What do arsenic, asbestos, aspartame and lead all have in common? They are not generally recognized as safe (GRAS). (The
We know from history and even from more recent times that you can easily kill someone by giving them small doses of arsenic until eventually it builds up in the body to a level toxic and the person or animal dies. Being a civilized country we have put in place controls so that poisonings, intended or accidental, are avoided.
We learned the hard way that using asbestos in children's pajamas, insulation for our homes and floor tiles could build up in the body and would indeed be the cause of death unless carefully controlled. In response to this, asbestos has been removed from most of our schools and we no longer put it in children's pajamas to prevent the one child in 600 who might be saved from a fire by wearing asbestos-laden pajamas.
We also have learned the hard way that ingesting lead through lead pipes, and children eating paint chips, and other forms of exposure, that ingestion can lead to irreversible brain damage and eventual death — and we have taken precautions to try and prevent accidental lead poisonings.
But what about aspartame? It has been classified as a chemical weapon and is responsible for 75 percent of the complaints filed with the Federal Drug Administration. It has been shown to cause deterioration of the optic nerve, brain tumors, seizures and masks many diseases characterized by tremors and muscle deterioration. Further, it is known to cause problems with stabilising blood sugar in persons who are diabetic — but have we done anything about it?
No! The build up of aspartame on the retinas of unborn mice, the changes in the optic nerve noticed after a long period of aspartame ingestion, the health problems, such as seizures, tremors and sudden heart attack are all masked by failure to take any kind of reasonable action such as educating consumers and truthful labeling of food products. The
As long as known neurotoxins such as aspartame, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (which is commonly listed on product labels as “natural flavors, natural flavoring, spices, yeast extract, textured protein” and “soy protein extract” are considered GRAS, we are eating chemicals known to have cumulative levels within the body which are indeed deadly.
Since 1948, the amount of MSG added to foods has doubled every decade. Over 800 million pounds of aspartame have been consumed in various products since it was first approved in 1981.
Think your medicines are safe? Think again. Aspartame is listed as an ingredient in package inserts for the oral cholera and typhoid vaccines. MSG is listed on the package ingredients for the vaccine against shingles.
