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ASPARTAME – the hidden killer;

Aspartame is making us sicker and fatter than sugar ever could. Did you know that aspartame (‘the miracle sweetener’)in the blue-blue packets was developed by G.D Searle Corporation? Did you know that G.D Searle tried in vain to get aspartame approved by the FDA for more than 16 years?

It all seems so unimportant until we learn of the late Dr. M. Adrian Gross, a former senior FDA toxicologist who was called to testify before Congress about aspartame many months before 1981: “Beyond a shadow of a doubt, aspartame triggers brain tumors and, therefore, by allowing aspartame to be placed on the market the FDA has violated the Delaney Amendment, which forbids putting anything in food that is known to cause cancer…and if the FDA itself elects to violates its own the law, who is left to protect the health of the public?”

In 1981, aspartame ‘finally’ received FDA approval despite its proven and tested toxicity? Since then, aspartame has permeated hundreds of common products; from soda to salad dressing. You consume a lot of it if you eat processed foods.

Aspartame is less expensive than real sugar and thus has dominated food processing for more than 25 years. So what’s so bad about aspartame? To start with, it’s now been clearly linked to brain cancer, memory loss, impaired vision, hearing loss, joint pain, asthma, coma,seizures..etc. Additionally, the US Government reports that aspartame has brought more complaints to the FDA than any other food additive currently on the market. In fact, it’s now responsible for nearly 75 percent of complaints to the FDA.

After receiving some 10,000 consumer complaints, the FDA compiled a list of 92 symptoms linked to aspartame — including death. headaches, memory loss, seizures, vision loss, coma, and cancer, in addition to many undefined symptoms harder to describe. Aspartame appears to worsen or mimic the symptoms of such conditions as fibromyalgia, MS, lupus, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue, and depression… Why so many symptoms?

It’s taken 30 years to feel the brunt of this substance and that many years to collect the data to support the findings you are reading in this article. The reason for the time lapse is that human symptoms take time to develop and identify. It is now known that aspartame attacks our bodies at the cellular level and negates all kinds of common medications Americans take to rid themselves of the symptoms; including antidepressants, Coumadin, cardiac drugs, hormones, insulin, vaccines, and many other common medications.

Supported by many clinical studies, the bottom line is that aspartame is a deadly neurotoxin drug sold to us as a harmless food additive.The worst part however, is that Aspartame could make you hungrier and fatter. Dr. H. J. Roberts, concludes that aspartame has caused our obesity epidemic. He gives evidence that this “guilt-free” sweetener secretly makes you crave carbohydrates which make you gain weight. How does this work? Well, it seems it may trigger or over-stimulate the stomach’s production of ghrelin, also known as the ‘hunger hormone’.

Have you noticed over the past 30 years how fat we Americans have been getting? It seems the media and nutritionists have noticed. How long have you been drinking diet sodas? And how much weight have you lost as a result of drinking it? The over-production of ghrelin in our stomachs may explain why all those “diet” sodas have never been much help in weight loss and control.

Now it’s easy to lay blame, and to prevent that, the giant food companies have studies “proving” the safety of aspartame. They often pull out these research reports from their file drawers in defense of their continued use of aspartame.You now know some facts about the dangers of consuming aspartame . Get the facts. Avoid aspartame in your diet if at all possible.

So what now? If I can’t use aspartame in my coffee in the morning, then what will I use? The following are some common substitutes:

SUGAR: Try a spoonful once in a while, but remember, too much sugar can lead to diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetic retinitis (blindness), diabetic peripheral neuropathy etc Sugar sounds pretty bad and too much in your diet is bad but when compared to aspartame, sugar looks pretty good.

SUCRALOSE: is a highly dangerous new chemical — because sucralose is created when chlorine is added to sugar. Have you ever spilled chlorine bleach on your skin? Research by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center shows that years of sucralose use can lead to a breakdown of the immune system and neurological disorders;

SACCHARINE: Saccharine tastes terrible but poses no immediate danger to the human body that anyone has discovered yet..

STEVIA: is plant-based and natural. It’s safe and recommended for diabetics but it tastes nothing like natural sugar. It has a bitter taste. It’s okay for some. I like it, but many people prefer something less bitter to the taste. The trick is to use just a little. It’s highly recommended for all your baking needs and lemonades are great when made with stevia.

XYLITOL: is highly recommended. It’s natural, tastes like sugar, is good for your teeth, and importantly for diabetics, doesn’t spike blood sugar. The bad part of it is that it induces diarrhea in some people who use it regularly.

ERYTHRITOL : may be the best substitute of all. It is natural, calorie-free, tastes like real sugar, doesn’t affect blood sugar or insulin levels (a big plus for people with diabetes), it reduces dental plaque — and unlike xylitol, has no laxative side-effects. It’s available as the Smart Sweet Brand and is highly recommended.

Avoid aspartame and sucralose like the plague. Learn more about Stevia and Erythritol. People who want to avoid the diabesity epidemic sweeping our country can do so by avoiding aspartame and sucralose. It is my opinion that the current diabetes epidemic in this country could be stemmed by prolonged use of better substitutes for aspartame, sucralose and sugar.

Child obesity can easily lead to adult obesity and last a lifetime! Studies have shown that men and women who were obese as children suffer an increase in sickness and premature death as adults.

Increases are particularly noted in the incidence of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, diabetes, fatty liver, and kidney disease.

A larger than expected number of obese children become adults who rank lower than their peers in terms of income, education, freedom from poverty, and emotional stability.

The rationale for these findings is directly related to two issues: First: the majority of obese children and adolescents become obese, or overweight, adults.

(Bad habits can be very hard to break, so be very aware of your child’s eating habits).

Also, this is likely because poor eating habits in childhood have carried over into adulthood, coupled with the already higher risk of disease because of predisposition resulting from childhood obesity.

Second: there appears to be an abnormal or irregular depositing of body fat during growth and development of an obese child.

This pattern can remain into adulthood.

These are adequate reasons for us to stamp out childhood obesity. However, there is a yet more compelling reason to do so.

The health of our overweight and obese children is also in jeopardy…right now, while they are still kids!

Fat kids have a higher incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, changes in bone metabolism and hormone regulation, fatty liver, sleep apnea, neurological deficit, gall stones, depression and self-esteem issues…and these are only some of the risks!

Children gain weight for the same reasons that adults do…intake of more calories (food) than is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The excess calories are laid down as fat tissue.

In order to achieve and maintain caloric balance, your child must learn lifestyle habits that will maximize the likelihood of wellness for a lifetime.

Lifestyle changes that will result in weight loss have to do with fewer calories and more exercise…period!

Don’t buy into fad diets for yourself or your children. You all need to eat “normal food” together. Don’t consider pills or programs that require you to eat separately from the rest of your family. How long is that going to last? Even if you lose weight, what happens when you go back to a regular diet? The weight will come right back…that’s what will happen.

Please read all you can to get whatever information you need to take parental responsibility before it’s too late for your child. Remember, he/she is not mature enough to make the proper choices to achieve or maintain weight control.

Until next time!

The news has been laden with the fact that obesity in children is reaching overwhelming percentages. I hope the following information will be helpful to parents seeking solutions to this situation. I would like to preface this article by saying I was an obese child. At the age of 13 I was around 5 feet tall I weighed in at 160 pounds. My heart goes out to children in this category as I know it was not a happy time in my life.

As was my case, research shows that the root of the problem with our children, as with adults, is that we are suffering from emotional eating. My mother, unfortunately, was not well versed on healthy nutrition and if I was having a difficult day or feeling upset her usual solution was, “Go get a dish of ice cream.” Now truthfully, that was the last thing I needed!

Childhood and adolescence obesity increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes as a youth. One disease of particular concern is Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and has increased dramatically in children and adolescents, particularly in American Indian, African American and Hispanic/Latino populations.

Family environment can definitely add to emotional eating problems. With the divorce rate on the rise as well, a lot of children are dealing with split custody situations. Or, if the parents are choosing to stay together for the sake of the children, the increased tension in the household between the parents does not promote a healthy environment.

Lack of healthy communication and support between parents and their children creates insecurity within the child and only adds to the challenges they are facing in their lives. Quality time spent with your children is much more important than quantity of time. With a lot of parents having to work two jobs to make ends meet with our economic crisis it is difficult to spend quality time with their children. Let’s face it by the time you get home after working two jobs you barely have the energy to climb into bed let alone have a good one on one conversation with our children.

While on the issue of time this prompts another issue. Fast- food, or prepared foods you pick up at the grocery store are not going to be as healthy as meals you personally prepare taking into consideration the nutritional value of what you are eating. Remember excessive calories and lack of exercise is going to result in stored fat!

Children who come home after school and spend hours alone may not be making the healthiest food choices. Be sure that the snacks that are available are not going to sabotage a good eating program. It might take some extra planning on your part, but it will definitely be worth it. The internet is full of tips and suggestions for making right food choices.

Being overweight causes self esteem problems amongst peers causing self-induced pressure and leading to a child feeling very overwhelmed. Overweight children lack popularity with other children. It is sad to say, but it is true. They end up feeling “different” and alone.

When children are experiencing these situations they turn to something to lessen these feelings. Some children turn to “comfort food”. This is a real problem. Instead of being able to sit down and talk over what is bothering them, children turn to a dish of ice cream, a bowl of cookies and a glass of milk, or other less than nutritious food choices.

Before dealing with the food issue, it is important to recognize if there are other issues involved. Create a healthy communication and support system for your child. Once that is established it will be a lot easier to get the message about healthy nutrition and exercise across and show them the process that will benefit them, not only now in their younger years but even as an adult.

Healthy, fit bodies fill our air waves putting more stress on those of us, children and adults alike, whose bodies are not picture perfect. Vitality takes second place to physical appearance.

Living a healthy life involves much more than just your appearance. Exercise, healthy food and nutrition choices will play a big part in the quality of your child’s life now and later. It is important to get your child’s attention by sharing with them the illnesses mentioned previously in this article that can be directly related to obesity. Choose the tactics you will use with your child before you delve into your conversation. Perhaps there is a family member that suffers, or suffered from illnesses related to obesity.

There are many mixed messages out there. It is important for parents to be involved with proper education in helping their children. Too often the blame is placed on the school lunch program or someone else responsible for caring for the child.

In closing, I personally feel that a good way to approach a situation with an overweight child is to make it a family effort. Everyone in the family can do well to learn better eating habits and a healthy exercise routine. Our children have an overabundance of video games. Unlike the “days of old” when kids were out playing ball or other outdoor activities, many children sit for hours in front of video games. The Wii System can be an asset with its many programs that get children up and moving.

Yes, obesity is a hard thing to deal with. As I am finishing up this article the thought crossed my mind that this is a situation that can be challenging to deal with, but the same situations that cause emotional eating habits can also drive children into much more serious problems, like drugs.

Our children are valuable human beings. God has put them in our lives to raise and help them grow up to be individuals that will add value to this world. I hope that you will find the time and joy to develop a happy, secure lifestyle with your children. I wish you success in dealing with obesity in children.