The Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Neurotransmitter (Dys)Function

The Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Neurotransmitter (Dys)Function

Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener. Since its discovery in 1965, it has been used in thousands of food products as a non-caloric sweetener. Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). However, aspartame is not the only artificial sweetener found in foods; others include saccharin, neotame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. More than 6000 new products that contain artificial sweeteners were launched in the United States between 1999 and 2004, including soft drinks, baby food, Pedialyte, frozen foods, chewing gum and many (many) foods aimed at weight loss and blood sugar management (see other posts on the effects of artificial sweeteners and blood sugar and weight gain). (more…)

The Impact of Neurotransmitter Imbalance

The Impact of Neurotransmitter Imbalance

Neurotransmitter imbalances can cause an incredibly wide range of health issues. The reason is clear: neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that relay information between the brain and the rest of the body; if neurotransmitter imbalances are present, improper information gets sent. In essence, the wiring of the body gets fouled up and this can have a very wide range of effects. (more…)

Testing to Optimize Health: Four Tests That Can Lay the Foundation – Part 2 of 4

The first post in this series highlighted how important a properly constructed and completed client packet can be to help highlight possible underlying imbalances that could be impacting a person’s current state of health. This post will focus on one of the most underutilized tests that can help determine exactly which vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants a person’s body needs to optimize health. (more…)