Moon's Blog

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sweet Misery

Recently in the news, a medical study revealed a direct relationship between diet sodas and a nearly 30% decrease in kidney function. That's pretty significant!

My doctor has continually begged me not to use any artificial sweeteners because they promote insulin resistance, contributing to weight gain and diabetes.

Today, I happened onto this documentary called Sweet Misery with delves into the details of aspartame. Below are the notes I took while watching the documentary. At the bottom, I have provided all the links to the 10-minute segments of the documentary.

Notes:
Increase in specific brain cancers since 1985, possibly even 1984 has also possibly been linked with aspartame, which hit the market in 1983. Consumption doubled by the following year and climbed into the '90's.

It was fully marketed for pop July-August 1983, six months later, by 1984, the brain tumor rate jumped by 10% in the U.S. and diabetes by 30% and incidence of a very aggressive and unusual lymphoma jumped 60%.

In 1988 80% of food additive complaints submitted to the FDA were of products containing aspartame products. "92 Symptoms" http://www.dorway.com/92symptomsfotocopy.html

Most of the symptoms are neurological (headache, dizziness, change in vision, memory loss, fatigue, rash, etc.). Aspartame affects protein synthesis, brain synapse, and DNA.

It has been known for a long time that consumption of aspartame combined with carbohydrates decreases the availability of L-tryptophan (which is the building block of seratonin).

Research on MSG was found to cause holes in the brains of rats and mice in lab tests and thus, MSG was removed from all baby food products. The same doctor who did that study found that aspartic acid (a component of aspartame) did the exact same thing.

If aspartame is so bad, how did it get approved by the FDA?

In 1965 an ulcer drug substance research led to discovery of aspartame.

First safety tests on aspartame in 1970 was for 52 weeks on monkeys to determine the effects. Seven fed aspartame with milk, five had grand mal seizures and one died. In the same year, Dr. John Olney found that aspartic acid caused brain tumors in mice and reported the evidence to Searle. Regardless of findings, in mid-’73 Searle applied to the FDA to use aspartame as a food sweetener.

FDA, Searle, General Foods and Turner met to go over studies. Searle didn’t provide FDA evidence of negative aspartame studies and thus aspartame was approved in ’74 by FDA with limited use. Dr. Olney and Turner filed a petition attacking approval. FDA said they’d look into it and have a public hearing.

In 1975, FDA appointed a special task force to examine 11 of the pivotal studies. Of 113 done on aspartame, 90 were conducted in early to mid ‘70’s. Every one of the 11 “pivotal” tests was part of the 90. In March ’76, FDA completed their investigation report. FDA knew they had a terrible situation and hired a pathologist group to review the studies …. FINANCED BY SEARLE!!!

In ’77 Richard Merrill suggested a grand jury investigate Searle for fraud, deletion, and falsification of records. The U.S. Prosecutor, Sam Skinner, took a job as an attorney with Searle’s legal department during this process and the statue of limitations ran out on prosecution. Seven of the key FDA employees who kept approving the use of aspartame, getting it passed through the system, went on to take jobs with Searle, soft drink and other industries who profited from the use of aspartame.

Searle was crumbling when Donald Rumsfeld took over as President of Searle in 1977.

In 1981, the day after Reagan took office as U.S. President, Searle re-applied for approval of aspartame. Three of the five FDA senior scientists who reviewed the brain tumor studies were against approval. The new FDA Commissioner, Arthur Hull Hayes, the panel lawyer assigned a new panel member which gave a three-to-three split. Hayes then overruled for approval in dry foods.

In 1983, FDA approved for use in carbonated beverages. Under charges of improprieties, left FDA and hired as a public relations consultant at $1,000/day by Searle.

Friday, January 15, 2010

WILL ANYONE STAND UP FOR AMERICAN INDUSTRY?

I came across this article from another blog. Here's a quote from the article:

"...America, a country that once pulled off the most audacious of engineering projects with panache, one that put a man on the moon in the 1960s, now can't even build a bridge to replace one it constructed with ease in the 1930s."

It is quite disconcerting.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

10 Ways to look Younger

Found this article with tips on looking younger. I've put the highlights below, but please click on the link and read the details.

Pomegranates contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which protects skin against the sun's free radicals. Eat 1/2 a cup of seeds or one cup of juice a day to help smooth fine lines.
Cucumbers help maintain collagen production.
Apply a cream or stain blush under make-up to mimic skin's youthful glow.
Apply sheer face coverage, avoiding creases with liquid foundation or tinted moisturizer.
Enhance cheekbones with a shimmer cream applied to the outer edge of the cheek bones and sweep it up and out to the hairline.
Get plenty of sleep to feel refreshed. Lack of sleep can cause blood pooling under eyes, creating under eye circles. To help camouflage under-eye circles, use a soft, flat-bristle brush to apply concealer from the inner corner under the eye to midway under, where most of the darkness lies.
Enhance eyes by drawing eyeliner or dampened brush dripped in eye shadow along upper lashes only, giving lift at the outter edge. Use mascara on upper lashes only to help give eyes a lift.
Look for make-ups and face products that contain firming peptides, antioxidants, and hydrating hyaluronic acid to get double duty
Get 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise per day for 25% oxygenation increase for healthier cells - also improving heart function and mental health.
Beta-carotene helps prevent collagen breakdown and protects skin from UV rays. Foods high in beta-carotene: peppers, green leafy vegetables (lettuces, kale spinach), carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, etc.
Feed your face (and skin) with omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation, stress, and even reduces arterial thickening. Sources of omega-3's: fish oil supplments, salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, and winter squash.
Not mentioned in the article: Drink plenty of water. Keeping your skin hydrated is pertinent to healthy, glowing skin.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Vintage Cleaning Tips

I always like hints and tips for making chores easier.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A Decade of Economy

A lost decade for U.S. economy, workers

Economists, policymakers will be chewing on lessons of the Aughts for years

By Neil Irwin

Highlights of the article:

"The past decade was the worst for the U.S. economy in modern times,..."

"..debt-driven expansion that was neither robust nor sustainable."

"Economic output rose at its slowest rate of any decade since the 1930s as well."

"Middle-income households made less in 2008, when adjusted for inflation, than they did in 1999 ..."

"...we let housing bubbles get out of control."

"Total household debt rose 117 percent from 1999 to its peak in early 2008, ..."

"The first decade of the new century was an experiment in what happens when an economy comes to rely heavily on borrowed money."

"...people engaged in excessively risky behavior without realizing the risks associated,"

"...forecasters are now generally expecting the job market to turn around early in 2010 and begin creating jobs."

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Feeling Ready for the New Year

My New Year's resolution is to tap into my inner June Cleaver ... again.

While I've already been working at getting my health, house, and home back in order, Christmas was a definite detour. Now that Christmas is behind us, I'm feeling a very strong urge to get back on track. Every room in my house needs major attention. The girls need some stringent supervision in following through with their chores. I have a mile-long list of projects that need to be done. I'm just ready to get on with it.

I look back on my childhood and realize my mother was June Cleaver. The house was always spotless, there was never more than one load of dirty laundry, and hot meals were like clockwork. She baked, she sewed, and every celebrations was magical. I have no idea how she pulled it all off unless she just never slept.

I suppose I'm strange for wanting to try to perfect my inner retro mom. I enjoy making homemade foods and snacks for my family. I feel good about them eating the healthy foods I make, rather than what's on the school or fast food menus. Even sick, I enjoyed making Christmas cookies with the girls. I also feel good about making costumes for Halloween or school performances, or being able to whip-up a camouflage scarf on a whim when I find out at the last minute the school's clothes theme for the following day requires something camouflage. I like being here for the girls if the school calls and tells me they're sick.

I know society has shifted and most moms have careers now and many households find it necessary to have two incomes to survive. We sacrifice a lot of nifty and shiny new things for me to be able to be the traditional stay-at-home mom. However, we find our lives so much richer. I've had some "careers" I've sincerely enjoyed working outside the home, but when I do, even with everyone pitching in, too many of our domestic duties get neglected due to lack of time for all of us. Further, we lose all of our quality family time to time given to domestic necessities. All of that eats away at my core. Even when I don't work outside the home, I find it difficult to complete all of my necessary projects, much less my extended wish list projects.

Some of the things I'm looking forward to doing once the general household gets back in order:

cooking and baking snacks and things for home packed lunches

this reminds me I need a couple more thermoses

make slipcovers for the sofa and loveseat.
make kitchen shades
make a shower curtain (I can't find one I like)
make a new dog bed
put down the new bathroom floor
make clothes for the girls and myself
make aprons
paint the dining room and living room
redecorate the girls' room
finish the basement repairs (from the flood)
clear-out the sun room
garden
scrapbook again (it's been nearly two years)
making a family cookbook
strip the woodwork
Declutter every room for Goodwill or Spring yard sale

There's just so much that I really, really want to get done. I sincerely miss the days when most moms stayed home. How do career moms manage?

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Addict's Demise

~by Kathy Ayres

The addict begins innocently enough.
Often starting with enjoyment of a small gift.
But the high soon fades and the addict seeks more.
Still a contributing member of society,
The addict seeks obvious easy sources.
Over time, each fix gradually increases to sustain the high.
Then the fix shifts and becomes not just larger, but more frequent.
Soon, the addict begins to fade in daily life,
unable to keep up with common, everyday necessities.
Eventually, it all comes crashing down and
the addict hits rock bottom.
Who is the addict?
Not the guy in the alley with a needle in his arm.
The addict is the guy that had to have stuff.
Lots and lots of stuff.