Artificial Sweetener Disease

Artificial Sweetener Disease; a new breed of sickness

Artificial Sweetener Disease (ASD) is sweeping across America, affecting tens of thousands of consumers, and Western medicine calls it anything but what it really is, so that doctors can prescribe expensive pharmaceuticals and set up "check up" appointments for the following weeks.

Call it recurring headaches, unbearable migraines, depression, anxiety, muscle pain, arthritis flare ups, buzzing or ringing in the ears, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, inflammation, even acid reflux, but don't call it ASD, or the patient may stop consuming synthetic sweeteners, and then not schedule more doctor visits.

The symptoms of ASD can change overnight, depending on how much chemical sweetener you consume, and which ones. Some combinations are especially toxic. Consumers can go from a migraine headache to vomiting or from vision problems to an upset stomach. Many people experience central nervous system disorders, cramping, nervous twitches and abnormal reflexes. (http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/)

It all started when Ronald Reagan took office in 1980. He immediately fired the head of the FDA, under advisement from Donald Rumsfeld (CEO of Searle Pharmaceutical at the time), and hired Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., who auspiciously approved aspartame. It was the decade of the diet craze, and Rumsfeld and his constituents made a fortune off the artificial sweetener which had been banned for decades due to laboratory testing results proving it was carcinogenic. The same FDA tainted approval process gave way to sucralose in 1991, and then sorbitol in 2003. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-gennet/donald-rumsfeld-and-the-s...)

Gulf War Syndrome mainly ASD

It is not a coincidence that a wave of fibromyalgia cases hit the American troops during the Gulf War. Studies revealed that drinking diet sodas in the 120 degree heat lead to serious health repercussions. It was cleverly chalked up under the umbrella term "Gulf War Syndrome," but the same problems are occurring for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan now. (http://www.militaryspot.com/resources/gulf_war_syndrome/)

It is also no coincidence that 4 out of 5 fibromyalgia cases affect women, who are more likely to eat diet foods and consume diet drinks than men. Nearly all chewing gum and breath mints are loaded with artificial sweeteners. (http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/383-why-a-s...)

The popular saying that "there's not enough artificial sweetener in any specific product to cause health concerns" is a lie, especially now that in 2011 there are synthetic sweeteners in over 25% of all food, drink, gum and candy available. This cumulative effect has created ASD, and thanks to little or no regulation of chemical agents in food, it's not going away any time soon.

There is no prescription drug, and there never will be one, that cures the problems that artificial sweeteners create. In fact, over 70 percent of reported cases of fibromyalgia, chronic depression, IBS and acid reflux are caused by consuming chemical agents which have been approved by the FDA for consumption. (http://www.foodintol.com/food_intolerance/irritable_bowel_syndrome)

Cancer may be the distant, long term result of consuming chemicals, but ASD is the short term consequence, and it is very serious. If you look to prescription drugs to cure these "chronic ailments," then you will experience even more side effects from the prescription medicines, and maybe worse ones than you already have.

The good news is the cure for Artificial Sweetener Disease is absolutely free and involves no doctor, no health insurance co-pays, and has zero side effects. Here is the secret cure for ASD: throw away your sugar free gum and candy, and then trash all foods and drinks you have that are labeled "light" and "zero." Read the labels on everything, so you can filter out all artificial sweeteners from your products, including aspartame, sucralose, sorbitol, acesulfame-k, aspartic acid, and saccharine.

As an alternative to poisoning yourself, try Xylitol or Stevia in order to cut calories, or simply eat more organic vegetables! If problems persist, take a list of everything you ate this week to your Naturopath or Nutritionist to analyze. Remember, if you're getting sick from moldy bread, don't look for a prescription drug to cure you, just stop eating moldy bread.

Healing Meditation

Meditation technique repairs the brain processes that aspartame destroys

A wonderful article about meditation from Natural News.

Research has shown that with as few as 11 hours of mindful meditation, the white matter of the brain that aspartame destroys, can begin to grow back. Research into the brain damage that aspartame causes, has revealed lesions to the nerve fibers known as white matter. This is due to the by-products created when aspartame is ingested, namely methanol and formaldehyde. The effects of ingesting these chemicals are so serious that they cause symptoms often mistaken for multiple sclerosis. Other artificial sweeteners such as neotame, which have the same by-products, have the same effects.

An example is the destruction of the white matter in the anterior cingulate region which causes a lack of nerve activity in this area. This is associated with mental problems such as ADHD, ADD, dementia, depression and schizophrenia. Test subjects reported reduced feelings of anger, depression, anxiety and fatigue and had reduced levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. The changes include the improvement of mood, which in turn is consistent with self regulation being a core feature of many mental health problems.

The meditation and body movement training used in the tests is known as integrative body-mind training (IBMT). It is a form of meditation and mindfulness training adapted from Chinese medicine. By activating the areas of the brain that lack sufficient white matter, the brain grows new nerve fibers as a response. It gives a new perspective on how brain function can be improved with the use of inexpensive therapy instead of using expensive drugs.

The value of meditation is being recognized by mainstream mental health research

With meditation therapy gaining greater recognition among doctors in the field of mental health, more studies are being commissioned. These studies and research projects are currently exposing some interesting and exiting effects, some of which are the cures for traditionally incurable conditions. Children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and ADD (attention deficit disorder) benefit from the nerve fiber generating effects of meditation, allowing them greater control, better mood and improved social response.

With so many people consuming greater quantities of aspartame and other brain destroying food additives and vaccines, it is no surprise that there is such a rise in depression, behavior disorders and violent behavior. The studies that have proven the link between aspartame and the destruction of brain nerve fibers, raise very serious questions as to the long-term health and social effects of drugging the population through the food supply. However, the studies that have proven the effects of meditation in re-growing these nerve fibers give hope to those who have been affected. By abstaining from aspartame-containing products, and using meditation, the damage can be reversed. This would allow affected people to become less aggressive, more thoughtful and be much more emotionally stable. This would result in reduced need for the dangerous and expensive drug treatments such as Ritalin and Prozac.

It is only a matter of time before the pharmaceutical industry release a "study" which "proves" that only drugs can be proven effective, and meditation is all mumbo jumbo. But this will be because they are defending the one thing they care most about, profit.

Below is about another Study done in 2011 about meditation's healing power.

A little over an hour of meditation produces powerful pain-relieving effects in the brain, a new study shows. "This is the first study to show that only a little over an hour of meditation training can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain activation," said Fadel Zeidan, who led the study.

"We found a big effect - about a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness," added Zeidan, post-doctoral research fellow at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre.

"Meditation produced a greater reduction in pain than even morphine or other pain-relieving drugs, which typically reduce pain ratings by about 25 percent," said Zeidan, reports the Journal of Neuroscience.

For the study, a group of healthy volunteers who had never meditated attended four, 20-minute classes to learn a meditation technique known as focused attention, according to a Wake Forest statement.

Focused attention is a form of mindfulness meditation where people are taught to attend to the breath and let go of distracting thoughts and emotions.

Both before and after meditation training, participants' brain activity was examined using a special type of imaging -- arterial spin labelling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL MRI) -- that captures longer duration brain processes, such as meditation, better than a standard MRI scan of brain function.

During these scans, a pain-inducing heat device was placed on the participants' right legs. This device heated a small area of their skin to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that most people find painful, over a five-minute period.

The scans taken after meditation training showed that every participant's pain ratings were reduced, with decreases ranging from 11 to 93 percent, Zeidan said.(IANS)

What is Aspartame?

 Over a billion people consume aspartame in their foods and beverages across the world, believing it to be a safe ingredient, but what they probably don't know is that aspartame currently accounts for over 75% of all side effects complaints received by the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS) for the past 4 years. It is banned by health-conscious countries all over the world, especially where there is a national healthcare system in place.

Aspartame is best known by the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet One and Spoonful. Aspartame is a synthetic chemical combination which is comprised of approximately 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Aspartame is found in thousands of foods, drinks, candy, gum, vitamins, health supplements and even pharmaceuticals. (http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/aspartame-banned)

Each of the three ingredients in Aspartame poses its own dangers and each is well documented as causing a long list of side effects and dangerous health conditions. Watch for the ingredient Acesulfame Potassium, which is just another name for Aspartame.

Phenylalanine: Even a single use of Aspartame raises the blood phenylalanine levels. High blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. Because it is metabolized much more efficiently by rodents than humans, testing and research on rats alone is not sufficient enough to denounce the dangers of Aspartame for human consumption. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain cause serotonin levels to decrease, leading to emotional disorders like depression.

Aspartic Acid: Aspartic acid is considered an excito-toxin, which means it over stimulates certain neurons in the body until they die. Much like nitrates and MSG, aspartic acid can cause amino acid imbalances in the body and result in the interruption of normal neurotransmitter metabolism of the brain. (http://www.holisticmed.net/aspartame/aminoacid.pdf)

Methanol becomes Formaldehyde (Embalming fluid): The most prominent danger of Aspartame is that when ingested, the methanol (wood alcohol) is distributed throughout the body, including the brain, muscle, fat and nervous tissues, and is then metabolized to form formaldehyde, which enters cells and binds to proteins and genetic material (DNA). Methanol is a dangerous neurotoxin and a known carcinogen, which causes retinal damage in the eye, interferes with DNA processes, and can cause birth defects. (http://aspartame.mercola.com/)

The EPA's recommended limit of consumption of Methanol is 7.8 milligrams per day, but a one liter bottle of an Aspartame-sweetened beverage contains over 50 mg of methanol. Heavy users of Aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily, which is over 30 times the EPA limit.

Suspiciously similar to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis, Aspartame's long list includes dizziness, headaches, behavioral changes, hallucinations, depression, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain. Also, many illnesses can be worsened by ingesting Aspartame, including chronic fatigue syndrome, brain tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, mental retardation, and especially diabetes.

Birth defects: According to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician Professor of Genetics at Emory University, Phenylalanine can concentrate in the placenta, causing mental retardation of a fetus. Also, formaldehyde in the blood stream of a pregnant woman can cause her immune system to target the fetal tissue as a foreign substance and destroy it, the result being a miscarriage. This can happen before she even knows she is pregnant. (http://www.dorway.com/dr-elsas.txt)

Aspartame is known to cause weight gain

Products labeled Diet, Light or Zero most likely contain at least one of the major synthetic sweeteners, and Aspartame is used more widely than the three carcinogenic S's: Sucralose, Sorbitol and Saccharin. Nearly all diet sodas, gum and most candy (not chocolate - yet) are loaded with Aspartame. (http://buildingbodies.ca/diet-pop-dangers-and-aspartame-poisoning/) Some chewing gum brands contain only synthetic sugars, which are acid creating. The body in turn creates fat cells to store that extra acid, and this is why many people who consistently eat Aspartame will ironically put on weight.

Natural sugar-free alternatives: Xylitol and the Brazilian Stevia leaf (Not Truvia) are natural and do not cause side effects or nerve damage; however, truly effective weight loss starts with organic vegetables and cardio exercise. To be safe, simply avoid all "diet foods" and moderate sugar intake.

Aspartame

I am shocked by the number of people who don't yet know how toxic Aspartame is to their bodies. It is widely known and even shared on television and through Dr. warnings, yet still there are thousands of products made with the toxin and nothing is being done about removing them any time soon. People think just because it's on the shelf it is safe...it is not! That is why it is soo important to educate yourself on the facts. Watch the videos below to realize that even known unsafe products Do make it to the shelves. Today's blog is long, but worth the read and watch.

BEFORE you take another sip of your diet pop...or any of the other 6,000+ products made with aspartame, please watch the videos below to educate yourself so you can make an informed decision of what you want to put into your body. After you learn about it,it is then up to you.

 

Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is Added to foods!

Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.

Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.

Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.

According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame: Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.

Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.

What Is Aspartame Made Of?

Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)

Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.

How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage

Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.

Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.

The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.

The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) ALS Memory loss Hormonal problems Hearing loss Epilepsy Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease Hypoglycemia AIDS Dementia Brain lesions Neuroendocrine disorders

The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:

"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."

Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.

The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:

• Headaches/migraines
• Nausea
• Abdominal pains
• Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
• Sleep problems
• Vision problems
• Anxiety attacks
• Depression
• Asthma/chest tigShtness.

One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.

A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)

Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)

Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.

This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.

Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.

One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.

As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.

Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.

Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)

Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.

The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).

Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.

Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.

Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."

He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval." Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.

It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans. The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.

In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).

Diketopiperazine (DKP)

DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.

G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors. These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.

In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.

DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.

Poisons

If you currently eat aspartame...please stop.  Don't take my word for it, please research what you are doing to your body through this artificial sweetener...it's in soo many products still on the market in spite of it's proven dangers so please read all labels (especially diet foods). We learned about the dangers so long ago, but some people have chosen to ignore it because it's so available...and the worse part is that people make this choice for "health reasons" as in diet foods unknowing that they're 'harming" their health instead. 

We are being poisoned - Our Food

Our entire food chain has been corrupted, and is now poisonous! Many foods are genetically modified, and our laws state you cannot label food that has been genetically modified (GMO). Wait, what?! Corn and Soy are the two most predominant GMO crops. 90% of Soy around the world has been Genetically manipulated, 60% of corn is Genetically modified. Go check how many items in your kitchen contain Soy and Corn or Corn Syrup, ALMOST ALL OF THEM that are prepared off-the-shelf foods!

Many have heard that artificial sweeteners are bad for you, but do you know how bad? Many food items marked "sugar free" contain artificial sweeteners. What is worse for you? Natural sugar, Genetically modified high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners, which are just chemicals mixed together in a lab! A Google search for FDA corruption returns 600,000+ results.

On top of that you have pesticides; farmers have some of the highest rates of cancer in the world. Even if you avoid pesticides by buying organic, you get food that has been irradiated if it has come from a foreign land.

A clip from:
Standby for Annihilation
Free DVD download and youtube-style clips @ http://dvd.aswedie.com

Dangerous Grocery Foods

Now that we've looked at the 3 common poisons that find their way into our foods let’s look at some general tips given by Dr. Joe Mercola (a Natural health physician I highly look up to) to buying healthier foods and avoiding hidden dangers in foods (many in foods, that in their natural state, are good for us!).  

Avoid These Potentially Dangerous Grocery Foods

You should be careful if you rely on your local grocery to provide you with your basic food items, because some foods you frequently buy may be detrimental to your health.  So make note of them and change your habits now before there is any lasting damage.

These include-

• Canned tomatoes – An endocrinologist and expert on the topic of the synthetic oestrogen bisphenol-A (BPA), linked to heart disease and infertility, won’t go near canned tomatoes. Tin cans are lined with a resin containing BPA which is especially a problem with canning tomatoes, as the acid in tomato breaks this down in dangerous amounts. This is a serious health concern for everyone who loves a canned spaghetti bowl, especially children. Dr. Mercola’s advice: if you still want the convenience of stored, ready-to-cook tomatoes, opt for sauces and tomato puree in glass bottles.

• Conventional beef – Unlike grass-fed beef that has important vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory fats, conventional cattle are fed corn, grain, and soy that make them fat and unhealthy.  This is what farmers do to increase profits. The end product is meat that is nutritionally inferior. Cows were meant to eat grass. Studies show that grass-fed beef (compared to corn-fed) is higher in important vitamins, minerals and the heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory fats. Then there’s also the issue of all the antibiotics used on those inappropriately-fed, sick cows. Dr. Mercola’s advice: Look for “grass-fed” or “pasture-fed” organic beef from strong healthy beasts.

• Microwave popcorn – Another poisonous packaging issue: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) lines the bags of those popcorn bags, and the heat in the microwave leaches this straight onto your movie munchies. The UCLA links this compound to infertility. Dr. Mercola’s advice: Corn kernels + sea salt + plus a big pot (with a lid!) Simple.

• Conventional potatoes – More than any other vegetable, non-organic potatoes are heavily sprayed with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides throughout every stage of their growth, harvesting and storage. So much so that potato growers never eat the potatoes they sell and grow their own separate plots without all the chemicals. Dr. Mercoa’s advice: Organic or Bio-dynamic potatoes only. Or grow your own.
  

• Farmed salmon – All farmed, this includes farmed “Atlantic” Salmon are crammed in pens and fed all manner of junk from soy and hydrolyzed chicken feathers and pellets. A scientific study on fish contamination showed high levels of DDT and PCB’s (carcinogens). So serious were the findings that the director for the Institute for Health warns that any more than one salmon meal every 5 months increases your cancer risk. Not to mention that fact that the levels of Omega 3 and Vitamin D are devoid in these poor factory-versions that their wild, up-stream-swimming ancestors contain. Dr. Mercola’s advice: For fresh fish, choose small & wild varieties wherever available. For salmon in Australia, your only wild option is out of a tin. Look for brands like Paramount Wild Alaskan Salmon, or other brands from Norway and Canada are often wild too. Even still, eat these only occasionally.

• Conventional milk – Dairy cows today are fed growth hormones to maximize milk production. Not only does this make for a potentially breast/prostate/colon cancer milk shake, but it also leads to increased incidence of udder infection for the poor cow, leading to pus in the milk. Dr. Mercola's advice: if you do drink cows’ milk, make sure it states clearly on the label that it is produced without artificial hormones, and ideally choose organic whole milk from pasture-fed cows.  

• Conventional apples – There’s no coincidence that farm workers have higher rates of many cancers. Of all common fruits, apples are the most heavily and frequently doused with pesticides. Pesticide reside on conventional fruits is also linked to Parkinson’s. To limit exposure, be wary of apples especially.   Dr. Mercola’s advice: Go Organic. Or at the very least wash, (I like to spray with Veggie Wash), rinse and peel before eating.

Dr. Joseph Mercola says that aside from these products, there are other grocery foods you should avoid. For example, many fruits and vegetables, like berries, are also highly-sprayed with pesticides. Unlike apples that can be peeled, berries are usually eaten with their chemical-laced skin still intact.

Why You Should Avoid Genetically Modified (GMO) Foods

Dr. Mercola says genetically modified (GM) foods are among the most dangerous foods in our supply today. They can put you at an increased risk of certain diseases, infertility, and birth defects. Popular GM crops today include:

·         Corn

·         Soy

·         Canola

·         Cottonseed

·         Alfalfa

·         Sugar from sugar beets

·         Zucchini

·         Crookneck squash

·         Hawaiian papaya

If you want to avoid GMO foods effectively, don’t buy products with soy, corn, canola, and any of their derivatives as an ingredient, unless they’re labeled USDA 100% Organic.

The Dangers of Fructose and Artificial Sweeteners

Even though conventional health experts say that consuming fructose or sugar moderately is okay, Dr. Mercola disagrees. Excessive sugar, especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is the primary factor that causes obesity and chronic and lethal diseases. Almost all processed foods sold today contain fructose. The number one source of calories in the U.S. today is HFCS in soda.

But once you decide to cut down on sugar and fructose, you should not replace it with artificially sweetened foods and beverages. Just like HFCS, artificial sweeteners are also found abundantly in processed foods. More than 6,000 products today contain aspartame.

They can also cause negative health effects like intestinal damage, diabetes, pre-term delivery, brain damage, and cancer. Acesulfame potassium or Acesulfame-K, another artificial sweetener, is linked to kidney tumors.

Diet Water: This Beverage is Slowly Poisoning You

Flavored water, zero-calorie water, and other “enhanced” water products may be marketed as healthy, but they’re not. For example, the latest water enhancement product found in the market, called MiO, contains three dyes, two artificial sweeteners, one preservative, and propylene glycol (PG). PG is a solvent that can potentially cause cell mutations and damage your liver, skin, and kidney damage if ingested in excessive amounts.

Enhanced water products also contain large amounts of sugar and fructose. Every 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola’s Glaceau VitaminWater contains 33 grams of sugar—that’s only six grams less than a can of Coke. Meanwhile, VitaminWater’s crystalline fructose may be the worst kind of fructose you can consume, and is likely more harmful than HFCS. Crystalline fructose is 99 percent fructose, while HFCS is only 55 percent fructose.  (I was very sad to learn this!)

The Dangers of Processed Meat

Hotdogs, deli meats, bacon, and pepperoni have dangerous compounds like heterocyclic amines (HCAs), a potent carcinogen. Other harmful ingredients include sodium nitrite, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). AGEs can increase your risk of heart and kidney disease, and diabetes.

Processed meat can also increase your risk of cancer, especially bowel cancer. A previous analysis from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reported that eating just one sausage a day increases your risk of bowel, bladder, stomach, and pancreatic cancer.

If you want to eat processed meat every once in a while, look for:

·        “Uncured” varieties that have no nitrates

·         Varieties that say 100% beef or 100% chicken. You’ll know that the meat comes from a single species and does not include byproducts (like chicken fat or chicken skin).

·         Products that don’t have HFCS, preservatives, MSG, and artificial flavors or colors

·         If possible, buy sausages and other processed meat from small, local farmers who will let you know exactly what’s in their products.

Next time you do your grocery shopping, watch out for these dangerous products. Your health depends on what you put in your shopping cart.