America's Deadliest Sweetener Betrays Millions, Then Hoodwinks You With Name Change

Aspartame producer Ajinomoto is launching a new initiative that will rebrand the sweetener as “AminoSweet”.

Aspartame is used in many foods and beverages marketed as low calorie or sugar-free. However, its reputation has been clouded somewhat by studies that have investigated reports of ill effects.

Just to remind you, the side effects of aspartame can include:

·    Headache 

·    Change in vision

·    Convulsions and seizures

·    Hallucination

·    Nausea and vomiting

·    Joint pain

It can cause many, many other problems as well.

Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was the most contested in FDA history. In the end, the artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but rather because of strong political and financial pressure. After all, aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent!

It’s hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it was, and it has been wreaking silent havoc with people’s health for the past 30 years.

The truth is, it should never have been released onto the market, and allowing it to remain in the food chain is seriously hurting people – no matter how many times you rebrand it under fancy new names.

The Deceptive Marketing of Aspartame

Sold commercially under names like NutraSweet, Canderel, and now AminoSweet, aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 foods, including soft drinks, chewing gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, breakfast cereals, jams, sweets, vitamins, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Aspartame producer Ajinomoto chose to rebrand it under the name AminoSweet, to “remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids – the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet.”

This is deception at its finest: Begin with a shred of truth, and then spin it to fit your own agenda.

In this case, the agenda is to make you believe that aspartame is somehow a harmless, natural sweetener made with two amino acids that are essential for health and present in your diet already.

They want you to believe aspartame delivers all the benefits of sugar and none of its drawbacks. But nothing could be further from the truth.

How Aspartame Wreaks Havoc on Your Health

Did you know there have been more reports to the FDA for aspartame reactions than for all other food additives combined?

In fact, there are over 10,000 official complaints, but by the FDA’s own admission, less than 1 percent of those who experience a reaction to a product ever report it. So in all likelihood, the toxic effects of aspartame may have affected roughly a million people already.

While a variety of symptoms have been reported, almost two-thirds of them fall into the neurological and behavioral category consisting mostly of headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. The remaining third is mostly gastrointestinal symptoms.

This video will familiarize you with some of the terrifying side-effects and health problems you could encounter if you consume products containing this chemical.

Unfortunately, aspartame toxicity is not well-known by doctors, despite its frequency. Diagnosis is also hampered by the fact that it mimics several other common health conditions, such as:

Multiple sclerosis	Parkinson's disease
Alzheimer's disease	Fibromyalgia
Arthritis	Multiple chemical sensitivity
Chronic fatigue syndrome	Attention deficit disorder
Panic disorder	Depression and other psychological disorders
Lupus	Diabetes and diabetic complications
Birth defects	Lymphoma
Lyme disease	Hypothyroidism

How Diet Foods and Drinks CAUSE Weight Problems

In recent years, food manufacturers have increasingly focused on developing low-calorie foods and drinks to help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity. Unfortunately, the science behind these products is so flawed, most of these products can actually lead to increased weight gain!

For example, researchers have discovered that drinking diet soda increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, and may double your risk of obesity – the complete opposite of the stated intention behind these “zero calorie” drinks.

The sad truth is that diet foods and drinks ruin your body's ability to count calories, and in fact stimulate your appetite, thus boosting your inclination to overindulge.

Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as an acceptable alternative to sugar, which is at best confusing and at worst harming the health of those who take their misguided advice.

Even More Toxic Dangers of Aspartame

Truly, there is enough evidence showing the dangers of consuming artificial sweeteners to fill an entire book -- which is exactly why I wrote Sweet Deception. If you or your loved ones drink diet beverages or eat diet foods, this book will explain how you've been deceived about the truth behind artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose -- for greed, for profits, and at the expense of your health.

As mentioned earlier, almost two-thirds of all documented side effects of aspartame consumption are neurological.

One of the reasons for this side effect, researchers have discovered, is because the phenylalanine in aspartame dissociates from the ester bond. While these amino acids are indeed completely natural and safe, they were never designed to be ingested as isolated amino acids in massive quantities, which in and of itself will cause complications.

Additionally this will also increase dopamine levels in your brain. This can lead to symptoms of depression because it distorts your serotonin/dopamine balance. It can also lead to migraine headaches and brain tumors through a similar mechanism.

The aspartic acid in aspartame is a well-documented excitotoxin. Excitotoxins are usually amino acids, such as glutamate and aspartate. These special amino acids cause particular brain cells to become excessively excited, to the point that they die.

Excitotoxins can also cause a loss of brain synapses and connecting fibers. A review conducted in 2008 by scientists from the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo found that consuming a lot of aspartame may inhibit the ability of enzymes in your brain to function normally, and may lead to neurodegeneration.

According to the researchers, consuming a lot of aspartame can disturb:

·         The metabolism of amino acids

·         Protein structure and metabolism

·         The integrity of nucleic acids

·         Neuronal function

·         Endocrine balances

Furthermore, the ester bond in aspartame breaks down to formaldehyde and methanol, which are also toxic in their own right. So it is not surprising that this popular artificial sweetener has also been found to cause cancer.

One truly compelling case study that shows this all too well was done by a private citizen named Victoria Inness-Brown. She decided to perform her own aspartame experiment on 108 rats over a period of 2 years and 8 months.

Daily, she fed some of the rats the equivalent (for their body weight) of two-thirds the aspartame contained in 8-oz of diet soda. Thirty-seven percent of the females fed aspartame developed tumors, some of massive size.

How to Ditch Artificial Sweeteners, and Satiate Your Sweet Tooth

If you suffer from sweet cravings, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re doing the right thing by opting for a zero-calorie sweetener like aspartame. Please understand that you will do more harm than good to your body this way.

First, it’s important to realize that your body craves sweets when you’re not giving it the proper fuel it needs.

Finding out your nutritional type will tell you exactly which foods you need to eat to feel full and satisfied. It may sound hard to believe right now, but once you start eating right for your nutritional type, your sweet cravings will significantly lessen and may even disappear.

Meanwhile, be sure you address the emotional component to your food cravings using a tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT). More than any traditional or alternative method I have used or researched, MTT works to overcome food cravings and helps you reach dietary success.

And, if diet soda is the culprit for you, be sure to check out Turbo Tapping, which is an extremely effective and simple tool to get rid of your soda addiction in a short period of time.

Non-Acceptable Alternative Sweeteners

I have written a few articles on fructose earlier this year, and I will be writing many more, so please be aware that I am absolutely convinced that fructose ingestion is at the core of our obesity epidemic.

And I’m not only talking about high fructose corn syrup, which is virtually identical to table sugar. The only major difference between the two is HFCS is much cheaper so it has contributed to massive increase in fructose ingestion, far beyond safe or healthy.

Please understand you need to keep your fructose levels BELOW 25 grams per day. The best way to do that is to avoid these “natural” sweeteners as they are loaded with a much higher percentage of fructose than HFCS.

·         Fruit Juice

·         Agave

·         Honey

Please note that avoiding these beyond 25 grams per day is crucial, even if the source is fresh, raw, and organic. It just doesn’t matter, fructose is fructose is fructose…

Acceptable Alternative Sweeteners

For those times when you just want a taste of something sweet, your healthiest alternative is www.justlikesugarinc.com . It’s a natural plant and, unlike aspartame and other artificial sweeteners that have been cited for dangerous toxicities, it is a safe, natural alternative that's ideal if you’re watching your weight, or if you’re maintaining your health by avoiding sugar.

It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and truly has virtually no calories.

I must tell you that I am biased; I prefer Stevia as my sweetener of choice, and I frequently use it. However, like most choices, especially sweeteners, I recommend using Stevia in moderation, just like sugar. In excess it is still far less likely to cause metabolic problems than sugar or any of the artificial sweeteners.

I want to emphasize, that if you have insulin issues, I suggest that you avoid sweeteners altogether, including Stevia, as they all can decrease your sensitivity to insulin.

Lo han is another sweetener like Stevia. It’s an African sweet herb that can also be used, but it’s a bit more expensive and harder to find.

So if you struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or extra weight, then you have insulin sensitivity issues and would benefit from avoiding ALL sweeteners.

But for everyone else, if you are going to sweeten your foods and beverages anyway, I strongly encourage you to consider using regular Stevia or Lo han, and toss out all artificial sweeteners and any products that contain them.

Related Links:

  Aspartame: Killing You By Degrees

  Aspartame, Brain Cancer and the FDA

  New Research Links Nutrasweet to Leukemia and Lymphoma

Aspartame Murders Infants

Aspartame Murders Infants -Violates Federal Genocide Law
By James Bowen, MD
5-6-00

ASPARTAME TOXIC MECHANISMS -

ABORTIFACIENT
Abortion causation

TEROTOGEN
Birth defect production

ADJUVANT
Forms antigenic tissue, triggering immunologic attack, fetal wastage

CHELATION
Chelates metals, promotes heavy metal poisoning


SOME ASPARTAME TOXIC AGENTS -

Methyl alcohol
Phenylalanine [PHE]
Aspartic Acid
Diketopiperazine
Formaldehyde
Formic acid


Aspartame, APM, is sold as NutraSweet and Equal and is in thousands of foods and diet drinks. At every point in the fertility process APM destroys, beginning with the gleam in Mom and Pop,s eyes: it ruins female sexual response and induces male sexual dysfunction. Beyond this, aspartame disrupts fetal development by aborting it or inducing defects. And if a live child is born aspartame may have heinously damaged the DNA of the baby, cursing future generations.

APM,s abortifacient properties are inherent in its structure. As the 3-cornered molecule is metabo- lized it releases methyl alcohol, plus phenylalanine and aspartic acid, both neurotoxins. The methyl alcohol breaks down into formaldehyde, then formic acid. APM methyl alcohol/formaldehyde poisoning, engenders a host of cumulative degenerative diseases and functional abnormalities. Isolated phenyalanine and aspartic acid are neurotoxic.

Formaldehyde is recognized as a potent adjuvant which causes foreign proteins to be recognized as antigens by the immune system, triggering immune responses to destroy them. Because of its adjuvancy formaldehyde is included in many vaccines. A challenge the mother,s body must overcome to carry a fetus is keeping the maternal immune system from identifying the varied fetal tissues as foreign proteins and destroying them. APM denatures fetal tissues creating an antigenicity stimulus enticing destruction by the maternal immune system. This termination of pregnancy can be so rapid that the mother may not notice a delayed period or she may miscarry almost immediately.

The ability of methyl alcohol/formaldehyde to create antigenicity, especially as combined in APM molecules is so great as to cause severe autoimmune reactions to the tissues deformed by formaldehyde polymerization, adduct formation. The immune system turns against the victim,s tissues: Lupus.

Beyond the danger of attack from the maternal immune system, APM directly damages the fetus. A good reference point is fetal alcohol syndrome: lifelong deformity, disability and loss of mental acuity in infants who survive maternal alcohol abuse. Even moderate use of beverage alcohol by the mother abuses the fetus and its future. Methyl alcohol is fifty times as potent an intoxicant as ethyl alcohol [beverage alcohol]. Formaldehyde is 5,000 times more potent. Assembled in the carefully crafted APM molecule these neurotoxins are about 20,000 times more potent than beverage alcohol.

Because of APM,s extreme toxicity even minute doses are destructive, damaging fetal nervous systems and related structures. Eyes and hearing come to mind. All tissues are similarly damaged as beyond its functional neurological intoxicating effects, methyl alcohol/formaldehyde is the strongest organic base in the living organism and is a polymerizing agent, turning tissue into plastic. From such poisoning there is no escape, it is obligatory metabolism by alcholdehydrogenase of methyl alcohol into nascent formaldehyde, occurring 75% in the cytosol [cytoplasm] and 25% in the mitochondria.

A SHORT LESSON on PROTEIN FORMATION: Proteins are usually four long chains [polypetides] of the 20 amino acids we get from food. Amino acids are structures of 10 to 27 atoms. [hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, one has an atom of sulfur] These 20 amino acids the are letters of the biochemical alphabet which spell out proteins, some of which contain thousands of amino acids. To support rapid growth the fetus requires lots of amino acids which the placenta supplies in 400% concentration. Amino acids in fetal veins are four times that in the mother,s blood. Natural foods are complex mixes of amino acids, no food is merely one or two isolated amino acids, as is APM.

APM is 50% phenylalanine [PHE] which is a nutrient when accompanied by other amino acids, however isolated PHE is toxic, especially for the fetus or infant. Dr. Louis Elsas, Professor of Pediatrics [Genetics] at Emory University, testified to Congress: "I have spent 25 years in biomedical sciences trying to prevent birth defects caused by excess phenylalanine. And therein lies my basic concern, that aspartame is in fact a well known neurotoxin and teratogen which, in some as yet undefined dose, will both reversibly in the adult and irreversibly in the developing child or fetal brain, produce adverse effects. Senate Hearing 11/3/87 Labor & Human Resources Committee

The 400% placenta-supplied concentration of isolated phenylalanine from APM causes mental retardation! The PHE in a plate of beans is absorbed in about 20 hours in competition with the other amino acids. The PHE in a Diet Coke is absorbed in a few minutes in competition with nothing. This is highly significant because amino acid biochemistry at enzyme sites is competitive and PHE out-competes all the others, which means isolated PHE from APM, in the fetal brain with no competition, destroys it!

I have a cerebral palsied grandchild because my daughter-in-law refused to listen and drank NutraSweet pop during her pregnancy. A nurse who headed a visiting nurses association in Nebraska has two cerebral palsied grandchildren from NutraSweet. Their mother said "Oh Mom, its that safe natural NutraSweet. Only when she delivered her second palsied child did she admit her life was devastated from trusting the FDA, the media, and the APM advertising by "ethical food, beverage and drug industries.

Another nurse, a close personal friend in Walla Walla, Washington, had a grandchild so cerebrally palsied by aspartame it will never lift its head from a pillow but merely stare blankly into space for its whole life. Their church eschews using large amounts of sugar, so the father came home and announced "No more sugar in this household! We,re going to use that safe natural NutraSweet from now on.

Heel-stick blood sampling is routine on newborns to screen for Phenylketonuria to identify infants with PKU so to protect them from the severe brain damage they can sustain from even a single meal of foods high in phenylalanine. Think of the damage to PKU infants by maternal APM consumption. Consider the shroud of tragedy that overcame the lives of these hopeful parents, then multiply their number by hundreds, by thousands, and find a better word than MURDER!

APM is 40% aspartic acid. This amino acid, when isolated, is excitotoxic, it excites neurons or brain cells, to death. Like formaldehyde, APM is a chromosomal damaging agent. The neurological dangers to the developing fetus are obvious. The chromosomal damage in the mother may be inherited by the fetus and since a female fetus contains at birth all the ova she,ll ever have, future generations are forever endangered by inherited chromosomal damage as well the damage to her developing ovaries from the aspartame her mother consumes during pregnancy.

So-called "health supplements made of isolated phenylalanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid [glutamates as in MSG] and other dicarboxylic amino acid neuroexcitotoxins such as picinolates are marketed either as acts of blind ignorance or deliberate malice. They do the exact opposite of what they,re sold for, i.e. isolated phenylalanine can cause nerve transmitter disruption, brain malnutrition and neurotoxicity leading to impaired mental functioning, depression, headaches, and other reactions.

BRAIN TUMORS: As it breaks down APM creates diketopiperazine and with the intact APM molecule you have the two greatest brain tumor carcinogens discovered by science thus far responsible for the massive brain tumor epidemic we now witness. The methylated aspartyl radicals such as the N-methylD aspartyl radical, et al, are recognized as causative of about every known neuro-degenerative disease. To independently research these issues look up "The Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Phenylalanine Metabolism by Dr Richard Wurtman, head of Neuroendochronology at MIT. He has since for his own reasons become a defender of APM, but the record created by the world,s best minds on phenylalanine pathologies are in that document. Read Dr. Hyman Roberts, excellent books documenting APM causation of schizophrenia by its action in the mid brain and cerebral cortex. Websites: www.dorway.com www.holisticmed.com/aspartame www.aspartamekills.com

CHELATION: [Chelate, from the Latin word for Claw, a chemical which seizes and holds other chemicals, often metals] Aspartame was kept off the market by the once intact FDA. A compelling reason the FDA rejected APM is its potent chelating activity, which rapidly picks up toxic metals and carries into the body even metals the body would normally refuse to absorb through digestion. The extreme lead poisoning danger to a child,s developing brain and organs is well known. Many metals NutraSweet carries into us are as damaging as equal concentrations of lead. The strongest evidence is what APM does to people. Consider this 3/23/00 report from B. Lynn. FDA will call this deplorable tragedy an "anecdote.

"My [then] 5 year old daughter was getting migrane headaches and vomiting. My sister-in-law, an RN, told me to get her off the diet soda. I have only seen two such headaches in the last thee and a half years, no vomiting. My mother, an avid drinker of Diet Coke suffered a stroke at 53. My aunt at 57 suffered a stroke. My nephew at four months was Dx with Infantile Spasms. My friend, after months of tests and pain was Dx with Fibromyalgia, drinks 5-6 Diet sodas a day.

In 1995 I suffered a miscarriage. 3 months later I conceived my son. He
was born with VACTERL Association. He had every anomaly in the association:
V Vertebra, he had a tethered spinal cord
A Anal Artesia [ no anal opening]
C Cardiac, open heart surgery at 5 months
TE Trachea Esophegeal Artesia. Esophagus attached to his Trachea
R Renal/Radial defects. He has a hypo plastic thumb and a horseshoe
kidney
L Limb defects One arm shorter, skeletal anomalies still being
discovered
They could never explain why my perfect pregnancy produced such a child. I sent this to some friends that belong to support group for children with anorectal malformations. The response will be emotional to say the least. We,ve all searched for an answer to what caused these horrible defects in our children. A better word than murder? GENOCIDE! There,s a Federal Law against Genocide: Criminal Code, Title 18 Chapter 50A, Sec 1091-3 It has no statute of limitations, & provides: Whoever , whether in time of peace or time of war, with specific intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group as such--

(1) Kills members of that group
(2) Causes serious bodily injury to members of that group
(3) Causes the permanent impairment of the mental faculties of members
of the group through drugs, torture or similar techniques
(4) Subjects the group to conditions of life that are intended to cause
the physical destruction of the group in whole or in part
(5) Imposes measures intended to prevent births within the groups
Shall be punished as provided in subsection B
[ B says if death results: Death or life imprisonment & a fine of not more
than $1,000,000]

All five rules have been smashed by the aspartame/NutraSweet industry. We, the population of the United States are the Group. The sellers of APM poisoned foods and drinks knew in advance the havoc it would wreck on our nation,s health. That knowledge establishes intention. Test SC18862, submitted for APM approval involved feeding aspartame to 7 infant monkeys. One died; 5 had grand mal seizures, an 86% casualty rate, nevertheless FDA approved the poison so is equally culpable with the manufacturers. 75% of all complaints on food additives are on APM which FDA tallied into a list of 10,000 consumer complaints of 92 symptoms, including death, but you can,t get the list without a Congressman.

Note #3, mental impairment: APM depletes serotonin from which victims suffer manic depression, hallucinations, paranoia, rage, suicidal tendencies, anxiety and panic. Surgeon General Satcher said 22% of the population now suffer mental problems. APM is involved! I,ve shown how rule #5 is fulfilled by destruction of our unborn and living children. This law makes all producers and marketers of aspartame criminals. What will the justice department and the courts do to protect us?

Contact Betty Martini, Mission Possible International 770 242-2599 www.dorway.com

10 Food Ingredients to Avoid to Feel Better and Look Better

Want to look better and feel better? What if you could avoid just 10 food ingredients and make a huge improvement in your health.

Avoid:

1. HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP: HFCS is the number one source of calories for most Americans and causes obesity.

You’ll find high-fructose corn syrup in processed food, fast food, sodas, syrup that goes into your Latte, etc.

HFCS is extremely toxic to your liver, increases inflammation, causes obesity, oxidative stress and creates an aggressive insulin response.

2. PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS (TRANS FATS): Partially hydrogenated oils are found in thousands of processed foods (breakfast cereals, cookies, chips).

Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease and contribute to obesity.

Restaurant food, especially from fast food chains, often serve food loaded with trans fats.

Consequences of a diet high in trans fats include:

* increased inflammation

* decreased immune function

* decreased testosterone

* Arthritis

* Cancer

* Decrease IQ – learning disabilities. American IQ has dropped 20 points in the past 20 years.

* Diabetes

* Elevated blood pressure

* Free radical production

* Heart Disease

* Interferes with neurological & visual development of fetus

* Liver damage

* Obesity

* Osteoporosis

* Type II diabetes

3. MSG: Monosodium glutamate is a chemical that has been associated with reproductive disorders, migraine headaches, permanent damage to the endocrine system leading to obesity and other serious disorders.

MSG is used in many foods as a taste enhancer. It is linked to reduced fertility.

4. SODIUM NITRATE: This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish and corned beef.

Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

5. REFINED SOY: When it comes to soy, much of what we read and hear about comes from the people who market it.

Before you mix up a soy shake, snack on a soy protein bar or pour yourself a glass of soy milk consider this: unfermented, processed soy inhibits the thyroid, is deficient in amino acids, is toxic to infants and shrinks the brain.

There are some redeeming qualities to soy, however these are found primarily in fermented soy products like tempeh, miso, natto and soybean sprouts.

If you want to get some health benefits from soy, stick to these four forms and pass on ALL processed soy milks, tofu, soy burgers, soy ice cream, soy cheese and other soy junk foods that are disguised as health foods.

6. WHITE SUGAR: Sugar is more addictive than cocaine!

Sugar has a profound influence on your brain function and your psychological function.

When you consume excess amounts of sugar, your body releases excess amounts of insulin, which in turn causes a drop in your blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia.

In addition, sugar is pro-flammatory damages skin collagen and promotes wrinkles, increases your appetite, depletes your body of B vitamins, causes joint degeneration, ADHD and other behavior disorders, stimulates cholesterol synthesis and weight gain.

7. SODIUM CHLORIDE: Commercial table salt is highly processed and full of aluminum, chemicals and additives which are toxic.

Opt for a healthier version such as Bragg’s amino acids or Celtic sea salt (light pink, grey or beige color).

8. ASPARTAME, SPLENDA, SWEET N LOW, EQUAL: Aspartame is an artificial, chemical sweetener found in many foods and beverages including desserts, gelatins, protein powder, low calorie foods, drink mixes and sodas.

It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness, migraine headaches, weight gain, increased appetite, bloating, rashes or hallucinations.

Aspartame poisoning mimics symptoms of MS. NutraSweet is in over 7,000 foods!

Side effects:

* Increased heart disease

* Bloating and edema

* Brain seizures

* Cancer

* Cravings

* Headaches

* Predispose you to Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease

* Rashes and hives

* Weight gain – results in obesity

9. FOOD COLORINGS: (Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 5, 6) Six food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing.

There is evidence that food coloring and food additives contribute to behavioral problems in children, lead to lower IQ, hyperactivity, ADHD, depression, hormonal dysfunction and cancer.

Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, ice cream candy and baked goods have been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats.

This harmful artificial color causes cancer and changes in brain chemistry. Read the list of ingredients in your child’s cough syrup (artificial color).

Green 3 is a potential allergen and has been linked to bladder cancer. Green 3 is added to candy, mint jelly, cereals and beverages.

Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods, cereals and pet food have been linked to allergies and cancer.

Yellow 5 is the most notable artificial color because it causes the most immediate allergic reaction in people sensitive to salicylates such as aspirin.

Yellow 6 has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. Yellow 6 is added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods and candy.

Take home message – Stay away from any product listing an ingredient with a color plus a number.

10. PROCESSED/REFINED WHEAT AND GLUTEN: Refined grains are void of nutrients, disrupt insulin levels and are highly allergenic for many individuals.

Wheat and gluten have adverse health affects for approximately 80 percent of the population. Gluten is a protein found combined with starch in the endosperm of grains, notably wheat, rye and barley.

Gluten intolerance/sensitivity is severely misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed – one estimate says that 97 percent of all sufferers don’t know they have the disease due to unfamiliarity with it among U.S. physicians.

Signs and symptoms of gluten intolerance: The ultimate effect of this hidden wear and tear is the slow destruction of the healthy mucosa, or lining tissue of the small intestine causing an autoimmune response that’s similar to an allergic reaction.

In some cases there may be symptoms in childhood such as allergies, asthma, anemia, reoccurring infections, a constant upset stomach or milk intolerance.

Other symptoms are nasal and throat mucous, feeling of food sitting in stomach, bloating, gas, diarrhea with periodic constipation, mental fogginess and skin rashes.

In severe cases, as with Celiac disease, there can be seizures, psychosis, violent behavior and withdrawal from self.

Eliminate gluten-products for 3-4 weeks and tell me how great you feel.

It’s important to form a habit of reading the list of ingredients on ALL products!