Any good advice on books and sites about aspartame and nutrition? (no junk science please)

tame

[tame]

There are soooooo many nutrition books, and diet books on the market. It can be a bit overwhelming and confusing for a beginner like me to sort out the junk science, and voodoo gimmicks, from the well respected books, and web sites.

In the last couple of years I've been extremely tired, sleepy and fatigued for some reason. I've never really been into the nutrition thing, so I would appreciate any of your recommendations on good nutrition, and advice on the following:

1) Sodium. What's the story? How much is too much. How little is too little. Is it true that sodium causes water retention, and too much water retention is bad?

2) Aspartame. I love it in sweeteners (nutrasweek, etc.). I probably use between 100 and 200 packets a day. No joke. But I hear so many bad things about it. Is this junk science or not?

3) Water. I heard someone say you can actually drink too much water. Is this true? If so, how much is too much?

4) yams and sweet potatoes. I love them. I usually have a yam or sweet potato along with one broiled chicken breast for a meal. What are the draw backs on yams and sweet potatoes?

5) Body For Life Diet. I've lost a bit of weight on this diet, but I still lack energy. Any draw backs to this diet?

Please steer me away from the junk science and recommmend some healthy books and websites.

I appreciate it. tame.

[ActionNewsBill]

Just a bookmark for future reference. Thanks for the links.

[ladtx]

5) Body For Life Diet. I've lost a bit of weight on this diet, but I still lack energy. Any draw backs to this diet?

I can't say enough about Body for Life. My wife and I did the Body for Life Challenge for 90 days. The results were amazing. If you stick to the program as you should you can see a significant change. We had no energy problems, as a matter of fact we were at the gym at 5:30 AM 5 days a week and cruised through the rest of the day with no energy probs and we are both in our mid 50's. I think the key is not only the diet but the excercise program, when if done properly, is grueling. It's a very good program just stick with it.

[goodnesswins]

From Mark Messina, PhD...."Conclusion. One study has suggested a link between tofu consumption and poorer cognitive function in old age, but this is an epidemiological study. Therefore it doesn't show cause and effect. It did not look at diet extensively enough to draw firm conclusions. And there are no other studies to support it and three clinical studies suggest soy and isoflavones have beneficial effects on cognition. At this point, there is no reason to believe that eating soyfoods is harmful to brain aging."


I don't believe the PROOF is there yet that SOY is THE problem......and I do NOT believe it is "well documented.".....too many other factors.....I've not seen any Japanese results .....but since the Japanese have LESS cognitive problems in aging than North Americans....I'd doubt soy's impact there, also.

Anything highly processed or in excess, however, will probably cause problems.

[tortoise]

I don't believe the PROOF is there yet that SOY is THE problem

No, there isn't "proof". But in addition to strong correlative studies, there a modest amount known about the bio-active components in soy that support these assertions. So yes, no proof, but epidemiological effects possibly found in unrelated studies are supported by biochemical assays of soy activity in the body, so it isn't surprising either. They knew soy messed with the brain for a long time at a pharmacological level, but they never had a population study to prove it.

The Japanese studies have mostly revolved around the detrimental effects of plant estrogens to some organs and glands in the body. Estrogen is one of the most widely used hormones in the human body. The intake of plant estrogens suppresses the production of natural human estrogens, but some of the organs in the body that require estrogen cannot utilize the plant forms, starving some organs of this necessary hormone. General concensus seems to be that plant estrogens are not a healthy substitute for animal estrogens. Some day the health food stores will catch up with the research.

[goodnesswins]

Have you read any of Dr. Messina's stuff? I'll trust him. I believe brain "atrophy" can be a result of MANY other factors. We're all going to die of something sometime. :>)

[who knows what evil?]

She was diet Coke freak and when she quit drinkning it she lost 20 pounds in one month.

Interesting...my wife had similar results a couple of years. She quit drinking Diet PEPSI cold turkey and lost a little over twenty pounds. That was the ONLY CHANGE she made in her 'diet'. This has also happened to some other women we know. There also seems to be a pattern with regards to the portion of the body the weight drops from. Do you happen what aprt of her body your acquaintance shed her pounds from? As with others on this thread; we drink a fruit smoothie frequently. We have a Vita-Mix (love it!!!), and we make our own fruit concoctions. Peels are included in most instances, since many nutrients lurk within. We also include ground flaxseed for those healthy oils, and some lecithin, as well. (You don't taste either item.) A GREAT way to get five servings of fruits and vegetables every day...bottoms up! We also take a multi-vitamin daily (157 ingredients), and I take a couple of drops of lemon essential oil daily in water for that extra blast of Vitamin C. No fast food or soda in our diets. We never get sick, and when you consider that we live in one of the most unhealthy areas of the country (southern Appalachians), that is saying something.

[who knows what evil?]

Take "Quackwatch" with a grain of salt. There is a bitter war going on between traditional medicine/pharmaceutical companies and practitioners of "alternative medicines". There is a LOT of "BS" on both sides of the fence...doctors and pharmaceutical companies make BIG BUCKS maintaining your symptoms (not curing them), and alternative medicine has its share of charlatans, as well. (Personally, I have not seen a medical doctor for illness since Kennedy was assassinated, praise G-d!) Notice that when a doctor prescribes a certain medication (especially BP meds), and you ask "How long will I have to take this?"; the reply is usually "For the rest of your life." KA-CHING!!! As with almost any topic, do the research YOURSELF, and talk to as many people as you can to see what works. (Healthy diet and exercise...it's a BEAUTIFUL thing.)

[annyokie]

My friend was a classic "apple shape". She lost most of the weight from her tummy and backside and upper thighs, and upper arms. She is still on the heavy side, but kicking the diet soda thing and switching to water made all the difference in her energy level as well as some personality quirks. (She quit freaking over EVERYthing and saves it for the big stuff.)

She was doing Jenny Craig last I spoke to her. Portion control is an issue with many persons with a weight problem, IMHO. Most of us grew up in the Clean Your Plate era, and that's a hard habit to break.

We don't take vitamins, but we eat lots of veggies that we grow in our garden. I give our dogs (Labs) vitamin E to combat any joint problems.

[who knows what evil?]

I still use REAL sugar. Why are people so foolish to substitute chemicals for the REAL thing ? Do you honsetly believe it keeps a single pound off you ?

I agree...although I generally use honey as a sweetening ingredient, I would use good old sugar before I even THINK of touching the artificial sweeteners referenced on this thread. The long-term consequences may not hit you until later in life. There are SAFER ways to lose weight.

[annyokie]

You need to be careful about any nightshade (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant) if you are prone to arthritis. My mother has osteo as well as rheumetoid arthritis and quitting all nightshade has made her much more limber.

Artificial sweetners are poison, IMHO. Fat makes us fat. Sugar doesn't make us fat or make children hyperactive. Hydrogenated fats are the bad ones, too. No margarine or Crisco at our house.

[who knows what evil?]

She lost most of the weight from her tummy and backside and upper thighs, and upper arms.

Upper thighs...hmm. The women I was referring to (including my wife) are not "apple shaped", but ALL lost weight from their upper things when they STOPPED drinking diet soda. Anyone out there have similar results?

[who knows what evil?]

Just from my own experience I would suspect you are right. I drink 2 or 3 cans of diet Pepsi a day. How much is too much ?

My wife says that 2 or 3 cans would be too much. :-)

[annyokie]

There is something in carbonated beverages, soda and beer, that seems to make one gain weight around the waist and backside. (I'm not a doctor and don't play one here on FR.)

Look around at our beer drinking buds of both sexes. ; )

[who knows what evil?]

The trick to staying thin is to eat small portions. It's that simple.

Amen. We have TONS (no pun intended) of "all you can eat" slop troughs here in east Tennessee (Ryan's, Picadilly's, ad nauseum), and I see the results waddling down the street every single day.

[who knows what evil?]

Look around at our beer drinking buds of both sexes. ; )

EVERYTHING in moderation. I just LOVE a cold mug of Czechoslovakia's Pilsner Urquell, but I sadly restrict myself to one or two per week. :-(

[tame]

I can't say enough about Body for Life. My wife and I did the Body for Life Challenge for 90 days. The results were amazing.

I sure agree with you. I got on the diet and I lost between 30 and 32 pounds and that was without applying the exercise portion as much as I should have!

The problem is I paused the problem for thanksgiving and Christmas feasting (a bunch of "free days" in a row, lol!) and it's much more difficult to get back on it the second time. I'm still not as heavy as I was, but I'm too heavy. I am going to start the program with the exercise asap!

I know what you mean about the exercise. That twenty minute aerobic solution was tough but great! I felt better about myself, but I had not yet gained the energy I'm looking for.

[annyokie]

Just take a walk after supper, that's what we do. About a mile round trip (20 minutes or so). And eat slowly. You need to learn when you have had enough.

It's not easy, but you can have Fettucine Alfredo and not sweat about it! ; )

[tame]

BTW, I learned about Body for LIfe from a friend who lost over 100 pounds! I'm serious! I hadn't seem him for a while so we decided to get together at a restaurant (I think it was Mimi's restaurant). Anyway, I walked in to the restaurant and I was looking around for him. He was sitting in my line of vision and waving at me but I didn't recognize him! LOL!

It's amazing how what an effect a 100 pound loss will have on your facial features (not to mention your whole body). He look great! He told me about the Body for Life program, but it was years before I tried it.

[annyokie]

I see the results waddling down the street every single day.

I see them at Wal-Mart all the time here in OK, as well!

[tubebender]

My wife says that 2 or 3 cans would be too much. :-)

My wife jus got back from Safeway with a six pack of Diet Riet. I'll give that a try tonight. I know I'm sure as he** not gotng to start drinking sugared drinks...