Still on the hunt for a safe alternative to sugar I came across STEVIA . Stevia is processed from the “Stevia Rebaudiana” bush.When refined into a white powder extract (stevioside), stevia becomes 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and sweetens without raising blood sugar levels. They say that their version of stevia contains no carbs, calories, artificial ingredients or fillers. They further say that research indicates that both diabetics and persons suffering from hypoglycemia may use stevia. You can buy Stevia on ebay, but lordy is it ever expensive. You cannot source it from the UK as the EU has, apparently, totally banned it's use.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) performed a thorough evaluation of recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols conducted on animals and humans, and concluded that "stevioside and rebaudioside A are not genotoxic in vitro or in vivo and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not expressed in vivo." The report also found no evidence of carcinogenic activity. Furthermore, the report noted that "stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes" but concluded that further study was required to determine proper dosage. You can find the report here.

Strange stuff. Knowing what we do about sugar, would sugar be approved by the EU and the USFDA if it were a new item offered now?.

According to Nancy Appleton, Ph.D Author of the book Lick The Sugar Habit, the following are the dangers of sugar:
1. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.96

2. Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.89

3. High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.90

4. High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.91,92

5. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.105

6. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.65

7. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).51

8. I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.103

9. In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.107

10. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.109

11. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.100

12. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.94

13. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.45,46,47

14. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.80

15. Sugar can cause appendicitis.40

16. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.56,57

17. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.35,36,37

18. Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.7,8

19. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.62,63

20. Sugar can cause depression.81

21. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.50

22. Sugar can cause emphysema.64

23. Sugar can cause gallstones.39

24. Sugar can cause gum disease.111

25. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.77

26. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.41

27. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.84,85,86,87

28. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.24,25,26,27,28

29. Sugar can cause premature aging.29

30. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.54

31. Sugar can cause varicose veins.42

32. Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.31,32,33

33. Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.59,60

34. Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.75

35. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.55

36. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.44

37. Sugar can damage your pancreas.72

38. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.43

39. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.58

40. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.21,22

41. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.70,71

42. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.68,69

43. Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.73

44. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.83

45. Sugar can increase your risk of gout.82

46. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.49

47. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.52

48. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.30

49. Sugar can lead to dizziness.88

50. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.48

51. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.61

52. Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.76

53. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.9,10,11,12

54. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.78,79

55. Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.101

56. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.1,2

57. Sugar can weaken eyesight.23

58. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).99

59. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.13

60. Sugar causes food allergies.53

61. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.106

62. Sugar contributes to obesity.34

63. Sugar dehydrates newborns.110

64. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.14,15,16,17,18,19,20

65. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.95

66. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)38

67. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.102

68. Sugar increases your risk of polio.104

69. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.67

70. Sugar is an addictive substance.93

71. Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.74

72. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.66

73. Sugar may induce cell death.108

74. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 3,4,5,6

75. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.98

76. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.97

References

1. Sanchez, A., et al. Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Nov 1973;261:1180_1184. Bernstein, J., al. Depression of Lymphocyte Transformation Following Oral Glucose Ingestion. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1997;30:613

2. Ringsdorf, W., Cheraskin, E. and Ramsay R. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis and Resistance to Disease, Dental Survey. 1976;52(12):46_48.

3. Couzy, F., et al. "Nutritional Implications of the Interaction Minerals," Progressive Food and Nutrition Science 17;1933:65-87

4. Kozlovsky, A., et al. Effects of Diets High in Simple Sugars on Urinary Chromium Losses. Metabolism. June 1986;35:515_518.

5. Fields, M.., et al. Effect of Copper Deficiency on Metabolism and Mortality in Rats Fed Sucrose or Starch Diets, Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1983;113:1335_1345.

6. Lemann, J. Evidence that Glucose Ingestion Inhibits Net Renal Tubular Reabsorption of Calcium and Magnesium. Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1976 ;70:236_245.

7. Goldman, J., et al. Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.1986;14(4):565_577.

8. Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.

9. Scanto, S. and Yudkin, J. The Effect of Dietary Sucrose on Blood Lipids, Serum Insulin, Platelet Adhesiveness and Body Weight in Human Volunteers, Postgraduate Medicine Journal. 1969;45:602_607.

10. Albrink, M. and Ullrich I. H. Interaction of Dietary Sucrose and Fiber on Serum Lipids in Healthy Young Men Fed High Carbohydrate Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:419-428. Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Med Hypotheses. Mar 1993;40(3):174-81.

11. Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Sugars on Metabolic Risk Factors Associated with Heart Disease. Nutritional Health. 1985;203_216.

12. Lewis, G. F. and Steiner, G. Acute Effects of Insulin in the Control of Vldl Production in Humans. Implications for The insulin-resistant State. Diabetes Care. 1996 Apr;19(4):390-3 R. Pamplona, M. .J., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses. 1990;40:174-181.

13. Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. "Glucose and Aging." Scientific American. May 1987:90. Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science; 663:63-67.

14. Takahashi, E., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Wholistic Health Digest. October 1982:41:00

15. Quillin, Patrick, Cancer's Sweet Tooth, Nutrition Science News. Ap 2000 Rothkopf, M.. Nutrition. July/Aug 1990;6(4).

16. Michaud, D. Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. Sep 4, 2002 ;94(17):1293-300.

17. Moerman, C. J., et al. Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer. International Journal of Epidemiology. Ap 1993.2(2):207-214.

18. The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.

19. De Stefani, E."Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case control Study in Uruguay." Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7.

20. Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France. European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65.

21. Kelsay, J., et al. Diets High in Glucose or Sucrose and Young Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1974;27:926_936. Thomas, B. J., et al. Relation of Habitual Diet to Fasting Plasma Insulin Concentration and the Insulin Response to Oral Glucose, Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition. 1983; 36C(1):49_51.

22. Dufty, William. Sugar Blues. (New York:Warner Books, 1975).

23. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Mar 2002;48;25. Taub, H. Ed. Sugar Weakens Eyesight, VM NEWSLETTER;May 1986:06:00

24. Dufty.

25. Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129

26. Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France, European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11

27. Persson P. G., Ahlbom, A., and Hellers, G. Epidemiology. 1992;3:47-52.

28. Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.

29. Lee, A. T.and Cerami A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science.1992;663:63-70.

30. Abrahamson, E. and Peget, A. Body, Mind and Sugar. (New York: Avon, 1977.}

31. Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and Youngmee, K. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force. 1986:39:00 Makinen K.K.,et al. A Descriptive Report of the Effects of a 16_month Xylitol Chewing_gum Programme Subsequent to a 40_month Sucrose Gum Programme. Caries Research. 1998; 32(2)107_12.

32. Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and K. Youngmee. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force.1986;39:36_38.

33. Appleton, N. New York: Healthy Bones. Avery Penguin Putnam:1989.

34. Keen, H., et al. Nutrient Intake, Adiposity, and Diabetes. British Medical Journal. 1989; 1:00 655_658

35. Darlington, L., Ramsey, N. W. and Mansfield, J. R. Placebo Controlled, Blind Study of Dietary Manipulation Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lancet. Feb 1986;8475(1):236_238.

36. Powers, L. Sensitivity: You React to What You Eat. Los Angeles Times. (Feb. 12, 1985). Cheng, J., et al. Preliminary Clinical Study on the Correlation Between Allergic Rhinitis and Food Factors. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi Aug 2002;16(8):393-396.

37. Erlander, S. The Cause and Cure of Multiple Sclerosis, The Disease to End Disease." Mar 3, 1979;1(3):59_63.

38. Crook, W. J. The Yeast Connection. (TN:Professional Books, 1984).

39. Heaton, K. The Sweet Road to Gallstones. British Medical Journal. Apr 14, 1984; 288:00:00 1103_1104. Misciagna, G., et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;69:120-126.

40. Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease. (New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, 1974).

41. Ibid.

42. Cleave, T. and Campbell, G. (Bristol, England:Diabetes, Coronary Thrombosis and the Saccharine Disease: John Wright and Sons, 1960).

43. Behall, K. Influ ence of Estrogen Content of Oral Contraceptives and Consumption of Sucrose on Blood Parameters. Disease Abstracts International. 1982;431437.

44. Tjäderhane, L. and Larmas, M. A High Sucrose Diet Decreases the Mechanical Strength of Bones in Growing Rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1998:128:1807_1810.

45. Beck, Nielsen H., Pedersen O., and Schwartz S. Effects of Diet on the Cellular Insulin Binding and the Insulin Sensitivity in Young Healthy Subjects. Diabetes. 1978;15:289_296 .

46. Sucrose Induces Diabetes in Cat. Federal Protocol. 1974;6(97). diabetes

47. Reiser, S., et al. Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:151-159.

48. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Aug 2000

49. Hodges, R., and Rebello, T. Carbohydrates and Blood Pressure. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1983:98:838_841.

50. Behar, D., et al. Sugar Challenge Testing with Children Considered Behaviorally Sugar Reactive. Nutritional Behavior. 1984;1:277_288.

51. Furth, A. and Harding, J. Why Sugar Is Bad For You. New Scientist. Sep 23, 1989;44.

52. Simmons, J. Is The Sand of Time Sugar? LONGEVITY. June 1990:00:00 49_53.

53. Appleton, N. New York: LICK THE SUGAR HABIT. Avery Penguin Putnam:1988. allergies

54. Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease: (New Canaan Ct: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1974).131.

55. Ibid. 132

56. Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses . 1990:00:00 174_181.

57. Vaccaro O., Ruth, K. J. and Stamler J. Relationship of Postload Plasma Glucose to Mortality with 19 yr Follow up. Diabetes Care. Oct 15,1992;10:328_334. Tominaga, M., et al, Impaired Glucose Tolerance Is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease, but Not Fasting Glucose. Diabetes Care. 1999:2(6):920-924.

58. Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. Modifications of Proteins and Nucleic Acids by Reducing Sugars: Possible Role in Aging. Handbook of the Biology of Aging. (New York: Academic Press, 1990.).

59. Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology 1990:45(4):105_110.

60. Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. Glucose and Aging. Scientific American. May 1987:00:00 90

61. Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.

62. Veromann, S.et al."Dietary Sugar and Salt Represent Real Risk Factors for Cataract Development." Ophthalmologica. 2003 Jul-Aug;217(4):302-307.

63. Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI

64. Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology. 1990:45(4):105_110.

65. Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.

66. Appleton, Nancy. New York; Lick the Sugar Habit. Avery Penguin Putnam, 1988 enzymes

67. Hellenbrand, W. Diet and Parkinson's Disease. A Possible Role for the Past Intake of Specific Nutrients. Results from a Self-administered Food-frequency Questionnaire in a Case-control Study. Neurology. Sep 1996;47(3):644-650.

68. Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38.

69. Ibid.

70. Yudkin, J., Kang, S. and Bruckdorfer, K. Effects of High Dietary Sugar. British Journal of Medicine. Nov 22, 1980;1396.

71. Blacklock, N. J., Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):9- Curhan, G., et al. Beverage Use and Risk for Kidney Stones in Women. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998:28:534-340.

72. Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI,:

73. Ibid. fluid retention

74. Ibid. bowel movement

75. Ibid. compromise the lining of the capillaries

76. Nash, J. Health Contenders. Essence. Jan 1992; 23:00 79_81.

77. Grand, E. Food Allergies and Migraine.Lancet. 1979:1:955_959.

78. Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. (Berkley Ca; Parker House, 1981.)

79. Molteni, R, et al. A High-fat, Refined Sugar Diet Reduces Hippocampal Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neuronal Plasticity, and Learning. NeuroScience. 2002;112(4):803-814.

80. Christensen, L. The Role of Caffeine and Sugar in Depression. Nutrition Report. Mar 1991;9(3):17-24.

81. Ibid,44

82. Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129

83. Frey, J. Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer's Disease? Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257.

84. Yudkin, J. Metabolic Changes Induced by Sugar in Relation to Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):5-8.

85. Yudkin, J and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988:32(2):53-55.

86. The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.

87. Gardner, L. and Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate on Fasting Levels of Human Growth Hormone and Cortisol. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1982;169:36_40.

88. Journal of Advanced Medicine. 1994;7(1):51-58.

89. Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.

90. Postgraduate Medicine.Sept 1969:45:602-07.

91. Lenders, C. M. Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake among Pregnant Adolescents. Journal of Nutrition. Jun 1997;1113- 1117

92. Ibid.

93. Sugar, White Flour Withdrawal Produces Chemical Response. The Addiction Letter. Jul 1992:04:00 Colantuoni, C., et al. Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence. Obes Res. Jun 2002 ;10(6):478-488. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, June 17, 2001 www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/sugar.htm

94. Ibid.

95. Sunehag, A. L., et al. Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition Diabetes. 1999 ;48 7991_800.

96. Christensen L., et al. Impact of A Dietary Change on Emotional Distress. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.1985;94(4):565_79.

97. Nutrition Health Review. Fall 85 changes sugar into fat faster than fat

98. Ludwig, D. S., et al. High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating and Obesity. Pediatrics. March 1999;103(3):26-32.

99. Pediatrics Research. 1995;38(4):539-542. Berdonces, J. L. Attention Deficit and Infantile Hyperactivity. Rev Enferm. Jan 2001;4(1)11-4

100. Blacklock, N. J. Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition Health. 1987;5(1 & 2):9-

101. Lechin, F., et al. Effects of an Oral Glucose Load on Plasma Neurotransmitters in Humans. Neurophychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):4-11.

102. Fields, M. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Aug 1998;17(4):317_321.

103. Arieff, A. I. Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco. San Jose Mercury; June 12/86. IVs of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.

104. Sandler, Benjamin P. Diet Prevents Polio. Milwakuee, WI,:The Lee Foundation for for Nutritional Research, 1951

105. Murphy, Patricia. The Role of Sugar in Epileptic Seizures. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. May, 2001 Murphy Is Editor of Epilepsy Wellness Newsletter, 1462 West 5th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97402

106. Stern, N. & Tuck, M. Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus, a Fundamental and Clinical Test. 2nd Edition, (PhiladelphiA; A:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000)943-957.

107. Christansen, D. Critical Care: Sugar Limit Saves Lives. Science News. June 30, 2001; 159:404.

108. Donnini, D. et al. Glucose May Induce Cell Death through a Free Radical-mediated Mechanism.Biochem Biohhys Res Commun. Feb 15, 1996:219(2):412-417.

109. Schoenthaler, S. The Los Angeles Probation Department Diet-Behavior Program: Am Empirical Analysis of Six Institutional Settings. Int J Biosocial Res 5(2):88-89.

110. Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition. Diabetes. 1999 Apr;48(4):791-800.

111. Glinsmann, W., et al. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners." FDA Report of Sugars Task Force -1986 39 123 Yudkin, J. and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988;32(2):53-5.

Obviously when I was diagnosed as diabetic I looked at the foodstuffs I was throwing down my neck. I wasn't concerned about soft drinks as I only drank water or diet cola (various brands, decaf diet coke when I can afford it, otherwise supermarket brands,) and in the evening I would add a dash (!!) of rum to the diet cola.

Since then, having decided that I already had a low sugar, low salt and low fat diet, I haven't really revisited what I ingest. Until now. Something caught my eye about diet drinks and sugar substitutes, and what I read is quite scarey. Look at the following symptoms:

Abdominal Pain
Anxiety attacks
arthritis
asthma
Asthmatic Reactions
Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)
Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)
Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)
Breathing difficulties
burning eyes or throat
Burning Urination
can't think straight
Chest Pains
chronic cough
Chronic Fatigue
Confusion
Death
Depression
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Excessive Thirst or Hunger
fatigue
feel unreal
flushing of face
Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair
Headaches/Migraines dizziness
Hearing Loss
Heart palpitations
Hives (Urticaria)
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Impotency and Sexual Problems
inability to concentrate
Infection Susceptibility
Insomnia
Irritability
Itching
Joint Pains
laryngitis
"like thinking in a fog"
Marked Personality Changes
Memory loss
Menstrual Problems or Changes
Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)
Muscle spasms
Nausea or Vomiting
Numbness or Tingling of Extremities
Other Allergic-Like Reactions
Panic Attacks
Phobias
poor memory
Rapid Heart Beat
Rashes
Seizures and Convulsions
Slurring of Speech
Swallowing Pain
Tachycardia
Tremors
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Vision Loss
Weight gain


Or have the following conditions become worse ??

Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson's Disease
Lupus
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
Diabetes and Diabetic Complications
Epilepsy
Alzheimer's Disease
Birth Defects
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Lymphoma
Lyme Disease
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Panic Disorder
Depression and other Psychological Disorders

Quite a long list is it not. It seems (according to THIS website) to be linked to aspartme (nutrasweet) and a side effect of methane poisoning that can occur when aspartme is used as a sugar substitute. Again according to the website, this is what happens:

How it happens:

Methanol, from aspartame, is released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin (Stegink 1984, page 143). Free methanol begins to form in liquid aspartame-containing products at temperatures above 86 degrees F.. also within the human body.

The methanol is then converted to formaldehyde. The formaldehyde converts to formic acid, ant sting poison. Toxic formic acid is used as an activator to strip epoxy and urethane coatings. Imagine what it does to your tissues!

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid, 90% of aspartame, are amino acids normally used in synthesis of protoplasm when supplied by the foods we eat. But when unaccompanied by other amino acids we use [there are 20], they are neurotoxic.

That is why a warning for Phenylketonurics is found on EQUAL and other aspartame products. Phenylketenurics are 2% of the population with extreme sensitivity to this chemical unless it's present in food. It gets you too, causing brain disorders and birth defects! Finally, the phenyalanine breaks down into DKP, a brain tumor agent.

In other words: Aspartame converts to dangerous byproducts that have no natural countermeasures. A dieter's empty stomach accelerates these conversions and amplifies the damage. Components of aspartame go straight to the brain, damage that causes headaches, mental confusion, seizures and faulty balance. Lab rats and other test animals died of brain tumors.

So I guess the case for much more research into Lo Han Gua fruit as a sugar substitute gains strength. Now all I have to do is weigh up the risks and see what drink to add my rum to, and especially if I can find a diet cola brand that does not use Aspartme, rumour has it that Sainsbury own brand diet cola uses an alternative to Aspartme called sucralose, a low-calorie sweetener made from sugar. Now, how would that affect my diabetes I wonder? Here is a wiki article on sucralose. And to be evenly balanced, here is a page about the 'dangers' of sucralose, apparently it is in the same chemical family as DDT.

What a minefield! Perhaps I should just give up drinking liquids. (Have you seen what is in 'clean and safe' water? No? Perhaps you ought to ask your local University Chem labs to analyse it for you. You might just be very very very suprised, (just how many drug addicts bodies has a pint of water already passed through before it gets to you?)

The BBC are running a story about a miracle berry (see here) Synsepalum dulcificum.

Interesting. I am reminded of the Lo Han Gua fruit which is used in China to sweeten food. This fruit, which I blogged about recently, has the attribute that it cannot be metabalysed by the human body. So diabetics, like me, and hypogylcaemics suffer no rise in blood sugar levels. It also apparently has other beneficial effects such as it can help relieve gastritis, constipation and respiratory inflammations, and they also appear to inhibit the Epstein-Barr virus and display anti-carcinogenic properties. (That is copied directly from my blog a couple of days ago, important enough that I felt it worth repeating)

My point here is that there are real substitutes to sugar that would massively improve the global health of the human species. Why on earth are we still pumping sugar, a known health hazard, into our food and thus into our body? Have you looked at the sugar content of simple every day foods like breakfast cereal? Some well known brands aimed at the dieting market have as much as 50% sugars - don't believe me? Look at the labels. Some, have none. Guess which ones I have for breakfast?

I am not interested in all the conspiracy theories in the BBC story, they are a real product of the sixties and seventies in my view, more in the fact that the internet has opened up the world to such a large extent that people like you and me can find out about these alternatives and explore them for ourselves.

Look at the food contents labels, avoid sugar and Live healthy.

Did you hear about the bit of red tarmac that was forcibly detained in a mental institution?

Apparently he was thought to be a bit of a cycle-path

Gabapentin. It is my prescribed pain killer at the moment. It wasn't yesterday, but it is today. Let me explain.

I went to a Pain Clinic group hug the other day. Following on from the nerve killing (more like nerve irritating and getting them jolly mad!) injection, my follow up appointment was a group session in the Centre for Pain Management. A sort of group hug if you like, but we were presented details of how they (the Pain Clinic) could help us manage our pain. We were told in no uncertain terms that they would not get rid of our pain, but help us come to terms with it. Good Grief! I've been in pain since I was 14, 38 years ago, I think that I have learned to come to terms with it by now. But anyway, I will try anything, I have nothing to lose. Back to the hug, there was a psychologist there (!), a nurse and a previous 'graduate' of the programme. I listened, but mostly to the other patients. I had to suppress my smiles at one other inductee when she complained about her co-codamol. Good Lord, I mean, my pain went beyond co-codamol twenty years ago. Bless, she was new to it all.

One snippet did make sense though. A fellow inductee mentioned that she wouldn't take gabapentin because it caused memory loss. PING!!! Yvonne and Hannah have 'complained' to me recently that I haven't done things they asked, such as use up some specific food stuffs when I make tea. I had completely forgotten it, and on several occasions too. The nurse confirmed that memory impairment was a major side effect of Gaba.

Right, so I came straight off it. That was Tuesday. Wednesday was okay, and I thought, hey, I can handle this. Thursday I hurt and ached in places that I had forgotten existed. Yesterday, (Friday) I could hardly move with the pain. It obviously takes a few days to work out of the system, and boy, do I now know how much pain it suppressed.

Sod the memory loss, give me my gaba!

Sorry, what was I saying?

So why, I wondered, do so few chinese suffer with diabetes type II? So I did some research and it seems that there is a product called the Lo Han Gua fruit which is a member of the cucumber family (which also includes gourds, squash and melon's). This fruit, which I ought to refer to as 'this amazing fruit', is around 300 times sweeter than sugar but has the following attribute:
It cannot be metabalysed by the human body. So diabetics and hypogylcaemics suffer no rise in blood sugar levels. That alone is not what makes this fruit amazing, it also helps promote the metabolization of stored body fat. An article in Whole Foods June 2003, Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of Age" by Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre has shown that Lo Han extracts help relieve gastritis, constipation and respiratory inflammations, and they also appear to inhibit the Epstein-Barr virus and display anti-carcinogenic properties.

Now the quandry for me is that I don't use sugar in any of my food or drinks, and so i can't actually use it as a sugar substitute, and more importantly as a fat metabolyser. see here

We are back from the holiday on the Island of Manhatten and back with the Islets of Langerhans. Interesting read on Diabetes Self Testing here. It also explains, perhaps, why my GP practice is discouraging the practice of self testing, and has taken the strips off my repeat prescription list.
When I was newly diagnosed, I found self testing hugely helpful in understanding my condition and what effects various foods had on me. I tested myself before every meal and two hours after I had eaten. By keeping a log in Microsoft Excel it was easy to turn the figures into a graph which gave a very visual representation of what was going on. When my GP changed my medication, the effects could be seen on the graph, when I 'sinned' foodwise, the effects could be seen. Far from leaning me towards depression, the practice of self testing helped me understand and come to terms with diabetes.

Now I only self test 2 or 3 times a week, just to make sure that I am still well in control. The biggest lesson I learned? That white bread is a no go area for me as a diabetic. Brown bread is typically half the sugar of white bread, and lowers my blood sugar by around 1 point compared to white.