posted February 18, 2007 06:30 PM
I'm posting this here instead of H&H so hopefully more people will see it and investigate their own eating habits. I make no claims as to the facts or authenticity of experts, but a little more thought about what "foods" we put in our bodies can't hurt.....MSG – The Slow Poisoning of America
I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo, and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow Poisoning of America. In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies.
No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with a chemical when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and humans?) to become obese They even have a title for the race of fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats".
MSG?
I was shocked too. I went to my kitchen, checking the cupboards and the fridge. MSG was in everything! The Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad dressings, especially the 'healthy low fat' ones. The items that didn't have MSG had something called Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate. It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. They hide MSG under many different names in order to fool those who catch on.
But it didn't stop there. When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items had MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere. Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant, even the sit down ones like TGIF, Chilis', Applebees and Denny's use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin, their secret spice was MSG!
So why is MSG in so may of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative or a vitamin? Not according to my friend John. In the book he wrote, an expose of the food additive industry called The Slow Poisoning of America, (www.spofamerica.com ), he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body.
Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG at http://www.msgfacts.com/facts/msgfact12.html explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more. A study of elderly people showed that people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobby group says eating more benefits the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us?
'Betcha can't eat just one', takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight? The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.
Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance: NICOTINE for FOOD! Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the prepackaged meals, soups, snacks and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. How can they claim it is safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these? The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity. Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002
Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats. Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori RC, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug
Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: an animal model of multiple risk factors. Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar
Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity. Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K, Kusunoki Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct
Yes, that last study was not a typo, it WAS written in 1978. Both the medical research community and food "manufaturers" have known MSG's side effects for decades!
Many more studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to Diabetes, Migraines and headaches, Autism, ADHD and even Alzheimer's.
But what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity epidemic we now see? Even as you read this, George W. Bush and his corporate supporters are pushing a Bill through Congress. Called the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act" also known as the "Cheeseburger Bill", this sweeping law bans anyone from suing food manufacturers, sellers and distributors. Even if it comes out that they purposely added an addictive chemical to their foods. Read about it for yourself at: http://www.yahoo.com.http://story.news.yahoo.com/news? tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040311/ap_on_go_co/obesity_lawsuits_4
The Bill has already been rushed through the House of Representatives, and is due for the same rubber stamp at Senate level. It is important that Bush and his corporate supporters get it through before the media lets everyone know about MSG, the intentional Nicotine for food.
Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest government health officials in Canada. While sitting in the Government office, the official told him "Sure I know how bad MSG is, I wouldn't touch the stuff!" But this top level government official refused to tell the public what he knew. The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing legal issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry may hurt their profit margin.
So what do we do?
The food producers and restaurants have been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an addictive food additive. But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice, what can I do to stop the poisoning of our children, while guys like Bush are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us.
I for one am doing something about it.
I am sending this email out to everyone I know in an attempt to show you the truth that the corporate owned politicians and media won't tell you. The best way you can help save yourself and your children from this drug-induced epidemic, is to forward this email to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before Bush can pass the Bill protecting those who poisoned us.
The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle on Nicotine?
Blow the whistle on MSG.
If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us, and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the National Library of Medicine, at www.pubmed.com http://www.pubmed.com . Type in the words "MSG Obese", and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear. We do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted sheep, waiting for the slaughter. With your help we can put an end to this, and stop the Slow Poisoning of America. Let's save our children http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/FluoridePoisoning/message/1908
Hidden Sources Of MSG In Foods
From the book 'Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills'
By Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD 3-6-3
What if someone were to tell you that a chemical (MSG) added to food could cause brain damage in your children, and that this chemical could effect how your children's nervous systems formed during development so that in later years they may have learning or emotional difficulties?
What if there was scientific evidence that these chemicals could permanently damage a critical part of the brain known to control hormones so that later in life your child might have endocrine problems? How would you feel?
Suppose evidence was presented to you strongly suggesting that the artificial sweetener in your diet soft drink may cause brain tumors to develop, and that the number of brain tumors reported since the introduction of this widespread introduction of this artificial sweetener has risen dramatically? Would that affect your decision to drink these products and especially to allow your children to drink them? What if you could be shown overwhelming evidence that one of the main ingredients in this sweetener (aspartate) could cause the same brain lesions as MSG? Would that affect your buying decisions?
And finally, what if it could be demonstrated that all of these types of chemicals, called excitotoxins, could possibly aggravate or even precipitate many of today's epidemic neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, ALS, and Alzheimer's disease? Would you be concerned if you knew that these excitotoxin food additives are a particular risk if you have diabetes, or have ever had a stroke, brain injury, brain tumor, seizure, or have suffered from hypertension, meningitis, or viral encephalitis?
Would you also be upset to learn that many of the brain lesions caused by these products in your children are irreversible and can result from a SINGLE exposure of these products in sufficient concentration? How would you feel when you learn the food industry hides and disguises these excitotoxin additives (MSG and Aspartate) so they can't be recognized? Incredulous? Enraged? The fact is many foods are labeled as having "No MSG" but in fact not only contain MSG but also are laced with other excitotoxins of equal potency and danger.
All of the above are true. And all of these well known brain toxins are poured into our food and drink by the thousands of tons to boost sales. These additives have NO OTHER purpose other than to enhance to TASTE of food and the SWEETNESS of various diet products.
Hidden Sources Of MSG:
As discussed previously, the glutamate (MSG) manufacturers and the processed food industries are always on a quest to disguise the MSG added to food. Below is a partial list of the most common names for disguised MSG. Remember also that the powerful excitotoxins, aspartate and L-cystine, are frequently added to foods and according to FDA rules require NO LABELING AT ALL.
* Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG *
Monosodium Glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
Corn Oil
* Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG *
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Bouillon
Broth
Stock
Flavoring
Natural Flavors/Flavoring
Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring
Seasoning
Spices
* Food Additives That MAY Contain MSG Or Excitotoxins *
Carrageenan
Enzymes
Soy Protein Concentrate
Soy Protein Isolate
Whey Protein Concentrate
Also: Protease Enzymes of various sources can release excitotoxin amino acids from food proteins.
Aspartame - An Intense Source Of Excitotoxins
Aspartame is a sweetener made from two amino acids, phenylalanine and the excitotoxin aspartate. It should be avoided at all costs. Aspartame complaints accounts for approximately 70% of ALL complaints to the FDA. It is implicated in everything from blindness to headaches to convulsions. Sold under dozens of brand names such as NutraSweet and Equal, aspartame breaks down within 20 minutes at room temperature into several primary toxic and dangerous ingredients:
1. DKP (diketopiperazine) (When ingested, converts to a near duplicate of a powerful brain tumor causing agent)
2. Formic Acid (ant venom)
3. Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)
4. Methanol (causes blindness...extremely dangerous substance)
Common Examples:
Diet soft drinks, sugar free gums, sugar free Kool Aid, Crystal Light, childrens' medications, and thousands of other products claiming to be 'low calorie', 'diet', or 'sugar free'.
A Final Note... Dr. Blaylock recounted a meeting with a senior executive in the food additive industry who told him point blank that these excitotoxins are going to be in our food no matter how many name changes are necessary...
What can we do about this? It brings up again the issue that we need to stop eating prepared foods. This means finding good sources of healthy non processed foods and while it may mean a little longer preparation time in the kitchen, our health is a stake here big time!
MSG is Poison!! http://www.truthinlabeling.org/Recog.html
Poison in the Pantry -- The MSG Syndrome
The amount of MSG used in food processing is increasing. It finds its way into many products on the market shelves. It is served in many of the "best" restaurants. Unsuspecting parents may be shocked to learn that it is used as a flavoring in school lunchrooms.
Older people are particularly susceptible. The reasons are not understood, but many individuals develop a sensitivity to MSG as they grow older. "Sometime around the age of fifty," a restaurant cook noted, "I began reacting to some of the food we were preparing. I had to stop tasting because many of the prepared foods we bought were loaded with MSG."
George Schwartz, M.D., has written a powerful polemic against the use of MSG in processed foods sold to an unsuspecting public. His experience with patients who reacted to the substance with various results prompted him to compile a book that may hasten regulation of the chemical.
In Bad Taste: The MSG Syndrome aims at a wide audience. By calling attention to the proliferation of MSG "tainted" products, he hopes to reach both a professional and non-professional audience.
"I have become increasingly aware," he writes, "of how many of my patients and associates developed the well-documented headache, facial flush, gastrointestinal symptoms, and depression. In 1978 I published an account in the New England Journal of Medicine which detailed the case histories of two individuals who developed physical and psychiatric symptoms, including severe depression, whenever they ate foods containing MSG. Their emotional symptoms were particularly disturbing," Dr. Schwartz notes, "because they began as late as 48 hours after exposure to MSG and sometimes continued for several weeks."
The author recounts the case of a child whose school and home adjustment had been severely affected for years by the MSG present in his ordinary diet. "Completely eliminating MSG," he explains, improved his behavior to such a degree that within weeks his teacher and psychiatrist were calling his parents to ask what had changed!"
Dr. Schwartz notes that his article in the medical journal elicited instant publicity, favorable and otherwise. Among the critics, he notes, were food processors who did not relish their products being ignored on the supermarket shelves and a critical letter from the Glutamate Association, an organization that represents the interests of those who market the substance. The letter, he says, "imputed the standards of the New England Journal of Medicine for printing it."
Monosodium glutamate can be considered a "natural substance" just as salt and sugar are categorized. It is derived from a seaweed. It is used in most commercial recipes to enhance flavor. Soy sauce usually contains MSG, as do many prepared soups, salad dressings, flavored roasted nuts, frozen meals, and a wide variety of meats and poultry that have been processed: fried chickens sold in fast-food stores, frankfurters, tuna salads, etc.
Labeling practices have compelled many processors to list MSG among the ingredients. Dr. Schwartz points out, however, that the term hydrolyzed vegetable protein can snare the unsuspecting buyer. It is one of the chemical methods of producing MSG and contains as much as 20% MSG.
Schwartz insists that MSG intolerance is not an allergic reaction. He contends that it has a true drug effect. He cites clinical studies that indicate sensitive individuals may develop long-term effects.
Asthmatics are especially vulnerable, Dr. Schwartz complains. Confirming information recently appearing in Nutrition Health Review, issue #47, Asthma, he says that the presence of MSG can provoke near-fatal reactions. The overall death rate from asthma increased 23% between 1980 and 1985, he notes. He wonders whether there is a coincidence between that alarming statistic and the increased popularity of MSG among food processors.
This book is abundant with warnings. The author lists various products that contain MSG, including spaghetti sauce, noodles (even sold in health-food stores!), canned tuna fish, spaghetti and meat balls, bacon-onion seasoning, garlic salt, chicken with rice soup, chicken cacciatore, canned beef consomme, chicken noodle soup mixes, pepper pot soup, kosher beef frankfurters, beef-flavored mushrooms, potato crunchies, tuna salad, packaged chicken, beef stew, chow mein, cookies, cured meats, frozen vegetables (in sauces), potato chips, gravies, spices. The brands read like a list of the nation's outstanding food sources!
Dr. Schwartz is especially critical of fast-food restaurants where MSG is used in breaded and fried products. The public has no way of knowing that foods include MSG. The identification that can warn a purchaser in the supermarket is not provided in a restaurant.
Although the author absolves Amtrak food purveyors saying the chief dietician avoids products containing MSG, he is not as tolerant of the corporations serving food to the airlines. He suggests avoiding seafood, salad dressings, and sauces in flight.
COPYRIGHT 1989 Vegetus Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
From: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_n49/ai_7648519
Lindaland
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posted February 18, 2007 06:30 PM
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