Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the most common nerve problem affecting person’s hand

people think that carpal tunnel syndrome is

the disease of the information technology age,

if we are working most of the day with computer,

we feel tingling or numbness in our wrist for months,

then a stabbing pain,

it is very likely we have carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal Tunnel:

image for illustration purpose only.

Carpal tunnel is a narrow and rigid passage way of ligament and bones at the base of the hand that houses the median nerve and tendons, it is about as big as your thumb, carpal tunnel is located at the palm side of your wrist, the wrist [carpus] is surrounded by a band of fibrous tissue that normally functions as a support for the joint, the tight space between this fibrous band and the wrist bone is called the carpal tunnel, the median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel to receive sensations from the thumb, index finger / fore-finger, and middle fingers of the hand.

Carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]

CTS has become the most significant medical problem affecting workers,

full recovery will only by avoiding stressful situations and changing work habits.

women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome,

because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men.

The carpal tunnel is at the base of the palm of the hand and is made of bones, tendons, and a thick ligament that surround the median nerve, any condition that causes swelling or a change in position of the tissue within the carpal tunnel can squeeze and irritate the median nerve which is located just above the wrist [carpus], irritation of the median nerve can due to either inflamed, or pinched which is as a result of sustained activities like typing, hammering, pushing, constant repetitive use of the hand, causes tingling and numbness of the thumb, index finger / fore-finger, and the middle finger, a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist, the median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers [although not the little finger], as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed, the result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body's peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized,

Another terminology of Carpal Tunnel Syndromes [CTS] are:

· cumulative-trauma-disorders,

· overuse-syndromes,

· chronic-upper-limb-pain-syndromes,

· repetitive-motion-disorders.

all terminology are associated generally with repetitive and forceful use of the hands that damages the muscles and bones, many people believe that constant repetitive use of the hand and poor computer set-up are the primary causes the carpal tunnel syndrome.

The drastic increase in computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome injuries is due to computer mouse use, largely due to the problem that the generic computer mouse does not properly fit the computer users’ hand, the generic computer mouse results in excessive fatigue, pain and pressure within the carpal tunnel and thus contributes to inflames / injuries that range from cruelly & insensitive hands and wrists to carpal tunnel syndrome, people who have suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome are usually writers or who works at a computer all day, after hours at the keyboard.

Study to determine the prevalence and incidence of possible carpal tunnel syndrome has been conducted to evaluate the contribution of the use of mouse devices and keyboards to user’s risk, but the study found that the occurrence of possible carpal tunnel syndrome in the right hand, which is usually the hand that controls the mouse, was low, the study emphasizes that computer use does not pose a severe occupational hazard for developing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, a study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic, recently received a lot of media attention when it concluded that there is no association between computer use and carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]. However, the methodology used in the study was not appropriate to evaluate whether or not computer use causes carpal tunnel syndrome, in fact, carpal tunnel syndrome is three times more common among assemblers than among data-entry personnel.

In fact, recent studies by Tech Dyne International Inc, concluded that the use of a generic, poor-fitting, computer mouse for a single four-hour period caused a loss of strength of the arm of up to 60% and caused the muscles being used in these repetitive operations to get overused, causing inflammation and injury, this is considered the number one ergonomic risk factor for developing computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome.

Cause of generic computer mouse in developing computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome are:

• shape of the generic computer mouse: the shape that does not correctly fit the user's hand, requires the user to grip and hold, which over an extended period will cause tendon and muscle fatigue in the hand, wrist and even the elbow and arm.
• overall size of the generic computer mouse: the size of the computer mouse does not properly fit the size of the individual’s hand, this means there is not enough support for the hand, having optimal support and comfort is required to minimize fatigue with computer mouse operations, individuals with smaller hands should use smaller mice, on the contrary, individuals with larger hands should use larger mice
• right and left hand compatibility: the computer mouse is not compatible with the user’s dominant hand, the computer mouse should be compatible with the dominant hand of the computer user, left-handed computer mouse users should use an ergonomic ^[1] [human factor engineering] computer mouse designed for the left hand.
• wrist position: an ordinary, generic horizontal computer mouse requires your forearm to twist away from its natural position, this causes more strain on your carpal tunnel, wrist tendons and ligaments.
• 
  

^[1] Ergonomic is the science of refining the design of products to optimize them for human use, human characteristics, such as height, weight, and proportions are considered, as well as information about human hearing, sight, temperature preferences, and so on. Ergonomics is sometimes known as human factors engineering.

image for illustration purpose only.

Do we think computer and mouse use can cause carpal tunnel syndrome?

carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive work has been referred to as one of the repetitive stress injuries.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome:
carpal tunnel syndrome [a painful progressive condition by compression of a key nerve in the wrist] usually starts gradually, there is frequent burning, tingling, itching, numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, typical for thumb, the index finger / fore-finger, and the middle finger, the fingers feel useless and swollen, although they do not show any signs of swelling, when carpal tunnel syndrome’s symptoms tend to worsen, someone will feel tingling all the time, and his / her grip strength decreases, in worst cases, he / she is unable to feel between hot and cold by touch.

The symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night, since many people sleep with bend / flexed wrists, a person with carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to shake out the hand or wrist, as symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day.

symptoms usually come and go, symptoms may occur with certain activities, like reading or driving, symptoms will then go away when we move the hand or change what we are doing, the numbness and pain tend to become more frequent and last longer as the problem grows worse, in severe cases, symptoms can become constant.

Conditions and diseases that cause carpal tunnel syndrome:

Most often carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion, injury, or inflammatory types of arthritis, for most patients, the cause of their carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown, any condition that causes pressure on the median nerve at the wrist [compression of a key nerve in the wrist] can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, which is often as the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself, tendon inflammation resulting from repetitive work, such as uninterrupted typing can cause deposition of abnormal substances in and around the carpal tunnel, leading to nerve irritation which causes carpal tunnel symptoms, other contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause swelling, such as sprain or fracture, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, repeated use of vibrating hand tools

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome:

There are many differences in carpal tunnel syndrome treatments, somebody with mild symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may ease his / her numbness or discomfort by taking more frequent breaks by resting his / her hands, or by applying cold ice packs if swelling occurs, treatment options include wrist splinting, medications or even surgery, but let's not over react, many people, suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome experience effective treatment with non-surgical methods, including:

wrist splinting, try wearing a wrist splint at night and avoid sleeping on our hands to help ease the pain or numbness in the wrists and hands, treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome should begin as early as possible, under a doctor's direction:

[1]. General initial treatments:

1. resting the affected hand and wrist for at least 2 weeks,
2. avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms,
3. im-mobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage from twisting or bending.
4. if there is inflammation, apply a cool pack to help reduce swelling.

[2]. Non-surgical treatments:

1. Drugs:
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAID], such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonprescription pain relievers, may ease symptoms that have been present for a short time or have been caused by hard / strenuous activity.
• orally administered diuretics can decrease swelling.
• corticosteroids [such as prednisone] : to relieve pressure on the median nerve and provide immediate / temporary relief to persons with mild or intermittent symptoms. [caution: persons with diabetes and those who may be predisposed to diabetes should note that prolonged use of corticosteroids can make it difficult to regulate insulin levels. corticosterioids should not be taken without a doctor's prescription.]
• Lidocaine [an anesthetic drug] can be injected directly into the wrist to reduce pain.
• Vitamin B₆ [pyridoxine] supplements may ease the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
2. Exercise:

stretching exercises can be helpful in people whose symptoms have abated / become less strong, these exercises may be supervised by a physical therapist, who is trained to use exercises to treat physical impairments, or an occupational therapist, who is trained in evaluating people with physical impairments and helping them build skills to improve their health and well-being, exercises can decrease symptoms for a lot of people, the aims are to get more blood flowing to the area and to move the nerve so that the part of the nerve that is in the tunnel slips out for a short rest, try fully curling the fingers tightly closed [fist] and bending the wrist toward the palm, then straighten the fingers and stretch the wrist back the other way, repeat those motions about ten times, remember that carpal tunnel syndrome almost always starts gradually, so it has usually been present for a while before you even notice any symptoms, stretches and exercises have to be performed regularly to be effective, try to make it part of the daily routine, perhaps each morning and before bedtime.

3. Alternative therapies:

acupuncture and chiropractic care have benefited some patients but their effectiveness remains unproved, an exception is yoga, which has been shown to reduce pain and improve grip strength among patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

[3]. Surgery

surgery is reserved as a last choice, carpal tunnel release is one of the most common surgical procedures, generally recommended if symptoms last for 6 months, surgery involves providing the band of tissue around the wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve, surgery is done under local anesthesia and does not require an overnight hospital stay, many patients require surgery on both hands, carpal tunnel syndrome usually doesn't come back after surgery, surgery opens the tight carpal tunnel space and takes pressure off the nerve, after surgery, it may take a while for the nerve to wake up and the symptoms to go away, in more severe cases, the recovery after surgery is slower and symptoms may not go away completely

Important Notice:

Information provided on this article is intended for information, scientific, and education purposes only, it is not intended to substitute the medical advice provided by the medical professionals, only the medical professionals can provide the relevant diagnosis and prescribe the medications!!!

How to prevent from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Carpal tunnel syndrome becomes worse by inactivity than by activity, that is why symptoms are common while sleeping, but with a simple stretching and moving it can be of helpful, symptoms often occur when the hand is in one position for too long.

If we have a job or hobby that keeps the hands in one position for a long time, take a routine short breaks to stretch and move the hands and arms, just a few minutes each hour can be enough to prevent from suffering carpal tunnel syndrome, furthermore, if we are regularly in one position, try to make sure our wrist is relatively straight, because bending the wrist either way increases the pressure around the median nerve.

It is important to notice that there are no proven strategies to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, it is essential to protect the hands with the following steps:

• relax our grip and reduce the force we are using, such as if using keyboard, hit the keys softly; if writing, use pen with free-flowing pen.
• take breaks whenever we need, such as take a break every 20 minutes, stretch the hands and wrists, if we work with equipment that vibrates, especially when using a great force, it is even more important to take a break.

• at the workplace, workers can do on-the-job conditioning, perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, wear splints to keep wrists straight, and use correct posture and wrist position, wearing fingerless gloves can help keep hands warm and flexible, develops an ergonomics programs, the program of adapting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of workers, jobs that include greater wrist or hand utilization, can rotate among workers.

• improve the posture, if we have incorrect posture, it is more likely we will roll our shoulders forward, when shoulders are in this position, it is more likely our neck and shoulder muscles will be shortened and they will be compressing nerves in our neck, which will also influence our wrists, fingers and hands.
• keep our hands warm to prevent from developing hand pain and stiffness if our work is in a cold environment.

Also Read:

All about Body's Pains
Trigeminal Neuralgia, Select the most suitable healing method.
Sciatica, a nerve pain potentially reduces the quality of life.
Stiff neck, and How to cure it
How to avoid Muscle Cramps, the most common muscle ache symptoms!

Safely use of Plastic Food Packaging

There are seven type of plastic polymers used for food-drink packaging,

many of their additives as well as monomers impurities are harmful for health.

The plastic resin identification codes

Plastics play many important roles in life on earth, but the widespread use of plastics are also causing environmental problems, and harmful for health, chemicals leached from plastics used in cooking and food / drink storage are harmful to human health, the most disturbing of these are hormone disrupters, like Bisphenol A (BPA), which can stimulate the growth of cancer cells, exposure to BPA at a young age can cause genetic damage, the health risks of plastic are significantly amplified in children, whose immune and organ systems are developing and are more vulnerable, plastic should be used wisely, with caution and only when suitable alternatives do not exist or available.
Plastic packaging polymers (resins) which are safe for food and beverages are type No.1 (PET / PETE), No.2 (HDPE), No.4 (LDPE), No.5 (PP). which are not safe for foods and beverages are type No.3 (PVC), No.6 (Polystyrene), and No.7 (others / Polycarbonate).

Recycle of used plastic packaging :

Consumers have a way to identify the type of plastic in many products, especially food storage containers and packaging, the resin identification code in molded formed or imprinted on the bottom of plastic containers. This system of coding was developed in 1988 by the U.S.based Society of the Plastics Industry to facilitate the recycling of post-consumer plastics, it is voluntary for plastic manufacturers, but has become relatively standard on certain plastic products sold globally, unfortunately, as a matter of fact, many plastic products have not yet bearing the resin identification code.

platic polymer / resin identification codes imprinted

at the bottom of plastic bottles

Use of the resin identification codes:

1. For consumers, by knowing the resin identification code for particular plastic products, consumers can then inform themselves of the characteristics of the plastics and the risks of using that products.
2. For plastic recyclers, in the process of recycling, plastic packaging should be separated in groups based on their type of resins (polymers) and their colors,

Recycled plastic packaging are prohibited for re-packing foods and beverages, they are used for other purposes, use only genuine plastic polymers for foods, drinks, drugs / medicines, medicinal devices, and cosmetics.

Polymer chemical compounds can be classified into:

1. Natural polymers: shellac, amber.

2. Biopolymers: proteins, DNA, cellulose.

3. Synthetic polymers: plastics, silicones, nylon, polyacrylonitril.

Plastics are synthetic polymer products, the results polymerization (polycondensation) of the monomers depending on the type of plastics, monomers are nsaturated hydrocarbon chemical compounds, have a double bond between their two carbon atom (double bond chain), called Alkene or olefine, monomers for plastic manufacturing are ethylene, propylene, vinyl-chloride, styrene etc.

Plastic polymers can be divided into two groups:

Polyolefins: polymerization of alkene or olefine,

1. HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) – Recycle code No.2: HDPE is flexible, more rigid than LDPE, good impact strength and stress crack reesistence, good chemical resistance, good vapor barrier. Common uses: plastic bottles and jars for drinking water, foods, milks, juices, cosmetics, detergents and shampoo bottles.
2. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – Recycle code No.3: PVC is flexible to rigid, good for coating, fair water vapor barrier but good oxygen barrier, good chemical resistance, good impact and some stress crack resistance, poor recycling due to chloride residues. Common uses: clear foods and non foods packaging (cling-wrap), squeeze bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oils, peanut butter jars, medical tubing (medical devices), detergents, glass cleaner bottles, shower curtains, numerous construction products (wire insulations, pipes, sidings). Leaches di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) or butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), depending on which is used as the plasticizer or softener in the manufacturing. PVC has been described as one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created
3. LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) – Recycle code No.4: LDPE is very flexible, natural milky color, translucent with high impact strength, good chemical resistance, good water vapor and alcohol barrier properties, poor gas barrier, hood stress crack and impact resistance. Common uses: squeezable bottles for honey, mustard, for bread and food bags, used in grocery store, dry cleaning, most plastic wraps.
4. PP (Polypropylene) – Recycle code No.5: PP is rigid, solid, durable in container or cap forms, opaque, natural grayish yellow in natural form, excellent stress crack and impact resistance, PP botlles and jars have excellent moisture barrier, good oil and alcohol barriers, poor gas barrier properties, good chemical resistance. Common uses: plastic containers for ketchups, yogurts, syrup bottles, drinking straws, baby bottles, margarines tubs, medicines.
5. PS (Polystyrene) – Recycle code No.6: PS is transparent, rigid and glasslike polymer, light and heat stable, biologically inert and non-toxic, good resistance to inorganic chemicals, PS containers have good impact and stress resistance, poor barrier properties. Common uses: Styrofoam containers, food plates, take-out food containers, disposable cups and bowls, packaging for CDs (compact disc cases), egg cartons, plastic cutlery. Leaches styrene, which is an endocrine disruptor mimicking the female hormone estrogen, and thus has the potential to cause reproductive and developmental problems.
6. Other (miscellaneous classification) - Recycle No.7: it includes:

• PC (polycarbonate), a dangerous plastic, the new, safer, Common uses of PC bottles: plastic bottles for squeezable ketchups and syrups, juices, used in most plastic baby feed bottles, clear plastic sippy cups, drinking water bottles, large water storage containers, metal food can liners, compact discs, cell phones, computers. Leaches Bisphenol-A an hormone (endocrine) disrupters. Plastic bottles and plastic containers from this group are not easily recyclable
• Bioplastics: Biodegradable bio-based plastics (Plastarch material – PSM) & Polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) made from renewable resources such as corn and potato starch, and sugar cane, the new safer plastic products.
• PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), known as Teflon.
• Acrylonitrile styrene (AS) or styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Both AS/SAN and ABS are higher quality plastics with increased strength, rigidity, toughness and temperature and chemical resistance. AS/SAN is used in mixing bowls, thermos casing, dishes, cutlery, coffee filters, toothbrushes, outer covers (printers, calculators, lamps), battery housing. The incorporation of butadiene during the manufacture of AS/SAN, produces ABS, which is an even tougher plastic. ABS is used in LEGO toys, pipes, golf club heads, automotive parts, protective head gear.
  

Polyester: polymerization of esters

1. PET / PETE (Polyethelene Terephthalate) – Recycle code No.1; PET or PETE is semi-rigid to rigid depending on container’s wall thickness, good to fair chemical barrier, not good for strong acids and bases (alkali), good solvent and alcohol barrier, good gas and fair moisture barrier, good moldability. PET / PETE bottles and jars have good stress crack and impact at room temperature. Common uses: bottles for drinking waters, soft drinks, sodas, beers, juices, foods, salad dressings, edible oils, peanut butters, cereal box liners, mouthwashes, lotions, liquid soaps / detergents, cleaning agent containers. Leaches Antimony trioxide.
2. PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) – Recycle code No.1: good chemical resistance, clear color, resistance to water, weak acids and bases at room temperature.
3. Polyester fabrics.
4. Polyester fibers.

Harmful chemical compounds in the plastic products:

In the process of polymerization (poly-condensation) there are possibilities of some monomers which are not bound into polymer molecules (macro-molecules), so that they remain as monomer-free compounds in the plastic products.
There are three compounds in plastic products:

1. Polymer compounds: poly-olefins, or polyesters. International Agency for research on Cancer (IARC) studies on carcinogenicity of plastic polymers on animals indicate that plastic polymers are not inherently carcinogenic or genetotoxic. Plastic Polymers are biologically inert due to high molecular weight.
2. Additives (chemicals added to improve the nature of plastics themselves.
3. Monomers impurities.

Many additive chemical compounds used for plastic manufacturing are harmful for human health, they can leach into foods, drinks etc.

Additives for plastics manufacturing are classified based on their functions:
Additives are not part of the polymers matrix, they may migrate out of the plastic surface, the extent of migration is usually enhanced by temperature, additives are usually made up of small molecules which may be absorbed into the human body, some additives are very toxic, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) containing stabilizers have potential adverse human, and eco-toxicological effect, now they are currently being phased out and replaced by stearate and oleate salt of Barium (Ba), Zinc (Zn), Calcium (Ca) system. Lubricants as plastic additives generally do not pose human hazard unless they contain heavy metals. (see Lead-stearate as lubricant). Plasticizers phathalate and adipates as plastic additives are commonly used in PVC manufacturing, they can easily off-gas and migrate into fatty foods when foods are wrapped in PVC, high dosage of phthalates and adipates may cause testicular atrophy, decrease spermatogenesis and lower fertility.

1. Stabilizer:

· Lead compound, compound Lead / Plumbum (Pb): lead-oxides, lead-sulphates, lead-phosphates.

· Cadmium compound (Cd).

· Metal-soap-compound: Zn, Ca/Zn, Ba/Zn, Ba/Cd- stearates and oleate.

· Organic tin compounds (Zn / tin), such as dimethyl-tin-thioglycolate.

2. Palsticizers:

· Phathalates: Diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), Dioctylphthalate (DOP)

· Adipates: Diethylhexyladipate (DEHA),

· Bisphenol (BPA), used in Polycarbonate baby bottles.

3. Lubricants:

· Lead-stearate,

· Stearic-acid (waxes),

· Mineral-oil.

4. Catalysts:

· Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)

· Ethyl-chloroformate,

· Methylethyl-ketone peroxide,

· Antimony-based catalyst used in the manufacturing of PET bottles.

5. Others additives:

· Pigments: should be food grade (FDC).

· Fillers: talc, titanium-dioxide (TiO₂).

· Bacteriostatics.

· UV radiation absorbers.

· Antistatic agents

· Surfactants.

Additives should be considered carefully, some of them are very toxic, consideration must be made to :

• · Length of food exposure,
• · rate of additives and residues migration into foods,
• · possibility of accumulation.
• 
  

Monomers impurities: ethylene, vinyl-chloride, propylene, styrene.

Some plastic monomers (residue / impurities in plastic manufacturing – during polymerization process) may pose hazards, in some plastics, residues are negligible, but in others they are significant, especially if the molecular weight of the plastic polymers are small, most monomers are not appreciably absorbed through skin, but can be absorbed very well by lung and gastrointestinal tract. Vinyl-chloride monomer (VCM) causes liver cancer, also causes skin and lung tumor, depression of central nerve system (CNS) at dosage of 8000-10.000 ppm. Ethylene and propylene monomers are not genetotoxic. Styrene are strongly genetotoxic when metabolized to styrene-oxide, styrene may also be carcinogenic to human.

Various plastic containers for drinking water sold in the market:

· No.1 (PET / PETE) for drinking water packaged in plastic bottles of 600 ml – 1000 ml.

· No.5 (PP) for drinking water packaged in plastic glass or plastic cup of 250 ml.

· No.7 (Other) for drinking water packaged in plastic gallon container of 20 liters

· No.2 (HDPE) for bottles and gallon plastic caps.

How to use safely plastic food-drink containers?

• Drinking water, try and avoid plastic bottles, use glass bottles or stailess steel bottles, if use plastic bottles made from #1(PET / PETE) or #2 (HDPE) plastic try not to reuse them, and consume the contents as soon as possible because leaching of antimony increases with time.
• Do not use plastic dishes and utensils for meals, as alternatives use glass, ceramic, wood, stainless steel, and lacquer ware.
• Do not heat foods in plastic containers, especially in the microwave oven, which can cause the plastic to degrade and leach chemicals faster, leaching increases when plastic comes into contact with oily or fatty foods, or when the plastic is scratched, worn, cracked, or sticky.
• Do not use PC (polycarbonate) baby bottles, try to use glass, polyethylene, or polypropylene, check the bottle to be sure of the type of plastic code it contains. for baby bottle nipples, try and use silicone which does not leach the carcinogenic nitrosamines that can be found in latex, if has to use PC (polycarbonate) bottles, do not heat the foods and drinks in the bottle, heat them in a separate containers and then transfer them to the bottle once it is warm enough for the child to eat or drink, if the PC plastic bottles are showing signs of wears or scratched, cloudy, do not use but discard the container, replace with the new one.
• Use sippy cups made of stainless steel, or made of polypropylene or polyethylene.
• Use plastic wraps with caution, especially in the microwave, and try to keep the plastic from touching the food, as safer alternatives are using wax paper.

Stainless steel and glass food storage containers are the best for use.

Continued with Related Articles:

· PET / PETE Bottle, its advantages, and its Health issues

· Safely use of Polycarbonate Baby Feed Bottles

· Safely use of Polystyrene Food Plates

. Bioplastics

Aspartame and Health issues

whatever they are,
use with caution, never overuse than ADI !

Artificial sweeteners the low-calorie sweeteners control the blood glucose of diabetic persons, an excellent and acceptable sugar alternative for diabetics or those wishing to decrease their use of sucrose., artificial sweetener also prevent dental caries (do not promote tooth decay), stimulate the appetite, and may assist in weight management, but the bulk of evidence does not support this hypothesis, research demonstrates that artificial sweeteners have no effect on carbohydrate metabolism, short or long term blood glucose control, or insulin secretion.
Artificial sweeteners taste sweet like cane sugar without added the calories. artificial sweeteners, and their metabolic by-products and components, are not considered harmful to human beings at the levels normally used, not exit the acceptable daily intake (ADI), when used in the context of a healthful diet, artificial sweeteners are generally safe for consumption. There have been a number of health concerns related with these products, though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process for artificial sweeteners involves a comprehensive analysis of scientific data to satisfy safety requirements. All "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) sweeteners have undergone extensive safety testing and have been carefully reviewed by the FDA.
What does "GRAS" mean?
"GRAS" is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to pre-market review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive. For example, substances whose use meets the definition of a pesticide, a dietary ingredient of a dietary supplement, a color additive, a new animal drug, or a substance approved for such use prior to September 6, 1958, are excluded from the definition of food additive. Sections 201(s) and 409 were enacted in 1958 as part of the Food Additives Amendment to the Act. While it is impracticable to list all ingredients whose use is generally recognized as safe, FDA published a partial list of food ingredients whose use is generally recognized as safe to aid the industry's understanding of what did not require approval.

Aspartame

N-L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl-ester

Non-nutritive sweetener / low calorie sweetener.

Aspartame which was discovered by accident in 1965, is a white, odorless powder, is a non caloric sweetener used in many diet soft drinks and food preparations, it has assessed its safety and an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) value was established, aspartame has 200 (two hundred) times sweeter than sugar, it contains four calories per gram, but due to its intense sweetness, with very low amount to be consumed, the amount energy of aspartame is negligible, aspartame is stable in dry powder form, at low temperature, it breaks down and loses its sweetness when stored in liquids at temperatures above 30°C, aspartame is not suitable in applications that require high temperatures, it will lose its sweetness when heated.
Aspartame was originally approved for dry goods (dry powder form) on July 26, 1974, but objections by neuroscience researcher in August 1974 caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 5, 1974 hold the approval until it was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. The FDA and other international regulatory bodies and numerous expert scientific groups have concluded that aspartame is safe for the general public, including diabetics, pregnant and nursing women, and children, persons with a rare hereditary disease known as phenylketonuria (PKU) must control their phenylalanine intake from all sources, including aspartame, these persons are diagnosed at birth by a blood test performed on all babies. Products sweetened with aspartame carry a statement on the label that they “This product contains phenylalanine“. Phenylalanine found in proteins, phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that we absorb from the protein we eat, humans require phenylalanine for protein metabolism and children also require it for growth, phenylalanine is converted into tyrosine in the body. tyrosine is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI value):
ADI is an estimate amount of a substance in foods or drinks that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without causing health risk to the consumer on the basis of all the known facts at the time of the evaluation, ADI is generally based on the results from animal toxicology studies, it is usually expressed in mg (milligrams) of the chemical per kilogram of body weight. ADIs are used for substances that have a reason to be found in food and the likes, include food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs in foods, the FDA has set the ADI for aspartame is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day. acceptable daily intake of aspartame remained entirely safe-except for people with phenylketonuria / PKU.*)
Aspartame is synthesized from three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine (two essential amino acids), and methanol. Persons with the rare hereditary metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error of metabolism, must control their intake of phenylalanine from all sources, including aspartame, and therefore all U.S. products containing aspartame are labeled "This product contains phenylalanine."
*) What is phenylketonuria (PKU)
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare inherited disease that prevents the essential amino acid phenylalanine from being properly metabolized, an essential amino acid is required for normal growth, development, and body functioning and must be obtained from the diet, as the body cannot make it, Because those with PKU cannot metabolize phenylalanine, it can accumulate in the body and cause health problems including mental retardation.

Controversial issues on Aspartame:
Shortly after the widespread marketing of aspartame, there were a number of anecdotal reports of health effects, which some consumers related to their consumption of aspartame-containing products (Hull, 1999). Most of the earlier complaints and reports of aspartame-related adverse reactions were analysed by experts at the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta on behalf of the FDA, who concluded that there was no symptom complex that could be assigned to the ingestion of aspartame (Janssen and Van der Heijden, 1988; Tollefson, 1988).
A number of complaints were of a neurological or behavioural type (Tollefson, 1988) and these received special consideration, in part because experiments in animals have shown that high doses (1000mg/kg bw and above in rats) can alter the concentrations of neurotransmitters and their precursors within the central nervous system (Lajtha et al., 1994).
“ The excessive ingestion of aspartame raises the level of aspartic acid in blood plasma, it significantly raises the level of aspartate, aspartate act as neurotransmitters in the brain, transferring information from neuron to neuron, too much aspartate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells, this influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which destroy and kill the neural cells (neurons), causing serious chronic neurological disorders (excitatory amino acid damage), therefore aspartame is a excitotoxins ”.

Is aspartame safe?
Aspartame has been tested for more than three decades, in more than 200 studies, with the same result: aspartame is safe. In fact, the FDA Commissioner, upon approving aspartame, noted, “Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety.” In addition to FDA, aspartame has been reviewed and determined to be safe by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization / World Health Organization(WHO), the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Commission, and the regulatory bodies of over 100 countries. The American Medical Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) have reviewed research on aspartame and found it to be safe. In fact, the ADA’s 2004 updated position paper states, “a comprehensive review of the safety of aspartame has recently been published, the review covers previous publications as well as new information that support the safety of aspartame as a food additive and deny claims of its association with a range of health problems.
Is aspartame an "excitotoxin?
An excitotoxin is a substance that reportedly over-stimulates brain and nerve cells, critics have falsely claimed that ingestion of aspartame may result in high blood levels of aspartic acid, which would circulate to the brain and kill nerve cells, however, extensive scientific research has shown that it is not possible for a person ever to consume enough aspartame in the diet, and over long periods of time - to result in high blood levels of aspartic acid”.
Can people with diabetes consume aspartame?
The American Diabetes Association states that aspartame is a safe and useful sweetener for people with diabetes. Aspartame makes food taste sweet and does not contribute calories or raise blood sugar levels. About 90 percent of people with diabetes use aspartame-sweetened products. Foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame offer people with diabetes a much wider variety of products from which to choose and greater flexibility in budgeting their total carbohydrate intake. Thus, it can help them follow nutrition recommendations and still enjoy good-tasting foods.
Does aspartame affect blood sugar control in people with diabetes?
No. Research shows that aspartame does not affect short-term or long-term blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association states “Aspartame has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a governmental agency that conducts thorough scientific review to determine foods that are safe for public consumption. (We) follow FDA recommendations and recognize there is no credible scientific evidence linking aspartame to any health-related problems for people with diabetes.”
Can women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume aspartame?
The FDA and the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association agree that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can safely use aspartame. An American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition task force also has concluded that aspartame is safe for both the mother and developing baby. Aspartame is broken down in the body to the same components (phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol) eaten daily in common diets by pregnant and breast feeding women.

Other Artificial Sweeteners approved by FDA:

• Acesulfame K (Potassium)
• Saccharin
• Sucralose
• Neotame
• Sugar Alcohols (GRAS)

Other Artificial Sweeteners pending FDA approval:

• Cyclamate
• Stevioside (from Stevia reboudiana Bert, Familia Compositae)
• Alitame

References:

• FAQ about GRAS
• Artificial Sweetener
• Aspartame Infromation Center
• Scientific Facts on Aspartame
• Sweetpoison