You Think GMO Is Scary? Nano Tech is Here, In Your Store! -

Written By:Anne Gordon, RN

Nanotechnology is measured in billionths of a meter, encompassing all aspects of life from food to medicine, clothing, to space. Imagine hundreds of microcomputers on the width of a strand of hair programmed for specific tasks….in your body. Sound good?

Engineering at a molecular level may be a future corporations’ dream come true, however, nano-particles inside your body have few long-term studies especially when linked to health issues. Despite this new huge income-generating field there is a growing body of toxicological information suggesting that nanotechnology when consumed can cause brain damage (as shown in largemouth bass), and therefore should undergo a full safety assessment.

It is possible for nano-particles to slip through the skin, suggestive of a potential unnatural interaction with the immune system, or when micro particles enter the blood-stream. Some sunscreens on the shelf today, for instance, have nano-particles that might be able to penetrate the skin, move between organs, with unknown health effects. Nano-particles in cosmetics have few regulations done by FDA.

Thomas Faunce, of the Australian National University, who holds an Australian Research Council fellowship that looks at public nanotechnology health issues, said study’s findings are significant and strengthens the case for mandatory labeling, and that stringent safety data should be required from manufacturers.” Research is showing that nano-particles have the capacity to damage living cells and the precautionary principle should be applied,” he said.

In 2005, The Helmut Kaiser Consultancy Group, global leaders in pro-nanotechnology, stated that about 300 nano-food products were available on the market worldwide estimating that market alone was worth 5.4 billion dollars in the USA. That was then.

By 2015, (just a few years away) they predict that nanotechnology will be used in 40% of the food industries. According to these consultants, by 2040, nano-produced food, with correct nutritional composition, maintaining the same taste and texture of organically produced food, will be commonplace, the norm.

It is clear that nanotechnology is already in the in some food and cosmetics, (including anti aging products and sunscreens).  ‘Smart’ packaging and tracking, is ubiquitous. Invisible, (to the naked eye and some microscopes), edible nano-wrappers, complete with bar codes can track not only early spoilage, but improve the taste of food, or, whatever is called food.  Manufacturers are excited because the availability of food would no longer be affected by limited resources, bad crop weather, water problems, etc.  A modern way to feed the world.

Oh, don’t expect an informative label on nano-particles in your products. Although marketers are thrilled to present benefits to make wrinkles vanish, or illuminate skin flawlessly, there are health and unknown downsides.

Where is the public debate, on the labeling of nano particles in your foods, or cosmetics, or the risks? Probably no where…Political leaders are still arguing on requiring GMO (genetically modified) labeling, it seems.

When lab rats are starved, and given a choice to eat organic potatoes or GMO, they go right to the organic. When only given the GMO potato they will eat it, or starve to death… (studies have shown severe damage subsequently). What do rats know?

So the next time you reach for something that say’s ‘smart’…think about what that means. Learn what you can about the source of what you put in, or on your body. Smart mini micro computers to control your skin and body fluids?

---

Source

huffingtonpost:nanotechnology-food-fda
http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/Nanotechnology/default.htm
http://medgadget.com/2010/03/nanotechnology_promises_a_glamorous_future_for_cosmetics_and_skincare_products.html
http://www.nanotec.org.uk/finalReport.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/20/us-fda-nanotech-idUSBRE83J1B
Original source of the article
Image Credits

You Think GMO Is Scary? Nano Tech is Here, In Your Store! -

Written By:Anne Gordon, RN

Nanotechnology is measured in billionths of a meter, encompassing all aspects of life from food to medicine, clothing, to space. Imagine hundreds of microcomputers on the width of a strand of hair programmed for specific tasks….in your body. Sound good?

Engineering at a molecular level may be a future corporations’ dream come true, however, nano-particles inside your body have few long-term studies especially when linked to health issues. Despite this new huge income-generating field there is a growing body of toxicological information suggesting that nanotechnology when consumed can cause brain damage (as shown in largemouth bass), and therefore should undergo a full safety assessment.

It is possible for nano-particles to slip through the skin, suggestive of a potential unnatural interaction with the immune system, or when micro particles enter the blood-stream. Some sunscreens on the shelf today, for instance, have nano-particles that might be able to penetrate the skin, move between organs, with unknown health effects. Nano-particles in cosmetics have few regulations done by FDA.

Thomas Faunce, of the Australian National University, who holds an Australian Research Council fellowship that looks at public nanotechnology health issues, said study’s findings are significant and strengthens the case for mandatory labeling, and that stringent safety data should be required from manufacturers.” Research is showing that nano-particles have the capacity to damage living cells and the precautionary principle should be applied,” he said.

In 2005, The Helmut Kaiser Consultancy Group, global leaders in pro-nanotechnology, stated that about 300 nano-food products were available on the market worldwide estimating that market alone was worth 5.4 billion dollars in the USA. That was then.

By 2015, (just a few years away) they predict that nanotechnology will be used in 40% of the food industries. According to these consultants, by 2040, nano-produced food, with correct nutritional composition, maintaining the same taste and texture of organically produced food, will be commonplace, the norm.

It is clear that nanotechnology is already in the in some food and cosmetics, (including anti aging products and sunscreens).  ‘Smart’ packaging and tracking, is ubiquitous. Invisible, (to the naked eye and some microscopes), edible nano-wrappers, complete with bar codes can track not only early spoilage, but improve the taste of food, or, whatever is called food.  Manufacturers are excited because the availability of food would no longer be affected by limited resources, bad crop weather, water problems, etc.  A modern way to feed the world.

Oh, don’t expect an informative label on nano-particles in your products. Although marketers are thrilled to present benefits to make wrinkles vanish, or illuminate skin flawlessly, there are health and unknown downsides.

Where is the public debate, on the labeling of nano particles in your foods, or cosmetics, or the risks? Probably no where…Political leaders are still arguing on requiring GMO (genetically modified) labeling, it seems.

When lab rats are starved, and given a choice to eat organic potatoes or GMO, they go right to the organic. When only given the GMO potato they will eat it, or starve to death… (studies have shown severe damage subsequently). What do rats know?

So the next time you reach for something that say’s ‘smart’…think about what that means. Learn what you can about the source of what you put in, or on your body. Smart mini micro computers to control your skin and body fluids?

---

Source

huffingtonpost:nanotechnology-food-fda
http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/Nanotechnology/default.htm
http://medgadget.com/2010/03/nanotechnology_promises_a_glamorous_future_for_cosmetics_and_skincare_products.html
http://www.nanotec.org.uk/finalReport.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/20/us-fda-nanotech-idUSBRE83J1B
Original source of the article
Image Credits

Modern wheat a "perfect, chronic poison," doctor says

(CBS News) Modern wheat is a "perfect, chronic poison," according to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who has published a book all about the world's most popular grain.




Davis said that the wheat we eat these days isn't the wheat your grandma had: "It's an 18-inch tall plant created by genetic research in the '60s and '70s," he said on "CBS This Morning." "This thing has many new features nobody told you about, such as there's a new protein in this thing called gliadin. It's not gluten. I'm not addressing people with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease. I'm talking about everybody else because everybody else is susceptible to the gliadin protein that is an opiate. This thing binds into the opiate receptors in your brain and in most people stimulates appetite, such that we consume 440 more calories per day, 365 days per year."

Asked if the farming industry could change back to the grain it formerly produced, Davis said it could, but it would not be economically feasible because it yields less per acre. However, Davis said a movement has begun with people turning away from wheat - and dropping substantial weight.

"If three people lost eight pounds, big deal," he said. "But we're seeing hundreds of thousands of people losing 30, 80, 150 pounds. Diabetics become no longer diabetic; people with arthritis having dramatic relief. People losing leg swelling, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and on and on every day."

To avoid these wheat-oriented products, Davis suggests eating "real food," such as avocados, olives, olive oil, meats, and vegetables. "(It's) the stuff that is least likely to have been changed by agribusiness," he said. "Certainly not grains. When I say grains, of course, over 90 percent of all grains we eat will be wheat, it's not barley... or flax. It's going to be wheat.

"It's really a wheat issue."

Some health resources, such as the Mayo Clinic, advocate a more balanced diet that does include wheat. But Davis said on "CTM" they're just offering a poor alternative.

"All that literature says is to replace something bad, white enriched products with something less bad, whole grains, and there's an apparent health benefit - 'Let's eat a whole bunch of less bad things.' So I take...unfiltered cigarettes and replace with Salem filtered cigarettes, you should smoke the Salems. That's the logic of nutrition, it's a deeply flawed logic. What if I take it to the next level, and we say, 'Let's eliminate all grains,' what happens then?

"That's when you see, not improvements in health, that's when you see transformations in health."

Watch Davis' full interview in the video above.

Source cbs news

Modern wheat a "perfect, chronic poison," doctor says

(CBS News) Modern wheat is a "perfect, chronic poison," according to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who has published a book all about the world's most popular grain.




Davis said that the wheat we eat these days isn't the wheat your grandma had: "It's an 18-inch tall plant created by genetic research in the '60s and '70s," he said on "CBS This Morning." "This thing has many new features nobody told you about, such as there's a new protein in this thing called gliadin. It's not gluten. I'm not addressing people with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease. I'm talking about everybody else because everybody else is susceptible to the gliadin protein that is an opiate. This thing binds into the opiate receptors in your brain and in most people stimulates appetite, such that we consume 440 more calories per day, 365 days per year."

Asked if the farming industry could change back to the grain it formerly produced, Davis said it could, but it would not be economically feasible because it yields less per acre. However, Davis said a movement has begun with people turning away from wheat - and dropping substantial weight.

"If three people lost eight pounds, big deal," he said. "But we're seeing hundreds of thousands of people losing 30, 80, 150 pounds. Diabetics become no longer diabetic; people with arthritis having dramatic relief. People losing leg swelling, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and on and on every day."

To avoid these wheat-oriented products, Davis suggests eating "real food," such as avocados, olives, olive oil, meats, and vegetables. "(It's) the stuff that is least likely to have been changed by agribusiness," he said. "Certainly not grains. When I say grains, of course, over 90 percent of all grains we eat will be wheat, it's not barley... or flax. It's going to be wheat.

"It's really a wheat issue."

Some health resources, such as the Mayo Clinic, advocate a more balanced diet that does include wheat. But Davis said on "CTM" they're just offering a poor alternative.

"All that literature says is to replace something bad, white enriched products with something less bad, whole grains, and there's an apparent health benefit - 'Let's eat a whole bunch of less bad things.' So I take...unfiltered cigarettes and replace with Salem filtered cigarettes, you should smoke the Salems. That's the logic of nutrition, it's a deeply flawed logic. What if I take it to the next level, and we say, 'Let's eliminate all grains,' what happens then?

"That's when you see, not improvements in health, that's when you see transformations in health."

Watch Davis' full interview in the video above.

Source cbs news

10 Things the Processed Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

By Dr. Mercola

Processed foods are typically loaded with excess sugar, salt, unhealthful fats, preservatives and other additives.
But you probably know this already. What you may not know about processed foods is the extent of the havoc they can wreak on your body, a closely guarded secret that the processed food industry doesn’t want you to know.
In short, though they may taste good and be easy to prepare, when you eat processed foods you’re exchanging convenience for your health.

10 Processed-Food Secrets the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

In the featured article,¹ Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, explains 10 reasons why you might want to think twice the next time you’re tempted to eat processed foods.

1. They’re Addictive and May Cause You to Overeat

Processing modifies or removes important components of food, like fiber, water and nutrients, changing the way they are digested and assimilated in your body.



Unlike whole foods, which contain a mix of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber and water to help you feel satisfied, processed foods stimulate dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, making you feel good even though the food lacks nutrients and fiber. This artificial dopamine stimulation can lead to excessive food cravings and, ultimately, food addiction.

2. They’re Linked to Obesity

Processed foods are virtually guaranteed to contain additives that are linked to obesity. This includes monosodium glutamate (MSG), high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and more. Plus, refined carbohydrates like breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods quickly break down to sugar.,



This increases your insulin  and leptin levels, and contribute to insulin resistance, which is the primary underlying factor of nearly every chronic disease and condition known to man, including weight gain.

3. They Break Principles of Food Combining

Some nutrition and health experts, such as Wayne Pickering, believe that eating foods in certain combinations helps your body’s digestive processes to work more efficiently and absorb more nutrients. Wayne actually constructed a very useful food combining chart that can be obtained on his website.  According to one such premise, eating proteins and starches together, which is common in processed foods (such as a pepperoni pizza), inhibits digestion leading to putrification of your food, acidic conditions in your blood and supports disease-causing pathogens in your gut.

4. Processed Foods Lead to an Imbalanced Inner Ecosystem

The microorganisms living in your digestive tract form a very important "inner ecosystem" that influences countless aspects of your health. Processed foods disrupt this system, suppressing beneficial microflora and leading to digestive problems, cravings, illnesses and chronic disease. Beneficial organisms in your gut thrive on whole, unprocessed foods.

5. They’re Detrimental to Your Mood and Brain

Mood swings, memory problems and even depression are often the result of a heavily processed-food diet. In fact, the greatest concentration of serotonin, which is involved in mood control, depression and aggression, is found in your intestines, not your brain! Your gut and brain actually work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa – and why eating processed foods that can harm your gut flora can have a profoundly negative impact on your mood, psychological health and behavior.

6. Processed Foods Encourage ‘Eating on the Run’

Processed foods are quick and easy, making them ‘perfect’ to grab when you’re on the go. But eating on the go, or while you’re multi-tasking, can cause you to lose touch with your body’s natural signals telling you you’re full, leading to overeating and weight gain. It’s also more difficult for your body to digest properly when you’re busily engaged in other tasks.

7. Nutrition Labels Can be Misleading

A processed food may be labeled ‘natural’ or ‘sugar-free,’ but that doesn’t make it healthful. For instance, the natural food label on a processed food has no standard definition and really no meaning at all. A "natural" product is meaningless as it can legally be genetically modified, full of pesticides or made with corn syrup, additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also allows processed food manufacturers to use absurdly tiny serving sizes on their labels, which can lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to determining how much of each stated nutrient or toxin, like trans fat, you're actually consuming.

8. Processed Meats Are Linked to Cancer

Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives, which includes bacon, ham, pastrami, salami, pepperoni, hot dogs, some sausages and hamburgers (if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives) and more. Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring.
The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Meat cooked at high temperatures, as many processed meats often are, can also contain as many as 20 different kinds of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs for short. These substances are also linked to cancer.

9. Processed Foods May Increase Your Risk of Infertility and Malnutrition

Because processed foods are stripped of nutrients your body needs, you could be eating a large number of calories but still become malnourished. In just three generations, a nutrient-deficient diet can lead to infertility, which is on the rise in the US.² Plus, processed foods often contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, which are also linked to reproductive problems.

10. Processed Foods Lead to a Long Shelf Life, Not a Long Human Life

Processed foods can last a long time on the shelf without going bad, thanks to their chemical cocktails of preservatives and other additives. Unfortunately, their makers put a lot of money and time into strategies to increase shelf life and create attractive packaging, with little attention put on the foods’ nutrient value or how it will actually detract from lasting health.

What Are the Worst Processed Food Additives?

When foods are processed, not only are valuable nutrients lost and dietary fiber removed, but the textures and natural variation and flavors are also lost. After processing, what's left behind is a bland, uninteresting "pseudo-food" that most people wouldn’t want to eat.
Additives are added back in not only to slow spoilage, prevent fats and oils from going rancid, prevent fruits from turning brown, and fortify or enrich the food with synthetic vitamins and minerals to replace the natural ones that were lost during processing, but also to improve taste, texture and appearance. When reading product packages, here are some of the worst offenders to avoid if you want to protect your health (many of these are already banned in other countries due to health risks):

Ingredient	Found in	Health Hazards
Coloring agents: blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, and yellow 6	Cake, candy, macaroni and cheese, medicines, sport drinks, soda, pet food, and cheese	Most artificial colors are made from coal tar, which is a carcinogen
Olestra (aka Olean)	Fat-free potato chips	Depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. Side effects include oily anal leakage
Brominated vegetable oil (aka BVO)	Sports drinks and citrus-flavored sodas	Competes with iodine for receptor sites in the body, which can lead to hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, and cancer. The main ingredient, bromine, is a poisonous, corrosive chemical linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss
Potassium bromate (aka brominated flour)	Rolls, wraps, flatbread, bread crumbs, and bagel chips	See bromine above. Associated with kidney and nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal discomfort
Azodicarbonamide	Breads, frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes, and packaged baked goods	Linked to asthma
BHA and BHT	Cereal, nut mixes, gum, butter, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer	BHA may be a human carcinogen, a cancer-causing agent. BHT can cause organ system toxicity
Synthetic hormones: rBGH and rBST	Milk and dairy products	Linked to breast, colon, and prostate cancers
Arsenic	Poultry	EPA classifies inorganic arsenic as a "human carcinogen"

A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Ditching Processed Foods

When it comes to staying healthy, avoiding processed foods and replacing them with fresh, whole foods is the "secret" you've been looking for. This might sound daunting, but if you take it step-by-step as described in my nutrition plan it’s quite possible, and manageable, to painlessly remove processed foods from your diet.
Remember, people have thrived on vegetables, meats, eggs, fruits and other whole foods for centuries, while processed foods were only recently invented. Many of the top executives and scientists at leading processed food companies actually avoid their own foods for a variety of health reasons!
I believe you, too, should spend 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods (unfortunately most Americans currently do the opposite). This requires that you plan your meals in advance. Ideally, this will involve scouting out your local farmer's markets for in-season produce that is priced to sell, and planning your meals accordingly, but you can also use this same premise with supermarket sales. You can generally plan a week of meals at a time, make sure you have all ingredients necessary on hand, and then do any prep work you can ahead of time so that dinner is easy to prepare if you're short on time in the evenings (and you can use leftovers for lunches the next day).
Further, by cutting out these high-glycemic foods you can retrain your body to burn fat instead of sugar. However, it’s important to replace these foods with healthy fats, not protein—a fact that’s often not addressed. I believe most people may need between 50-70 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthful fats, which include:

Olives and olive oil	Coconuts and coconut oil	Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are low in protein and omega-6 fat	Organic pastured egg yolks and pastured meats	Avocados

If cravings are a problem for you, please review my article about how to wean yourself off processed food in seven easy steps. If you're currently sustaining yourself on fast food and processed foods, this is one of the most positive life changes you could ever make.

10 Things the Processed Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

By Dr. Mercola

Processed foods are typically loaded with excess sugar, salt, unhealthful fats, preservatives and other additives.
But you probably know this already. What you may not know about processed foods is the extent of the havoc they can wreak on your body, a closely guarded secret that the processed food industry doesn’t want you to know.
In short, though they may taste good and be easy to prepare, when you eat processed foods you’re exchanging convenience for your health.

10 Processed-Food Secrets the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

In the featured article,¹ Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, explains 10 reasons why you might want to think twice the next time you’re tempted to eat processed foods.

1. They’re Addictive and May Cause You to Overeat

Processing modifies or removes important components of food, like fiber, water and nutrients, changing the way they are digested and assimilated in your body.



Unlike whole foods, which contain a mix of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber and water to help you feel satisfied, processed foods stimulate dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, making you feel good even though the food lacks nutrients and fiber. This artificial dopamine stimulation can lead to excessive food cravings and, ultimately, food addiction.

2. They’re Linked to Obesity

Processed foods are virtually guaranteed to contain additives that are linked to obesity. This includes monosodium glutamate (MSG), high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and more. Plus, refined carbohydrates like breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods quickly break down to sugar.,



This increases your insulin  and leptin levels, and contribute to insulin resistance, which is the primary underlying factor of nearly every chronic disease and condition known to man, including weight gain.

3. They Break Principles of Food Combining

Some nutrition and health experts, such as Wayne Pickering, believe that eating foods in certain combinations helps your body’s digestive processes to work more efficiently and absorb more nutrients. Wayne actually constructed a very useful food combining chart that can be obtained on his website.  According to one such premise, eating proteins and starches together, which is common in processed foods (such as a pepperoni pizza), inhibits digestion leading to putrification of your food, acidic conditions in your blood and supports disease-causing pathogens in your gut.

4. Processed Foods Lead to an Imbalanced Inner Ecosystem

The microorganisms living in your digestive tract form a very important "inner ecosystem" that influences countless aspects of your health. Processed foods disrupt this system, suppressing beneficial microflora and leading to digestive problems, cravings, illnesses and chronic disease. Beneficial organisms in your gut thrive on whole, unprocessed foods.

5. They’re Detrimental to Your Mood and Brain

Mood swings, memory problems and even depression are often the result of a heavily processed-food diet. In fact, the greatest concentration of serotonin, which is involved in mood control, depression and aggression, is found in your intestines, not your brain! Your gut and brain actually work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa – and why eating processed foods that can harm your gut flora can have a profoundly negative impact on your mood, psychological health and behavior.

6. Processed Foods Encourage ‘Eating on the Run’

Processed foods are quick and easy, making them ‘perfect’ to grab when you’re on the go. But eating on the go, or while you’re multi-tasking, can cause you to lose touch with your body’s natural signals telling you you’re full, leading to overeating and weight gain. It’s also more difficult for your body to digest properly when you’re busily engaged in other tasks.

7. Nutrition Labels Can be Misleading

A processed food may be labeled ‘natural’ or ‘sugar-free,’ but that doesn’t make it healthful. For instance, the natural food label on a processed food has no standard definition and really no meaning at all. A "natural" product is meaningless as it can legally be genetically modified, full of pesticides or made with corn syrup, additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also allows processed food manufacturers to use absurdly tiny serving sizes on their labels, which can lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to determining how much of each stated nutrient or toxin, like trans fat, you're actually consuming.

8. Processed Meats Are Linked to Cancer

Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives, which includes bacon, ham, pastrami, salami, pepperoni, hot dogs, some sausages and hamburgers (if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives) and more. Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring.
The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Meat cooked at high temperatures, as many processed meats often are, can also contain as many as 20 different kinds of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs for short. These substances are also linked to cancer.

9. Processed Foods May Increase Your Risk of Infertility and Malnutrition

Because processed foods are stripped of nutrients your body needs, you could be eating a large number of calories but still become malnourished. In just three generations, a nutrient-deficient diet can lead to infertility, which is on the rise in the US.² Plus, processed foods often contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, which are also linked to reproductive problems.

10. Processed Foods Lead to a Long Shelf Life, Not a Long Human Life

Processed foods can last a long time on the shelf without going bad, thanks to their chemical cocktails of preservatives and other additives. Unfortunately, their makers put a lot of money and time into strategies to increase shelf life and create attractive packaging, with little attention put on the foods’ nutrient value or how it will actually detract from lasting health.

What Are the Worst Processed Food Additives?

When foods are processed, not only are valuable nutrients lost and dietary fiber removed, but the textures and natural variation and flavors are also lost. After processing, what's left behind is a bland, uninteresting "pseudo-food" that most people wouldn’t want to eat.
Additives are added back in not only to slow spoilage, prevent fats and oils from going rancid, prevent fruits from turning brown, and fortify or enrich the food with synthetic vitamins and minerals to replace the natural ones that were lost during processing, but also to improve taste, texture and appearance. When reading product packages, here are some of the worst offenders to avoid if you want to protect your health (many of these are already banned in other countries due to health risks):

Ingredient	Found in	Health Hazards
Coloring agents: blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, and yellow 6	Cake, candy, macaroni and cheese, medicines, sport drinks, soda, pet food, and cheese	Most artificial colors are made from coal tar, which is a carcinogen
Olestra (aka Olean)	Fat-free potato chips	Depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. Side effects include oily anal leakage
Brominated vegetable oil (aka BVO)	Sports drinks and citrus-flavored sodas	Competes with iodine for receptor sites in the body, which can lead to hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, and cancer. The main ingredient, bromine, is a poisonous, corrosive chemical linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss
Potassium bromate (aka brominated flour)	Rolls, wraps, flatbread, bread crumbs, and bagel chips	See bromine above. Associated with kidney and nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal discomfort
Azodicarbonamide	Breads, frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes, and packaged baked goods	Linked to asthma
BHA and BHT	Cereal, nut mixes, gum, butter, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer	BHA may be a human carcinogen, a cancer-causing agent. BHT can cause organ system toxicity
Synthetic hormones: rBGH and rBST	Milk and dairy products	Linked to breast, colon, and prostate cancers
Arsenic	Poultry	EPA classifies inorganic arsenic as a "human carcinogen"

A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Ditching Processed Foods

When it comes to staying healthy, avoiding processed foods and replacing them with fresh, whole foods is the "secret" you've been looking for. This might sound daunting, but if you take it step-by-step as described in my nutrition plan it’s quite possible, and manageable, to painlessly remove processed foods from your diet.
Remember, people have thrived on vegetables, meats, eggs, fruits and other whole foods for centuries, while processed foods were only recently invented. Many of the top executives and scientists at leading processed food companies actually avoid their own foods for a variety of health reasons!
I believe you, too, should spend 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods (unfortunately most Americans currently do the opposite). This requires that you plan your meals in advance. Ideally, this will involve scouting out your local farmer's markets for in-season produce that is priced to sell, and planning your meals accordingly, but you can also use this same premise with supermarket sales. You can generally plan a week of meals at a time, make sure you have all ingredients necessary on hand, and then do any prep work you can ahead of time so that dinner is easy to prepare if you're short on time in the evenings (and you can use leftovers for lunches the next day).
Further, by cutting out these high-glycemic foods you can retrain your body to burn fat instead of sugar. However, it’s important to replace these foods with healthy fats, not protein—a fact that’s often not addressed. I believe most people may need between 50-70 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthful fats, which include:

Olives and olive oil	Coconuts and coconut oil	Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are low in protein and omega-6 fat	Organic pastured egg yolks and pastured meats	Avocados

If cravings are a problem for you, please review my article about how to wean yourself off processed food in seven easy steps. If you're currently sustaining yourself on fast food and processed foods, this is one of the most positive life changes you could ever make.

This Dangerous Chemical in Hair Products is Causing Serious Health Problems

Brazilian Blowout, a haircare product, has recently been found to be so dangerous that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may ban it from the market entirely. The United States would not be the first nation to place a ban on the product. Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, and Canada already have already taken legislative action against Brazilian Blowout. The FDA is giving Brazilian Blowout’s manufacturer until mid-September to remove a toxic chemical from its formula.

The main ingredient found in Brazilian Blowout is formaldehyde, an extremely dangerous chemical. This chemical has been known to cause nervous system disorders, chest pain, vomiting, rashes, and other health conditions. While the Cosmetics Ingredient Review Expert Panel considers the amount of 0.2% of formaldehyde to be “safe,” some Brazilian Blowout samples contained up to 10.7%. Surprisingly enough, the product incorrectly states “No Formaldehyde” or “Formaldehyde Free”

Brazilian Blowout straightening treatment can last up to 12 weeks, according to the company website. With looks and glamour being more important than ever today, a little compromise of health for everlasting beauty doesn’t seem to phase many. Unfortunately, the harmful effects stemming from formaldehyde can be devastating for a salon worker who is exposed on a daily basis. A report from the Environmental Working Group determined that 68% of top US salons use “formaldehyde-based hair solutions”.

Additional Sources:  The Huffington Post

This Dangerous Chemical in Hair Products is Causing Serious Health Problems

Brazilian Blowout, a haircare product, has recently been found to be so dangerous that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may ban it from the market entirely. The United States would not be the first nation to place a ban on the product. Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, and Canada already have already taken legislative action against Brazilian Blowout. The FDA is giving Brazilian Blowout’s manufacturer until mid-September to remove a toxic chemical from its formula.

The main ingredient found in Brazilian Blowout is formaldehyde, an extremely dangerous chemical. This chemical has been known to cause nervous system disorders, chest pain, vomiting, rashes, and other health conditions. While the Cosmetics Ingredient Review Expert Panel considers the amount of 0.2% of formaldehyde to be “safe,” some Brazilian Blowout samples contained up to 10.7%. Surprisingly enough, the product incorrectly states “No Formaldehyde” or “Formaldehyde Free”

Brazilian Blowout straightening treatment can last up to 12 weeks, according to the company website. With looks and glamour being more important than ever today, a little compromise of health for everlasting beauty doesn’t seem to phase many. Unfortunately, the harmful effects stemming from formaldehyde can be devastating for a salon worker who is exposed on a daily basis. A report from the Environmental Working Group determined that 68% of top US salons use “formaldehyde-based hair solutions”.

Additional Sources:  The Huffington Post

Milk and Health – Why Cow's Milk is a Human Health Risk

“There is compelling evidence, now published in top scientific journals and some of which is decades old, showing that cows’ milk is associated, possibly even causally, with a wide variety of serious human ailments including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and an array of allergy-related diseases. And, this food contains no nutrients that cannot be better obtained from other far more nutritious and tasty foods.”

- Dr. Colin Campbell

“Due to the extreme processes that milk undergoes, as well as the high amounts of antibiotics, hormones, and genetically-modified substances that cows are continually exposed to, I can, with much certainty, say that there are real and eminent dangers associated with drinking milk from cows. All cows release toxins through their milk, as milk is a natural exit-portal for substances that the body cannot use.”

– Global Healing Center

“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”

- Amy Lanou, nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.

Diary consumption and its effects on the human body has been a subject of debate for quite awhile. With this article I would like to address the myth of dairy being good for our health.

Through mass media tools such as the “Got Milk?” campaign, we are led to believe that “milk does a body good” as they so eloquently state. Is this really the truth? Absolutely not!

“Milk is a high quality source of vitamin D and calcium.”: MYTH

This is entirely not true. Because of the fact that milk goes through a pasteurization process, which means it is heated to 71.7 degrees Celsius to ensure sterilization, almost all nutritional value is lost. We have to understand that all organic matter has what you can call “life force energy”. When organic liquid is subject to extreme temperatures such as pasteurization, this life force is destroyed as it debilitates the molecular structure of the milk. It actually destroys the calcium and vitamin D within the milk and as a result, it becomes a leaching agent and seeks to restore its original molecular structure. Animal proteins in dairy also have been found to leach calcium from the body. Upon consumption, dairy acidifies within the body and extracts calcium from our bones. The calcium acts as a neutralizer for the acid as the body tries to naturally balance its PH level. This process in turn results in being a major cause for cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis and other diseases.It’s also similar to the process with distilled water, as it is boiled and when consumed, leaches nutrients from the body that the water had contained before the distilling process occurred.

Now some people may say that raw milk is healthier to drink because is does not go through a pasteurization process, but it’s important to understand that at the infant stage, we carry active enzymes which are called “lactase” enzymes. These enzymes are used to break down lactose in milk so that it can be digested and used efficiently for energy. Through research, it has been shown that after the infant stage of approximately 3 years of age, lactase in the body begins to deplete as we are genetically programmed to no longer be dependent on our mother’s milk. Lactose intolerance is a result of lactase deficiency. With this being said, it doesn’t matter whether we drink pasteurized or non-pasteurized milk, our bodies are not designed to break it down and digest it properly. Without the proper digestion process the body cannot utilize nutrients properly. If we understand that as we grow older, our bodies are designed to not digest milk does it really make sense to consume it? Large amounts of dairy such as milk and cheese can lead to poor health through the debilitation of our bones, teeth and organs and is an associated cause of various human diseases.

IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING DAIRY CONSUMPTION:

- Humans are the only species on the planet that drinks another species milk.

- Lactose intolerance affects more than 7 million Canadians (20% of the nations population). This is likely an underestimate as many individuals do not associate their symptoms with lactose-containing foods or are asymptomatic.

- More than 20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders every year. (57% of the nations population)

- Digestive disorders cost $18 billion (in 2000) annually in health care costs and lost productivity.

- Canada has the highest incidence of gastrointestinal ulcers in the world and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the world.

- Next to lung cancer, digestive cancers kill more Canadians than any other type of cancer. One out of every five new cancer cases in 2009 will involve the digestive tract. Colon cancer has the 2nd highest death rate of all cancers in Canada.

In knowing these facts, it shows us just how much our dietary habits affect our health and how we function on the planet. Even a simple change in our diet, such as stopping the consumption of dairy, could drastically reduce funding costs on national and global healthcare and result in a more vibrant and healthier population. This would allow us to move forward greatly in changing human society. Through feeling healthy and restoring the body to it’s natural balance and energetic flow, we will feel more at peace within ourselves and this will reflect in how we function and create our lives individually and collectively. Imagine a world full of healthy people…The energetic difference would be staggering!

Through the sharing and spreading of this information we hope that it will give people a perspective on dairy and consuming dairy products that they may not have had before. It can lead to major change if enough of us become aware of the effects that consuming dairy has on the body. If you have any concerns regarding calcium intake, you can look into a number of ways to sufficiently supply the body with the amount of calcium that it requires. There are a number of alternative ways to consuming calcium such as plant-based foods and drinking milk products such as almond milk and rice milk. Do yourself the favour and look into how you can change your health and others. It can lead you to a more peaceful and vibrant life!

For More Information Please Research The Following Sources of Information:

Canadian Digestive Health Foundation:

 http://www.cdhf.ca/digestive-disorders/statistics.shtml

Scott Net

http://www.sott.net/article/225467-Why-Milk-Is-So-Evil


Natural News:

http://www.naturalnews.com/031255_milk_health.html

Global Healing Center:

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-cows-milk/

Live Strong:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/248912-foods-that-leach-calcium/

Not Milk:

http://www.notmilk.com/

Save Our Bones:

http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/

Neteral:

http://neteral.com/health-and-fitness/dangers-of-dairy

Milk and Health – Why Cow's Milk is a Human Health Risk

“There is compelling evidence, now published in top scientific journals and some of which is decades old, showing that cows’ milk is associated, possibly even causally, with a wide variety of serious human ailments including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and an array of allergy-related diseases. And, this food contains no nutrients that cannot be better obtained from other far more nutritious and tasty foods.”

- Dr. Colin Campbell

“Due to the extreme processes that milk undergoes, as well as the high amounts of antibiotics, hormones, and genetically-modified substances that cows are continually exposed to, I can, with much certainty, say that there are real and eminent dangers associated with drinking milk from cows. All cows release toxins through their milk, as milk is a natural exit-portal for substances that the body cannot use.”

– Global Healing Center

“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”

- Amy Lanou, nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.

Diary consumption and its effects on the human body has been a subject of debate for quite awhile. With this article I would like to address the myth of dairy being good for our health.

Through mass media tools such as the “Got Milk?” campaign, we are led to believe that “milk does a body good” as they so eloquently state. Is this really the truth? Absolutely not!

“Milk is a high quality source of vitamin D and calcium.”: MYTH

This is entirely not true. Because of the fact that milk goes through a pasteurization process, which means it is heated to 71.7 degrees Celsius to ensure sterilization, almost all nutritional value is lost. We have to understand that all organic matter has what you can call “life force energy”. When organic liquid is subject to extreme temperatures such as pasteurization, this life force is destroyed as it debilitates the molecular structure of the milk. It actually destroys the calcium and vitamin D within the milk and as a result, it becomes a leaching agent and seeks to restore its original molecular structure. Animal proteins in dairy also have been found to leach calcium from the body. Upon consumption, dairy acidifies within the body and extracts calcium from our bones. The calcium acts as a neutralizer for the acid as the body tries to naturally balance its PH level. This process in turn results in being a major cause for cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis and other diseases.It’s also similar to the process with distilled water, as it is boiled and when consumed, leaches nutrients from the body that the water had contained before the distilling process occurred.

Now some people may say that raw milk is healthier to drink because is does not go through a pasteurization process, but it’s important to understand that at the infant stage, we carry active enzymes which are called “lactase” enzymes. These enzymes are used to break down lactose in milk so that it can be digested and used efficiently for energy. Through research, it has been shown that after the infant stage of approximately 3 years of age, lactase in the body begins to deplete as we are genetically programmed to no longer be dependent on our mother’s milk. Lactose intolerance is a result of lactase deficiency. With this being said, it doesn’t matter whether we drink pasteurized or non-pasteurized milk, our bodies are not designed to break it down and digest it properly. Without the proper digestion process the body cannot utilize nutrients properly. If we understand that as we grow older, our bodies are designed to not digest milk does it really make sense to consume it? Large amounts of dairy such as milk and cheese can lead to poor health through the debilitation of our bones, teeth and organs and is an associated cause of various human diseases.

IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING DAIRY CONSUMPTION:

- Humans are the only species on the planet that drinks another species milk.

- Lactose intolerance affects more than 7 million Canadians (20% of the nations population). This is likely an underestimate as many individuals do not associate their symptoms with lactose-containing foods or are asymptomatic.

- More than 20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders every year. (57% of the nations population)

- Digestive disorders cost $18 billion (in 2000) annually in health care costs and lost productivity.

- Canada has the highest incidence of gastrointestinal ulcers in the world and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the world.

- Next to lung cancer, digestive cancers kill more Canadians than any other type of cancer. One out of every five new cancer cases in 2009 will involve the digestive tract. Colon cancer has the 2nd highest death rate of all cancers in Canada.

In knowing these facts, it shows us just how much our dietary habits affect our health and how we function on the planet. Even a simple change in our diet, such as stopping the consumption of dairy, could drastically reduce funding costs on national and global healthcare and result in a more vibrant and healthier population. This would allow us to move forward greatly in changing human society. Through feeling healthy and restoring the body to it’s natural balance and energetic flow, we will feel more at peace within ourselves and this will reflect in how we function and create our lives individually and collectively. Imagine a world full of healthy people…The energetic difference would be staggering!

Through the sharing and spreading of this information we hope that it will give people a perspective on dairy and consuming dairy products that they may not have had before. It can lead to major change if enough of us become aware of the effects that consuming dairy has on the body. If you have any concerns regarding calcium intake, you can look into a number of ways to sufficiently supply the body with the amount of calcium that it requires. There are a number of alternative ways to consuming calcium such as plant-based foods and drinking milk products such as almond milk and rice milk. Do yourself the favour and look into how you can change your health and others. It can lead you to a more peaceful and vibrant life!

For More Information Please Research The Following Sources of Information:

Canadian Digestive Health Foundation:

 http://www.cdhf.ca/digestive-disorders/statistics.shtml

Scott Net

http://www.sott.net/article/225467-Why-Milk-Is-So-Evil


Natural News:

http://www.naturalnews.com/031255_milk_health.html

Global Healing Center:

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-cows-milk/

Live Strong:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/248912-foods-that-leach-calcium/

Not Milk:

http://www.notmilk.com/

Save Our Bones:

http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/

Neteral:

http://neteral.com/health-and-fitness/dangers-of-dairy

Aspartame Linked to Leukemia & Lymphoma in Groundbreaking Study

Each year, Americans consume about 5,250 tons of aspartame in total. 86 percent of this aspartame (4,500 tons) is from the consumption of diet sodas. Diet soda is the largest dietary source of aspartame  in the U.S. A study recently published at the beginning of December 2012 links the consumption of Aspartame to increased risk of Lymphoma and Leukemia. The study was conducted by the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. The study was a follow up after a 22 year period of data collection including frequent dietary and health check ups of the study group.

We have covered the subject of aspartame on several occasions that included findings that deomstrate how aspartame damages the brain. This new study suggests that as little as a single 355ml can of diet soda daily greatly increases the risk for cancers in men and women. It can also increase the risk of multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in men. The results of this study forces us to really look at the effects of aspartame as there has never been a more comprehensive, long term study ever done on the topic. It is important to note that this can also reveal many more serious diseases and illnesses as data is observed even further.

The Most Comprehensive Study to Date on Aspartame

This study tracks over two million person-years giving it a huge pile of data to generate results from. Researchers prospectively analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study for a 22-year period. A total of 77,218 women and 47,810 men were included in the analysis, for a total of 2,278,396 person-years of data. It is not just the sample size of this study that makes it impressive, it is also the thoroughness with which aspartame intake was assessed in comparison to previous studies. Over the course of the study, every two years participants were given a detailed dietary questionnaire, and their diets were reassessed every four years. Shockingly, previous studies done on aspartame who revealed no link between aspartame and cancer in humans, only assessed participants’ aspartame intake at one point in time. This poses a major weakness in the accuracy of previous studies.

The combined results of this new study showed that just one 12-fl oz. can (355 ml) of diet soda daily leads to:

- 42 percent higher leukemia risk in men and women (pooled analysis)

- 102 percent higher multiple myeloma risk (in men only)

- 31 percent higher non-Hodgkin  lymphoma risk (in men only)

This is a powerful set of results as it leaves little to ponder about when it comes to the long time talked about risks of aspartame on our health. The results were based on multi-variable relative risk models, all in comparison to participants who drank no diet soda. It is important to note that it still remains unknown why only men drinking higher amounts of diet soda showed increased risk for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but the continuation of this study may reveal these results later.

Most of the past studies showing no link between aspartame and cancer have been criticized for being too short in duration and too inaccurate in assessing long-term aspartame intake. This new study solves both of those issues. The study in fact shows a positive link to cancer and it should come as no surprise given that a previous best-in-class research study done on animals (900 rats over their entire natural lifetimes) showed strikingly similar results back in 2006. More worrying is the follow up mega-study, which started aspartame exposure of the rats at the fetal stage. Increased lymphoma and leukemia risks were confirmed, and this time the female rats also showed significantly increased breast (mammary) cancer rates. This raises a critical question: will future, high-quality studies uncover links to the other cancers or diseases in which aspartame has been implicated?

My Own Thoughts

I have been researching aspartame and other health related illnesses for a few years now and have found a lot of different information as it relates to effects of various substances on health. This study stands out from many as it illustrates the importance of conducting research that is of quality and done over time. While we cannot confirm with 100% accuracy that this was the key factor in these ilnesses, we can confirm that it does play a big role. Also, when we look at what exists today as studies that are in favor of Aspartame being safe, we find that there are many weaknesses behind them that would produce poor results in accuracy.

Of course we can always go back to what feels natural and what would make sense when we look at our foods and I think this is something that we don't require  a scientific analysis to observe. Of course this is my opinion but, when we are adding chemicals that are synthetic and created in a lab to our food, it does not reflect naturally occurring elements that we are designed to consume. The human body was not designed to take in these types of substances through nature, which makes perfect sense as to why the majority of chemicals found in foods today have numerous links to serious health affects. This isn’t to say the body can’t handle all synthetics, but instead just shows that we should not be surprised to find out results like this.

If previous research on the subject was not enough, there is now undeniable evidence that suggests we should not be consuming aspartame at all in our diet. Switching over to sugar sweetened soda is also not a good alternative as this study also found that men consuming one or more sugar-sweetened sodas daily saw a 66 percent increase in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It has become clear that having no soda at all in our diet is the ideal way to go. This would not only remove the aspartame and sugar risks, but it will also help in keeping your body in a more alkaline state.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16507461

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23097267

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17805418

Aspartame Linked to Leukemia & Lymphoma in Groundbreaking Study

Each year, Americans consume about 5,250 tons of aspartame in total. 86 percent of this aspartame (4,500 tons) is from the consumption of diet sodas. Diet soda is the largest dietary source of aspartame  in the U.S. A study recently published at the beginning of December 2012 links the consumption of Aspartame to increased risk of Lymphoma and Leukemia. The study was conducted by the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. The study was a follow up after a 22 year period of data collection including frequent dietary and health check ups of the study group.

We have covered the subject of aspartame on several occasions that included findings that deomstrate how aspartame damages the brain. This new study suggests that as little as a single 355ml can of diet soda daily greatly increases the risk for cancers in men and women. It can also increase the risk of multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in men. The results of this study forces us to really look at the effects of aspartame as there has never been a more comprehensive, long term study ever done on the topic. It is important to note that this can also reveal many more serious diseases and illnesses as data is observed even further.

The Most Comprehensive Study to Date on Aspartame

This study tracks over two million person-years giving it a huge pile of data to generate results from. Researchers prospectively analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study for a 22-year period. A total of 77,218 women and 47,810 men were included in the analysis, for a total of 2,278,396 person-years of data. It is not just the sample size of this study that makes it impressive, it is also the thoroughness with which aspartame intake was assessed in comparison to previous studies. Over the course of the study, every two years participants were given a detailed dietary questionnaire, and their diets were reassessed every four years. Shockingly, previous studies done on aspartame who revealed no link between aspartame and cancer in humans, only assessed participants’ aspartame intake at one point in time. This poses a major weakness in the accuracy of previous studies.

The combined results of this new study showed that just one 12-fl oz. can (355 ml) of diet soda daily leads to:

- 42 percent higher leukemia risk in men and women (pooled analysis)

- 102 percent higher multiple myeloma risk (in men only)

- 31 percent higher non-Hodgkin  lymphoma risk (in men only)

This is a powerful set of results as it leaves little to ponder about when it comes to the long time talked about risks of aspartame on our health. The results were based on multi-variable relative risk models, all in comparison to participants who drank no diet soda. It is important to note that it still remains unknown why only men drinking higher amounts of diet soda showed increased risk for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but the continuation of this study may reveal these results later.

Most of the past studies showing no link between aspartame and cancer have been criticized for being too short in duration and too inaccurate in assessing long-term aspartame intake. This new study solves both of those issues. The study in fact shows a positive link to cancer and it should come as no surprise given that a previous best-in-class research study done on animals (900 rats over their entire natural lifetimes) showed strikingly similar results back in 2006. More worrying is the follow up mega-study, which started aspartame exposure of the rats at the fetal stage. Increased lymphoma and leukemia risks were confirmed, and this time the female rats also showed significantly increased breast (mammary) cancer rates. This raises a critical question: will future, high-quality studies uncover links to the other cancers or diseases in which aspartame has been implicated?

My Own Thoughts

I have been researching aspartame and other health related illnesses for a few years now and have found a lot of different information as it relates to effects of various substances on health. This study stands out from many as it illustrates the importance of conducting research that is of quality and done over time. While we cannot confirm with 100% accuracy that this was the key factor in these ilnesses, we can confirm that it does play a big role. Also, when we look at what exists today as studies that are in favor of Aspartame being safe, we find that there are many weaknesses behind them that would produce poor results in accuracy.

Of course we can always go back to what feels natural and what would make sense when we look at our foods and I think this is something that we don't require  a scientific analysis to observe. Of course this is my opinion but, when we are adding chemicals that are synthetic and created in a lab to our food, it does not reflect naturally occurring elements that we are designed to consume. The human body was not designed to take in these types of substances through nature, which makes perfect sense as to why the majority of chemicals found in foods today have numerous links to serious health affects. This isn’t to say the body can’t handle all synthetics, but instead just shows that we should not be surprised to find out results like this.

If previous research on the subject was not enough, there is now undeniable evidence that suggests we should not be consuming aspartame at all in our diet. Switching over to sugar sweetened soda is also not a good alternative as this study also found that men consuming one or more sugar-sweetened sodas daily saw a 66 percent increase in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It has become clear that having no soda at all in our diet is the ideal way to go. This would not only remove the aspartame and sugar risks, but it will also help in keeping your body in a more alkaline state.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16507461

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23097267

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17805418