Diet Soft Drink Without Aspartame

The American Cancer Society claims that aspartame is one of the most commonly used sweeteners, and it is widely used in food and beverages for its low calories and its sweeter-than-sugar flavor. Dr. Morando Soffritti for the New York Times believes that hundreds of millions of people consume aspartame worldwide in products such as Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Snapple, and Sugar-Free Kool Aid. Despite its wide usage and consumption, the research conducted by Dr. Soffritti shows aspartame to be associated with the development of cancer in laboratory testings, particularly lymphomas and leukemia. In light of the recent research supporting the dangerous effects of aspartame, many diet sodas are made without aspartame, and are sweetened with more healthful alternatives.

Aspartame, also known as NutraSweet and Equal, flavors Diet Coke (Coke Zero) and other no-calorie beverages and foods. It is comprised of three compounds -Aspartic acid (40% of aspartame), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%)- and is a white, odourless, crystalline powder.

This artificial sugar is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose (which is sometimes called saccharose). Because of the extreme sweetness, even though aspartame is 4 kcal per gram, the amount of aspartame added to produce a sweet taste is so small that its caloric contribution is close to nil (which is why products with this sweetener are ‘zero’ or no-calorie).

The FDA approved aspartame for use in certain dry foods in 1981 and for soft drinks in 1983. In 1996, it removed all restrictions, allowing use in all food products, including ones exposed to heat, which separates the main ingredients. The FDA has set an acceptable daily limit of 50 mg per kg of body weight, which assumes that aspartame can safely replace all sucrose sweeteners in the diet.

Drink Tea Daily for Losing Weight

There’s evidence that the chemical EGCG found in ordinary green tea may help people lose weight. Unlike dark tea, which is brewed with fermented leaves, green tea is produced by steaming fresh leaves. This results in a higher content of polyphenols like EGCG, which is a flavonol.

Okay, there are other ingredients in tea called catechins that contribute to its helpfulness in losing weight. The scientists quote other studies showing that green tea is similar to black in this regard. This is not surprising since green tea also has caffeine and catechins.

A study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a metabolism 'boost').

The researchers also concluded that that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. These effects are probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea. These work to help intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the rate at which your body burns calories).

Drink white tea hot or cold, which also comes in an array of flavors as green tea does. The weight loss and antioxidant benefits of white tea are very similar to that of green tea. A study on white tea shows that it may lower blood pressure and cholesterol both of which improves the overall health of your heart and may allow you to do more cardio exercises.

To Breathe Properly on a Run

When you run, you get out of breath. This is normal. This is natural. Your body runs on oxygen, just as your automobile runs on gasoline. When you start to exercise--whether running, walking or any other physical activity--your muscles need more oxygen. The body meets this need by supplying oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. The lungs work harder to absorb this oxygen out of the air.

Try going through one full breath - inhaling and exhaling - every six to eight steps you take while running. In other words, for the first three to four steps, inhale a little bit on each step until at the third or fourth step, you have a full breath inflating your belly and lungs. Then for the next three to four steps, exhale a bit each time your foot hits the ground until you have exhaled completely.

1. Try slowing down before attempting to change your breathing.
2. Focus on longer, deeper breaths.
3. Breath more from your diaphragm (belly) than your chest (chest breathing is more shallow).
4. Focus on exhaling more fully. This will remove more CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and 5. allow for deeper inhalations of O2 (Oxygen).
6. Allow air to enter through both the nose and mouth. This will allow for maximum O2 intake.