#splenda range

[takami-takami]

Like Animals.

kinktober day 4: sex pollen.

includes— hawks x reader. minors dni. smut

warnings— afab!reader. dubcon (sex pollen/heats, but both have been pining like idiots). breeding if you squint.

keigo's beloved crush sidekick gets hit with the unluckiest quirk possible. he quickly discovers his rut suppressants ain't shit.

Through all the horrors and adverse life events Keigo has endured in this line of work— brutal near-assassinations, negotiations with international crime syndicates, purchasing sugar-free canned coffee with Splenda substitute by mistake before his morning shift— he has always been able to find a silver lining in the darkest of moments. 

Which makes it infinitely more concerning that for the first time in his life, he nearly whines through his teeth the words, "why me?" 

A palm drags once down his face, thumb and index finger pulling down his darkened eye bags. His hand collects the beads of sweat and stops to rest over his mouth. 

He supposes this must be his penance for taking a risk and trusting faulty intel. 

Keigo's informant told him the villain he and his darling sidekick were meeting would have a limited-ranged fire quirk, so the diligent hero stuffed ointment and cold packs in his pockets before leaving just in case. 

If he had known the villain was a plant heteromorph and possessed a heat-inducing mist quirk instead, and that the person he was hopelessly in love with had a bit of a crush on would be caught in the direct line of fire? 

He would have brought a paper bag to hyperventilate into instead. And some prayer beads. The god to which the prayer is delivered doesn't necessarily matter, he thinks. He'd simply pick one and drop to his knees in a bid for mercy.

"I'm taking you to a medic," Keigo puts his foot down for the fourth time this evening. 

"Fuck no," you groan from the couch, shifting to squeeze your thighs together. It offers not even a modicum of relief from the incessant throb. "Do you want my cause of death to be humiliation? Is that your plan, genius? 'S bad enough as it is that you're here." 

The subtext is unspoken, but clear to him through your adorable pout: I only trust you to see me like this.

It's unlucky that the man you've had the most innapropriate-for-work crush on for the better part of two years happened to be the one beside you that day. And it's just your sorry luck, you lament, that Keigo would also be the one to catch you, to fly you home cradled in his painfully capable arms, to refuse to leave your side and insist on making his favorite chicken soup for you in a desperate flail of support. 

He'd respect your decision and leave, should you ask him to. You know that. And yet the humbling truth gnaws at your pride: doing so wouldn't do much to save your image at this point. He’s already seen you like this, you grumble. The proverbial cat has long since escaped the bag, waltzing its way over to rub its purring body against Keigo’s leg to your abject horror.

If you close your eyes, you can attempt to trick your brain into thinking this affliction is a flu of some kind. 

Yes, this is just some common cold. You're wearing nothing but your work partner's shirt (your clothes were contaminated by the quirk's dust, Keigo explained, speaking in that strict work mode voice that makes you picture your mouth stuffed and drooling somewhere beneath his desk and between his spread legs). You pull the damned fabric down over your core as you try your hardest to not writhe in fits of pleasure underneath the blankets, rubbing your thighs together for any friction against your swollen clit.

All symptoms of an affliction of the flu, of course. 

You don't need to reach down and touch to know the slick would string those thighs together, should you attempt to pull them apart. 

Keigo knows that, too. But he doesn't say anything about it. 

You would be mortified if you were aware of the truth. 

That he knows everything.

Keigo knows exactly how you ache; like you're constantly on the precipice of an orgasm, perpetually ablaze from the heavy heat scorching your body from its surface to the boiling core. 

You try to suppress your glee as he spoon feeds you the broth, reminding yourself that this is just what good friends do for each other.

Friends coo praises at each other when they swallow, friends tilt each other's chins up with one finger and mutter things like that’s a good dove and you can take another as they watch their throat bob in tandem. 

Friends shiver from their wingtips down their spine when they pull the spoon back. They let their gaze linger for just a second on those lips that open wide, aching to touch.

Ever the gentleman, Keigo stays lowered to his haunches and places one hand over your forehead to check for a fever, redirecting his focus toward taking inventory of your vitals. He doesn't wince when he hears your moan at the contact, even though the pitiful sound pings at his weak points. His avian instincts remind him he needs to protect you, please you, take care of you; to make it go away, to fix that feeling he knows better than anyone is aching like a bruise between your thighs. 

He doesn't allow his eyes to wander astray or trail their way downwards, especially when you're in such a vulnerable state; but his professional assessment is that if he could only wet his appetite, the flat of his tongue alone could— 

He shakes his head and blows a puff to cool the soup, raising another spoonful to your lips. 

"Here. Another. You need to keep your energy up," he reminds you, voice stern. It's nearly clinical and achieves the opposite of its desired effect.

Your heart rate picks up to thump at a steady, thrumming beat at the innocuous gesture of domesticity. 

How have you never noticed how capable of a mate Keigo would be…? He’s all musculature and sincerity, sharp ridges at his knuckles and soft curves at the small of his waist where he only trusts you to touch.

You huff an involuntary moan. 

He picks another god to praise that the couch you're laying on obscures his lower half. 

Today, Keigo discovers his suppressants are only designed to reduce the chance of a rut being triggered. It brings the possibility of it starting in the first place to a comfortable near-zero, allowing him to carry out the spring and fall seasons as if he were entirely quirkless.

But if that rut passes through the blockers' biochemistry in, say, the event Keigo's luck rears its ugly head, for example… It does fuck all to reduce the actual symptoms. 

More importantly than his own anguish, however, is this: his mate work partner got hurt because of him— hurt being a stretch, he'd know if he weren't overthinking so much, given the blissed out panting just two feet away from him; but you’re probably suffering and it's all his fault. It’s all because of an unlucky, once in a lifetime slip up from Keigo Takami himself, and he can't detangle himself from the guilt.

If drowning in the unexpected whirlpool that is his first rut in half a decade is his penance for the crime, then Keigo will hang his head and take it.

The huff he lets out is your last straw.

"I'm going to my room," you state, moving to leave like you left the stove on and are trying to avoid an upcoming house fire.

When his hand darts out to stop you, the touch against your shoulder sends shockwaves down your stomach.

He's touching you. He's taking such good care of you, feeding you, providing for you in his nest and now he's touching you?

It sends your hormones into overdrive. 

You'd do well to conceal it, if his heightened instincts couldn't smell your desperation. 

"I'm afraid it ain't that easy, dove," he warns, eye contact averted. "I'd avoid doing that, if I were you." 

Keigo schools his expression, but not before you catch a flash of something hungry. 

There's no chance in hell he's letting you out of his sight. Not like this. You're confined to the couch while he keeps an eye on you. Attempting to fix it yourself will only make the feeling unfathomably worse, something he tries to communicate to you with a look that only ends up making him look like a kicked puppy.

You squint right back when you process the implication of his words, eyes raking down his form in suspicion. 

"How do you know all this, anyway," you ask.

Keigo goes silent, hand concealing his mouth. 

Ah, it hits you. 

Bird things.

Your head falls back against one of the numerous pillows your partner propped up behind you.

"The couch is soft," you murmur, situating yourself against the cushions and throw blankets he so carefully arranged. You trail your fingertips along a silk pillow. Keigo slams his eyes shut.

"Please don't say it like that." 

"Why not?" Your lids droop, heat overtaking your better judgement. Tentatively, you play along the bounds. You allow your hands to run along the soft divots of the blanket covering your body, squeezing your chest and pinching the peaks. "It's like a little nest, isn't it?" 

His hand drags down his face before pinching his nose bridge, suppressing a whine. "Baby, please—" 

"You don't wanna join me?"

"You don't know what you're talking about. It's just the heat," Keigo tells himself more than you. "For the love of God, dove, stop talking—"

"But it hurts, Kei'." It’s a low blow, judging by the protective coo that escapes his lips. 

Fed up, he leans forward and swings his right leg over your hip, crawling atop you as if his body has a mind of its own, utterly bogged by desire and yanked like puppet strings.

With him kneeling tall above you, the bodysuit of his hero costume hides absolutely nothing. The musculature is quite impressive, actually. Proof of his viability as a mate— all dominant and masculine and gorgeous.

And at this angle, you can see the most painful erection straining against his pants. 

"I need you, Kei'. I need— mmph!" 

A palm silences you; slapped down, hot, imposing, and heavy like a weight against your mouth. 

The authority of the action makes your cunt clench; and Keigo would die before he lets that feeling go to waste, so his hips drop down to grind once against it. 

Your eyes go wide, doughy and stunned, darting down in haste, following the trail of his thick bicep up toward the disciplinary scowl on his face. 

His nostrils flare with the heaving in his chest, eyes screwed shut with his last slivers of patience holding its grip on his psyche.

"One more word," he says, pulling his hand away. "One more word and I'm ripping this blanket off and fucking you raw." 

After a moment of silence, you speak.

"Please." 

Keigo is wordless when he unbuckles his belt and lets it— and his inhibitions— drop with a satisfying clink.

The reality of what you've gotten yourself into comes crashing down as it hits you how utterly fucked you are. The scaffolding of years of sexual tension comes crumbling down like bricks to rubble, a city of restraint reduced to pure, animalistic desire. 

Years of Keigo's eyes darting away when you nonchalantly change into your uniform in front of him, even though he never seemed bothered by any of his other peers doing the same; years of you both curling in on yourselves at the furthest edges of the bed you had to share, cramped close in those under-the-radar motels on stealth missions; years of the words "idiot, can I kiss you," held back by your lips as you watch him moan when he sinks his teeth into his comfort restaurant's chicken teriyaki every stupid Friday night, sitting cross-legged and at home on the carpet of your apartment floor. 

Not a single word is exchanged as he pulls his cock free from its confines, nearly too thick for his fingers to meet when they wrap around it. He tosses the blanket to the side with haste, dragging your shirt (his shirt) up to your collar, exposing your chest when he lines his cock with your entrance. 

"Please, Kei'," you sniffle. "Hurts." 

"Oh, I know, baby... I know." His lips are pursed when he shushes you, tracing your cheek with his palm. "I'll make it go away."

When your lips meet, it's like static electricity; and it's entirely remorseless.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he groans against your mouth, dragging his length along your sticky thighs before plopping the thick of it atop your soaked cunt. 

"So wet for me," he reveres, dragging the plump tip through your mess to get it slick enough to rub against your clit. 

Your rutting hips buck with impatience in an attempt to glide his length against your swollen pussy, but that only serves to fuel his desire; and those desperate little whines only feed into his insatiable need to fuck, to breed you until you're silent. 

Until you shut the fuck up. 

Those pathetic little sounds are music to his ears, a siren's song that used to play only in his most shameful fantasies; the ones that kept his fist tight around his cock the moment he returned home after missions, the sight of you panting and spitting blood after battle with a smile on your face still fresh in his memory. 

Keigo wants to hear you moan. 

But his rut needs to fuck you wordless with satisfaction. 

"Oh, fuck," he hitches, shifting his hips back and forth to the tune of the audible shlicks below. Unable to stay upright any longer, his chest falls flush into yours in a rut-afflicted haze, rutting against you like animals. 

When he slips his cock inside, it's with a kiss to muffle his voice.

And he wastes no time setting a punishing pace, aided nicely by the slickness that coats the sides of his cock. The legs of the couch surely must be scraping indents into the floorboards, judging by the creaks that mingle with the sounds of his belt buckle at every thrust. You'd notice if either of you were lucid enough to care. 

It's a brief consideration of a possibility of an afterthought, like a sheepish voice behind a roaring crowd. 

Pulling out, that is. 

Yeah, if he were a stronger man, he could probably will his hips to stall. There's a chance someone far stronger than him would hiss when he does it. His cock would weep in denial of that sweet, velvet entanglement, dripping out in the cold when he fists himself to completion mere inches away from what might as well be the center of his goddamn universe.

But when it comes to you, when it comes to his rut, Keigo is not a strong man.

He allows his cock to throb in the vice of your cunt, instead.

"God, baby," he moans into your neck, wings flapping once, twice with each thrust, shedding a few feathers before straightening out and grazing the ceiling behind his back. "Baby. Oh, baby. You're so tight. You're so— fuck!"

He's babbling, but so are you. Legs hooked across the small of his back, you bump your hips as best you can to aid in his efforts; and with your last shreds of lucidity, you decide for the both of you how things will end. 

With watery lashes, you open your eyes enough to blink away some tears and clear your vision just enough. Your gaze crawls up his legs that are still clothed to the thighs, peeking over the curvature of his ass and up his shuddering spine— all to mark onto your scarlet red prize.

When you entangle your fingers into the downy feathers at the base of his wings, it shoots straight to his cock and he spills.

With eyes wide open and a strangled choke at the back of his throat, Keigo's hips stutter when he empties himself. With every throb comes another rope from the tip, sticky and excessive from the rut, mixing with your wetness as you crash over the edge soon after.

When the ringing in your ears ceases and you finally come to, it's to the sight of your now probably-more-than-a-work-partner pulling out and staring between your legs as if under a trance, eyes glimmering.

"Kei', you okay?"

"Uh huh," he answers absentmindedly, utterly transfixed on the mess he made. 

It's strange, he thinks. Whatever urges his rut transcribed into cravings, every instinct that tugged at the avian etched in his DNA and called him to fill you pales in comparison to the satisfaction of having indulged himself at last.

His eyes flick back to meet yours.

"Does this mean I can kiss you at work now?" 

You snort. So that's where his mind goes in the end.

"It means a whole lot more than that," you say, rolling you both over so he lands square on his back.

[moondiet]

Zero Calorie Drinks (Part 2)

D U N K I N’ D O N U T S

• Large Iced Americano with a Sugar Free Vanilla Flavour Shot and a Coconut Flavour Shot

• Large Iced Americano with a Caramel Swirl Flavour Shot and a Toasted Almond Flavour Shot

~Most of Dunkin’s flavour shots range from 0-10 cals so feel free to choose your own and add Splenda for extra sweetness. These are just a few drinks I thought sound good~

F R E S C A

J E L L Y

• Drinkable Konjac Jelly

• 0 Cal Jelly Tubes

[autistpride]

Autism Acceptance

Prompt 11: Coffee shop AU

Wordcount: 1000

@wolfstarmicrofic

Remus had trouble finding work. He put in applications everywhere, for any position, because he was desperate. Despite passing all his courses and gaining the required GCSE’s, he bombed his interviews. So he had told his parents that he would take a gap year instead and get some work experience. Only no one called him for an interview and the few that had, turned him away within minutes.

After nearly two months, Remus finally came clean to his parents about his lack of employment. His mum had to hold his dad back from giving a few of the places he applied a piece of his mind. Never one to allow Remus to give up, Lyall decided he would open up his own coffee shop and hire Remus as an employee.

Everything moved quickly and soon The Full Moon Cafe opened its doors. A small quaint little hole in the wall shop that mixed coffee, library, and children’s playground together. One corner of the shop held a little indoor climbing structure, slide, and foam floors for children. The other two walls were covered floor to ceiling in books that people donated. The last wall housed the single unisex toilet and the tiny kitchenette space. It also had the counter and display case that showed off the day’s delicious baked goods that his mum made fresh every morning. 

It took Remus some time to get used to the position and how to make all the different drinks, but everyone was patient with him. By the time his gap year was over, Remus was a pro and asked to stay on instead of trying for university again. He had learned all the regulars names, memorised their orders, and even went so far as to have them ready for when they walked in. Remus hadn’t encountered a rude customer or a confusing order once, that could also have to do with the fact that it was a fairly small town and everyone knew everyone. No one came into the cafe that didn’t know Remus was autistic, at least not until Sirius Black. 

The bell dinged over the cafe door and the prettiest guy Remus had ever seen walked in one after the other. Remus had never seen anyone like them before. They were total opposites yet so oddly the same.

“I’ll have an iced Ristretto, ten shot, venti with breve. five pumps vanilla, seven pumps caramel, and four Splenda poured not shaken, but placed into a trenta cup so it doesn’t splash out the top.”

The look on Remus’ face must have betrayed him because the man looked at Remus and immediately changed his order. “On second thought, I’ll just have a tea.”

Remus nodded and rang the man up, asking for his name. 

“Sirius. Yes I am serious. Sirius, like the star,” the man said while pulling his hair back into a scrunchie he apparently kept in his pocket.

Remus wrote the name on the cup and poured the hot water into it, placing the loose leaf tea into a disposable tea bag and setting it into the cup to steep before handing it to Sirius, the star. 

Sirius nodded his thanks and set up at a small table near the entrance. 

For the following four days later Sirius came back, once again ordering a tea and nothing more. Remus didn’t work weekends, instead his friend James took those shifts. James played football with the local club and attended courses at university during the week, so he took all the weekend shifts.

Remus couldn’t get Sirius out of his head all weekend and when he showed up for work on Monday, Sirius was there right at opening. 

Another week went by and Remus and Sirius had started to talk more, just general pleasantries and small talk. Sirius never ordered anything more than tea and sometimes a pastry. Remus knew he could make complicated orders and he knew Sirius knew after two weeks sitting in the cafe and listening to some of the complex requests from customers that came in, but Sirius never asked for his original order again. 

That third week, Remus had Sirius’ tea ready by the time he walked in every morning, not unlike the other regulars. Yet what Remus never said was that Remus practised at night after the shop closed up. He was determined to get Sirius’ original order right. It took him another week to manage it, and when he did he cheered and danced around the shop.

Monday of the fourth week, Remus handed  Sirius his order when he showed up. Sirius looked at the cup confused. 

“Remus this isn’t a tea” he said with his brows furrowed and his nose scrunched up.

Remus shook his head no with a grin, “no its not.”

Sirius took a tentative sip of the drink and his eyes widened in surprise, stormy grey meeting golden.

“You made my order.” 

Remus nodded, proud of himself.

Sirius took another drink and moaned as if he was drinking the best thing he had ever tasted.

The noise was absolutely obscene in Remus’ ears and his ears turned dark red and his cheeks flushed. 

“Remus this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. You remembered something I told you like a month ago and you, you practised this didn’t you?”

Remus simply shrugged like it was no big deal. 

Sirius set the cup down on the counter before leaning over the counter and wrapping his arms around Remus in the most awkward hug Remus had ever experienced, and he experienced a lot of awkward hugs. 

When Remus didn’t return the hug Sirius dropped his arms and stuttered through another thank you and practically ran to his usual table, forgetting his drink on the counter. 

Remus looked down, seeing the cup, and bit back a laugh before walking it across the cafe to him. 

“Oh fuck thanks,” Sirius mumbled. 

“Hey SIrius?” Remus asked, “can we try that again?”

 Sirius smiled and nodded.

[werewolfbansheelove]

Home (School Sets)

In preparation for an interview with Splits Magazine, Sue had her two new cheearleaders in her office. 

Sue: Ladies, what we have here is a grade-A dilemma. Mercedes, your vocal cords have had more fantastic runs than a Kenyan track team but that look simply will not do. At first I thought it was a subtle homage to yours truly but now I fear it’s some sort of ironic comment. 

Mercedes: Ms. Sylvester, I’m just not comfortable in those Cheerios skirts. They don’t fit me right.

Kurt: Mercedes, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about your body.

Mercedes: Embarrassed? No, no. I’m worried about showing too much skin and causing a sex riot. 

The two best friends laugh and twirled their fingers. 

Sue: How do you two not have a show on Bravo? Here’s the skinny. Splits magazine, after much campaigning by one Sue Sylvester has named me cheerleading coach of the last 2,000 years. In seven days reporter Tracy Pendergrass will arrive on campus and my new star singer will have lost 10 pounds and be in a gender-appropriate cheerleading uniform or she is off the team.

Kurt (shock): Ten pounds? Are you serious? 

Sue: You could lose a few too, kiddo. You got hips like a pear. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to put in a call to the Ohio secretary of state notifying them I will no longer be carrying photo I.D. You know why? People should know who I am.

(TITLE CARD) 

–—–—

In the Staff lunch room, Will approach the coach quite angry. 

Will: Sue! We need to talk. The auditorium is padlocked!

Sue: Well, that’s curious. Did you check the sign-up sheet?

Will: What sign-up sheet?

Sue: Why, the one I keep right here in my waistband, William. Let’s see. Yeah, I’ve got the entire week booked solid. Got a big magazine feature coming up and it’s a little chilly for my girls to be practicing outdoors.

Will: Yeah? Well, let’s see what Figgins has to say about this.

Sue: Oh, I’m sure Figgins will just mumble something nervously and then pretend to take a call. I happen to be blackmailing him.

—–—–

In the choir room, Will sat on a stool in front of the kids.

Will: Um, all right, I have one final announcement before we all leave. We can't use the auditorium for the next week.

Finn: But that’s garbage. How are we supposed to practice for regionals without the auditorium?

Will: The Cheerios need it to practice in. There’s nothing I can do.

Rachel: I recommend a sit-in.

Puck:  I recommend we torch the place.   That got half of the members to smile. 

Will: No. Look, we’ve all faced adversity before and come out stronger on the other end. I’m gonna check out a few off-site locations for us to use just for the week. I promise I’ll find us a new home. 

The school rang and everyone got out their seats. But Kurt approached Finn. 

Kurt: Oh, Finn! I wanted your opinion on this. It’s a swatch board. I’m redecorating my bedroom. Kind of going for a hunting lodge meets Tom Ford's place in Bel Air. I was hoping you could help me out with the hunting lodge part.

Finn: I live in a closet. There’s cowboy wallpaper on the walls.

Kurt: Oh.

Finn (points to a mix of blue and hey sheet.): But I guess that one's nice.

Kurt: Toile? I always pegged you as a chinoisserie type.

Finn walked away from him but Kurt smirked. 

–—–—

In the cafeteria, Kurt watched Mercedes getting her food. 

Kurt: Mercedes.

Mercedes: This is healthy. Chicken breast and a salad, dressing on the side.

Kurt: You have a week to lose 10 pounds. It’s like having to lose one of my butt cheeks. Look at what I’m eating. Peeled celery and for breakfast I had Splenda. Look, Mercedes, now that we’re cheerleaders, we’re finally part of the in crowd. We have a place at the table. We don’t have to beg underneath for scraps of attention.  (Sighs): Don’t screw it up. (Walking away.) 

Brittany: I’m pretty sure my cat's been reading my diary.

Mercedes (approaching the cheerleaders): Hey, guys. Can I ask you something? How do you manage to stay so skinny?

Santana and Brittany grabbed their water bottles. 

Santana: The Sue Sylvester Master Cleanse.

(Sue: Water, maple syrup for glucose, lemon for acid, cayenne pepper- irritate the bowels and a dash of ipecac- a vomiting agent. I haven’t had a solid meal since 1987.) 

Brittany: Sometimes I add a teaspoon of sand.

Mercedes: That can’t be healthy.

Santana: Who cares? You can either feel terrible and look great or get kicked off the team when that reporter gets here.

Mercedes left her lunch but a blonde was watching the whole thing. 

–——–—

In Sue's office...

Becky: I lost two pounds, Coach.

Sue: Well, Becky, you are assimilating beautifully. Instead of being different and an outcast you’re just like every other teenage girl in America sadly obsessed with vanity. Before you know it you’ll be leaving baggies of upchuck in your parents'linen closet. Congrats. I’m proud of you, kid.

Becky: Thanks, Coach.

Sue: You betcha. Next! 

Mercedes stepped up next. 

Sue: Hey, you’re still in your track uniform.

Mercedes: Yep, and I’m ready for my midweek weigh-in. I’ve been eating very well and walking everywhere and- 

Sue cut in: Well, climb aboard. Let’s see how many "libbies" you lost. (She did just that) Well, look at that, Mercedes. You gained two pounds. 

Mercedes (shocked): What? That's impossible!

Sue: Look, I’m gonna break it down for you. You have four days to lose the weight, get yourself in a uniform, or you’re out.

Mercedes: What am I gonna do?

Sue: Well, you might try dropping the attitude. I’m sure there’s a pound or two in that. You know, with the Cheerios we have only one lesson, and it’s a very simple lesson. You do whatever it takes. 

Mercedes frowned and stepped off the scale. The School Bell Rings.  Sue: Next!

–—–—–

Finn walked well ran to Kurt. 

Finn: Kurt! Hey! What the hell's going on with our parents? When did they even meet each other?

Kurt: Parent-teacher conference night, about a month ago.

Kurt (Voiceover:) I always accompany my father to those conferences to act as translator.

Burt picked up a cookie but Kurt slapped it out of his hand. Burt: How do you know this is not organic?

Kurt: Because you can see the logo. It’s encrusted in the cookie. 

Kurt (voiceover:) Fate brought them together.

Kurt lead Burt when Carole led into the classroom. Kurt: Dad!  Meet Carole Hudson. Ms. Hudson, my father, Burt Hummel. You both have dead spouses. Maybe you should talk.

Burt: I was just saying to a friend that acid wash should make a comeback.

He was referring to her jacket. Carole: Oh. Really and who said it ever left?

Kurt (voiceover:) It was an instant connection.

Finn: That’s impossible.

Kurt: Nothing is impossible when it comes to love. Haven’t you noticed anything different about your mom? New clothes, new makeup, a haircut that doesn’t look like it was styled by the Amish. Who do you think "Pretty Woman"-ed her up?  Has she started selling the furniture yet?

Finn: Yeah, yeah. She got rid of her old bedroom set and she tried to sell my dad's chair, but I stopped her. How do you even know that?

Kurt: People our parents' age don’t wait around for love to bloom. They know what they want. You and I will be roommates, with Mom and Dad cohabitating upstairs by midterms. 

Finn (shook his head) : No way.

Kurt: Give in to the inevitable, Finn. I want us to decide how to redecorate our room together. That’s why I asked you about the swatches. And don’t sweat that old chair. I have a lovely chaise picked out.

Finn: Look, screw y-your swatches and your-your "chez."

Kurt: Chaise. 

Finn: Whatever! I like my house, I’m not moving, and she’s not selling that damn chair! 

–—–——–

In the choir room, Will told everyone where they were going to practice. 

Tina: A roller rink?

Santana: Weren’t those outlawed in, like, 1981 for being totally lame?

Will: Come on, guys. Where’s your sense of adventure? The space is great and April is giving it to us to practice in for free.

Kurt (raising his hand): Mr. Schue? If I may? The New Directions is clearly a club with a dearth of direction. Rachel and Jesse refuse to accept that all of us would rather die before we allow them to become the next Beyonce and Jay-Z and Finn's mother's romance with my father is sending him into a wholly unnecessary tailspin of despair. (Hands papers to Will that he gives out.) What we all need right now is to explore the idea of a sense of place and how if we find that place within we will get that happy ending. 

Kurt looked to the piano player. Kurt: Brad, B flat. 

Kurt: A chair is still a chair, even when there’s no one sitting there. But a chair is not a house and a house is not a home. When there’s no one there to hold you tight and no one there, you can kiss good night. 

A room is still a room, even when there's nothing there but gloom. But a room is not a house and a house is not a home. When the two of us are far apart and one of us has a broken heart

(Finn at home was sitting in front of his dad's chair. Finn: Now and then I call your name and suddenly your face appears. But it's just a crazy game and when it end it ends in tears.)

Kurt: So darling have a heart, Don’t let one mistake keep us apart. I’m not meant to live alone, turn this house into a home. When I climb the stair and turn the key. Oh, please be there still in love with me.

Kurt looked away from the group. 

–—–——

In the cafeteria, Mercedes was frustrated to no end.  Tina: Do you want half of my peppermint patty?

Mercedes: No. I don’t put junk in my body.

Artie: Why are you doing this? We like you no matter how you look.

Tina: And those shake diets are really unhealthy.

Artie: They also don’t really work. As soon as you go off them, you gain back the weight you lost.

Mercedes slammed her hands on the lunch table.   Mercedes: You know what? I don’t want to hear it! You have no idea how much I’m sacrificing to be a Cheerio, to look fantastic to finally fit in at this school. 

Mercedes then started to imagine her friends as food. 

Tina: We were just trying to look out for you.                     She was ice cream. 

Artie: We just want you to be healthy.    He was a piece of pie. 

Mercedes: Stop getting all up in my face, telling me what I can and cannot do and I’m really hungry, so stop trying to get me to eat you!

Artie: Hold up. Did she just say she wanted to eat us?      

Mercedes walked away but saw Rachel and Jesse. 

Rachel: The point is that Fanny Brice is the most iconic role...     Rachel was a cupcake and Jesse was a burger. 

Mercedes: Aw, damn.      Then she fainted. 

––—–—

School Nurse: Hmm. Your blood pressure's low. Maybe that’s why you fainted. Your mom will be here soon. I’ll go and get you some ginger ale.

When she left, Quinn was there and approached the girl. Mercedes: Thanks. I’m not hungry.

Quinn: Yes, you are. You’re starving. I know. I’ve been there. Did all the other kids start looking like food right before you fainted?

Mercedes (a bit shocked): Yeah. How'd you know?

Quinn: Been there. Eat the granola bar.

Mercedes took the bar. Mercedes: Why are you being so nice to me? I can’t remember the last time you said two words to me that weren't "you" and "suck."

Quinn: Cause I was you- scared. Hating myself for eating a cookie. But I got over it.

Mercedes: Yeah, of course you did, Miss Pretty Blonde With the White Girl Ass.

Quinn: When you start eating for somebody else... so that they can grow and be healthy your relationship to food changes. What I realized is that if I’m so willing to eat right to take care of this baby why am I not willing to do it for myself? You are so lucky. You’ve always been at home in your body. Don’t let Ms. Sylvester take that away from you.

Mercedes begins to tear up. Mercedes: I’m so embarrassed. This isn’t me. How did I become this person?

Quinn: You are beautiful. You know that. I’m gonna stay here with you until your mom comes, okay? 

–—–—––

Kurt approached Finn at his locker. 

Kurt: Finn, we need to talk. (Finn looks to him.) We have to break up our parents immediately. I screwed up. I feel like the guy who set up Liza and David Gest. 

Finn: It hurt you, didn’t it? When I was talking sports with your dad and stuff.  I could tell that you were-

Kurt: Left out? Invisible?

Finn: Yeah. I don’t like that my mom's forgetting about my dad. It’s up to me to keep his memory alive and I don’t want to move in with you. No offense.

Kurt: None taken. So we put an end to them. Agreed?

Finn: Agreed. 

–—–—––

In the gymnasium, it was time for the pep rally. Sue approached the journalist from Splits Magazine and sat down beside him. 

Sue: Well, with a name like Tracy, I assumed you were a lady.

Tracy: Quite a turnout for a pep rally.

Sue: On assembly days, I arrange for the rest of the school to be fumigated leaving the gymnasium the only place with breathable air. (Tracy didn’t laugh or chuckled)  Come on. That was clever. You might want to start writing down my little bon mots. I’m gonna be dropping some beauties on you. 

Tracy: You know, this is just a freelance job. I was short-listed for the Pulitzer last year for my Newsweek piece on high school athletes going pro.

Sue: So my cover story isn’t a fluff piece?

Tracy: Nope. Hard-hitting investigation.

The Cheerios came out with the crowd cheering so loud, Kurt waved to the crowd but mostly to his friends. 

Sue: Feast your ears on this smokin' intro. In a few seconds, so important to build the tension.

Mercedes came out but Kurt was so confused so he looked to Brittany.        Kurt: What is she doing?    Brittany just shrugged. 

Mercedes took hold of the microphone and spoke into it.  Mercedes: Hey, guys. I’m Mercedes Jones. (Exhales) So most of you know Cheerios is about perfection and winning looking hot and being popular. 

Sue: Still building the tension. 

Mercedes: Well, I think that it should be about something different. How many of you at this school feel fat? (Some people raised their hands like Quinn was one of them.) How many of you feel like maybe you’re not worth very much? Or you’re ugly, or you have too many pimples and not enough friends? (Some more people raised their hands like Jesse, Tina and Artie) Well, I felt all those things about myself at one time or another. Hell, I felt most of those things about myself today and that just ain’t right. And we’ve got something to say about it and if you like what we have to say come down here and sing it with us.

Mercedes: Ooooooooh yeah, yeah, oh, oh, oh, yeah, every day is so wonderful and suddenly it’s hard to breathe. Now and then I get insecure from all the pain, I’m so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say, words can’t bring me down. I am beautiful in every single way, yes, words can’t bring me down, oh no So, don’t you bring me down today

The cheerios turned around and joined in with the singing.

WMHS Students: No matter what we do

Mercedes and WMHS Students: No matter what we do

WMHS Students: No matter what we say

Mercedes and WMHS Students: No matter what we say

WMHS Students: We’re the song that's outta tune Full of beautiful mistakes

Mercedes: Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah

WMHS Students: And everywhere we go

Mercedes: And everywhere we go

WMHS Students: The sun will always shine (Mercedes: The sun will always, always shine) But tomorrow we might awake over on the other side

Mercedes and WMHS Students: Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say. Yes, words won't bring us down (Mercedes: Oh, no, oh, oh, oh) We are beautiful in every single way Yes, words can’t bring us down (Mercedes: Oh, oh, oh)

Mercedes: So don’t you bring me down today oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Don’t you bring me down today

Everyone applauded so loud and cheered loudly as well. 

Tracy: We can finish this interview in your office tomorrow.

Kurt approached her and touched her shoulder. Kurt: Thank you. I was wrong.   The two hugged. 

–—––—–

Sue entered her office with Tracy already there. Sue: Mr. Pendergrass, let me explain.

Tracy: Just have a seat.

Sue: Oh. Not used to taking orders in my own office. She sat down on her chair. 

Tracy: Sue, when I met you I instantly disliked you. You’re bossy, insulting, and the fact that twice you called me Rerun makes me think you’re a little racist. I came here to write a piece that would expose you as a coward and a cheat. I could not have been more wrong.

Sue: Beg your pardon?

Tracy: You got every shape and size Cheerio up there singing about empowerment and inclusion telling everyone it’s okay to be exactly the person you are. You’re a visionary, and I think redefining cheerleading. Bravo.

Sue: Well, thank you, uh, Mr. Pendergrass. I can’t say I’m surprised. Um, you know, I work so hard to get my girls feeling good about themselves  because it’s what's inside that counts.

Tracy: It’s an honor, Coach.  (He stood up and shook her hand.) When this hits the stands, it could mean big things for you. 

Once he left, Sue was relieved. 

—––——

April and Will were in the choir room, Will was shocked by what he was hearing. 

Will: I don’t know what to say.

April: Just say congratulations. I took your advice. I went home, I told Buddy that if he wanted to keep me around he had to ditch the old lady and give yours truly the top job and then he died. (Laughs) One of his eyes went all funny and he had a stroke right in front of me. 

Will: Geez, April, are you okay?

April: Okay? I’m rich! The ol' battle-ax was afraid I’d go to the Lima Times so she shut me up to the tune of $2 million.

They both laughed. Will: What?

April: So I’m sobering up and I’m heading to the Broadway, Will. I haven’t had a drink in 45 minutes. I’m going to take my hush money and I’m going to mount the first-ever all-white production of The Wiz.

Will: Okay. [Chuckles]

April: I’ve got you to thank.

All the glee members came into the room. 

Rachel eagerly smiled: Did you tell him yet?

Will: Tell me what?

April: That I bought y'all the auditorium.

They applause and cheers for her. Will: What?

April: I wrote ol' Figgins a check this morning. It’s now called the April Rhodes Civic Pavilion.

Will: I- I don’t know what to say.

Rcahel: We’ve got that covered.

That leads them to auditorium for a performance from the musical. 

April (New Directions): When I think of home, I think of a place, where there’s love overflowing. I wish I was home, I wish I was back there with the things I’ve been knowing. Wind that makes the tall grass bend into leaning, suddenly the raindrops that fall have a meaning. Sprinkling the scene makes it all clean.

Maybe there's a chance for me to go back, now that I have some direction. It sure would be nice to be back home, where there's love and affection. Then just maybe I can convince time to slow up. Giving me enough time in my life to grow up, time be my friend (Let me start again) let me start again. 

Living here in this brand new realm (Brand new realm) might be a fantasy, ohh (Fantasy, ohh). But it taught me to love, so it’s real, real, real to me. And I’ve learned we must look, look inside our hearts to find. Yeah, a world full of love (World full of love) Like yours, like mine (Like mine)

April with New Directions: Like home! Home!

[menuofdutchbros]

Dutch Bros Sugar free Menu

Dutch Bros offers a range of sugar-free options for those looking to cut back on sugar. Their sugar-free menu typically includes:

Sugar-Free Syrups

Vanilla

Chocolate

Caramel

Hazelnut

Peppermint

Coconut

Almond

Toffee Nut

Sugar-Free Drinks

Coffee: You can get their standard coffee drinks (like Americanos and brewed coffee) with sugar-free syrups or sweeteners.

Espresso Drinks: Customize your lattes, mochas, or cappuccinos with sugar-free syrups.

Cold Brew: Available with sugar-free syrups.

Blended Drinks: They offer blended drinks like their "Dutch Freeze" and "Frost" with sugar-free syrups, though not all blended options may be available with sugar-free ingredients.

Sugar-Free Sweeteners

Splenda

Stevia

It's always a good idea to check with your local Dutch Bros location to confirm the availability of specific sugar-free options, as offerings can vary. If you have any specific preferences or dietary needs, their baristas can often help customize your drink to suit your needs.

[iamnaturalnana]

Splenda Suppresses Thyroid Function & Promotes Weight Gain

by Natural Blaze Is sucralose (aka Splenda) really as safe a sugar alternative as its manufacturers and advertisers claim, or is it really a toxic chemical causing a wide range of health problems including thyroid suppression and weight gain? New research sheds light on this question. A concerning new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition entitled, “Type of sweet flavour carrier…

[ancient-one71]

The Yea or Nay of Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners offer a solution for people who have a sweet tooth and don’t want the excess calories of refined sugar or other natural sweeteners like honey, dates, and maple syrup. But do artificial sweeteners pose a health risk?

What Are Artificial Sweeteners?

Low-calorie sweeteners, which include artificial sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners, are used in beverages, foods, candy, toothpaste, and some medications. They contain few calories or none at all.

Non-nutritive sweeteners are extracted from plants or herbs such as the stevia plant and monk fruit extract. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are made of chemical compounds that include sulfonamides, sucrose byproducts, peptides, and their derivatives.

Artificial sweeteners have a higher sweetness potency than sugar and are used to flavor certain foods and beverages. Some of these sweeteners can be 200 times to 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar. Because of their sweetness, smaller portions are needed to flavor foods or beverages, resulting in less calories per gram.

Sugar alcohols or polyols like sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, erythritol, mannitol, and maltitol are carbohydrates, but not classified as low-calorie sweeteners. They are less calorie-dense than table sugar, with a sweetness potency that is 25% to 100% sweeter than sugar.

Sugar alcohols are found in foods like cookies, candy, chewing gum, and ice cream, as well as toothpaste and cough medicine. They do not cause a spike in blood glucose or increase the risk of tooth decay.

Types of Artificial Sweeteners

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved eight artificial sweeteners to date:1

Acesulfame potassium is used with other artificial sweeteners and may be found in sugar-free sodas. It is marketed as Sunett or Sweet One, and can be found in your local grocery store.

Aspartame is found in a wide range of foods, beverages, candy, as well as vitamins and laxatives. It is marketed as Equal or NutraSweet. Aspartame boasts a flavor intensity that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame must not be consumed by people who have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder.

Neotame is 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Found in foods and beverages, it’s not as common as other low-calorie sweeteners.

Saccharin was discovered in 1879 and commercialized shortly after its discovery. Saccharin is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed as Sweet’N Low, Sweet Twin, and Sugar Twin.

Sucralose is known for its versatility. It can replace sugar in baked goods and other recipes, and is found in processed foods and baked beverages as well as canned fruit and dairy products. Its sweetness is 600 times greater than sugar. Sucralose is marketed as Splenda and Equal Sucralose.

Stevia is a non-nutritive sweetener with almost no calories. It is derived from the leaves of the stevia plant and is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is found in a variety of foods and beverages. You can find it at your local grocery store marketed as Truvia, Stevia in the Raw, SweetLeaf, Sweet Drops, Sun Crystals, and PureVia.

Luo han guo, or monk fruit extract, is a non-nutritive sweetener. It has no calories and is 10 to 250 times sweeter than sugar. It’s often blended with other non-nutritive sweeteners like Stevia. You can find it in your local grocery and health food stores marketed as Monk Fruit in the Raw.

Advantame is the most recent non-nutritive sweetener approved by the FDA—in 2014. It is 20,000 times sweeter than sugar and not regularly used. Unlike aspartame, it is safe for people with phenylketonuria.

The Effects of Artificial Sweeteners

While artificial sweeteners allow us to reduce calories from our diets while enjoying the sweet flavor, they also make it easy to overindulge on sweet foods and beverages.

Both the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association approve of replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners to fight obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes, and to reduce the risk of heart disease, but they recommend caution and to continue to monitor your calorie consumption.

However, animal studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can cause the pounds to creep up, and, more alarmingly, lead to brain tumors, bladder cancer, and other conditions. The scientific community is split whether artificial sweeteners are safe under all conditions or unsafe at any dose.

Regardless, research has shown that artificial sweeteners can affect different parts of your body.

Gut Health

Although non-caloric artificial sweeteners aren’t absorbed, they may still reach gut microbiota, which may affect its makeup and function and contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome.

In one study, researchers added either saccharin, sucralose, or aspartame to the drinking water of 10-week-old mice. Eleven weeks later, the mice that drank the sugar-water solution developed glucose intolerance, unlike other mice that consumed water, glucose, or sucrose alone.

The researchers concluded that glucose intolerance due to saccharine consumption altered the gut microbiota.

Cancer

Early studies indicated that a combination of cyclamate and saccharin caused cancer in animal studies. However, according to the FDA, carcinogenicity studies showed there was no link between cancer and these artificial sweeteners in humans.

Other studies of FDA-approved artificial sweeteners have shown that there is no association between these sweeteners and several types of cancer and humans.

This is your call.

Appetite, Cravings, and Weight

A study found that participants who often drank artificially sweetened beverages had higher BMIs. Another one found that 2.7% to 7.1% more of the regular artificial sweetener users gained weight compared to non-users.

Studies have also shown that water sweetened with aspartame increased appetite in normal-weight adult males and increased hunger compared to glucose or water alone. In another study, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and saccharin were all linked to eating more, with aspartame having the greatest effect due to its lack of a bitter aftertaste.7

A correlation exists between cravings and certain flavors like sweetness. Artificial sweeteners can make you want and seek out foods that are sweetened. To reduce that dependence, experts suggest weaning off or eliminating sugar or artificial sweeteners over a period of time.

Diabetes

A serving of most non-nutritive sweeteners has little or no calories. And because these sweeteners have a flavor intensity profile that can be 200 to several thousands greater than table sugar, a fraction of the amount is needed to sweeten food.

However, studies have shown that overeating foods that contain artificial sweeteners can lead to changes in glucose metabolism, or the way your body digests and uses sugar. Overconsumption of artificial sweeteners has been linked to excessive weight gain and health complications like type 2 diabetes.

Headaches

A few studies have looked into the link between artificial sweeteners and headaches, and have shown that headaches in a small percentage of individuals can be caused by aspartame or sucralose.

The link between aspartame and migraine sufferers is stronger, according to the Headache & Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute. Headaches may be triggered after prolonged use of sweeteners in diet beverages and not necessarily with one serving.

Dental Health

Cavities develop due to oral bacteria. The bacteria that predominantly causes cavities are mutans streptococci, streptococcus sobrinus, and lactobacilli, which produces acid when fermentable carbohydrates like sucrose, fructose, and glucose are present. The mineral content of your teeth becomes sensitive to the increased acidity from lactic acid production.

Artificial sweeteners, unlike sugar, are not fermented by the oral bacteria, which produce waste that settles on the surface of your teeth and are responsible for the decrease in oral pH.

Who Should Not Consume Them

Artificial sweeteners have been deemed safe to consume by the FDA, but aspartame should be avoided by people with phenylketonuria, which prevents phenylalanine (an essential amino acid) from breaking down.

The American Medical Association also recommends avoiding saccharin if you’re pregnant because of possible slow fetal clearance.

Side Effects

Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol) are derived from fruits and berries. Consuming sugar alcohols may affect blood glucose levels. If consumed in excessive amounts, with the exception of erythritol, sugar alcohols’ side effects may include bloating and diarrhea.

Other artificial sweetener side effects may lead to migraines or headaches, skin problems, depression, weight gain, muscular issues, and blurred vision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are artificial sweeteners bad?

Although animal studies have shown an association between artificial sweeteners—primarily saccharine—and cancer, the FDA and the National Cancer Institute state that there is no scientific evidence that artificial sweeteners lead to cancer or other health conditions.

However, studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can increase appetite and cravings for food items sweetened by these sweeteners. Even though they themselves contain few or no calories, the added calories from other ingredients can lead to weight gain.

What are artificial sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are used as food additives to replace common table sugars. Some sweeteners are classified as non-nutritive sweeteners that are extracted from certain plants or fruits that have nearly no calories. Others are sugar alcohols derived from fruits and berries.

Which artificial sweeteners are safe?

Eight artificial sweeteners have been deemed as safe by the FDA. Those include acesulfame potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, monk fruit extract, and advantame.

How are artificial sweeteners made?

Artificial sweeteners are created by chemical synthesis or extracted from plants or fruits.

Can you have artificial sweeteners if you’re pregnant?

Of the eight FDA-approved artificial sweeteners, the American Medical Association recommends that people who are pregnant should avoid saccharin.

What should you use instead of artificial sweeteners?

You can sweeten food and beverages with honey or maple syrup instead of table sugar and artificial sweeteners. You can also bake food with sweet fruits like bananas, apples, pears, blueberries, and ripe mangos.

Which artificial sweeteners cause diarrhea?

Typically, artificial sweeteners derived from sugar alcohol cause bloating and diarrhea.

Summary

Artificial sweeteners may contain zero or few calories, but studies have shown they may promote weight gain and increase the risk of certain health conditions. While the FDA says these sweeteners will not cause cancer, they are linked to increased cravings of sweet foods, cavities, and changes in the gut microbiome. Moderation is key even if you are eating artificial sweeteners rather than table sugar.

[diabetes-reversal-clinic]

Is Diabetes Caused by Eating Too Much Sugar?

Excess sugar consumption—more than a cola’s worth each day—can contribute to increased fat storage and insulin resistance.

Diabetes is a medical disorder in which the body’s ability to metabolise sugar is impaired. A mismatch between the quantity of sugar in the blood and the hormone insulin causes it. Specialised cells in the pancreas create this hormone. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to enter our cells.

Diabetes affects more than one out of every ten Indians, with more than one in every five going undiagnosed. More than 90% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body grows resistant to insulin. Type 1 diabetes is triggered by the immune system targeting the pancreatic insulin-producing cells. What causes the immune system to do this is still unknown.

The Body’s Sugar Metabolization

When carbohydrates are consumed, the body breaks them down in the gut to their most basic form, glucose. After then, glucose is taken into the bloodstream.

Insulin is the key that allows glucose to enter cells from the bloodstream. When glucose enters cells, it is used as fuel to generate the energy required to keep the body running.

Extra glucose that is not required for immediate energy generation is stored as fat and can be used to generate energy when needed.

Does Consuming Sugar Increase Your Diabetes Risk?

A healthy amount of sugar is part of a balanced diet. According to the American Heart Association, males should consume no more than nine teaspoons (or 36 grams, or 150 calories) of added sugar per day. It is advised that women consume no more than six tablespoons (25 grams, or 100 calories) each day.

According to the CDC, anyone over the age of two should limit their sugar intake to fewer than 10% of their daily calories. So, if you consume 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 of them (roughly 12 teaspoons, or 50 grams) should come from sugar.

A 12-ounce standard Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar, a 20-ounce regular Gatorade contains 34 grams of sugar, and a grande Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (with whipped cream and 2% milk) contains 50 grams of sugar.

Excess sugar consumption increases fat storage in the body. Increased fat buildup, particularly in the liver and around internal organs, causes the body to resist insulin action. The pancreas must therefore create more insulin to keep blood glucose levels within a normal range.

If this process of rising blood sugar continues, the pancreas will eventually be unable to keep up with rising insulin production, resulting in type 2 diabetes.

Sugar Substitutes and the Risk of Diabetes

Sugar substitutes can be natural, such as stevia (brand name Truvia), or synthetic, such as saccharin (Sweet’N Low), aspartame (NutraSweet), and sucralose (Splenda). They contribute zero to very little calories to your diet.

While they may not raise blood sugar in the short term, investigations on their long-term impact on weight gain and diabetes risk have yielded conflicting results. As a result, it is recommended that sugar replacements not be used in excess.

Recommendations for Sugar Consumption

Dietary Guidelines for Americans are developed together by the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). These guidelines, like the CDC’s, indicate that added sugar account for no more than 10% of daily calories. Reading the nutrition label on the food you buy will help you keep track of the added sugar.

Sugar can be part of your diet if you choose naturally occurring sugars—those found in nutrient-rich foods like fruits and milk—over processed sugars and consume added sugars in moderation.

Our Outlook –

How are we able to Treat Diabetes Completely?

“Madhumeha” is the term for Diabetes in Ayurveda, which means ‘Sweet urine’. The manifestation of diabetes is through thirst or urination. According to Ayurveda, due to accumulation of Vata Dosha. Vata dosha accumulates in the large intestine and travels to the pancreas, which hampers its functioning.

Sometimes, Pitta Dosha also leads to diabetes. This is when Pitta gets accumulated in the small intestine before moving to the liver and may cause damage to pancreas. As the main constituent of Pitta is Agni, it burns out pancreas leading to Diabetes.

If the above things are taken into consideration, the treatment of Diabetes in Ayurveda starts with proper cleansing of the body and balancing of doshas. The treatment includes herbal combinations that are prepared based on individual Prakruti and Vikruti analysis. Ie. The treatment is based on a person’s body composition & which dosha is dominant. The treatments like Dhara, Udwarthanam, Thalam, etc are followed to reverse diabetes. The treatment also includes Panchakarma & Yoga procedures to address the root cause of disease. We have seen many patients successfully reversing Diabetes and now living a healthy life.

Unlike other treatment procedures that jump straight to symptom management, we address the root-cause of the disease. Our treatment for Diabetes has proved to achieve a near cure and symptom-free state. We focus on diet, use of potent herbs, meditation, massage with herbal oils and yoga. These classical ayurveda practices have proven & shown sustained results in our Diabetes Treatment.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Soumya Hullannavar, Lead Ayurveda Endocrine Specialist at Diabetes Reversal Clinics & EliteAyurveda Clinics. With over 15 years of experience in treating endocrine & diabetes cases

Visit  diabetesreversal.clinic for additional details.

Know more about Ayurveda Diabetes Reversal.

[leedongwooksphiltrum]

Bosswook (NSFW)

If anyone happens to actually stumble upon this it’s a very very very very VERY NSFW imagine about Lee Dongwook being your boss lmaoooo anyways if you have found this please note: trigger warnings for extremely rough (but consensual) sex involving BDSM.

[Bosswook]

“Y/N.”

The sound of my name made me jump, especially in his voice. That deep, commanding voice. He rarely spoke to me, but when he did, it was never in a nice way. I turned around in my chair.

“Yes, boss?”

I subdued a smirk, knowing he hated when I called him that. It was my own secret way of putting him in his place for being such a hardass.

“Y/N, how many times do I have to tell you?” He was walking towards me, holding the coffee I’d ordered for him just half an hour prior. He loomed over my small desk in the corner of the office and took the lid off the cup. He held it under my nose. “Taste it.”

“Excuse me?”

He held it closer to my lips. “You heard me.”

With one hand I grabbed the cup to steady it and then took a small sip. Disgusting. It’s weird that such a straight-laced guy likes his coffee so sweet.

“And?” was my bold reply.

He bent down to my eye level, his face inches from mine. With a glare, he took the coffee from me and threw the whole thing into the trash. He straightened back up to his full height, his eyes boring into mine, unhappy. 

“Two Splendas,” he said, straight-faced. “Two. Not one, but two. How hard is it? How long have you worked here now?”

I shrugged. “Three months?”

His stony face almost looked like it was about to crack a smile, but he stopped himself. Better not reveal a single emotion I guess. “Three months,” he repeated softly. “You’d think that was enough time for you to be whipped into shape.”

“I guess I’ll need more training,” was my reply. I looked up at him with innocent eyes.

The frown stayed plastered on his face. “Don’t count on it. Your probationary review is tonight, and I don’t think you’ll like what I have to say. Don’t be late.” He tapped his expensive Gucci watch and then turned around, storming back to his office.

I watched him as he walked away. God, he was so fine. Sure, he was an absolute dick, but it was almost worth it just to see Lee Dongwook in his suit and tie every day. I remembered when my cousin, who also used to work there, told me about the job. I’d felt like Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada. 

“Just work six months for him, and it will open so many doors,” my cousin had promised. Since he was now working as an executive at another branch of the same company, I felt inclined to agree. Running around for coffees and taking memos for the world’s biggest asshole wasn’t my ideal career choice, but it wouldn’t be much longer. If I pass that review… maybe I need to control my sass a bit.

I kept my eyes glued on him as he accosted another employee and berated them about something. So angry, so wound up. Everyone was afraid of the boss. Sure he was intimidating, with his expensive clothes, his immaculately gelled hair that never moved an inch, and those intense brown eyes that held me in place when he talked to me. 

But I couldn’t help but notice the shape of his lips, plump and almost cherry-red. If ever caught him biting one I had to hurry to the water cooler and take a huge gulp. It wasn’t fair that such a wet blanket had angelic lips like that. Lips that were parched of someone else’s touch on them. Someone like… me.

The phone rang and I answered it wearily. “Lee Dongwook’s office, Y/N speaking.” 

I carried on the conversation. “A meeting? Um, let me see…” I put the caller on hold and checked his calendar. “Actually, tonight he’s busy, he has…oh.” I was surprised to see my own name in the Google calendar. Did I schedule this? “Maybe another day… Friday the 16th at 4pm? Okay, that’s doable. Thank you.”

My performance review was at 8:30pm that night, which I found strange since the office closed at 8. I shuddered. He probably wants to yell at me and doesn’t want anyone around to hear it. I sighed, trying to imagine where I might be able to find a job if he actually did fire me. Had I really done that badly? Was messing up his coffee order such a sin? I worked hard otherwise… scheduling his day, taking his calls… fuck, I even cleaned his office sometimes if he didn’t think the cleaning crew did a good enough job. He can’t let me go. He needs me here.

**(Later)**

“Goodnight Y/N, see you tomorrow,” one of my coworkers called. 

I waved distractedly, knowing the time had almost arrived. Everyone was so exhausted after each day under the iron fist of Mr. Lee that they rushed off as soon as the clock ticked to 8:00. I usually did too, but this time, I had to wait. I gulped and looked at his closed office door.

I knew the cleaning crew didn’t start until 10:00pm. He had planned this well… a whole window of time for us to be completely alone where he could scream his head off at me and fire me without a single witness to the tyranny. I scrolled through Instagram to pass the time. 8:10. 8:20. 8:25.

Everyone was gone now. At 8:29 I got up and stood in front of the solid oak door. The gold-embossed Lee Dongwook, CEO painted on it made me shiver. I waited until the hands on the clock perfectly lined up for 8:30. Dongwook was precise… maybe being on time would win me some points. I knocked.

“Come in,” was his serious-toned response. I opened the door myself.

He was at his desk, as usual. “Sit down.” He gestured vaguely at the hard-backed chair opposite his own, which was of course plush and comfortable. The lights were off except for the desk lamp, and the moonlight that shone in from the evening sky. He didn’t look up from the single piece of paper in his hand, which I assumed was full of notes for my review. I cringed as I saw that there was an abundance of red pen.

“Thank you for meeting with me boss,” I began, staring at his CEO nameplate.

He sighed and put the paper down, his eyes finally looking up into mine. They were cloudy and dark. “Y/N, Y/N, Y/N. This is exactly what we need to talk about.”

I noticed his blazer was hanging on the coat tree next to his desk. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his white button-up to the elbows, exposing his muscular forearms that were covered in constellations of moles. I’d never seen them before. Distractedly I asked, “What do you mean?”

He used one hand to straighten his tie and then put the same hand palm-down on the desk. The other hand picked up the paper, which he read aloud from. 

“Y/N Y/LN: Does not address CEO Lee according to instructions.” He narrowed his eyes and looked into mine. “Sir, CEO Lee, or Mr. Lee, in case you forgot. Not ‘boss.’” 

He turned his eyes back to the notes. “Continuously late for work in the morning with the excuse of a late train.” He almost smirked. “This is Korea, Y/N. Trains are never late.” 

He continued, “Flippant attitude with her superior. Unprofessional on the phone. Almost always gets the coffee order wrong despite being told since day one how CEO Lee likes it.”

I listened as he read off my faults point by point. Some of them were ridiculous… ONE TIME I had double-booked him for a meeting, and it was in my first week on the job! And of course it wasn’t my fault that the store was closed for a family emergency when he’d asked me to go get his watch repaired. As if I was the one who put the owner’s mother in the hospital. He’s such an asshole.

“And finally…” He peered over the desk at my outfit: a modest white button-up blouse and a pencil skirt that I had thought was business-casual. “Inappropriate clothing for the office, consistently.” He ran a hand through his short dark hair. He needed a trim, I noticed. I made a mental note to book him an appointment, and then suddenly wondered why, since I was about to be fired.

“Well Y/N, do you have anything to say for yourself?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, boss,” I said pointedly, emphasizing the last word. “I thought this was a review, not a roast. Isn’t there anything I’ve done well here?”

Lee Dongwook’s expression looked like it wanted to change, but he kept his pouty frown on his face for posterity. “So you want to know what you’ve done well?” He looked up at the ceiling. “God, this is embarrassing for you, Y/N.” He slammed his hand down on the table, making me jump. 

“I was doing [cousin’s name] a favor by hiring you, you know. He promised you’d be a good worker and I thought I could trust his judgement. But here you are asking me what you’ve done well?” He finally broke, a smirk growing on his face. Sarcastically he asked me, “Should I give you a gold star too? Employee of the month? Do you want your pretty face out there on the wall with a certificate with your name on it?”

I heard every word, but only one stuck out at me. Recklessly I asked, with a smirk of my own, “You think I’m pretty?”

He pushed himself away from the desk using both hands and then stood. I could see the glint in his eyes even in the semi-darkness. He bent over the desk. “It’s the only use you have around here, Y/N.”

I laughed in spite of myself. If I was going to be fired, then to hell with it. “Then you don’t actually care about your stupid coffee and your dust-free office then, do you boss?”

Dongwook walked slowly around the side of the desk until he was in front of me, eyes glued to my face. He put one hand down and smirked again. “Stand up,” he said, in a low voice.

“Why?”

He bit his lip. God, that does it every time. “Because I told you to.” 

I did anyway, intrigued. This was the most words we had ever exchanged that didn’t have to do with meetings or stocks or something else boring. I had to get the most out of it before I was thrown out of the enterprise forever.

He let his gaze drape shamelessly over my form and then bit his lip, eyes on mine. He reached out with his long fingers and touched my mouth. “Pretty,” he told me. “But only when it’s closed.”

“Excuse me?” Who does he think he is?

He laughed. “Never says the right things,” he said by way of explanation. “But I won’t tolerate a back talking employee. I didn’t become CEO of this company by bending over backwards.” He grinned at that. “So the question is this: do I wait for you to finally say ‘yes, sir’?” He put his thumb inside my mouth. “Or just shut you up myself?”

I rolled my eyes, spitting his finger out of my way. “I don’t care how many companies you own, Lee Dongwook. You’ll never, ever hear me call you sir.”

“Then there’s no point in you speaking at all,” he replied. 

In a flash he was loosening his tie, a wicked grin forming on his usually emotionless face. I bit my lip, wondering just how far he wanted to take this. He’s really angry, but… I’m into it.

Once he got his tie off he grabbed me by the waist and turned me around. I could feel him slip it over my head then pull it tightly so it rested between my teeth. He tied it around the back of my head and then turned me back around, admiring his handiwork. I couldn’t speak a word, which felt kind of… hot. No one will hear me yell… was this the plan all along?

“Much better,” he growled. He put one hand on me, letting it slowly slide down from my neck to my collarbone. It was there there he unbuttoned the top of my blouse and took a look at me, his eyes hungry. “God, you really are beautiful. What a shame.” 

He kept going until my shirt was all the way off. He tossed it aside and began to leave rough, wet kisses on my neck. I couldn’t say anything, but I could make sounds, and he started laughing when I let them out.

“Y/N,” he tsked. He continued to kiss me everywhere but my mouth while letting his strong hands wander my back and hips. “You’re such a whore, aren’t you?”

He pushed me against his office door. I could feel that he was hard as he pressed himself against me, pinning me there with his muscular chest. He kissed my ear sloppily, whispering, “I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me since day one.” His hand was inside my bra now, toying with the sensitive flesh. “Admit it. You thought about fucking me. About having your way with the CEO.”

“Mmph,” was all I could reply. Of course I’d thought about it, if only to bring a semblance of human emotion to the robotic, workaholic dickhead. But I never pictured him in control. He already had that in every part of his life. Clearly, it wasn’t something he was going to give up.

“You’re going to pay for being a mouthy little girl,” he whispered.

I reached out to him, trying to unbutton his shirt like he did mine, but he slapped my hand away. He pointed a finger in my face. “No. You don’t touch me.”

“Mmph,” I protested, trying to show the displeasure in my face without the use of my words. Where is the fun in that?

“Just to make sure,” he murmured. He reached down and unbuckled his belt, sliding it quickly out of the loops on his dress pants. I hitched a breath… what was he going to do now?

Dongwook wrapped it around my wrists, cinching them together with the buckle. He smiled in satisfaction. “Much better.”

I used my teeth to grapple with the tie in my mouth and then finally spit it out enough to speak. “I’m still not calling you sir,” I told him, looking straight into his eyes. “You’d have to kill me for it.”

“Don’t tempt me,” he whispered into my ear. Somehow, even his threat sounded like a caress, coming from lips like his.

He cupped his strong hand around my jaw, forcing me to keep my eyes on him. “Since you’re so determined to open that pretty mouth of yours, Y/N, let’s put it to good use.” He took the tie off of my neck and tossed it aside. I knew where he was going with this, but I wasn’t about to give in easily.

Dongwook slowly unbuttoned his pants, a manic grin on his face the whole time. He put one hand on the wall beside my head to steady himself and pulled out his dick, which was massive and straining even against his own large hand. It was already dripping with precum. Against my own better judgement I licked my lips, which sent him into a frenzy.

“Down,” he told me. I dropped to my knees, eager for a taste of it. I looked up at him, and he was grinning down on me. The expression was not one of a lover though, but… a sadist. He wanted to hurt me. I want to let him.

“One last chance,” he said. “Call me sir, and I may even let you keep your job.”

I shook my head. “Never.”

“Then be quiet.” He came closer and I opened my mouth, already knowing what was next. 

It was difficult to take all of him without choking, but I was trying, my eyes watering as he pushed it further down my throat. I managed to get a motion going, nearly impossible with my hands bound and nothing to grab onto. Through my tears I could see he liked what I was doing, but he wasn’t moaning at all. He just kept talking out loud.

“Y/N, the office slut,” he was saying, clenching his teeth to avoid showing the pleasure he surely felt. “Should I keep her around just to see her in that skirt every day? I think I’d like that.” He looked down at me and tsked. “Then again, she can’t do anything right.”

I stopped sucking him and spit on the floor of his office. “If you don’t like what I’m doing, then you can just fuck your hand, boss,” I told him. I rose to my feet. “Take this off me, I’m going home. Good luck finding a new assistant.”

Instead of freeing me from the restraint, he used his thumb to wipe the drool off my face and then stuck it into my mouth. “I know you don’t really want to leave,” he said.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I protested. 

He laughed. His arms wrapped around my waist, one hand unzipping my skirt from the back. It pooled at my feet, leaving me just in underwear. 

“Because you find me attractive,” was his simple answer. He put one hand inside my panties, finding me wet. “Obviously.”

I moaned in spite of myself. “So what?” I managed to say. “It doesn’t change the fact that you’re a huge asshole.”

“Mmhmm.” He was tracing circles with his finger, his lips on my neck again. “Of course I am. Do you think I got to where I am now by being soft?” He pressed down on my sweet spot, making me moan right into his ear.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t need this job,” he said. “I told you I didn’t get here by bending over backwards. But you can.” He leaned forward and snagged my lip with his teeth, drawing me into a forceful kiss. 

Despite how I hated the way he was talking to me, I had to admit that biology had taken over. Every part of my body was screaming for him to take me. And if he fires me anyway? Well, at least I’ll go out with a bang.

I let him continue to kiss me, his tongue roaming my mouth, filling me with heat. My insides were pleading for him to enter me, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of audibly begging for it.

I shook my hands against the restraint of the belt. “At least let me see you,” I asked, gesturing towards the shirt he still had on.

Surprisingly, he did so, unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it onto the floor. He got himself completely naked in seconds and then grabbed me and pushed me down against the desk. I took in his sharp pectoral muscles, his generous thighs, his perfect V-line, that little trail of hair from his belly button to the space between his hips. He’s incredible.

He caught me staring and grinned. “That’s the last favor you get,” he said in a low, quiet voice. “Now bend over for me.”

I did as I was told, face down in a pile of papers. I could feel him removing the last of my clothing and teasing me with one finger, and then two. Still, no begging. I wouldn’t do it. Never.

“Why won’t you call me sir?” he asked, almost whining. I sputtered out a laugh at the request, which was a mistake. I was suddenly swatted on my ass with an open palm, hard enough to leave an instant red mark.

“Ow!” I accidentally choked out.

He laughed. “Too much for you, Y/N? You wouldn’t have lasted six months here, that’s for sure.” He braced himself against me, brushing my entrance with his hard cock. “This can all be over, you know. Say the words. I’ll spare you, I promise.”

“Do your worst,” I spat back.

He responded by giving me another hard slap, this time on the other side. I didn’t make a sound. He was obviously taken aback by this and did it several more times, each time more painful than the last. I practically bit my tongue in half to prevent myself from crying out. No. Never. I’ll never do a thing he says.

Dongwook took a different approach. I could hear him behind me. I looked back, and he was crouched down. He dragged his tongue from my dripping wet opening all the way up my back, where he continued along my spine to the skin between my shoulder blades. Once there, he planted an uncharacteristically gentle kiss, before grabbing my hair and yanking it backwards.

“Fine,” he growled into my ear. “Are you choosing to shut up for once? Is that it? You really won’t say it?”

“Nope,” I said back, grinning. “Guess you’d better punish me for it, boss.”

Angrily Dongwook positioned himself against the back of me before slamming inside me in one quick thrust. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. He was huge, I hadn’t expected it. But somehow pain and pleasure were one, and I left him fuck me madly, his grip on my hips sure to leave bruises. 

“You like this, don’t you?” he asked, panting. “Fuck.” He swore and spit on my back. “You’re so good at taking my cock, Y/N. I should promote you just for this.”

I refrained from saying anything, focusing on taking each thrust. I couldn’t brace myself because my hands were still bound by his belt, so I could feel every inch of him as he moved in and out. I had to hand it to him; for an uptight asshole he could sure let himself get wild.

“I’m close,” he said suddenly, and pulled out. I gasped at the sensation of having been emptied so abruptly. 

He yanked me by my arms and had me kneel in front of him. He looked into my wide eyes. “Finish me off.”

“And me?” I asked with a frown.

He cupped my chin almost lovingly, and then gave me a light slap on my cheek. “I don’t care about you,” he responded. “But maybe if you’re a good girl, I’ll let you come. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You want to moan for me?”

“Don’t take your chances,” I told him. 

I took him into my mouth and watched him. His eyes closed and he let his hands run through my hair. He still didn’t moan, but he was muttering incoherently under his breath. Close enough.

I worked him with my lips and tongue until I thought I’d go blind from the tears. Finally, with a breathy utterance of “Fuck,” he released into my mouth. I took every drop, letting it fill my throat. It was hot and delicious, exactly what I’d expected from him.

“Mmm, very good,” he said with a grin. He brought me to my feet. “Did you take it all?”

I opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue. He touched his to mine and smiled. “You finally did something right.” He sat down in the hard chair that I had been in.

I was still unsatisfied, having done everything for him with only mounting anticipation in return. I nudged him with my knee. “Dongwook.”

He raised his eyebrow. “What?”

“You know what.”

He sighed. “Sit down on the desk.”

I did what he asked and he put his muscular arms on my thighs, spreading them open. I couldn’t help myself… I opened my mouth and let all of the pleasured sounds come out. He was an expert with his tongue, toying with me one second while devouring me the next. He let his teeth graze my lips and sucked on the sensitive skin. I clutched his dark hair, finally messed up from the ultra-hold product. What would the other employees think of him now?

“I’m almost there,” I encouraged him. I shouldn’t have. He laughed and pulled away, his face glistening.

“What the fuck!” was my angry response.

He grinned. “I told you, if you’re a good girl, I’ll let you come.” He winked at me. “But you haven’t said the magic words yet, Y/N.”

“I won’t,” I told him, but my body was screaming at me to reconsider. I was on the edge of my orgasm, and it had been so long. I needed to release, and what better time than now?

My boss was staring at me, an amused grin on his face. “And here I thought you wanted to move up in this company. You won’t even get a recommendation letter from me at this rate.”

I grimaced and mumbled, “Yessir.”

“Excuse me?” His eyes brightened. “Say it again.”

I rolled my eyes and leaned forward so I could say it right against those full red lips of his. “Yes sir,” I spat pointedly. I nipped at his lip, causing him to laugh.

“Good enough,” he said with a satisfied grin. He returned to his place between my thighs and I was seeing stars. When I finally came, I slid off the desk, collapsing in a heap at his feet.

He helped me up and pulled me onto his lap. Surprisingly, he gave me a sweet kiss, without malice.

“What was that for?” I asked, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

He smiled. “Come on Y/N, what’s the first rule of a dom?”

“Be a huge dick?”

Dongwook laughed. “No.” He kissed me again. “Aftercare. It’s all part of the process.”

I was confused. “So wait… are you telling me you’re just an asshole to everyone because you’re a dom?”

“No, no,” he corrected me quickly. He pinched my cheek. “I AM an asshole. I’m just also very dominant.” He ran his hand up the outside of my thigh and let it rest on my waist.

I rolled my eyes again. “Whatever. The only care I have is for my job. Do I still have one?” I moved to stand up, but he kept me in his strong arms. I relented and nestled into his warm chest. He's still in command, even if he's let his blood cool down.

“That depends. Are you going to start following the rules?”

I looked into his eyes and grinned. “Fuck no, boss.”

He traced my lips with his thumb and kissed me. “Then of course you have a job,” he told me. “Because you still need to be whipped into shape. And who begter to train you than me?"

“I don’t think there’s room in your schedule for that,” I reminded him.

He narrowed his eyes. “Well, make some then. That’s your real job.” He grinned. “You’d better get used to being on your feet though. When I’m finished with you, you won’t be able to sit down.”

[techsugar]

I’m kind of like mind battling my strategy about allowance cos I feel like this man will ask me in person on my date tomorrow ...

Like on one hand, the PPM (not allowance, though I’d prefer allowance) for my area per the Reddit allowance thread (my only point of reference lmfao... linked at bottom) ranges from 200-1k and some girls even commented higher. That’s usually at least four visits a month so $800-$4k a month allowance. That’s such a wide range.

Him: What are you expecting for allowance?

Me: $800-$4k :p

Just kidding LMFAOOOO. I definitely want to try the higher end of the spectrum cos his Seeking profile said he makes $300k annually which is roughly $25k a month, and you know there’s investments etc padding his wallet.

The first time I did an arrangement, I didn’t realize that he was a total splenda (and a fucking creep) and just accepted his amount, which wasn’t horrible, but he gave me $100 less when we had to do hotels, inside only, no gifts, was a TOTAL pervert, etc. Not what I’m looking for.

I want to negotiate. I’m worth more. Let’s see if I can channel my empowered self haha. I’m also a huge blusher and know I’m gonna be bright red if we discuss in person. Maybe I’ll look innocent and irresistibly charming.

[peachiekeeeen]

AFTG characters as things I’ve heard in school

Dan: Do not snort that Splenda.

Kevin, ringing a bell: This is the shut up bell! Shut up!

Andrew: Vehicular manslaughter is not on my bucket list.

Matt: It’s Canada. Every time they score a point, they’re going to have to say sorry.

Aaron: I’ve stopped growing. This is my final form.

Seth: I don’t want to hear the fuck word on this court ever again.

Allison: People are always staring at me. It’s one of the downsides of being cute.

Nicky: You flashed all of Germany?

Renee: I rang God’s doorbell and He gave me birdies.

Neil: People who sell college textbooks are involved in organized crime.

Bonus

Wymack: My son says, “Don’t look at me!”

Jean: Hey, Jeremy? Can it.

[shintorikhazumi]

Trope (3): “Maya.”

A/N: Coffee Shop Trope? Back with a MYKR. Sorry about two sisters. I got stuck and busy so... the shorter little stories are easier to release. might get it up this week. Hopefully. 

Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

Today was the day she'd finally beat her at her little game. Today she'd get her order down pat. She wouldn't mess it up, she would serve it to her as perfectly as possible. She'd go hang herself if that infuriating woman told her she got even the tiniest thing wrong. Really, what was it with her shameless insistence that it had to match her taste perfectly!

Hell, Claudine knew she'd gotten the blend perfectly last time! That evil woman simply told her that she 'thought the temperature wasn't quite right'.

FUCK that.

Really, just thinking of all her interactions with the woman made Claudine fume.

And yet...

The moments after that brought about a flutter in her chest, remembering how the insufferable woman would go sit at her usual table, right by the window at the far end of Claudine's shop. The five-PM sun's rays would hit her perfectly sculpted face at just the right angle, soft and golden, giving her the most ethereal glow.

It both annoyed and awed Claudine that she could look so amazing. The picture-perfect image of a successful working woman, probably a big-time executive who had aesthetic hobbies and interests that people would like and share off of instagram or the tube. She was sure she had hundreds of thousands- if not millions of followers. Yes, Claudine would admit that she was just that gorgeous.

And maybe... she'd admit that she'd grown on her too.

Just a little.

A little.

A tiny bit. Like an unnoticeable-

"Waiting on your crush, boss?"

Claudine choked on air. 

"SHE-SHE, I- I DON'T HAVE.... CRUSH? WHAT CRUSH? FUTABA I-"

"Christ, calm your tits. My gosh." Kaoruko snorted, from a nearby table.

"Screw off." Claudine barked. Just why did Kaoruko have to spend all her free time ogling Futaba in her shop? Couldn't they do their disgusting flirting elsewhere?

"Hey! I pay you good money for my time here!" The corporate owner frowned, making a show of her statement by getting up from her seat and sticking a few bills in Claudine's vest pocket near her chest.

"I'm not some stripper, Kaoruko."

"I ne'er said a thing, love."

Claudine sighed, turning around to brew herself a cup of her own favorite blend.

The universe must hate her to give her such difficult friends, and one insufferable c-c-... attractive acquaintance.

The front door bell rang and Claudine almost gave herself whiplash as her eyes unknowingly sparkled-

...then dulled at the sight of only Nana.

"Wow, that hurts, Kuro-chan." She laughed. "I'm here for the tomorrow's prep."

Nana was the baker of Claudine's little cafe, but she was also still studying to be the director of her dreams. This had been a little thing on the side she'd done to earn that bit of extra tuition support.

She came in in the late hours of the afternoon to prepare goods that Claudine could simply stick in the oven the next day. And some special closing treats that some customers would wait for.

They called it the cafe’s ‘sweet hours’.

Claudine had wanted to sign Nana a full contract deal; she wanted to get any employee one, but she knew she wasn't big enough of a business to attract workers besides her good friends yet. It had barely been a month or two, with the regular customers coming in, but Claudine knew it wasn't enough to support full-time workers yet.

Why Futaba worked for her when Kaoruko just about paid her for merely living with her was a mystery she could not fathom. Claudine wouldn't complain though. She was thankful for the help.

The bell rung once more, and again Claudine turned to it with her usual smile of welcome, though with a little extra excitement-

"You look happy to see me... or not." Junna pushed her glasses up her nose. "You forgot your special apron, Nana." Junna called, holding the cloth up for her girlfriend to see.

"Thank youuuu!!!" Nana came bounding towards her, planting a kiss on her cheek and leaving a blushing Junna in the middle of the shop as she entered the kitchen.

"Whipped." Kaoruko snickered, high-fiving Claudine.

"I will make sure even less people come to your shop."

"I didn’t even say a thing, demon!"

And the bell rang a third time, and Claudine knew not to get her hopes up.

"At the very least, greet your customers. How are you supposed to attract more people with that cold attitude?" Hikari stated, ushering an excited Karen into the shop, Mahiru trailing behind them as graceful as always.

"Hiya, Kuro-chan! We're all here, huh? How fun!"

Claudine couldn't help but smile. Her friends' presence was something she always found comforting, and they helped her get through tough patches a lot of the time. She was forever grateful.

"Slow day today?" Mahiru sat by the bar, placing her purse next to her. Claudine sighed, nodding as she turned around to make Mahiru's favorite. She'd memorized everyone's usuals by now, having had her friends as her practice customers while she studied to be a barista a few years back.

"No surprise." Claudine replied, serving up the cup.

"You'll find your rhythm soon." Mahiru encouraged. "I love the way you make your drinks. I'm sure the others would agree. Everyone just hasn't found you yet, is all."

Claudine smiled. "Hope I get found soon then, huh?"

"Wishing for the best."

“Merci."

She really hoped so. She didn’t want her dream to just go under that quickly after it had just become a reality.

And this time, as she was lost in her thoughts, Claudine didn't register the bell, nor the clack of high heels and the scent of gentle sophistication as a perfume. So she was surprised when she turned around with Hikari and Karen's drinks in hand, successfully dropping it on the floor, spilling its contents for Futaba to grumpily clean up. It was her. She was here. She-

Stupefied as she was by her goddess-like presence, in a split second, her mind reminded her of the little competition she'd struggled weeks now for. As the woman's lips parted to say her first words, so did Claudine's.

""Venti, half-whole milk, one quarter one percent, one quarter non-fat, extra hot, split quad shots one-and-a-half shots decaf, two-and-a-half shots regular), no foam latte, with whip, two packets of splenda, one sugar in the raw, a touch of vanilla syrup and three short sprinkles of cinnamon.""

They’d chanted it like a practiced spell, perfectly in unison, and that feat in itself made Claudine feel so good.

"!!"

"With a baumkuchen on the side, right?" Claudine grinned, finally tasting that oh-so-sweet victory that came in the form of the woman's shocked face. Finally, she'd broken her cool and caught her off-guard, body moving automatically to prepare the drink with insane efficiency and practiced perfection.

Slipping the order across the counter, Claudine offered her most charming smile.

"Now! Tell me it's perfect so I can finally... finally know your name." This was it. The thing that had Claudine stumped for weeks on end, perplexed, and curious about. Ever since this woman refused to give her even an alias to be able to mark the order, long ago on that one busy day. Claudine had to constantly watch and think about the woman in order to get her drink to her right. "I've told you I need it to keep track of orders, you irritable-"

Soft and sweet, a little sticky with lipstick.

Claudine's hand touched her warmed lips, some drink stains and a few crumbs there as well. Everyone in the room was quietly watching on, shocked (Well, Hikari had a hand over Karen's mouth to keep her from screaming in delight).

"Maya."

The woman tried to sound sultry- before she noticed the crumbs... and the stains... and her lipstick on Claudine.

"Oh dear me! I- I apologize, I... I didn't mean for that to- I-" Frantically, she dug through her purse, fishing out some wipes and dabbed at a stunned Claudine's mouth, her eyes tracing over every feature of the panicked woman in front of her, focused yet in a daze. "I- I was trying to... um... I'm really sorry-"

"Maya. It's a lovely name."

As lovely as you.

[dresupi]

Chamomile - Darcy Lewis/Spencer Reid

for @scarletnerd05​ 563 words Rated T Chamomile - Meet-cute while waiting somewhere

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darcy mentally counted the items in her arms one more time.

Milk, coffee, Splenda, eggs, bread, dark chocolate for her stash, sliced cheese, and a sad little succulent that she was hoping to nurse back to health. Only eight things.  So she was still below the ten and under as indicated by the express lane sign.

Unlike the person in front of her who easily had four times that many things and was starting to unload them onto the belt.

Darcy sighed and shifted her weight, so much for this being express.

“Sorry, hon. This is express,” said the cashier, popping her gum and eying the woman unloading her thirty items.

“Don’t you ‘hon’ me, this is barely over ten.”

The cashier arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and eyed the belt. She stuck her hand out and pushed back three quarters of the items. “Go put that back and you’ll be express.”

“Are you kidding me? You’re going to make me move? It would take less time to just check me out!”

“I sincerely doubt it. You can take all that to four.” The cashier nodded her head behind her.

The woman hemmed and hawed, but gathered her things and tossed them back into her cart. She backed up and Darcy wasn’t fast enough, she rammed right into her and knocked the carton of eggs out of her arms. They splatted on the floor and the bagboy sighed heavily and went to start cleaning them up.

“God, get the fuck out of the way,” the woman barked.

“Is there a point, or are you also going to smash my bread if I don’t move?” Darcy snapped back. The woman didn’t reply, just yanked her cart out of the line and glared in Darcy’s direction.

“We’ll send for another dozen, ma’am,” the cashier said. “Sorry about that.”

“She can have mine,” said the person behind her.

Darcy turned and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. How had she not seen that dorkalicous piece of perfection standing behind her this entire time? Floppy hair and a sweater vest. He ticked all the boxes.

“You don’t have to---“ she began.

“No, it’s fine. I still have a half dozen at home, I can get more the next time I come in.”

“Are you... are you sure?” she asked, placing all her items on the belt. “You totally don’t have to do that.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Not everyday I can actually help,” he said with a laugh. He had a great smile.

“I’m Darcy,” she replied. “Thanks for the eggs.”

“Spencer,” he replied. “Don’t worry about it. You can, you know, pay it forward.”

“Do you drink coffee, Spencer?” Darcy asked, while the cashier rang her up.

“I live on it,” he said with a laugh.

“Cool, let me contribute to your life force sometime. When are you free?”

“I’m not really sure, but when I am, I could call you and let you know?”

“You don’t have my number...” Darcy said.

“I was kind of hoping you’d give it to me?” he said with a grin.

“Oh. Right. Of course.” She laughed and reached for the pen laying nearby. “Can I borrow this?” she asked the cashier, who nodded.

She scribbled her number on the back of his hand. “There. Call me soon before it washes off.”

“Will do.”

[casualdadnomad]

W A I T CAN WE GET AOME KATARA AND TOPH JUST BEING FRUSTRATED CAUSE ZUKKA IS BEING PAINFULLY OBLIVIOUS?

a;ljasdf;dfghjkfdfg ok i LOVE this concept

Toph and Katara are the only ones who have heard sokka/zuko confirm their mutual crushes

because Sokka tells Toph everything, and then because Zuko is an awkward guy who ranges from King Over-Sharer to Emotions Protected By The Walls Of Ba Sing Se and he talks to Katara a lot

Toph and Katara realized at the same time they were harboring two sides of the same secret

insert that spiderman meme where its the two spidermen pointing at each other

so now Katara and Toph have bets on who’s gonna crack first

Katara: it’s gotta be Zuko. he’s gonna let it slip eventually. // Toph: what do you mean? Zuko can’t articulate his emotions!

They also come to each other with all the intel

Toph: dude. he drew a turtleduck on the CVS wall. how much more obvious can he get? // Katara: oh my god. what did Zuko say? // Toph: I believe his exact words were “wow, it’s a turtleduck.”

whenever they’re in the room during Awkward Zukka Interactions, occasionally they just let out an agonized scream

Sokka: thanks for the coffee! // Zuko: oh yeah its no problem, i know you like the venti iced coffee with milk and two splendas so i went ahead and-- // Katara: OH COME ON

If they’re ever hanging out without Aang, Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee, often Toph and Katara will simply Leave The Room for pretty much no reason

Katara constantly talking up Zuko around her brother >>>

Katara: you know, Zuko’s very smart. and tall. and he bends fire. that’s so cool, right? // Sokka: don’t you already have a boyfriend? // Katara: how dumb are you, exactly?

also we already have occasions of Toph and Zuko thieving Sokka’s sweatshirts from his car

So Toph clearly reads this as Zuko being in love with Sokka, since Sokka’s clothes are pretty much his same size and he’s allowed to dress however he wants, she sees no other reason than being in love with him to steal his shit

Sokka is completely oblivious though

Toph always called shotgun before this knowledge was discovered, and now she insists on sitting in the back

Toph: what? i just wanna sit next to my good friend Katara back here! // Sokka: Katara annoys the shit out of you. this is suspicious behavior. // Toph: i, uh, never said that? // Katara: >:(

i enjoyed writing this post too much! thanks for the ask! :)

[healthmessenger]

Food Additives To Avoid(Part 2/3: Sweeteners).

Food preservation is seen as a key milestone in the development our species (Homo Sapiens). So much so that scientists believe that there is a direct correlation between the discovery of natural preservation methods, particularly salt for the preservation of meat, and the development of our brains over the past 10,000 years. During the First Agricultural Revolution (also called the Neolithic  Revolution), humans started to produce surplus foods in anticipation to periods of food scarcity and started to predict potential future food insecurities. This transition from hunting and gathering to farming occurred between 10,000 BC and 2000 BC. From that point on, humans felt the necessity of food storage and preservation as a result of geographical settlement. Human’s inquest mind has since innovated and discovered different food preservation systems throughout modern history. Most of the preservation techniques practiced by the early humans were based on daily experiences. Utilisation of natural energy including solar, biomass, and natural phenomena such as evaporation cooling, spontaneous reactions like fermentation are some of the common features of these food preservation techniques. Many traditional food preservation techniques in developing countries still follow this approach extensively. However, a wide variation prevails in each preservation technique in different regions of the globe. Today, nearly 80 % of foods found in the aisles of our supermarkets and grocery stores are processed in one way or another. Notwithstanding, most food additives/preservatives are necessary to comply with   modern health and safety standards. Having said that, more and more of these “artificial” additives/preservatives have  recently come under close scrutiny and questions surrounding their potential health hazards have been raised.

Why do we use food additives?

There are numerous reasons why food additives and preservatives are used. One reason is that they can help maintain and improve freshness by slowing product spoilage caused by mould, air, bacteria, fungi or yeast while helping reduce the risk of contamination. In some cases, additives and preservatives may help improve or maintain nutritional benefits. Additionally, they may be used to improve taste, texture and appearance. For example, emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners give foods the texture and consistency consumers expect to find when enjoying certain products. Some leavening agents help baked goods rise, another expected attribute, while many additives affect the acidity and alkalinity of certain foods. Commonly, additives and preservatives are used to provide a delicious taste while reducing the fat content.

Having said that, there seems to be a constant struggle to find foods without additives and preservatives if one wishes to avoid them at all cost.  Many have been around for a very long time, while others surface as new or simply use another name for a common additive or preservative.

Now, there are lot of different types of food additives/preservatives and it can understandably be overwhelming to sort them all out at once. That is why we are going to break this extensive topic down into several parts. Last week, we covered Part 1 of our series: Artificial Colouring. Today, we  are turning to Artificial Sweeteners and they potential effects on our health.

What are Artificial Sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners, or non-nutritive sweeteners, include low-calorie or non-caloric sweeteners, and sugar substitutes. These add a sweet flavour with fewer calories than table sugar, corn syrup, or fruit juice concentrates. Examples include aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), Sucralose (Splenda), Acesulfame potassium, Neotame, and Saccharin (Sweet'N Low).  Although some sweeteners contain calories, the amount needed to sweeten products is so small that you end up consuming almost no calories.

How do artificial sweeteners work?

The surface of your tongue is covered by many taste buds, each containing several taste receptors that detect different flavours. When you eat, your taste receptors encounter food molecules. A perfect fit between a receptor and molecule sends a signal to your brain, allowing you to identify the taste. For example, the sugar molecule fits perfectly into your taste receptor for sweetness, allowing your brain to identify the sweet taste. Artificial sweetener molecules are similar enough to sugar molecules to fit on the sweetness receptor. However, they are generally too different from sugar for your body to break them down into calories. This is how they provide a sweet taste without the added calories. Only a minority of artificial sweeteners have a structure that your body can break down into calories. Given that only very small amounts of artificial sweeteners are needed to make foods taste sweet, you consume virtually no calories.

Most Common artificial sweeteners

The Most Wanted …And Most Dangerous …

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS): HFCS is made from corn starch and offers a sweet flavour. It is popular because it is cheaper to produce than cane sugar. Starch is a simple sugar, and when broken down the end result is corn syrup, which is 100% glucose. Enzymes are then added to the corn syrup, helping convert the glucose into another simple sugar called fructose. In addition to sweet products, it is found in many other types of foods. Yogurts, breads, frozen pizzas, cereal bars, cocktail peanuts, and boxed macaroni and cheese are a few examples where HFCS is found. Because major health risks have exploded in the past few decades with the increasing popularity of easy to grab processed foods, it is thought that HFCS may increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Labeled as high fructose corn syrup. Alternatives/substitute names are isoglucose, maize syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, glucose/fructose

Other Common Artificial Sweeteners…

Aspartame: Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener consisting of two amino acids, namely phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Because it is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, very little is required to get a sweet taste. Aspartame is usually found in diet or sugar-free sodas, diet coke, coke zero, jello (and other gelatins), desserts, sugar-free gum, drink mixes, baking goods, table-top sweeteners, cereal, breath mints, pudding, kool-aid, iced tea, chewable vitamins, toothpaste. While watching calorie consumption is important, using artificial additives and sweeteners such as aspartame may cause some health risks. Studies have shown that aspartame may elevate blood glucose and increase anxiety. Alternative names are Canderel, Tropicana Slim, NutraSweet, Equal, AminoSweet and Sugar Twin

Acesulfame potassium. Also known as acesulfame K, it’s 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It’s suited for cooking and baking and sold under the brand names Sunnet or Sweet One. 

Advantame. This sweetener is 20,000 times sweeter than table sugar and suited for cooking and baking.

Aspartame-acesulfame salt. Sold under the brand name Twinsweet, it’s 350 times sweeter than table sugar.

Cyclamate. Cyclamate, which is 50 times sweeter than table sugar, was used for cooking and baking. However, it has been banned in the United States since 1970.

Neotame. Sold under the brand name Newtame, this sweetener is 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar and suited for cooking and baking.

Neohesperidin. It’s 340 times sweeter than table sugar and suited for cooking, baking, and mixing with acidic foods. Note that it is not approved for use in the United States.

Sacchari. Sold under the brand names Sweet'N Low, Sweet Twin, or Necta Sweet, saccharin is 700 times sweeter than table sugar.

Sucralose. Sucralose, which is 600 times sweeter table sugar, is suited for cooking, baking, and mixing with acidic foods. It's sold under the brand name Splenda.

Caramelized sugar syrup replaces E150 caramel which gives bread and cooked chicken a brown look.

Artificial sweeteners, appetite, and weight

Artificial sweeteners are popular among individuals who are trying to lose weight. However, their effects on appetite and weight vary among studies.

Effects on appetite…

Some people believe that artificial sweeteners might increase appetite and promote weight gain. The idea is that artificial sweeteners may be unable to activate the food reward pathway needed to make you feel satisfied after you eat. Given that they taste sweet but lack the calories found in other sweet-tasting foods, they're thought to confuse the brain into still feeling hungry. Additionally, some scientists think you'd need to eat more of an artificially sweetened food, compared with the sugar-sweetened version, to feel full. It's even been suggested that sweeteners may cause cravings for sugary foods. That said, many recent studies do not support the idea that artificial sweeteners increase hunger or calorie intake. In fact, several studies have found that participants report less hunger and consume fewer calories when they replace sugary foods and beverages with artificially sweetened alternatives. 

Effects on weight…

Regarding weight control, some observational studies report a link between consuming artificially sweetened beverages and obesity. However, randomized controlled studies — the gold standard in scientific research — report that artificial sweeteners may reduce body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference. These studies also show that replacing regular soft drinks with sugar-free versions can decrease body mass index (BMI) by up to 1.3–1.7 points. What's more, choosing artificially sweetened foods instead of those with added sugar may reduce the number of daily calories you consume. Various studies ranging from 4 weeks to 40 months show that this may lead to weight loss of up to 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg). Artificially sweetened drinks can be an easy alternative for those who regularly consume soft drinks and want to decrease their sugar consumption. However, opting for diet soda will not lead to any weight loss if you compensate by eating larger portions or extra sweets. If diet soda increases your cravings for sweets, sticking to water might be best.

Artificial sweeteners and diabetes

Those with diabetes may benefit from choosing artificial sweeteners, as they offer a sweet taste without the accompanying rise in blood sugar levels. However, some studies report that drinking diet soda is associated with a 6–121% greater risk of developing diabetes. This may seem contradictory, but it's important to note that all of the studies were observational. They didn’t prove that artificial sweeteners cause diabetes, only that people likely to develop type 2 diabetes also like to drink diet soda. On the other hand, many controlled studies show that artificial sweeteners do not affect blood sugar or insulin levels. Having said that, artificial sweeteners may have different effects depending on people's age or genetic background. Although research results have not been unanimous, the current evidence is generally in favor of artificial sweetener use among those with diabetes. Still, more research is needed to evaluate their long-term effects in different populations.

Artificial sweeteners and metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of medical conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels. These conditions increase your risk of chronic disease, such as stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Some studies suggest diet soda drinkers could have up to a 36% higher risk of metabolic syndrome. For example, individuals with the rare metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, which is found in aspartame. Thus, those with PKU should avoid aspartame. However, higher-quality studies report that diet soda either has no effect or a protective one. Again, if diet soda increases your cravings for sweets, sticking to water might be best. Better safe than sorry…right?!

Artificial sweeteners and allergies

Some people are allergic to sulfonamides, the class of compounds to which saccharin belongs. For them, saccharin may lead to breathing difficulties, rashes, or diarrhea. Additionally, growing evidence indicates certain artificial sweeteners like sucralose reduce insulin sensitivity and affect the gut bacteria.

Artificial sweeteners and gut health

Your gut bacteria play an important role in your health, and poor gut health is linked to numerous problems. These include weight gain, poor blood sugar control, metabolic syndrome, a weakened immune system, and disrupted sleep. The composition and function of gut bacteria vary by individual and are affected by what you eat, including certain artificial sweeteners. In one study, the artificial sweetener saccharin disrupted gut bacteria balance in four out of seven healthy participants who were not used to consuming them. The four “responders” also showed poorer blood sugar control after as few as 5 days after consuming the artificial sweetener. What’s more, when gut bacteria from these people were transferred into mice, the animals also developed poor blood sugar control. 

On the other hand, the mice implanted with the gut bacteria from “non-responders” had no changes in their ability to control blood sugar levels. Although interesting, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.

Artificial sweeteners and cancer

Since the 1970s, debate about whether there is a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer risk has raged. It was ignited when animal studies found an increased risk of bladder cancer in mice fed extremely high amounts of saccharin and cyclamate. However, mice metabolise saccharin differently than humans. Since then, more than 30 human studies have found no link between artificial sweeteners and the risk of developing cancer. One such study followed 9,000 participants for 13 years and analysed their artificial sweetener intake. After accounting for other factors, the researchers found no link between artificial sweeteners and the risk of developing various types of cancer. Furthermore, a recent review of studies published over an 11-year period did not find a link between cancer risk and artificial sweetener consumption. This topic was also evaluated by U.S. and European regulatory authorities. Both agreed that artificial sweeteners, when consumed in recommended amounts, do not increase cancer risk. One exception is cyclamate, which was banned for use in the United States after the original mouse-bladder-cancer study was published in 1970. Since then, extensive studies in animals have failed to show a cancer link. However, cyclamate was never re-approved for use in the United States.

Artificial sweeteners and dental health

Dental cavities, also known as caries or tooth decay, occur when the bacteria in your mouth ferment sugar. Acid is produced, which can damage tooth enamel. Unlike sugars, artificial sweeteners do not react with the bacteria in your mouth. This means they do not form acids or cause tooth decay. Research also shows that sucralose is less likely to cause tooth decay than sugar. For this reason, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows products containing sucralose to claim that they reduce tooth decay. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that all artificial sweeteners, when consumed in place of sugar, neutralise acid and help prevent tooth decay. 

Aspartame, headaches, depression, and seizures

Some artificial sweeteners may cause unpleasant symptoms, such as headaches, depression, and seizures in some individuals.

While most studies find no link between aspartame and headaches, with two noting that some people are more sensitive than others. This individual variability may also apply to aspartame's effects on depression. For instance, people with mood disorders may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms in response to aspartame consumption.  Finally, artificial sweeteners do not increase most people's seizure risk. However, one study reported increased brain activity in children with absence seizures.

The bottom line

Artificial sweeteners are generally considered safe for human consumption. They are carefully tested and regulated by U.S. and international authorities to make sure they are safe to eat and drink. That said, some people suffering from metabolic syndrome and/or allergies should avoid consuming them. Overall, the use of artificial sweeteners poses few risks and may even have benefits for weight loss, blood sugar control, and dental health. These sweeteners are especially beneficial if you use them to decrease the amount of added sugar in your diet.

That said, the likelihood of negative effects can vary by individual and depend on the type of artificial sweetener consumed as genetical pre-dispositions. 

If you'd like to avoid artificial sweeteners, try using natural sweeteners instead(more on natural sweeteners in an upcoming article), or simply stick to water.

Stay tuned for the last, but not least, part 3 of our 3 part series on food additives: “Preservatives.”

To Your Health

The Health Messenger

[cjs-got-a-selfship]

Jasper/Page- pt.4/9

pt- 3

When Page’s eyes flickered open again, she felt significantly better than when she had fallen. It only took a moment to take in the strange environment of the circular book enclosed room. The rats stirred from the pile they had settled in at the crook of her legs as she sat up on the sofa. She recalled the events of the night before, and the brief discussion she had with Jasper before he went his own way. A slight chill ran down her spine as she thought about how strangely he’d behaved, even for a Kindred. Whatever the case, she didn’t want to overstay her welcome should he decide to emerge.

She coaxed the rats into her hood and pockets before surveying the room, suddenly aware that Jasper never told her the way out. There were three doors in the chamber--the one she’d come from that led back into the labyrinth, the door Jasper had gone out through, and a third that had not been opened. Not wanting to go back out through the labyrinth for fear of never getting out at all, Page decided that door was out. It would probably be a terrible idea to potentially follow Jasper into his room; rude, AND unwelcome. 

“Door number three it is…”

Page gathered her thoughts and made her way to the third door, careful not to be too loud. The door opened into another long corridor, but this one promisingly seemed to lead upwards in a slope. Before long, she found herself at a heavy metal door with an enormous rusted crank handle. For some, turning this handle may be damn near impossible, but for a Kindred such as herself, it was no big deal. The door pushed open to the cool night air of Griffith Park.

If she breathed, she would have released a sigh of relief. The night was warm, a small breeze ruffling the leaves of the trees above, the insects chirping out of sight. For a moment, Page simply stood there in the doorway, eyes closed, taking in the sounds and the smells of the night. A broad smile crept across her face, and a giggle escaped her. This was so surreal. What had happened last night? What was happening now? Was any of that real? It couldn’t have been. Or at least now, as per her word, it wasn’t. She shook her head, stepped out into the night, and closed the door behind her. Her hands found their way into her pockets, greeted by still groggy rats. She affectionately rubbed their little heads with her thumbs as she walked off to find a familiar landmark, subconsciously taking note of where the exit door was located.

“C’mon, gotta check on everyone else, and I gotta get something to eat before the night is over.”

Finding their way back out of Griffith Park, the group made it back to their own haven, greeted by dozens upon dozens of rats all clamoring to see their master and to catch up with their comrades after having been gone the whole night and day before. 24 hours may seem like a blip in the face of immortality, but the night before felt like it had lasted weeks in retrospect. Something about that place weighed on her consciousness, despite being over and done with. Try as she might she simply could not get it out of her head, but she pretended to anyway.

Most Kindred would find themselves amongst a coterie, or at least making contacts with others like them. But as was the nature of the Gangrel, Page usually did not. She knew other Kindred, sure, but rarely did she choose to make frequent contact with them. And this night was no exception. She knew herself well enough to know that speaking with another would simply tempt her to gossip, and likely go back on her oath. Plus, she needed the time to think. So as per usual, she roamed the streets of Los Angeles by herself--with the exception of her rats of course. For what remained of the night, she scoured for an opportune moment for her next meal. What she needed was a pick-me-up to get her mind off of the whole escapade, so naturally she made her way to her favorite spot for a meal, one of the local penny arcades. This one happened to be her favorite because it was the only one that somehow stayed open into the wee hours of the night. The perfect hunting grounds.

All Kindred had their own personal preferences and tastes when it came to feeding. Some preferred the taste of fear, lust, anger, the full range of emotions, surely everything appealed to someone. Some care less for emotional alterations to the taste but looked more for specific conditions: consent, sleep, adrenaline, etc. For Page, she looked for individuals in the midst of peak enjoyment, euphoria. That perfect state of mind when one was so enraptured in their task, in such a heightened state of joy and fulfillment, they hardly noticed a thing around them. She found this sort of state was most often and reliably found when people were engaged with games of almost any kind. Admittedly, this did sometimes make her hunts a bit longer than some others may be, but she enjoyed a hunt. Weaseling into groups of two or three, joining them for the night and making it her mission to find one to separate from the group. Challenge them to a game of DDR, Street Fighter, something, ANYTHING to get them alone. Her favorites were the rumble seat games that had an enclosed top, the type that were usually horror experiences. Fitting, and the perfect spot for a feed out of view of prying eyes that may put the Masquerade at risk.

Tonight was just like any other night in that regard. Arrived at the arcade to find a couple groups of friends wandering the neon lit floor, some visibly drunk. That took them off the menu, alcohol dulled the taste of the blood, like comparing cane sugar to something like Splenda. It mimicked the taste of the joy and excitement she was looking for, but it tasted artificial and off. Not the same. Luckily the smaller group, a group of three college age looking guys, appeared to have a sober member among them--likely the designated driver. Surely he could go without a pint or two, the night was young, he could recover. Target acquired, the hunt was on. She worked her way into the group easily enough, played a few games alongside them, snagged a co-op with one of the intoxicated ones. Not her target, but one must be subtle about these things, work their way up. Eventually she was able to work closer to the sober one with the use of some tactful flirting, convince him to a couple PVP games. Finally after a couple wins, and a few subtly thrown matches, she talked him into her favorite hooded horror experience. It was there that she took her fill, stopping just before he would be in any state that would leave him unfit to continue his night being in charge of his friends; more importantly, just before the Beast could take over and take his life.

He fell so easily into the trap why not finish it?

She let him return to his friends, certain he never even noticed her feed over the sights and the sounds of the game. If anything, it was probably the best experience the boy had ever had. Contrary to much pop cultural belief, a bite from true Kindred was one of the most pleasant experiences one could have. Or at the very least, it amplified the current state of both the one being bitten and the Kindred alike. So in this case, it was unlikely the boy would ever have another gaming experience that could compare to right there in the middle of the late night penny arcade. With any luck he’d come back again later in the hopes of replicating the night’s events. Leaving the arcade with a wink, she could hear the kid’s drunk compatriots playfully giving him flack for leaving them, and for possibly passing something up. As for Page, it was another successful hunt.

Despite all this, it didn’t take long before the labyrinth and Jasper came creeping back into her mind. For some time, she simply wandered the streets of LA aimlessly, contemplating the situation and the past events. Something just wasn’t right, she wanted to know what. Nothing about it made any sense.

One thought kept creeping back no matter how much she tried to suppress it: she had to go back. She had to speak with Jasper again, at the very least. That would be enough. It felt wrong to have all that happen and not go back to repay his hospitality at the very least. He quite literally spared her life. She found the way out on her own, but he didn’t have to allow her to leave. He could have sent her back out through the labyrinth, likely never to make it out again and starve to the Final Death in those twisted halls. He could have just sent her outside and left her to her own devices minutes before sunrise, likely to die that way. Hell he probably could have killed her personally right there for intruding on his territory without any expense to himself. He could have gotten away with it too. But he didn’t. She owed him her life.

She had to go back and see him again. She’d give it time, of course, wait a few nights and think of something she could do or bring that could pay him back. There was a lot of thinking to do.

Ducking into an alley, she signaled a few rats to gather. Two small grey/white speckled bodies emerged from the garbage and sat at attention in front of her.

Page knelt down whispering, “Go back to the pack, find the two stealthiest friends we got and send them to the service door in Griffith Park from earlier tonight. I want eyes on who goes in and out of there. No one can know they’re there. And I mean no one. Got it?”

Affirmative chitters.

“Good.”

pt- 5