Are we being poisoned????

[sunshines_minis]

Some of the aspartame side effects are:

• In the eyes it causes blindness, decreased vision in one or both the eyes, bright flashes, blurring, tunnel vision, lines, pain in one or both the eyes, trouble with contact lenses, bulging eyes and decreased tears.
  
• In the ears it causes tinnitus (buzzing or ringing sound), hearing impairment and severe intolerance to loud noises.
  
• Neurologically it causes epileptic seizures, migraines and headaches, dizziness, memory loss and confusion, sleepiness, numbness of the limbs, slurred speech, restless legs or hyperactivity, severe tremors and atypical facial pain.
  
• Psychologically it causes irritability, anxiety, severe depression, aggression, personality changes, insomnia and all kinds of phobias.
  
• In the chest it causes shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and palpitations.
  
• In the gastrointestinal region it causes diarrhea, nausea, pain when swallowing and abdominal pain.
  
• In the skin it causes allergies, rashes, itching, lip and mouth reactions, asthma, and hives.
  
• Other serious side effects of aspartames include: menstrual changes, weight loss, thinning or loss of hair, weight gain, low blood sugar, severe PMS, loss of control of diabetes, burning sensation during urination, fluid retention, excessive thirst, bloating, swelling of legs, increased vulnerability to infections.
  

[Intrinsicat]

Hummm... I drink a LOT of Diet Coke, and don't exhibit any of those symptoms. I'm sure it's not good for you, but I think the worst thing about Diet Cokes is that they act as a dieuretic (sp?)

Snopes rocks!

A great article on diet sodes is here

But my favorite part is this:

"Additionally, caffeine is a diuretic, so while you may be thinking that a diet soda quenches your thirst and helps keep you hydrated, the opposite is true. Diet soda often contains sodium, which exacerbates thirst, while the caffeine causes you to lose fluid."

And when your body is thirsty more often than not you interpret it to be hungry and you EAT more instead of drinking the water you really should be drinking (trust me, I practically have a Diet Coke IV)... Not preaching, I'm the worst of the lot... just point it out!

[wenlaine]

This is an interesting topic, Sunshine.

I've been drinking bottled fruit water for the past year and was going through a case a week. About 5 months ago I experienced severe itching all over my upper body (neck, arms, chest and back). It looked like a very tiny reddish rash, almost like a sunburn. My DH suggested that I cut down on drinking the water about two weeks ago and it has decreased significantly. I'm sure now that it has to do with the artificial sugar they use in it. Although it isn't Aspartame, it's Sucralose (Splenda). Or it's possible I've just developed an allergy to it, I'm not sure.

Now if I could just cut it out altogether!

[uppitycats]

If you do an internet search on aspartame, you'll find thousands of sites talking about it's "evils"...and several solidly scientific and medical sites, and sites like snopes, which try their best...but obviously not successfully...to discount all the "evil" theories.

There are some people -- a very very small percentage...who are affected by aspartame; they have some sort of enzyme missing in their system so they can't process the aspartame. But other than those few people, it has been found to be safe, effective, and useful, especially for millions of people with diabetes.

But hey, you don't have to consume diet softdrinks...or bottled water, for that matter...with it in it. Plain tap water has been proven time and time again to be safe.

[4miniloves]

I do not consume anything that is artifially sweetened... I get a severe head ache and the runs everytime I have tried it. I mix my coke with soda water if I really crave one. Soda has the carbonation and is unsweetened. I wish that they would market something like that! I am diabetic so I have severly limited my sugar intake and pretty well given up on soda all together though. I tend to sweeten with natural dried fruit in my iced tea.

Has anyone looked into a plant called stevia. I grew one and tried it in tea a few times, it is awsome! Although I did not check my sugar after it. That shouldn' t kill us since it is a plant I grew in my herb garden. It is VERY sweet! We picked leaves and chewed them...mmmmmm!

[lynnae]

My mom uses stevia. You can buy it at the health food store in drops. I personally dont like the tast of diet drinks. I limit my self to three sodas a week. Water the rest of the time. Every once in a while I will have more than three. But thats ok, because every once in a while I will have less than three. I am in the process of losing some major pounds. I have taken all of the sugar out of my house. When I crave sugar I eat fruit and that normally takes care of it. But some times I just feel like I have to have a coke or a candy bar. So i go get just one. I am learning I can eat just about anything I want, just in moderation.

[christinee]

My husband and I use stevia in our drinks (homemade teas, etc) and splenda for everything else. Stevia has been used extensively in South American countries and since it's an herb, it's more natural and better then splenda/aspartame.

We drink coke zero which is like diet coke but with splenda instead of aspartame. I heard some negative things about splenda since it's chemically altered sugar, but I feel with everything chemical, too much of it isn't good for you.

For the most part, we try to limit our intake of artifical sweetners and neither of us consume anything with refined sugar if we can help it.

[sunshines_minis]

rash is an allergic reaction to splenda ,

but it is not made from acninc and aspartame is.

This is an interesting topic, Sunshine.

I've been drinking bottled fruit water for the past year and was going through a case a week. About 5 months ago I experienced severe itching all over my upper body (neck, arms, chest and back). It looked like a very tiny reddish rash, almost like a sunburn. My DH suggested that I cut down on drinking the water about two weeks ago and it has decreased significantly. I'm sure now that it has to do with the artificial sugar they use in it. Although it isn't Aspartame, it's Sucralose (Splenda). Or it's possible I've just developed an allergy to it, I'm not sure.

Now if I could just cut it out altogether!

[Jokelly]

This is an interesting topic, Sunshine.

I've been drinking bottled fruit water for the past year and was going through a case a week. About 5 months ago I experienced severe itching all over my upper body (neck, arms, chest and back). It looked like a very tiny reddish rash, almost like a sunburn. My DH suggested that I cut down on drinking the water about two weeks ago and it has decreased significantly. I'm sure now that it has to do with the artificial sugar they use in it. Although it isn't Aspartame, it's Sucralose (Splenda). Or it's possible I've just developed an allergy to it, I'm not sure.

Now if I could just cut it out altogether!

My boss had the same reaction. She was drinking the Vitamin water and started getting a rash and allergic reactions. Just like what you said.

I try to avoid any artificial sugars at all. I hate the taste of aspartame, nutrasweet, or splenda. It all has a horrible aftertaste to me no matter what anyone says. Right now I've quit my regular Pepsi addictions and have substituted iced tea. I've lost almost 20 lbs. since Christmas just from cutting out pop. I haven't even cut it out completely, just severely limited it. I don't deny myself because otherwise I'd be wanting it constantly. I'm also cutting down the sugar in my iced tea so in a few weeks I'll be able to drink unsweeted and it not bother me.

Like Lynnae, cutting sugar really helps taking the weight off. I still eat way to much cane sugar, but I'm trying to cut back. And the weight really does come off. Gradually, but it's coming.

[heidiiiii]

I read all about aspartame in a book called Skinny Witch (change to a B.. ). Also Dr. Oz (he is on Oprah) talks about how bad artifical sweeteners are also.

I think you should just use it in moderation. I used to drink an insane amount of Diet Pepsi. INSANE! Now when I am in the mood, I will get a can of it or if I am REALLY in the mood I will buy a Big Gulp at 7-11. But I do not keep the stuff in my house anymore.

Soda is just fattening, plain and simple.

[chattycathy66]

After the birth of my 3rd child, I started having numbness in my right side, and tingling in my arms and legs...weakness in my legs, stuff like that...After I ditched my 1st idiot neurologist who told me I was just depressed, anxious and obsessed with trying to have MS ( can you believe it), I went to a second neurologist who asked me about my asparatame and caffeine intake, she suggested I cut down...ok, so I really didn't....but what I did find out was that I had severe sleep apnea, and once I got on CPAP, most of the symptoms went away....I know this is "apples and oranges", but I still think that there's merit to cutting down on artificial sweeteners regardless...maybe I'm tired and rambling,lol.