Breathing clean air is vital to our health and well- being. Providing fresh, clean air for your family is a priority when evaluating your family’s health with possible lifestyle changes and healthy alternatives. If someone in your home suffers from fatigue, respiratory problems, or mystery ailments, indoor air pollution may be the problem. Most Americans spend 90% of their time indoors.
We hear about air pollution every day and the unpleasant effects can be seen with the growing number of respiratory ailments common in our families. No one is immune; we are a product of our environment and what we put in our bodies. The air we breathe may be causing headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, coughing, nausea, fatigue, skin rashes, dizziness, and mental distress. Offices, schools, and homes are filled with suffering occupants who are unaware there is a nature based option for relief without medicines. We grow accustomed to our everyday environment and do not realize the benefits of breathing fresh air until we have the opportunity to experience it personally. Our favorite vacation usually involves the beach, mountains, or a lake where natural purification of the air is at its best.
By re-creating nature’s processes indoors, we can breathe easier and many symptoms are possibly reduced or eliminated. Millions of families over the past 20 years have transformed their lives by focusing on the quality of their air indoors. Pollutants inside our homes are sealed in with our energy efficiency. We must be as smart about handling the indoor air pollutants as we are about energy conservation.
There is a safe, scientifically tested option that has principles developed by NASA to clean the air and prolong the life of plants on space missions and on the International Space Station. Imagine sending the same solution out into your indoor environment to attack the problem by duplicating the natural outdoor air cleansing effects of sunshine and thunderstorms to improve the air quality and kill germs on surfaces. Now there is technology that will sterilize airborne and surface microbes (germs, virus, bacteria, & mold) so you can be proactive to improve the condition of the indoor air in your home 24 hours a day.

The Hotze Insulin Control Formula is designed to help control blood sugar. Doing so increases energy and prevents excess insulin. Insulin is the hormone that directs cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Too much insulin leads to hormonal imbalances, raging appetite, obesity (belly fat), loss of muscle and premature aging. The Hotze Insulin Control Formula aims to correct these health obstacles.
Insulin is the nutrient taxi and it escorts blood glucose (AKA blood sugar) and other nutrients into the muscle cells to be used for fuel. This keeps us alive and energized. Too much insulin however can be detrimental. Excess insulin tells the body to store fat and instead use glucose (blood sugar) for fuel. Basically this shuts off thermo genesis which is the biological phenomenon of converting fat into heat. Without thermogenesis, fat is stored especially in the abdomen region and is unable to be used for energy. This is true regardless of exercise or caloric restrictions.
High insulin also causes many hormonal systems that regulate appetite, mood, energy, muscle growth and even fertility to be thrown out of balance. This imbalance is usually secured long-term by a sugar addition that accompanies excess insulin. Long term high insulin levels lead to a medical condition known as insulin resistance or Syndrome X. This is an epidemic among children and adults in today’s society. The excess insulin numbs muscle cells and muscles cells will no longer react to it. Since the glucose can not gain entry into muscle cells and the glucose remains in the bloodstream causing blood sugar to skyrocket. Glucose overload leads to the clinical diagnosis of depression, premature aging of the skin, hypertension, heart disease, type II diabetes, and cancer.

It is extremely important to get control over elevated blood sugar levels. Most people are unaware that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, dementia, and a primary contributor to erectile dysfunction.
The components of the Hotze Insulin Control Formula are:
Banaba Leaf The Banaba leaf is a medicinal plant that grows in India, Southeast Asia, and in the Philippines. It has been used for thousands of years in the Philippines for blood sugar control. (if allergic to members of the Lythraceae family avoid using products with the Banaba leaf). The Banaba leaf contains colosolic acid, which activates glucose transport into the cells, resulting in a reduction of blood sugar.

Green Tea The green tea has also been used for a very long time. It has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

Cinnamon USDA research indicates that Cinnamon reduces the amount of insulin necessary for glucose metabolism. Furthermore, Cinnamon has been shown to stimulate glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis to similar level as insulin.

Ginger Root The Ginger helps increase absorption and circulation of the nutrients. Many obese and diabetic people have a difficult time with nutrient uptake and circulation.

Suggested Usage: 1-2 capsules 15- 30min before each meal. Supplement
Facts Per Capsule: 495mg Proprietary Blend: 1% banaba leaf, cinnamon 10:1, whole herb green tea polyphenols 8:1, ginger root 4:1. (NOTE: NO FILLERS IN THIS PRODUCT!)

Note: If you are on insulin or other medications that lower blood sugar (hypoglycemics), consult with a health practitioner in order to properly gauge your use of natural hypoglycemics. Also avoid if on anticoagulant/antip latelet drugs as banaba has been shown to produce antithrombin activity.

Many factors affect one’s sex drive. They include:
• Testosterone deficiency (male or female)
• Progesterone or Estrogen deficiency
• Stress/Fatigue/Depression
• Certain medications (e.g., anti-depressants)
• Birth control pills
• Poor Self-image (e.g., due to weight gain)
• Strained relationship
• Painful intercourse (e.g., due to vaginal dryness)

Low libido is often dismissed by doctors, but it is a serious concern for many people. It can strain relationships, leading to stress, which everyone knows will adversely affect the body. Stress, over time, negatively affects your immune system, which in turn will predispose you to all types of disease. If low libido is affecting your relationship, please read on.

HORMONES: More often than not, improving one’s libido requires addressing several causative factors simultaneously. It may take several months to tackle all of them, but it can be done. First, you should be evaluated for the need for supplemention /replacement with hormones. And when we say hormones, we’re strictly talking about the use of bio-identical hormones, NOT synthetic ones. In our practice, we’ve found that blood tests for diagnosing hormone deficiencies are rarely helpful. Normal ranges for hormones are large and can often be misleading. It’s much more useful to diagnose based on one’s symptoms.

If you take an ANTI-DEPRESSANT, it’ll be important for you to address the underlying causes of your depression, so that you’ll have a chance to successfully wean off your antidepressant. Antidepressants are used to mask the symptoms of depression, but certainly aren’t going to cure your problem. Hormonal deficiency is a very common cause of depression. Many of our patients have successfully weaned from their antidepressants after being on our wellness program for only a short period of time.

POOR SELF-IMAGE: If you feel your libido is down because of a poor self-image, then now’s the time to get up and do something about it! If you’ve gained weight and haven’t been able to lose it on your own, seek help. There are many support groups (e.g., weight watchers, TOPS, overeaters anonymous) and they can be the key to success. If you are too scared to walk into a gym, then go outside and just walk. Walk up and down the stairs. Run circles around your kitchen island. Do jumping jacks in front of the TV. Just do something. You should also consider being evaluated for a hormonal imbalance, as this could be working against you.

STRAINED RELATIONSHIP—Hmmmmm. There’s not enough progesterone or testosterone on Earth to make up for a bad relationship. Consider counseling. I’ve seen it make a huge difference in the lives of many people. Maybe you are harboring some subconscious resentment towards your mate, and you don’t even realize you’re being passive aggressive. The first step to recovery is admitting there’s a problem.

PAINFUL intercourse will certainly affect one’s libido. If you suffer with vaginal dryness, there are treatments. If you suffer with vulvodynia/vaginismus (if you don’t know what these words mean, then you probably don’t have these conditions or at least you haven’t been diagnosed with them yet), there are treatments for these as well. Biofeedback may help.

STRESS and FATIGUE are common contributing factors to low libido. You must take time for yourself. Take a day off, get a babysitter and plan a date with your mate. If life is dragging you down, your problems run much deeper than libido. Addressing the fatigue is certainly a good place to start. Increasing energy levels often requires addressing several issues simultaneously. We encourage you to read our article on stress as well.

Other ways to enhance libido include various herbal blends you can find on the internet (e.g. Avlimil), certain foods (e.g.chocolate), and novelty (e.g. hotel getaway).

If you are concerned about low libido and the effects on your life, contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment with our medical staff.

Testosterone. If a man is aggressive, then we say he has too much of it. If a man is too indecisive we say he needs more of it. Usually, we say this in jest. But did you know that testosterone imbalance is an important factor in the way we feel? Did you know it also affects women (and I don’t mean because they have to deal with the men)? That’s right! Women may also have deficiencies in testosterone. So, man or woman, how do you know if you have a testosterone imbalance? If you have any of the following symptoms, you might want to get your testosterone levels checked (and remember, lab values are just one clue. Normal ranges for hormones are very large, so falling within normal range can be deceiving!):

• fatigue
• depressed and irritable moods
• loss of muscle mass and strength
• decline in sex drive and performance
• decline in mental sharpness
• increased body fat around the waist
• lower sperm counts
• diminished stamina and endurance
• lack of motivation and goals
• loss of initiative and assertiveness

The following is a retrospective analysis by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center published in The New England Journal of Medicine finding NO causal relationship between testosterone replacement and prostate cancer or heart disease risk.

The comprehensive review of 72 studies, addresses the current controversy about testosterone replacement therapy and its potential health risks to men. “We reviewed decades of research and found no compelling evidence that testosterone replacement therapy increases the incidence of prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease,” said Abraham Morgentaler, MD, a urologist at BIDMC and associate clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. “Although it would be helpful to have data from long-term, large-scale studies, it must also be recognized that there already exists a substantial body of research on the effects of testosterone in men.”

Low levels of testosterone affect an estimated 2 to 4 million men in the United States, a condition termed hypogonadism, and the prevalence of this condition increases with age. The symptoms include diminished libido and sense of vitality, erectile dysfunction, reduced muscle mass and bone density, depression, and anemia.

The causes of hypogonadism may be classified as primary, meaning inadequate function of the testes; secondary, inadequate pituitary stimulation of the testes; or a combination of primary and secondary causes, which is common in older men. Testosterone supplementation, in the form of injections, patches, gels and a buccal tablet, is designed to elevate a hypogonadal man’s testosterone levels into the normal physiologic range and alleviate symptoms. “Testosterone is only for men who have symptoms of low testosterone combined with a confirmatory blood test. Testosterone therapy can be beneficial and safe for these men as long as they are appropriately monitored by their physician,” says Morgentaler.

It has been known since the 1940’s that severe reductions of testosterone can cause shrinkage of metastatic prostate cancer, and therefore there has been a concern that raising testosterone levels might cause growth of any hidden prostate cancers. However, the study by Ernani L. Rhoden, M.D., and Morgentaler found no connection between higher testosterone levels and prostate cancer, nor did they find evidence that testosterone treatment causes prostate cancer. In fact, they note that prostate cancer becomes more prevalent exactly at the time of a man’s life when testosterone levels decline. To date, prospective studies have demonstrated no difference in prostate cancer incidence among hypogonadal men using testosterone therapy compared to men in the general population.

Regarding benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), multiple studies have failed to demonstrate consistent exacerbation of voiding symptoms during testosterone supplementation. “The impact of testosterone therapy on benign prostate growth appears to be mild,” says Rhoden, “and rarely of clinical significance. However, testosterone therapy should be used cautiously in men with severe urinary symptoms.”

Monitoring the prostate during testosterone therapy is mandatory, given the theoretical concern that testosterone treatment may stimulate the growth of an occult cancer. Before and during treatment men should undergo regular evaluation, with a digital examination of the prostate, and a blood test called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Patients with an abnormal prostate exam or an elevated PSA should undergo a prostate biopsy before initiating testosterone replacement to exclude the possibility that cancer is present. To monitor BPH, they recommend determining a base-line voiding history at the start of treatment and assessing urinary symptoms at follow-up.

The belief that testosterone may be a risk factor in cardiovascular disease is based on the observation that more men than women have cardiovascular events and men have higher testosterone levels than women. However, Rhoden and Morgentaler write that few, if any, data support a causal relation between higher testosterone levels and heart disease. Indeed, several studies suggest that higher testosterone levels may actually have a favorable effect on atherosclerosis and heart disease. Studies of testosterone replacement therapy have not demonstrated an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, or angina, according to the retrospective analysis.

Rhoden and Morgentaler describe other potential risks or side effects from testosterone replacement therapy as infrequent (acne or oily skin, sleep apnea); rarely of clinical significance (fluid retention); or reversible with cessation of treatment (gynecomastia, testicular atrophy or infertility). Testosterone treatment should be used cautiously or not at all in men with advanced liver disease. Skin reactions are commonly encountered in men being treated with the patch with a low incidence observed with testosterone gel.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a major patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. ” – Marty Querzoli | Source: EurekAlert! Further information: www.bidmc.harvard.edu/

It is hard to stick to a healthy eating plan with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head or tables full of Christmas sweets. It is hard to avoid being around “bad” food during Christmas, but there are a few simple ways to stay healthy and keep that yeast from taking over your body during the holidays.
The easy solution is not to go to any Christmas parties or any relatives houses. But since most of us want to actually enjoy the holiday season, we have to find a way to stick to our program when faced with sweet tempations.
At the Christmas party as the wine is being poured, feel free to have one glass…..the rest of the night use that cute little wine glass to drink water out of. You will find that water is a lot more tasty when consumed in a fancy glass. If wine isn’t your weakness, chances are its chocolate.
If you are invited to a party, offer to bring an extra dessert or just show up with one as a nice gesture. Make the dessert yeast free. Most likely no one will be able to tell, especially if you make the yeast free Hot Fudge dipping sauce. Bring that along with some fruit for dipping. Then when you are staring down a table full of sweets, there is something you can actually eat.If sweets aren’t your thing, perhaps it is just the need to “graze” at parties on all the cheese and crackers. Survey the whole table. Find the meats and go with those first. If there is a little cheese or some kind of spread, it is okay to partake as long as you add some protein and keep it minimal.
The biggest problem over the Christmas season is overeating. Be wise. Eat in moderation. And if Christmas Eve or Day you find yourself unable to resist the temptation, eat what you want. Just don’t overdue it. Try eating yeast free the whole week leading up to Christmas….then if you cheat on Christmas day it won’t be hard to start over yeast free the next day.
Most importantly, try to relax and have a very Merry Christmas!

“I wonder what I will be when I grow up.” In my years working with adults, I’ve found that this is a very relevant question for us grownups too. In fact, as we grow, move away from home, love, and experience loss, we become very serious about ‘the question.’ We know we are not the same person we were when we were six, we’re just not sure why. From my personal observations, I am grateful our ideas about our identity change from childhood; otherwise the world would be filled with way too many ballerinas, princesses, and firefighters. So maybe for grownups, the question is not ‘what will I be when I grow up,’ but rather, ‘who am I today,’ and ‘who will I become tomorrow.’
Let’s look at our lifestyle for answers. We struggle with our many identities and define ourselves in many different terms: ‘I am a mother’, ‘I am a wife’, ‘I am an employee.’ Sometimes others try to define us with terms like ‘workaholic,’ ‘health nut,’ or ‘type A personality.’ The most unpleasant definitions are usually the ones that catch us by surprise, ‘you are a diabetic’ or ‘you have high blood pressure.’ And then one day it hits you and you ask yourself, “Have I become the person I intended to be?”
At achievebalance.org we’ve found that the answer lies not in the fact that change has occurred, but rather in our conscious choices in response to those changes. When we begin a wellness program, we are choosing to take control of our health and live intentionally. Unfortunately, even our best intentions can be met with resistance. You know what I mean; you are told to cut out salt and sugar, and the world seems to be on the new ‘doughnuts and French fries’ diet. Our reaction to this soon becomes apparent. We stop eating right, we exercise sporadically (if at all), and our goals and objectives fall by the wayside. Around New Years Eve most of us get the feeling that we need to clean up our act, so we begin ‘the question’ cycle all over again.
At achievebalance.org, we are counselors and consultants dedicated to breaking this cycle! We work with professionals like Dr. McManus to design a plan that will allow you to maintain the changes she is helping you to achieve. Following the plan is still up to you, but achievebalance.org will help you identify the barriers that keep you from making the conscious choices to maintain healthy life changes. We have consultants available to help you achieve your wellness goals, maintain your fitness and nutrition regimen, and even help you get organized. Remember, change is inevitable:

by Mila McManus MD
Since the Women’s Health Initiative Study several years ago, the masses have been scared to death of taking hormones. Let’s think about this for a minute from a biological and evolutionary perspective. Our bodies make and use many different hormones which perform vital functions. Could it be that we are evolving to have our hormones turn against us? I doubt it. That wouldn’t make much sense. Could it be that the exponential increase in the incidence of disease over the last 20 years is due to accumulating environmental toxins, poor nutrition, inactivity, and increased stress? You bet!

Bio-identical progesterone is manufactured by the body, and therefore, the body knows how to use, where and when to use it, and has the enzymes to metabolize it and dispose of it when it’s done using it. Your body already has the perfect progesterone receptors to bind perfectly with progesterone that circulates in the blood. Synthetic Progestins, such as Medroxyprogesterone acetate, however, aren’t quite the perfect match. The structure is similar enough to bind to progesterone receptors, but the molecular changes made in the laboratory in order to patent these products and sell them for profit likely are having an array of negative effects. Synthetic hormones interfere with natural progesterone and can create and exacerbate hormone related health problems, and can be a primary contributor to the condition referred to as Estrogen Dominance. Studies have been published that reveal evidence that taking synthetic hormones actually inhibits production of one’s natural progesterone. It’s no wonder that synthetic hormones are known to have side effects such as blood clots and migraines, whereas bio-identical progesterone has little-to-no risk of blood clots, and is also used to treat/alleviate migraines.
It’s very unfortunate that most conventional doctors equate bioidentical hormones with synthetic ones. They are vastly different and should never be confused. I use bio-identical hormones in my practice to undo what synthetic hormones have done to my patients. Is it a coincidence that 99+% of my female patients (self included) have all, at some point, taken birth control pills? Maybe, but I doubt it. Also, keep in mind that the hormones used in the Women’s Health Initiative study were ALL synthetic. Go figure.
I think it’s important that everyone understands the importance of nutrition in maintaining good health. Many people are so quick to blame ‘bad genes’ for their health problems. Did you know that at least 80% of breast cancers are NOT hereditary? When women tell me how afraid they are of developing breast cancer from taking hormones, I first explain the differences between synthetic and bio-identical hormones. I then usually say “you shouldn’t be afraid of replacing what’s been lost in the body over the years. Poor dietary habits, stress (which leads to adrenal fatigue and immune system dysfunction), environmental toxins, and lack of adequate nutrition (i.e. vitamins and supplements) are far more likely to cause cancer and other diseases”. That’s why, in my practice, we place such enormous emphasis on nutrition and immune system optimization.

By Mila McManus MD

So you’re convinced that you are LOW THYROID. You have classic symptoms, such as depressed moods, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, hairloss , etc, and you convince your doctor to test your thyroid level. Much to your dismay, you get a letter in the mail 2 weeks later that says your thyroid level Is normal. What’s next? Your doctor offers you an antidepressant, Ibuprofen, and tells you to exercise.
Does this sound familiar?
There are two problems here. First, this so- called ‘normal’ result might NOT be YOUR normal. Reference ranges for most lab values are established by testing a large number of healthy people and observing what appears to be “normal” for them. A large number of people are tested for a given lab, and in turn, a bell curve (i.e., normal distribution) is created. By statistical definitions, when one includes the results that extend 2 standard deviations beyond the average of that distribution, this encompasses 95% of the population studied. So if 95% of a sample population had thyroid levels that ranged from 5 to 500, that would be the reference range for a thyroid test. You must agree that 5 to 500 is a pretty broad range. So let’s say your thyroid level, hypothetically, is 25. That certainly does fall ‘within normal range’, but perhaps YOUR normal is 350. For another example, let’s say, hypothetically, that 5 yrs ago your thyroid level was 400. Over the past 5 years, you’ve noticed a slow, but steady decline in your energy, moods, brain function, etc, and had your thyroid checked again. This time it is 200. Both of these numbers are well within ‘normal range’, but your thyroid is now functioning 50% slower than it did 5 years ago. Because these levels are within range, your thyroid problem won’t be detected with bloodwork, and instead of replenishing your deficient thyroid, you are offered several prescription drugs to mask the symptoms that would otherwise be easily cured.
The second problem is that doctors are taught in medical school and residency training to interpret most lab values as black and white, i.e., no gray area. This includes thyroid. According to most doctors, you do not have a thyroid problem if your lab result is ‘within normal limits’.
Over a 5 year period, I had developed depression, daily headaches, brain fog, and had gained 80 pounds. I had my thyroid checked several times and it was always “normal”. Since I had no clear-cut diagnosis, I was prescribed antidepressants, Ibuprofen, and diet pills. My symptoms continued to worsen, and more pills were added every year to my regimen. After a long awaited revelation, I began taking bio-identical hormones, including a thyroid supplement. After just 2 weeks, I was able to discontinue my antidepressant, the weight started coming off, headaches were gone, and I could think clearly again.
My motto now is: If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it’s probably a duck!

The latest research has indicated that it is better for you to eat more! More vegetables and fruits, that is. This is not exactly new news. We have all known from the time we were small kids that fruits and vegetables are essential to good health. You don’t have to look very far to find research on all the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. The problem seems to be that most of us are confused on how much our intake should be, or thinking french fries count as a vegetable, or believing a pill will make up for not eating right.
There are several factors muddling our concept of a nutritious diet. Most of us have been exposed to the old food pyramid created by the government years ago. You remember. It actually has a section for sweets, justifying our consumption of sugar. The bottom of the pyramid was for grains, cereals and rice, largely outweighing the fruits and vegetables sections. And even though veggies and fruits were recommended to be eaten, they were listed by servings, with no actual portion recommendations.
Not so surprisingly, we began to see our overall health as a society began to deteriorate and we started seeing an increase in chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, weight gain and a host of other problems. Being the quick fix society, drug companies started coming up with new drugs to cure every problem, including obesity. For the people who know prescription drugs are not the answer, there are vitamins and supplements to substitute all the nutritional value they should be getting from fruits and vegetables. So, instead of eating healthier, we can continue to eat poorly hoping all the pills we are taking will counteract our poor diets.
We find ourselves sick, tired, overweight and wondering why. The government found research to possibly answer the why, making correlations between our poor diets and our poor health. The U.S. Center for Disease Control found that 90% of the U.S. population does not meet the government’s recommendations for vegetable consumption. Interestingly enough, they also found that 90 million Americans suffer with chronic disease and 2/3 of the population is overweight to some degree.
This research has prompted the The United States Department of Agriculture to adopt a “More Matters” slogan for fruits and veggies. Along with their new slogan comes a revamped food pyramid. And guess what you won’t find on there? A sweets category! Shocking that we finally figured out that not only can we survive without sugar, we would feel much better without it.
The new food pyramid can be found on www.MyPyramid.gov. It is not perfect, but it is definitely better. The new pyramid gives actual portions and serving sizes. You can put in your age and sex along with your amount of daily activity and it will calculate the portions of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein you should consume each day. It will also offer tips on the kind of products to look for, such as lean meats and whole grain bread. Even though we recommend eating more fruits and veggies than the pyramid (we recommend 9 servings a day), as well as eating all organic foods when possible, the new pyramid is a step in the right direction.
You also need to learn what types of vegetables and fruits to be eating. Potatoes and corn should not be your only source of vegetables. You need to go for a wide variety of vegetables, especially dark, green leafy ones. Most of these are full of phytonutrients which are powerful disease fighters. If you start your meals with lean protein, vegetables and a tall glass of water, chances are you will fill up and won’t be as tempted to grab a bag of chips or a soda. If you are still hungry in between meals or want something sweet, grab some fruit and another glass of water. It will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Many people say they don’t have enough time to prepare healthy foods. However, eating healthier is becoming easier. You can drive through many fast food restaurants and substitute those french fries for a fruit cup or a salad or carrot sticks. Most restaurants will let you substitute sides for grilled or steamed vegetables. Grocery stores have fruits already cut and ready to eat and vegetables already cooked that just need to be heated.
So does eating healthier mean you should throw out your supplements? We do recommend being on a good supplement regimen ALONG with eating a healthy diet. Supplementation is very important. It just shouldn’t be used to replace eating the actual vegetables and fruits. One supplement we recommend is Juice Plus+®. Most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, and when we do eat them, they are overcooked and not fresh. Juice Plus+® is a great way to enhance the nutritional essence of raw fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
There is no substitute for eating healthy. There is no magic pill or quick fix. One of the best things you can do to improve your health is to start eating more fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.

Aspartame was discovered by accident in 1965. A chemist with the G.D. Searle Company was testing an anti-ulcer drug and discovered it tasted sweet. It was approved for dry goods in 1974, but was met with objections by a neuroscience researcher and the Consumer attorney prompting investigation of the research practices of the G.D. Searle Company. There are reports that the research was falsified to finally get FDA approval in 1981. The argument over the effects of aspartame has been going on for decades and continues today. When you do the research, however, there doesn’t seem to be much of an argument for aspartame.
Over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA are due to aspartame. These reactions include:
• headaches,
• migraines,
• dizziness,
• seizures,
• nausea,
• numbness,
• muscle spasms,
• weight gain,
• rashes,
• depression,
• fatigue,
• irritability,
• tachycardia,
• insomnia,
• vision problems,
• hearing loss,
• heart palpitations,
• breathing difficulties,
• anxiety attacks,
• memory loss and
• joint pain.
Often times it has been found that the excessive consumption of aspartame has been linked to worsening, triggering or mimicking the following illnesses: brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, birth defects, fibromyalgia and diabetes.
To understand these negative side effects of aspartame, you need to understand its components. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The bond holding these together is very weak causing aspartame to breakdown into its components readily in liquids, during prolonged storage and when exposed to heat in excess of 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The argument that these components are harmless because they are found naturally in food is irrelevant because they are bound to proteins or pectin in foods allowing them to be released slowly into the body.
Aspartic Acid makes up 40 % of aspartame. It functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain, facilitating the transfer of information from one nerve cell to another. Too much aspartic acid will produce free radicals causing brain cells to be damaged and die. This is known as an “excitotoxin” because it stimulates the nerve cells to death. When aspartame is ingested, aspartic acid is released quickly,
causing a spike in the plasma blood levels. As these blood levels rise, so do those of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This is a stress hormone affecting the brain where attention and impulsivity are controlled. Excessive amounts have been associated with anxiety, agitation and mania.
Phenylalanine makes up 50% of aspartame. Individuals with the genetic disorder PKU (phenylketonuria) are not able to metabolize phenylalanine. This causes a high build up of phenylalanine in the brain. There is evidence that ingesting aspartame along with carbohydrates can lead to excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain in persons not affected by PKU. Although phenylalanine is used in some instances as a treatment for depression, high amounts in the brain can cause the mood regulator, serotonin, to decrease, making depression worse. A decrease in serotonin levels may also result in carbohydrate cravings, explaining its ineffectiveness as a dietary aid. The build up of phenylalanine may also worsen schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol makes up 10% percent of aspartame. It is a deadly poison that is released from aspartame at temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit (in prolonged storage or inside the human body). The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed, methanol is a cumulative poison. The EPA only recommends a limit of consumption of methanol up to 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter beverage sweetened with aspartame contains around 56mg of methanol. According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, NutraSweet contains seven times more than the amount allowed in any other product. Furthermore, methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde. That’s right – it breaks down into the same stuff used for embalming fluid.
So what about the research testing the ingestion of aspartame on rats? The tests done on animals do not accurately reflect the potential dangers to humans. Humans are more sensitive to the effects of methanol due to our lack of some key enzymes. We are 5 times more sensitive than rodents and 20 times more sensitive than monkeys to aspartic acid. This is because we concentrate it in our blood at much higher levels and for longer periods of time. There are no human studies on the long term effects of aspartame. It is ironic that G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, searched for a drug that would combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage (high levels of aspartic acid).
It is alarming how many foods contain aspartame. Next time you are grocery shopping you may want to go right on by the reduced calorie version of these products: Carbonated Soft Drinks, Cereals , Chewing Gum , Flavored Syrups for Coffee , Flavored Water Products, Frozen Ice Cream Novelties, Fruit Spreads, Sugar Free Gelatin, Iced Tea Powder, Iced Tea Ready to Drink, Instant Cocoa Mix, Jams & Jellies, Juice Blends, Juice Drinks, Maple Syrups, Meal Replacements, Mousse, No Sugar Added Pies, Non- Carbonated Diet Soft drinks, Nutritional Bars, Powdered Soft Drinks, Protein Nutritional Drinks, Pudding, Candy, Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup, Sugar Free Cookies, Sugar Free Ketchup, Table Top Sweeteners, Vegetable Drinks, Fat Free or Sugar Free Yogurt.
Don’t buy in to the clever marketing. This is not the safe alternative to sugar. There are actually safe, natural sweetners like Xylitol. If you want to know what you should be using, read our supplement of the month article. And if you think Splenda (Sucralose) is any safer than Equal (aspartame) or Sweet ‘n Low (saccharin), we dare you to Google it!
Most of the above information was taken from Mercola.com and “Aspartame: Killing Us by Degrees – Part II”, by Pat Thomas