It's incredible how different you feel...

[redhat]

Just as the title says, it's incredible how different you feel without consuming artificial sweeteners.

I guess I started around the last week of November or so, but I decided that enough was enough with artificial sweeteners. I have always known about how there was some negativity on using sweeteners such as aspartame, but I never really read into it. I was poking around on the internet one night and learned a lot. I used to drink a LOT of diet pop. It wouldn't be odd at all to consume one or two 2-liter bottles of Diet Pepsi a day or use a couple of packets of Splenda or Equal in a cup of coffee.

Fast forward to present... hardly any pop, an occasional Sprite maybe once every couple weeks. Coffee with just cream, and plenty of water. Also when I'm in the mood for some bubbly, I've found that lemon lime seltzer with some lemon juice isn't too bad. I actually now prefer coffee with just cream and kinda cringe remembering how sweet I used to take it. I feel so much more energized. It is as if I was wearing sunglasses at night and just took them off. I used to feel as if I was wearing a pair of blinders.

The change is ridiculous. Anyone else ever experience something similar? Needless to say, no more of the fake stuff. If anything needs to be sweet, I'll use some regular sugar.

 

[JHZR2]

I never could stomach that much soda or anything like that, especially with artificial sweetener.

I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, and stuff like my grandmother's oatmeal cookies I could eat WAY too many, too fast.

I try to avoid the sugars, but do consume some of the wrong stuff sometimes, and probably in too large a quantity. I really should wipe all sugars out of my diet as much as I can...

 

[71Chevyguy]

Just be careful and read labels. I have noticed Splenda creeping into many food items and not being on the label aside from the ingredients list. Mostly fruit cups, canned fruit and fruit juices that were not labeled "lite" or reduced calorie in any way. I hate the stuff so I can taste it and sure enough looking at the label it was in there. Going to get progressively harder to avoid the stuff as they load it into everything.

 

[zrxkawboy]

I drink a couple of diet sodas per day, sometimes more. Years ago, I read some "article" that was all about the nasty things that aspartame supposedly did to the body. I quit the diet soda habit that day. About a month later, I realized that I felt no different. Went back to the Dt Pepsi/Dt Dew, and again, no change in how I felt. If it makes a difference for you, great, but for me, I didn't notice anything.

 

[redhat]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I never could stomach that much soda or anything like that, especially with artificial sweetener.

I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, and stuff like my grandmother's oatmeal cookies I could eat WAY too many, too fast.

I try to avoid the sugars, but do consume some of the wrong stuff sometimes, and probably in too large a quantity. I really should wipe all sugars out of my diet as much as I can...


I think back on my pop intake and it really makes me cringe. Probably the biggest reason why I stopped all fake sugar was the fact that I used to get really horrible headaches after drinking some diet pop, or Splenda coffee. Now I think back on when I would drink some Diet Pepsi and I'm reminded by how horrible of a headache I'd get and that is 100% enough encouragement to not want any!

Originally Posted By: 71Chevyguy
Just be careful and read labels. I have noticed Splenda creeping into many food items and not being on the label aside from the ingredients list. Mostly fruit cups, canned fruit and fruit juices that were not labeled "lite" or reduced calorie in any way. I hate the stuff so I can taste it and sure enough looking at the label it was in there. Going to get progressively harder to avoid the stuff as they load it into everything.


Yeah, I see it everywhere. I have some canned fruit with it in there and I plan to donate it to some food drive or something. I don't want any part of it. If I want some fruit, I'll can something or make sure it isn't fake.

 

[gregk24]

I never use artificial sweetener, it can cause cancer (like many things) but still.

 

[Doog]

I guess I picked the wrong week to quit Splenda......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmW-ScmGRMA

 

[Merkava_4]

I drink a lot of that Propel water; it's got Splenda in it.

 

[SuzukiGoat]

No offense bud, but your increase in energy and what not is likely due to the water consumption more than anything.

If you properly hydrate yourself over a multi day period...its crazy how much better you'll feel.

You did make me realize that I need to carry my water jug around again. When sipping throughout the day, I've been known to fill that 80 ounce jug five to seven times a day. Its crazy hoe much you can drink just sipping throughout the day. And as long as its done slowly, you never run the risk of water intoxication.

 

[cos]

redhat,

Glad you feel better. As for me I never noticed a difference with fake sugar. Now real sugar - I definitely feel better when I cut back on that nasty stuff. If real sugar was just discovered and submitted to the FDA for approval as a sweetener it would NEVER be approved. Just research what horrible things your body goes through when you have to much insulin in your system.

 

[SteveSRT8]

^^^Nope, sugar would likely be approved because 'Big Food' executives populate the FDA board! The fox runs the henhouse.

A prominent urologist told me years ago that if you are not urinating every two hours or more then you run some risks. Drinking water, if it's clean, is an easy way to help yourself feel lots better.

You should not wait till you're thirsty...

 

[CharBaby]

May 30th, 2013, I had Angioplasty! I had a stent put in my Left Anterior Desending(LAD) Artery. "The main artery"(a.k.a. widow maker).

I have always kept in shape all of my life and worked out daily. I ate all of the right things plus, waaay too many of the wrong things as well. Don't drink Soda but, love my Coffee(Black) and my Beer

3 weeks prior to my procedure, my wife cut out allllll of the bad foods/beer and I started to drink more water(80oz-1 gal/day).

On the day of my procedure(while I was being prepped), they drew blood before going into the surgery and sent it off to the lab. My cholestrol dropped 100 pts in 3 weeks all by eating less junk and drinking water and without Meds. Yes, I am on Meds now!

Today, I can't tell people how much better I feel. "NEW & IMPROVED! And I still workout!

I haven't had a beer since May 8th, 2013. Sure I miss'em but, I feel better and have lost 30lbs. I only needed to loose ~ 10 lbs. And, I still eat portion sizes that most people would choke on(alot of food). Just all of the right foods. Fruits, Veggies, Salmon, Grains, Lean Chicken, NO RED MEATS!

 

[Clevy]

For Christmas I bought myself a nutri-bullet and now every day I drink a fruit/vegetable smash.
I use only organic fruits and veggies so I can include the peels which I've leaned is where much of the nutrition is. And of course the fibre intake increase helps.
I've gotta admit I feel better. Less lethargic and more upbeat. I really noticed an improvement in the look and feel of my skin.
And those fruit smashes aren't bad,a bit thick and if I add pomegranates I'm spitting out crunched seeds but it's not too bad.
I never take multi-vitamins. The off the shelf stuff is garbage. So I figure I must be feeling that rush of vitamins.
I'm glad I bought it. Even just 1 a day is at least 3 or 4 servings of vegetables,up from 3 or 4 a week.
Best 100 bucks I ever spent on an appliance.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The artificial sweeteners affect some more than others.

If I have more than one diet soda in a day (and I rarely have any, ever any more) my joints start to hurt and I feel very lethargic. I avoid the stuff as I'm apparently allergic to it.

 

[SF0059]

Hydration is the key. I have maybe 12 oz of soda a week now. I have also cut out all alcohol. I just drink water, unsweetened tea and black coffee. It is amazing how much better I feel. I have more energy, better digestion and sleep better.

I attribute much of it to my elimination of alcohol. I miss it sometimes but life is so much better without it. I have also lost 30 pounds through that and portion control with my food. I'm 32 now and feel like I am 21 again!

 

[4D-56]

When we start to eat actual real food and not food products, your body will wake up and thank you! You'll also see that about 98% of whats on the shelves at your local grocery store, aint food and has nothing to give you...just plenty to take from you.

Drinking soda and consuming artificial sweeteners is a fools game. You might get away with it but quality of life and energy are enhanced when we feed the body what it wants.

Water is a big issue, its fast becoming more and more polluted. If your're on city water, spend $$ on a high grade filter system.

Off the counter Vitamins?....im a big advocate but not the [censored] thats at your local grocery store. Go to a health food shop and get a brand thats trusted. Mega dosing of certain vitamins has been shown to be completely safe and highly effective.

Quit eating fast food, meals in a box....the more time we put into growing, buying and preparing quality food, the better life is, in every way.

We humans have created a big mess in this topic area and its really hitting us hard....self education and being the champion of our own health is vital. I dont trust doctors, pharmaceutical companies.

Buy a juicer, get a blender, cook less and eat more raw...food in its raw form has maximum life force to give us. Spend less time in front of the TV, on the internet and more time selecting, making and enjoying awesome foods!

I wish ya well, folks.

 

[yeti]

I'm surprised that pop hasn't posted yet to verbally chastise those who ingest these chemicals.could be that he's dusting off the soapbox as we speak.the day is still young.
aspartame, and the other sweeteners "could" be a commie plot !!! maybe bitog's resident conspiracy theorist will chime in, and explain it to us.could even be an alien threat.who knows ?
just having a coffee, killing time.might be back later today, maybe not.have a good day, all.
(my coffee is just cream -- no sugar)

 

[supton]

I cut out soda and artificial sweetners a while ago, but there's plenty of sugar in fruits, and in yougurt, so I noticed once I started tracking my calories that I was always over on my sugar intake. This fall I tried completely cutting out sugar--fruits included--to deal with a digestive issue. At first I thought I felt much better. Then I think I kinda slid back to where I was. I slowly added back in fruit and a bit of sugar for my coffee; no real change. Placebo? Maybe.

I do wonder about cutting out both caffiene and alcohol. Normally I like 3-4 cups of coffee a day; when I slow down I get a cup. But then I like to have a couple glasses of wine or beer to bring things to an end in the evening. Lots of calories there, and cost.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: yeti

(my coffee is just cream -- no sugar)


You should try putting coffee in with your cream; last I knew cream was pretty high in fat and calories.

[Reminds me of my wife, she puts a lot of cream into hers. I usually just add enough to make it change color, or maybe a hair more for a treat. We switched a couple years ago to real cream, and bemoan when we want coffee but no real cream is around.]

 

[yeti]

supton -- nothing better than 18% REAL cream in your coffee. that's what tim's uses.for the amount that I use, it's not a big deal.usually 2 coffees in the a.m.
we'll all be chastised for this in due course.the only unknown is -- what time?