The Health Dangers of Aspartame

The Health Dangers of Aspartame

I previously discussed a company that launched an anti-aspartame campaign in New Zealand, and ever since, I’ve been sent tons of questions concerning the various dangers of aspartame.


Aspartame is a non-saccharine artificial sweetener currently used in over 6,000 diet and low calorie food products. Popular trademark brands of the sweetener in the United States include NutraSweet®, Equal®, and Tropicana Slim®, which are used to sweeten a number of sodas and chewing gums.

However, research done on aspartame has shown that it may not be completely safe for human consumption, and may cause a number of health complications if taken in large amounts. Efforts to revoke FDA approval on aspartame have so far been unsuccessful, so it is advisable to simply avoid these products whenever possible.

What Can Aspartame Do to You?

Aspartame is an NMDA receptor antagonist, which means that it inhibits the release of neurotransmitters that cause pain within the body. NMDA receptor antagonists are often used as a form of anesthesia for animals, but not on humans due to the fact that they often cause brain damage in rodents. The possible side effects of aspartame on humans include headaches, brain tumors, brain lesions, and lymphoma [1] [2].

Why Was Aspartame Approved by the FDA?

Aspartame gained FDA approval while it was owned by Donald Rumsfeld, who was at that time the CEO of the pharmaceutical company G.D. Searle & Company. Rumsfeld earned millions of dollars by marketing the product as NutraSweet, and when medical research into the product confirmed the risk of brain tumors, Rumsfeld simply hired another FDA board member to overturn the ban that the current board had inflicted.

Did you know? Despite its apparent danger to animals and humans, aspartame has been approved by the FDA a total of 26 times over the last 23 years. Read more

Here's what happens in the 60 minutes after you drink a can

Here's what happens in the 60 minutes after you drink a can

Cleaning a toilet is cheap and easy with a can of Coca-Cola. After the Coke sits in the toilet for an hour, the carbonic and phosphoric acid gets the job done, leaving behind a scum-free toilet bowl!

When that same can of Coke is poured into the mouth and down the esophagus of a human being, a much more complex chain of events occurs. After burning its way down the throat and leaving behind a film of caramel coloring on the teeth, the Coca-Cola begins its nutritional destruction on the inside of the body.

In 60 minutes, a can of Coke takes the body on a roller coaster ride, taxing the liver, spiking the blood sugar, accelerating the production of bad fat and robbing the body of beneficial nutrients.

With 1.6 billion servings of Coke sold worldwide every day, it's no wonder why heart disease, malnutrition, dehydration, diabetes http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/dd/diabetes.php and obesity are slowly killing people.

Doctors often advise obese patients to stop eating fats, but many fats are good for the heart and the brain, like Omega-3 fatty acids. To top it off, simply avoiding fats disregards one of the most silent perpetrators of weight gain and disease – high fructose corn syrup.

Instead of drinking poisonous soda, drink a hydrating glass of WATER.

Soda robs the body of nutrients and burdens the liver

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is found in all sorts of processed foods, condiments and sweet drinks. It's even in the "low fat" alternative foods that people are conned into buying for losing weight.

The thing is this: HFCS is NOT like glucose. Glucose is recognized by the body, metabolized by the cells, and more readily used for energy, whereas HFCS breaks down into glucose and fructose, making it harder for the body to use.

The fructose that is broken down is nothing like the fructose in fruits, either. Fruits naturally have fiber to prevent the body from absorbing too much of the fructose. HFCS does not contain fiber. It floods the body with no accountability or balance, taxing the liver. HFCS is often consumed with other artificial sweetening agents that are only there to enhance a product's flavor. This flood of toxins is hard on the blood, skin and detoxifying organs.

HFCS is ultimately metabolized by the liver in similar fashion to ethanol found in an alcoholic drink. As fructose floods the liver, the liver becomes confused and ends up producing a bunch of bad fats. As the body is "intoxicated" by HFCS, the brain never receives the signal that it is full either. This may lead to a person to eating and drinking more, adding to weight gain woes. Read more

What is Iodine?

What is Iodine?



You’ve probably heard of iodine before, but what is iodine and what is it used for? You may remember from Chemistry class, Iodine is a chemical element of the periodic table with the symbol I and atomic number 53. But Besides knowing the physical properties of iodine, you may not be aware of exactly what iodine is and the immense history behind the use of this vital element. From the various types of iodine to the amount required for optimum health, there is a lot to know about this water-soluble trace element.

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Iodine is Required for Health

We need many substances for health, and none do more for us than iodine. Traditionally sourced from the sea, iodine is required by the body for a number of functions. First and foremost, your thyroid gland utilizes iodine to make thyroid hormones. A lack of iodine can cause the thyroid gland to swell up (known as goiter) in an attempt to increase the uptake of iodine from the blood.

Iodine is also instrumental in brain development, with an inadequate amount actually leading to the most avoidable form of mental retardation known as iodine deficiency-related retardation. Infants, in fact, may actually face lethal consequences if their mothers are severely deficient in iodine. Spiking miscarriage and stillbirth rates, and iodine deficiency can have major repercussions. A research conducted at Arizona State University even linked iodine deficient mothers to autistic offspring.

Iodine can do even more for us! It’s a terrific cleanser, can prevent harm from radiation, and is a detoxing agent. Yet, it’s next to ignored by most modern doctors. This wasn’t always the case, let’s take a look at the history behind iodine.

History of Iodine – The 20s and Now

It wasn’t until 1924 that iodine was added to salt in order to address the widespread number of iodine deficiencies sweeping the nation during that time. Specifically, Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest region were experiencing outbreaks of goiter – the swelling of the thyroid that is entirely avoidable through the utilization of proper iodine levels. The reason? Soil levels were drastically lacking in iodine, and the general public was avoiding foods rich in iodine such as kale, cranberries, and strawberries.

But it’s not the 1920s anymore. These days, processed chemicals have become the norm due to price cutting measures and an ideology of better living through synthetic chemistry. Salt that was previously harvested and sold with minimal processing now exists only as natural, sea salt sold in health food stories. Today, table salt is actually a manufactured form of sodium that is known as sodium chloride.

Sodium chloride does contain added iodine, but also comes with a host of chemical additives and a loss of nutritional value. After being bleached, processed, and loaded with substances like fluoride sodium bicarbonate, modern day table salt is more of a health hazard than an iodine-containing health substance. Skip it.

Iodine Facts

Even though every aspect of our lives requires iodine. It’s a natural element that’s required to regulate metabolism. White table salt is supplemented with iodine, but it’s unhealthy. Iodine deficiency is tied to many serious health problems.

Lack of iodine has been tied to breast cancer. So-called iodine “allergies” have nothing to do with iodine! This is just the beginning of the fascinating information about iodine’s value and uses.

Forms of Iodine

Iodine occurs naturally in two primary forms, elemental and ionic. Elemental iodine refers to the atom itself, which is found primarily in the ocean. Single iodine atoms don’t float around by themselves in nature. Atomic iodine refers to two iodine atoms bonded together. In this form, it’s usually highly corrosive. Read more

9 Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

9 Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet can be a fantastic entry into experiencing better health. A vegetarian diet is associated with a higher consumption of fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, magnesium, unsaturated fat, and countless phytochemicals. This often results in vegetarians having lower cholesterol, being thinner, having lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of heart disease. Let’s explore some of the other benefits of adopting a vegetarian (or vegan) lifestyle.



1. May Improve Mood

Arachidonic acid is a substance that usually comes from dietary animal sources and, no surprise, vegetarian diets are not high in arachidonic acid. This can be beneficial, as research has shown a link between arachidonic acid and mood disturbances. Researchers at Benedictine University performed a study to investigate the impact of restricting animal products and mood and confirmed that mood improvements do happen when eating meat, fish, and poultry are restricted. [1]

Additionally, Croatia’s Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health conducted mental health surveys amongst vegetarians and found them to have lower levels of neuroticism. [2]

2. May Improve Symptoms of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes skin redness and irritation and can be debilitating for those who suffer from it. However, according to research published by Brazil’s Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, a vegetarian diet may positively improve symptoms. [3]

3. May Reduce Incidence of Diabetes

According to Loma Linda University School of Public Health, vegetarian diets are associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of diabetes. [4] Information published by George Washington University School of Medicine has also confirmed that vegetarian diets offer an important benefit for the management of diabetes and can even reduce the likelihood of development by one half. [5] Read more

3 Reasons to Avoid Food Additives

3 Reasons to Avoid Food Additives



Food additives are things added to food during processing, typically to enhance color or freshness. While some of them are natural, many aren’t—and all those unnatural additives can cause nasty side effects. Think about the artificial sweeteners hiding in diet soft drinks, or the emulsifiers (used to keep food from separating) in the salad dressing sitting in your refrigerator. Just these two things alone could easily destroy gut health. [1] [2] [3] But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unnatural additives. Also, when you realize that most of them aren’t even tested for safety at all…well, it’s enough to make you extremely confused. [4]

Crucial Reasons Why You Should Avoid Food Additives

Food additives aren’t inert ingredients; they’re active and present a real health risk. If you know the reasons why food additives are dangerous, it may help you steer clear of certain foods that may contribute to longterm health concerns. So while there are more reasons than we could count as to why you should avoid food additives altogether, here are 3 more you really need to know.

1. Food Additives Destroys Heart Health

A recent study suggests eating lots of phosphate-rich foods like soda, processed cheese, baking powder, and many processed foods increases production of the FGF23 hormone, which can put a strain on the heart. [5] And research from the American Heart Association also suggests men should cut processed red meat out of their diets because of an increased risk of heart failure. [6] While a study with women is expected soon, in the meantime, let’s all stop eating such things. And remember: limiting your intake of processed red meat is always a good idea as well. Read more

Vitamin E kills off cancer cells and prevents their reproducion, study finds

Vitamin E kills off cancer cells and prevents their reproduction, study finds

Even with all the progress that has been made in cancer detection and treatment in the last few decades, there is still a long way to go. Even with all the money that gets poured into cancer research, this disease remains the fourth leading cause of death in the United States – and numbers are similar for many other countries around the world. And a big part of the problem is that the majority of cancer therapies still revolve around some combination of surgery, chemo or radiation therapy. All of these treatments carry risks – and all have unwanted side effects. That is why so many researchers are putting their time into coming up with more natural ways to treat cancer. And one surprising candidate that has emerged from all of this is vitamin E, which is more popularly known for its ability to nourish the skin.

Vitamin E and cancer

What has many people in the cancer research community talking about are several recently published studies that appear to the have found a link between high levels of vitamin E in the body and a decreased chance of breast cancer. Since this form of cancer remains of vital concern to women in particular, these studies have garnered a lot of attention.

How does it work?

While these studies were conducted separately, scientists participating in them drew some similar conclusions about the role that vitamin E plays in preventing cancer development. It appears that vitamin E is able to interfere with the special cells which actually nourish the cancerous tumor and help it to grow. This interference means that the tumor is not able to grow – or more importantly, not able to spread to other parts of the body. It also was apparently able to induce higher rates of cancer cell death – but without harming surrounding tissues. Read more

Obesity and Its Dangers

Obesity and Its Dangers

A person’s weight and height or Body Mass Index should be proportionate for him or her to be considered healthy. Once his body weight is at least 20 percent higher and his BMI over 30, he is considered overweight and obese. This means that he has accumulated too much body fat, which can have negative effects on his healthy. In other words, an obese person can be more prone to various life-threatening diseases.

What causes obesity?

There are several reasons that contribute to a person becoming overweight and obese. Some of them are done consciously, while others are not. Here are some of the most common causes:

1. Too much calorie intake

It’s not how often you eat, but how careful you are of what you eat. You don’t consume as much calories even if you eat more than three times a day as long as you eat the right kinds of food. It also follows that even if you only eat once or twice a day, you can still consume large amounts of calories by eating fatty and sugary foods.

In 2014, the US’ obesity rate stands at 27.7 percent, which was higher than 2013’s 27.1 percent. This is believed to be the highest annual rate measured by the Gallup data. Meanwhile, women’s calorie consumption increased from 1,542 per day in 1971 to 1,877 per day in 2004. Men’s calorie consumption also increased from 2,450 in 1971 to 2,618 per day in 2004. Experts believe that one of the pertinent reasons that led to the increase in caloric intake is that advertising regulations on sweets and fast foods no longer set limits.

2. Non-active lifestyle

Television, computer, video games, washing machines, elevators and other automated machinery may have made life easier for a majority of us. But these devices have also given people an excuse to be lazy. For a lot of us, we sit in front of our computers for more than eight hours a day. This is one of the main reasons that people have become obese.

Exercise to Sweat Diabetes Away

Living a sedentary lifestyle means moving less and burning fewer calories. On top of that, the lack of physical activity affects how hormones work, as well as your insulin levels, causing you to put on more weight.

3. Sleep deprivation

Did you know that not getting enough sleep all the time puts you at more risk of becoming obese? According to a research done at Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick, the risk of becoming obese is doubled when you constantly lack sleep. The evidence was collated after 28,000 children and 15,000 adults were monitored. This is because sleep deprivation may lead to obesity by increasing your appetite due to the changes in your hormones.

Your gene can also be one of the major factors that may make you obese or overweight. A faulty gene can make people overeat. Read more: