Artificial Food Additives & their effect on us

There seems to be more and more evidence pointing to the fact that artificial food additives and preservatives, sweeteners, dyes, etc cause serious health problems in our society...to name the most common health problems- heart disease and diabetes. As a nutrition coach and a fellow consumer, I know that the effects on one's body from prolonged exposure to man-made unnatural substances will take a toll on the physical body...We all are aware that trans fats are very unsafe to consume. But here are a few other substances that will eat away at out longevity and quality of life:


MSG- monosodium glutamate..I have found this in almost every variety of my former favorite snacks and chips. It is used as a flavor enhancer. But extensive research has shown it to be a cause of migraines.
Aspartame- a toxic sweetener that converts to methanol and formaldehyde in the body. 'Yummy!' ..thought to contribute to forms of cancer
Sucralose- another sweetener, present in many of our treats and also known to be a carcinogen, causing cancer.
Sulcalrose- I think you better rethink that Splenda in your morning coffee next time you go to Starbucks because this agent is like ingesting chlorine.
Nitrates- wreak havoc on our kidneys and eliminatory systems.
Margarine- 'I cant believe its not butter'...should be named ' I cant believe its not plastic'...since the formulation is a component away from being actual plastic. This is the lure- 'it'll pass through you and your body wont absorb it'...hmmm, I wonder why?! Well, it may be due to the fact that our body was never intended to process plastic since it has no nutritional value...Use butter...it wont kill you, once used in moderation
High Fructose Corn Syrup- probably the leading contributor to obesity and diabetes in America..it's in everything we consume. Its practically unavoidable, unless you have an all natural specialty shop in your neighborhood. If you don't, then limit the amount of drinks and food that you find have this ingredient.
High sodium- cause of high blood pressure and heart problems. Next time you go to your fridge isle, take a look at the frozen food labels and see how high that sodium level is...its astronomical...Eating out at your favorite restaurant? Be warned- most of the foods have over 3000mg of sodium per serving.
Sugar- yes, its natural...the brown kind at least...but try not to go overboard on using sugar. The body doesn't know what to do with sugar after its used it for energy, so its then converted to fat and flab. It also causes very loose bowel movements when there's a high intake.
In my younger days, I ate every single processed food, snack, etc. It had effects on my blemish prone skin. My hair wasn't shiny and strong as it is now. After modifying my diet to incorporate live, natural foods, I found my skin is much clearer, my hair strands are super strong and shiny, and my abs aren't bloated. I'm not telling anyone to be a vegan or live the hippie lifestyle. I am neither of these. But I believe that we need to be more aware of what we put into our bodies.
I haven't eliminated every 'treat' from my diet, I think its impossible to avoid all chemical agents in our society today, really. But I would suggest that you pay a little more for the organic, natural, gluten free foods. It's worth the extra buck, since its your health that is being impacted. In the longrun, you'll have less medical bills & feel and look better- and you cant put a price on that!