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August 2009 – EXCITOTOXINS - What You Need to Know
Living in Balance
August 2009
Greetings from Balanced Living,
This article's purpose is to create awareness of EXCITOTOXINS, what they are,
how they affect our bodies and how to avoid them.
Excitotoxins and Food - What You Need to Know
The definition of an Excitotoxin is: a man-made substance added to foods and
beverages that can cause the nerve cells to malfunction or even die off, leading
to brain and nervous system damage of varying degrees.
Let me paint an easy picture, nerve cells are unable to move within the body,
they have receptors at the bottom and messengers at the top which
communicate with brain tissue. Not a natural additive,excitotixins are not able to
be metabolized in the body like normal food, so they end up roaming the body
and causing havoc. One area they decide to surround and literally 'bully' are the
nerve cells. They poke and prod and torment the cell until the cell gets so
stressed that it bursts! Much like a firecracker, an exploded nerve cell
unfortunately cannot be repaired or recover from such an explosion; therefore, it
is extremely important to be aware of these excitotoxins and to avoid them.
While there is no cure of already damaged cells, daily detoxification through diet
choice and supplementation can help remove these damaging substances from
the body.
Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate the amount of excitotoxins or
carcinogens (cancer causing substances) that are put into our foods;
furthermore they allow them to be added under names that SOUND HEALTHY
or in European coded numbers which makes it even harder to recognize them!
Here is a List of Ingredients and Codes to Watch Out for:
Codes:
- E620 - E625
- E627
- E631 and E635
Additives that Always Contain MSG:
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Glutamate
- Glutamic Acid
- Hyrdrolyzed Vegetable Protein (explained below)
- Hydrolyzed Protein
- Vegetable Protein Extract
- Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
- Autolized Plant Protein
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Plant Protein Extract
- Sodium Caseinate
- Calcium Caseinate
- Yeast Extract (found in black bread spreads)
- Yeast Food or Nutrient Textured Protein
- Autolyzed Yeast
- Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
- Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor)
Additives that Frequently Contain MSG:
- Malt Extract
- Malt Flavoring
- Bouillon
- Broth
- Stock
- Flavoring
- Natural Flavoring
- Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
- Seasoning
- Spices
Examples of Excitotoxins:
-
Aspartame, Aspartate
Carrageenana
Cysteine, L-Cysteine
Phenylalanine
Soy Protein Concentrate
Soy Protein Isolate
The list is a bit surprising and SHOCKING isn't it? The first thing I did after
reading the bookExcitotoxins, The Taste that Kills, by Russell Blaylock, MD, is
check my food cabinets. I was beside myself and was quite upset that some of
the healthy foods that I was buying for myself and my family had hidden toxic
levels of additives that were detrimental to the nervous system. Wheat crackers,
Chewable Vitamin C, Soups, Sauces, Salad Dressings, Pasta mixes and bread
spreads were a few of the many areas where excitotoxins existed in the foods I
had purchased. I really felt cheated and fooled! Could these toxins be one of the
reasons there is an increase of autism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's,
Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases?
One of the areas that is unprotected in the brain is the hypothalamus-which in
turn controls the pituitary gland; between these two areas, they control the
biological clock, the autonomic nervous system, the sleep-wake cycles, hunger
and satiety, the emotions of anger and rage, the thyroid gland, adrenal glands,
reproductive function, gonadal function, body growth, certain aspects of
metabolism and consciousness itself. Other side effects of excitotoxins can be
malfunction of the regulation of some of these areas.
I wrote this article to create 'awareness'. The truth of the matter is that we are
surrounded by preservatives, flavorings, artificial colorings etc. and the reality is
that it is difficult to completely avoid them on a daily basis, however, we can cut
the intake of excitotoxins down to a level that will hopefully not be too
damaging. I always feel that an informed choice is a better choice. If one
understands that the diet they are eating or the diet cola they are drinking
contains aspartame which gradually disintegrates the brain, than that is an
informed choice or decision. But if they feel they are actually making a better
choice, and choosing these products because these choices have a lower sugar
level than I feel it to be very unfortunate. Shame on the food makers for 'tricking'
the consumer and not being upfront on the products' contents!
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein is a special case that deserves a closer look.
This is marketed as a "natural flavoring" which contains anywhere from 20 to 75
percent MSG. This is a powerfulexcitotoxin that is also referred to as vegetable
protein and plant protein. This mixture is made of 'junk' vegetables that are unfit
for sale. They are especially selected so as to have naturally high contents of
glutamate. The extraction process of hydrolysis involves boiling these
vegetables in a vat of acid. This is followed by a process of neutralization with
caustic soda. This material is then scraped off the top of the vat and allowed to
dry. The end product is a brown powder that is high in three known excitotoxinsglutamate, aspartate and cystoic acid (which in the body converts to cysteine). It
is then added by the food industry in everything from canned tuna to baby food!
Are you feeling there is a bit of a conspiracy going on???? Unbelievable! What
are they allowing to go into our foods and bodies?
Foods to be Aware of:
- Salad Dressings
- BBQ Sauces
- Fruit Juices
- LOW FAT anything
- Diet Colas or other Diet Drinks
- Fast Foods
- Baby Foods
- Spreads (Dark Brown Yeast Extract Spreads)
- Crackers (I found MSG in my wheat crackers!!)
- Soups
- Flavoring Packets
- Spices
- Canned ANYTHING
- Chips
- Packaged meats
- Frozen Foods
- Malted Milk Products
- Certain Soy Products
- Chinese Take Away
- Asian Stir-Fry Sauces
- Popcorn
- CIGARETTES (excitotoxins are added to tobacco and filters!!)
So, basically the brain and the body need help, especially in our modern day
society of living life in the fast lane. Free radical scavengers or antioxidants are
like little sponges that can soak up some of the harmful chemicals that we are
pouring into our body.
Here is a List of Antioxidant Rich Foods and Supplements that May Help
Reduce and Prevent Free Radical Damage:
-
Vitamineral Green
Chlorella
Fruits of the Earth
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
-
Goji Berries
-
Raw Cacao Powder (Raw Chocolate)
Green Tea Tablets or Green Tea NON-FERMENTED
Alpha Lipoic Acid (regenerates Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Selenium)
Antioxidant Optimizer
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Selenium
Beta Carotene
Magnesium
Zinc
Selenium
Co-enzyme Q10 (regenerates Vitamin C & E)
Children's Chewable Antioxidants
Children's Chewable Vitamin C
Children's Chewable Vitamin & Mineral
I invite you to also do your own research, question what is going into our foods
and be aware of how they can damage many parts of the body.
As a Nutritionist and Practitioner of Homeopathic Medicine, I address many
areas of health and well-being for the entire family. Visit our website for more
details about health products and my practice at www.balancedlivingasia.com.
Live, Laugh, Love & Be Healthy!
Dana Heather
BalancedLiving
Masters in Holistic Nutrition, Naturopath, Homeopath, BMed - Pathology
Fasting, Detoxification and Colon Cleansing
www.balancedlivingasia.com
+65 6762-8029