I got a great question from a client (Carine) yesterday. She asked:
"What is your take on "diet foods" like diet sodas, sweeteners, sugar free gum, etc.? How will that impact bloating and constipation?"
My answer: They're about as good for you as eating rat poison. They're hidden killers. Is that extreme? Am I going overboard?
Nope. Here's why:
First of all, ANY soda--diet or regular--is nothing but acid in a can (or bottle). It's so acidic that it takes 32 cups of water to neutralize the acid in just one can of soda in your body.
Trying to neutralize all that acid puts a tremendous strain on your body--especially your kidneys, which are responsible for filtering the acid out of your bloodstream and putting it into your urine.
Your body also leeches alkaline minerals (calcium) from your bones and teeth to neutralize the acid. There is NOT an "endless supply" of minerals in your bones. Sooner or later, they break down. And you'll get osteoporosis, brittle bones susceptible to fractures or rotting teeth. Arthritis in your 30's, 40's and 50's is a clue.
All that acid also destroys proper digestion of your food...so soda is the absolute worst drink on the planet to have with a meal. You're begging to have bloating and constipation or diarrhea.
The average American now consumes 828 sodas a year--that's over 2 cans a day! And the scary thing is millions of people (especially teenagers) drink 4, 5, 6, 7 sodas a day or more. Many teenage boys drink 10 sodas a day.
My advice: Stay FAR away from soda, whether it's diet or regular. Drink water, and add a twist of lemon if you need a little flavor. It's alkaline. Fantastic for your body.
Now for the diet twist itself, be it diet soda, calorie-free sweeteners and/or sugar-free gum: With one very small exception, stay away from all of them. Many diet foods contain aspartame (better known brand names are Equal or Nutrasweet).
Here are just some of the documented side effects of aspartame:
Eyes:
-Blindness in one or both eyes
-Decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, tunnel vision
-Eye pain
-Dry eyes/decreased tears
Ears:
-Ringing or buzzing sound in the ears
-Severe hardness of hearing
Nerves:
-Seizures
-Headaches/migraines
-Dizziness
-Confusion/memory loss
-Severe drowsiness and sleepiness
-Numbness of the arms and legs
-Slurring of speech
-Facial pain
-Tremors/trembling
Psychological/Psychiatric:
-Severe depression
-Irritability/agitation
-Anxiety/phobias (fears)
-Personality changes
Chest:
-Heart palpitations/rapid heartbeat
-Shortness of breath
-High blood pressure
Digestive:
-Nausea
-Diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
-Stomach pain/pain while swallowing
Skin and Allergies:
-Itching without a rash
-Hives
-Worsening of asthma problems
Endocrine and Metabolic:
-Loss of control of diabetes
-Thinning or loss of hair
-Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
-Severe PMS symptoms
Other:
-Frequent urination or burning during urination
-Constant thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
-Increased infections
The most severe effects of aspartame poisoning are:
-Death
-Irreversible brain damage
-Birth defects, including mental retardation
-Ulcers
-Aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
-Hyperactivity in children
-Severe depression
-Aggressive behavior
-Suicidal tendencies
-Cancer
Sucralose (Splenda) is about the same. While it hasn't been around as long as aspartame and there aren't as many studies documenting its dangers, it's still associated with a giant list of medical problems.
Below are some of the reported adverse effects of Splenda use:
- Flushing or redness of the skin; rashes
- Itching
- Anxiety; panic attacks
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Dry heaves
- Depression; becoming withdrawn
- Feeling forgetful; memory loss
- Dulled senses
- Unexplained crying
- Acne or acne-like rash
- Headache
- Altered emotional state, i.e. feeling irate, impatient, hypersensitive, moody
- Chest and body pain
- Bloating; diarrhea; vomiting
- Trouble concentrating/staying in focus
- Seizures
Splenda is nothing but chlorinated table sugar. Chlorine is considered a carcinogen (cancer causer) and has been used in poisonous gas, disinfectants, pesticides and plastics.
Plus neither of these "diet poisons" (aspartame or sucralose) will help you take off weight. They make the body crave carbohydrates and actually make you eat MORE-- which increases the number on the scale.
The only "diet sweetener" that seems to be showing promise at this time is Stevia.
Stevia has been used for over 1,500 years in South America as a sweetener with no apparent adverse reactions. It's 600 times sweeter than sugar, so certainly you don't need
to use much.
The FDA continues to refuse to allow Stevia to be marketed as a sweetener (probably due to pressure from the aspartame and sucralose industries), but it is available in health food stores and some grocery stores as a dietary supplement.
My advice: If your concern is taking off pounds, then the best way to do it is to eat lots of alkaline foods, drink water and correctly combine your meals.
Your body will respond handsomely. Digestion will be a snap, and since you'll be getting more nutrients from your foods (because you won't have overproduction of acid), the body will be satisfied and won't trigger the hunger signal.
So you end up eating less! Less food = less of you to love.
Your body will be able to eliminate built-up wastes too.
That means a lower number on the scale and no more bloating.
To your health.
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