Moon's Blog: 2010

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."

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