My thoughts are still on this sleep thing, and what I can do to improve my night's kip. Caffeine is a good friend of mine. We have a long and mutual repect for each other. There have been times when I've given it up, and succeeded, but it always creeps back into my life! So I'm going to try to cut back rather than give up, as I think that is more realistic.
My poison used to be strong, 'thick' tea, as I've never been fond of coffee, but now its diet Pepsi, I'm ashamed to admit. For starters, I'm a dentist, and I spend all day telling people it's bad for their teeth! However, there is more than just caffeine to worry about in that sweet, dark, heavenly liquid - Aspartame- a completely artificial sweetener. Whole books have been written about this stuff, and about its affect on our bodies. Before now, I adopted a shrug-the-shoulders attitude, but I'm looking slightly differently at it. Listed among the symptoms is insomnia! Now I'm not saying that if I give it up, I'll automatically start sleeping again, but it wont hurt to try! It is also claimed that aspartame makes you crave sweet things, and will make you gain weight.
I'll let you read for yourself, and as usual there are two sides to every story.
Aspartame Side Effects - Janet Starr Hull
There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption. It seems surreal, but true. How can one chemical create such chaos?
Aspartame dissolves into solution and can therefore travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue. The body digests aspartame unlike saccharin, which does not break down within humans.
The multitude of aspartame side effects are indicative to your genetic individuality and physical weaknesses. It is important to put two and two together, nonetheless, and identify which side effects aspartame is creating within you.
Aspartame changes the ratio of amino acids in the blood, blocking or lowering the levels of serotonin, tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Therefore, it is typical that aspartame symptoms cannot be detected in lab tests and on x-rays. Textbook disorders and diseases may actually be a toxic load as a result of aspartame poisoning.
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html
Aspartame European Food Safety Authority
EFSA's role and activities
The sweetener and its breakdown products have been a matter of extensive investigation for more than 20 years including experimental animal studies, clinical research, intake and epidemiological studies and post-marketing surveillance. Aspartame was found to be safe for human consumption, a conclusion which was reconfirmed in the review carried out by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) in 2002.
Even though aspartame has been authorised for many years in many countries following thorough safety assessments, a degree of public concern about the safety of aspartame has continued. EFSA, together with its Advisory Forum made up of representatives of the risk assessment bodies in the EU Member States, is now working to address this public concern
.
EFSA adopted an opinion in 2006 reconfirming the safety of aspartame. This work is not being undertaken because of new concerns about the current safety assessments. However, both EFSA and its Advisory Forum recognise that public concern continues despite the risk assessments that have been undertaken. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that every effort has been made to address these concerns.
This article is a bit heavy weight, and the associated links are 'sciencey', but it is unbiassed, I think.
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/anstopics/topic/aspartame.htm
I'm not too sure, but always think there's no smoke without fire. If living without aspartame means I will sleep better, then I'm up for giving it a try. Of course, there will need to be a suitable substitute, a like for like, caffeine replacement. Green tea, then. Tinternet is full of green tea references, how it will help you lose weight and how good it is for you, after all millions of Chinese can't be wrong!
Keep in touch!
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