A Thousand Times a Day: Addicted to Aspartame Day 31

I'm not a country music fan, but there is one song from the '80s that I love and it has crossed my mind quite a bit this month. While Patty Loveless' lyrics are comparing an alcohol /cigarette addiction to breaking up with her boyfriend, it resonated with me during my detox from diet sodas. Here's the song:

Today is June 1st. which means I went the entire month of May (31 days!!!!) without diet soda, soda, or anything containing aspartame!  Although I set up this blog in an attempt to entertain and advise readers on the dangers of aspartame, I did not have any real negative problems during the process.

I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE HARDER

I felt better this month: No tinnitus, no headaches, no blurred vision, no dizziness, no muscle spasms. Plus, the popping and pain in my jaw has stopped, which I think has more to do with me pulling with coconut oil each day...( Read more about that here.) When I take my jeans right out of the dryer, they are no longer cutting off blood circulation. I have less erratic behavior and mood swings, also, which my husband loves. I'm going to the gym a few times a week now, too, which is a sign my energy level has increased.

Do the improvements in my mind, body, and soul stem from this new aspartame-free lifestyle? I don't know, but it sure seems ironic.........

I gave up Diet Mountain Dew and Diet Coke a thousand times a day...............

Day 12: Aspartame Free! Plus, My Oil Pulling Journey

Yesterday was a busy day! Although I had a bunch of errands and work, I managed to finish up early and enjoy a long walk with my Maggie May! All in all, I would say day 12 was a great success. While I do not look any different and have not lost any actual weight, I am experiencing many benefits from my aspartame-free lifestyle including:

• Improved Mood - Seriously, I have been very happy lately. No real mood swings, no emotional outbursts, and not much in terms of anxiety or stress, either. This is actually abnormal for me so I'm still surprised by my overall elation.
• Bloating - This may be TMI, but I seem to be less bloated. My jeans are no longer painful to button right out of the dryer. :) 
• Appetite - I never really had a huge appetite, but I seem to be hungry even less now. Also, I'm not  having any sugar cravings.
• Energy - Although I'm drinking less caffeine, my energy has not decreased.
• Jaw or Tooth Discomfort - I have not had any clicking or popping in my jaw and no sensitivity in my teeth. 

Are these improvements related to my aspartame-free lifestyle? Maybe, possibly. Probably so.

Yesterday, I began another journey - Oil pulling. You may have heard of  oil pulling since it seems to be trendy in Hollywood right now. After reading all the health benefits, I decided to give it a whirl....

I'm using coconut oil because I read it offers the best results. It also is known to have the best taste, but I can assure you, it doesn't taste that great! 

I read that you should swish the oil in your mouth for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Due to the taste, I'm having trouble getting through 10 minutes, but I'm going to stick with it. 

To learn more about the history, benefits, and process of oil pulling, visit OilPulling.org. 

Day 10: Aspartame Free

Well, I got behind on my posts.

Today, is Mother's Day and day 10 free from aspartame! I'm doing great, feeling great, and I'm still motivated!

I'm having a great day with my husband and son who have both spoiled me!

Stay tunes tomorrow for day 11....

Day 8: No Time for Aspartame

With carpool, an honor roll ceremony, a bunch of errands, work, and a recital to go to, I had a very busy day. I was on the road a lot, but managed to stay true to my aspartame-free lifestyle. 

I'm still incredibly motivated, happy, and physically well. So, I'd say day 8 was a success!

Stay tuned tomorrow for day 9.....

Day 7: Another Day Free from Aspartame

There really isn't much to say about day 7 except I made it. I did not experience any headaches or moodiness, but did have one intense craving............

I stopped at the store to fill up my gas tank and caught myself grabbing a nice, cold Diet Mountain Dew from the cooler by the register! It was animalistic, really. I just went right for it! Of course, I decided against doing the Dew...........

Stay tuned tomorrow to see how day 8 goes.....

Day 6: Ooops

Hmmmmmm............

Yesterday was weird. I did not feel great. Day 6 free from aspartame started off fine....but, it just was not a good day. I was tired and cranky all afternoon and evening. Ooops.

I tend to skip meals because I just am not hungry until later in the afternoon. I drank a ton of water and completely forgot to eat. Walking out the door for afternoon carpool around 2pm, I grabbed a celery stalk. Around 3, I had a bit of peanut butter. That was pretty much it until dinner.

HUNGRY + ANGRY = HANGRY

Fortunately, I still made it through the day without any aspartame or artificial sweeteners. So, it ended up being a good day.

Hopefully, my 7th day will be better...stay tuned. 

Day 5 Happy: Aspartame Free

Nothing could have destroyed my good mood yesterday! Day 5 free from aspartame was a great success. I had energy, felt good, and my husband even said I looked good! (How incredibly nice of him! However, I'm sure it was a lie for motivational purposes! )

After my 2 cups of coffee, I quench my thirst with water. Here is my delicious concoction:

Water, sliced lemon, lime, and cucumber! Although it does not taste anything like my lovely Diet Mountain Dew, it is actually very yummy!

So, Day 5. I had a craving but never indulged. I had tons of energy...tons. And, I was very happy. Seriously. Happy. Like I said earlier, nothing could have disturbed my mood.

Also, I'm noticing my skin seems to be clearing up from my traditional breakouts very quickly.

Can I attribute all of these things to living aspartame free? No, I can't. It is rather ironic, though...

Stay tuned for day 6......