Aspartame poisoning (allergy?)

[Dave Shepard]

There has been mention of Aspartame poisoning before on the Forum in the migraine thread, but I thought I would start a seperate thread, as it affects more than migraines.


I've discovered that Aspartame is much worse than the sugar I was trying to replace. I've had a pretty rotten summer health wise. Several migraines, no energy, and generally wishing I'd get lightly trampled by a big truck. The last few weeks were so bad that I seriously questioned if I'd be able to keep my job. For some reason I thought I was having a vitamin deficiency, so I started drinking a ton of orange juice and some of those fancy vitamin water drinks. I started having a few good days, but then the old symptoms would come right back. I don't know how I made the connection, but I realized that on the days I was drinking the juices and water, I wasn't drinking my usual Diet Dr. Pepper. I googled aspartame poisoning, and was shocked to find out how bad this stuff was, much worse than the migraine reactions I had heard about here on the Forum. I didn't seem to have an aspartame related migraine problem, so I kept drinking diet sodas.

Now for the positive part. I stopped drinking all diet sodas on monday, and all of the symptoms of the past summer have cleared up, and I haven't felt this good, or been in such a positive state of mind, since I went on a crash diet many years ago were I eliminated just about everything from my diet. This was the only time I have stopped drinking diet sodas in almost twenty years. According to several of the websites I visited aspartame can cause all of the symptoms I had, and dozens more. I's just as soon eat rat poison as aspartame. I'll never consume it again.


Dave

[Rocky_J]

I switched from Coke to diet Coke about 3 years ago after gaining some weight (I added 20 lbs after quitting smoking). Been drinking diet Coke daily ever since. No headaches, but I'm not as energetic as I used to be. I attributed that to aging. One thing that bothers me a lot is tinitis- ringing in the ears. I figured it was from chainsaw use but it's as bad or worse on days I don't run chainsaws. It hits me in the evenings after 3-4 diet Cokes.

Looks like I may have to find an alternative beverage for a few weeks and see if eliminating the diet Coke also eliminates the tinitis.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll look into this further.

A quick search on Google and the second result is from Snopes. Their site says the claims are false.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp

[Dave Shepard]

I don't know the true extent of aspartames effect, it certainly seems unlikely that one thing could cause every disease for lupus to MS, but over the last couple of weeks, I can see a significant pattern of responses to drinking diet sodas.

Here is what I do know, I haven't changed my diet significantly in the last four months, with the exception of about 3 days of an attempt at low carb. The only changes I have made recently is to stop diet beverages and replace them with the vitamin water type drinks. I was baffled that the symptoms were on/off over the last two weeks, so I studied what was different, and what I was drinking was the only change. Some of it may be internet hype, but I know how I'm feeling right now. At the very least, not drinking soda's can't be bad for me.


Dave

[Fla._Deadheader]

 It's a known fact that Aspertame converts to Methanol in the body. Methanol internally is BAADD. It is hard to flush from the system. I can't imagine WHY the Food and Drug people don't ban the stuff ???  

[rebocardo]

Some things you might want to research is brain cancer rates have gone up 500-600% since the 60s, when they started to introduce artificial sweetners ... but, there is no connection! Sort of like smoking does not cause cancer ...

The worse thing is these cause you to crave carbs! Which sort of defeats the whole purpose.

Not to mention many of these sweetners are TOXIC when hot, like a can of coke left in the sun.

imho, You are WAY better off now.

[Lanier_Lurker]

I swore off aspartame at least 10 years ago.  The stuff is poison in my opinion.  Even so, I never consumed it much anyway.

The only "sweetener" in my diet is honey - which I use mostly in coffee.  I also stopped drinking sweet tea about 8 years ago.  My sugar intake is limited to occasional desserts.

I refuse to become yet another victim of "adult onset" type 2 diabetes, which is generally avoidable.

My height and weight are the same now (at 44) as when I was 21.  Granted, things have shifted around a little bit....but that happens.   

My sister is a Diet Coke junkie - and she gives the stuff to her prepubescent daughter.  I have spoken to her about this on several occasions, but she keeps right on doing it.  As bad as aspartame is for adults, it is much worse for pre-adults.

Now if I could just gain better control over my intake of caffeine.........and alcohol.   :

[Bibbyman]

I had no idea about that stuff but I've all but quit drinking any kind of carbonated soft drink for the past few years.  I've been drinking a lot of green tea with ginseng and honey.  In the winter, I'll fix hot green tea and sweeten it with honey.

Lately I've been trying to substitute raw milk a couple of times a day.  We get two gallons a week from a local farmer. For a while the girls really drank it up but then slowed.  We started letting them put chocolate in it and they continued to drink it but have got tired of that too.   

I find I feel a lot better in the summer months when there is plenty of work out in the heat and I pour a lot of water through my system.

[Faron]

No doubt in my mind but that for some people aspartame is deadly.  I think intensive lobbying and liberal greasing of certain palms keeps it on the market. 

[moonhill]

Why did they create aspartame?  Too keep folks on the slim side of things?     Tim

[SwampDonkey]

Actually, when I first saw it as an ingredient in diet soft drinks, I also noticed that the Food and Drug made them post a warning that it can cause cancer in animals. That was enough for me and I read labels on everything and avoid it. No such warning in Canada. If I make a mistake and forget to read the label at the store and discover it later, the product goes to the trash.  Even in "artificial" yogurt and ice cream for some time it has been in there. I buy Activia with real milk product in it, avoid the diet version and all those brands full of bean gum.  Activia Vanilla flavour is full of bean gum to and not one is vanilla bean. : I'm not concerned to much with weight, other than the fact I avoid a lot of junk food and eat nuts, dates, craisons , grains, small amount of cheese and yogurt. Some of which are found in my parfaits.  ;D Not many sweets. The best nuts for toppings are pecans. I wanted to get some almonds and hazel nuts used up and crushed them up in the grinder for topping on my parfaits. It's interesting,  :D I'm only doing it to use them up.  : I try to get unsalted nuts.

[Ironwood]

I was watching a show on TV the other day (so it must be true!), but the guys diet suggestion was "don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize" there has got t obe soem wisdom there!

Ironwood

[beenthere]

No doubt in my mind but that for some people aspartame is deadly.  I think intensive lobbying and liberal greasing of certain palms keeps it on the market. 

Sounds like more Govt. control suggested here....I drink diet cola, and have no problem with it.

If those who do have a problem, then they should stop drinking it. Seems simple as that. Don't need to blame others for our own actions, or lack of self control.   Just seems to me anyways... : :

[SwampDonkey]

Food is addictive, but your right about having to make our own choices. We have to be informed to make them though. It's nice that someone is out there who cares and can present the information so I can make my own choice. Already somebody made the comment about eating rat poison. I guess we are rats and unless someone tells us about the potential harm we will never know while someone profits by it and we get ill.

[Gary_C]

There are millions of people in this country being fed rat poison every day. So what's wrong with that?

It's actually called Warfarin, Coumadin, or just blood thinner.

I have been taking it for the last seven weeks, but today is my last day.   8)

Oh and I drink Diet Coke too. Thinking bout quitting and have gone without for two or three days at a time and felt no different. But I don't like paying for bottled water!   :

[Tom]

Well.........you could'a had a V-8 :D

[Gary_C]

Good idea Tom, but most of those tomato juice drinks are so loaded with sodium (salt) that I can't drink them either.  ;D

[Tom]

Try the low sodium V-8.  It's so tasteless that I can't stand to drink it.    :D
I think that, the worse it tastes, the less harmful it is. :-\

Castor Oil should really be good for you.  :D :D :D

[Gary_C]

If you want to talk about poisons you can't forget salt as it is far worse than anything else that is approved to eat or drink. It just takes longer to cause you problems.

There are to many prepared foods that are overloaded with salt to prevent spoilage. Soups and tomato juice are just a few and those snacks like potato chips and pretzels are very bad too.

Actually the FDA does have a campaign on to reduce the amount of salt in prepared foods but they are meeting a lot of resistance from manufacturers because salt is cheap and effective plus there are not too many alternatives.

Try the low sodium V-8.  It's so tasteless that I can't stand to drink it.    :D

Yes, that is one of the problems. Plus here it is twice the price.

Best thing is home canned tomatos and as a bonus they are salmonella free. But it does not look like a good crop this year for some reason.

[johncinquo]

Try the low sodium V-8.  It's so tasteless that I can't stand to drink it.    :D
I think that, the worse it tastes, the less harmful it is. :-\

Castor Oil should really be good for you.  :D :D :D

1 pickle, 2 olives, 2 oz vodka, Tastes great! 

Hey, its healthy still, right?! 

[Dodgy Loner]

I think the whole aspartame hoopla has been blown way out of proportion, but if you're feeling ill on a day-to-day basis, cutting out soft drinks- diet or not- is probably a pretty good idea.  My dad drinks Diet Coke on a daily basis and has never suffered from any of the symptoms it's supposed to cause.  I hardly ever drink cokes, and I've also never suffered from the symptoms it's supposed to cause.  The snopes article that was posted pretty handily dispels the whole "aspartame is poison" myth.

[Lanier_Lurker]

Even so, I know that I read somewhere (that I cannot cite) that it is probably best not to feed the stuff to children under 12 or so.  It takes an adult digestive system and metabolism to really handle the stuff.

[Paul_H]

I have to say that I take Faron at his word that Aspartame caused his wife severe migranes and I think some peoples sensitivity to it is real no matter what a 2nd or 3rd party info like snopes tells me.I don't think he's the only member here that has had with problems with it,is he?

[DanG]

But I don't like paying for bottled water!   :

What's wrong with your tap water, Gary?  That's what I drink after coffee time and before beer time.  Once in a while, I get caught out somewhere without any water, and have to buy a bottle.  I always save the bottles and refill them from my own well.

I don't drink anything with artificial sweeteners.  Never been able to stand the taste of them.

[SwampDonkey]

As I tell the boys after climbing a hard hill and smoking two by the time they get to the top: "Have another one". Of course it's a joke, but to some that's how they function in life.

Brings another phrase to mind: "bottoms up boys".  ;D

[Bro. Noble]

I have to say that I take Faron at his word that Aspartame caused his wife severe migranes and I think some peoples sensitivity to it is real no matter what a 2nd or 3rd party info like snopes tells me.I don't think he's the only member here that has had with problems with it,is he?

I have had problems with high BP  and diabetis for years.  Soon after we built a new house 3 or 4 years ago,  I began to have several new problems that the Dr.s tried to associate with my ailements.  My eyesight  started failing due to vessles leaking in my retena,  which is typical of long term high BP and Sugar,  I started having bad back/side pains,  which they tried to connect to my kidneys or colon,  gbut aftter several tests,  concluded that it was just a digestive problem or muscle strain,  and I was having problems in the romance department.

After reading some of the first posts about aspartame,  I got to thinking back.  I eat a lot of 'sugar free' stuff because of my diabetis.  I'd get pretty sick after eating too much chocolate made with aspertame,  but seemed to get along  allright if I avoided it.  When we built the new house,  the welldrillers had an old worn-out rig and got oil in the well.  I couldn't stand to drink the water so started drinking a lot of diet soda.  Pretty soon that's about all I drank except for what water I drank from the well at the barn or the sawmill.

As soon as I read these first posts,  I have limited my diet drinks to no more than one a day and I really had just as soon have something else.  I drink water, fruit and vegetable juices,  and coffee.

The pain in my side has gone,  Don't need the love pills,  I know my vision will never be like I wish it was,  but my sast report was the first good one since this problem began.  The swelling in the back of my eyes was less,  and I didn't have to have the usual lazer surgery.

I drove to town by myself last Thursday for the first time in a couple of years and have more ambition than I've had for a while.

This may all be a coincidence,  but I'm thinking that stuff's poison.  In moderation,  it's probably allright,  I was just overloading on it.

[Dodgy Loner]

I have to say that I take Faron at his word that Aspartame caused his wife severe migranes and I think some peoples sensitivity to it is real no matter what a 2nd or 3rd party info like snopes tells me.I don't think he's the only member here that has had with problems with it,is he?

Did you read the snopes entry?  It's not secondhand information, they post links to four peer-reviewed scientific articles (and a few articles that have appeared in the media), all of which conclude that aspartame is safe.  I'm a scientist, and I find it much easier to believe in scientific research than anecdotal evidence.  I think some individuals may be allergic to aspartame, just like some people can't eat peanuts or seafood or citrus fruit.  But an allergen is not the same thing as a toxin.

[Bro. Noble]

Dodgy,  I used to be a Uiversity extension specialist myself,  and my opinion is that too much of that stuff is toxic.   :D :D :D

[Paul_H]

Did you read the snopes entry?  

Yes

[DanG]

Anectotal evidence is a basic part of most scientific research these days.  The scientists may not have pinned any of these problems on Aspertame, but they may not have really tried, either.  I'm just glad I don't like the taste of the stuff.

[Engineer]

DanG got to it before I did, I think the best reason not to drink the stuff is that it tastes terrible.

[Dodgy Loner]

Dodgy,  I used to be a Uiversity extension specialist myself,  and my opinion is that too much of that stuff is toxic.   :D :D :D

Well, heck, too much salt is toxic, too, but you won't see me eating grits without it ;)

[Rocky_J]

DanG got to it before I did, I think the best reason not to drink the stuff is that it tastes terrible.

I held the same opinion for years. But when I ballooned up in weight after quitting smoking, I had to cut calories and I was drinking 6-8 sodas per day. It took me less than 3 days to get used to the taste of diet Coke and after that I didn't like the taste of regular Coke.

As a side note, I dropped 15 lbs in 6 months with no dietary changes other than switching to diet Coke. Now I need to get off the diet Coke but don't want to balloon up again.

[Norm]

I used to be a heavy diet mt dew drinker. First I started out on the sugared stuff and then as the weight came on I switched to the diet stuff. I finally have pretty much weaned myself off it by drinking bottled water. What we do is buy the cheap bottled water 24 packs and just refill them from our well water.

Off course with all the farm chemicals in the well water I was probably better off with the aspartame.  :D

As far as snopes goes well I usually don't believe most things I read on the internet....with the exception of my reading and posts here. ;D

[cheyenne]

   SAVE THE EARTH it's THE ONLY PLANET WITH BEER

[Faron]

Seems to me there a few incorrect assumptions being made here.


"If those who do have a problem, then they should stop drinking it."

The problem is, people are having health problems and have no idea it is caused by aspartame.  You have to know what is going on before you can do anything about it.  A warning with a list of symptoms on products containing this poison would alert consumers with those symptoms to discontinue use of it.  BUT, the list would cover most of the soda can, and that would be rather bad for sales, wouldn't it?  Monsanto would never endanger lives for their own benefit, or dictate how  the results of research turn out, would they?  :

"Don't need to blame others for our own actions,"

Seems like kind of an unwarranted attack, but whatever floats your boat, I guess. :   I have a real concern that a dangerous chemical is pervasive in our food.  It is bad enough that adults are getting sick from it, but what might be happening to developing youngsters drinking this stuff?

"or lack of self control."

You might want to read the "Migraine" thread.  My wife rarely drank more than 1 diet drink a day.  Weekends sometimes a couple a day.  We conducted, by accident, quite a telling experiment.  While observing progress in our tornado cleanup a couple of years ago, my wife suddenly developed a migraine.  A few moments earlier, one of he grandkids had given her a stick of gum.  She retrieved the package, and, sure enough, it contained aspartame.  So, you see, self control has nothing at all to do with it. There can't be much in a stick of gum.

"I drink diet cola, and have no problem with it."

I can drink it with no effect either, but that proves only that it doesn't affect me.

 I do figure there are exaggerated claims floating around on the internet.  That doesn't mean all claims are false.  I believe  lots more in my own ability to observe cause and effect than in Snopes.  Notice that my wife, Part_Timer, Bro Noble, Dave Shepherd and, if I am not mistaken, Jeff B have all had serious illnesses that got better , and in the cases of Part_Timer and my wife, went away completely after discontinuing use of aspartame.   I will forever be grateful to Part_Timer for taking time to tell me about his experience.  He may have saved my wife's life.  I can only hope my standing for the truth might help someone else as much.

[Bro. Noble]

Thanks,  Parttimer,

The thread that you started has made my life much better ;D ;D

Did I ever mention that this forum is GREAT

I'm enjoying one of my new 'favorite foods' too because of another thread -----pickled eggs :D :D

[Lanier_Lurker]

You should try pickled pigs feet as well. 

[SwampDonkey]

There are millions of people in this country being fed rat poison every day. So what's wrong with that?

It's actually called Warfarin, Coumadin, or just blood thinner.

With proper diet millions more wouldn't need it. I had some relatives that never took a prescription pill that they depended on to keep things functioning, only something for an infection or short term illness. Dad has a touch of diebetes, takes no pill or insulin, but the diabetes has raised his blood pressure so needs pill for that. Mom doesn't take anything. Mom's uncle lived to be ninety, never took a long term prescription med. Dad had an uncle who lived over a hundred, nodda. Both those old timers where active and didn't retire to the recliner.

[Jeff]

I'm convinced that quitting Diet coke and all other sodas last fall was the turn around in my several years of health problems. I drink only water, mostly water, some lemonade and an occasional beer.

[Dave Shepard]

I started this thread mainly as a warning to others that aspartame might be affecting their lives.

Dodgy, you are right, it might better be called an allergen rather than a poison, as it does not affect everyone.

Just because "they" say it's safe, doesn't mean it is. "They" used to think smoking was ok too, some still do. :


I think Faron summed it up very well. You don't know what the heck is going on. I've been drinking diet sodas since I was probably 8 or 9. My father used to drink about a gallon of Pepsi a day, and couldn't figure out why he couldn't loose any weight. Finally his doctor realized how much sugar he was drinking. That began the Diet Coke addiction at our house. I used to drink at least 3 liters a day, almost never drank any water. I strongly feel that I have developed a sensitivity to aspartame. I have been eating it for so long, I didn't make any connection to it.


Dave

[SwampDonkey]

Just my personal preference, and nothing more than that, but nothing beats good water. My water, again preference, is the best I ever drank. I carry jugs of it when thinning (set a 2 litre jug along my strip line for water break), and drink up to a gallon all day. I fill up my 2 litre jug at noon.  8)

I rarely drink coffee if I'm going to the bush, makes me too dry. Carry a recycled water bottle with water in my back pouch when cruising and marking out thinning perimeters or trails or any other task that involves mostly hiking for an 8 hr day. Some of that hiking is just as hard as thinning and cutting trees.  :D :D

[Gary_C]

What's wrong with your tap water, Gary?

It doesn't taste good. We have a lot of minerals and high iron content in our water. My well is down about 170 feet and the best water is down over a thousand feet. So we have water softeners and iron filters and need a reverse osmosis system to get better tasting water.

So my wife buys Culligan water in those big jugs for drinking water and I am drinking more and more of that as I try to stop drinking all that Diet Coke. The problem is buying water and re bottling it is just too much for when I am working. Those 12 oz cans are just too convenient (and I like it better than water.)   ;D

With proper diet millions more wouldn't need it.

That's only true if you are blessed with excellent genetics and you plan ahead for many years as poor diet takes a long time to cause problems. 

[SwampDonkey]

With proper diet millions more wouldn't need it.

That's only true if you are blessed with excellent genetics and you plan ahead for many years as poor diet takes a long time to cause problems. 

Start when your 25 (to myself: "or younger, yeah right! Never heard of college eating habits?" :D ) , and not 55 when your dietitian gives you a scolding and the doctor hands you your prescription meds. Genetics has become an excuse for symptoms instead of life long habits. Sure there are some (I mean all of us) that genes set the path. A guy typing in short messages in here can't hit all the basis for a proper response. It's like trying to keep a leaky ship afloat with chewing gum. :D But, there must be an awfully lot of poor genes when you look at the numbers. Personally, I don't swallow it, pill or spiel. Not too many in here are experts on the subject I'm sure, including moi. ;D  :D

You been a bad boy not looking after yourself.  ;D :D Of course that is said jokingly as I would have no idea of your genes or habits.  ;)

As to the "college eating habits" I made every effort to cook myself something to eat and not live out of boxes and cans, for the most part anyway. ;)

[SPIKER]

Hey All:

I didn't post here yet as I hadn't a hole lot to contribute to the post. other than reading it & putting it into my womans face about her drinking diet pepsi.   My Ex was hooked on diet coke both had/have similar problems  headaches always sick to stomach high BP over weight low motivation and or low metabolism ect.  as it turns out just last night on the DOCUMENTARY CHANNEL there was a special all about aspertaine and how it was PUSHED through the FDA and the FDA wasn't aloud to ask to many questions or get any real answers to the questions they did ask due to government interventions on the part of one of the big investors who btw was not and still is not a scientist but was then a mid ranking gov guy and  is now very high in our goberment..   there were a lot more concerns over cancer and possible links to brain disorders than most people ever knew about   Now there are more concerns about brain problems parts of the brains in many people dieing or not working for no apparent reason.  (I think my ex had that part bad) my EX was also very SENSITIVE  to MSG which IS a TOXIN (everyone will get sick eating it just matters HOW MUCH you eat.) MSG is Mono-Sodium-Glutimate (Spelling?)   She would end up sick in bed for 3~4 days getting anything with it in it seemed...    she was a life time drinker of it and was after I divorced her was diagnosed as schizophrenic, I can't say that diet sodas caused it but she sure acted wackier when she had plenty of it to drink...

My NOW woman started drinking Diet Pepsi 21 years ago now when she was preg with her 2 girls (I think both of them and 1 for sure) also has mental issues...  she has been a D.P. drinker since baby age as well, the one with what I know is mental issues...  I can't asy that it IS a result of drinking Diet Pop but then again who knows...   FDA surely didn't even test for that back in the day according to the documentary channel I watched...

She refuses to drink much other than diet pop don't even try & get her to drink water or coffee or ???   it is hard to get her to go anywhere that does not serve it.


I personally am like a few others can't stand taste of it but think that there are a lot more problems going on than we know about...   The documentary was interesting but my woman wouldn't even watch it or after 5min made me change to something else... so I only got to watch parts of it maybe 15~20 min of the hr + long show.   they had the people responsible for the testing of it on there as well as all the pics & info that really opened up my eyes...   anyhow if any of you can get DOCUMENTARY channel you may want to look for it.   

then see if you think that people that are in power can't make changes that are not good for the most part for every one else... ;)

Name with held to protect him form big brother  SHHHH don't tell anyone (now where did my aluminum foil hat go??? ;))

[Engineer]

Sounds like you're married to Cleopatra (the Queen of De nial)  :D

Diet soda isn't allowed in my house.  I'd rather have the kids drink something with sugar.  Normally it's sweet tea or Kool-Aid, milk or juice.  Until we moved in to the new house, we never had a fridge with an ice and water dispenser, now I see a significant increase in the amount of water we all drink, because it's convenient.  I am still addicted to Mountain Dew but not like some people; I'll drink one or two cans a day at most.

[Dave Shepard]

At home, I much prefer our great spring water with ice over most any other drink. However our ice maker doesn't work, and there's nowhere to put any ice cube trays in the freezer, so I have been resorting to bringing home a few sodas or whatever. Got to get that ice maker fixed. In our old house, the spring water flowed ice cold in the summer and warm (er) in the winter. Just the opposite here, water's luke warm in the summer.


Dave

[sprucebunny]

Here is a link that says that aspertame turns into formaldihyde in your system (amoung other things) and talks about the chemical make up.
http://www.vegsource.com/davis/sweeteners.htm

I'm sure there are other sides to the story.

I recently ate several packages of aspertame sweetened Jello and  didn't like it. Never liked the soft drinks. I don't think I like Splenda much, either.
Maybe I'll try the 'stevia' which is an herb ?

[Tom]

what's wrong with sugar?   It's so-o-o-o good. 

[Don_Papenburg]

I use maple syrup or honey more so than sugar

[blueox]

I figure, if you can't pronounce it...you shouldn't be eating it. Our FDA approval is hog wash...the rat poisen they are putting into all of our convenience packaged foods is killing us, one bite at a time. Start reading all the labels...do you know what that stuff is?? Kraft Mac & cheese, packaged rice, chips, cookies....if its not G. O. D Approved, ya probably shouldn't eat it.

I like the idea that if your Grandma doesn't recognize it, you shouldn't eat it. Grandma raised her own chickens, beer & hogs, had a garden the size of a football feild...canned and froze all her vegies and we berry picked til our arms were bleeding!

Now we ingest antibiotics, growth hormone &  rat poisen in our daily food! And we wonder why all our kids are obese in 3 rd grade and all the girls are developing at such a young age.

Then on top of it all, we get these crazy diseases and disorders (mostly caused by the foods we are eating) so we go to our doctor to have him prescribe a medication with a list of side effects that are far worst than the condition we went to the doctors for, in the first place. We are the rat....they say "not tested on animals..." We are the animals they are testing all this crap on!!

Just try to do the best you can, cuz they're gonna get us one way or the other!

Laurel

As for a sweetner alternative, check out Stevia in your local health food store.

[blueox]

I like the idea that if your Grandma doesn't recognize it, you shouldn't eat it. Grandma raised her own chickens, beer & hogs,

OOOpppss I made a mistake, I meant to say she raised her own chickens BEEF and hogs... 8) Thats funny, Gram just turned 80 she'll get a kick out of that!

Laurel

[SPIKER]

I like the idea that if your Grandma doesn't recognize it, you shouldn't eat it. Grandma raised her own chickens, beer & hogs,

OOOpppss I made a mistake, I meant to say she raised her own chickens BEEF and hogs... 8) Thats funny, Gram just turned 80 she'll get a kick out of that!

Laurel

I just figured grandma liked BEER :D  Maybe it was a subliminal thought you were having lol ;)
Mark

[Part_Timer]

My aspritame experiment cost me along the lines of $4500 to
$6000 in medical bills.  2 ct's and 3 mri's a couple of years of various meds blindness, high blood preasure and a stroke.
Scientific evidence or not I won't do that again on purpose.

For those that don't like the taste of their water, look into an Aqua Rain filter.  It takes all the mineral and smell out of our well water and makes it drinkable.  Saves a bundle over bottled water.

[Don_Papenburg]

Hey PT send that bill to Monsanto let them know what the cost of their tech. realy is .  Tell them that it is just a tech.fee        Sorta like they impose on the American Farmer ,but not on the rest of the world.   Do you know any mean nasty lawyer that would like to sue them for the cost of your med bills plus a healthy compensation for your suffering.  I would love to see that happen to Americas nastiest company

[Part_Timer]

:D :D :D

in order to get any money I'd have to talk someone at McDonalds into heating my diet Mt.Dew to around 170 degrees, put it in a cheap plastic cup and dump it in my lap.  ;)

[Bibbyman]

Glenn Beck is sick... This artical attributes it to drinking Diet Coke - with aspertame - natch.

http://www.infowars.com/warning-to-glenn-beck-dont-drink-diet-coke/

[Chris Burchfield]

The pink stuff gives my wife migraines.  She uses the yellow stuff instead of sugar cause of her type II diabetes.

[Rocky_Ranger]

I like the misspell Blueox noted on his post, having moved to a new location I needed a new sawbones.  Went in and talked to the guy and he literally spent 30 minutes just chatting with me on how I was feeling, medications, and diet.  I've never been treated as such before, always get in, get out, pay bill.  He asked how I had put down a on the history sheet I drank small amounts of beer a week (I should have said/day - but I digress); anyway, he said a beer a day is really good for a person - a six pack, however, is not.  Hearing this information cemented me finding this doc as acceptable! :D 

[Tom]

Cherish the find.  The only time I've had the luck to converse with a doctor is when they are fresh out of school and haven't been jaded into thinking that they are in big business.  Once they lose that bed-side manner and philanthropy, that they had when they were young, they just end up being mechanics.

[Patty]

With this whole stupid ankle episode, I have found a new doctor as well. She is a DO, about my age, maybe a little younger. Norm has used her a couple times, and really was impressed, so when I fell last week I gave her a try. My first meeting with her was certainly not what I expected. I was sitting in a chair in the exam room instead of up on the table which I couldn't have gotten onto without help. She came in after I waited about 15 seconds and just plopped down on the floor to examine my foot. She was dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, very casual and so unassuming....she put me at ease immediately. I am so relieved to find a doctor finally that:

1) I trust
2) Treats me with respect
3) Thinks I do have a brain
4) Does not think she is God

We have searched for her for several years since our old doc died. Finally I think Norm and I can say we have a family doctor once again.  8)

Keep looking if you do not like your doctor, there are still good ones out there and I think they are worth the search.

[Don_Papenburg]

Patty , What is a DO?
  I have not had a doc for years . The one I went to was real good . He never took apointments , He said you come in and wait your turn .  If he had a full waiting room it would take about one half hour .  I remember one time I went to see him and he told me he could not help me but I was to go see  Dr. soanso , As I got up to leave I asked how much do I owe ? He said what you mean ,I gave you no shot no pills you owe me nothing .
One time my brother went there and noone was around . He waited a little bit  and was about to go out the door when the doc came in said just a min. I will clean up a bit  I was out back putting a new motor in my Caddy.
We sure miss him  .  Office calls with a bottle of pills or a shot was between $5.oo and $10.oo

Oh  I drink a lot of ice water or unsweetened ice tea.  I was talking to my cousin a few years ago complaining about the cheap plastic themos jugs and how they did not keep my water cold .  He told me that he liked his water warm as pizz.

[Patty]

A DO is a "doctor of osteopathic medicine". They are trained differently than a "medical doctor" is in medical school. (different schools entirely) Below is how they describe it:

"Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American medical care that was started in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO. Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine. He believed that many of the medications of his day were useless or even harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to study the attributes of good health so that he could better understand the process of disease.

Dr. Still developed a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the father of medicine. That philosophy focuses on the unity of all body parts. Dr. Still identified the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health. He recognized the body's ability to heal itself and stressed preventive medicine, eating properly and keeping fit.

Dr. Still pioneered the concept of "wellness" more than 135 years ago. In today's terms, DOs evaluate each patient's health risks—such as smoking, high blood pressure, excessive cholesterol levels and stress. In concert with prescribing appropriate medical treatment, osteopathic physicians act as teachers to help patients take more responsibility for their well-being and to change unhealthy patterns. "

My experience in working with both practices, the MD treats the disease or injury, while the DO treats the entire body, in my opinion. Of course, as in all fields, some do a better job than others. Neither is better or worse, I just happen to prefer the mindset of the schooling for the DO.

[mrcaptainbob]

Had several personal experiences about that, Patty, and I agree whole heartedly.

[Don_Papenburg]

Thanks  Patty,  I had only heard of them called Osteopaths  around here so DO stumped me.

[Patty]

Back in the day..........when i first was in nursing, DO's were shunned, and many did not consider them "real" doctors. This has changed over the years, or maybe just in Iowa, but now they are treated as equals in most instances. It could be only in Iowa because we have an Osteopathic college that churns out quite a few. In rural communities doctors are a hot commodity, so not many folks really care what initials the docs have behind their name.

[Faron]

Chris is sick as can be tonight.  At the end of an all day meeting at work yesterday, a co worker brought her a fountain drink.  Minute Maid Lemonade.  She asked the usual question, "This is not diet, is it?"  She was assured it was not.  She didn't drink it at work, but sipped on it during her hour long commute home.  Before she made it home, she had a migraine.  Headache, tooth and jaw pain, eye socket pain, the works.   :(  She is not a lot better this morning. I checked a couple sites looking for ingredients.  Yep, aspartame.  The government and the industry liars can release all the studies they want.  I know the truth.  That stuff is poison for many people, and bad for all of us.

[Patty]

I am sorry Faron, I sure hope she feels better soon. Do you just have to wait for it to get out of her system, or is there something she can take to relieve the pain?

[Faron]

Patty, she is afraid to take anything for fear of rebound headaches.  We have been down that road before, and it is not a good one.  She is some better now, but not a lot.

[Patty]

I imagine it takes a few days to get it all out of her system. Poor girl, I hope she gets back to her old self very soon.

[Bro. Noble]

Well, when I get too much of that stuff, everything gets out of my system real quick :(