On April 18th, I had the pleasure of doing a radio show on aspartame dangers with Dr. Woodrow Monte. Other than my phone battery crackling off and on, it was an excellent 2-hour show hosted by Dr. Hildegarde Staninger. Click here to listen to the archives of the live show.

Wishing you the best in health, and best wishes from all of us at The Hullistic Network.

Janet Hull

It's been thirty years since aspartame first came on the market as NutraSweet/Equal®. Researchers warned us as early as the 1960s that this artificial sugar substitute was harmful to human health, but their warnings never reached the consumer. Today, the scientific research continues with the hope that the findings that aspartame causes cancer, memory loss, birth defects, leukemia, and lymphoma will finally get through to public awareness. The question most people ask are why aspartame is still on the market and why the FDA insists that it is safe? Aspartame's history reveals the answer, and that involves a complex and alarming chronicle of events.

The Sweetener Timeline:

1965. G.D. Searle chemist, James Schlatter, discovered aspartame as a sweetener while originally testing the chemical compound for an ulcer drug. His boiling flask bubbled over; the formula spilled; Schlatter's ledger fell to the floor; he licked his fingers to pick up the fallen papers, and he unexpectedly discovered aspartame was incredibly sweet.

G.D. Searle switched their FDA approval application from an ulcer drug to the newest sweetener food additive.

1969. Physician and Biochemist, Dr. Harry Waisman, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin and Director of the University's Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Laboratories for Mental Retardation Research, approached G.D. Searle to conduct a study on the effects of aspartame on Phenylketonurics (PKU). An expert on PKU, Dr. Waisman proposed to study the genetic disorder in response to aspartame using primates. Dr. Waisman's experiments resulted in the following:

Of the seven infant monkeys fed aspartame mixed with milk, one died after 300 days and five other monkeys suffered grand mal seizures. Dr. Waisman reported his findings to G. D. Searle, but Searle never submitted the test results to the FDA. (In the 1975 investigations, the FDA Investigative Task Force first discovered Dr. Waisman's 1969 study and questioned Searle why the study had been deleted from FDA records. They did not receive an answer.)

Before he completed his study, Dr. Waisman was killed in an automobile accident in March of 1971.

The FDA considered his research important, but in 1980, his findings were dismissed as incomplete.
After his death, G.D. Searle granted researcher Ann Reynolds funds to study Waisman's findings.

According to Congressional records, her findings were fragmented as she evaluated plasma aspartic acid levels only; not the neurotoxicity or seizure potentiality of phenylalanine, as did Dr. Waisman.

Primates were never used in further aspartame research. All subsequent studies submitted by Searle to the FDA were performed on rodents. Unfortunately, the tests on rodents were not as accurate as those using primates. The rodents had to be fed at least 60 times more aspartame than the primates in order to duplicate the intake effect on humans, resulting in inaccuracies between the tests.

The safety of saccharin was tested at this time, and the laboratory rats used in the studies were fed the equivalent of 600 to 800 cans of diet soda with saccharin per day. There was a public outcry over the potential abuse related to the excessive amount of saccharin fed to the test animals, but a proposed ban on saccharin began.

1970. The safety of saccharin was seriously being questioned, and the FDA banned cyclamate. The Director of the FDA Toxicological Services Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Robert Scheuplein stated, "The decision to ban cyclamate was more a matter of politics than science. Meetings were not held. Things were not pursued. Work was not done. The people who were involved at the time were inadequate to the job. "

Dr. John Olney, Research Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry at The Washington School of Medicine, began his research on the safety of aspartame.

1971. Dr. Olney informed G.D. Searle that the aspartic acid in aspartame caused holes to form in the brains of his test mice. Ann Reynolds, the same researcher hired by Searle to investigate Dr. Waisman's findings, was again contracted by Searle to investigate Dr. Olney's findings. She confirmed his findings in a similar study.

1973. G.D. Searle petitioned the FDA for approval to use aspartame in all foods.
Dr. Olney and Jim Turner, J.D. met with G.D. Searle representatives to discuss Dr. Olney's research findings.

1974. FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt, M.D. approved aspartame as a food additive in dry foods only. Olney and Turner met with FDA Commissioner Schmidt to discuss Dr. Olney's findings.

1975. A FDA Task Force was formed to investigate aspartame safety concerns. FDA Lead Investigator, Philip Brodsky and FDA Toxicologist, Adrian Gross, M.D headed the Task Force. Both were charged with examining the original test material submitted by Searle for aspartame and their Copper-7 IUD.

After several months of investigations, the Task Force submitted a 15,000-page document with a summary of over 80 pages. They reported that the problems they found throughout the Searle studies revealed a pattern of conduct that "compromised the scientific integrity of the studies."

The FDA concluded that many of Searle's studies were questionable, and Commissioner Schmidt's 1974 aspartame approval was rescinded.

1976. As a result of the Task Force's investigation results, the first Senate Subcommittee on Labor and Public Welfare hearing was called on April 8 to discuss the safety aspartame and several other Searle drugs.

Tate & Lyle, a British sugar company, began searching for ways to blend sucrose (sugar) with laboratory chemicals, discovering sucralose (Splenda).

1977. A five member FDA Task Force headed by FDA Inspector Jerome Bressler received 15 Searle aspartame studies to examine. Bressler discovered that some of the test animals had developed uterine tumors during the research studies, and determined that some of the blood tests had been tampered with. According to Bressler's report, Searle claimed they experienced problems with their instruments, and, therefore, substituted the results of some studies with other test results.

A Rockville, Maryland firm, UAREP, examined 12 of the 15 Searle aspartame studies, and reported finding written accounts of brain tumors.

In January, FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill formally requested that U.S. Attorney Samuel Skinner conduct a Grand Jury investigation on the tests submitted to the FDA by G.D. Searle. The investigation was based on whether Searle "concealed material facts and made false statements in animal study reports concerning the safety of the drug aldactone and aspartame."

At this time, the FDA cited two specific aspartame studies needing special attention. One was a primate study where the monkeys suffered seizures but were never given autopsies. The second was a toxicity study on hamsters.

Attorney Skinner removed himself from the case in March, accepting a position with the law firm Sidley and Austin, hired to defend Searle in these specific investigations.

William Conlon, Senior Assistant US Attorney, was appointed US Attorney. Conlon took no action on the aspartame case, and accepted a position with Sidley and Austin later that same year.

Thomas Sullivan was appointed US Attorney, and also took no action in the aspartame investigations.

The statute of limitations for a grand jury investigation to prosecute the case expired in December.

Donald Rumsfeld, former Congressman and Chief of Staff for the Ford Administration, was hired as G.D. Searle's President. He immediately hired three government officials, John Robson, Robert Shapiro, and William Greener, Jr.

John Robson was hired as Executive Vice-president. He was a former lawyer with Sidley and Austin, and served as Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, working with the US Department of Transportation.

Robert Shapiro was hired as Searle's general counsel, and soon became Searle's first Director of the NutraSweet Division. Shapiro was Robson's special assistant at the US Department of Transportation.

William Greener, Jr. was hired as Searle's chief spokesman. He was former spokesman for the Ford Administration.

1978. Northeastern Illinois University, Department of Psychology, submitted a study on aspartame. They documented the following research results: reproductive dysfunction in both male and female test animals; endocrine dysfunction including the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the ovaries, and the testes; an increase in weight; and a decrease in locomotor function.

Aspartame safety proceedings were held at The National Academy of Sciences. Research was presented showing elevated blood phenylalanine levels affecting the fetuses of mothers who carried the PKU gene, which resulted in a lower IQ and a higher incidence of developmental abnormalities in the fetus.

1979. US Attorney Tom Sullivan submitted a formal statement to the FDA stating his reasons for not prosecuting Searle on aldactone. He made no mention of aspartame.

Several independent studies on aspartame were performed. As reported in Science magazine, studies linked methanol (10 percent aspartame) to fetal alcohol syndrome and to diminished cognitive capacity in newborn rats. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing a high incidence of birth defects as a result of elevated phenylalanine levels in PKU women exposed to phenylalanine (50 percent aspartame).

Dr. Daniel Azarnoff, head of G.D. Searle's Research and Development Division, stated that rats eating the required amount of DKP (Diketopiperazine) in research studies had a statistically significant number of tumors in their wombs.

The FDA requested a review of the objections to aspartame approval. Routinely, Administrative Law Judges held public hearings, but in this case, the FDA suggested a Public Board of Inquiry be assembled with three scientists as opposed to judges.

1980. The Public Board of Inquiry was impaneled. The Board members were: Peter J. Lampert, M.D., Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego; Vernon R. Young, PhD. Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, M.I.T., and Walle Nauta, M.D., PhD., Institute Professor, Department of Psychology and Brain Science, M.I.T. Dr. Nauta chaired the Board.

The Board's investigation focused on the findings of the Rockville, Maryland firm, UARP (investigators from the 1977 Task Force). After a full review, the Board voted unanimously to ban aspartame for human consumption.

Dr. Nauta expressed the Board's concerns on aspartame safety based on the fact that Searle never submitted their testing procedures and protocols to the FDA, but submitted only their final research findings. The Board concluded that: "the available data on laboratory rats does not rule out the possibility of aspartame causing brain tumors, and indeed, the evidence suggests that aspartame might induce brain tumors."

After these recommendations were submitted, another investigative team was assembled to study the Public Board of Inquiry's findings. A five member Commissioner's Team of Scientists was impaneled. By this time, so much data had been assembled; each team member was given a different review assignment.

Three team members investigated the brain tumor issue, and two members were assigned brain damage, mental retardation, and endocrine problems. The three members investigating the brain tumor studies expressed serious concerns with the data provided, showing aspartame caused tumors. The other two scientists were satisfied with the tests that showed aspartame did not cause brain tumors.

A sixth member was then appointed to the team, who voted that aspartame did not cause brain tumors. The vote was now deadlocked; three votes for aspartame approval, and three votes against.

Jacqueline Verrett, PhD., Toxicologist and senior member of the review team, criticized how the safety review was performed. She stated, "It was pretty obvious that somewhere along the line, the bureau officials were working up to a whitewash. The Bureau of Foods under Howard Roberts either discarded or completely ignored problems and deficiencies outlined by the Team report."

She concluded, "It is unthinkable that any reputable toxicologist giving a completely objective evaluation of the data resulting from such a study could conclude anything other than the study was uninterpretable and worthless, and should be repeated as the safety questions still remain unanswered."

The scientific journal, Neurobehavorial Toxicology, "Brain Damage in Mice from Voluntary Ingestion of Glutamate and Aspartate" published the research results of harmful effects of aspartate; salt from aspartic acid and 40 percent of aspartame. Their research showed that aspartate could not be detected after years of exposure except in the form of obesity or neuro-endocrine disturbances, which is known to occur in rodents following treatment in infancy.

The FDA Public Board of Inquiry denied aspartame approval pending further brain tumor testing. The Board also formally revoked aspartame's 1974 approval granted by Commissioner Schmidt.

In September, Searle announced that they were repetitioning for aspartame approval for NutraSweet.

In November, Ronald Reagan was elected President of The United States.

1981. In January, Searle officially reapplied for NutraSweet approval.
In April, President Ronald Reagan appointed Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., M.D. the new FDA Commissioner.

In July, Dr. Hayes overruled the Public Board of Inquiry's recommendation that aspartame "not be approved until further animal testing be conducted to resolve the brain tumor issue."

Hayes granted FDA approval for aspartame in dry foods (marketed as NutraSweet), and as a tabletop, sugar substitute (marketed as Equal).

The FDA approval of aspartame was for a food additive, as opposed to a drug, which exempted Searle from future safety monitoring. Searle was no longer obligated to defend the corporate studies, nor required to submit additional reports to the FDA.

Four FDA officials accepted jobs with NutraSweet companies: S.M. Pape, Associate Chief Counsel for Foods, Health and Human Services and Special Assistant to FDA Commissioner; Sherwin Gardner, FDA Deputy Commissioner; Mike Taylor, attorney with the Board of Inquiry; and Albert Kolbye, Associate Director for the Bureau of Foods for Toxicology.

1982. G.D. Searle presented campaign contributions to the following Senators and Representatives: Senator Robert Byrd, Democrat, W. Virginia; Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican, Utah; Senator Howell Heflin, Democrat, Alabama; and Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat, California.

Senator Heflin, Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, proposed an amendment to change the laws to extend the US Patent for aspartame. Senator Robert Byrd initiated the amendment on Senator's Heflin's behalf. Senator Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Labor and Human Resources Committee, spoke on the Senate floor supporting the proposed extension.

The patent extension for NutraSweet was approved as an amendment to the Orphan Drug Act.

Representative Henry Waxman sponsored the Orphan Drug Act.

NutraSweet's patent was extended until 1992.

1983. NutraSweet was approved in carbonated beverages and carbonated beverage syrup bases. FDA Commissioner Hull Hayes resigned his position to accept a position as senior medical advisor to Searle's public relations firm, Burston Marsteller.

Anthony Brunetti, FDA Consumer Product Officer, drafted notice to approve NutraSweet in soft drinks.

Brunetti accepted a position with the Soft Drink Association as their Science Advisor later that year.
Acting FDA commissioner, Mark Novitch, approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages.

The FDA raised the acceptable maximum daily intake of aspartame from 20mg/kg/day (milligrams per kilograms of body weight per day) to 50mg/kg/day, the equivalent of increasing from two cans per day to 17 cans per day for a 150-pound person. The acceptable maximum daily intake of 50mg/kg/day for a 25 to 30 pound child was raised to accumulative levels of three cans of soda per day, or a pack of chewing gum, a multi-vitamin, cereal, pudding, or sugar-free ice cream combined per day.

A two-liter bottle of Diet Coke^® contained 1,200 mg of aspartame.

1984. Aspartame was approved in children's chewable multivitamins.

Seven million pounds of NutraSweet was consumed in the United States.

NutraSweet sales exceeded $600 million.

Woodrow Monte, PhD., Director of the Science and Nutrition Laboratory, Arizona State University, announced that there were presently no animal nor mammalian studies that had evaluated the possible mutagenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic intake of methanol, now 10 percent of aspartame.

Based on the methanol issue, Dr. Monte requested an Arizona State hearing on a petition to ban NutraSweet in Arizona. He was granted the hearing in April the following year. Pushing his efforts to get Arizona to recognize the dangers of consuming aspartame, he did not succeed. The Arizona legislature changed the laws without public notice, barring any state regulation of FDA-approved food additives. The measure passed under a "toxic waste bill."

Searle hired over a dozen lobbyists. United Press International traced nearly $200,000.00 in campaign contributions, including contributions to House Majority Leader, Burton Barr and Representatives Don Aldridge, Karen Mill, and Jan Brewer.

Searle hired the following lobbyists to oppose Dr. Monte's efforts to ban aspartame in Arizona: Andrew Herwitz (Arizona Governor Babbitt's former Chief of Staff), Charles Pine (Arizona lobbyist), Roger Thies (Searle lawyer), and David West (Searle official).

Richard Wurtman, M.D., Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, M.I.T. began research on NutraSweet.

Drs. Monte and Wurtman had received over 1,000 complaints against aspartame. The most common complaints were: dizziness, visual impairment, disorientation, ear buzzing, pancreatitis, tunnel vision, loss of equilibrium, severe retinal hemorrhaging, menstrual flow changes, and depression.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) submitted a report, "Evaluation Of Consumer Complaints Related To Aspartame Use."

1985. Sixteen million pounds of aspartame was added to the US food supply.

NutraSweet sales exceeded $1 billion.

The FDA petitioned the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to review the first 650 complaints they received about aspartame; a record number of complaints filed for one product after only three years on the market. The CDC reported that between 25 percent and 30 percent of female users experienced some form of symptom from aspartame use, and when all use stopped, all health symptoms stopped.

Ohio Senator Howard Metzenbaum called for a hearing on NutraSweet. Metzenbaum introduced the Aspartame Safety Act of 1985 in the Senate. The bill called for:

• Clinical studies on brain chemistry, behavioral and neurological effects on children, pregnant women, and fetuses;
• A study into the sudden increases in seizures;
• Drug interactions with aspartame;
• A moratorium on the introduction of aspartame into new products until independent testing was completed;
• Labeling of products to include the amount of aspartame in each serving, as well as allowable daily intake;
• A warning that aspartame is not intended for infant use;
• Mandates for the FDA to set up a Clinical Adverse Reaction Committee to compile reports, establish a telephone service information hotline, and send written notices to physicians about aspartame concerns.

Senator Metzenbaum's press secretary, Drew Von Bergen, drafted the statement: "Members of the scientific community have grave reservations about the safety of aspartame. The Senator is not out to ban aspartame, but to set up independent tests to clear up the problem."

Dr. Louis Elsas, M.D., Director of Medical Genetics at Emory University School of Medicine, performed a study on the effects of phenylalanine on the fetus and on infants. He examined two groups ranging from eight to 24 years of age, monitoring the reaction time and the reduction in the production of adrenaline-like chemicals in the brain. He concluded that both pregnant women and infants should not consume foods containing aspartame because of the danger of brain damage to the fetus and to infants.

Keith Conners, M.D., Children's Hospital, Washington, D.C., documented a study of children who suffered extreme agitation when consuming aspartame in an amount equivalent to a 6-oz. serving of Kool-Aid^® sweetened with NutraSweet.

Roger A Coulombe, Jr., PhD., Center for Environmental Toxicology, Utah State University, demonstrated that it was possible for aspartame to produce nervous system and behavioral affects, particularly in children and susceptible individuals.

Ronald Gautieri, PhD. and Michael Mahalik, PhD., Department of Pharmacology, Temple University, demonstrated in a study that aspartame produced brain dysfunction in newborn mice.

William Pardridge, M.D., University of California at Los Angeles, testified along with Dr. Wurtman before a Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, urging that labeling requirements for aspartame be amended to include quantity consumed. They brought into the discussion two important points:

• Children may be at risk of suffering brain damage from excessive intake of aspartame;
• Aspartame consumed at the same time as simple carbohydrates, as in carbonated soft drinks, could double the effect on the brain as ingesting aspartame alone.

1986. Dr. Pardridge released a study in the American Medical Association of Scientific Affairs Review, stating the two amino acids found in aspartame, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, were neurotoxic. He recorded a drop in IQ in babies born to mothers with elevated phenylalanine levels, and noted a decrease in choice reaction time in adults with slightly elevated phenylalanine levels.

Current sales figures were no longer unavailable.

The 1986 Quarterly Report submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services showed 3,000 complaints against aspartame were reported to the FDA and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Most of the complaints related to brain function and to behavior disorders.

Food Chemical News, 1986, reported the Community Nutrition Institute had petitioned the FDA to ban aspartame, citing cases of seizures and visual problems. Request denied.

The Department of Psychology, Leeds University, Leeds, England, reported in the British medical journal, Lancet, May 10, 1986, that consumption of aspartame caused an increase in appetite and weight gain. Leeds researchers Blundell and Hill stated in their findings that aspartame increased the rated motivation to eat and decreased the ratings of fullness in the test volunteers. They concluded that people using aspartame receive ambiguous signals important for the control of appetite and ingestion, and that aspartame may contribute to disordered patterns of eating prevalent among certain groups of normal weight individuals.

1987. NutraSweet petitioned for FDA approval in baked goods and baking products. Petition pending. The US General Accounting Office reported they were monitoring the food additive process for aspartame. A third United States Senate Hearing was summoned on "NutraSweet; Health and Safety Concerns." Senator Howard Metzenbaum chaired the Committee on Labor and Human Resources overseeing the hearings.

Many research scientists and medical researchers responded to the Senate Hearings, addressing letters to Senators Edward Kennedy, Howard Metzenbaum, and Orrin Hatch, particularly concerning the safety issues concerning pregnant women and fetuses.

Dr. Louis Elsas, M.D., Emory University Medical School, determined that pregnant women's blood phenylalanine levels increased from aspartame use, resulting in the placenta magnifying phenylalanine levels four to six times the normal levels. This resulted in mental retardation and birth defects in his studies.

Alfred Miller, M.D., San Antonio, Texas, noted in clinical observations that aspartame was linked to mood swings and severe headaches in many of his patients.

1988. Researchers began tallying increases in headaches, seizures, tumors, depression, and brain lesions - all confirming the predictions if aspartame's neurotoxicity from twenty years before.

Aspartame critics came upon strong corporate resistance.

1989. NutraSweet's patent was due to expire in four years.
NutraSweet was now in over 2,000 products worldwide.

Media advertising intensified; information against NutraSweet became more suppressed.
United Press International announced the "Aspartame Technical Committee", consisting of the NutraSweet Company, Ajinomoto Company (Searle's Japanese aspartame supplier), the Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico, Inc., Royal Crown Cola Company, and General Foods, along with various smaller food manufacturers utilizing aspartame. The Committee launched a campaign to discourage researchers and critics from receiving Research Funding Awards grants, in particular those awarded by the International Life Sciences Institute, an organization predominant in awarding grants to research scientists.

Samuel Molinary, Co-chairman of the International Life Sciences Institute grant panel, accepted employment as G.D. Searle's Director of Scientific Affairs.

Shortly afterward, Molinary accepted a position as Pepsico's Research Director.

1991. The first National Symposium on the Safety of NutraSweet/Equal was held at The University of North Texas at Denton, November 8-9, directed by Dr. Janet Starr Hull.

Canada became the first country to approve the use of Splenda.

1992. NutraSweet's patent for aspartame expired. Now available in both sugar-free and regular food products, aspartame was no longer exclusively identified with the NutraSweet swirl. Saccharin sales increased, reappearing in more food products.

Over 10,000 complaints against aspartame were filed with the FDA.

1993. Dr. Susan Shephard published a study "Mutagenic activity of peptides and the artificial sweetener aspartame after nitrosation", Food and Chemical Toxicology, 1993, Vol. 31, pp. 323-329.

Shephard and her colleagues attempted to simulate in vitro the conditions that occur in the human digestive tract, and in particular the conditions that result in the nitrosation of dietary ingredients. They reported that the nitrosated aspartame had significant mutagenic action. This research identified a mechanism through which aspartame can exert a carcinogenic action.

1996. Dr. John Olney of Washington University published an aspartame study in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology: November 1996.

Olney analyzed cancer statistics from the US National Cancer Institute covering a sample of approximately 10 percent of the US population for the period from 1975 to 1995.

He found that the introduction of aspartame into dry goods in 1981 and into soft drinks in 1983 was followed by an abrupt increase in the reported incidence of brain tumors. The change was most noticeable between 1984 and 1985, and it corresponded to approximately 1,500 extra cases of brain cancer per year in the US.

1998. The diet sweetener industry was worth $1.5 billion, with 70 to 80 percent of the market from diet soft drinks.

The US FDA granted marketing approval for Splenda.

Johnson & Johnson purchased the rights to develop sucralose in the United States as a commercially available product. They formed McNeil Specialty Products (renamed McNeil Nutritionals) as a part of the Johnson & Johnson corporate umbrella for the exclusive purpose of marketing Splenda.

The Trocho study was published on aspartame toxicity performed through the Bosch & Gimpera Foundation, Barcelona, Spain. The study concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a health hazard because of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts. The binding of methanol-derived carbon to tissue proteins was widespread in the study, affecting all body systems, and fully reaching the most sensitive targets such as the brain and the retina.

Johnson & Johnson bought the rights to sell sucralose in the United States as Splenda®.

2000. Splenda comes on the American market.

Monsanto Chemical Company sold their sweetener division for $440 million.

2003. Coca Cola launched a $50 million campaign for C2 Coke®.

2004. Coca Cola introduced C2 Coke despite suffering sharp loses in the third quarter earnings.

For the four weeks ending January 26, Splenda's dollar-market share of the tabletop-sweetener had exceeded that of Equal-brand products for the first time in sweetener history.

In February, the Sugar Association sued McNeil Nutritionals, charging McNeil with false advertising and unfair competition.

Two weeks later, McNeil filed suit against The Sugar Association, each of The Sugar Association's members and Qorvis Communications (a public relations firm representing the Sugar Association) for false advertising and deceptive trade practices.

In December, Equal's manufacturer, Merisant, filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Splenda for false advertising, claiming its top-selling competitor, sucralose in Splenda, isn't really made from sugar as its packaging claimed.

2005. Dr. Morando Soffritti of the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences, published research results that demonstrated the multipotential carcinogenic effects of aspartame in the European Journal of Oncology: July 2005.

Dr. Stylianos Tsakiris, Department of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, University of Athens and his research team at the Institute of Child Health, Research Center, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece published a study that showed high levels and cumulative toxic concentrations of aspartame decreased the membrane AChE activity, resulting in memory loss.

2006. Splenda became the runaway leader in the sugar-substitute category with $212.3 million in US sales, while Equal brought in $48.7 million.

Dr. Soffritti published a second study on the carcinogenic effects of aspartame.

2007. The Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Public Health University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary, published an aspartame study showing that aspartame ingested up to the maximum daily dose changed the genes in various organs in animals.

2009. Sugar-free gum accounted for 82 per cent of the US chewing gum market by value, equivalent to sales worth almost $3.38 billion.

2010. NutraSweet introduced Equal^® in a pink packet, in addition to the original blue packet.

2011. The EU is expected to approve the use of Stevia in food manufacturing throughout Europe.

The rest is history in the making.

All rights reserved. Copyrighted 2004-2012

Gender: Female;

Aspartame Consumption: 23 years;

Health symptoms started after consuming aspartame: Yes;

Diet Products Used: Diet Coke, Sweet-N-Low, Splenda, Equal;

Do you use Equal: Yes;

Do your children use aspartame: Yes;

Are you aware of products not labeled sugar-free: Yes;

May we include your case history on website: Yes;

Do you want your information anonymous: Yes;

Comments: I started ingesting artificial sweeteners in 1986 drinking Diet Coke and other products to lose weight. I also started having severe panic disorder immediately after ingesting the sweetener. I never correlated the two until June of 2009. I saw a video on aspartame and the side effects, and I stopped using any and all artificial sweeteners.

I had anxiety, depression and panic disorder since 1986. Now, I have no anxiety, depression or panic issues, and take no medication for it! Getting off of aspartame (and Splenda) has saved my life. And I even lost 10 lbs when I stopped using it.

I tell everyone I know about my experience. Most do not believe me or seem to care, but I still tell them. I might save someone's life one day.

Enjoy! Food really does matter!!

- Beth Christopher

Q: Hola Janet Hull. I have seen a document by Marie-Monique Robin about aspartame. She has mentioned your organization, and that you collect evidence about aspartame. I would like to ask if you can support information on this topic for me, and if I can also set up an information base in Germany. Generally speaking, it's a brand new topic for me, and to setup an information base. So, I am thankful for any advice and support you can grant me.

Furthermore, I would ask how are things in the US. It's all such a lie, and I wonder why the law and politics don't do anything against aspartame. I already have spoken to my lawyer, and he just gave me the advice to mobilize the public. That would be the best way. So I am trying to do so.

I appreciate getting your answer, and best regards from Germany.

A: It's very good that you are taking this issue public in Germany. This is the only way we can inform people, it appears. If it were not for the Internet, the politics behind this greed would have kept this information from the public much more than now.

This issue is ALL political and driven by the BIG MONEY that makes and sells aspartame, and the other toxic drugs invented to mask the health symptoms aspartame causes - like migraines, dementia, MS, and ED.

Big companies make billions off people by addicting children to the diet sweeteners early in life, then addicting them to the drugs used to control the physical and emotional side effects caused by diet chemicals. It is all for money.

The research is out there; the case histories will start streaming in as soon as you set up a site for people to see. Good luck on this, and expect some nasty emails and resistance from the people paid to comb the web for sites like yours. The only way to keep making money off people is to keep the truth away from the people. People, like you, are figuring this out for themselves, once they see the truth.

One day, this issue will blow wide open, and I hope all the greedy humans behind this travesty will be duly punished by our social system and by their spiritual Higher Power.

Avoiding Inoculations

Q: Thank you so much for your time. One question, how do you face the inoculation issue with doctors and school districts requiring them? I appreciate your reply.

A: You take these routes to avoid inoculations:

1. You find a DO, a naturopath, or homeopath who will work with you and write a note to the schools stating that these inoculations adversely affect the health of the patient, or child;
2. You seriously use the religious opt out;
3. You wait for as long as possible before you put these toxins into your child - never in infancy or at birth; good gads, THIS is mere common sense and shame on the docs for this one;
4. If you inoculate, you insist the doc divide the dose into 3 shots; this provides a more homeopathic way for the body to assimilate these vaccines; if your doc refuses to honor you and your child, shop for another doc until you find one who will work with you; remind the doc that you have documented your child's health status, and if the vaccine adversely affects that child in any way, you will sue the pants off him or her; that should force the doc to work with you for the benefit of your child. Why in the heck would he/she NOT be willing to do this for you, period?????

Earth Expansion Theory

Q: Has your information on the Gulf Coast expansion theory been taken off the Internet...? It's as if the government doesn't want people to know about it. I've known about it for years. That's why I moved to New Mexico.

A: The last I heard, google asked to put it up because it was getting so many views. Go to this link: http://beforeitsnews.com/story/936/268/Possible_Volcanic_Activity_in_Gulf_of_Mexico_Earth_Expansion_in_Gulf_Of_Mexico:_Video.html

Yes, the Earth is definitely expanding, and the Gulf of Mexico is expanding. I eluded to the fact that the BP explosion happened because what used to be considered a "normal" drill depth is now at magma level. I would expect more oil spills due to this, also. As a matter of fact, Monday, April 9. 2012, another 1 mile by 10 mile spill was spotted by the coast guard in the Gulf not too far from the BP spill.

Is Truvia Safe?

Q:What is your scientific opinion of Truvia, the new artificial sweetener that contains part of the stevia plant? What side effects can one expect, and is it safe?

A: My scientific opinion? Why use a diluted, mass produced form of an all natural sweetener when you can simply purchase the purest forms of stevia from vitamin companies and whole food markets that sell stevia in a purer form? Go to NuNaturals or this link for NOW stevia:
http://www.hullisticmarket.com/sweeteners/category/stevia

I recommend using stevia, and any natural supplement, in the least adulterated forms available. I avoid the products that are owned by Big Corps, like pharmaceutical corps that are typically owned by chemical companies, such as Monsanto.

The least number of human hands touching a product is the product I buy. The one with the least ingredients is the product I buy. Why buy a stevia product that isn't just one ingredient - stevia?

The best in health,

- Janet Hull

Coffee can improve cognitive function.

Caffeine can dehydrate your body, so drink plenty of water when drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks.

The conventional coffee plant is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Organic coffee varieties are typically free from assorted chemicals.

Try cinnamon in your coffee instead of cream or sugar.

Swedish researchers found that two cups of coffee a day reduced people's liver cancer risk by 43 percent.

Coffee can be an irritant for people with sensitive nerves and stomachs.

A study at the University of Georgia showed that women who drank two cups of caffeinated coffee had 48 percent less leg pain within an hour after having their leg muscles stimulated.

Research in the Journal of Nutrition shows that young women who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had 40 percent less breast cancer risk than non-drinkers.

Studies show that about five milligrams of calcium are lost per every six ounces of coffee consumed. This calcium loss can be counter balanced by adding two tablespoons of milk to your coffee or eating a cup of yogurt for every cup of coffee.

The coffee bean contains more than 1000 naturally occurring phytochemicals known to help prevent disease.

Chili-Rubbed Flounder in Salsa

Ingredients:

10 flounder fillets;
1/4 cup olive oil;
1/8-cup chilli powder;
Salt and pepper to taste;
20 oz prepared salsa.

Method

1. Combine olive oil and chilli powder, and pour over fillets.
2. Marinate fillets in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Season fillets with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat grill.
5. Grill each portion of flounder to desired doneness, about 2-3 minutes per side.
6. Top with salsa and serve immediately.

Serves:10
Prep Time:30 minutes

This feature article is brought to you by Mimi Delores, the author of Stay Fabulous and Healthy.
____________________

Sweet, piping hot, black roasted coffee tastes great when served with blueberry muffins or salty bacon and eggs at 7 in the morning, but it also works as a great night cap after a long day at work. When mixed with cream, ice and flavourful syrup, coffee also becomes a great treat for those of us who had a bad day or as a reason to simply catch up with our friends.

Ask any coffee lover and they would swear coffee as one of the best pick-me-ups at any hour of the day. The good news is that, besides the caffeine content providing you with an energy boost, coffee has other interesting health benefits when used in moderate amounts.

Statistically, over 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed every year, which is why coffee also happens to be the second most traded product in the world. In America alone, over 450 millions cups of Java are consumed on a daily basis, where the typical coffee drinker imbibes an average of three and a half cups a day. While it is already evident that the production and sales of coffee is healthy to any economy (especially in Brazil), what most health experts now are questioning is whether coffee is beneficial to one's body in the long run.

The Benefits of Drinking 3 Cups of Coffee (or more!)

According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, drinking coffee prior to reading can help you better spot grammar errors in subject-verb agreements and verb tenses because coffee is a great brain stimulator. This makes coffee a better energy drink to gulp down right before your next English test than one of the canned processed drinks.

A Harvard study has also shown that women who regularly drink coffee also have a 15% lower risk of experiencing depression. Interestingly enough, the study also suggested that women who drank more than four cups of coffee a day had an even lower probability of ever developing depression.

Caffeine is capable of modulating the release of positive mood transmitters. A similar study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that men would do well to have at least six cups of coffee everyday to lower their risk of developing prostate cancer by up to 60%. According to the results of the study, even a cup (or three) of café noir would be powerful enough to lower the risk of prostate cancer by 30%. Besides preventing prostate cancer, coffee is also believed to be able to prevent the formation of carcinoma, which is the basal cell that causes most common cancers.

Research in Progress

The benefits of drinking coffee has also been linked to the reduction of developing Type 2 diabetes, although researchers have warned that the research is still in its infancy stages, and has yet to pass randomized trials. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has also suggested that coffee seems to have an interesting property capable of preventing Alzheimer's disease, although this remains debatable as the research was done on mice. The same journal also published another article praising coffee for lowering the risk of developing Parkinson's disease by 25%.

Does This Make Me Look Fat?

When taken black with no added sugar, creamer or milk, a cup of brewed coffee only has 2 calories, which means that gulping down several cups of Java will not contribute to an increased waistline. If you simply must have your cup of gourmet coffee complete with whipped cream and blended chocolate chips, do try to offset the high calorie intake by incorporating physical exercise into your daily routine. For instance, a cup of Starbucks Caramel Frappucino has 390 calories, which you could burn off by swimming, skiing, cycling, playing basketball, dancing or brisk walking for an hour.

For the rest of us who are happy enough nursing our humbly brewed coffee cups, sleep easy knowing that each sachet of 3-in-1 goodness only contains 4 calories whereas brewed coffee with added sugar and cream is worth a whopping 122 calories. A great substitute would be to exchange your coffee creamer for skim milk, which would then cut your calorie count down to 28 calories, even with added sugar.

Coffee Crashes and Other Effects

One of the biggest drawbacks to drinking too much coffee would be that you might have trouble falling asleep at night. Generally, you should avoid any form of caffeine drink (tea and soda water included!) at least eight hours before going to bed. This is especially true for people above the age of 40 who are much more prone to suffering from disrupted sleep due to a high caffeine intake.

And just in case you think that guzzling down coffee to help keep you awake throughout the night is a good idea, do note that just like everything else in life, too much of a good thing can have detrimental effects on you. Specifically, overdoing coffee can lead to an increase in your blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. Sadly, it is also clinically possible to become addicted to coffee, so do drink wisely. On the bright side though, most health care experts agree that coffee has more benefits than drawbacks.

Stay Fabulous And Healthy.Com

Wishing you the best in health, and best wishes from all of us at The Hullistic Network.

Janet Hull

Comment: Hello. I am surprised to see you recommending Spry gum on your site. Spry gum contains titanium dioxide, which is pretty bad stuff to ingest.

From Dr. Hull: As an alternative to ALL the sugarless gum out there with artificial chemicals, in my opinion, Spry^® is the lesser of the chemical-evils, especially for children who want to chew gum regularly. Spry isn't perfect, but it doesn't have the diet chemicals such as aspartame and sucralose. If people are going to grab a pack of gum off the counter, they have little to no healthy choices. So, in my opinion, I recommend choosing products like Spry over gum with aspartame, sucralose, neotame, or Ace-K because they are going to chew gum regardless.

Comment: I have to disagree. Titanium dioxide is not a better alternative. And, the heath problems and chemicals contained in Spry should be put forth when it was recommended. If I didn't know better, I would be making an UNINFORMED choice to use Spry, rather than the informed choice that your readers think they are getting from your website. People turn to Dr. Hull's website for reliable information and for you to decide what is a better alternative without stating the truth about the product is not what I would expect from a dr. who is trying to get the truth out about chemicals in our food.

I hope that you would update your site with the information about titanium dioxide in Spry gum. (not to mention other chemicals that I have yet to research)

As an aside, I have tried Glee gum, it is better than nothing. Its taste fades very fast and it is hard to chew. It does contain "natural flavors" which, as you know, could be bad stuff. So far, I can only find it at Whole Foods.

From Dr. Hull: This post will clarify for all readers that Spry gum contains titanium dioxide, but in my professional and personal opinion, titanium dioxide is not as harmful as aspartame or sucralose. Again, if someone, especially a child, is going to chew gum, regardless, I would rather they chew a pure form, which is impossible to find, or a gum with less toxic chemicals. Nonetheless, the best recommendation is to not chew any gum at all.

Thank you for your post, and now this information is available for others to read.

Butter got a bad rap in the United States after WWI when margarine came out of the commissaries and into the grocery stores. Many products were born from wartime needs, and crafty marketers pushed good-ole-natural-butter off our American tabletops. It wasn't because butter was unhealthy; it was because margarine had many marketing advantages over butter: margarine could sit on the grocery shelves for months without spoiling, and margarine brought more profit.

Margarine was discovered in 1869 in response to Napoleon III's request for a wholesome butter alternative. His primary goal was to supply food to the French army that would not spoil. This new discovery worked, and after WWI, manufacturers introduced this "new margarine wonder" to the American public, using the prevention of heart disease as its main endorsement.

Heart disease was rare in America at the turn of the century, before margarine. Between 1920 and 1960, heart disease became America's number one killer, and butter consumption plummeted from 18 pounds per person per year to merely four. Today, heart disease is still a major health threat, so I think it's safe to conclude that butter is not the cause. Research shows that trans fats found in margarine cause heart disease, nonetheless.

In comparison to margarine, butter contains many nutrients that protect human beings from heart disease. Vitamin A found in butter is a critical nutrient for the health of the thyroid and adrenal glands, which both play a role in heart and cardiovascular health. Butter is America's best and most easily absorbed source of vitamin A. Vitamin A and vitamin E in butter play a strong anti-oxidant role in human health.

Butter contains lecithin, a substance that assists in the proper assimilation and metabolism of cholesterol and other fat components. Butter also contains a number of anti-oxidants that protect against free radical damage that weakens the arteries. Butter is a very rich source of selenium, a vital anti-oxidant, containing more selenium per gram than herring or wheat germ.

Your immune system loves butter. Hydrogenated fats found in polyunsaturated oils, margarine, and many butter substitutes have a toxic effect on the immune system.

So, pass the butter, please!

Well, this happens inside your body, too. Your bloodstream is like the oil in your car, and your lymph glands are like oil filters. Maybe this is a crude comparison (no pun intended), but it helps you understand that your bloodstream and the glands provided to filter impurities from your blood, operate in much the same manner as the oil in your car and other vehicles operate.

The winter months can be an extreme challenge to your immune system if you are not eating right or exercising regularly. So, now that Spring is around the corner, it's time to change YOUR oil.

If your immune system is weak, your body may be subject to fatigue, illness such as head colds and flu, and then you might not easily ward off infections. If you do not keep your body oil (blood) clean and pure, as Spring arrives, your immune system, which helps you avoid allergies from blooming plants and trees, may compromised.

The thymus gland, the spleen and other body organs produce immune system cells. These cells are then carried throughout the body via the lymph vessels to the lymph nodes, which store these immune system cells to help create an effective barrier against infection. Immune cells can be damaged by free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules in the body. Free radicals can be generated in dangerously high numbers by poor nutrition, X rays, alcohol, aspartame and other chemical sweeteners, cigarette smoke, and pollutants. Vitamins help strengthen the immune system by neutralizing these cell-damaging particles. Exercise also helps maintain good health by promoting blood circulation and ensuring a plentiful supply of oxygen throughout the body.

Remember that pollutants can saturate your bloodstream and clog the lymph glands, like dirty oil in your car clogs the filters if not changed regularly. Every 5,000 miles or so, detox your blood and keep your body active.

I have 3 simple suggestions to keep your lymph system and bloodstream cleansed of toxins:

1. Clean your blood using a detox program and liver cleanse at least twice a year,
2. Stop ingesting ALL food chemicals (pollutants) and prevent them from going inside your body, and
3. Make sure you exercise regularly. Try to sweat when you workout because this opens your pores and helps release toxins from the lymph nodes, particularly under the arm.

Every evening between 9 - 11 PM, your body eliminates unnecessary/toxic chemicals (detoxification) in the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time period should be spent relaxing, such as reading or listening to music. If during this time, you are still in an un-relaxed state, such as washing the dishes or finishing other chores, monitoring children and getting them ready for bed, or dancing at a nightclub, this can have a negative impact on your health. So, sit down and put your feet up in the late evening, detox your blood system at least twice a year, and stay active during the day to keep your lymph system running like a clean engine!

I am a big believer in supplementing with the trace minerals, and when I read on the ingredient label that Source of Life uses a proprietary blend of a whole food complex of prehistoric trace minerals, I was impressed. Mention "prehistoric" to me, and you have my attention! The trace minerals are blended with the essential vitamins, Spirulina, Alfalfa Leaf juice, Barley Grass juice, and flax seed - I was sold before I even tried it.

Sweetened with crystalline fructose, this liquid vitamin supplement is a vegetarian formula that tastes great right out of the bottle. The kids in your household should love this supplement.

For those searching for a quality liquid vitamin and mineral, I highly recommend this supplement product.

We recommend two Internet vitamin companies on The Hullistic Market - evits and iherbs. Both offer good prices and a selection of quality vitamins. I-herbs has a faster shipping time, however, and rarely has back orders. Write down the vitamin brands that I have selected as the best on today's market, and search your local health market for these brands, too.

The key to taking supplements is taking them consistently; once you start on a healthy program, never stop and start.

Q: I get fast, and strong, diarrhea when I accidentally use a product that contains aspartame. Am I crazy, or can this really happen?

A: You are not alone in your experience, and more people than you think have this happen to them, too. This is a very common reaction to the toxins, and your body is simply trying to get rid of them quickly. This is why your body flushes your system with diarrhea. It's unpleasant, no doubt, but a way for your body to get rid of the toxins quickly. Actually, that's a sign of a healthy immune system. Your body doesn't like the toxic chemicals in aspartame and sucralose, so what does it do? It pushes them out as fast as it can.

Aspartame and Mental Health

Q: Since I stopped using aspartame, my state of health has improved remarkably, and that improvement started within the first few days. Is this possible? Over a period of some 10 years, I regularly consumed 2 or 3 cans a day. As time went on, this increased to 3 or 4 cans a day.

A: You used it for over a decade, and you drank more diet colas every day than you drank anything else. Believe it when you witness its accumulative effects. Aspartame has been proven over and over again to penetrate into the brain, so that much aspartame over that period of time can certainly affect your mental state.

Stay away from all diet chemicals, and keep improving.

French Green Clay and the Aspartame Detox

Q: I am using the French Green clay for my aspartame detox. Any problems with taking the clay for extended periods?

A: This is where you learn to read your body's symptoms. If you feel that your health symptoms are gone, simply keep the detox supplements on the shelf for a future time when they may return, or if you simply feel rundown, or if you do a yearly cleanse for prevention, like I do.

The natural detox supplements should never harm your body - only help keep it clean and strong. So use the clay as a cleaning tool, as you would changing the oil in your car or dusting your house.

If using the clay (cleanser) for an extended period of time, make sure you take, or eat, the daily nutrients needed to replace any vitamins the toxins may block or eliminate. Cleansing releases toxins and the healthy nutrients need to be restored. So as you continue to detox, also continue to replace necessary nutrients and a healthy balance should remain.

Aspartame and MS

Q: I began having horrible muscle spasms and memory lapses. I went to a neurologist and was given the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. I had been ingesting everything diet for about five years trying to take off about fifteen pounds. The results - I received a MS diagnosis, and had terrible memory loss and gained ten pounds. Can aspartame cause MS?

A: Yes, aspartame can cause MS, and the best resource for the information on this is a DVD on amazon.com by Woodrow Monte, PhD: Solving the Mystery of Multiple Sclerosis: Is Your Diet Secretly Poisoning You? Excellent DVD!

The best in health,

- Janet Hull

Refined oils are processed under high heat and pressure, and use industrial solvents, such as hexane, in the refining process.

Most processed foods, fast foods, and deep fried foods are cooked with unhealthy oils called hydrogenated oils - aka - trans fats.

Most trans fats are highly reactive because they are prone to oxidation and free radical production when exposed to heat and light.

Processed soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, and safflower oil are composed mostly of polyunsaturated fats.

There are good fats that lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol).

Vegetable shortenings are high in trans fats, which are considered the unhealthiest of all fats.

The best fats are those high in mono-unsaturates and other important nutrients such as oleic acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on Earth."

Canola oil, known as rapeseed, is commonly sprayed with pesticides, so be sure to look for organic, expeller-pressed brands of canola oil.

Peanut oil is about 30 percent polyunsaturated fat and 20 percent saturated.

Seared Orange Roughy

Ingredients:

2 fillets Orange Roughy
2 tbsp organic, unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ cup white wine*
1 tbsp chives, chopped for garnish

*Use lemon juice as an alternative to white wine, if preferred.

Instructions:

1. Preheat a saute pan over medium-high heat until warm and add 1 tbsp butter.
2. Season fillets with salt and pepper and add to heated skillet.
3. Cook the fillets for 3-4 minutes until they begin to color and then flip to the other side.
4. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until fillets easily flake.
5. Remove cooked fillets form the pan, add the onion and garlic.
6. Cook for 3-4 minutes until they begin to color.
7. Deglaze the pan with white wine and continue cooking sauce until reduced by half.
8. Add remaining tbsp of butter and stir until incorporated.
9. Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve over fish.
10. Garnish with chopped chives.

Umm, what a healthy lunch or dinner!

A new study has found that a chemical found in large quantities in margarine causes aggression, and researchers say margarine should not be fed to school children.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2114883/What-MEAN-butter--Margarine-makes-aggressive--fed-school-pupils.html#ixzz1pI7ny26b

Wishing you the best in health, and best wishes from The Hullistic Network.

Janet Hull

My thoughts on life: "Life is never the way it's 'supposed' to be, it's just the way 'it is'. The way we cope with it is what makes the difference!"

Luv ya bunches,

the mutt

Coconuts and coconut oil - two of nature's simple and inexpensive remedies for modern ailments... Researchers now understand that the ketones found in coconut oil can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and this natural oil may actually prevent Alzheimer's.

If we pay more attention to other cultures around the world that use the tools nature provides for health and wellness, we can prevent much wasted time and money spent on disease syndromes that can be prevented. Consider this connection between coconut oil and Alzheimer's for example. CBN News aired this awesome story on the healing benefits of coconut oil and Alzheimer's. Watch it to the end - it's a real eye opener.

Thanks, CBN, for putting this life-changing story on the web for all to benefit from!

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS