The Skinny on Splenda
Many women Kansas City women reach without thinking for a packet of Splenda when they order a coffee or iced tea. They sometimes eat baked goods with Splenda as an ingredient, but do they know all the facts about this artificial sweetener? Splenda is made of sucralose, a nonnutritive sweetener that is nearly 600 times as sweet as regular table sugar or sucrose. Sucralose was approved for use as a general-purpose sweetener in 1999 and is used in countless products. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of sucralose for an individual can be determined by dividing one’s weight in pounds by 2.2 to get one’s weight in kg. Then, multiply that number by 50 to get the ADI number in mg. Splenda is more widely used than Equal, which is aspartame-based, as well as Sweet ‘N Low which is saccharin-based.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of numerous books and online health articles, although the sweetener is popular, it was not adequately tested on humans before it was approved by the FDA, and Splenda consumers are misguided into thinking that sucralose is a healthier alternative to sugar. According to him, some reports have linked Splenda to symptoms such as headaches, body aches, swelling, stomach nausea and an altered emotional state. While some health experts like Mercola believe sucralose is yet another failed attempt at finding a safe sugar substitute, many have incorporated Splenda as an important part of their daily diets and it has not yet been proven by researchers that Splenda poses any short-term or long-term health risks. To get all the nutritional facts about sucralose, you can visit Splenda.com or do your own online research about the Splenda debate to find out what’s best for you and your family.
Dealing With Headache Pain
Headaches are a pain for Kansas City women whether they’re at work, spending time with their kids, cooking dinner or trying to enjoy a relaxing night at home. Headaches, in the form of chronic migraines, are more likely to plague women than men. This is thought to be due to fluctuations between puberty and menopause of the hormone estrogen. These migraines, which can be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, are called primary headaches. Other forms of primary headaches are tension headaches caused from stress and contracted muscles in your head, neck, shoulders or jaws and cluster headaches, more commonly experienced by men, which involve severe pain near the eye. Secondary headaches can be the result of many different problems or ailments such as neck or head injuries, sinus conditions, dental problems, eye conditions and brain tumors.
If you think you are suffering from a tension or stress-related headache, a quick fix might be using over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin. However, it is important to realize that overuse can result in stomach and liver damage. Instead, doctors recommend adopting a healthier lifestyle of diet and exercise. Also, attempt to lighten your load if you’re taking on too much so as to simplify your life, and take breaks to relax. For migraine pain, which can last up to 24 hours, there are prescription tryptophans like Imitrex or Maxalt that relieve pain by decreasing the constriction of blood vessels according to Dr. Merle L. Diamond of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago.
Kelly Nelson is an intern for KC Parent Magazine. She is studying Journalism and Spanish at the University of Missouri.