Day 101 - Amber

Lost count of calories but I think it was around1800. I was hoping this would be a bit lower today. :-( But I did a good job of eating well. Said no to ice cream at a friend's tonight. Ate a rather large serving of salad. Opted for 2 turkeydogs and only at 1 total bun to save calories...

I'm a little bummed that I was trying and my calories are still a little higher. Glad I worked out though, and glad I did sprint in the pool...they kicked my butt.

The Crazy Makers...I need to reread this whole section on aspartame. But basically what I've gotten out what I've read is thus: (keep in mind this is what i think i read....what I am summarizing)
The Sweet Brain Poison:
Aspartame was originally put on the market for limited use before it was officially approved, but the FDA said "go ahead" as a temporary, we'll try it out sort of thing. Then when the FDA did approve it the makers of Aspartame actually introduced it. (Hmm...right, like it had never been around....) They talked it up said it was all natural etc etc. And it is....but not. Aspartame - Nurtisweet or Equal, is a man mad sweetener hundred of times sweeter than sugar. It was thought to be harmless because it is made up of 2 naturally occurring amino acids. Unfortunately, one of the amino acids in large quantities can reduce serotonin - a calming agent in the body (or block it...can't remember) and the other amino acid in too large quantities provides abnormal excitability....and all of this is going on IN THE BRAIN. The health things range from vision issues, to headaches. But the main point is: with the amount of sugar free items we are stuffing in our bodies, it is likely we are drugging our brains and bringing our bodies to unnatural states of health just because we are trying to find an easy fix. (IE: we don't want to give up chocolate pudding, and soda, and shakes etc etc...so we opt for the next best thing : tha man made sweetener with no calories.) Unfortunately, one thing we ALL know in life is, you never get something for free and most things are too good to be true. And we have to remember The makers of the chemical Aspartame are in this business to make money.
They say it's OK, and to get brain damage, one must consume A LOT. More than is possible. But they also differ at times than what the FDA even says. The FDA says women who have high levels of Phenylalanine shouldn't consume aspartame, but the makers say it OK (reference their site.) A lot of truth boils down to this: 1: it is man made and we are putting it in our bodies....probably not the best idea. 2: Remember that everything in America is a business and it's easy to get sold. (that's why I'd like to even look up the references in this book....so many politics in everything. EVERYTHING is a business. EVERYTHING is political.

At the end of the day, do you really want to jack with your brain's state of being? Throwing in more amino acids that reduce the calm hormones that help you for a little bit of sugar? Some yes. Me?....I'll stick with fruit. I hope!

That's what I gather...don't even know if it's concise...but I tried!