The Price of a Habit

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

I don't know what to do. My legs have become terribly swollen and I have a problem with varicose veins. The doctor gave me a diuretic a year ago; the swelling has cut back but now it seems that my kidneys are affected. My doctor wants to add another med to protect the kidneys. Is there some kind of spiritual remedy? Janet from DC

LB answers: Do you drink soft drinks, diet soft drinks, or coffee, and how much per day? 

Janet responds: I only drink 2-3 Diet Cokes and maybe 4 cups of decaf coffee. I only use good artificial sweeteners.

LB: Diet soft drinks are poison. So is processed decaf coffee. Get rid of all these beverages and all artificial sweeteners and replace them with mineral water, club soda, and herbal tea. Within three weeks, you'll see a dramatic change in the swelling and in the vein problems. Be sure to walk a half hour a day. Just stop and think about the price your body pays for the diet-Coke habit or for the artificial sweeteners. You could be saving a load on doctors and meds if you only kick the habits that are detrimental to your health. There's no better spiritual remedy than overcoming bodily urges that are detrimental to the gift of health that Hashem gives us. Have a great week! Blessings always, LB