Health - Dangers of Diet Soda, Aspartame, and other artificial sweeteners

Artificial Sweeteners - just stop eating diet foods and drinks for a week and see what your body tells you.

I used to drink lots of Diet Coke... LOVED the stuff!  I always joked about saving the calories for the meal so I could eat more.  Then I became enlightened...  I actually started listening to my body only when it became a "train wreck" and I was desperate for a change.  One of the things I started to research was the effect of artificial sweeteners on our body and health.

It is no wonder that I suffered from bladder infections, fluid retention, headaches, fatigue, frequent illnesses, reflux, and a host of other issues.  I don't entirely blame the Diet Coke habit but I certainly know now that it took its toll.

Artificial sweeteners are made of chemicals.  Straight up!  They were developed in laboratories from substances that humans should not ingest.  They were discovered to be sweet and then added to our foods to meet the needs of people who wanted a low calorie alternative to their favorite foods and drinks and they have been wreaking havoc on our health ever since! 

Artificial sweeteners are not only in our diet drinks.  They are in the foods we eat as well, especially the so-called-diet foods.  But here is some irony for you.  Artificial sweeteners cause increase appetite and weight gain.  No wonder we diet like crazy and can't lose those extra pounds!

Here is a list of artificial sweeteners to watch for on the labels of your foods and drinks:

Mannitol
Glycerol
Acesulfame potassium
Aspartame
Cyclamate
Isomalt
Sorbitol
Saccharin
Sucralose
Alitame
Thaumatin
Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone
Maltitol
Lactitol
Xylitol
Erythritol

Just for your own education, read this article by Dr. Mercola on the dangers of Aspartame and why it works against your body and can destroy your health.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/07/aspartame-causes-blood-cancer.aspx?e_cid=20121107_DNL_art_1

Remember that all foods derived from natural sources are good for you... but moderation is key.  A balanced and diverse diet in conjunction with the avoidance of processed foods and chemical additives will serve your body to achieve ultimate health.  It is possible to age gracefully and live long enough to plague your great grandchildren (or enrich their lives).  That is my plan.