I'm tired of being scared. Scared of microwave emissions through our cell phones, scared of additives through our foods, scared of the mercury in my cavity fillings, and scared of the government listening in on my phone calls. In all these "fears" are nuggets of truth, and one of those truths is that we are surrounded by toxins that are getting into our bodies more and more everyday.
My fridge boasts some of the same old foods I've always eaten, and a lot of new foods I've taken to eating since I've been spending time "Getting Back to Natural." I am truly scared of the foods I was eating and have fed my kids. I am truly scared that our waterways are nothing but toxic chemical-laden rivers of death, to us and to the wildlife that tries to live in the river, not to mention that the water has to go somewhere and it's usually to our oceans, also totally polluted. I am scared of my fillings and if I weren't breastfeeding right now I'd have them replaced with something less toxic. But considering that the cavities in my back teeth are enormous, I wonder if it would be safer to leave them as is, or just be toothless.
Back to my fridge. I have strawberries, apples, cherries, peaches, grapes, pickled asparagus (that I pickled), and watermelon. On the counter I have homemade bread and bananas. Two children from my extended family came to visit recently, and I kid you not—the kids said they could not recall ever having eaten a strawberry before.
I wasn't as shocked as you might think since one of those children also tried to peel her grapes years ago when I fed them to her. They didn't like banana bread, or watermelon, and it was a chore trying to make a meal that they would eat. It makes me sad, but also fearful that their only food intake is Dr. Pepper, Coke, Doritos, fried chicken, and Oreos. They look healthy, but how functional can you be on sugar, sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, antibiotic laden chicken, and more sugar?
One of the books that has started me down this "natural" road is The End of Food: How the food industry is destroying our food supply—and what you can do about it.
I don't want to instill a constant fear into my children about their food, but at the same time I want them to be aware that Aspartame is a cancer causing agent, that preservatives aren't health foods, that partially hydrogenated oils are bad for you, and that processed MSG isn't "natural" and never was. I want them to be aware that the marketers of food products are selling us something. They aren't concerned with what happens to us after we ingest their products. They don't care what health ills we might have in the futures thanks to their chemically produced product. They want to sell us and they do that through "convenience." It's convenient to buy a box, add water, toss it into a microwave, and eat.
Article comments
1 - Rich Murray
Lifetime exposure to low doses of aspartame beginning during prenatal
life increases cancer effects in rats, Morando Soffritti et al,
European Ramazzini Foundation, USA EPA Environmental Health
Perspectives 2007.06.13 free full text 24 pages: Murray 2007.06.16
CONCLUSIONS
The results of our second long-term carcinogenicity bioassay on APM not only confirm, but also reinforce our first experimental
demonstration of APM's multipotental carcinogenicity at a dose level
close to the human ADI.
Furthermore, the study demonstrates that when lifespan exposure to APM begins during fetal life, its carcinogenic effects are increased.
On the basis of the present findings, we believe that a review of the current regulations governing the use of aspartame cannot be delayed.
This review is particularly urgent with regard to aspartame-containing beverages, heavily consumed by children. "
" APM is metabolized in the gastric tract of rodents, non-human primates and humans to its three constituents: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.
When absorbed, aspartic acid is transformed into alanine plus oxaloacetate (Stegink 1984);
phenylalanine is transformed mainly into tyrosine and, to a lesser extent, phenylethylamine and phenylpyruvate (Harper 1984);
and methanol is transformed into formaldehyde and then to formic acid (Opperman 1984)."
stevia to be approved and cyclamates limited by Food Standards Australia New Zealand: JMC Geuns critiques of two recent stevia
studies by Nunes: Murray 2007.05.29
more from The Independent, UK, Martin Hickman, re ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores) and Marks & Spencer ban of aspartame, MSG, artificial chemical additives and dyes to prevent ADHD in kids: Murray 2007.05.16
"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to actively find, quickly share, and positively act upon the facts about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."
[Personal contact info deleted]
2 - MaryAnna
Thank you. I think you are saying, and pardon me for being dense this late at night, that Aspartame is a dangerous ingredient based on studies showing it to be cancer causing?
Funny, I had a Dr. send me a horribly elitist Email (to my personal Email address) telling me to "write what I know" and to stop "pontificating" -- huh?
If writers only wrote what they know they wouldn't make much of a living or raise awareness that often needs to be raised.
Thanks for the comment -- apparently you are as deluded about "chemistry" as I am (according to my private Email ;)
I think next time I'll write about people with huge egos who think that the M.D. after their names make them bullet proof.
3 - High Heels
I wonder if the "doctor" who emailed you works for the lucrative aspartame industry?
"Almost all aspartame studies conducted and funded independently of the aspartame manufacturer (and related trade groups) have linked aspartame to adverse effects or adverse biochemical changes. This includes numerous human studies (e.g., clinical, double-blind) and animal studies (Walton 1996). As discussed throughout this document, the Scientific Committee on Food either ignored many of these independent studies or had negative things to say about almost all of the independent studies that they did mention. An enormous number of reports of serious adverse effects from aspartame are being sent to governmental agencies, scientists, clinicians, and independent organizations (DHHS 1993, Roberts 1988a, Food 1986, Walton 1988, ATIC 1998, ATIC 1997, ACSN 1997, AVSG 2003, NM 2003).
On the other hand, the Committee accepted almost all of the aspartame industry-funded studies without any negative comment. In fact, the Committee relied heavily on and repeatedly cited parts of books and reviews written and compiled by employees of the aspartame manufacturer (e.g., Stegink 1984, Tschanz 1996, Butchko 1994, Butchko 2001)."
I won't have it in the house. I sweeten with unrefined sugar or honey; and sometimes with just plain white refined sugar - much rather that than this unnecessary, suspect chemical.
4 - High Heels
Link to source of quote in mt last comment HH