Aguas Frescas

We love aguas frescas!

Favian Montemayor and Frances Acuña of Dove Springs

For the sake of their health, Frances Acuña's family in Dove Springs only drinks sodas on special occasions. At first, it was difficult getting used to it, but now they are happy to live without sodas. They feel better, and they have more energy. (Click here to watch the videos where Frances and her family talk about their experiences not drinking sodas.)

What's more Frances and her husband Favian, and their two sons discovered they prefer to make their own aguas frescas at home on special occasions, instead of drinking soda. It's more fun, more refreshing, and much healthier. Here they share their recipe for "agua de pepino" (cucumber juice).

Frances Acuña and her famous "agua de pepino"

Easy Recipe for "Agua de Pepino"

• 2 cucumbers 
• 1 liter of water 
• NO MORE than 1/4 cup (less is better - too much sugar is unhealthy!)
• Lime juice to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a blender, and your "agua de pepino" will be ready to drink in just a few minutes. A glass contains less than half the calories of a can of soda...and it's just so much better.

WATCH THE VIDEO (in Spanish):

Little brother Ricardo Acuña
drinking his watermelon juice
(but he mostly drinks plain water!)

Favian Junior and his little brother Ricardo are glad they promised not to drink sodas during the school week. Favian Jr. says, "It's easy to say 'no' and drink water instead of soda."

Adjusting to a life without soda wasn't a problem for little Ricardo either. Now he loves cucumber and watermelon juice, especially after playing ball outside with his dad and older brother. Every Sunday afternoon before dinner, Favian Sr. and his two sons enjoy some kind of sport activity in their backyard.

Although they've switched from sodas to "aguas frescas" for special occasions, they still drink water every day. Pure, plain water is always the healthiest option!






Diet Sodas

"Diet sodas can be free of calories, but

not free from the health consequences." 

-- Dr. Helen Hazuta

What about diet sodas? They are WORSE because they falsely lead us to believe that they are a healthy alternative and they don't cause us to gain weight.  más saludables y que no nos hacen engordar.

Researchers in San Antonio discovered that diet sodas can be equal to or worse than regular sodas, in terms of negative health effects. In studies they did over a period of 9 years, they found that people who drank two or more sodas daily gained weight five times faster than those who didn't drink any diet sodas at all.

Furthermore, when people consume artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, which is present in diet sodas, they are at higher risk for diabetes, as well as other illnesses and health problems. (Faculty of the School of Medicine, University of Texas San Antonio -- ScienceDaily, 6-28-2011)

Favian Junior says NO to soda!

Avoid All Drinks High in Sugar

The best thing is to not drink any kinds of sodas -- neither diet or regular. Even many of the juices, sports beverages, and fruit-flavored punches marketed to children contain way too much sugar.  The healthiest alternative is to drink water or "aguas frescas" with very little sugar (or no sugar at all -- some fruit provides natural sweeteners!).

Say NO to Soda!

What are your favorite recipes for "aguas frescas"? 

Share them with us in the comment section below!

Favian and his sons enjoy a game of soccer before enjoying an "agua fresca"

No Soda Stories: Frances Acuna and Her Family

Have you or your family promised not to drink soda?

Share your experience with us! Leave us a comment below or on Facebook, or send us your own video via email to  alexandra@latinohealthcareforum.org.

Say No to Soda Challenge

Do you want to be healthy? Do you want your kids to grow up healthy?

Join us at the Manantial del Salud Dove Springs Health Network and accept Dr. Stephen Pont's challenge to not drink sodas (see the video below) -- or any sugary beverage or juice -- during the school week!

To make an individual or family promise, choose one of the three options below:

1. Sent the text* "sinsoda" to 84444 (*your cell phone provider may charge for text messages)
2. Send an email to sinsodadovesprings@gmail.com
3. Leave a comment on our Facebook page:
   www.facebook.com/pages/Manantial-de-Salud-Dove-Springs/470287806329818

Click here to watch the videos where Frances Acuna and her family talk about about their experiences not drinking sodas.

Your doctor recommends: No sodas during the school week!



"Obesity is a terrible affliction for Latinos in Austin. We need to do many things to fight obesity, and one of the easiest and most important things we can do is to not give our children sodas or other sugary drinks. I ask Latino families to accept this challenge and promise to not drink sodas during the school week. This will help your children's health and education."
--Dr. Stephen Pont, Health Director for the Austin Independent School District (AISD)

Obesity in Children

Why are Hispanic children at greater risk for obesity, as well as diabetes caused by obesity? Watch this video and find out...


Manantial de Salud -- Dove Springs Health Network -- will confront all of the major health challenges in our community, starting with obesity, which causes high rates of diabetes among Latinos, along with hundreds of preventable deaths.

In Austin, Texas 40% of Hispanics suffer from diabetes...while only 20% of Non-Hispanic Whites suffer from this terrible disease. It's clear that obesity has become an epidemic in our city, particularly in our Hispanic communities. 

The red zones in the map below show the high concentrations of overweight and obese children -- most of them are in the Dove Springs area.

"Obesity is a terrible affliction for Latinos in Austin," comments Dr. Stephen Pont, Health Director for the Austin Independent School District (AISD). "We need to do many things to fight obesity, and one of the easiest and most important things we can do is to not give our children sodas or other sugary drinks. I ask Latino families to accept this challenge and promise to not drink sodas during the school week. This will help your children's health and education."

It's a serious problem, and sometimes it's complicated. But let's start with an easy solution!

All of us -- especially our children who are at a critical time in their lives where they are developing physically and mentally -- should make it a point to drink less soda and more water. 

The challenge we present to you, on behalf of the Manantial de Salud Dove Springs Health Network, is to not drink any sodas (including sports/energy drinks or juices with lots of sugar or artificial sweeteners) during the school week.

The next challenge we present is to set weekly exercise goals - at LEAST 1 1/2 hours per week, but we  encourage you to aim for the gold level of 5 hours per week.

Say NO to soda!


Get active!

What do you think of these challenges? Let us know...