How to persuade a loved one off aspartame?

[silent_guardian]

Hello everyone, I've been a keen reader of the forum for a while (and have recently got more and more into David's theories and work), and now I've finally decided to post here.

I was wondering if any of you have any advice (or success stories for that matter) as to how a person might go about persuading their extremely stubborn girlfriend, who they think the world of, to lay off the Pepsi Max and Diet Coke...

My beloved's addiction is severe, I could see that within the first couple weeks of us being together (and now, two years later I'm trying to help her). She will, on average, have around five cans of Pepsi Max per day and maybe the odd 500ml bottle of Diet Coke at work. This, combined with hardly any water or fruit juice, leads me to worry.
She's constantly tired (works part-time, usually 4 hours max per shift and I can't see how this would wear a person out the way it does her). Recently her family and I persuaded her to have a blood test for anaemia, something which she's suffered from in the past, and during the waiting time she did actually cut her Pepsi Max consumption by about a third. However, since the test results came back negative she's been slowly increasing her Pepsi Max dosage again.

I've tried the direct approach by quoting things I've seen online. It usually ends with a row, and her saying that it was 'her life'.
I've even tried getting her to watch a video about it on Youtube. It ended with her accusing me of trying to control her and her refusing to watch said video.

Even if she refuses to believe the 'conspiracy' aspects of the whole aspartame story then surely common sense should make her realise that consuming that much Pepsi Max/Diet coke is bad? She criticises her Mum's smoking addiction, but when I draw comparisons between that and her Pepsi/Coke addiction dirty looks a-plenty! ;)

I just wish I come up with some way to present the information to her without her throwing it back at me.

I realise now that the best way to deal with this addiction would be a softly-softly approach, but with facts like tumors, aspartame disease and the like floating around I'm at a loss to think of how I can start talking about it as, going by past experience of trying this method, she's not interested!
Any advice would be appreciated... Thanks for reading this folks.
:)

[al209]

It usually ends with a row, and her saying that it was 'her life'.


Therein lies the problem.. you can lead a horse to water mate...

It could be worse, she could be addicted to sugared coke. Or Cocaine :D

[silent_guardian]

heh, yep... You've got a point. I may have have her best interests at heart but it IS her life. Guess I'll just have to wait and see if she ever decides to 'break the habit' (now I AM making it sound like a cocaine addiction!).

I suppose at least I can take solace in the fact that it brings her joy... ;)

[chris]

Sounds like you've got a true believer on your hands...At the end of the day she can put whatever she wants into her body...

Having said that root out the reasons why she chooses aspartame over regular sugar...Does she honestly like aspartame products better? Or is she trying to stay thin?

If she's trying to stay thin then probably the best way is to show her that aspartame is linked to obesity and diabetes...

If she honestly wants and craves aspartame then I'm sorry, move on...She's a lost cause. Either put up with her until she becomes too sick or leave her. I wouldn't bother try and evangalise her because it won't work, will a crack addict listen to you? No. Especially a crack addict who is brainwashed into thinking crack is good for them...

[silent_guardian]

Apparently she can't stand the taste of regular cola... :confused:
I think the problem is a deep-seated one. Her mother even told me (and I'm almost quoting exactly from memory here) that she "raised my kids on diet stuff"- said with a sheepish grin, probably from realising she's created a monster!

I'll give the diabetes and obesity angle a go; might even drop it into tonight's conversation if I feel brave enough to risk invoking her inner demon! :D

Should that fail I guess I'll have to wait for the inevitable 'I told you so' moment, not that I'll particularly want to say those words if it gets too far!

Thanks for the advice.

[chris]

She's obviously craving it because it's in her system and she feels the detox when she goes off it, kind of like the cold turkey effect...Her mother is the fucking stupidest bitch ever.

I dunno what you can do...Have you tried the Michael J Fox angle? He only drank diet stuff and was the spokes person for it and now he has parkinsons at a far too young age.

I really doubt you'll be able to change her...I'd just enjoy your life and make yourself healthy.

[heebeejeebee]

well here's a coupla good reasons

it is ant poison

it turns human tissue into plastic

nuff said

[chris]

well here's a coupla good reasons

it is ant poison

it turns human tissue into plastic

nuff said

lol

[al209]

If she honestly wants and craves aspartame then I'm sorry, move on...She's a lost cause.


Thats a bit harsh chris dont you think? fucking someone off because of their aspartame consumption is taking things a bit too far in my book. Alcohol, drugs, even sugar if its making them fat and minging. But aspartame??

[biblegirl]

I also use to consume MASSIVE amounts of diet coke. I remember drinking 3 42oz. cups while talking with a friend at a restaraunt and I was so shaky by the end of the conversation that I felt weird driving home. I did not know anything about health or nutrition or food conpiracies whatsoever. Do you know what got me to stop? A book I read said that diet coke would make me FAT (Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About)! I never had another sip! :D

[delamo1999]

Apparently she can't stand the taste of regular cola... :confused:
I think the problem is a deep-seated one. Her mother even told me (and I'm almost quoting exactly from memory here) that she "raised my kids on diet stuff"- said with a sheepish grin, probably from realising she's created a monster!

I'll give the diabetes and obesity angle a go; might even drop it into tonight's conversation if I feel brave enough to risk invoking her inner demon! :D

Should that fail I guess I'll have to wait for the inevitable 'I told you so' moment, not that I'll particularly want to say those words if it gets too far!

Thanks for the advice.


I used to drink diet soda in my younger days and it was not because I did not like the taste of regular. Quite the opposite, I LOVED the taste of regular but did not want to consume the calories that went along with it. I knew that the diet stuff did not compare in a long shot, but I did not care. I wanted a cola.

Finally something clicked in my head one day and I stopped drinking the stuff. That was many years ago. Now I mostly drink water, but on the infrequent occasions that I do crave a soda, I choose a regular one.

:)

[biblegirl]

i loved the taste of regular but did not want to consume the calories that went along with it. I knew that the diet stuff did not compare in a long shot, but i did not care. I wanted a cola.
:)

exactly! :)

[lordzoma]

Unfortunately people will do what they do, even if it means harming their bodies. I have tried to put my foot down in the past regarding the overwhelming consumption of diet drinks by my family, and all I have gotten in return were arguments and guilt trips, and conversations about how I'm unappreciative.

What you're dealing with here is a different level of spiritual awareness. People who are spiritually evolved will more readily accept that their world paradigm is incorrect and that they are poisoning themselves with the things they consume. It is difficult when these people are your loved ones and your family.

Of course you can keep subtly reminding the person that they are poisoning themselves, or you can simply move on. I have gone to the point where frankly I don't care who in my life is poisoning or killing themselves. I have received far more grief from trying to awaken them than for just leaving them alone, and you reach a point where you simply do not care about them anymore. Law of allowance. Let them do what they want. If it's an issue in a romantic relationship, draw a line, or let them go.

[pacoquerak]

mabee you have to come from another angle


for instance... wherever they build pepsi and coke plants mercury and lead seep into the ground water and it no longer becomes safe for the inhabitants to drink it.


mabee you can't just nag, she has to realize that he health is really important to you and that it she is hurting you and others, not just herself by posioning herself

I don't want to be rude but i have to say that it really has to stop for your relationship to work because that stuff isn't like a lot of the poisons in the food today, it will strait up give you brain damage, parkinsins, nerve damage, weight gain, bone loss, the list goes on and on and it will dramaticly reduce the length of her life at such high amounts of drinking. Health problems as well as mental problems will not only have a bad effect on her in the future but also you.

good luck

[silent_guardian]

Thanks for all the posts folks.
I'll have a rethink as to possible ways to give her the info.
Cheers! :)

[branjo]

Just tell her she is a weak minded fool and she couldn't give it up if she tried, She is a woman after all, she will go through any kind of pain just to prove you wrong...lol

[chris]

Thats a bit harsh chris dont you think? fucking someone off because of their aspartame consumption is taking things a bit too far in my book. Alcohol, drugs, even sugar if its making them fat and minging. But aspartame??

I'm not saying you should leave her in a ditch for dead...I'm saying it's not worth trying to help get her to stop because it will just make your life worse.

[lakkimakki]

to silent_guardian; --start drinking papsi max also.--

problem solved:D

[silent_guardian]

Just tell her she is a weak minded fool and she couldn't give it up if she tried, She is a woman after all, she will go through any kind of pain just to prove you wrong...lol
Heh, ain't that the truth? ;)


@ lakkimakki: You might have something there... :D

[disorder2k8]

get a ripe orange and a mallet, place the orange in front of her and then smash it with the mallet so it explodes all over the table, then say "thats your brain if you continue to use poisons like aspartame and msg OK!

[clozaril]

i'd go all out and show her zeitgeist i'm sure it mentions aspartame.

or feed her loads of cola then we she gets a headache make her feel even worse with an information overload.

if shes political then the rumsfeld/regan/searle line would work


it's a tough one, good luck

[duckingdafta]

just tell her you love her mind as much as her heart and it's this you want to protect. If she cannot be open minded to even look into the information for her own health, you have to let her know you don't want her to change.

[auroral_iris]

why are you dating such an ignorant, materialistic, down right dumb woman..i suggest you search for an intelligent one..one who is aware or atleast open to being aware..i found one two years ago so it isnt impossible

[the infinite one]

Coast to coast had a show with the dangers of aspartme: http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2008/09/02.html

I'm a subscriber to their podcasts, if you want me to send you a copy the mp3 podcasts, I'll be more than happy to provide it for you.

[madthumbs]

Not one mention of Stevia (http://www.opposingdigits.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3417)?

[terrorble1]

Suggest letting you change her diet for a week or 2, just feeling the positive effect a healthy diet does to you should make her think a bit about what that crap does to people.

Healthy diet = Mental clarity...dont need to mention the physical benefits, you think any of the athletes in the Olympics has ever had a frigging Pepsi while in training?

[stickylolly]

get her to watch this ...... http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-566922170441334340&ei=Ng_MSO1ZiKiIAtiXuNoC&q=sweet+misery&hl=ensay to her "If you love me you will give me one hour of your time and watch this ... if you do this for me I will never mention you drinking diet coke again babe" the first 10 mins will do the trick.:)


Problem solved....

;)

[young_geecee]

why are you dating such an ignorant, materialistic, down right dumb woman..i suggest you search for an intelligent one..one who is aware or atleast open to being aware..i found one two years ago so it isnt impossible

now thats harsh, you cant say that because the only information you have is she drinks loads of diet drink and wont budge, remeber 99.9% of people have a unhealthy attraction in their life, there guilty of cigarettes,alcohol,drugs,high calories, saturated fatty foods, prescription medicine, cancer risk increasing foods, stress overloads etc

i had a girlfriend for 2 years and her faults were:

paranoia over her appearance, constantly putting herself down
molly cuddled by parents to the point of lack of indepence
fear of anything out of comfort zone
pride driven with a closed mind

but yet despite that i loved being her, going places with her, relaxing with her and talking to her even though i am none of them.

point being the guy obviously loves/likes his girlfriend and probably feels as though she is right for him and if she wont take the info on aspartme (however you spell it) then she wont take it will she. he would just drive her away eventually, you have informed her and that is all you can do untill she is ready to decide for herself, you done your job as if you didnt inform her, well that would just be cruel.

remember people never like being told what is right, wrong or what to do, some people more then others and the only way a hell of a lot of people ever learn anything is through self experience or self realization.

you can only assist her with info, you will never make her change, if you can deal with that side effect and are happy with her in general then leave it for the time being, if not, well i think you know.

something i would try would probably be "right, im telling you its bad, dangerous for you and im not expecting you to just go ahead and dump it but i just wanted you to know that everything ive seen points to it being a danger and if you ever want to know exactly what that danger is ill happily show you but im worried for you and if you dont wanna no, well you dont wanna no, but just remember what ive told you please"

whether it works or not, i dont no

good luck anyway!

[heebeejeebee]

lol

oh yes, hilarious.....

[diamond dogs]

Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.

http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/dangers.htm

Aspartame contains methanol. Methanol is a dangerous poison that, over time, is known to remove the insulation from nerve axons, producing symptoms identical to Multiple Sclerosis. In fact, in the German scientific literature, Swiss physician, Dr Hugo Henzi, argued eloquently, that naturally occurring methanol was the cause of Multiple Sclerosis

My son who is 7 understands the dangers please tell her it is for her own good that is why you need her to understand because you care...

Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries. Nuff said ...

[silent_guardian]

All good points guys and gals... Ones that I am familiar with already, but thanks so much for posting them. The time's come to breach this issue! ;)

[cafetimes1991]

Me: Dad, you know there's aspartame in Diet Coke, it will significantly reduce you're IQ... (and so on)...

My father: Oh well, my brain's fried already. You're being awfully negative.

Me: *Sigh*