Eileen: I don't think they have to list what is used to decafinate coffee. My understanding is that it will be a solvent of some sort, unless it states that something else was used.

Here's some info on the Splenda/chlorine issue. I found her article to be helpful.

What’s The Difference Between The Chlorine In Splenda And Chlorine Found In Natural Food? .: Ask Dr. Hull



What’s The Difference Between The Chlorine In Splenda And Chlorine Found In
Natural Food?Most chemicals produced in the laboratory using chlorine and carbon
(such as sucrose) are unknown to nature. Manmade chlorine resists normal
breakdown and can deposit (bioaccumulate) in both the environment and in animal
body fat. Synthetic chlorine and its byproducts are very slow to decompose. In
some cases, it may take years or decades to completely break down. Some chlorine
compounds actually become more toxic once unleashed in the environment.

Natural chlorine is not the same as Splenda’s man-made chlorine. With synthetic
versions of chlorine, you must be cautious because it is impossible to predict
all potential complications on human health. Natural chlorine found in foods
will not bioaccumulate in body fat, is not toxic, and it breaks down easier in
the body.

Chlorine found in minute amounts in nature helps your liver cleanse, while OSHA
has warned that synthetic forms of chlorine can burn your internal organs. For
example, a tomato is a natural food source of chlorine, but it contains no
manmade amounts of chlorine. A tomato contains many more minerals as well and,
unlike Splenda, its chlorine molecules have not been replaced with laboratory
halogens, as in Splenda. No molecules have been removed to prevent the chlorine
in the tomato from digesting (as in sucralose). Along with organic chlorine, a
tomato contains:
1. Sulphur
2. Potassium and sodium in combination
3. Phosphorus
4. Silicon (good for the skin)
5. Lycopene (cancer prevention)

Edible mushrooms do not contain manmade chlorine because the chemical damages
the network of their feathery mycelia, the “ribs” underneath the umbrellas.
These mycelia, often seen when turning over compost, are what the mushroom uses
to absorb food and maintain the required moisture to make it a “mushroom.” Most
growers supply a regular spray of “de-chlorinated” water on their yields to
achieve the perfect moisture conditions for growing.

As with most manmade replicas of natural elements, the body may be tricked into
thinking the chemical is natural. Once it attempts to “digest” it and tries to
harvest the chemical sweetener for food-nutrients, the manmade chemicals soon
turn from totally “harmless” (as the manufacturers claim) to toxic.

Man still hasn’t learned that what we create in the lab isn't the same as Mother
Nature!



Jan

As far as eating is concerned, the weekend was a total washout. However, I participated in a Relay for Life. They gave us pedometers and I clocked over 5000 steps! Since 2000 is a mile, I feel pretty good about it.
They let us keep the pedometers, so I'm going to wear it around the house and try to get in more steps.
I'm back on track today, writing everything down.
eileenkny

jbtaz36 wrote:
Judy it sure sounds like you are on the right track! Drinking more water and cutting down on portions should help, and maybe walking the dog twice a day? He will probably love it!
There is only ONE WAY to loose weight. You have got to burn off more calories than you take in. I find that increasing my physical activity is what gets my metabolism going. Because I HATE EXERCISE as an activity, I try to get physical in other ways. I'm back to walking every day, and also park far away from the store when I'm shopping to add a few more steps. Going to the mall? Park at the opposite end from where you need to shop and walk in the cool air conditioned space! I'm also making an effort to do some out of the ordinary things around the house. Clean out a closet! Kill two birds with one stone mentality! Instead of going to DQ for a Blizzard (with Heath Bar chips!! ) I swept the driveway and deck. I'm also making an effort to only eat when I'm sitting at the table. No snacking by the stove, or in front of the TV or in the car! It's amazing how that cuts down on what goes in my mouth. I keep ice water with me all the time and really make an effort to drink it all day. (Love my Tervis Tumblers!)
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO IS MAKING THE EFFORT TO LOOSE SOME WEIGHT! Sandy has set a great example, and we can do this....one day at a time!

Jan,
I don't see anything on the label of Maxwell House decaf. It says naturally decaffeinated. How do I find out if that chemical is used?
We also drink flavored decaf from a local coffee roaster-how do I find out about that?
eileenkny

Lynn I feel for your cpap issues. I know you will feel a huge fig lift from your brain once the Dr.s get it adjusted just right. Every patient I have talked to has told me how different they feel with it. As far as the artificial sweetener debate goes; I have always said that they were bad for you. Even when I was little. I remember my mother argueing with me about drinking diet soda. I use to tell her anything that leaves that kind of taste in your mouth for that long can't be good for ya She didn't think I was funny so I learned to enjoy water We were broke so we ate popcorn for snack and that was without butter. One more healthy thing I learned to live with. My problem lately is coffee and chocolate. I normally hate chocolate yet I am craving chocolate muffins :shock: and coffee is the only thing lately that takes my headaches away. : : I don't know why but it works. Rachel who is very sunburned from her walk yesterday

Pat, my understanding is that it is different. They say it is closer to DDT than sugar. The company is being sued for their claims of being like sugar. Interesting conversation. I always love a point-counterpoint
EDIT.....Just googled and found lots of information. For instance, see article titled "Lethal Science of Splenda - A poisonous Chlorocarbon". It refers to being similar to the methylenechloride that I mentioned above (being removed from hairspray, but still used to decaffinate coffee).
Jan

Ladies, I wouldn't let a chlorine atom on the Splenda molecule bother me at all. If you eat anything containing salt, you are eating chlorine. Salt is NaCl, one atom of sodium bonded with one atom of chlorine. And just about everything we eat has salt in it.

Pat in Rockport, TX, who needs to finish packing to go to Georgia.

After reading some of these comments, I was surprised to find out about Splenda. I have been using that because I thought it was safe. So today I went to a health foods store and bought Stevia to use in my tea since I have given up soda. I have given up York peppermint patties. I don't buy cookies or chips. I rarely eat potatoes. I do eat bread in a sandwich now and then and I do have cheerios in the morning. But that is about it for carbs and I am having trouble losing any pounds. I walk the dog 30 minutes every day and he is a big dog and pulls me along. I think one of my problems is that I don't drink enough water and I need to cut down on my portions. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Judy in AZ

I'm late, I'm Late!! There have been a lot of posts since Wednesday afternoon. My husband and I took a short trip to Biltmore House in Asheville, NC and then spent the night in Cherokee, NC last night so I did not weight this morning. I did weigh yesterday morning (twice) because I did not believe the scales the first time but it said the same thing the second time. The scales showed I had lost 6 pounds since last Friday. I hope that is true but I am going to weight again tomorrow morning and go with whatever it says there. That is just too good to be true.

I did purchase a couple of pair of size 18 pants and they fit. I started this journey last November weighing 232 pounds and wearing a size 22. Like most of you it started with 10 or 15 after each child was born and then I stopped looking at the scales and I was healthy and did not go to the doctor. Took care of everyone else except me and ate whatever I wanted.

I did something on the trip I don't think I would have done a year ago. After hiking over 2 miles through the Biltmore gardens I got an ice cream cone. It was wonderful but I did not eat all of it. When I got full I threw the remainder away. Waste of good money but I did not force myself to eat more than I wanted. At dinner last night I left probably 3/4 of the food on my plate. If I had been home, I could have made three meals of it. I wasted food but when I was full I stopped. I ordered a salad for lunch today and ate about half of it.

I'll let you know what the scales say tomorrow morning. Sandy

Sandy I have been looking all day for your update I hope all is well with you Happy

Oh, I can't believe I really am jumping in here, but I am! Weight has been an issue my whole life - well mostly my whole life. I lost down to a really good weight while DH was in Vietnam in 1968-69 and even thru two pregnancies held my own pretty well. Then in 1984, I quit smoking and put on 10, then 15, then 20, then 25 --- well you know how that goes. And I mostly stayed plump until now.

In 2004 I had emergency heart by-pass after a newly placed stent caused the vessel to break up and the doctor said, "Lose weight, lose weight, lose weight!" I did lose some for awhile, and have gradually gained a little here and there. Then last year they discovered my by-pass graft has failed (that might explain the shortness of breath!) and because I've done some exercising, I had collaterals built up to help some with that.

But now the issue is I'm insulin resistant and THAT really makes loosing weight difficult.

I have begun going to a whole new round of MDs and I'm now sleeping with CPAP because I was breathing too shallow and that's hard on the heart, starting Bietta to help with the insulin issue, and the CPAP may even help with the depression that's been chronic since the early 90's!

So the timing here is really about perfect for me! Of course I'm hesitant to do it in public................failure is hard...........success is fun! I wish us all a healthy journey! I could be happy with even a 20# loss!

By the way, have you seen or read the book Quantum Health? She's been on about every show known to man recently, but since it was endorsed by Dr. Oz I got it because I so enjoy him! I'm a nurse myself, and really enjoy the fact that he does not hold himself above any of us in any way. He's just a comfortable old shoe and tells it like it is! I'm reading her book to give me courage to do this one day and one action at a time!
Lynn

I've done good so far today, but I wasn't home for much of the day. When i stopped at the grocery store on the way home, I wandered down the cookie aisle looking for something for my DD and was tempted but did not buy any cookies for me. I need to work on eating more fruits and veggies.
Frances in Austin where it is too hot to walk outside

Not only watching the people at the all-you-can-eat buffet, but watching the people at the doctor's office will give one food for thought. (Pardon the pun). I took my MIL to the pain doctor this afternoon, and was once again struck by the SIZE of most of the people in the waiting room. While we were there I got on the scales and confirmed my fears.....now I need to get serious. I really think that most people have no idea what the extra weight can do to their bodies. I picked up 15 pounds of exercise weights this morning and thought that there is no way I could carry that with me every step of the day. Then realized DUH??? How much better would I feel if I could loose that much body weight? OK...I'm getting serious now. One day at a time. I'll think about every bite, and move more every day. I know that I have to burn more than I take in. We can do this....together!

Yep I use a smaller plate and I always put my fork down between bites. I know it sounds silly but it works. Also I can not stand buffets. They are so gross. Sit and watch people who go to buffets eat. Trust me YOU WILL EAT LESS. Right after my GP we went to Myrtle Beach and there is this restraunt there that is a buffet that my DH loves. So we went there to eat. I was so grossed out I had to ask for a table facing a wall because I was getting sick watching other people eat. By the way you know what I said about removing temptation? Well yesterday I made a strawberry rhubarb (sp) pie. Yep I ate most of it. It was out and I haven't had one in over 10 years. I just kept taking little peices until I little piesed it gone. I guess I should have listened to my self BUT IT WAS SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD Rachel