You may recall my lengthy comment regarding Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's latest "tap dance" in front of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and the media over the lack of proper armament. Now you've learned that Rumsfeld was the same " political heavyweight hired to get aspartame approved some two decades ago.

What a prescription for disaster.

Aspartame was successfully kept off the market for over ten years prior to GD Searle hiring Donald Rumsfeld as their CEO. Shortly after he was hired aspartame became approved through an unbelievable conflict of interest. Several FDA commissioners that voted against approving aspartame were replaced by those that voted for it and got it approved. Shortly after aspartame approval these FDA commissioners were given cushy jobs with quarter million dollar salaries as a reward for their help.

This is criminal behavior of the first magnitude and these individuals and Searle have never been punished. Having Donald Rumsfeld grease the wheels was likely a major reason this was allowed to occur.

This artificial sweetener is 180 to 200 times sweeter than the refined sugar it is meant to replace, though is known to erode intelligence and affect short-term memory. In addition, about 70 percent of the population suffers from an excess of insulin, which is often marked by excess weight, high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol -- nearly all of these people would benefit from avoiding ANY sweeteners, including aspartame and sucralose.

Unlike aspartame and other artificial sweeteners that have been cited for dangerous toxicities, stevia is a natural alternative that's ideal for diabetics, those watching their weight and anyone interested in maintaining their health by avoiding sugar. Stevia can be used in appetizers, beverages, soups, salads, vegetables, desserts -- virtually anything! It is, hands down, the best alternative to sugar you will ever taste.

WARNING: I want to emphasize, however, that if you have insulin issues, I recommend that you avoid sweeteners all together including stevia, as they all can worsen the problem. But for everyone else, if you are going to sweeten your foods and beverages anyway, I strongly encourage you to do so with stevia.

And, since more than 5,000 products contain aspartame as a sweetener, it is certainly in your best interest, as well as that of your family's health, to read the labels of any processed food you're concerned about.

If you are interested in learning more about Rumsfeld's role in bringing aspartame to America (and damaging the health of millions), I could not urge you more strongly to read my recent interview with filmmaker Cori Brackett who made the outstanding documentary Sweet Misery.

If you, or someone you know and love, drinks diet soda or consumes aspartame in any form, then this video is an absolute must-see for you. You can purchase it on my site with the 100-percent assurance that if you are not as convinced as I am that this is one of the most helpful, life-changing health movies you have seen you can return it to our site for a full no-questions-asked refund.

Related Articles:

Aspartame Disease: An FDA-Approved Epidemic

Aspartame -- History of Fraud and Deception

Aspartame: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

Aspartame Can Harm Your Health

Aspartame -- Avoid It