Over 25 years ago, aspartame was first introduced into the European food supply. Today, it is an everyday component of most diet beverages, sugar-free desserts, and chewing gums in countries worldwide. But the tides have been turning as the general public is waking up to the truth about artificial sweeteners like aspartame and the harm they cause to health. The latest aspartame marketing scheme is a desperate effort to indoctrinate the public into accepting the chemical sweetener as natural and safe, despite evidence to the contrary.

Aspartame was an accidental discovery by James Schlatter, a chemist who had been trying to produce an anti-ulcer pharmaceutical drug for G.D. Searle & Company back in 1965. Upon mixing aspartic acid and phenylalanine, two naturally-occurring amino acids, he discovered that the new compound had a sweet taste. The company merely changed its FDA approval application from drug to food additive and, voila, aspartame was born.

G.D. Searle & Company first patented aspartame in 1970. An internal memo released in the same year urged company executives to work on getting the FDA into the “habit of saying yes” and of encouraging a “subconscious spirit of participation” in getting the chemical approved.

G.D. Searle & Company submitted its first petition to the FDA in 1973 and fought for years to gain FDA approval, submitting its own safety studies that many believed were inadequate and deceptive. Despite numerous objections, including one from its own scientists, the company was able to convince the FDA to approve aspartame for commercial use in a few products in 1974, igniting a blaze of controversy.

In 1976, then FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt wrote a letter to Sen. Ted Kennedy expressing concern over the “questionable integrity of the basic safety data submitted for aspartame safety”. FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill believed that a grand jury should investigate G.D. Searle & Company for lying about the safety of aspartame in its reports and for concealing evidence proving the chemical is unsafe for consumption.

Despite the myriad of evidence gained over the years showing that aspartame is a dangerous toxin, it has remained on the global market with the exception of a few countries that have banned it. In fact, it continued to gain approval for use in new types of food despite evidence showing that it causes neurological brain damage, cancerous tumors, and endocrine disruption, among other things.

The details of aspartame’s history are lengthy, but the point remains that the carcinogen was illegitimately approved as a food additive through heavy-handed prodding by a powerful corporation with its own interests in mind. Practically all drugs and food additives are approved by the FDA not because science shows they are safe but because companies essentially lobby the FDA with monetary payoffs and complete the agency’s multi-million dollar approval process.

Changing aspartame’s name to something that is “appealing and memorable”, in Ajinomoto’s own words, may hoodwink some but hopefully most will reject this clever marketing tactic as nothing more than a desperate attempt to preserve the company’s multi-billion dollar cash cow. Do not be deceived.

Sources:

Ajinomoto brands aspartame ‘AminoSweet’ – FoodBev.com

Aspartame History Highlights – Janet Starr Hull

FDA’s approval of aspartame under scrutiny – The Globe and Mail (Canada)

An Overdue Ban On A Dangerous Sweetener – Huffington Post

STRESS = AGING

Aging is most certainly a complex issue with many factors coming into play, but one thing that researchers do agree on is that stress (mental, emotional, and physical) causes us to age.

Eva Selhub, MD, Medical Director of the Mind/Body Medical Institute says, “If we can affect the stress response, we can affect the aging process.” She says “There`s a reason why experienced meditators live so long and look so young.” (The Anti-Aging Effects of Meditation; http://www.more.com/2025/2674-the-a…)

In a recent interview with CNN, Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zones” and researcher into longevity hotspots around the world, suggests small lifestyle changes can add up to 10 years to most people`s lives. He says aging is 10% genetic and 90% lifestyle. Buettner stated that having mechanisms to shed stress, like prayer and meditation, was of high importance in the longevity hotspots he studied and a major factor in long-term health and aging.

Dr. Robert Keith Wallace was one of the first scientists to study the effects of meditation on aging and he published his findings in the International Journal of Neuroscience (16: 53 58, 1982). His research was based on the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Dr. Wallace found that subjects with an average chronological age of 50 years, who had been practicing Transcendental Meditation for over 5 years, had a biological age 12 years younger than their chronological age. That means a 55-year-old meditator had the physiology of a 43-year-old.

Several of the subjects in the study were found to have a biological age 27 years younger than their chronological age. This study has since been replicated several times. Other studies have also shown the beneficial effects of Transcendental Meditation on the aging process. (The Transcendental Meditation Program; http://www.tmprogram.com.au/book/ch… )

History reveals many examples of seemingly `ageless` saints, dedicated to the practice of meditation, whose lives have demonstrated the enormous capacity of the human body to live much longer than today`s average life span.

Yes, these `ageless` saints and yogis practically dedicated their whole lives to meditation but even we, as average householders, can potentially live much longer, healthier lives. Meditation has revealed itself to be one of the most beneficial practices to relieve some of the stress related to aging.

Bernard Siegel, M.D., Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, wrote in Love, Medicine and Miracles (New York: Harper and Row, 1986): “Other doctors` scientific research and my own day-to-day clinical experience have convinced me that the state of the mind changes the state of the body by working through the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. Peace of mind sends the body a `live` message, while depression, fear and unresolved conflict give it a `die` message.”

“The physical benefits of meditation have recently been well documented by Western medical researchers,” says Dr. Siegel. “Meditation also raises the pain threshold and reduces one`s biological age… In short, it reduces wear and tear on both body and mind, helping people live longer and better.” (Paramahansa Yogananda. 1995. The Bhagavad Gita, p 379-380)

Scientific experts now believe we have in-built mechanisms that can fight and reverse the aging process. Innovative research into the reversal of aging is well underway and, while scientists debate the many different theories, research has revealed that meditation dramatically affects the production of three important hormones related to stress, longevity and aging.

Cortisol, DHEA and Melatonin.

Cortisol, the ’stress hormone’, is naturally produced by the adrenal glands. Our bodies produce cortisol (and adrenaline) when we react to stress. Long term or chronic stress however means that the body is over exposed to these hormones, and this can lead to increased anxiety, depression, an inability to cope, and ultimately, physical illness. (http://www.antiaging-systems.com/en…)

David Zava, Ph.D., a biochemist and prominent researcher and speaker on the topic of hormones says, “Too much cortisol, caused by stressors, over a prolonged period of time, results in excessive breakdown of all structural tissues of the body including muscle, bone, skin and brain, causing accelerated aging.”(http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits…. )

DHEA, known as the ‘youth’ hormone, is also produced by the adrenal glands and acts as a buffer against stress-related hormones (like cortisol). It is a key determinant of physiological age and dramatically decreases as we get older. When DHEA levels are low we are more susceptible to aging and disease. Anxiety and stress lower DHEA levels.

DHEA has extended rodent lifespans by up to 50%. The animals not only lived longer, but they also appeared younger. DHEA levels are directly related to mortality (the probability of dying) in humans. In a 12-year study of over 240 men aged 50 to 79 years, researchers found that DHEA levels were inversely correlated with mortality, both from heart disease and from all other causes.
(http://www.directlabs.com/Resources… )

Melatonin is a key determinant of restful sleep and is known to have a calming effect, improving our mood and feelings of contentment. Current research has also revealed melatonin to be a powerful antioxidant but as we age we create less and less melatonin.

Studies by immunologist Dr. Walter Pierpaoli of the Biancalana-Masera Foundation for the Aged in Ancona, Italy, and various colleagues have shown that melatonin treatments extended the lifespan of mice by as much as 25 percent. Moreover, mice that had been treated with melatonin not only lived longer, but they also appeared younger, healthier, more vigorous, and sexually rejuvenated.

Studies conducted by pioneering University of Texas melatonin researcher Dr. Russel Reiter show melatonin to be the most potent scavenger of free radicals – unstable molecules that promote cancer and heart disease by damaging DNA, cells, and tissue. (http://www.worldhealth.net/news/abo…)

Dr. Vincent Giampapa, M.D., head of Longevity Institute International and Past-President of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine, plays a prominent role in some of the latest scientific research into aging. His study, using specific audio technology designed for deep meditation, revealed:

* Cortisol decreased by an average of 46.47%, with positive changes in 68% of the people
* Over 68% had increases in DHEA levels, with an average increase of 43.77%
* Melatonin levels increased an average of 97.77%, with positive changes happening in over 73% of the people

Regular meditation practice brings a whole range of health benefits but the most fascinating, at the forefront of modern medicine, is how it seems to activate the body’s natural anti-aging capabilities.

“Most people think that aging is irreversible and we know that there are mechanisms even in the human machinery that allow for the reversal of aging, through correction of diet, through anti-oxidants, removal of toxins from the body, through exercise, yoga and breathing techniques, and through meditation.” – Deepak Chopra (http://www.peopleandpossibilities.c…)

Choosing the Best Quality Olive Oil

Choose an oil that is as fresh as possible, preferably under a year old. Fresh oil tastes noticeably different than older oil as the quality of old oil can deteriorate and become stale.

Labels can often be misleading and a label reading extra virgin is no guarantee of quality. Unfortunately, as with virtually all modern agricultural farming and production, a lot of factory produced olive oil is stripped of its health enhancing nutrients. To find the best organic olive oil, look for an extra virgin olive oil that is cold pressed, unfiltered and looks cloudy. It is possible to find real olive oil that is made in the traditional way, usually on small family run estates.

Caution needs to be exercised when infusing olive oil with fresh ingredients, especially garlic. This is due to the risk of botulism toxins that can develop from fresh ingredients combined with oil that is kept at room temperature. Reduce this risk by adding lemon juice and a little salt prior to warming the oil and keeping the finished product refrigerated. Do not consume infused olive oil that looks or smells bad since this may mean that the oil is contaminated with botulism. Use infused oils within a couple of months since they are perishable.

Drying Herbs and Herb Branches to Make Infused Olive Oil

Wash and dry herb branches of choice. All herbs, including barks, rinds and stalks must be dried properly. Good choices to make infused oils include rosemary, basil and oregano. Lightly bruise dried herbs to release flavor. Place them in a clean decorative glass container, cover with warmed olive oil, and seal tightly. Leave in a cool, dark place to infuse for a couple of weeks. Taste. If the flavor is not strong enough, add more fresh herbs, re-seal and allow to stand for another week.

Either strain or leave the herbs in the oil. If the herbs are left in, the flavor will become stronger as it stands. Infused oils should be refrigerated. They are highly perishable and can turn rancid quickly. It is not necessary to stick to one herb when making infused oil, try combinations such as basil, thyme, rosemary and a few cloves of garlic. It is preferable to remove garlic cloves before storing.

As the efforts to diminish access to supplements and herbs in Europe and within the States increase, you can still take charge of your health by practicing Qigong. With Qigong, you can influence the subtle life energies that affect your health.

Qigong History

The art of Qigong goes back 5000 years in China. The ancients were intuitively more aware of the subtle Chi energies and how they influence our bodies. Over the years, several forms of Qigong have emerged, all based on the same principles. Even Tai Chi, which the Chinese government considers a martial art, was developed from Qigong.

Qi (Chi) means life force, and gong means daily effort. But one form, Zhineng Qigong, was officially declared the best for healing by the 1997 Chinese book China’s Exercises for Health: Medical Qigong. It was also declared the best health enhancing form of Qigong by the Chinese Sports Bureau.

Zhineng Qigong was introduced to the public and clinically tested by Dr. Pang Ming, an MD who had studied under different Qigong masters from childhood until he was declared a Qigong Grandmaster. Prior to that, all forms of Qigong were very esoteric and limited. Dr. Pang Ming decided to form a large accessible center to cure and train people as well as prove Qigong’s medical efficacy.

During the period of over a decade from 1988, thousands were drawn to the the Zhingeng Qigong Healing and Training center without the benefit of public advertising. Orthodox medical doctors were present for emergencies and to diagnose patient/students before and after their stay. No medicines, herbs, or special diets were used. But the days were filled with lots of Qigong practice!

From a report by Qigong Master Luke Chan, “According toSummary of Zhineng Qigong’s Healing Effects on Chronic Diseases, published by the Center in 1991, data of 7,936 patients showed an overall effective healing rate of 94.96%. (15.20% cured; 37.68% very effective; 42.09% effective.)” (Emphasis added) Those results were verified by orthodox medical doctors.

Unfortunately, the Center was closed down for political reasons in 2001, mostly because of China’s over reaction to clashes with the banned Falun Gong group. It has become illegal for any type of Qigong group to assemble more than 100 students and teachers in one place.

Zhineng Qigong is still practiced with smaller groups in other locations in China, and Master Luke Chan brought over that practice with a different name to the USA (source below), while other teachers migrated to Malaysia and Europe introducing Zhineng Qigong under various names to millions.

The Practice

Phase One has three main movement sequences in this form of Qigong for improving health and healing. They are all done slowly and mindfully. To achieve “gong” (daily effort), one has to practice daily for 100 consecutive days. Miss one day and you start all over again!

While the obvious point is to get you into the discipline of daily practice necessary to achieve positive results, there seems to be another feature of this 100 day discipline. Most of us are out of touch with the Chi in and around our bodies. After several consecutive days of practice, Chi awareness arises while practicing. Follow up with the sources below if you’re curious.

Sources for more information include:

Miracles of Natural Healing
http://www.chilel.com

For the research project, a team of scientists from the University of Cincinnati, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Canadian Department of Agriculture worked with a group of volunteers in their 70s who suffered from early memory decline. Half the group drank the equivalent of two to two and 1/2 cups of blueberry juice every day for two months. As a control, a second group drank a different beverage that did not contain any blueberry juice.

After about eight weeks, the scientists conducted learning and memory tests to see if the research participants’ cognitive abilities had undergone any measurable changes. The results, which were recently published in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed that the elders who had been regularly drinking blueberry juice demonstrated significant improvement in their mental faculties.

Lead researcher Robert Krikorian and colleagues concluded that eating blueberries, which are a rich source of antioxidants and phytochemicals, may help boost memory in the aged. Bottom line: the study establishes a basis for larger, comprehensive human clinical trials to further document how blueberries can be a powerful aid for keeping brains and thinking abilities healthy and strong into old age.

“These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” the researchers stated.

“We are exploring the potential use of natural pesticides based on plant essential oils — commonly used in foods and beverages as flavorings,” Isman said.

Isman’s team has been researching the pest control properties of clove, mint, rosemary and thyme for 10 years, and has found that diluted mixtures of the essential oils from two to four of the plants can be used to both repel and kill agricultural pests. These natural pesticides have been effectively used to fight aphids and mites that would otherwise prey on spinach, strawberry and tomato crops.

The essential oils provide several major advantages over synthetic pesticides. They are significantly less toxic to farm workers and the surrounding environment than synthetic chemicals. Because they break down quickly, they are less likely to cause lasting harm to the environment or human health. Researchers also claim that insects are less likely to evolve resistance to the plant compounds.

Because they are not engineered but simply extracted from foods already deemed safe, essential oil pesticides do not need regulatory approval and can be used on organic crops.

Because the essential oils degrade so quickly in the environment, however — lasting as little as a few hours — they need to be applied relatively frequently. In comparison, synthetic pesticides may remain in the soil for months and resist breakdown long after this time, which is part of what makes them so dangerous. The herb and spice-based pesticides also need to be applied in larger doses than synthetic pesticides.

“They’re not a panacea for pest control,” Isman said. “It comes down to what’s good for the environment and what’s good for human health.”

Source for this article:

www.sciencedaily.com.

DDE is produced when bottom feeders ingest the potent pesticide DDT and break it down slightly in their bodies. When these fish are eaten by larger fish, the toxin moves up the food chain until consumed by humans. Like DDT, DDE accumulates in the fat cells of living organisms.

Although DDT was banned from the United States in the early 1970s for its destructive effects on the reproductive systems of wildlife, residue from pesticide used decades ago still persists in lakes across the country. To make matters worse, many other countries worldwide continue to use the toxin.

“DDT gets thrown up in the atmosphere and can be deposited by rain and snow attached to particles which settle at the bottom of the lakes,” said Bruce Fowler of the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. “The toxins are released by Asia and settle in North America. The jet stream carries a lot of things besides temperature and rain.”

The researchers found that captains who ate more fish had higher DDE levels, and also that captains with higher DDE levels had a higher risk of diabetes. They could not determine the cause of the diabetes — whether a chemical linked to DDE or DDE itself, or how DDE might cause the disease.

Although mercury is also found in high levels in fish and has also been linked to diabetes, the researchers noted that this could not explain the correlation between DDE levels and diabetes, as mercury and DDE travel separately.

Fish also tend to be high in another toxin known as PCBs, which can cause cancer and disrupt the endocrine system.

Every time a cell divides, its telomeres get a little bit shorter and the cell becomes slightly more susceptible to dying. Telomeres have been compared to the plastic ends on shoelaces that prevent them from unraveling. Recent telomere research has discovered that the shortening of telomeres is directly correlated to the aging process as cell integrity slowly degrades over time.

In the study, researchers evaluated two groups of healthy, non-smoking people and two groups of professional athletes. The one athletic group was composed of athletes averaging 20 years old who were members of the German national track and field team while the other athletic group was composed of middle-aged runners who had been training since they were young.

Researchers found that in both groups of athletes, physical exercise had led to the activation of the telomerase enzyme which is responsible for producing and stabilizing telomeres. Telomerase activation led to a reduced shortening of telomeres in the athletes’ leukocytes, white blood cells that protects the body against infection and disease. The most visible effect was noticed in the middle-aged participants who had been engaging in regular endurance training for several decades.

Other scientists believe that even moderate levels of exercise are responsible for slowing down the aging process and even reversing it. Many studies have shown that engaging in regular physical activity helps to prevent the onset of chronic disease and can help to lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. By slowing down the aging process, other diseases like cancer, stroke, and diabetes can also be prevented.

A similar study conducted in Sweden found that regular exercise also contributes to increased intelligence and boosted learning ability. More than 1.2 million 18-year-old Swedish men who enlisted for military service were evaluated. Researchers found that their intense physical training resulted in increased IQ and improved learning abilities.

Regular exercise increases blood flow to the brain which many believe helps to improve nerve function. Exercising also produces sweat which works to cleanse the body of toxic buildup and improve overall well being. A whole array of benefits can be achieved by regularly exercising.

Sources for this story include:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8385700.stm

Now two studies — one published in the January issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and the other published in the February issue of the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science — provide the best evidence yet that lead could be one of the biggest culprits behind ADHD.

At very high levels, lead poisoning can cause seizures, coma, and even kill. But it is chronic, long term exposure that is the more common health threat, especially for children. Researchers have previously linked elevated blood levels of lead in kids to problems ranging from mental retardation to learning disabilities. In a statement the media, Oregon Health and Science University researcher Joel Nigg, who co-authored both of the new studies, pointed out that almost all Americans have a low-level exposure to lead, a well-known neurotoxin, making the metal an ideal candidate for causing ADHD.

Although government regulations drastically reduced environmental exposure to lead a generation ago by regulating automobile fuel and paint ingredients, lead is still found in everything from children’s costume jewelry and toys to soil and some imported candies. In fact, Dr. Nigg stated that virtually all U.S. children have measurable levels of lead in their bodies.

Research shows link between lead exposure and ADHD diagnoses

The first of Dr. Nigg’s recent studies looked at lead levels found in 236 children between the ages of six and 17 diagnosed with ADHD. When these measurements were compared to those of a control group of children without ADHD symptoms, the researchers found that the children diagnosed with hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (not inattention) had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood. In a second study, the research team concluded there was a much stronger link between blood lead levels and whether children were reported by parents and teachers to have ADHD symptoms.

According to the press statement, Dr. Nigg has an explanation for how lead could cause ADHD. Bottom line: he thinks lead attaches to sites in the brain’s striatum and frontal cortex where the metal causes specific genes to turn on or remain inactive. This disrupts brain activity and alters psychological processes supported by these neurons, he theorizes, and contributes to hyperactivity and lack of vigilance.

What can parents do if they are concerned over their youngsters’ exposure to lead? First, be aware that more than 80 percent of American homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint in them, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — so avoid old paint flakes and paint dust if you remodel. Older homes also frequently have lead in the water pipes or plumbing. That makes tap water a potentially dangerous source of lead.

Although it takes chelation with drugs to remove very high levels of lead from the body, the Minnesota Department of Health’s Lead Poisoning Prevention web site offers these additional tips to keep lead levels in children as low as possible through good nutrition:

• Because it is easier to absorb lead on an empty stomach, kids should eat four to six small meals a day.

• Normal levels of iron can protect against lead’s harmful effects. So make sure children eat iron-rich foods including raisins, prunes, and other dried fruits.

• Calcium also reduces lead exposure. Serve youngsters calcium-rich foods including yogurt, cheese, spinach, kale, collard greens, and other green leafy vegetables.