LEARN THE SECRET

You Are in the Right Place

2010-02-21T23:29:00.000-05:00

If you are ready to make lifestyle changes and don't know where to start, you've come to the right place.
If you have tried every diet on the planet, and nothing seems to work, you've come to the

right place.
If you are in the midst of making lifestyle changes to lose weight and be more healthy,

you guessed it -

you've come to the right place.

Most people (I can say most since the greater majority of America is classified as overweight) come to a point where they realize they need to lose weight. The myriad reasons people list off are diverse. Some of the top ones are: I want to look sexy again; I need to do it for my health; I don't like the way I look; I don't like the way people look at me; I don't want my children to be embarrassed; I want to do it for my spouse; I can't afford a new wardrobe, and the list goes on and on.

Whatever your reasons, ultimately you have to make a decision to take action if you want to succeed. Sadly there are so many misconceptions in the dietsphere that many people 'try them all' and get discouraged when they fail. I am here to tell you that you didn't fail - your diet failed you! Along with those encouraging words, I can also promise you that you can be successful... but first you have to make a decision, and then you have to follow through with a commitment and take action. In fact, if you accept my challenge, I'll guarantee it!

I am a certified weight management coach, and I am so confident that I can help you succeed that I will guarantee your success if I decide to take you on as a client. The initial consultation won't cost you a dime. We'll discuss the program, and your commitment level. If we decide to work together to help you meet your goals, the coaching will still be free. The system I use to help you become Optimally Healthy and be Lean for Life includes dietary supplements that are backed with a 6 month satisfaction guarantee. So really, you have nothing to lose, but the fat!

If you are ready to get started, email me at perfectbodyshapeforyou@gmail.com and we'll schedule the intial consultation. If you aren't ready just yet, take a few minutes and read some of the articles posted. See if they resonate with you. Consider your alternatives. At least start taking some baby steps in the direction of being healthy. Comments are welcome. I'd love to know I impacted you in a small way, even if I didn't motivate you to be 100% committed. If you can rate yourself at least 80% committed, I'd still like for us to schedule that consultation. Maybe we can uncover what's holding you back.

NEW - Biggest Loser Challenge!!!

2009-07-29T23:12:00.002-04:00

I have taken a bit of a hiatus, but now I am back online to blogging full swing. Starting August 1st, I have a group of folks who are competing in a Biggest Loser Challenge. Rather than rewrite the whole invitation, I am just going to export it from Facebook.

I am looking for 10 people who want to lose weight, and get more healthy at the same time, and who need an incentive to get them started down that path. As a certified weight loss coach, I will commit to a weekly free coaching call for all who join. I will also offer the winner an all expenses paid trip (with me) to Dallas in March if we have 10 competitors join the challenge. What do you have to do to win? The winner will be based on the percentage of combined inches lost with measurements being taken in the chest, waist, and hips. Let's face it - we don't care how much we weigh, we care what size clothes we are wearing. Your commitment to me (and yourself) will be:1)to learn to choose healtier foods based on the glycemic index2)to attend each coaching call so that I can help you overcome obstacles, and retrain your brain for success.*** Updated *** 3)join the Mannatech Osolean Challenge as well so you can have the opportunity to win even more prizes for your efforts. For more info visit www.mannatechosolean.com The deadline for entering the company Challenge is July 31st (your entry must be postmarked by then and you must place your initial order to be able to put your Mannatech ID on the entry form.) Msg me or call me at 478-394-0314 if you have any questions. I am going to attempt to add the rules, prize list, and entry forms here, but if you don't see them, go to www.mannatechosolean.com and click on Challenge.4)use a minimum of 2 canisters of Osolean, and 1 canister of Glycoslim per 4 week period for 16 weeks, and reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories. There are other products that will help move you towards your goals faster, and other products that I might recommend, but they are not required.The cost of the program is roughly around $150 per month. Most people can carve that out of their 'dining out' budget. If not, I am sure I can help you reduce the net cost by eliminating unhealthy foods from your grocery list. You can also choose the fast track program which costs a little more on the front end, but you get more for your money. Either way, the investment you make is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If, for any reason, you are not completely happy with the products, you will be fully reimbursed. What do you have to lose? Join the Biggest Loser Challenge, invite a friend to join with you, and let's get you started on a happier, healthier, you!

Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Loss

2009-03-30T21:24:00.004-04:00

I have written and posted articles in different forums regarding the dangers of sucralose and aspartame. For some reason, none of those have ever landed here. Actually it is probably better that I reference other articles to validate what I teach.
So, here are a few websites to visit:
http://www.splendaexposed.com/

http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx
(caveat - I am not recommending their hormonal imbalance program. I feel like ours is better, and has a 6 month satisfaction guarantee...however, the information on artificial sweeteners there is very good.)
http://www.tuberose.com/Sucralose.html
and if you really want to dig deep - this is a list of articles written by Dr. Mercola
http://search.mercola.com/Results.aspx?k=aspartame%20sucralose

Now, if you read all this, and are still convinced that it is safe to use any of the artificial sweeteners... I'll have to come to the conclusion that you enjoy deceiving yourself. Most people who use them regularly are addicted. If you doubt that (and you are a user) try an experiment: stop using all artificial sweeteners for 8 weeks. I'd love to hear back from you on how well you fare!

Maybe you are now wondering what is safe. Stevia, agave, xylitol, trehalose (new kid on the block) - are all good alternatives. Keep in mind though - everything in moderation.

Who Do You Know?

2009-02-02T22:49:00.004-05:00

We have a great referral program. If you know anyone who is interested in joining a 100% satisfaction guaranteed fat loss program, please contact me. From now until June I will be giving away some extra goodies for referrals (whether you are on the Osolean plan or not.) The ultimate in referral giveaways is an all expenses paid dream vacation to Costa Rica. The requirements for winning have never been easier!

Lose and Win!

2009-01-27T14:17:00.000-05:00

Our biggest loser contest is taking on a whole new shape (pun intended) as we gear up for an incredible giveaway. The company that supplies nutritional supplements for my program has just introduced what they are calling Your Economic Stimulus package... It is that, and so much more!
If you'd like to establish a wellness or fat loss fund that will provide you with $3200 ROI as well as an all expenses dream vacation for two to Costa Rica, I'd love to share with you how.

The truth is, most everybody would sign up to lose weight, or participate in a plan to improve their health, if it didn't cost them anything, and it was easy - right? Well I can now offer you a risk free way to do just that. It does require an initial investment (that is backed by a 6 month 100% satisfaction guarantee) but the *initial* ROI is over 600% and that can grow to provide you with funding for your wellness plan, or even develop into more if you are interested. My favorite part is not the incredible ROI - or the chance to join the wellness revolution, although both are great opportunities. My favorite part is that it is so simple! Wanna know how simple? What if I told you all you had to do is share the opportunity with 2 other people who want to jump on board? I'll then teach you how to teach your two to find two, and they'll repeat the same simple process. The program operates off of teams of six. When you help your two friends build their teams - you then will have earned $3200 and won the vacation of a lifetime. I know, you are thinking the initial investment must cost thousands of dollars. Ah, not so. What if I told you it is only $499, and the value you get in return is worth ~$650. And all this can happen in a no danger zone - 6 month trial. No 'what ifs' need to be entertained. It is a win-win-win situation. You improve your health, you help others improve their health, you improve your finances (and help others do the same), AND you get an all expenses paid luxury vacation for two. If we can't make it work for you, the money back guarantee is your safety net. What's to lose?

On The Subject of Health

2009-01-20T23:49:00.000-05:00

As a wellness consultant, I conduct seminars and presentations educating others about the growing problems we face in our nation. The statistics are staggering, and they aren’t getting any better. Cancer just surpassed heart disease as the number one killer. Diabetes comes in third, and fourth – properly prescribed drugs. No that isn’t a typo. We aren’t talking about accidental, or even intentional overdoses. We are talking about properly prescribed drugs. AND if we combine that with all the other medical accidents, deaths as a result of unecessary treatments, etc, the medical system itself becomes the number one culprit for causing death in America.
Our nation is ranked at the bottom of the totem pole by WHO in healthcare. Last I heard we had slid from 37th a few years ago, down to 41. There are third world countries doing better than we are! So why are we so sick? We live in a toxic environment – the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food (or pseudo food) we eat. There are some simple things we can do to improve our odds of staying well, or regaining our health.Over the past 10 years or so my family has been on a journey – one to establish and maintain health. Early in my marriage and mommyhood days, I was quite ignorant about nutrition and wellness. I had heard the old cliche’ “You are what you eat” but had never given it much thought. My 3 oldest children were victims of my lack of knowledge. When they were little, we lived in the doctor’s office. My son was plagued with allergies, and ear infections were constant companions. I didn’t see the connection between what we ate and the constant trips to the doctor.Fast forward a few years and the dawning began. With each pregancy I had just a few more health problems. By pregnancy number 5 I was bedridden because of my blood pressure. I started studying nutrition. I had a midwife who was ‘into all that‘. Even with diet changes, I still had declining health. By the time I was pregnant with Rebekah (number 10) my liver became my worst enemy and my saviour all at the same time. It decided it had had enough, and basically stopped working.
Then I was really on a mission. By that time I had become very into eating healthy and supplementing, but it wasn’t enough. All the OTC pain killers I had taken for the headaches I had constantly (later I learned they were a result of the artificial sweeteners I was using) took their toll on my liver. Thankfully, with a very strict liver friendly diet I was able to avoid medications. I still had other health issues, and thought I would have to live with chronic pain the rest of my life. I told myself “it runs in the family” so I considered myself destined to follow.

And then a friend introduced me to a technology referred to by some doctors as the greatest health discovery in the past 100 years. She convinced me to get involved with a network marketing company - but only for the products I told her. My life was so full, I didn't have time to exhale. But then came the results - and God's call on my life. I expanded my mission to not just help my family find wellness, but to share it with others. I have logged countless hours studying the body and how it works, different modes of healing, and how they all work synergystically. I have attended conferences, and educated myself so that I could pass that along to others. The only way we can be healthy is to pursue it. Our toxic environment will catch up with us, even if we think we are in the best of health. Cancer is a silent killer. By the time you know you have it, it is a race for your life. Heart disease can hide too. 50% of the time the first 'symptom' is a fatal heart attack.

My goal is to inspire others to educate themselves, and take action… even if they are baby steps. In the coming blogs, I’ll post some baby steps to take – many of them which won’t cost you anything (except maybe convenience.) Let’s take control of our health so we can take control of our destinies!

Cross posting on the dangers of drugs

2008-05-11T22:34:00.000-04:00

When I think about how quickly people turn to drugs to fix their problems it makes me cringe. Why? Because I know enough about pharmaceuticals to know they are dangerous, deadly even. Not just an isolated case here or there. I am talking about unbelieveable numbers of deaths. You can get your head around if you compare it to a jumbo jet plane crashing every day - several hundred people per DAY die from properly prescribed drugs. My question is, if you look at the analogy, how long would the airlines still be allowed to put planes in the air if they were causing several hundred deaths per day? Can you even begin to get your head around that? It baffles me!
Several years ago a friend became a statistic.
...and so I wrote...

In Memory of Becky

My friend Becky died recently. They found her in her bed with a benadryl blister pack in her hand. Apparently she was trying to counteract the reaction she was having to a drug she had been prescribed. She became another statistic. The cause of death was a properly prescribed dosage of a pharmaceutical. So, as Becky’s friend I ask, “Where was the double blind placebo study that proved that the combination of drugs she was taking was safe?” I so often hear that question as a challenge when I try to educate people about micro-nutrients. People want to know where the research is that proves that food is safe, but don’t think twice about mixing their drugs. Just because a drug has been tested as ‘safe’ doesn’t mean that it has been cross-tested with other pharmaceuticals that are being taken simultaneously. In fact, rarely are drugs tested in conjunction with other medicines to see what the effect would be.
For Becky, it proved to be fatal. What bothers me the most is that she had been to the ER several days before with breathing issues as a result of the drug combination she was taking. I have to wonder if Becky would still be alive today if she had listened to me. I feel like I failed her even though I know she made the choice. I can’t help but wonder though, if I had presented it differently, or provided her with more scientific data – would she have listened? My wonderings brought me to the point of writing this article in memory of Becky: to remind me why I am so passionate, to help those I have offended understand why I am so persistent, and to encourage people to take their health seriously.
Some people think I am pushy and a bit overzealous when it comes to promoting nutrients and utilizing natural means for healing and maintaining health. I try really hard, but I have a difficult time walking away when people I talk to prefer to stick with conventional methods. Becky’s death has reminded me why... I am zealous because I care. It is because I care that I am writing this article and it is because I care that I have a hard time giving up and letting people make their own choices. I wish I had been more persistent with Becky. Her death has given me a renewed passion to educate people. For those that I have personally offended by things I have said and written, please know that it is because I care.

I recently read an article (with the statistics and references to back it up) that said that in reality the medical system is responsible for almost 800,000 deaths per year outnumbering heart disease and cancer to make “health care” the number one cause of deaths in America. I was astounded. If you want to read the article email me, and I will send you a copy. Sooner or later the medical system is going to crumble. I am already hearing from friends that the insurance companies have begun to “rate” people based on their lifestyle. If you make unhealthy lifestyle choices the premiums are higher. Why? Because the likelihood of preventable conditions increases when you don’t actively pursue being healthy. This is how insurance companies can get around the pre-existing condition exclusions. You might not have diabetes when you apply for insurance, but if you are overweight they can charge you a higher premium and they can raise premiums for those that are already enrolled. Others tell me that prescription coverage is also changing. Insurance companies can’t afford to keep everybody happy anymore. Folks are being told that they’ll have to buy their own anti-depressants now. What is going to happen to the already failing medicare system when the baby boomers start retiring enmasse? It’ll go belly up because of the sheer volume of people with chronic health conditions. The only apparent answer is for us to take control of our own health and preventively seek wellness instead of waiting to be broadsided with illness and degenerative diseases. It makes me sad because so many people are like Becky and are complacently happy taking a handful of medications morning, noon, and night. It only makes sense that if 95% of all Americans are going to die of a preventable cause the only way to be a part of the other 5% is to actively employ prevention! Don’t wait until you are sick and tired of being sick and tired to pursue wellness. In the long run it is cheaper and you get the opportunity to live longer as an added benefit. If you are already exasperated with your health (or lack thereof) it is not too late to change. It is too late for Becky...

The Dangers of Aspartame

2008-05-11T21:47:00.002-04:00

Not original content, but very good information!
If you drink diet drinks, or subscribe to the idea that 'low calorie' sweets are a good thing, please read and do some research.

This was copied from
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/dangers.htm

It is titled: Aspartame What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

Diet soda drinkers, don’t hate me – please. Just sharing what I have found to be a hugh contributor to many health problems so I feel compelled to share. What is it that Proverbs says about the wounds of a friend being more pleasant than an enemy’s flattery? (paraphrased)

I personally suffered some of the symptoms listed which prompted me to do some research, and switched to sucralose (Splenda) which is actually worse than aspartame. So I had to give that up too, but not before dealing with the repercussions. My liver doesn't thank me although it has recovered. The process of getting there wasn't pleasant.

I have found that I love Stevia and Xylitol. I also have recently started using Agave (as a result of my Cancun trip.) These are all natural, safe, alternatives to sugar if you are trying to cut calories or avoid having an insulin spike.

Okay – on to the article….

Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.

Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.

Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle’s research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.

Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.

According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.

Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book “Prescription for Nutritional Healing,” by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of “chemical poison.” As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.

What Is Aspartame Made Of?

Aspartic Acid (40 percent of aspartame)

Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)

How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage

Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as “excitotoxins.” They “excite” or stimulate the neural cells to death.

Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.

The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.

The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:

Multiple sclerosis (MS)
ALS
Memory loss
Hormonal problems
Hearing loss
Epilepsy
Alzheimer’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Hypoglycemia
AIDS
Dementia
Brain lesions
Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:

“It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders.“(4)

Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.

The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)

Headaches/migraines
Nausea
Abdominal pains
Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
Sleep problems
Vision problems
Anxiety attacks
Depression
Asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.

A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)

Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)

Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.

This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)

Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)

One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the “Wednesday Journal” in an article titled “An Aspartame Nightmare.” John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)

As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.

Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.

Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)

Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some “skid row” alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.

The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a “food” product such as Jello).

Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol “is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic.” They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)

Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)

Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, “There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol.“(11)

He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to “slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It’s not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public’s last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval.“(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle’s public relations firm.(11)

It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were “treated” to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.

In a 1993 act that can only be described as “unconscionable,” the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).

Diketopiperazine (DKP)

DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.

G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including “clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling,” and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.

In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)

DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)