Streetchickers donation files

[Immortelle]

That, I can agree with you on.  I bounce a lot of my research off my sister and mother who are both high level Registered Nurses.  They have a much better understanding of how the body works, and are both right into health and nutritian.  They are usually interested in the research too, and can explain facts and information surrounding the research that isn't entirely covered in the report. Also, husband and I market products.  No good marketing something you don't know shit about.

[mando]

I generally tend to question the research that links aspartame with brain tumours, even though there have been a few write ups in the Lancet about it.  But the issue with the formaldehyde - yes.  People don't drink as much booze and tomato juice as they do other food, now do they..  Sure normal food has formaldehyde in it.  Just like the potato plant is related to Deadly Nightshade, which has arsenic in it (although its not the leaves that we eat now, is it).  But the problem is the amount of food people tend to eat with aspartame in it, and the levels of aspartame in that said food.  Sure, formaldehyde is a natural chemical process.  But the levels that are being consumed are not natural or safe.

But people do eat a lot of citrus fruit, tomatoes, wine, etc., all of which produce formaldehyde in digestion. And even if they don't eat a lot of any one thing, they do generally eat many of these foods throughout the week in combination (i.e. grapefruit in the morning, tomato juice or a tomato based soup at lunch, a glass of wine with dinner, a mandarin orange for a snack, being as it is the winter time after all ). My everyday diet is apparently an invitation to death!

You make several references to the "dangerous" amounts of aspartame people are eating, but you haven't linked to any empirical data for this. Do you have any references for the daily amount of aspartame eaten by the general population of any country? Any (good) studies linking strongly high amounts of aspartame consumption to disease?

Don't pay so much attention to what is said on wiki, a lot of it has been written by a PR officer for the FDA which is in cahoots with the pharamceutical companies, who actually make the aspartame.  Its not in the companies best interest to take an impartial stance on the issue. No money in it for them, you see.  Cross reference, and don't just stick to stuff published on the internet, as the validity of a lot of stuff online is often questionable at best.

Absolutely, you shouldn't trust everything you read on the wiki; however, you can use it as a starting point to move to more information. And you should absolutely be skeptical of anything you read on the internet (especially all of those "Aspartame is poison!" sites ) and really break it apart and see where the information has come from first. There are many studies about aspartame and human health and it's a good idea to get your hands on those before making claims for either side (even if it's only the ones posted on the evil, lying internet). Quick note: you also might want to dial back from the conspiracy theories as well... just saying.

[SoggyFox]

I was reading about the dangers of aspartame before there really -was- an internet, back during Desert Storm.  I've known quite a few people who get horrible headaches when they drink it, myself included.   I do end up touching a little bit on occasion and I always regret it later as my body just gets pissed off at me.

I personally try and avoid all artificial stuff - unfortunately, I live with three guys who could care and enjoy junk.  Its hard to get something healthier when it involves two trips instead of one, or going to two different food places.

[Immortelle]

Okay, here's a few then

http://www.ehso.com/ehso.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.holisticmed.com/aspartame/uk.txt
(granted, the author the said piece is into holistic medicine.

http://www.ehso.com/ehso.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.holisticmed.com/aspartame/aspfaq.html
(a fully fledged report concerning Monsanto's research procedures ) and in particular check this one out : http://www.ehso.com/ehso.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.holisticmed.com/aspartame/aspfaq.html

Have also got a link of 100 empirical tests, some showing for and against.  And one that completely debunked the idea that aspartame helps with weightloss.  From a scientific standpoint it states that all tests are inconclusive, but is cautionary considering the number of people who claim to have gotten ill as a result of consuming aspartame.  I could continue, but I have other things that need doing right now, and will soon need to be away from the computer.

[mando]

Ehm, sorry to be a jerk, but do you have any studies that are independent from this site? Say, from an actual medical journal or what not and one that is not connected to the site you've linked to. As you said yourself, this page has a very strong lean in one direction, so I'm fairly dubious of the honesty of their claims and the material that they are reporting (that isn't to say I won't give it a thorough read through, though). I can see that they've referenced several articles and studies so I'll likely start there.

[Pescado]

I suggest 100% all natural possum. I ate a possum the other day. It was delishus.

[Paden]

How was it prepared?

[CJane]

I suggest 100% all natural possum. I ate a possum the other day. It was delishus.

Fresh kill or road? Not that there's much of a difference, mind you.

[Paden]

I'd think a fresh kill would be better, not much time for the rot to seep in. With road kill, the Good only knows how long it's lain there, not to mention the gravel, dirt and car parts that could be stuck in the body. I'm picky.

[CJane]

Yeah, but road kill is pre-tenderized. One just needs to make sure their whittlin' knife is handy, to whittle up a nice toothpick to remove the foreign objects that get caught in between your teeth. The car parts are easier to remove, 'cause they're bigger...obviously.

 

[Paden]

Well, if it gets hit in this kind of weather, what with the snow and ice, I suppose it would keep well if you were to pick it up a couple of hours after being killed. In the summer, however, I wouldn't touch it even fifteen minutes after it being killed, the heat sours meat badly. Not like I'd touch it any how, but thought I ought to clarify my stance just a wee bit.

[CJane]

Yeah, no shit...on all counts. It's cold where I am, too (Midwest). Possum are one of the ugliest animals I've ever seen, I don't want to be around one, dead or alive, let alone eat the damn thing.

I've eaten some unusual things, heh...like alligator, ostrich, buffalo, snails...I'd like to try rattlesnake someday...but I don't think I could choke possum down for a million bucks. Pescado is obviously a true nature lover.

[Paden]

Oh yeah, I think you're right. I'm three hours out of Chicago, myself and grew up in Iowa. One time before I was born a neighbor gave my family a massive raccoon to eat and my mother stewed the damn thing all day. They then went to a church potluck supper and took it with them. From family legend, the dish went over quite well, but none of my family ate a bit of it.

[CJane]

OMG! 

I'm never eating at a church potluck again.

I wouldn't ever consider eating a raccoon, either. The damn things are usually rabid! Lots of them around here, too. Pests. And squirrels...I've eaten squirrel, but those sure don't have a whole lot of meat on them for the trouble. I call squirrels "tree rats." I think it's a very fitting description. The squirrels around here will eat all the wires from under the hood of your car. Yep, happened recently to my sister. One day her car wouldn't start. Lifted the hood and there was a huge nest of leaves all over and around the engine, and all of the copper wiring was chewed and big lengths missing. Husband and I joked that they must have been crack squirrels, and sold it to support their habit. Well, it was funny at the time. I tend to check under my hood often now, and I try to hit the little critters with my car given the opportunity. I haven't hit one yet, but I keep trying.

I'm in SW Ohio, btw.

[ChaosInAMinor]

I also grew up in the midwest (central Iowa), and the things I've been offered to eat have haunted me...

My grandpa tried to feed me my pet rabbit once. 'Nuff said.