This video is a full-length version of the documentary,
Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World (2007, 89 mins). Special thanks to Cori Brackett for bringing this film and the truth about aspartame to the public. You can also purchase the DVD of Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World or the follow-up documentary, Sweet Remedy: The World Reacts to an Adulterated Food Supply, click here.
Did You Know?
Aspartame is comprised of the following ingredients: Phenylalanine (50%), Aspartic Acid (40%) and Methanol (10%). In the body, methanol (a serious metabolic poison) breaks down into formaldehyde (or embalming fluid) and formic acid (ant sting poison). Aspartame, a neurotoxin, is found in the widely popular artificial sweeteners, NutriSweet, Equal, Benevia and NutraTaste, along with approximately 6,000 products that we buy in our grocery stores every day. To name a few, nearly all sugar-free or 'diet': carbonated soft drinks, flavored water drinks, juice drinks, iced tea, hot chocolate, chewing gum, cereals, children's vitamins, toothpastes, ice cream, prescription drugs, nutritional bars, meal replacements, pudding, gelatin, yogurt, cookies, ketchup, jams, jellies, candy and breath mints, etc.
Sucralose (better known as
Splenda
) is a Chlorocarbon, and is is the same chemical family as DDT and PCBs. Like aspartame, thousands of reports of adverse health affects have been reported from use of sucralose. Dr. Joseph Mercola of Mercola.com suggests, "If it sounds strange that Splenda could be marketed so widely without any real safety studies, I ask you to consider the source behind the product. Splenda is made from real sugar but is then molecularly modified to be calorie-free (essentially, Splenda is produced by chlorinating sugar). [Yes, as in chlorine!] The sugar industry, which is a huge and very powerful government lobby, is profiting quite nicely from this no-calorie sweetener. It is no secret that the U.S. government is influenced by the sugar industry, and it is not a stretch to think that their influence may be the real reason why no real studies have been done."
Attention Users: To send your comments about the documentary or to share your stories about how aspartame or sucralose usage has affected your health, or the health of one of your family members, email us.
Sources: Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World, Mercola.com, Aspartame.org
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Erich | [Posted 10/10/08]
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The documentary mostly covers aspartame.. is there any information uncovered about Sucralose (Splenda) or stevia?
Admin Response: While this video does focus on the dangers of aspartame, there is more research just recently being called for and done on the potential harmful effects of accumulated Splenda consumption. Have you read this press release, posted just a few days ago? Take a look: Chairman of Citizens for Health Declares FDA Should Review Approval of Splenda: New Study of Splenda and Sucralose Reveals Shocking New Information About Potentail Harmful Effect on Humans.
Stevia, on the other hand, according to Dr. Janet Hull, "is isolated and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant. Stevia
has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for diabetes and
gum disease among the indigenous people of Paraguay and other South
American countries. The therapeutic use of stevia has been recorded for
over 1,500 years. Independent researchers’ preliminary scientific studies show stevia may
indeed improve the function of cells required for insulin production in
the pancreas. It may also improve glucose tolerance in people with
diabetes. According to the generations of people who have used stevia
as a part of their daily diet, stevia has also been proven to regulate
blood sugar. Unlike other sweeteners, stevia has been reported
to possess anti-viral properties. Preliminary evidence suggests stevia
also possesses blood pressure lowering properties and may be a useful
treatment for hypertension."
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veganpagan | [Posted 5/30/08]
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Thank you for your superbly informative film "Sweet Misery - the Truth about Aspartame" as it confirmed so much of what I'd already discovered myself. From the first blackout which happened in 1984, my husband Athol suffered from periodic, unexplained blackouts. This wasn't a faint, he wouldn't crumple at the knees ... rather he would collapse like a felled tree. Every time it happened he was given every possible test -- MRI's, CAT scans, DOPPLER scans of his carotid arteries, EKG's, EEG's and every blood test in the book. One really scary episode resulted in him being hospitalized for three days, the hospital and doctors were all convinced he had suffered a stroke, despite the fact that he had absolutely no risk factors! He was in his early thirties, fit, with normal to low blood pressure, and no evidence of venous plaque or abnormal clotting. However, he had collapsed, blacked out and then shown marked weakness down his right side, slurred speech and blurred vision. Certainly appeared to be a stroke. Finally in 1994 he was seen by a neurologist who asked an interesting question: "Have you ever bitten your tongue at night?" The answer was yes and the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. He was diagnosed with a seizure disorder (epilepsy) – a sleep deprived EEG confirmed seizure activity. The neurologist explained to us that the apparent "stroke" was something called Todd's paresis (aka Todd's paralysis)-- where a seizure mimics the symptoms of a stroke. He was put onto anti-seizure medication – first Dilantin which caused an almost suicidal depression. Then Depakote – which almost destroyed his liver. Then Tegratol - which caused scary personality changes. He became extremely irritable and uncharacteristically aggressive. Finally he was placed on Lamictal which was the best of a bad bunch but still made him feel lethargic. The neurologist kept increasing the dosage because of an increasing number breakthrough seizures which were becoming more severe.
In the meantime, I was desperate to help my husband and started researching all I could find about seizures. I kept finding references which indicated that aspartame was suspected to cause seizures. We never dreamt that was ALL that was causing his seizures. We simply decided that it was foolhardy to consume something suspected of causing seizures when he already had a seizure disorder. In October 1996 he gave up all forms of aspartame. The two of us became label reading fiends. He had been drinking several cans of diet soda a day. He also used sugar-free gum and sugar-free breath mints daily.
Noticing a drop in the number of seizures and against the wishes of his neurologist, Athol began gradually decreasing the Lamictal, his anti-seizure medication. On December 25, 1996 he took his last dose of Lamictal and has not taken any anti-seizure medication since. From a minimum of two seizures a week despite medication... to date (soon to be 12 years) he has not had ONE seizure. Go on the epilepsy websites and you will find there are treatments, but no 100% cures. There is no other explanation other than when he stopped poisoning himself with aspartame, the seizures stopped too.
I wish I could say we were both 100% unscathed, but both of us show symptoms of short term memory loss which has never recovered. Who knows what other damage was done? There is no doubt in my mind that all of the above can be laid squarely at the door of GD Searle, Monsanto and the NutraSweet company. Aspartame is a poison that should never have been approved for use as a food additive.