Latest Posts

March 16, 2010

The BEST (healthy) dressing EVER!!

So I have to credit my friend Liz for this one, but I have found the BEST dressing for salads. I am very picky about my salad dressings, and I get bored with same old same old. This is a GREAT one to compliment the springtime weather.

Liz’s Dressing:

1 cup canola oil

1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar

2 Garlic Cloves (IMO they have to be FRESH PRESSED or the taste goes down a couple notches)

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

3 TBS Lemon Juice

Its is ESPECIALLY good if you put a good quality lettuce (red leaf is my favorite) feta cheese and grape tomatoes in the salad – there is just something about the combination that makes it POP!

On an unexpected side note, Liz’s husband (hope its ok I share this!) said that after having this dressing every day, all of his warts went away. What an unexpected benefit – but cool!

Do you have any to DIE for recipes – that are HEALTHY (a MUST!) – if so, let me know – bonniewayne1177@hotmail.com – and I will post the best ones 🙂

March 13, 2010

Latest Results? Diastasis Recti…

I have decided to periodically post great results that I am seeing lately to let women know that surgery or perpetual frustration does not have to be the answer. There is hope for your abdominals POST PREGNANCY!!

I have one woman in one of my classes who just had her 2nd baby 5 months ago. Shet had a 5 fingerwidth separation of the recti three inches above the belly button, a SEVEN fingerwidth separation of the recti right AT the belly button, and a 4 fingerwidth separation of the recti three inches below the bellybutton. (We always measure the diastasis in these three areas). This case would be considered by many doctors and most plastic surgeons, if not all, to be a prime tummy tuck candidate to artifically bring the recti together.

Well, first thing she did was get a Splint to bring the two halves of her recti in closer approximation. You can get a splint if you are two fingerwidths apart. The larger the gap, the more pronounced the need to splint the recti. She even wore hers to bed, so she would train herself not to jackknife out of bed.

She did 5 to 7 sets of 100 a day of seated tuplers. Since she is a working mom, she would do all her sets on her commute to and from work. She would say, “I’m going to do 2 sets by the time I reach Aurora” and things like that to give her a goal.

By the time the 6th week rolled around, we retested – she was 2 on the top, 3 in the middle, and 3 on the bottom – MARKED improvement.

The 8th (and final) class rolled around. We measured her recti – TOTALLY CLOSED – TOP, MIDDLE, AND BOTTOM. We measured her waist as well – 32.5 inches before, and 30.5 inches after – TWO inches lost. Total time to close a LARGE diastasis and get back her prepregnancy midsection? 8 WEEKS!!

Her husbands comments that last week (who she claimes never notices anything), “You look kinda hot in that tank top.”

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Another girl I trained during a private 3 session course was a very tall, dancer’s body, slender woman. She was frustrated about her tummy not looking right, 6 years after having twins. She had a FOUR fingerwidth gap on the top part of her recti, a FIVE fingerwidth gap in the middle – right at the bellybutton – and a FOUR fingerwidth gap on the bottom. Her waist – 29 1/8 inches. She was also what would be considered by many to be a prime tummy tuck candidate due to the separation of her recti.

She immediately got a Splint to approximate the recti. She did her 5 sets of 100 seated tuplers a day and by the 2nd session (two weeks later) was down to CLOSED recti at the top, 2 fingerwidth split in the middle, and ONE fingerwidth split on the bottom. Her waist size 27 5/8 – down 1 1/2 inches.

She continued to do her 5 sets of 100, get up and down correctly, avoid “crunches”, and wear the splint. We measured her after the 3rd session and she was CLOSED on top, CLOSED in the middle, and CLOSED on the bottom. Total time to close her diastasis and get back her prepregnancy midsection? 6 weeks!

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Do you know of anyone who has a “mummy tummy”? Feel free to spread the word – its VERY HARD information to find. Most practitioners, surgeons and most personal trainers DO NOT KNOW this is out there for their clients and patients! Spread the word and give some hope for those who don’t know that there is an answer to post-pregnancy midsection woes!

March 5, 2010

The Macaroni SWAP

Sometimes you JUST want some macaroni and cheese, darn it! At our house we have a tradition to make macaroni every Wednesday night because that is the day Daddy is gone until way late. So its a win-win – the kids really look forward to it, and I look forward to making a very quick dinner.

However, I thought to myself, there has to be a healthier way. I saw the “organic” mac and cheese at Trader Joes for $1.84- $2ish dollars for a small dinky package – STILL made with refined flour and thought “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”

Then…as I passed more shelves (and NO Trader Joes does not pay me anything to write this stuff….) and I found the perfect solution. I don’t know about you, but whole wheat pasta is a decent solution to pasta stuff, but my kids don’t like it as much, and they get so much wheat as it is. So when I saw the

BROWN RICE PASTA

that has big macaroni shaped noodles, I knew I had found the perfect solution. They are just plain noodles, and they taste so much lighter and “whiter” than the whole wheat pasta. So here is what I do. I take the cheese from the Kraft Macaroni, and the noodles from Trader Joes.

After making the giant Trader Joes Macaroni noodles, I add Soy Milk or Skim Milk, Butter or Smart Balance, and the Cheese sauce. (And if you sneak in some butternut squash or carrot puree, more power to you!)

AND WHALAH! A much healthier option to tradition mac and cheese. And because I only use about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bag of Trader Joes Brown Rice noodles that cost me $2ish – I can reuse those for 2 or 3 more packages for mac and cheese Wednesday. And if you get the crappy mac and cheese on sale – like .35 or so – and use the cheese packet from that – and it makes for a pretty darn cheap, but much better meal. I figure net cost of $1.35 – $1.70. It makes more, and its just as fast!

And for moms, ahem, like me, that sometimes JUST want to have a bite of mac and cheese, you can feel good about doing it.

Do you have any great substituting tricks to do with your kids?

March 2, 2010

What do you mean I shouldn’t do crunches? Never? But…

Yes, I have been asked this question many times. Lets face it, people just LOVE their crunches. I don’t know why – it doesn’t make sense to me. Even before I knew the damage they could do to the recti, I knew that they hurt my neck muscles. There is ALWAYS an abdominal bulge-out. Even when people THINK they are bringing their stomach muscles in, they are not able to fully engage the abdominals because it is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to bring in the innermost abdominal muscle (TRANSVERSE) while doing a crunch.

In fact, the only REASON, in THEORY, to do a crunch is to SHORTEN the long stretched out recti muscles (outermost abdominal muscles – 6 pack muscles) and make them strong, toned, and lean.

Well, a crunch will shorten the recti from the TOP by bringing your head off the ground, and a crunch will shorten the BOTTOM of the recti by bringing your legs to a bent position in essence tilting the pelvis. HOWEVER, the pitfall is that it DOESN’T shorten the recti from the MIDDLE – which is the MOST important part.

Why doesn’t a crunch shorten the recti from the middle you ask? Because it does NOT work the transversus abdominus – a.k.a transverse.

If the crunch does not work the transverse, or shorten the recti from the middle, is there ANY POINT in doing the exercises?

The answer is so VERY simple – absolutely not!!!

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?!?!?

Two things:

SEATED TUPLERS: Imagine your belly is a sideways elevator and the 1st floor is where your belly is normally at in its relaxed position. Bring your belly all the way back to your spine (5th floor) and hold it there for a second, then release to the 3rd floor (in between the 1st and 5th), then back to 5th floor again (squeeze and hold for a second) then back to 3rd floor. Continuing doing until you reach 100.

100 may seem like a lot, but a set of 100 only takes 2 ½ minutes. Do 5 sets a day, altogether, or spaced out, whatever is easiest. Do this exercise sitting down with firm back support. You should be able to feel this in your back, as it also works the lower lumbar muscles. This is the FASTEST way to repair your recti and bring them back together, closing the diastasis.

Yes you DO breathe. You “sniff” to bring air in, and COUNT as your exhale, which forces the air to work through your body.

HEAD LIFT: Lay on your back with your knees bent. Expand your belly to allow air to come into the body, Exhale, bring your bellybutton all the way to the spine (this is working the TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS – the key to bringing in the recti). Hold the belly there and you slightly tilt your pelvus to bring the small of the back pressed into the floor, tuck the chin, and then lift up your head and bring it back down fairly quickly.

If your abdominals show any movement, then it means your TRANSVERSE is not quite strong enough. There should be no visible movement on your abdominals.

ONE LAST QUESTION: How do you get the transverse strong enough to do the headlift? THE SEATED TUPLERS – it is the fastest way because it strengthens your abdominals in a seated position, which is the MISSING LINK of abdominals. You will not have gravity working against you in a seated position. Then when you begin to do abdominals while laying on your back where gravity is working against you, you will already have a mind body connection to the muscle to tell if your transverse muscle is actually engaged.

So my question is WHY WOULD YOU DO A CRUNCH when there is really no benefit, and EVEN damage you can do to your stomach muscles (further splitting of the recti)? Even if you CLOSED your diastasis, the gap, why would you then go back to an INFERIOR way?

Have you tried these? Did you get stumped? Did you feel the seated tupler exercise in your back or your kegel area (that would mean you are doing them right)?

February 9, 2010

REPLACING YOUR EVENING MUNCHIES – Herbal Tea?

So this is my new favorite wintertime pasttime to avoid eating total CRAP at night time.

Lets face it, when you have your favorite winter time TV shows on, or if its been a go -go day and you just want some unwinding time, the pitfall is THE MONSTER MUNCHIES!!

Its never the craving for celery, spinach, or broccoli…its generally the things that sit all night in our bellies and pack on the pounds like crazy in the wintertime – like brownies, chips, cookies, etc.

So I feel as I am on a neverending quest to prevent that and find fun exciting things I can eat that will not make me regret it 20 minutes later.

Last winter it was “orange peel herbal tea.” or “tangerine peel herbal tea.” It is loaded with nutrients and VERY simple to make. You can buy these in stores dried with other herbs…but why if its soooo darn simple?

You just take your orange or tangerine peel from your kids lunch or breakfast or snack (or yours) and just pour boiling water on the peel. Let it set for 20 minutes and WHALAA!! Its a very orangey herbal tea FANTASTIC for digestion. Put 1 teeny tiny scoop of stevia to sweeten it if you want.

My other new favorite I got from a friend from her “YOGI” way of living book. But I am HOOKED!!

1 tsp anise

1 tsp mint

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp fennel

1/2 tsp rosemary (opt)

Just pour boiling water on those ingredients. Wait 20 minutes and strain it with a strainer. Put 1 tsp of stevia if you want and YUM! Its so good. Its great to make you feel GROUNDED according to the Yogi book. Also the mint is excellent for the complexion and the digestion.

Its great to curl up sipping something warm and nurturing in the wintertime when everything is so cold. I LOVE IT!!!!

Do you have any great herbal tea recipes? Do you have other tips for avoiding wintertimes munchies?

February 5, 2010

Why don’t I just get a tummy tuck?

So this is a question I get periodically – and I got tonite while teaching one of my classes.
The woman in my class was mentioning her friend who just had twins opted to get a tummy tuck rather than just “take the class.”

So a discussion commenced on what the downside is in basically stitching two muscles (the recti) together that are weak. Technically this is one of the three parts that happens in many tummy tucks. The first is liposuctions, the second is raising the skin up to the ribs just below the breast before tightening the muscle, and the third is the diastasis operation, which is bringing the two muscles together without stitching the muscles themselves, but stitching the fasica that houses the muscles instead. In other words, tightening the diastasis.

So apart from all the normal risks of swelling, bruising, pain, numbness surgery , tummy tucks involve a MASSIVE scar from hip to hip, as well as a lengthy recovery.

But what I REALLY want to address, is what can be the danger later if the muscles are not strengthened and they get a tummy tuck. THERE IS NO GUARENTREE THAT YOUR DIASTSIS WON’T OPEN UP AGAIN AFTER A TUMMY TUCK IF YOU EXERCISE INCORRECTLY, or do a jackknife getting out of bed. So even if you’ve had a tummy tuck, you should do the Tupler Technique in order to strengthen the abdominal muscles.

The best bet LEARN TO DO ABDOMINALS CORRECTLY!! For most women, this will save you the cost and inconvenience of pricey, many times IMO not necessary surgery. If you learn to do them correctly, you can TOTALLY get your abdominals back.

I have seen woman after woman close their diastasis in a matter of weeks in my classes or sessions. AGAIN and AGAIN! People who have been told by doctors and surgeons that they needed to get SURGERY to repair them.

So women out there, education yourself. There is a BETTER WAY!!

Best bets to educate yourself: Lose Your Mummy Tummy Book and Lose Your Mummy Tummy DVD

And if your pregnant, Maternal Fitness by Julie Tupler, and Maternal Fitness DVD.

EMPOWER YOURSELF!!

February 3, 2010

INVEST IN YOURSELF: YOU’RE WORTH IT (guest post by fitmepink)

I am SO excited that one of my all-time favorite fitness blog gurus is posting for us. This Stay at home mom of 2 1/2 and personal trainer with a love of nutrition (including sneaking those veggies into her kid’s food), has great insight on fitness and how to balance being a mom and balancing the fitness routine. Here is FITMEPINK’S outlook on investing in yourself:

“There are few investments I’ve made in my life that have reaped greater benefits than joining a gym. I had just returned home after living abroad (in cold, dark Finland) for 18 months. I was 30 lbs. heavier than when I left. One day soon after returning home, some guy friends invited me and a girlfriend to the beach. I was mortified as I watched my friend take off her clothes to reveal a cute, slender, tan, perfect beach body. I’ve never wanted to be the girl who refuses to wear a swimsuit, so I removed my clothes to reveal a chubby and white-from-literally-not-seeing-the-sun-for-a-year-and-a-half– body. I wanted to hide. I wanted to be ANYWHERE but at the beach, wearing ANYTHING but the full-coverage, black one piece swimsuit that didn’t hide enough.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe that a perfect body is the key to happiness. But I was depressed. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. I wasn’t healthy, and I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t sure what to do with my life at that point, and at that yucky beach moment, I was miserable…and feeling fat and ugly didn’t help.

A few mornings later, I woke up and made a decision. I was joining a gym. I didn’t care how much it cost, I was going to join. Yes, I was the perfect walk-in-potential-member. I walked into the gym (with my little brother who I coerced into joining with me), and started looking at my options. When the guy-hoping-for-the-sale told me about the “lifetime membership,” (which included 5 sessions with a Personal Trainer), I was sold. I knew that fitness had to be a way of life. I wasn’t going to be in this for the short haul. I wasn’t going to lose the 30 lbs. and quit. I was going to start doing something that I would continue forever. So I paid a nice chunk of change (especially for a girl who’d spent a year-and-a-half giving service AKA making no money), signed some papers, and started chipping away at those lovely extra pounds.

I definitely don’t think joining a gym is the only way to a fit body and life, but for me, it was an investment in myself that I wasn’t going to waste! By purchasing a “life-time membership,” I knew that I was in this for life. I wasn’t going to work really hard to lose the weight only to fall back off the wagon. I wanted to be healthy, and I was literally committing myself for…well…forever!

The Best Decisions I’ve Made On This Lifetime Fitness Journey

For me, joining a gym that day was the FIRST best decision I made in the beginning of my on-going fitness journey.

The second best decision was signing up for those 5 Personal Training sessions. Before working with a trainer, I really only did cardio. Working out meant running. Period. (OK, and Tae Bo with Billy Blanks). After my first few sessions with a trainer, I was sold on the benefits of resistance training. I was sore in places I didn’t know existed on my body! I loved it! I loved knowing that I was making changes on my body that couldn’t be made any other way. I fell so in love with resistance training, that I went on to become a certified personal trainer.

The third best decision I made on my fitness journey was stepping foot into a group fitness class. I used to watch from the outside and feel totally intimidated by the barbells, steps, and free weights. I vividly remember my first experience in a lifting type class (strength endurance training). I looked to see how much weight the other ladies had on their bars. Being the overly-competitive girl that I am, I foolishly matched the ones with the most. I barely made it through class, and couldn’t walk normally for days. I’m sure the instructor cringed as she watched my form…I had no idea how hard the class would be. But now, the classes are honestly what keep me going to the gym. They’re on my schedule, and I plan many of my days around these workouts. I work out longer, and harder than I probably would on my own. I’ve made friends in the classes. I heart group fitness!

The fourth best decision I ever made was signing up for a race. Mind you, signing up for a full 26.2 mile marathon as the first organized race probably wasn’t the smartest thing. A 5- or even a 10-K would have been better. But regardless of how long the race, I had a goal to work towards. I couldn’t NOT run knowing that I would probably keel over and die on the race course if I didn’t train. Running soon became an addiction with which I have an ongoing love affair.

The fifth best decision I made was asking for a heart rate monitor for Christmas two years ago. I probably go a little overboard by wearing it for each and every workout, but it has truly helped me understand my body. I know what it truly feels like when I go anaerobic. I also know when my perceived rate of exertion is a lot higher than I’m actually working. I occasionally feel like I’m working at a level 10, but my heart rate tells me I’m working at more like a level 6. The heart doesn’t lie!

The sixth best decision was starting a fitness blog. I love that health and fitness is always on my mind! I love that I get to learn as I research. And I love that I get to glean insights from other healthy-minded readers and writers. Plus, it keeps me accountable. Having even a friend to check up on you and your fitness goals can be life changing!

I hope to continue making new life-altering decisions as I crawl along in this on-going fitness journey. However, the most important thing for me is knowing that I’m doing something that I feel I can sustain for life. I don’t work out for hours upon hours each day. That’s not a pace I can maintain. But I can chug along, go to the gym, and not be completely mortified at the thought of wearing a swimsuit on the beach! Yes, I definitely have some post-baby-body issues, but I’m a happier, healthier, more confident me.

Investing in your health, your body, and your overall well being is ALWAYS worth it!”

THANKS SO MUCH, ROBYN!! For more great insights, tips, recipes, and strategies, go to www.fitmepink.blogspot.com.

February 2, 2010

CRUNCHY LIME GUACAMOLE ON RICE CAKE – CRAVING REDUCER!!

So, I must say first – I am sorta swiping my sister’s recipe to post this – but it is my NEW FAVORITE THING, HAS A TON OF VEGGIES, GREAT FOR YOUR WAISTLINE, and is SO great to elminate CRAVINGS!!!

1 Avacado – slightly soft to touch
1/4 cucumber, peeled and cubed
1/4 green and/or red pepper, cut into tiny pieces
1/4 cup green onions, sweet onions, or red onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup grape tomatoes cut into quarters
2 TBS cilantro, cut finely
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 TBS mayo – to meld together
1/3 cup LIME JUICE (THE MORE THE BETTER!!)
1 – 3 tsp sea salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder (opt)

Cut the avacado in half, and carve out how thinly you want to cut them with a knife against the hard peel. I cut across, downward, and then diagonal. Then take a spoon and lift the avacado out. You are left with tiny pieces of guacamole already pre sliced for you. Add the LIME JUICE NEXT – and let the avacado absorb all the lime juice. This part MAKES the recipe. This is the Chilean component I LOVE (I lived there for 1 1/2 years). Then add everything else and stir it to combine and let the flavors meld.

You are left with the most flavorful and citrisy light guacamole with lots of crunch. Instead of trying it on fried corn chips, put it on a RICE CAKE.

My personal favorite are (BIG SURPRISE!) Trader Joe’s lightly salted Brown Rice cakes – $1.49 at the one by me. We get like 8 bags every time we go. I love that they are whole grain. My 2nd choice would be Quaker…by a long shot. Other Health Food Stores will have similar ones, but usually more expensive.

GENEROUSLY spoon the guacamole on the rice cake and YUM! Everything will be a little crumbly but SOOO good. And after I eat it, I find the avacado has calmed my glucose metabolism and I am not craving sweet, and I am SERIOUSLY FULL TO THE BRIM after eating this. I have it for dinner sometimes – its THAT good!

ENJOY!

January 26, 2010

Have you tried Spelt?

For health purposes and for WEIGHT LOSS purposes, it is great for your body to have some variety. Do you always have Wheat Bread (preferably WHOLE wheat bread) on your sandwiches or toast?

Try something DIFFERENT. Give your body variety that it needs.

The best approach is to have something one day, have something different the next TWO days, and then you can go back to having what you did on day 1.

This will help get you off plateaus for weight loss, and keep you from developing sensitivities to certain foods.

Which brings us to the subject of Spelt Bread. YUM! Have you tried this?

I find mine at Trader Joes for $2.99. It it a different grain – a cousin to wheat – but different.
It has GREAT texture and taste.

So when I have a sweet tooth, I love to toast the spelt bread, put a THIN layer of mascarpone cheese, a TINY sprinkle of stevia, and then put some thawed out blueberries on the top of that. Its a subtle sweetness of blueberry cheesecake, but so much healthier.

If you want to vary your breads with Oat Bread or Potato bread, or 7 Grain Bread or things like that – look on the FIRST ingredient on the back. If it says “Enriched flour” or “wheat flour” or “whole wheat flour” then its really not giving you the variety.

Have you tried Spelt? Or spelt bread? How do you prefer to make yours?

January 20, 2010

Stevia vs. Purevia vs. Truvia

I am sure you have all seen the latest stevia knock – off sweeteners that are now flooding into stores. Among them PureVia and Truvia. The latter two launched by Pepsi and Coke respectively.

So whats the deal? Are they just as good as Stevia? Are they different in composition? Should I sweeten things with those or look into it further?

Well, I will tell you what I have found, and I know I am sticking to my TRADER JOES STEVIA EXTRACT. There is not much money to be made by Stevia itself, as its a natural substance and can’t be patented, etc. That is fine by me – I don’t want anything chemically altered or with additives added. Whats the point – just buy the real stuff? (Just don’t get the PACKETS at Trader Joes – they have Maltodextrin – which is 150 on the Glycemic Index! Get the STEVIA EXTRACT for $9.99)

“This is worrying on many levels. Firstly, people seem to think that Truvia is made of Stevia + Erythritol, which is only true if you stretch the truth a bit! Because Stevia is an extract of half a dozen natural steviosides (glycosides), and Truvia is chemically pure Rebaudioside A, derived from genetically modified plants.

Not to mention the side effects of Erythritol, which is a “sugar alcohol” made by fermenting glucose with a yeast. I hope her alleged Truvia side effects are merely imaginary, because side effects that linger for four days are not good..” (from the article below)

Here is an collaboration article about the SIDE EFFECTS of Truvia

http://side-effects.owndoc.com/truvia-side-effects.html

I will post one of the worst submissions from this:

More side effects of Truvia..

I tried it for 3 months now. NO changes in my diet other than not using sugar and using truvia. Gained 15 pounds, loads of headaches and neck/shoulder pain. I called Truvia and they told me this was not a side effect, checked the internet and ooooo! I used stevia for years with no side effects, so there is something in this truvia that is no good! Gaining weight seems to be the opposite of what the point was!! Carol K

NO there are not any side effects for Stevia, but a TON of benefits. Here is another article with the shady behind the scenes of the Stevia knock-offs:

Stevia: Why the FDA isn’t So Sweet

by Vin Miller The makers of Pepsi and Coke recently received FDA approval for their new stevia based PureVia and Truvia sweeteners. While this may sound like good news, it only signifies the hipocrisy and corruption of the FDA.

Stevia is a genus of plant commonly found in South America. The extract of one particular species of this plant, rebaudiana, has been used as a natural sweetener in South America for over 1,000 years and in Japan since the 1970s. It has no calories, has no effect on blood sugar, and is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. For a long time, stevia has been highly regarded in natural health circles as an excellent and natural alternative to sugar.

The Ban

In 1991, based on controversial research, the FDA banned the use and import of stevia in America. Under pressure, the FDA later revised their policy in 1995 to allow the use of stevia, but only under the regulations of a dietary supplement.

However, as recently as 2007, the FDA has made claims that stevia is unsafe. Although it’s approved for use as a dietary supplement, it’s not approved for use as a food additive and the FDA has denied multiple requests for stevia to be used in food.

What About Aspartame?

Aspartame is the synthetic sweetener found in products like Nutrasweet and Equal and is the sweetener used in popular diet sodas such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi. It’s considered by many to be the most dangerous food additive on the market and is associated with serious disorders including cancer and severe allergic reactions that can lead to seizure and death. As such, you shouldn’t take the dangers of aspartame lightly.

If the FDA is so concerned about safety, why have they had such issue with a natural plant based sweetener while overlooking the dangers of a toxic chemical? And despite the dangers of aspartame, it’s use is still alive and well. All you have to do to confirm this is look for Nutrasweet or Equal packets in a restaurant or read the list of ingredients on a can of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi.

Money Talks

The two new stevia based sweeteners approved by the FDA, Truvia and PureVia, are associated with the makers of Coke and Pepsi respectively. Stevia itself is not patentable because it’s a natural substance, but when you apply a processing formula and add a few ingredients, it is. And having a patent brings the money making potential to justify the high cost of FDA approval. Of course this is just my opinion, but it certainly sounds like the FDA suddenly changed their mind about stevia once Coca-Cola and PepsiCo came knocking on their door with their checkbooks in hand.

If you don’t believe the FDA would do such a thing, you may want to read this article about what FDA scientists are admitting.

Who to Trust?

On the FDA’s website, right on their logo, it says “protecting and promoting your health” with the emphasis on “your” just as I typed it. But who’s health are they promoting, ours or the food industry’s?

If you can’t trust the FDA, then who can you trust? That’s a very important question for anyone hoping to achieve optimal health. Although it’s a question that requires finding your own answer, you shouldn’t trust an opinion based solely on the credentials of it’s source. It’s your responsibility to be well informed and able to think critically when assessing your needs because the only person truly accountable for your health is you!

Have you tried PureVia or Truevia? What are your experiences?

Beautiful After the Belly