I felt the need to respond to this thread as well.
I moved to a new city last year and began to get bad headaches that seemed to impair every aspect of my life. I figured most of it had to do with the new climate and possibly allergies since I felt sinus pressure to the point that even my eyes would ache and burn.
My boyfriend noticed I'd get worse on the days I stayed home from work. When I was on my vacation I reached the point where I couldn't handle anything but laying in a darkened room wearing a sleep mask to keep out the light. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't get on the computer or even read a book, I was in way too much pain. It took us a while to make the connection that I was drinking all my diet drinks and eating my diet popsicles when I was at home but would normally have just water while working. When I lost my appetite and was stuck in bed, the only food I seemed to be able to handle were those frozen popsicles. Had no clue that they were only making me worse. Really got the clue the one day I was actually feeling good for a change; when my boyfriend came home and I immediately got a severe headache. He joked that I must be allergic to him but the reality was that he'd brought me some bottled tea that happened to be diet.
I think I went though about a month of "withdrawals" after I stopped using artificial sweeteners (I tried several and they all seem to effect me). I've yet to try stevia but read that Coca-Cola is planning on introducing it into a new Diet Coke in the US sometime this year. They've already successfully introduced it to their diet soda in Japan and I'd say they have the money and clout to legalize it as a food additive here and not just a supplement. I'm hoping that it will arrive soon and be just what I need for my soda fix, lol.
Anyway, another benefit I gained from staying away from artificial sweeteners has been a healthy bladder. You have no idea how many issues I've had with it in the past ten years or so, which would probably be defined as "overactive bladder." It had gotten much worse shortly before making the move here. Apparently the strong, frequent urges I'd get was my body's way of trying to flush the bad chemicals away? For once in my life I can actually sit through a movie and not have to take three trips to the restroom!
And several months after figuring all this out? My teeth and gums started hurting, and wouldn't ya know it, it took me a while to figure out that all my dental products had artificial sweeteners as well, toothpaste, mouthwash, even the oral anesthetic I was using to fight off a toothache was making the rest of my mouth too painful to bear! I've since switched to using all natural products.
ewing, I know what you mean about the toothpaste. I used to get stomach cramps and diarrhea after brushing my teeth. I use Tom's of Maine now. Even the whitening strips and gels have it in there too. Did you know the dentist uses artificial sweeteners in their fluoride treatments/ polishes? It's how they get the different flavors. I also found out that my dentist uses listerine (with artificial sweeteners) in the water they use to rinse out your mouth with during cleanings.
chickybird- I've been using Tom's of Maine too and love it. Neither the toothpaste nor mouthwash as nearly as strong-tasting as more mainstream products and I like them much more because of it. It's also the only natural dental products I've been able to find in mainstream stores like CVS and Wal-mart.
I'm due to see the dentist soon, so I appreciate your words here. I'll be sure to ask a lot of questions about any treatments I'll need.
Sorry for not responding sooner - I haven't been in here in a while! It just amazes me how many stories I continue to hear about bad reactions to these products, but you never really hear anything in the mainstream media about them. It really makes me wonder how many people are getting sick from them and don't even know it, like Ewing described.
At this point, I don't even know if I'd want to try Stevia. I'm getting along OK without them so far. Sure, I crave a Coke now and then! But I doubt that even if I could have a Diet Coke, it would quench that desire. They never tasted the same anyway.
I'd say we all deserve just a little pat on the back for managing to get some weight off without any of the sugar-free goodies!! Keep it up ladies (and any gents too)...you're doing great!!!
I have always had issues wit aspartame and other artificial sweeteners even before I was dx with anything. You can lose weight w/o the artificials you just have to work around it.
Oooh..could I tell so many stories about the evil of Nutrasweet. (Aspartame) I know so many people with problems with it. My brother can't have even a tiny amount of it without having to be rushed to the hospital with seizures. (More complaints filed about this food additive than any other.) Two of its chemical compounds are a neurotoxin and formaldehyde....
Beware those who are avoiding it....even treats not marked "sugar free" are starting to have it in there now. Check the packages of gum next time you're standing in the shopping line to see how prevalent it has become.
I was taking some Tylenol Cold meds the other day, and got them in my mouth before I had my water ready, and noticed the coating was sort-of burning (not in a dangerous way, but it was a strange sensation).
Got the box out, and sure enough, one of the "inactive ingredients" is Sucralose, which as far as I can tell is a version of Splenda. Great. Now even our medicine is making us sick.
Yep. A lot of cold/allergy/sinus pills now have the "cool blast" coating. It severely limits the types of medicine I can take. I haven't been able to find a cough syrup with out artificial sweeteners. I use them, but am always really queasy afterwards.
I can understand artificially flavoring cough syrups/chewable tablets so kids/diabetics can take them, but for pity's sake, do pills have to be coated in sweet stuff before we take them?!
Last edited by chickybird; 08-18-2008 at 10:37 PM.
While not appropriate for children under the age of 1, dark honey (like that from Buckwheat) has been found to be as effective, if not more effective, at helping to surpress coughs.
Honey from your local supermarket would probably be too processed to be of any medicinal or nutritional use. You would want to get it from a local health food store or reputable store with a Organic/Natural Foods section.
My folks used to give me hot honey water with lemon juice. Same principle.
Last edited by k8t; 08-19-2008 at 07:26 PM.
Reason: typo
I just checked the ol' Robitussin bottle..that has something called "Saccharine Sodium" - WTH?!!! Didn't they outlaw saccharine a long time ago?!!
So are there any cold and cough meds that don't use this crap, but still work?
You can find some natural products out there. (I think Nature's Way has a cough medicine, but I would have to order it online.) But as you said, they are few and far between. Lots of nasty stuff out there.
USDA tried to ban Saccharine in the 1970s after there was some question about it causing cancer in rats. By the 1990s, the government was saying that the studies were flawed, and saccharine could be sold in the US. It never really went completely off the shelves.
Read an interesting face about aspartame...it orginially had its start as an ulcer drug. The chemist working on it happened to lick his finger when making the drug, discovered the sweetness, and the rest as they say is history.
Personally, I would rather limit my consumption of natural sweetners than mess with these Franken-sweetners.
Last edited by k8t; 08-19-2008 at 10:23 PM.
Reason: typo
Hey All - new to the website and excited to be a part of it!!!
I found Stevia early this week and have been using it for different things. It truly is sweeter then sugar! Haven't gotten the chance to get crafty and experimental - but would recommend trying it! I'm diabetic and working on losing a ton of weight. So, if anyone has recipes, suggestions, or opinions - I'm reading w/ a complete open mind!
I'm another artificial freak...LOL I mean I can't handle artificial sweeteners. They make me very anxious, head aches, panic attacks, chest pains...the whole nine yards. It is poison to me. I quit smoking several years ago and started chewing nicotine gum to help me kick the habit. The old gum, though horrible helped, but then they changed the formula to make it more tasty, (addictive) and it is laced in sorbitol. I break out in a panic attack after chewing 1/2 a piece of the 2mg stuff. I try never to chew it, but occasional I do when I have a major nicotine craving. A 2 hour panic attack is better than getting addicted to cigarettes again...
It's no wonder people are on so many meds. From Migrains to Panic, fake sugar is the cause of the majority of my ailments. I'm better off saving up calories and splerging on a real coke every now and then. I was never as fat in my life as I was drinking a 6 pack of diet cola a day. Seriously.
