Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
MSG - What do we know about it?
MSG - What do we know about it?
Many people have heard about MSG but unfortunately many don't know why. There is a lot of information about MSG and you may see it at the mall. I did, when I went to Panda Express and noticed a sign at the order counter. The sign read "We add no MSG". Eventually the question I had about that was - Is there MSG in anything before you get it, but that is just my tendency.
MSG is short for mono-sodium glutamate and is used as a flavor enhancer and a food additive. Food additives are used to preserve the product. MSG is famous for being used heavily in Chinese food. It has been a focal point of the obesity epidemic and hyperactivity in children. It has also been known to cause allergic reactions.
Upon a simple Google search I ran into a plethora of negative sentiment about the substance. Apparently its in A LOT of the things that I used to eat all the time. 'Still do from time to time but I try to avoid it. Sometimes its unavoidable. This website goes into great detail about what its in and why its bad.
http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/msg.html
Fast food restaurants like Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell use MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein which is similar. Even sit down restaurants like TGIF, Chili's, Apple-bee's and Denny's use it. It turns out that KFC is known to use more than other restaurants. According to the above website it was in every chicken dish and also it the dressing and gravy.
I ran into an article that discusses the rising popularity of Chinese food in Egypt. The threat from Chinese restaurants is primarily because they are know to douse their food with it. The article goes on to describe the dangers of overindulging in foods with high levels of MSG. The side effects include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, headaches, migraines, stomach ache, heart palpitations, and sweating. The article also states that research has proven that it causes severe impairment to brain cells when consumed in large amounts.
The Mayo Clinic lists the above side effects as well on the following website. They also state that the FDA says MSG is "generally recognized as safe,"
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/monosodium-glutamate/AN01251
John Erb presented a report to the WHO(World Health Organization) which had a lot more to add to the whole MSG story. Although when I search the WHO website for his name there are no results. This report states that MSG has shown to increase test subjects desire to "eat more food faster and more frequently". He also concludes that ingestion of MSG is linked to obesity, diabetes, autism, and ADHD.
John Erb is not a person with a lot of Google search results. At least not specifically him because Linkedin has over twenty John Erbs. Also the first search result on Google for John Erb says he was sent to the psyche ward. Another link is to a book he wrote called "Slowly Poisoning America. You can check it out on Amazon.com
An article on naturalnews.com shares some of John Erb's concern. The article states that food additives such as MSG and artificial sweeteners lead to toxic damage to the brain and nervous system and "have been implicated in problems as diverse as Parkinson's disease, ADD, and autism. The article also talks about vitamin B12 which helps combat the effects of these food additives.
With information from different sides it becomes easier to make decisions. Sometime like in this case I think it is best to avoid food additives if possible. Of course some people don't have the money or time to eat healthy. Also we have to look at the good side of this. I think that food additives came about as a need to feed the world. After all we have used different forms of food preservation for thousands of years. Yet part of me fears that chemical manipulation may have taken on a more sinister motive. The sole motive of more profit.
Many people have heard about MSG but unfortunately many don't know why. There is a lot of information about MSG and you may see it at the mall. I did, when I went to Panda Express and noticed a sign at the order counter. The sign read "We add no MSG". Eventually the question I had about that was - Is there MSG in anything before you get it, but that is just my tendency.
MSG is short for mono-sodium glutamate and is used as a flavor enhancer and a food additive. Food additives are used to preserve the product. MSG is famous for being used heavily in Chinese food. It has been a focal point of the obesity epidemic and hyperactivity in children. It has also been known to cause allergic reactions.
Upon a simple Google search I ran into a plethora of negative sentiment about the substance. Apparently its in A LOT of the things that I used to eat all the time. 'Still do from time to time but I try to avoid it. Sometimes its unavoidable. This website goes into great detail about what its in and why its bad.
http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/msg.html
Fast food restaurants like Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell use MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein which is similar. Even sit down restaurants like TGIF, Chili's, Apple-bee's and Denny's use it. It turns out that KFC is known to use more than other restaurants. According to the above website it was in every chicken dish and also it the dressing and gravy.
I ran into an article that discusses the rising popularity of Chinese food in Egypt. The threat from Chinese restaurants is primarily because they are know to douse their food with it. The article goes on to describe the dangers of overindulging in foods with high levels of MSG. The side effects include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, headaches, migraines, stomach ache, heart palpitations, and sweating. The article also states that research has proven that it causes severe impairment to brain cells when consumed in large amounts.
The Mayo Clinic lists the above side effects as well on the following website. They also state that the FDA says MSG is "generally recognized as safe,"
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/monosodium-glutamate/AN01251
John Erb presented a report to the WHO(World Health Organization) which had a lot more to add to the whole MSG story. Although when I search the WHO website for his name there are no results. This report states that MSG has shown to increase test subjects desire to "eat more food faster and more frequently". He also concludes that ingestion of MSG is linked to obesity, diabetes, autism, and ADHD.
John Erb is not a person with a lot of Google search results. At least not specifically him because Linkedin has over twenty John Erbs. Also the first search result on Google for John Erb says he was sent to the psyche ward. Another link is to a book he wrote called "Slowly Poisoning America. You can check it out on Amazon.com
An article on naturalnews.com shares some of John Erb's concern. The article states that food additives such as MSG and artificial sweeteners lead to toxic damage to the brain and nervous system and "have been implicated in problems as diverse as Parkinson's disease, ADD, and autism. The article also talks about vitamin B12 which helps combat the effects of these food additives.
With information from different sides it becomes easier to make decisions. Sometime like in this case I think it is best to avoid food additives if possible. Of course some people don't have the money or time to eat healthy. Also we have to look at the good side of this. I think that food additives came about as a need to feed the world. After all we have used different forms of food preservation for thousands of years. Yet part of me fears that chemical manipulation may have taken on a more sinister motive. The sole motive of more profit.
Diet - Really?
Diet Beverages and Artificial Sweeter Aspartame
I used to think that a diet coke would be less bad for my health than a regular coke. Yet there happens to be evidence to the contrary. If you look at most diet drinks you will see and ingredient called aspartame. This is an artificial sweetener with zero calories.
Less calories... hmmm... that's good! right, because calories are bad.
This is what many diet drink commercials lead you to believe. Yet the lack of calories doesn't make it a health beverage by a long shot. When I search aspartame the first result speaks volumes. This website called the health report states that aspartame is responsible for three fourths of complaints issued to the FDA. It also states that aspartame causes cancer and neurological diseases.
http://douglassreport.com/reports-2010/x600hc03-aspartame/x600hc03-home/?gclid=CL-7vej3gagCFYS8KgodpGINqQ
There is also a website called aspartame.net which exists to tell you that aspartame is healthy. It doesn't cause headaches and doesn't cause children to develop ADHD. If you click on ADHD there is a Google scholar link that states that there is no link between aspertame and ADHD. Aspartame.net also says it is tooth friendly because it doesn't promote tooth decay and is endorsed by the ADA (American Dental Association).
Many experts claim that it is perfectly healthy for consumption by anyone. Yet H.J. Roberts MD states that the energy spike created by drinking a beverage with aspertame may cause: headaches, mood swings, memory loss, dizziness, depression, insomnia, diarrhea and anxiety. This is all discussed in his book called "Aspartame: (NutraSweet), Is it Safe?"
There is a book called Sweet Deception by Joseph Mercola which states that senior FDA officials tried to prevent the approval of aspartame due to disturbing levels of brain tumors in lab animals.
Back in the nineties as a kid I distinctly remember that on the back of artificial sugar packets it explicitly states that this product gave lab animals cancer. Now that warning isn't there. Is it possible that it was bad for business?
Sweet Deception describes some of the FDA consumer complaints some where as follows: aggressive behavior, disorientation, hyperactivity, extreme numbness, excitability, memory loss, loss of depth perception, liver impairment, cardiac arrest, seizures, suicidal tendencies, severe mood swings and death.
There is even a site called aspartame kills which goes into great detail about how it does it. Yet even to the layperson this website doesn't come across as exactly bibliography worthy. I am not saying that this site filled with lies. I am simply saying that it won't hold up as a credible source. The trouble here is that it becomes really hard to know who is lying and why. Also the danger here is that while we are trying to figure out the truth many people can get hurt.
Of course companies can lie about the safety of their products. Also, it is feasible that they could get some government officials to agree. Also it is possible that some "expert" can write a book about some controversial subject to get money. The dilemma at hand is who to trust. I personally rarely, if ever, drink soda. As a kid I drank a lot but now I know to be healthier. I remain skeptical about aspartame because I know that conflicts of interest are a plenty. I would chose to avoid it because no one wants to be a Guinea pig.
I used to think that a diet coke would be less bad for my health than a regular coke. Yet there happens to be evidence to the contrary. If you look at most diet drinks you will see and ingredient called aspartame. This is an artificial sweetener with zero calories.
Less calories... hmmm... that's good! right, because calories are bad.
This is what many diet drink commercials lead you to believe. Yet the lack of calories doesn't make it a health beverage by a long shot. When I search aspartame the first result speaks volumes. This website called the health report states that aspartame is responsible for three fourths of complaints issued to the FDA. It also states that aspartame causes cancer and neurological diseases.
http://douglassreport.com/reports-2010/x600hc03-aspartame/x600hc03-home/?gclid=CL-7vej3gagCFYS8KgodpGINqQ
There is also a website called aspartame.net which exists to tell you that aspartame is healthy. It doesn't cause headaches and doesn't cause children to develop ADHD. If you click on ADHD there is a Google scholar link that states that there is no link between aspertame and ADHD. Aspartame.net also says it is tooth friendly because it doesn't promote tooth decay and is endorsed by the ADA (American Dental Association).
Many experts claim that it is perfectly healthy for consumption by anyone. Yet H.J. Roberts MD states that the energy spike created by drinking a beverage with aspertame may cause: headaches, mood swings, memory loss, dizziness, depression, insomnia, diarrhea and anxiety. This is all discussed in his book called "Aspartame: (NutraSweet), Is it Safe?"
There is a book called Sweet Deception by Joseph Mercola which states that senior FDA officials tried to prevent the approval of aspartame due to disturbing levels of brain tumors in lab animals.
Back in the nineties as a kid I distinctly remember that on the back of artificial sugar packets it explicitly states that this product gave lab animals cancer. Now that warning isn't there. Is it possible that it was bad for business?
Sweet Deception describes some of the FDA consumer complaints some where as follows: aggressive behavior, disorientation, hyperactivity, extreme numbness, excitability, memory loss, loss of depth perception, liver impairment, cardiac arrest, seizures, suicidal tendencies, severe mood swings and death.
There is even a site called aspartame kills which goes into great detail about how it does it. Yet even to the layperson this website doesn't come across as exactly bibliography worthy. I am not saying that this site filled with lies. I am simply saying that it won't hold up as a credible source. The trouble here is that it becomes really hard to know who is lying and why. Also the danger here is that while we are trying to figure out the truth many people can get hurt.
Of course companies can lie about the safety of their products. Also, it is feasible that they could get some government officials to agree. Also it is possible that some "expert" can write a book about some controversial subject to get money. The dilemma at hand is who to trust. I personally rarely, if ever, drink soda. As a kid I drank a lot but now I know to be healthier. I remain skeptical about aspartame because I know that conflicts of interest are a plenty. I would chose to avoid it because no one wants to be a Guinea pig.
Hidden Dangers - Aluminum in anti-perspirants
Hidden Dangers
Aluminum in antiperspirants
Several years ago I realized that the deodorant I apply daily might actually be dangerous to my health. This led me to scour the internet for potential answers. At first I thought this might be a gimmick put on by new organics only companies. This article describes an organic solution to the dangers of antiperspirants.
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/aluminum-free-deodorant.html
My search for correct information started as a series of rude awakenings during which I began to doubt the safety of various products people buy on a daily basis. This blog isn’t going to be about the obvious dangers of cigarettes, or alcohol but about the lesser known dangers that lurk in plain sight. It is well known that cigarettes are bad for you but unfortunately it isn’t scientifically proven.
What I mean is that although there is a strong statistical correlation between lung cancer and cigarette smoking the correlation is not 100%. Fifty years ago people weren’t sure about the truth. One of the problems with proving the dangers to the people was the time it took to actually manifest the symptoms. It is possible that some currently used products caused the ailments that people suffer from right now.
One of such products is antiperspirant deodorant. Antiperspirants prevent the glands from perspiring with aluminum salts. Aluminum has been shown to cause many harmful effects including: Kidney problems, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, bone formation disorders and breast cancer. This article talks about the toxicity of aluminum
http://tih.sagepub.com/content/18/7/309.short
Many companies have responded to consumer’s concerns by selling aluminum free deodorants. It is hard to determine whether it was an issue before these new products came out. I have been using one from Tom’s of Maine for the last several years. Other companies that sell aluminum free deodorants are Arm and Hammer, Burt’s Bees, Crystal, Herbal Clear. I personally don’t perspire excessively but I feel that this product works for me. I feel like the less processed chemicals I absorb the better. Some people might need the antiperspirant due to over sweating or another condition.
Now I have to play devils advocate because there is plenty of information out there that states that antiperspirants are perfectly safe. This article discusses the cancer antiperspirants myth and discusses how the FDA has not concluded these products dangerous.
http://www.asn-online.org/facts_and_statistics/Antiperspirant%20Warning%20QAs.pdf
I assume that the FDA considers these products safe because they are being sold but there is plenty of evidence to the danger. The following article also mentions that women that shave and apply deodorant may be at increased risk for breast cancer. Yet the article seems to conclude that experts say there should be no concern.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/05/eveningnews/main1098995.shtml
I personally choose to remain skeptical. There are studies that show aluminum’s link to Alzheimer’s disease. The buildup of aluminum in the body can happen in many ways. From using aluminum cook ware and aluminum in food to aluminum in the air and water. In shampoos, conditioners, and as mentioned many times antiperspirants.
I encourage readers to also be on the look out for new information because as a civilization we are always learning.
Aluminum in antiperspirants
Several years ago I realized that the deodorant I apply daily might actually be dangerous to my health. This led me to scour the internet for potential answers. At first I thought this might be a gimmick put on by new organics only companies. This article describes an organic solution to the dangers of antiperspirants.
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/aluminum-free-deodorant.html
My search for correct information started as a series of rude awakenings during which I began to doubt the safety of various products people buy on a daily basis. This blog isn’t going to be about the obvious dangers of cigarettes, or alcohol but about the lesser known dangers that lurk in plain sight. It is well known that cigarettes are bad for you but unfortunately it isn’t scientifically proven.
What I mean is that although there is a strong statistical correlation between lung cancer and cigarette smoking the correlation is not 100%. Fifty years ago people weren’t sure about the truth. One of the problems with proving the dangers to the people was the time it took to actually manifest the symptoms. It is possible that some currently used products caused the ailments that people suffer from right now.
One of such products is antiperspirant deodorant. Antiperspirants prevent the glands from perspiring with aluminum salts. Aluminum has been shown to cause many harmful effects including: Kidney problems, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, bone formation disorders and breast cancer. This article talks about the toxicity of aluminum
http://tih.sagepub.com/content/18/7/309.short
Many companies have responded to consumer’s concerns by selling aluminum free deodorants. It is hard to determine whether it was an issue before these new products came out. I have been using one from Tom’s of Maine for the last several years. Other companies that sell aluminum free deodorants are Arm and Hammer, Burt’s Bees, Crystal, Herbal Clear. I personally don’t perspire excessively but I feel that this product works for me. I feel like the less processed chemicals I absorb the better. Some people might need the antiperspirant due to over sweating or another condition.
Now I have to play devils advocate because there is plenty of information out there that states that antiperspirants are perfectly safe. This article discusses the cancer antiperspirants myth and discusses how the FDA has not concluded these products dangerous.
http://www.asn-online.org/facts_and_statistics/Antiperspirant%20Warning%20QAs.pdf
I assume that the FDA considers these products safe because they are being sold but there is plenty of evidence to the danger. The following article also mentions that women that shave and apply deodorant may be at increased risk for breast cancer. Yet the article seems to conclude that experts say there should be no concern.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/05/eveningnews/main1098995.shtml
I personally choose to remain skeptical. There are studies that show aluminum’s link to Alzheimer’s disease. The buildup of aluminum in the body can happen in many ways. From using aluminum cook ware and aluminum in food to aluminum in the air and water. In shampoos, conditioners, and as mentioned many times antiperspirants.
I encourage readers to also be on the look out for new information because as a civilization we are always learning.
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