Hey Allie,

Are you trying to avoid diet sodas altogether or just ones with aspartame? I drink Diet Coke & Diet Pepsi that are sweetened with Splenda (although I do sometimes cheat with Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Mt. Dew that use aspartame). The Splenda sodas taste fine to me. I've heard that some people have issues with Splenda, such as muscle weakness, but that hasn't happened to me in over three years of use.

I also prefer Peligrino sparkling water (hope I spelled that right - it's Italian) to Perrier. It has a more satisfying taste to me.

Glad to hear that you've cured your video camera's temporary seizure. Hopefully I will be able to catch your show next week, if band practice doesn't intrude.

Kisses back atcha

Hi Tom, I’ve heard that Spenda is a lot better choice than aspartame but to use it in moderation. I think I’m going to try and cut out all soda so I just don’t have that temptation. Pellegrino (sp?) is a good choice too.

Thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate it. :) Maybe I should start a “no soda” support group. :)

Yes, the video camera is in good spirits. Haha. I’ll be looking for you next week.

~Kisses, Allie

Posted by Tom - aka viper23 on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 8:49 PM MTN

Ugh I don't envy you Allie! (for once)

I give up soda every so often - I usually make it for a few weeks, sometimes a few months, before I just can't handle it anymore. I'm off the wagon right now so not really the one to offer you great advice :(

Yay I can't wait until tomorrow! My favorite day of the week :)

Hi Jeannie, Yeah it’s definitely no fun to have no soda. I drink aspartame drinks all day usually so this is really hard for me. Stopping for a few months is pretty good. I hope I can last that long!

I hope you enjoy the video!

~Kisses, Allie

Posted by Jeannie on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 10:13 PM MTN

Allie,

I know Tom means well, but do NOT drink anything with Splenda. Splenda is also known as Sucralose, and here is the problem with this little bugger. (it's long, I apologize, but one should read this)

Sucralose/Splenda is produced through artificially substituting three hydroxyl groups (hydrogen + oxygen) with three chlorine atoms in the sugar (sucrose) molecule. Natural sugar is a hydrocarbon built around 12 carbon atoms. When transformed into Splenda it becomes a chlorocarbon, in the same family as deadly pesticides like DDT, insecticides, biocides, disinfectants like Chlorox Bleach, and WWI poison gas like dichlorourea.

The makers of sucralose/Splenda argue that this "remarkably stable" chemical passes unchanged into the urine and feces, when in fact, up to 11% to 27% is absorbed into the body (FDA, 1999). In fact, the varying degrees to which sucralose is absorbed is used as a marker for gut and intestinal permeability to determine certain disease states. Once absorbed, some portion of this chlorocarbon accumulates in the body (between 1.6% to 12.2%). What effects will these accumulated chemicals have? According to James Bowen, M.D:

"Any chlorocarbons not directly excreted from the body intact can cause immense damage to the processes of human metabolism and, eventually, our internal organs. The liver is a detoxification organ which deals with ingested poisons. Chlorocarbons damage the hepatocytes, the liver's metabolic cells, and destroy them. In test animals Splenda produced swollen livers, as do all chlorocarbon poisons, and also calcified the kidneys of test animals in toxicity studies."

How can this be true for an FDA approved sweetener?

FDA approval does not in any way guarantee safety.....sadly enough, in many cases, it guarantees the exact opposite. Take aspartame for instance. Aspartame (Equal/NutraSweet) contains 10% methanol, which is broken down in our body into two extremely toxic substances: formaldehyde and formic acid. This sweetener gained FDA approval in 1981, despite massive evidence linking it to cancer, particularly, brain cancer. Stevia, on the other hand, which is a plant that has been used continually by Paraguayans for over 1500 years and which has never been associated with ill effects has yet to receive GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the FDA. In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the FDA classified stevia as an "unsafe food additive." The FDA's official reason for this decision was "toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety." Not only did this ruling violate the FDA's own guidelines under which a natural substance used prior to 1958 with no reported adverse effects should be generally recognized as safe, but it clearly illustrates the double standard used for natural substances versus patentable synthetic ones like aspartame where even when extensive toxciological information demonstrated the chemicals UNSAFETY, approval is nonetheless granted.

If one still is not convinced that the FDA would approve an unsafe chemical for human consumption, consider that the fact that every year over 100,000 Americans die from "non-error" or correctly prescribed drugs - every one of which has received the FDA's explicit approval. (JAMA April 15, 1998;279(15):1200-5)

Hi James, Wow, thanks for the feedback. That’s an interesting read. I think what it comes down to is not to consume anything that isn’t natural. Any chemical, man-made product is probably not a good idea to drink or eat.

Thanks, I appreciate that info!

~Kisses, Allie

Posted by james on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 10:26 PM MTN

I wish you luck in your quest Allie baby! Last August almost a year ago now, I quit my pepsi, and regular coffe in the same day. I still drink de-caf in the morning to have the taste of coffee, I did it to stop my caffeine intake, I had headaches from the withdrawls for a couple days but after that I was fine, I then started drinking just Crystal Light products. Now I don't know if there are any aspartame bi-products in them, but I do know That I feel better, and not having the caffeine in my system has helped me lose 40 lbs the last year. Plus I elimated at least half my sugar intake from stopping the soda.
So I know it's hard, but speaking from experience, if I can do it, so can you darlin!
Can't wait to see your new video post, and if you have any questions, you know where to find me! Have a great weekend Allie!!!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

~Gary

Hi Gary, Yes, Crystal Light has aspartame in it. That’s seems to be the problem for me, everything has aspartame in it. I’ll just stick with water. *sigh*

Congrats on the weight loss! That’s really amazing.

Thanks for the feedback too. It’s very helpful. :)

Hope you enjoy the video!
~Kisses, Allie

Posted by Gary on Friday, July 25, 2008 at 8:30 AM MTN