Although this has happened a while ago I cannot get this incident out of my mind. To me, it clearly illustrated the current human “could not care less” condition. My husband and I were standing at the supermarket cash register when I pointed to the “Coke Zero” the gentleman in front of us was in the process of purchasing. Being very aware of the toxic effects of aspartame on human health, my husband prompted the man to do himself a favor and inform himself about aspartame. The man’s answer was, “Oh well, “I’ve got to die from something”. Strangely, I was both expecting an answer like that and at the same time, I was surprised by it. Occasionally people are not aware of the health impact certain substances have, but most of the time, they just don’t care. The latter attitude I do not understand. This is your health we are talking about. Without it, you have nothing.
Most of us would never consider drinking a cocktail containing rat poison, yet we gladly eat and drink products that contain chemical additives that will kill us over a longer period. The only difference is that we then willingly pay loads of money to the pharmaceutical industry to manage our chronic degenerative illnesses before we die a painful death. You may think this is melodramatic, but from where I am sitting, it is reality.
Become aware and take responsibility
I know this takes effort and our fast and stressful lives don’t allow for becoming aware, but if you want to stay healthy, or regain your health you will have to become aware of what you eat. Take time to read food labels and become familiar with the ingredients. Be particularly wary of chemical additives like flavor enhancers and preservatives. Although they have all been FDA-approved, none of them are safe and most of them have been linked to chronic degenerative diseases.
The bottom line is, if you value your health and the health of your children, you will make the effort, if you don’t, you may have to first lose your health before you make the effort. It will inevitably then cost you more, so in my opinion, you have everything to gain by becoming aware of what is in your food. Take that responsibility because nobody is going to do it for you. The food industry certainly wants you to buy fast and processed food that will eventually kill you. For them, it is all about profit and not about your health. You are the only one that can care.
Aspartame the sweet killer
Since there may be some of you that had no idea that aspartame is toxic, I will just give you a summary of what aspartame is and the many health issues it can cause.
More commonly known as NutraSweet or Equal, aspartame is one of the most toxic substances being consumed today. It is currently used in over 4,000 products worldwide. Made up of aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%), and methanol (10%), aspartame is 200 times sweeter than natural sugar.
Aspartic Acid
Aspartate is a neurotransmitter in the brain, facilitating information from one neuron to another. Too much aspartate allows an influx of calcium into the brain cells, triggering an excessive amount of free radicals which kill the cells. Aspartate is referred to as an “excitotoxin” because of the nerve cell damage that it causes. Many chronic illnesses have been attributed to long-term excitotoxin exposure, including multiple sclerosis, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), memory loss, hormonal problems, hearing loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, hypoglycemia, dementia, brain lesions, and neuroendocrine disorders.
Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Human testing has shown phenylalanine levels in the blood are increased significantly in those who chronically use aspartame. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of serotonin to decrease, which can lead to depression, and schizophrenia and make one more susceptible to seizures.
Methanol
By far, the most controversial ingredient in aspartame is methanol (aka wood alcohol). An EPA assessment of methanol states that it is “considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidated to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic.” This oxidation occurs when methanol reaches 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).
Formaldehyde
A product broken down from aspartate is a known carcinogen and causes retinal damage, and birth defects and interferes with DNA replications.
The EPA recommends a consumption limit of 7.8 mg/day. A 1 Liter aspartame sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol, seven times the EPA limit.
The most common maladies related to methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness.
To summarize aspartame has been linked to:
- Seizures
- Migraine
- Neurological disorders
- Blurred vision
- Increased appetite/overeating
- Infertility and reproductive disorders
- Impaired brain function
- Cancer/brain tumors
- Heart damage and cardiovascular harm
In light of this, are you still tempted to have that Coke Zero?
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