In an interview with Terri Gross of Fresh Air, the late Frank Zappa once said, “Anyone living today who is still optimistic must have too much Nutrasweet in their brains”. This ticklish dig may not be far from the truth. The Western Journal of Medicine explains that aspartame is broken down during digestion into three substances: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. Methanol, or wood alcohol is “a poisonous, volatile, inflammable alcohol that may be mistaken for ethyl alcohol. If ingested, it can cause blindness and death” (Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary). Nutrasweet, or aspartame, is found in Equal, sugarless chewing gum, diet soft drinks, sugar-free desserts and numerous products. It is also unwittingly served to hospital patients in Crystal-Lite lemonade. Dr. H.J. Roberts, MD, reports in “Multiple Sclerosis or Aspartame Disease?” that aspartame is potentially toxic to the brain, retina and other nerves. Symptoms of aspartame disease include headache, dizziness, diploplia, convulsions, tinnitus, slurred speech, tremors, extreme fatigue, motor and sensory disturbances, unsteady gait and psychiatric illness. Aspartame has also been linked to increased rates of prostate and breast cancer. It is possible that millions of people are affected by aspartame disease, many of whom will receive a life-altering diagnosis such as multiple sclerosis or lupus erythematosis. Weight conscious teenage girls who live on diet foods are hit hardest by aspartame disease. The elimination of aspartame from the diet will completely cure this illness. Opendorway.com alleges that the US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control have misled consumers into believing that aspartame is safe. For more information go to www.dorway.com/schwart3.html