Aspartame - Food or Poison?

My friend and a local hypnotherapist, Susan Bishop, brought this question that was posted in the SF Chronicle to my attention today. The topic is Aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in many diet sodas, Nutrasweet and Equal. To see the original post click here.

Q: I heard someplace that aspartame, an ingredient in NutraSweet, is good for controlling ants. Is this true? P.B., San Francisco

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A: Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in NutraSweet, Equal and some diet drinks. It is a very powerful ant and mouse killer. Carpenter ants and mice will eat powdered aspartame, but small ants like it mixed with apple juice and honey. You can also pour it on an ant mound and slightly dampen it with water. Aspartame is also good for attracting yellow jackets to a trap if you mix it in a fruit juice.

This product is controversial as the FDA refused to approve it for human consumption in the 1970s because of studies linking it to brain tumors, neurological disorders and death in laboratory animals. However, it was eventually determined to be safe in humans. Because it is an effective insecticide and rodenticide, I cannot see any justification for human consumption. Pesticides are considered safe by some government agencies, but they are not safe. Neither is aspartame, in my opinion.

We have known that Aspartame is linked to many cancers and health issues but I was unaware of its use as a pesticide. I commend Richard Fagerlund, the author of this column, in pointing out that aspartame is not safe, in any capacity.

The next time you want to drink a diet soda consider the above and think twice. Go for the water instead.

Psoriasis drug off the market - What are your options?!?

The beginning of this month there was a press release from the FDA taking Genentech's psoriasis drug, Raptiva, off the market. Here is the start of the press release:

"Today, Genentech, the manufacturer of the psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab), announced that it has begun a voluntary, phased withdrawal of the product from the U.S. market. The company is taking this action because of a potential risk to patients of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare, serious, progressive neurologic disease caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system. By June 8, 2009, Raptiva will no longer be available in the United States."

To read the rest of this release click here.

Because this drug was taken off of the market many people may be looking for alternative treatments for psoriasis. Chinese medicine, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine all offer excellent alternatives to taking drugs that pose harmful risks.

When our primary routes of elimination (digestive tract, kidneys, lungs) are overburdened with both external and internal wastes the secondary routes of elimination (skin and mucous membranes) are enlisted. This is when we start seeing things such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. This is also an indication that the body is out of balance and needs some help to restore the balance. When working with my clients we start with the basics: diet, sleep, exercise and fluid intake. In addition we focus on decreasing inflammation in the body. After we put these foundations in place we typically add homeopathy, acupuncture and/ or Chinese formulas. Skin disorders can be challenging but by using natural medthods, such as those mentioned above, great improvement can be seen over time. Remember, there is no magic bullet but there are excellent options to support your body.