Aspartame and Your Mental Health


In 1965, a chemist working to develop an ulcer drug accidentally discovered a substance 200 times sweeter than sugar. The FDA initially shunned this substance because it caused seizures and brain tumors in lab animals.

In 1981, the FDA allowed this brain tumor and seizure-causing substance to begin both sweetening and poisoning our food supply, pharmaceuticals, and children's' vitamins. Banned in children's products in Europe, the chemical, aspartame, is now a big part of America's diet craze. This is despite the fact that it accounts for more than 75% of the complaints reported in the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring system. (http://www.aspartame.ca/page_a3.html and http://www.dorway.com/jwnoasp.html)

Aspartame, once in the body, breaks down into various chemicals. One is the same toxin you get from a fire ant bite. Another is the smelly formaldehyde in which your science teacher stored animals to dissect. Yet another is methanol, the same main ingredient as in Prohibition Era moonshine - the same moonshine that was notorious for causing blindness. How many mothers, who would never think of giving their children moonshine, have stocked their cabinets with any of the now 5,000 products that contain aspartame? (http://www.dorway.com/betty/environ.txt)

For those of us who struggle with anxiety or depression because of low serotonin levels, aspartame is especially bad news. This chemical additive wreaks further havoc by depleting tryptophan levels. Tryptophan is necessary in the production of serotonin. Without it, you will suffer more frequent attacks and more severe depression! (http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm)

For more information on aspartame and depression and anxiety, visit http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm.

Heidi Whitaker is an author and speaker on the subject of nutritional support of autoimmune disease. To read more articles by Heidi, vistit: http://autoimmune.myblogsite.com/blog. For information on how you can join one of Heidi's teleseminars, visit http://www.20again.com/teleseminar2.htm.


MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
Fighting Depression by Restoring Your Routines
When we have depression, one of the things we drop from our lives is a routine. Most humans need routine as it adds structure to our lives.
Depression: Escape Your Mental Prison
There is an illness all around me in modern society that seems to be spreading like the Black Plague once did in Europe so long ago. It's called depression, have you heard of it? Has it affected you? The more I look, the more I see it in so many people in my life, including myself.
Know the Signs of Depression and Improve Your Life
Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the way a person has come to think about himself."I just can't get myself to do any work around the house.
Depression
The 'experts' have tried to evaluate me as a sufferer of this but found no such evidence or behavior. The same was true for all other mental or medical conditions, so they think 'witch' covers my condition in life; because I refuse to participate in the materially managed environment any more.
Raise Your Feeling Frequency with a Loving Smile
In every moment of our life we have the choice to think any thought we like. Sometimes we forget that we have the freedom to choose what we think in any moment.
Surviving the Storms of Life
August in Florida has a daily ritual that Floridians take with a grain of salt. It's the daily storms that pass by and that are filled with more electricity than in a 4th of July fire works display.
Suffocate
I felt cold, my body was stiff and my back ached. I was trying to open my eyes but nothing was happening.
Turn Depression into Joy
Depression is the most prevalent disease of our time. Under the guise of informing the public, both the medical profession and the media are constantly "warning" us of the dangers and probabilities of the disease most likely to terminate us.
How To Help A Stressed Or Depressed Loved One
Having lived with a depressed partner for 3 years and suffered anxiety and depression for 5 years, I've experienced both sides. In this article, I'll show you exactly what you can do - and, what you shouldn't do - to help your loved one.
Are you suffering from Depression?
Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness. They think that depression is just a normal occurrence in their lives, which will go away after a short while.
Senate Finance Committee Delays FDA Approval of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy for Depression
On June 15th, 2004, FDA's Medical Devices Panel recommended that the U.S.
Depression Series (Part 2): My Antidepressant Doesn't Work - What Can My Psychiatrist Do?
Maria has been increasingly depressed for the past few years. She has tried at least four newer antidepressants but so far, she doesn't seem to respond.
Depression in Teenagers: Now What Can We Do?
No doubt you have seen the recent news headlines about a federal panel that recommended to the FDA that anti-depressant medications carry the strongest possible warning label for use in children and teenagers. This recommendation to the FDA shook the medical community, especially those who work with depressed young people.
Depression in Long Term Care Heart Patients Often Goes Untreated
Cardiologists, other doctors and long term care staff might be missing the big picture as one survey suggests that only a third of heart disease patients with serious symptoms of depression or anxiety get any treatment. The findings are significant because psychological problems have been linked to poorer health and higher death rates in heart disease patients.
So You've Been Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder?
If you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) you are not alone. It has been estimated that over 2 million people in the United States suffer from this form of mental illness which involves episodes of both mania and depression.
Can You Overcome Depression?
There are many things that happen within the body when depression occurs. It is not only a feeling, but a disease that is often caused by an imbalance of chemicals within the brain.
Anxiety and Depression Treatment - 5 Tips for Beating Depression
Everyone has days when they are down, worn out and just not feeling all that happy.That's OK, you need to have days like this, otherwise how would you know when you are happy.
Use Alternative Medicine to Ease Depression
Depression is a problem that faces many of us, young or old; baby boomers or generation X. We have a fast lifestyle, we're working between sixty and eighty hours a week and we have long commutes into the office keeping us away from our families.
Mood Disorders And Depression
We all suffer with bad moods from time to time. But if you are someone who is in a bad mood or depressed much of the time, take heart.
FDA Nears Completion of Review of Vagus Nerve Stimulation For Chronic Depression
On June 2 at 8:00 pm ET, Reuters news service issued a press release announcing that the FDA have nearly completed final review of the conditions outlined in the February "deemed approvable" letter for VNS Therapy as a treatment for chronic depression. Cyberonics Inc.