Can Chronic Pain come from Food Additives?
by Jane
Oelke
zone3
It is always amazing to me when I find a food substance that when taken
in excess can cause pain the body. And sometimes these foods, and food
additives that are regulated by the government, are supposed to be safe.
When I test clients and their supplements, or ask about their dietary
habits, or chemicals in their work environments, we often discover
chemicals or foods that are causing their chronic pain symptoms. When
these chemicals are removed, much of their pain subsides.
When I talk to clients, I often ask if they can decipher what foods
tend make the pain worse or better, and if they crave certain foods in
their diet. One of the foods I am always listening for are diet soft
drinks with aspartame (Nutrasweet). From personal experience, I have been
relieved of constant headaches when I was convinced to stop drinking Diet
Pepsi. I was a regular user and once I stopped drinking it, the nagging
headaches that I had for a long time totally cleared up. So if you are
drinking diet soft drinks, STOP NOW, and see what difference it makes. I
have had quite a number of clients feel much better just a couple weeks
after abstaining from soft drinks.
Recently, we have been introduced to the new fake sugar called Splenda.
Advertising for Splenda says that is made from sugar, so it tastes like
sugar. But this doesn’t tell the whole story. Splenda is made by taking
out 3 of the 6 molecules that make up sugar, and adding chlorine
molecules. If you are avoiding chlorinated water because of chlorine
toxicity, then you should be avoiding Splenda. You are getting
chlorocarbons from Splenda that can cause immune system problems, such as
thymus gland shrinkage, and other genetic and reproductive damage.
The FDA approved Splenda in 1988 as a sucralose sweetener that tastes
just like sugar. But the sugar flavor is artificial, since Splenda is
about 600 times sweeter than natural sugar, so the sugar flavor is forced
out of the partial sugar molecule. And our body cannot use the sugar in
Splenda as fuel for our brains. It does not turn into the glucose we need
for brain function and energy production. Early studies show many of the
same side effects, such as headaches and chronic pain, as found with
aspartame.
Soft drinks have surpassed water as the number one choice of beverage
in the United States. Aspartame is not the only problem. When you have
fibromyalgia or any other autoimmune disease, you need good minerals in
your diet to distress the immune system, and the phosphoric acid in the
dark soft drinks will rob your body of calcium. The sugar version is not
better for you either, since sugar stresses your adrenals, especially when
it comes in concentrated doses, like it does in any sugar-laden soft
drink.
Also all soft drinks are very acidic, with an average reading of 2 to 3
pH. Acid urine and saliva pH readings are related to immune system stress,
and joint and muscle stress. So if you want to have your urine and saliva
pH levels stay in balance (in the 6.4 pH range or higher) avoiding soft
drinks is very important. Coffee is another acid drink, along with beer.
Green tea is the only relatively popular alkalizing drink. Or you can add
lemon or lime to your water (without sugar) for flavoring.
Other substances also can cause chronic pain. Fillers, preservatives,
food additives and coloring agents in supplements can build up as toxins
in the tissues. This often makes it harder to lose weight, and can create
pain when these toxins are stored in your tissues disrupting your nervous
system pain response. This is why it is important to use high quality
nutritional supplements without a lot of fillers. Too many over the
counter vitamins and minerals seem to have more fillers than nutrients on
the label, and these are the ones to avoid.
When choosing foods for your daily diet, or supplements that support
your daily diet, look for foods and supplements that do not have fake
sugars, preservatives like propylene glycol, and any food colorings. By
finding out what chemicals, processed foods, or supplements are causing
your pain; you will also be able to see a remarkable difference in just a
short period of time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is a Traditional Naturopath and Doctor of
Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of “Natural Choices
for Fibromyalgia” and “Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder.”
She is a professional speaker on natural health topics. She can be
contacted at DoctorOelke@aol.com or through
her website at http://www.naturalchoicesforyou.com/
Nutrition Related Articles:
 Calcium: the Miracle Mineral
Is Your Bread Slowly Killing You?
Nutrition Tips to Improve Fat Loss
Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
Don't Allow Your Food To Control You!
Exercise Nutrition: How To Keep That Energy Up!
Heredity Is Not Destiny: Do Health and Weight Problems Run in
Your Family? It May Be Habits, Not Genetics
Just Say No to Carb Phobia
Healthy Eating Tips For Busy Women
In Excess of Portion
|
Go to Page: 