free gum, I think I’m really just trying to get some sugar without the sugar-after-effects. And when the xylitol’s sugar-like taste fades as it usually does in about 35 seconds, I am ready for another piece.
I can chew my way through an entire pack of gum in just a few hours.
A few years ago, I got Invisalign and I had to remove the plastic braces to eat meals and then replace them right after. Having your teeth covered for 22 hours or more every day left no time to chew gum. And I got out of the habit of blowing bubbles. But now, I wear my retainers at night and I often find myself with a few hours until dinner and I soothe my hunger with sugar-free gum. A bad habit delayed is not a bad habit overcome!
Unfortunately, (or maybe Fortunately) I’ve recently traced my occasional stomach issues (bloating) to this incessant gum chewing habit so now there’s an even better reason to give up the gum. A few hours after the gum chewing, my stomach is extremely sensitive and almost anything I eat makes my stomach hurt or bloated.
I’m not ready to have a baby right now so I don’t want to look like I’m already “in the family way”
So call me superficial but I’ll give up anything that prevents me from looking bloated.
#Motivation
Check out these articles that support my little theory.
Solving The IBS Puzzle
Chewing Gum Ingredients
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RUN WRIGHT 
good luck giving up gum! I’m one of those people who can’t chew gum + walk, so I’ve never really had that habit to worry about. I am on board with doing whatever is possible to not feel bloated!
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Being bloated is definitely not fun and absolutely not worth the 35 seconds of flavor I get from chewing gum. but it’s also a habit so it will take some time to break it. That’s why it’s one of my projects for #TheNext100
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I totally gave up gum when I was having GI issues about a year ago. That and diet soda was wreaking havoc on my system. Have not looked back since! It’s nice not to have a tummy ache all the time!
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I was never a big diet soda person – it was always full sugar all the way for me 😦 but somehow I didn’t connect the dots between the gum and the stomach aches. It’s nice to have a plan going forward though.
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You stomach relief will be enough to carry you through I bet!
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Good for you not chewing gum anymore– that article you posted– kinda scary!
http://www.itsagirlsworld.com
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Wasn’t it? Sorry. Sometimes we ignore the little signs our bodies give us but those little annoyances are really a warning to make a change.
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Just saw this post… I am a gum-a-holic for years now. I love me some gum and I used to be able to chew for hours on end (the one piece). After my first pregnancy I can only stand it in my mouth for about 35 seconds (sensory overload… weird, I know), but oh how I love to chew (oral fixation I think)! Lately I’ve been biting my tongue. I think it’s a conspiracy going on.
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When I wore braces, I couldn’t eat gum for 2 years so I think I was just so happy to do it after all that time. Sometimes, I see someone enjoying their gum and get a craving but I really don’t miss the bad stomach aches that came with it. That gives me willpower.
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