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thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,645

Hi there,
   I received this in an email - I read it and it really makes some sense, since all we hear about these days is the epidemic of obesity in North America.  I thought you might like to read it as well, even though its quite long - hope it's okay to post here.

                                     hugs,

                                     Brenda


A Slow Poison - Ref MSG

MSG The food additive MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate) is a slow poison.  MSG hides behind 25 or more names, such as "Natural Flavouring."  MSG is even in your favourite coffee from Tim Horton's and other brand-name coffee shops!

I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, and so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in  Ontario, Canada , 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 scientists have to create them. They make these creatures morbidly obese by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and perhaps humans) to become obese. They even have a name for the fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats."

When I heard this, I was shocked. I went into my kitchen and checked the cupboards and the refrigerator. MSG was in everything -- the  Campbell ‘s soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavoured potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, and Kraft salad dressings, especially the "healthy low-fat" ones.
The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label 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. MSG is hidden under many different  names in order to fool those who read the ingredient list, so that they  don't catch on. (Other names for MSG are "Accent, "Aginomoto," "Natural Meat Tenderizer," etc.)   But it didn't stop there.

When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items contained 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, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant -- even the sit-down eateries like TGIF, Chili's, Applebee's, 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 many of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative, or a vitamin?   Not according to my friend John Erb. In his book The Slow Poisoning of America, he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive affect it has on the human body.

Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more.  A study of the elderly showed that older people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobbying group says eating more is a benefit to 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!  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. Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged 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. But how can they claim it's 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 abolihes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats." Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, 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 sub-sequent development of obesity." Tanaka K, Shimada  M, Nakao K Kusunoki. Exp Neurol. Oct. 78

No, the date of that last study was not a typo; it was published in 1978. Both the "medical research community" and food manufacturers" have known about the side effects of MSG for decades. Many more of the studies mentioned.  In John Erb's book link MSG to diabetes, migraines and headaches, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's.

So what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping this epidemic we now see?
Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest
government health officials in  Canada . While he was 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 refuses to tell the public what he knows.

The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry may hurt their profit margin. 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 our governments are insuring  financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us?  This message is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell you the truth that the corporate-owned politicians and media won't tell you.

The best way you can help to save yourself and your children from this drug-induced epidemic is to forward this article to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation  protecting those who are poisoning 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?

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.

Type in the words "MSG Obese" and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear. We the public 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, feeding the food industry's bottom line while waiting for the heart transplant, the diabetic-induced amputation, blindness, or other obesity-induced, life-threatening disorders.  With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail, or by distribution of this printout to your friends all over the world and stop this "Slow Poisoning of Mankind" by the packaged food industry. Blowing the whistle on MSG is our responsibility, so get the word out.

ylc Y Daydream? Designs
Spotsylvania, VA
Posts: 232

My Mom was terrible allergic to msg - She would would get all itchy and could barely breath and get a huge headache after eating just a little.
She ended up in the hospital several times after asking restaurants if they use it. It is a scary ingredient!

bearkidz bearkidz by Marion Fraile
charlotte
Posts: 1,276
Website

I found out a long time ago that MSG was the reason for attacks of headache. It was always the same kind of headache sitting in the back of my head close to my neck.  This happened every time after eating food that contained MSG.

Whenever I am food shopping I read the labels. However, I will do more internet research to find out the other names for MSG after reading your post.

Thanks for posting this informative article. I agree, it is important to know the facts about MSG.

Marion bear_original

chrissibrinkley Posts: 1,836

MSG is totally unnecessary.  The scary thing about this additive is that some schools of thought now consider it the "5th taste" after salty, sweet sour and bitter!!! It's nuts. 

I've known for at lest 16 years now that I can not have anything with MSG in it..or the things that "hide" MSG (Like H.VegProtein or especially Autolyzed Yeast Extract...I stay away from anything with "spices" not disclosed fully or things that say "no MSG added" the company's cheap way of saying it's in there, but we didn't do it).  These things are everywhere, so I pretty much cook all the time....BUT it's better than being in bed for 2 or more days with a whopper of a migraine.  I wish I'd known all of this back when I was in highschool.  I could never figure out why I got headaches so suddenly....Doritos, Fast Food, salty snacks kids always eat...all laced with MSG!!!

If anyone out there has really bad headaches and/or migraines I would say try avoiding MSG and all things associated with it and see if you improve at all.  It's amazing what one "little additive" can do and how much better you can feel by simply not eating it. 

:hug:
~Chrissi

The Rabbit Maker The Rabbit Maker
England
Posts: 680
Website

Very interesting. The most I really know about MSG is that they use it in Chinese take aways, which I don't eat very often because they are so salty probably because of the MSG. I didn't know it went under different names though I'll have to check the english equivalent.

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

Its not the only additive those food companies are putting in.  They're literally getting away with murder!  You wouldn't believe how many hidden sugars lurk in everything in the form of high fructose corn syrup.  Go ahead and start flipping over to look at labels.  When you try to avoid it, its amazing how much stuff they cram this into! 

And yes, the MSG is another favorite with the food companies.  Afterall, it can make cardboard taste good, so why not throw that in as well?   bear_angry

rkr4cds Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)
suburban Chicago
Posts: 2,044

And Dianne Sawyer/ABC has just presented a series on the use of Corn, a ubiquitous ingredient in almost everything produced here in the States. There was a table full of foods including products like TP, toothpaste and automobile lubricating oils, as well as every type of food product.

I think that Corn is a larger problem than MSG, as it takes so many different forms in both sweetening, powdered and liquid forms.

On her table full of goods and food were apples & bananas. She was asked by the 2 doctoral students who developed this topic in the past decade - which was the only 1 food item on the table NOT including corn. Well, both apples and bananas seemed pretty obvious, but the apples had a corn-based 'wax' applied to them to enhance their shine for eye appeal. The 2 men are developing the study of how corn is creating a dependence on it, much like an addiction: eat someting with corn in it and quickly wanting more. Obesity in most nations is alarming and that our present generation of children may be the first to not outlive their parents.

We have one grandson who at almost 9 is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 lbs, at my last measuring. He  started a growth spurt at 4 years old and has become unnaturally heavy since then. He towers over his 3rd grade classmates. And has had to produce his birth certificate in sports activities to prove that he's no a 'ringer'. His head always looked too large for his body; now his body has grown into it. He may have been destined to be tall (Dad's 6' 4") but heavy comes from the food choices that Mom makes in the grocery store. His metabolism (and personality) has always been slow, methodic and 'brainy'. I'm sure his liking to sit and read or work with Legos every free minute contribute to not burning off the extra weight. His 5 yo brother is a string bean, eats well (mostly meat and vegetables) and never stops moving.
Before 4 years old the 8-9 yo'd's body was coping with his affinity for carbs. Have you ever heard of the 'brown cells' in babies & young children? Excellent fat burners but they are lost in the late pre-school years.

The prevalence of Corn in US manufacturing is much more invasive, insidious and hard-to-avoid than MSG. TP, no less! There's hardly a food you can think of that hasn't had some form of Corn used in its production. And it affects one's triglycerides as well as how the body converts extra (super-sized!!) food to fat storage.
As bio-nutritionist Covert Bailey said 15 years ago. "One apple is good for you: 4 is too many and the extra will be stored in your body."

What it came down to was to stop purchasing processed food and cook with the fresh, whole ingredients, adding your own seasoning, which includes sugars (beet & cane sugars) in their normal format and one can control that amount yourself even in baking. But at least there won't be addtional hidden sugars from corn.

I'm sitting here eating a yogurt (house brand) that has no less than 4 out of 4 corn/sugar based ingredients: sugar (giving this one the benefit of doubt as it could be beet or cane sugar), high fructose corn syrup, food starch-modified and dextrose. I should have had my old-fashioned Oatmeal and put in my own pinch of salt and brown sugar or raisins.....but I'm like everyone else, I grabbed some peanut butter & yogurt and rushed to the computer...

Further (scary) reading:
http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/009333.html (associating these with diabetes 2)
http://www.google.com/search?client=saf … 8&oe=UTF-8

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,645

Hi Bobbie,
      Thanks so much for your post!  Wow - I am so naive.   In the past, we've been lucky in that no one in our family has had food allergies or seems to be bothered with things like MSG, so I have never been a label reader.  We do struggle with weight, like almost everyone these days and with these articles, I am beginning to understand some of the reasons why.  I've always been wary of artificial sweeteners, so I've never used them. 
        However, our grandson, Corson, is 4  years old and is majorly hyperactive.  ADD and ADHD are rampant in both of our families and our son-in-law as well.  Corson definitely has something going on with food - certain foods make him uncontrollable.  We have pinpointed one of them as Doritos, but figured it's the food coloring - now I'm not so sure.  He is going for an assessment at the end of this month for his ADHD and to see about possible food allergies. 
     I love being a "Nanny", but find it frustrating because I don't get to call the shots with our grandson.  Our son-in-law is really good about feeding Corson "real food", but our daughter is more of "whatever is easiest" .  I'm hoping that the doctor can change her mind.
     It must be hard for you to watch your daughter feed your grandson unhealthy foods as well.  My tonge sometimes gets sore from biting it  :crackup:!
     Since Christmas, I have really tried hard to change the food we have available for snacks, when Corson is here.   Fresh fruit, shrimp (which he looooves), vegetables and dip (I'm learning to make my own dips) etc.  I'm also washing my fruit more thoroughly than I used to.  I figure that's a small price to pay for his health.  It's also made me a lot more conscious of what I eat, and because we are going to Disneyworld for 10 days in April, I've started doing my Pilates again.   I've discovered once you start to make changes, it doesn't take long to see the difference in how you feel physically and mentally.  I don't think I will ever be able to stick my head in the sand again.  Thanks!

                                                hugs,

                                                Brenda

rkr4cds Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)
suburban Chicago
Posts: 2,044

Our son-in-law is really good about feeding Corson "real food", but our daughter is more of "whatever is easiest" .  I'm hoping that the doctor can change her mind.
     It must be hard for you to watch your daughter feed your grandson unhealthy foods as well.  My tonge sometimes gets sore from biting it

It's unfortunate that it's our DIL, so not wanting to be the proverbial MIL, I 'mostly shut up'. The boys really enjoy both cooking and eating our pot roast & veggies, chicken dishes, etc. Healthy stuff, as my 3 yr retired husband has really gotten into following the Food Channel and cooking most dinners here. (I clean up - a great trade after doing the cooking as the oldest girl in a large family since I was about 5... Been There. Done That. No More.)

DIL has asked the pediatrician about Evan, and the Dr has started to talk to him about eating, waiting 10 mins after finishing first servings for a second helping, and 20 mins more if he still wants a 3rd helping.  We definitely reinforce feelings of Satisfied vs. Stuffed. Mom is an older Mom @ 42, and does purchase inappropriate foods. She's also a push-over!! We do love her but not in the management of our grandies food choices!!
I can see diabetes in this young man's future, as well as heart trouble, both from both sides of his family. Besides being large he's always been top student in his class, so he's a natural for teasing and all of the forms that bullying takes these days.
Our son has fibro and celiac so he doesn't eat much or often with the family. It's still quite surprising to me that both parents and kids - whole families - no longer sit down to eat meals together!!!

Neal is unhappy about Evan's size, but he struggles enough with the energy to put in 8 hours of construction a day and has all of the attendant fibro fog & fibro gut - he has left the boys' eating pretty up to Marla.

really tried hard to change the food we have available for snacks, when Corson is here.

I think ours love the novelty of eating what we eat - and helping prepare it!


I've discovered once you start to make changes, it doesn't take long to see the difference in how you feel physically and mentally.

Oh Yes!! AMEN! I can attest to that! After the major skeletal surgeries Don & I've had, we began going to our club every day. Move it or lose it! We see our 78 yo neighbor who says that his 2 hip replacements are the worst thing he's ever done. He cannot walk to mow the lawn or walk their 100' of driveway with the snowblower as he's out of breath & in pain. He did his therapy for both hips and then went back to reading and sitting at the computer all day.

Joe is the perfect example for us, knowing that as much as pushing yourself hurts, it hurts a lot more when you CAN'T move. We'd both end up in wheelchairs if we took the easy way out & sat here in the house. Active gardening and spending noon to 2 PM at the club every day is the only way that we've recovered as quickly and as well as we have.

They say that March is the new January at gyms & clubs. Ppl see summer looming and leaving off their winter coats and "Uh OH! I'd better do something about this new roll around my middle."
Ours sure has gotten almost as busy during the week as it is on weekends. Noon to 2 is a great Senior time: the 6 AM 30 & 40-somethings have left for work, the 9 AM Tennis Moms have left for lunch and the afterwork-crowd-on-their-way-home haven't arrived yet!
I hate every second of it... but feel a thousand times better about myself for having made the effort!

Good luck to you, Brenda & all others in the same struggling position most of us are in!
Thx for your commiserations. I feel we should move this Topic over to BearHugs now! !

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,645

Hi Bobbie,
     I soooo agree with you about everything you wrote.  Our daughter is an assistant manager of a huge food superstore - same job as my hubby has.  They work in and about food all day, and unfortunately it is such a temptation, when you see "fast and easy" labels everywhere!

     Her shift is crazy and she works into the evenings three nights aweek, so isn't home a lot for meals.  Corson does eat with his dad every night, or with us, if he is here.  They are also separating, but haven't been able to sell the house over the winter, and neither has the money to be the one to move out, so they co-habit for the time being.  Thank goodness they really do get along, probably more than most married couples.  We ate together as a family almost every night of the week, when our kids were small,  unless our daughter had an activity.

     We have several older people on our street, and watching them struggle, is definitely an eye opener.  I have a knee problem, and was quite content to ignore it, until we decided to go to Disneyworld.  I decided I had to do something to strengthen it, if I was ever to keep up with the rest of them.  It's just amazing how much better it is after just a month of exercise. I'm walking in the mall now withough too much difficulty, and it's the worst spot, with the terrazo floors!  Eating better just makes so much more sense, and I find I really crave junk soooo much less!

                                      hugs,

                                      Brenda

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