The Many Faces of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

	MSG and Aspartame have similar chemical structures, both are considered to be "excitotoxins"
	People who react adversely to MSG are susceptible to cross-reaction with aspartame.
	Americans consumed about one million pounds of monosodium glutamate in 1950. Today we consume about 300 times that amount!
	Some researchers claim that only 1-2% of Americans experience adverse reactions to MSG.
	Other studies reveal as many as 25-30% American react to MSG.
	Over 30% of all people are found to be extra sensitive to MSG if consuming over 5 grams of MSG in one sitting.
	90% of the population are "oversensitive" if consuming over 10 grams of MSG.

	Nonsensitive people are able to eat high doses, up to 25 grams, without having adverse reactions. (Putting that into perspective, a pound contains about 454 grams.)
	US FDA defines MSG as "naturally occurring," so has it on the GRAS list (Generally Regarded As Safe)
	MSG's action is to excite the neurotransmitters, causing nerve cells to discharge an electrical impulse, exciting the nerves of the tasting apparatus.
	There is no list of "safe" foods which do not contain MSG because food processors often change recipes.
	Your best bet to avoid MSG is to READ THE LABEL, READ THE LABEL, READ THE LABEL.

	ADD and ADHD people
	Babies!
	Children
	Depressed people
	Hypoglycemic patients
	People who get migraine headaches
	People with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
	People with nervous system diseases
	People with pre-existing vascular disease
	People with renal (kidney) problems
	Pregnant women

Note: The homeopathic, "Food Additive Detox Drops" produced by Professional Health Formulations and sold through professionals helps the body get rid of MSG, sulfites, aspartame, and other food additives. I would never be without these drops because it's almost impossible to manipulate my life to avoid those things which I am allergic to and I often get exposed to them-- unfortunately. I personally know of one life these drops have saved.

Top Adverse Reactions Associated with MSG:

Listed in order of frequency according to the FDA

"Chinese Restaurant Syndrome": The syndrome occurring 15 to 20 minutes after ingesting Chinese restaurant food containing MSG believed to be responsible for racing heart or palpitations, chest pain, general weakness, headache, and numbness at the back of the neck radiating down the arms and back, facial pressure, anxiety, eyelid twitching. The syndrome lasts up to several hours and sometimes leaves one with a hangover effect.

MSG symptom complex is thought to be responsible for poorly controlled asthma and asthmatic symptoms following ingestion of MSG.

Migraine Headaches: MSG seems to be a common cause of migraines. I have muscle-tested that the headaches can happen up to 36 hours after ingesting MSG. For those people ingesting MSG every day in something, it's kind of hard to track down the core cause of a headache when you are not thinking more than a few hours ahead!

Reaction Times and Duration of Symptoms:

Reactions and duration of symptoms times vary for all symptoms and can occur immediately upon ingestion and up to up to 48 hours after ingestion of MSG. While MSG reactions vary widely from one individual to another, the reactions are markedly consistent for each individual.

For example: If your particular reaction to eating MSG is a dangerously racing heartbeat and flushing skin these symptoms will consistently be your reaction each time you consume MSG.

For me, I start to feel a heart arrhythmia (palpitations), mild asthma, anxiety, nervousness, my feet start to swell, my eyelids twitch and slight nausea--every time the MSG load gets to be too much in my body. If I'm lucky, I have my Food Additive Detox Drops with me, and yes, I have an extra bottle backed in my luggage! (Along with the food I pack around every time I travel.)

As the theory goes, most proteins, such as meat and other types of natural food products, are quite rich in glutamic acid in the form of protein. This is slowly broken down with digestion so you're delivering the amount in slower and smaller quantities than if you were eating food highly seasoned with MSG.

When you ingest MSG in it's free form, glutamic acid, it doesn't have to be broken off of a protein chain so it can absorb more quickly and in higher doses. When this happens, the body just can't keep up and the liver gets overloaded.

A quick test to see how your liver is doing in the detoxification arena: Look at the tips of your fingernails. Do you see reddish lines just at the tips? If so, your liver is overloaded. You will need to find out why, cut some MSG foods out of your system, eat more raw fruits and vegetables and possibly add a liver cleanser of some kind to your regime.

Kikunae Ikeda, thinking ahead, took out a patent on the manufacturing of this white powder flavor enhancer that he'd isolated, as well as subsequent patents on commercial manufacturing processes to use it.

By 1933, monosodium glutamate had become an important, even  predominant, ingredient in flavoring oriental food. It wasn't until World War II that the United States became intrigued by this potent flavor enhancing powder as a way to enhance the flavor of army field rations.

In 1948, the Armed Forces Chief Quartermaster convened an eight-hour symposium that was attended by all the major American food manufacturers and sellers. The topic of this historical one-day meeting was "Marvelous Uses for the New Flavor Enhancer, Monosodium Glutamate."

Leading food industry representatives returned from the 1948 meeting, excited about what they'd learned about how MSG could increase the flavor and palatability of their commercial food products. Moreover, not only does MSG increase flavor and aroma, but it also suppresses undesirable "off" flavors. It could make marginal food taste better, and could even eliminate the "tinny" taste of canned foods.

This "discovery" coincided perfectly with the rise of fast and commercially prepared food products in this country. Competing fast food companies eagerly took advantage of this new flavor enhancing powder.... Until, today MSG, in all its guises, is difficult to avoid. The effects of those historical eight hours can still be witnessed on supermarket labels today as you can see by the many names and forms MSG is now known as.

Not only does MSG provide "mouth satisfaction" and "total intensity of food", but some believe that MSG may even provide a fifth basic taste sensation (in addition to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter), what the Japanese call "umami", roughly translated as "tastiness."

	The safest produce is organic produce.
	It is best to make things from scratch, avoiding all processed foods.
	Avoid making stews or soups, or using a crock pot. (Slow cooking for a long time may cause small amounts of glutamic acid to be released from the protein in the food being slowly cooked.)
	Be aware that some shrimp and other shell fish may have been dipped in Trisodium phosphate (TSP), a cleaning product that can cause reactions similar to MSG in MSG sensitive people. (Farm raised shrimp are usually all right to eat).
	Trisodium phosphate may also be found in chicken parts  on major brands such as Prod and Tyson.

	Kashi seven puffed grains plus sesame seed (white box with purple trim)
	Barbara's or Nabisco shredded wheat
	Oatmeal, unflavored
	Cream of wheat
	Garden of Eaten plain corn chips appear to be safe (red, blue, white, and yellow corn)
	Hagan Daas ice cream (vanilla and strawberry)