I've Been Holding Back... On MSG

I have been intentionally delaying these posts about MSG, because I knew it would consume me. And, it has. I thought I knew about MSG, after eliminating (or when I thought I had eliminated) it from my diet, in hopes of reducing my migraines.

I was not aware of the additional dangers of MSG. Not theories, but - facts. Truth. Remember when I said that "the truth can set us free"? The freedom to be healthy! I'm referring to Nicolas, my son - and the toxic world that he is now trapped in. I am not playing with words from the Bible - and (just for the record) I do believe that Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life - so, don't misinterpret me - here... BUT - there is so much information on the evils of MSG, that it will shock you. IT SHOCKED ME.

There are several websites which I often refer to, when I need information regarding MSG. I will refer to them as needed:

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/

I knew I was in the right place, the first time I visited - when I read this:

If MSG wasn’t harmful, it wouldn’t be hidden.

MSG is a food additive that enhances flavors in food. It is almost flavorless and I remember my Grandmother using a little red shaker of Accent – a “special seasoning” when she cooked, to often bring out the flavor in meat. That little shaker did do something, by neurologically causing us to enjoy a more intense flavor from the food.

For consumers like us, it means experiencing an adverse effect (even if we don't notice it right away) from the additive and possible adverse health effects in the future. For babies and preemies, like Nicolas, I believe it contributed to his ASD. (Keep reading to find out how and why.)

For the food industry - $$ Increased profits (Cha-Ching…$$) and seemingly simple (cheap) way to balance taste in foods and mask unwanted tastes in order to make non-tasty (nasty) or undesirable foods taste good and be acceptable. Sounds innocent enough… MSG helps replace flavor lost by elimination of fat in many low-fat and no-fat foods. It is far from innocent.

“Autism is directly impacted by genes that affect the nervous system and the neurotransmitter glutamate according to research reported in Scientific American February 17, 2007. However, because vaccines, and processed gluten and casein (wheat and dairy), are high in the amino acid glutamate in its free form, we firmly believe these items WILL affect a child's brain during development - prior to age 7.”

Autism has been described as a hyper-glutamatergic disorder. In words that I can understand… in autistic individuals, ADHD or those in the spectrum -- glutamate is in excess in the nervous system.

We also know, based on scientific information, (that even most doctors believe) that children with ASD or ADHD ... should be avoiding ALL sources of excess glutamate found in PROCESSED wheat, dairy, soy, and corn and VACCINES with any hydrolyzed protein or gelatin in them. I know, that is one long explanation… I’ll say it again, a little shorter – just in case I lost you: I avoid glutamate in Nick's diet. I am now avoiding all forms of MSG use in and for all of us– with the same attitude that I have towards Aspartame. "No thanks."

Tomorrow - hidden sources of MSG.