Addresses of Congressmen

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Author Message vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 9:57 am:        Just e-mailed the following to the Washington Post: Colin Powell outlined the "threats" of possible use of chemical and nerve agents by Iraq. But what isn't being addressed is that right now and for several decades our government has allowed nerve agents like free glutamic acid and aspartic acid to be surreptiously fed to the American people on a daily basis causing hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, cascades of disease disorders, destruction of relationships, minds and bodies... and all of it concealed frrom the American public by newspapers like yours, because we live in a country that considers an economy based on poisoning its people...then having them spend billions searching for the cure--to be an acceptable economy. --------------- If only all this wasn't so. vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 5:57 am:        Which deaths can we attribute to MSG neurotoxicity? -Asthmatic collapse -Heart Failure due to rhythm disturbances -Violent deaths from person's raging on MSG as opposed to -Serial killer deaths where the brain structure has been permanently altered -Hospital related deaths for persons dying from complications from surgeries to repair MSG damaged organs -Deaths related to adverse drug reactions from treating health disorders which are MSG initiated -deaths on the highway related to excited or raging behavior while driving under the influence of MSG, heart attacks at the wheel, driver unconsciousness due to MSG heart disturbances, MSG related drops in blood pressue or narcolepsy from nights of sleeplesness, driver inattention: due to migraine, stomach problems or other MSG health disorders, etc. -suicidal deaths from MSG related depression -diabetic deaths from MSG acting on pancreatic receptors -let's not leave out cancer from MSG induced tumors If anyone can think of other ways MSG is killing us--feel free to add your posting. vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:46 am:        A few spelling errors in above posting. Guess that's what happens when you post just before running off to an appointment. The above list is not complete without deaths factored in for complications related to gross obesity, interference and shut down of intestinal functioning and highway deaths due to driver performance error because of concentration and orientation problems. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 8:55 am:        My latest e-mail to my Congressman after browsing the vaccine section at www.mercola.com and talking to two individuals who are suffering, dying? from Chron's disease, ie. neurotoxicity: Re MSG, Aspartame, Splenda, Vaccines, Latex, etc. Have you kept up with escalating health disorder statistics? 1 out of 3 children have an allergic disorder 46% increase in asthma deaths nationwide between 1977-91 273% increase in autism in 11 yrs (Calif. state survey) I'm sure you'll find worse if you investigate heart disorders, intestinal malfuncioning, and highway incidents due to driver impairment, mental illness, obesity, and the list goes on... At any rate, as "everyone" is becoming impaired, what is Congress doing about it? It's not a matter of survival of the fittest--it's just random destruction. Some of the brightest or kindest members of our society do not have a clue that their government is allowing carte blanche neurotoxic bombardment of their neurological systems by the food and pharmaceutical corporations-- with the endorsement of Federal Agencies like the FDA and EPA and no investigations by the FBI. This disgusting economy cannot be termed a free market because of media bias. Is it really benefitting the most people or utterly destroying the human vessel? Are there to be no limits on neurotoxic exposure--ie. the introduction of auxigro, Splenda, latex grips and buttons on everything? No mercy... right? Who are these creatures that condone this? Deb A. Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 11:38 am:        Please keep fighting the fight! We need people like you to be proactive. Please let us know if you hear anything back. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 5:06 pm:        Nope, haven't heard anything from Mr. Congressman. As for fighting the fight, how long have we been discussing MSG neurotoxicity and where are we getting? According to the 3-17-03 edition of the Washington Post---Las Vegas strippers are organizing because of new county regulations which they view as harassment---15,000 dancers are ticked. Their organizer says that every week she is getting calls and e-mails from outraged dancers who want to join the alliance no matter the risks. The strippers are more organized than us! They even have a deal going for group health insurance. Then the news said--- moveon.org---some guy and his web site with his well used lap top--- has 900,000 anti-war protesters ready to grab their signs and protest just waiting for a click of his mouse to give them the time. How did he do this? Meanwhile... there goes another ambulance with yet another MSG victim. Deb A. Posted on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 8:35 am:        Anyone is free in this country to organize a protest. We are getting somewhere...not as fast as any of us would like, I'm sure. But the work we are doing here is one of education and support. This site gets thousands of hits a day. So this is what we have chosen to do to promote the cause. I hope other people will find the time and have the ability to promote the cause in other ways that will continue to shed light on the seriousness of this issue. Each day I am swamped with more e mail and telephone calls than the month before, and that thrills me. The word is spreading by people who know what they are talking about, because they have suffered...these people are making a huge difference. I just received an e mail from a woman yesterday who is so excited to tell everyone one she knows about this. Some people have given books and pamphlets to their doctors, schools, and the library. We welcome hearing about the ways people are making their own personal protests, but know it would be great to get more national coverage as you are suggesting. Carol H Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 5:22 pm:        I heard a commercial today for Thumann's on the biggest radio station in NYC. They ended it with "and absolutely no MSG. We'd like you to have a great sandwich - not a headache." I thought that was a great start - perhaps some people may begin to associate their migraines with MSG. I also have written letters recently to all my elected state representatives, not just my reps in Washington DC about new labeling legislation to include MSG and glutamate labeling too. I mentioned Auxigro as well. I have gotten reponses from all three. Write to your state assembly people - find out who represent you in your state. Perhaps we can do this state by state. That is what CSPI recommended. I also want to write to 2004 Presidential candidate Howard Dean who is actually a doctor. He is not afraid to speak his mind. Perhaps we can make him aware of this issue. Health care is an important issue to him. Dean appears to be a frontrunner in the Democratic Race. Ralph Nader is probably not a bad guy to contact either - this is a consumer issue. But don't stop writing to your representatives - it can only help. Deb A. Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 9:34 am:        Carol, good work. I'm curious about Thumann's coldcuts, since we don't get them here. Are they free of glutamate from other sources, too? Just very curious. I can't help but wonder if there are things like dry milk solids, corn syrup, dextrose, di-glycerides, caseinate, yeast extract...you know the usual stuff most food producers are clueless about. Judy T Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 11:34 am:        Interesting. The Experience magazine article says "The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has put both aspartame and MSG on its list of food additives to avoid (for details see www.cspinet.org/additives)." Carol tells us to write our assemblymen. Yes. The CSPI is on the right track, let's help them out. Carol H Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 5:17 pm:        Deb A, I just hoped the ad might get folks putting two and two together MSG=Headache. I just bought some Thumann's coldcuts for Eric today. He broke out in hives. He didn't have his usual MSG reaction - immediate digestive distress so I suspect it may be a simple "true" food allergen. I still can't get that boy to the doctor to get tested so I'm not sure what the cause was. Someone really sensitive to MSG might wish to avoid coldcuts altogether, but I tend to think ham may be safer than most since it is known to be high in Vitamin B6. Deb A. Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 10:42 pm:        Yes, I was excited about the ad for the same reason you mention, too. The public can get a subtle (or not so subtle) message that way...and it sounds like it reaches a LOT of people. Could Eric's reaction have been to preservatives? Hives are a typical reaction of sufites or other chemicals. If there are dry mild solids, malted barley flour, or corn products in something I eat, I always get terribly itchy skin that lasts for a few hours. I think I react to different forms or amounts of glutamate in different ways. It's frustrating. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 5:53 am:        At this location: http://www.moveon.org/about.html It states, moveon.org is trying to bring people back to politics, that our current system revolves around BIG money and gratuitous politics, that our representatives are not representing us, that there is a disconnect between broad public opinion and legislative action, says move.on posts issues from thousands of people on its website's forum, most pertinent issues are narrowed to the two to address that year, then move.on focuses attention on these two areas with massive e-mailing to legislators, public protesting, and contributions to alternative politician's campaigns. Sounds like a plan that is needed these days, when minimal campaign finance reform has been passed and when the only voices heard by our representatives come from the mouths of big money lobbyists. Tom Fernstrom Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 6:01 am:        Deb A., I was looking at the sites linked to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and noticed that your site was not linked -- you may want to request it (Carol, too). Maybe that way we could influence them to include Glutamate awareness as one of their campaigns. Requests for linking to their site can be made to the below e-mail address: online@cspinet.org vrtu1 Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 6:21 am:        Oops, left out discussion on last night's Oscar program, specifically the comments of Michael Moore. Noticed the major newspaper and main news networks are editing his remarks. Can anyone at this site disagee with him when he states that we are living in a fictitious world, fictitious elections, fictitious politics, and as we all know, especially with regard to the food arena, fictitious food safety with the government and the food advertisers backing up the safety and wholesomeness of the neurotoxin laden food. Right, uh huh and elections are honest, too. Moveon.moveon Deb A. Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 11:14 am:        Thanks, Tom. Excellent idea! I just put in a request. I hope others here will do the same, stating how this site and Carol's have helped you. Sue D. Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 1:39 pm:        Michael Moore looked foolish whether one agreed with him or not. A free society is fraught with good and bad, but at least we are free to make fools out of ourselves. Moore would have been shot in Bagdad if he had pulled that. Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 3:35 pm:        Sue D., I applaud Moore for having the courage to speak his mind at a time when it is so undervalued. SueD Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 4:34 pm:        I don't know who decided to use my name on their message about Michael Moore, but I didn't even watch the Oscars. I think it would have shown more courage if whomever it was had used their own name. Suzie Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 5:59 pm:        I have plenty of courage, SueD. I am Sue D. and this is the first time I have posted at this site. Would you like me to go by another name so I don't confuse anyone? My friends call my Suzie. I like people to speak their minds, but it's always bothered me when they do it at the Oscars for some reason. BTW, I'm glad I found this site and am telling lots of my friends about it. I had no idea how bad MSg was. My husband found out from his doctor that his headaches could be caused by MSG. Are there any remedies? Deb A. Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 9:40 pm:        Suzie, we are happy you found our site, too. The best way to avoid symptoms is to learn how to avoid the hidden forms of glutamate. There is no sure remedy. You can do a keyword search at the left and learn what some people do to supplement or to diminish symptoms. For a headache, I take 3 Ibuprofen and at night take a Benedryl type pill that has the least amount of suspicious ingredients. It takes the edge off of the pain. As for comments about the war, we are all free to speak our minds. We all have different opinions, and emotions tend to run high. Such close TV coverage puts us all on edge. But we can all at least say a prayer for our brave soldiers and hope that they can return home soon. Let's try to keep focused on the good we are trying to do here to alert others and to inform and encourage visitors to this site. Roy Piwovar Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 2:25 am:        I have recently found naproxen sodium tablets to be more effective against migraines than ibuprofen, but different headaches may have different causes. Roy Piwovar Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 2:32 am:        The link below gives some headache tips: http://hpheadachecenter.com/headachetips.htm Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 7:41 am:        Roy, is that an over the counter medication? If so, what brand do you use? Thanks for the tip and for the link. Roy Piwovar Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 9:12 am:        I bought the store brand on sale at CVS, as it is generic and over the counter, but any brand should do. I took two right away and a third an hour later before I had significant relief, and even then it was no picnic. It's worth a try as it's the only one found not to cause a rebound headache. Suzie Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 2:45 pm:        Deb A. and Roy, I appreciate your helpful postings about remedies for my husband's headaches. I'm going to getr some tablets today. I'm also trying to replace much of the food I have been feeding him. It scares me that I will have to learn how to cook from scratch, but he is worth it. It may help me too. I get an itchiness on my arms and back when I eat Chinese food. Sometimes I get really warm like a hot flash, too. Is that part of an MSG problem? I'm still trying to read all I can. I work part time, so this will take a while. Again, thank you for this site and for you kind people here. Carol H Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 2:52 pm:        Suzie, welcome to the site, and I must say I am encouraged that your husband found out about MSG from a doctor - that is very good news. Linda S. Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 3:36 pm:        Carol H., I saw my neurologist Friday, and while he did not agree with my suspicion that the seizure I had 3 months ago was msg-related (my first in 12yrs) because of my family history, he did concede that not enough research on the connection between neurotoxins and neurological disease has been done. When I described the burning, searing sensation that occurred just before I lost conciousness to my cardiologist, he said that it sounded like a "typical MSG flush". So I hope the word is slowly but surely making its way into the medical community. These doctors were open to the idea, they just need it proved to them. Carol H Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 4:49 pm:        Linda, go to the page I just recently put up on http://www.msgtruth.org and click on Related Research. Print it out and give it to your neurologist. He may be a bit surprised, but if he's at all curious there's a lot of homework for him to catch up on. Carol H Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 4:52 pm:        Silly me, I forgot, Deb and Mike just put a direct link right here. Click on Recent Research News right on this page under Related Research. Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 6:28 pm:        Yes, it is very encouraging when we hear that some doctors are becoming more open to the effects of MSG. Now we just need to get the politicians to become more informed and interested, too. It seems like a slow process, and for us who suffer, it is, but there is progress being made. Just think, a few short years ago when you did a search on MSG or aspartame, all you could come up with was the propaganda of the "glutes". Linda S. Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 3:25 pm:        What about contacting some daytime TV shows with your stories? I'm thinking along the lines of Oprah, Montel Williams, The View. After my sister was murdered in 1984, I became active for a time in promoting victims right legislation, and was a guest on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show, and was invited to speak as an audience member on the Maury Povich show. They are receptive if you call them with a good story. The other idea I had was to send recent research to my local Board of Ed with regard to the school lunch program. If they can be convinced that educating parents as well as kids will eventually decrease special ed expenditures, they may be willing to listen. Roy Piwovar Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 7:34 pm:        Linda, Montel Williams may be particularly receptive to doing a segment on MSG as he has multiple sclerosis, which may be specifically affected by it: http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nm/journal/v6/n1/full/nm0100_67.html Roy Piwovar Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 7:44 pm:        You can e-mail Montel from his contact page: http://www.montelshow.com/about/mail.htm vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 6:16 am:        Interesting site www.westonaprice.org vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 8:46 am:        LindaS and everyone There's a heart education website at: http://home.earthlink.net/~avdoc/infocntr/htrhythm/hrintro.htm My daughter's on a heart monitor because of heart rhythm disturbances (ie. MSG neurotoxicity). The AMA community keep telling us that her heart irregularities are "normal for her" to which I say they would not be normal for someone from an era (let's say like the 1700's) a time prior to this MSG neurotoxic food bonanza we have going on here today. Further they are not "normal" for a human as God created us to be. He did not make a heart with messed up electrical circuitry. He did provided the electrical nervous pathways that the MSG is creating havoc with. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 10:04 am:        Sorry to hear your daughter is plaqued this way as so many are. My son-in-law ended up in the hospital 3 times before he would accept that he was developing an MSG sensitivity. Before that, it was something only my daughter's family had. Now he insists that all his lunches be dinner leftovers or made by my daugher, and he is such an advocate that he is telling all his dental associates and patients about MSG, especially when he suspects they are reacting. Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 6:00 pm:        Here's a link to an old political hearing on nutrition that I found interesting: http://www.healthy.net/nutrit/nutinfo/spectopic/hearing.asp Judy T Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 7:47 am:        Yes, very interesting; here we're having some of the same discussions over 25 years later. Amazing. I loved looking at who was in charge, whose names were posted. Fun. Vrtu1 Posted on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 4:07 pm:        Watched 10 Commandments Movie rerun last night...in my mind I couldn't help but compare the oppressed Israelites with our oppressed society. The burdens being placed upon our people by the purveyors of MSG are every bit as severe as the servitude the Israelites endured. We have family relationships torn apart by family members who become hostile under the influence of neurotoxins; not to mention the batterings (child abuse, battered women) from those raging under the influence of MSG; bodies crippled and destroyed from the scores of MSG related health problems due to neurotoxins interacting with the nervous system and body functioning; surgeries, pain and suffering; lives and money stolen; bondage to the pharmaceutical industry and nursing homes; a few set the rules that the many must live out their lives under. Moses, you got it right when you said "LET MY PEOPLE GO!" Purveyors of MSG, those who would put this economic poison in every nation of the globe and let the people search for the cure, to you I say "RELEASE OUR PEOPLE...Give them back their lives." Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 6:17 pm:        Vrtu1, Someone has to be vigilant about those who don't care who they hurt. That's what sites like this are for. "As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight. And it is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air -- however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." ... Justice William O. Douglas, US Supreme Court (1939-75) Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 11:22 pm:        That was beautiful, Roy. You give us hope. vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 6:36 am:        Read Andrew Weil's letter in support of medical use of marijuana ---http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/articles/az020605.htm As you should know by now - CBDs in marijuana block glutamate's neurotoxic effects (hence the widespread denial of a plant that's been used medicinally for eons) A petition has been filed with the DEA to change the Drug class status for marijuana review at www.drugscience.org Send a letter in support for this essential change in status. SA Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 8:53 am:        I wouldn't suggest using a mind altering drug which now shows to contain more tar than cigarettes, to counteract the effects of MSG. There may be some side effects of other drugs used to block glutamate, but I think you're encouraging something else that is dangerous and addicting, no matter what some say. I know what the effects of marjuana are on some people I knew in high school who spent most of their extra money and free time and even school time smoking it. Most of them are real losers now and some of them are now into harder drugs. In the case of terminal and glaucoma patients, that's another debate. But I prefer to avoid MSG as much as possible. That is the best thing to do, even if it takes some effort. Sorry if I come on too strong. I know what a toll marijuana has taken on my own brother. Anonymous Posted on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 2:59 pm:        vrtu 1, Is that really true about marijuana being a glutamate blocker? I have to admit that I tried it to see if it would relieve the pressure in my head (due to a reaction) and help me sleep. Unfortunately, no effect. I do avoid all forms of msg.. unfortunately i'm so sensitive now to natural foods that it would help to have a blocker until I evened out, or to help with unexpected reactions. But apparently it's not to be. Roy Piwovar Posted on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 7:05 pm:        Anonymous, There are apparently some components of marijuana that when isolated or synthesized my be helpful, while at the same time avoiding the harmful effects of marijuana as a whole. http://hdlighthouse.org/see/drugs/dexan.htm Anonymous Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 8:57 am:        Roy, Is Dexanabinol (HU-211) now in use to your knowledge? I can't tell how recent the article is. Do you know anyone who has had success with it or just from using marijuana? Roy Piwovar Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 9:28 am:        Anonymous, The above linked article on dexanabinol is five years old. Per the update below, the drug is still tied up in studies. http://www.pharmoscorp.com/development/dexanabinol.html Carol H Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 10:55 am:        I think it best to stick with legal remedies at present. Roy Piwovar Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 11:08 am:        The article I linked above states "Marijuana is not a substitute for this drug." Even if it were legal I would not smoke the stuff. Anonymous Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 11:49 am:        I can appreciate that you both feel that way. However, if it worked, I would do just about anything to relieve the pressure in my head, just for five minutes. Roy Piwovar Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 1:17 pm:        Paradoxically, glutamate blockers work to prevent relapse into drug addiction: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010511073954.htm SA Posted on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 10:01 pm:        I've been trying lithium orotate. I think it's helping my mood and making my reactions less severe. There are many brands on the net, but this one had the least amount of questionable fillers. It's in a capsule and I open it onto a spoon to take. I found some information on this site about lithium orotate as a glutamate blocker. vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 5:17 am:        Don't have time to reiterate how only species high in CBD's not the hallucinating species high in THCs counter the glutamate neurotoxicity; because I have an appointment. I know I've posted this information before on other threads on MSGmyth, try doing a search. As for the high school losers still being losers, you have to figure if they were the type of person to use an illegal substance for no other reason than to get high what type of person were they to begin with? Also this type person would probably be into alcohol and more potent drugs that would have a deteriorating effect on their mental capacities impacting their future loser lifestyle. I've read where some of the most effective employees of certain companies(ie. able to concentrate and perform more effectively) are those who occasionally partake in weed. Wonder what species they were using? SA Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 10:00 am:        I knew all "types" of individuals who used the stuff and most were really great kids from good families. Some just got so addicted that nothing else mattered. It was a peer pressure type thing for many of them. One can argue pros and cons for ever. I just know that drugs, whether they are natural or not are no substitute for doing a good job at avoiding MSG, at least until the rest of the public demands some change in what food companies are forcing on them. SA Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 10:23 am:        I suppose one might call the lithium orotate a drug? But at least it's legal. I also take Ibuprofen for a headache, but I rarely get a headache now that I have gotten better with my diet. Has anyone else here tried lithium orotate? I read about it here and my husband did some research. It doesn't have side effects like the kind used on patients years ago and it is in a minute amount compared to that. Bound to the orotate, it is supposed to be more effective in tiny amounts. It's an element that binds to glutamate receptors, according to what we read. It is legal, but if I don't think it's really making any big difference, I probably won't keep using it. I'm very careful about what I eat, but I thought that when I am traveling, it would be nice to take something to to help me if I eat the wrong thing. I've taken 2 capsules worth a day for a week now. I wanted to see if there were side effects. Nothing so far. A friend of mine who is MSG sensitve takes antidepressants for her headache and mood swings caused by MSG. But she says she can't think as clearly and I've noticed that she acts differently. This is what I want to avoid. I have children and need to be alert all the time. Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 1:03 pm:        I am curious about the lithium orotate myself since reading about it here. Please let us know how you do with it after a while longer. I am always worried about fillers. I won't make any comments on marijuana since we all know it's illegal, but I also haven't read much about the other form. I agree with SA about wanting as much control over my thinking and reasoning ability as possible. Coming out of an MSG induced fog for over 20 years was very liberating and wonderful. It's work to stay there, but worth the effort when I eat the right foods. I enjoy reading the interesting information shared here that is helpful to us. vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 7:39 am:        SA wouldn't want to use a mind altering drug...what is the MSG that we are being forced fed?.... and excuse me but if lithium orotate acts on receptors, (I could put Duh here but I won't) I think we could be quite safe in calling it a mind altering drug. No one has ever overdosed from MJ and there are no side effects for medical users like they get from the pharmacological concoctions they have been prescribed. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 8:26 am:        vrtu1, it's obvious that you are on a crusade here to make marijuana legal. I don't think that this is the best podium for it, nor do we need insults on obviously intelligent and honest people. SA admitted that the lithium can be considered a drug that is a glutamate blocker, and is aware of brain receptors. All of us would like the majic bullet that would allow us to live more normal lives, but for now, I appreciate learning about a legal supplement that could boost our tolerance for the glutamate that sneaks by. SA, what brand of lithium orotate do you use? Please keep us posted as to side effects, if any. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 8:59 am:        That's "magic" bullet....cannot spell today for anything. I want to say something here that I hope all will try to understand. All of us are angry at the food industry and the FDA for holding their greedy hands. But from my own experience, I am more able to get people's attention when I educate them in a firm but reasonable way. I used to get loud and angry when I spoke with people and when addressing groups. I can testify that it turned them right off. Now I feel confident and more informed when I speak with people and that has made all the difference. If book sales are an indication that people are getting more informed, them I am happy to tell you all that sales have doubled every year since 1997...and hits on this site have been skyrocketing...and now we are getting repeat orders every week...meaning customers are ordering for their friends...it may seem slow grass roots efforts that we are doing here, but the word is spreading...and to health professionals, too. Just thought it was a good idea to share that we (all of us) ARE making a difference...steadily and in a positive way. So please have hope in the future. I appreciate all of you who are taking time from your busy lives to warn others....in whatever way that works. vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 2:28 pm:        Actually, I discovered the anti-glutamate properties of MJ after having been involved in "a NOMSG mission" for several years. The MJ issue is just a pertinent and timely sideline issue, a historically safe herb versus pharmaceutical bad side effects (people need to know and get invovled in this medical marijuana issue and posting under addresses for Congressman is the perfect spot, visit the websites about medical marijuana and the websites about the failures of our country's war on drugs, how much is spent, which class goes to prison, has it decreased drug access or markets,what about violence that comes from black market sales and who is getting rich from those sales?,etc). Back to MSG, I did a NoMsg booth at a Healthy Children's Fair last week and am doing one for a larger fair this week. I constantly refer people to the MSGMyth website. The medical MJ issue is a bonifide pertinent anti-Msg issue that needs any attention it can get in our attempt to restore homeostasis to this society. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 3:16 pm:        Has NoMSG endorsed MJ as it pertains to the MSG issue, as you mention? Just curious. You are a very dedicated activist, and it's good to know there are people out there participating in health fairs with the MSG message. I speak at civic and church groups, but I wouldn't encourage the use of MJ as a glutamate blocker...or even bring up the topic. I guess what I am saying is that I feel compelled to use this site and what I have learned to inform and warn people about MSG. Bringing MJ into any discussion about MSG would, I'm afraid, make me be taken a bit less seriously. MSG is controversial enough! vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 5:18 am:        Nomsg in my message pertained to an "anti-msg message" not the group. Did I say that I brought up the MJ issue at the civic fairs? Those attending received no MJ message because the MSG issue is complicated enough. When an opportunity presents itself though we do need to give the medical marijuana issue all of our support. With in depth study of the hemp and medical marijuana facts, any educated American would never support the Government's denial policy. Tom Fernstrom Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 6:12 am:        All, One potential detrimental affect of MJ might be the "munchies" one gets while imbibing. If at the same time one's senses are impaired by the MJ, one might not be as vigilant in abstaining from MSG and thus compromise the original objective. I too agree with Deb A that it is important to bring knowledge to this discussion group such as the details of the glutamate blocking chemicals in nature, but not to belabor the legality of their use on this board. But more importantly, I would think that any discussion of glutamate blockers should involve the contemplation of the infinite specificity their dosages would require in order not to block all glutamate activity. The supplements that I take such as Taurine, Magnesium Orotate, Vitamin B6 and CoQ10 are designed to provide the cell with energy and antioxidants to let it handle excess glutamate that I might inadvertently ingest. If I am successful in my abstinence, the excess supplements are purged from my system. I feel it is flawed logic to think that a glutamate blocker might be the “magic pill” to allow one to avoid MSG abstinence or prevent accidental ingestion. What if too high a dosage was taken and the normal cellular function that is dependent upon glutamate is hindered? What long term affect would this have? Couldn't this also cause cell damage or possibly make cells "lethargic" such that they don't do what they are supposed to do when they should? Maybe it has already been established that it is this "lethargic" effect on cell function that provides the MJ user with that pleasant "high" feeling or sometimes causes impaired judgment. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 7:57 am:        If you smoked weed with elevated THC levels then took in marijuana with elevated CBD's--- the second variety would cancel the high from the first variety, this type of Marijuana has been called "the anti-marijuana marijuana". It displaces the hallucinogenic chemicals at the receptors. No one has ever died from an overdose of weed, so obviously it doesn't block all glutamate activity. A few web articles I found follow. http://www.commonlink.com/~olsen/MEDICAL/POT/vnaposit.html http://www.medicalcannabis.com/ http://www.drugsense.org/dscgi/swish.pl http://www.thehia.org/hempfacts.htm votehemp.com/PDF/myths_facts.pd http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/advisories/pa100901.html http://www.cannabisnew.com/news/thread67.shtml Do searches on neuroprotective agents, medical cannabis,etc. If we don't bring this subject up periodically on this and similar boards where it might do the most people the most good, do you think the local newspapers in this country would offer a fair debate of the issue(?) especially under this administration where one Federal government court overrules on medical marijuana what a majority concensus in several states have voted they wanted to see happen. We can always limit truthful vital disturbing information...which puts us in the ranks of...? vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 8:04 am:        Just checked above links,some but not all are working. Just go to the homepage and review their site if you feel like gaining new perspectives. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 8:07 am:        Fine tuning the links, the last site is cannabisnews.com Carol H Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 2:58 pm:        Perhaps we can focus the discussion on why addictive bahaviour occurs in the first place and why people feel the need to self-medicate. I think there may be a connection here. For example - binge eating, alcoholism, drug use, smoking. They all relate to ingestion, health and psychology - key pieces to the MSG puzzle. I understand that not all marijuana users end up as serious drug addicts and hard criminals, but as a musician, I have seen far too many folks diminish what they could have accomplished because they too often took a too-intense interest in a rock on the side of the road or a leaf on the ground or their own shoes because they were too high to pay attention to anything of importance. Marijuana as a remedy seems a poor choice to me for alleviating MSG troubles. I guess I have spent my entire life trying to feel "normal" and never quite getting there. I always had trouble understanding why someone would voluntarily take a substance that would alter their reality and sap their motivation. Oh well, I just turned 38 - guess I'm officially an old fuddy-duddy Deb A. Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 8:50 pm:        A very cool fuddy duddy! vrtu1 Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2003 - 4:24 am:        Who better to answer why patients (victims in this MSG onslaught!) might want to self medicate than an educated concerned and compassionate group of nurses: http://www.druglibrary.org/olsen/MEDICAL/POT/vnaposit.html vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 4:51 am:        MSG Awareness Booth notes---Had booth all set up on a lower street (had signed up late!) no traffic on lower street,the organizer said we could move where everyone else was,so packed up everything and moved up a block. These booths at fairs are always so emotionally gratifying. People walk by and glance at the exhibit with no change in facial expression, then they slow their pace, their face lights up in recognition, then they return to the booth, read some more and relate their story. They tell with passion how it has affected them, or someone they know, how their doctors or other family members have derailed their discovery that it was MSG behind their reactions but they,themselves KNEW it was MSG, one lady said she was 50 and worked hard to avoid MSG and she thought she was in pretty good shape, her ex-husband however was in his early 40s would never listen to her findings on MSG ate every junk item and has every type of health problem, alot of people knew they couldn't eat Chinese food MSG but didn't know aliases and were thankful for info., I didn't encounter any inappreciative people, some legislators stopped by and read the info., some police officers wanted info., one lady officer said she had to avoid it because it made her so hostile, lots of people, lots of problems, would it wasn't so. Judy T Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 6:40 am:        Good for you. Lots of folks talk about spreading the word but you did it! Congrats and thanks. Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 8:39 am:        Health fairs are great venues for all of us..all communities have them. Great job, Vrt1! Carol H Posted on Wednesday, May 07, 2003 - 6:22 pm:        Excellent, Vrtu1! vrtu1 Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 6:27 am:        Recipe for an informational booth to bring awareness on MSG issues. First have pamphlets ready and sitting around the house so that when a fair opportunity presents itself you are ready to go. You can print up a flyer from this site or NoMSG.com. Any pamphlet should define the MSG, include alias names, and site major symptoms of MSG neurotoxicity. An alternative is Business cards printed on card stock (inexpensive)with multiple websites which deal with MSG issues. Make a large standing display board which queries "Is it MSG or me?" paste magazine cutouts of Migraine sufferers, weight articles, alzhiemers ads,depression,heart irregularites,MS, asthma,hyperactive kids,learning problems,etc. edit food ads proclaiming gushing with flavor, excite your taste buds, etc. Cut out pictures of people illustrating the MSG problem then label the problem with a cutout caption. At the latest booth I used dolls in a kitchen setting which got children to bring their parents over with a small sign about "making cooking healthy meals a #1 priority" that food preparation isn't quaint or passe it's vital for good health. Also had a doll garden setting advising people to "grow a garden it's a good thing to do". A garden theme with plants and seed packets sitting on a table attract people to your booth. Bright poster board rolled up with directional arrows and captioned "increase nutrition" "decrease toxins" at either side of your table with the appropriate plastic food items (children's play food) around the base --Like veggies for the increase nutrition side and french fries, ketchup, cakes, ice cream etc. for the toxin side. Have food labels pasted to a board to show how to look for MSG. I have a "skull planter" with a piece of ocean coral that looks like a brain (attracts alot of young boys and their parents). Diagram a dendrite and a synapse and the receptors of the next nerve to show where natural glutamic acid is released and how high blood levels can effect body functions. Have a diagram of the brain showing what functions are attributed to the different parts of the brain. I had a picture of Columbus's ship stating "in 1492 everyone knew the world was flat"--- followed by "many people today believe neurotoxic food additives are the triggers of many health disorders" You can also display Organic gardening books, NoMsg books, NoMsg recipe books, The Excitotoxin book (Since you aren't selling anything you can maintain a nonprofit booth status) Give as much or as little information as you think you can effectively carry, setup, explain and display. Be alert for health fairs, business booths, garden fairs, community fairs. Hand out the card, the pamphlet or both and tell them to tell their legislators that we want a better food supply. vrtu1 Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 6:38 am:        Why would you want to donate time to an informational booth on MSG issues? Persons have brought to my attentiont the fact that oncology units have people sitting out in the halls and rheumatologist's and other specialist's appointments are becoming increasingly difficult to book and we all know about regular doctor office waiting times. As more junk food is sold and damaged generations breed... Carol H Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 6:06 pm:        vrtu1, you just made my day Great ideas, all. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 5:51 am:        Does it ever stop? Will the tide ever start flowing in the right direction? From moveon.org The Federal Communications Commission is planning on authorizing sweeping changes to the American news media on June 2. Changes in this rule could allow your local TV stations, newspaper, radio stations, and cable provider to be owned by one company. NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox could all have the same corporate parent. This concentration of ownership could be deeply destructive to our democracy. Move on.org said "When we talk to Congresspeople about this issue, their response is usually the same: 'We only hear from media lobbyists on this. It seems like my constituents aren't very concerned with this issue.' Moveon.org is requesting a few thousand emails to change that perception. Deb A. Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 4:25 pm:        vrtu1, thank you for having the commitment to get out there and warn others. Those were great ideas, and I plan to steal a few myself! We just got back from Seattle where I spoke to 45 people about MSG and it went extremely well...meaning that I know I got through to most of them. When I asked those who had fibromyalgia and those who knew people who did, to raise their hands, I think everyone did. They were a wonderful group and afterwards many stayed around and were sharing their MSG horror stories. One gal worked making school lunches and she says they are horrible and is quitting...she has a child with ADD and she told me she now wants to fight for healthier lunches. We need people of all ages to get involved in their communities...just believe that you can make a difference and go for it! It's one of the only ways we are going to make any changes. vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 2:46 pm:        Deb--you are welcome to the ideas and anyone else who wants to do a booth, but did you see the posting about "the FCC rule and the Media" posted above? Moveon.org has made a difference on other issues, possibly a group effort can get this rule change stalled for awhile. Why would media lobbyists support one big media monopoly?? Seems like they'd be opposed to that. So who is really behind this rule change? Freedom of the press, or news that covered anything but the latest drug for the latest MSG initiated health disorder...when's the last time that happened? Just last night NBC did a spot on Migraines, not one mention of MSG but they did say to see a doctor because new meds are out there as opposed to over the counter meds, what about MSG avoidance or elimination at the source????The FCC is supposed to regulate the airways to make sure that the public's best interests are being served.hmmmm Let your local papers know about the forthcoming June 2 changes. God bless all our efforts. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 2:19 pm:        Very interesting...all we need is another megamonopoly. Deb S Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 8:42 am:        You can go here: http://www.moveon.org/stopthefcc and send a letter to your Congresspeople urging them to vote against the rule changes. vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 6:47 am:        My latest note to Congressman: Concerning every citizen's right to medical marijuana: (or any other herb or treatment, how much worse could alternative treatments be when you consider neurotoxic food additives and the high death rates attributable to traditional medicine and pharmaceutical use?) Following is from an e-mail I received: >In yet another heavy-handed attempt to squash opposing points of view, legislation before the House of Representatives would allow the nation's drug czar (DEA) to use taxpayer dollars to oppose political candidates or ballot initiatives that support the legalization of medical marijuana. > Medical marijuana has significant medical benefits and is supported by the majority of the public. >We need to stop federal assault on medical marijuana initiatives! How unfair to use Federal money to oppose what the majority of citizens favor. Please use your votes to represent the majority opinion. I, as do most educated Americans, favor lifting all restrictions against medical marijuana use. No Federal money should be used to try and block citizen access to medical marijuana. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 6:05 am:        Most of an e-mail I recently received: Subject: Victory in Congress!! A couple of weeks ago we alerted you to a campaign the Drug Policy Alliance was waging in Congress to defeat a number of provisions in HR 2086, the "Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2003." Our campaign urged you to call the Government Reform Committee. Your calls launched a tidal wave of reform. In a letter to the Government Reform Committee dated May 29th, the Drug Policy Alliance urged the Committee to make seven amendments to the bill. The Committee voted today: we got five out of seven!!! What did the drug policy reform movement win? The House Government Reform Committee: Repealed provisions allowing DEA John Walters and the Bush White House to spend up to $195 million a year in taxpayer money to defeat medical marijuana ballot measures and pro-reform candidates; Added new provisions prohibiting the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign from ever being used to defeat pro-reform candidates,legislation, regulations, and ballot measures; Eliminated provisions allowing the DEA office to run anti-drug ads without telling voters the ads were paid for by the government; Restored requirements that to the extent possible anti-drug ads include contact information for local drug treatment providers; Repealed provisions allowing the DEA to divert millions of dollars away from local and state law-enforcement agencies to federal agencies to arrest medical marijuana patients and their caregivers; and Passed provisions requiring the DEA to decertify the federal budget if the Department of Education blocks school loans and grants to former drug offenders; as well as compelling the Department to develop a plan for providing financial assistance to people who have been unfairly denied. (This major reform was the result of years of aggressive lobbying by the Coalition for HEA Reform http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3829&l=1959. The campaign to reform this bill made national headlines, including articles in the Washington Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and Roll Call: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3829&l=1955 Newspapers across the country editorialized against the bad provisions in it, including the Orange Country Register, Los Angeles Times, St. Petersburg Times and the Baltimore Sun. http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3829&l=1956 A letter to the Government Reform Committee urging the Committee "to add provisions...explicitly prohibiting the media campaign from being used to influence elections and legislation" was signed by the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Common Cause, Drug Policy Alliance, Justice Policy Institute, Initiative & Referendum Institute, Marijuana Policy Project, National Black Police Association, National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers for Common Sense. http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3829&l=1957 We are grateful for everything these and other groups did. But we are especially grateful for what you did to persuade the Government Reform Committee to vote for drug policy reform. We owe this victory all to you. Thank you, thank you, and thank you! Of course, these reforms still face a long road ahead. The full House has yet to vote on the bill and the Senate has yet to take it up at all. Thanks again for your help. Drug Policy Alliance info.: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3829&l=1958 vrtu1 Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 6:22 am:        Above posting is important because it shows there are people in our country today who are actively working against injustice--which is a good thing. Second it demonstrates that if those in favor of improving our food supply could ever effectively mass together and effectively lobby--- more might be accomplished in this area. Efforts to stop media monopolies were not successful, however, sources have said rules were passed to allow one company to own multiple media concerns. Too bad-way sad. Also heard Martha Stuart resigned as head of her media group which is probably what the Feds were after when they set her up, just like Bill Gates and his company and Oprah and the Beef thing---can't let anyone with lots of money get too powerful. Gotta let them know who's really in charge. Heaven forbid Martha continue promoting a back to basics, natural eating lifestyle. vrtu1 Posted on Saturday, June 28, 2003 - 11:58 am:        A major newspaper said the FCC, as soon as this Monday, might release new rules that would allow television networks to own a newspaper, TV station and radio in a single market. We knew this, see above posting, but seeing it in print again brings to mind the question of whether a democracy with a biased media can truly be called a democratic union? Fascists according to the dictionary suppress opposition. What is a media monopoly other than a way to suppress yet more information. Corporations are chartered to serve the public not vice versa. Democracies need open arenas to explore alternative views. VRTU1 Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 5:11 pm:        http://www.nocards.org/savings/comparison.shtml vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 8:42 am:        Has anyone read the book Our Stolen Future which deals with persistent chemicals and their capacity to disrupt the endocrine system? The authors deal fairly with the chemicals they chose to discuss but I didn't see MSG mentioned. MSG is also an endocrine disruptor and causes all the same health and species related destructive problems as the chemicals the authors dealt with. The persistent chemicals (like DDT, DES, PCB's) bind to receptors on cells meant for other body originated chemicals thus grossly interfering with normal body functions; impacting anything from behavior, fertility, parenting, sexual determination (whether the individual will have the proper male or female sexual organs; these chemicals are causing such major interference that some humans and animals are developing both female and male genitalia), intelligence, etc. The authors said out of control cell growth--ie. cancer, should not be our main concern when investigating these chemicals. There are more important aspects of endocrine disruption that we need to be concerned with as a society. Vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 7:36 am:        Just posted this to AOL Welcome Board Survey re House Bills on Food Companies and Obesity. The White House issued statement that the Food Industry should not be held liable for injury because of a person's consumption of legal, unadulterated food which results in weight gain or obesity is quite interesting. Key words here are "legal" and "unadulterated". FDA defined "legal unadulterated food" can and does contain neurotoxic addictive flavoring agents and other health destroying additives, indigestible oils, immune system compromising sweetners, etc. Go to: MSGmyth.com, Truthinlabeling.org and Dorway.com and do your own research. Why do you think Martha Stewart was so overly prosecuted? She promoted real food vs. frankenfood.(Ed. note in a country where the food manufacturing industry involves 900 billion dollars.) vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 7:44 am:        Just posted this to AOL Welcome Board Survey re House Bills on Food Companies and Obesity. The White House issued statement that the Food Industry should not be held liable for injury because of a person's consumption of legal, unadulterated food which results in weight gain or obesity is quite interesting. Key words here are "legal" and "unadulterated". FDA defined "legal unadulterated food" can and does contain neurotoxic addictive flavoring agents and other health destroying additives, indigestible oils, immune system compromising sweetners, etc. Go to: MSGmyth.com, Truthinlabeling.org and Dorway.com and do your own research. Why do you think Martha Stewart was so overly prosecuted? She promoted real food vs. frankenfood.(Ed. note in a country where the food manufacturing industry involves 900 billion dollars.) Anonymous Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 6:53 am:        You could have made a legitimate argument had you left out the distasteful reference to POOR little Martha Stewart... vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 5:12 am:        Anon.--sounds like someone's swallowed whatever he's been given. Name any public figure who has done more to promote an alternative to "the fast food toxic lifestyle that gets all the press" than Martha. The way I figure, since she gave no defense is they made her an offer she couldn't refuse-give no rebuttal, receive our 'character damaging' jail time or we will pile even more on. vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 5:17 am:        Love our society don't you. I have a copy of the response I tried posting here March 15, 2004 but was blocked several times. Am currently using a computer with AOL7, probably with less filters and am able to post. Interesting. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 8:17 am:        Why was your posting blocked? Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 10:06 am:        We have it set ot only block profanity. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 10:34 am:        We never revue postings for content. But we have stated that it's important that we do not get too heated over debates that do little to help people coming here to this discussion board to learn and get support in their struggle to reclaim their health. We all are aware of the political powers that be that have made poor decisions, many of them hurting us and our health, over the years. I am very grateful that there are people willing to battle government policy and try to make positive changes. It's wonderful when we can post information that allows us to get more involved by writing to our congressmen. Jack Samuels has walked the halls of congress looking for people to listen to his concerns about MSG. Some sounded hopeful, only to have someone call him later telling him that the politician's "hands were tied". It's nothing new. He learned that some of the lawyers he hired in his suit against the FDA were later hired by large food companies. Huge food companies sink millions into campaign funds. How do we think they collect later? I encourage anyone to keep trying a more activist approach to reaching groups that may be more helpful to this cause. But be sure of what you voice. Speculations and theories, no matter how close to the truth they may come, will not hold water, and some, in fact, may lead the listener to label one as hysterical and paranoid. More and more science is supporting us. I may seem too conservative in my approach to some who are very angry or tired of waiting for the FDA to "ban MSG", but I need to focus on one aspect of this devastating problem....education. If I am pulled in too many directions, as I have done so in the past, I cannot reach and help the people I am trying to. There are so many ways we can fight the fight. To all of you who want to do more, form groups, write to congressmen, to health editors of magazines and newspapers, and by all means, don't be afraid to make up pamphlets ( or use the one offered at our site at www.msgmyth.com, or by using the info from books and sites about MSG). Give them to friends and family, doctors, educators, etc.. The information we share at a grass roots level is nothing to sneeze at...believe me, the word is getting out to the public...not as fast as any of us would like, but it is snowballing with the escalation of our "new age" diseases caused by excitotoxins. Please keep battling in any way you can. Be smart, be patient, and be strong. Anonymous Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 8:16 am:        vrtu1, please don't make personal attacks. I simply gave an opinion re your Martha Stewart reference. We don't all thinks she is wonderful and innocent. Deb A. Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 10:03 am:        Whatever our opinion is of Martha Stewart, I doubt her natural way of cooking, although it is a very good thing, would cause much concern for the food industry...but one never knows anything these days. Oprah has so much influence, and the beef industry took her words as slander against all beef. Of course, she was right. But I want to make one suggestion to people struggling to cook from scratch. Many of them that call me tell me that they don't know one thing about cooking...it's like all they know how to do is use a can opener or the local deli or fast food stop. It's a shame that children are not being taught the simple basics. I notice on the food network that for the most part they are full of ideas for cooking with natural ingredients. By making a few adjustments and substitutes sometimes, a person can learn a lot from watching the techniques of the cooks and their programs. I continue to learn from them. Carol H Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:28 pm:        Deb A, I watch the Food Network constantly. I love to find new ideas about how to cook. Even after all this time. My boyfriend did not know how to cook when we met, now he is making stuffed artichokes, rib roasts, even recipes I find daunting, he'll try now. He can't believe that he's come this far. He now knows how to make foods that rival anything he used to be able to buy in a restaurant. I wish everyone could feel that power in their kitchen. All it takes is practice and some tastebuds. Our favorite shows are Molto Mario, Food 911, Easy Entertaining, Every Day Italian, Good Eats, and 30 Minute Meals. Molto Mario uses fresh ingredients, Rachel Ray has some good quick tips and she's funny to watch, Tyler Florence shows people how to cook who usually need lots of help, Easy Entertaining has great ideas for cooking things ahead of time and cooking for others, Alton Brown explains the science behind it all, and Giada Delaurentis has Italian recipes like I grew up with. The one show I have a major problem with, though is Paula's Home Cooking. First of all, she lives in upstate NY, (not the deep south) and shops in Jersey. She uses MSG on her food. and her sense of appreciation of fine, subtle fresh flavors is non-existant - probably due to her use of MSG. Now, if you want to see what life is like for a food process engineer, Unwrapped gives a clue but makes you not want to eat things you see made by the ton. Unwrapped gives me bad flashbacks :o Carol S. Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:56 pm:        Carol H. I totally agree with you about your comments regarding the food Network. My husband is getting more involved in the kitchen because of those shows. We took a couples cooking class together once at the local university and I couldn't believe the confidence my husband gained in the kitchen after taking that class. Now I'm rarely alone in the kitchen anymore. Carol H Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 7:06 pm:        That's great, Carol S.! I think it's fun to do cooking projects together. One thing I've been wanting to try as soon as I get some free time is a King Arthur Flour weekend baking session up in Norwich Vermont. They sound really fun. There are special deals, I think, with the local bed and breakfast places so you can stay overnight. Deb A. Posted on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 10:29 am:        Hi Carol. You named all my favorite cooking shows! And I laughed when you mentioned Paula's Home Cooking show. I would watch it with Mike and tell him she's the queen of MSG. I didn't know that she lives in New York...sure gives one the impression she is in the heart of the South. My daughter has stayed in a few bed and breakfast places and says she finds it easy to talk with the cook about anything questionable they may serve. She's even been invited to stash her own supplies in their fridg and use the kitchen once. That King Arthur cooking weekend sounds like fun. vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 7:25 pm:        I drop in here infrequently. I think it's sad too that our focus on cooking, gardening and canning (once you grow the stuff, you have to do something with it!) has skipped over a generation or two. Hopefully it's not lost forever. Here's an interesting website http://westonaprice.org/ I especially like their ideas on local farms supplying local schools and getting soft drink machines off school grounds. Deb A. Posted on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 8:27 am:        Good site. It's exciting to know that a group like that exists. Thanks for the post and link. Carol H Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 9:34 pm:        There were U.S. Congressional hearings today on Gulf War syndrome and the fact that they still have no clue what causes the neurodegenerative damage seen in Gulf War vets. Rep. Bernie Sanders from VT was seen as very exasperated by the whole affair when I saw him on C-Span. They are not hopeful they will get the truth out of the Govt researchers. They are looking for independent scientists to help them figure this out. I think we should write to Rep. Sanders and ask him to request studies into the MSG and aspartame in the soldiers rations. We know that U.S. soldiers rations now are required to have MSG added. In the Gulf any carbonated soft drinks containing aspartame would have broken down from the heat, and released aspartic acid - which acts to increase glutamic acid levels in the body. It should be noted that Donald Rumsfeld himself helped get aspartame approved over the objections of FDA scientists. He may not wish to have it known that the aspartame he helped rush to market coupled with MSG in rations caused his own troops to get sick. Roy Piwovar Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2004 - 4:45 am:        Linked below is a history of aspartame's approval: http://www.swankin-turner.com/hist.html vrtu1 Posted on Saturday, July 17, 2004 - 9:45 pm:        A college text book Drugs, Behavior and Modern Society by Charles F. Levinthal, p. 3 states (paraphrasing the following) that a drug as a chemical substance when taken into the body alters the structure or functioning of the body in some way. He goes on to say that this broad definition might also refer to ordinary food (heaven forbid! my addition). He says that we need to exclude nutrients considered related to normal functioning. Calls it a seemingly easy task to define a drug, but admits there may be some gray areas. Says we can make a distinction between drugs and nondrugs not in terms of physical characteristics but rather whether the drug is intended to be used as a way to induce bodily or psychological change. So if a pizza manufacturer puts in a spice to make the pizza taste better it would not be considered a drug, it would simply be an ingredient but if the pizza manufacturer intended the spice to intoxicate or quicken the heart rate it would be considered a drug. So with this 2002 edition of this text we can all relax knowing that the MSG that is destroying us is not really a drug because the pizza manufacturer might not intend for it to be. Don't you feel better now that you know they have donated paper and class time to clearing up so sucinctly (in less than a couple paragraphs) this pesky little nuance that might prove troublesome for some? Carol H Posted on Monday, July 19, 2004 - 7:01 am:        Sort of like the U.S. definition of torture. VRTU1 Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 4:43 am:        MSG exposed in the news. The August 23, 2004 issue of First magazine, on sale at grocery store checkouts everywhere, in an article entitled "Addicted to carbs?" p.26 states that American scientists wanted to know why Americans are gaining weight. It said the truth surprised veteran scientists-- that additives in processed foods, formerly believed to be safe, which were used to enhance flavor and were also used as preservatives are wreaking havoc on body biochemistry and blood sugar levels.Then on the next page under the bold captions EXPOSED! they examine 1)glutamates 2)sugar substitutes (like aspartame)and 3)transfats (like hydrogenated oils). The difference between manufactured glutamates and body made glutamate is discussed. It's pointed out that within minutes of consuming manufactured glutamates high levels of insulin are released. Widespread use of manufactured glutamate--- ie. in almost all processed food is mentioned and amaziningly the aliases for manufactured glutamates are given! Will wonders never cease? vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 5:06 am:        ______________________________________________ The following is with reference to HR 3684, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2003 which Bush just signed to go into effect in 2006. Unfortunately as far as I can tell it does not include reactions to Manufactured Free Glutamic Acid (MSG). Also I sent this to my congressman via the reply tab when responding to an e-mail that was sent to me, however the e-mail was returned as undeliverable, hmmm? So I delivered it in person! What follows dealt with information from EnjoyLifeFoods that came from PeanutAllergy.Com. Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act becomes Law: Millions of Americans Will Be Able to Easily Identify Safe and Unsafe Foods August 3, 2004 (New York, NY) The Food Allergy Initiative celebrates a major victory in its public policy campaign as President George W. Bush signed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (S. 741) into law last night. The primary mission of the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) is to support research to find a cure for life-threatening food allergies by 2010. Until a cure is found, FAI is committed to keeping food allergic children healthy and alive by creating safer environments for them. The Food Allergy Initiative led the effort to insure that this bill was passed by Congress and signed by the President so that food-allergic consumers would be able to easily identify a product's ingredients, trust the accuracy of the ingredient statements, and stay healthy and alive. The only way for someone with food allergies to keep from having a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction is to completely avoid foods that contain the allergens. Food-allergic consumers are forced to decipher labels for every food product they purchase, every time they shop -- a terrifying and dangerous process -- made even more difficult by the technical language used in ingredient statements. Would you know that albumin refers to egg, caseinate to milk, textured vegetable protein to soy? "Natural flavors" could refer to peanuts, tree nuts, or any other food. A recent study at Mount Sinai School of Medicine demonstrated that after reading a series of labels only 7% of parents of children with milk allergy were able to correctly identify products that contained milk and 22% of parents of children with soy allergy were able to correctly identify products that contain soy. The new law, effective January 1, 2006, will provide necessary information for school nurses, teachers, caregivers, and chefs who must help millions of food allergic students and restaurant patrons avoid the food allergens. Recent studies estimate that over 11 million Americans have a food allergy. Over six million are allergic to fish and shellfish alone. Over three million are allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and the number of children with peanut allergy has doubled in the past five years. Each year, over 250 Americans die due to the ingestion of allergenic foods, and 30,000 receive life-saving treatment in emergency rooms. The bill requires food manufacturers to clearly state if a product contains any of the eight major food allergens responsible for over 90% of all allergic reactions; those allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. In addition, it requires that the Food and Drug Administration conduct inspections and issue a report within 18 months to ensure that the food manufacturers comply with practices to reduce or eliminate cross-contact of a food with any major food allergens that are not intentional ingredients of the food. Todd J. Slotkin, Chairman of the Food Allergy Initiative and father of twins with life-threatening food allergies, says that, "Our government established the first line of defense in the prevention of deaths and/or serious illness from food allergic reactions. We thank Congressmen Lowey and Greenwood and Senators Kennedy, Gregg and Frist for the years of hard work and cooperative bipartisan effort that paved the way for this bill. Over eleven million Americans live in fear of eating the wrong food with every bite they take. This bill will enable them to trust that ingredient labels are accurate." Sarah Gitlin, age thirteen and allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and fish, explains that she tries "very hard to eat only foods that are safe. If a food might contain anything I'm allergic to, I avoid it. But who would guess that a common popcorn brand would use the words "natural flavors" to mean peanuts? And who would guess that the words "vegetable protein" or "plant protein" would be food companies' code words for tree nuts? Recently, a lollipop manufacturer used the words 'natural flavors.' I assumed that it would be okay because the flavors, fruits and mints, didn't seem to be the type to contain nuts. By pure luck, I noticed that they also had a peanut butter flavored pop, and the "natural favors" were referring to peanuts. Thanks to the Food Allergy Initiative's hard work in ensuring the passage of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, I will not have to wonder whether every "natural flavors" is a death sentence." The bill will also benefit the estimated 2 million Americans with celiac disease. The bill calls for the Food and Drug Administration to issue final regulations defining "gluten-free" and permitting the voluntary labeling of products as "gluten-free" no later than 2008. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that is triggered by eating the protein gluten, which is found in grains, including wheat, rye, and barley. About the Food Allergy Initiative The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) is a New York-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting research to find a cure for life-threatening food allergies. In addition to funding research and clinical activities to identify and treat those at risk, FAI supports public policy initiatives to create a safer environment for those afflicted, and educational programs to heighten awareness among health and child care workers, schools, camps, and members of the hospitality and food service industries about food allergies and the danger of anaphylaxis. For more information, please visit the FAI website at http://www.FoodAllergyInitiative.org or call 212-527-5835. My e-mail that did not delivered by U.S. internet: --------------- Nice that they are addressing some of the allergens, but what about labeling for Manufactured Free Glutamic Acid? Hmmm, I don't see it mentioned in the article. Just because it affects EVERYONE in our nation is no reason to gloss over it. People die and react to MFGA 24/7. Is it getting priority treatment for labeling like the other allergens? According to Adrienne and Jack Samuels, of the Truth in Labeling Campaign, the final Free glutamic acid content of any product (or produce which has been altered or sprayed), should be labeled to the third decimal place so that those who are acutely sensitive have some clue as to just how toxic the product is. Sidestepping this issue by calling reactions (fatal or not) a sensitivity rather than an allergy causes millions to continue to suffer needlessly at the hands of their own government. "Sensitivity" or "allergic reaction", the trauma is the same for those ingesting MFGA as for those ingesting the other allergens----anaphylaxis, hives, intestinal distress, asthma, death, sinus congestion, etc. Of course non-labeling of this economic poison (MFGA) can continue by those hard headed and hard hearted enough to believe that any true benefit can come from this; but incorporating this substance into the environment and our bodies is so wrong, that it has to rank way up there on the biggest mistake list of all time--- as time itself will clearly show. ------------------------------------------ Vrtu1 Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 8:22 am:        MSG Crisis in our Schools--After talking with several teachers it is reported that:20 out of 25 students are on Ridlin or some kind of mood altering medication; teachers have to repeat everything every 20 minutes and check to see if students have grasped anything of what they are teaching, teachers are sending disruptive students to the office only to have them returned because the administrators do not want to deal with them, teachers are stressed to the max, and are resorting to alcohol, drugs and taking leave, as well as resigning or being fired because they can't deal with the out of control students. So where will this lead? Homeschooling? Who will be home to make sure the child does the lessons? If trained professionals can't handle the learning process, how will untrained parents after a day at their respective jobs? As the students stay home they will eat even more junk food (MSG) and become even more crazed and dangerous to society without the schools socializiation influence. How will this affect our society? So how is feeding this Economic poison to everyone for the greater good if our education system is destroyed? People need education on the far reaching effects of MSG. Principals need to declare school cafeterias, halls and busses MSG and sugar free zones. Some schools have and have experienced increased test scores and decreased behavior problems. Moms and Dads need to learn to cook from basic unadulterated ingredients. People need to demand natural truly unadulterated food from their grocers. Janet Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 3:05 am:        I am a public school nurse. Yes, I agree that there is an MSG crisis in our schools. It is not true, however, that "20 out of 25 students are on Ritalin or some kind of mood altering medication..." In the three schools in which I work it is about 3 out of 25. In order to have credibility we must present the facts accurately. Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 1:54 pm:        Three years ago, I heard from the superintendant of several schools in the Chicago area. He commended us for the work we are doing, and went on the say that he had learned that 60+ percent of his students were on some drug to also some behavior. He was shocked and so was I. I'm sure that the problem is a growing one and that the percentages differ from school to school. 20 out of 25 does seem high, but I wouldn't be surprised if some classes had a majority of the students on some drug for conditions like ADD or depression, anxiety, or rage disorder. Janet Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 3:48 pm:        Deb, I too commend you for the wonderful work you are doing to raise awareness of this pernicious toxin msg. The 60+ % is on the extreme side of the bell curve. The following research article was written in June of 04 and estimates ADHD at 3-7% (that is the nationwide average.) Most of of the students with whom I work who have other psychiatric diagnoses such as bipolar and anxiety disorders have ADHD as well. I agree that the numbers are growing. http://www.emedicine.com/PED/topic177.htm vrtu1 Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 9:37 am:        As we should all know statistics vary depending on wording of the questions used,the data population, the mood and integrity of the responder, the interpretaion of the results, etc. The 20 out of 25 figure was quoted at a new substitute teacher seminar. This number is not important, though. What is important is American KIDS ARE SATURATED WITH UNNATURAL LEVELS OF MSG. Schools in England are rethinking corporal punisment. I can't back that in America because teachers and administration are also on MSG, which could lead to horrendous misuse of this disciplinary tool--due to the rage factor of MSG; as adrenaline's released and the effects increase disproportionately due to MSG at receptors, rather than being being properly regulated by the body. Kids could really be hurt, plus no type of discipline can alter the behavior of a child on MSG. On MSG they can no more: sit still, concentrate, stop talking, or conversely stay awake (if that's the cells being affected)-- than if someone had injected them with stimulants or depressants. This MSG drugged behavior is why teachers and administrators are wringing their hands because nothing they do can alter what's going on at the cellular level in the child. Mood altering drugs can (which is why so many are being prescribed), but not without cumulative side affects for the child, and as their damaged brains age our society as well. Meantime drugged kids are not easily educated, which brings us back to the fact that MSG is effectively destroying the educational process in America. Janet Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 1:17 pm:        If we want to convince the naysayers out there of the dangers of MSG, we must use accurate information. The evidence is there, but if we unnecessarily "pad" the data, or trust anecdotal reports as valid, we alienate those in the medical community whose practice is based on evidence process and research methodology. Carol H Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 1:36 pm:        Thank you Janet for your valuable input. We should use the most accurate #s whenever possible. Carol H Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 1:43 pm:        Because of the sensational nature of email spam for the "Slow Poisoning" book, which I have not even read yet, I was accused recently of choosing a sensationalist topic to write about in what was to be a progressive newspaper column. If a few of us exaggerate the facts, we all may be labeled and dismissed way too quickly. Before even hearing me out this physician also on the staff assumed I got my information from that book and that I was latching onto some kind of fad. He attacked my credibility because of SOMEONE ELSE who was also against MSG. VRTU1 Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 9:13 am:        Kids were doing a Drug Free campaign at school today with T-shirts saying Drug Free. As we know though, they aren't drug free. What the shirts should read is "Can't be drug free cuz (Manufactured) MSG's in Me". vrtu1 Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 10:36 am:        The 20 out of 25 figure emanated from school authorities--it was not my figure. While trying to get a current figure for psychiatric drug prescriptions for children in the United States I came across the following: from www.census.gov--- in 2003 there were approx. 20 M kids in each of these age groups under 5, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 which approximates 80 million kids? Trying to get the number of prescriptions was not easy, I tried congressional statistics, several word searches, the closest I found was they did some study on 900,000 kids on psychiatric prescription drugs that they quote alot. Some interesting sites popped up www.wildestcolts.com healthreasearch.com www.mega.nu;8080/ampp/madness.html#j53 and a BBC news quote- that the number affected by mental or neurological disorders will surge over the next 20 years, if you understand MSG issues that't a no brainer. Psychiatric drugs should not be handed out like candy neither should MSG. VRTU! Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 7:53 am:        Good News...Fox News ran a bit on college students demanding healthier fresher fare from their food services. Fox News said kitchen help must learn to prepare the new menus, that the prices were comparable or lower than the unhealthier fare and that food companies are taking notice of this new trend. Also in a Washington Post article on preparing tomato sauce--- canned organic tomato varieties were photographed and displayed in front of the MSG laden varieties!! Yes! Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 - 10:16 am:        Yippee!Thanks, VRTU. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 5:21 am:        HR2699-a bill worth reviewing. Makes you just love our legislators--knowing they are so there for us. This bill obliterates the states' rights to post any warnings against any food, additive,or packaging that is believed to cause health problems other than (here's the clencher) those approved by the FDA. We know how diligent they are...how concerned for our well being. According to information at House.gov the bill was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed. What this means for the States is they cannot warn their people against foods that cause cancer, obesity, ADHD, heart problems, stokes, etc. and can only sit back and watch their state healthcare costs sky rocket. The food industry who pushed the bill said they were just trying to establish a national standard for warning labels. Consumer groups called it a sneak attck. vrtu1 Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 5:28 am:        Oops! Read strokes for stokes and attack for attck in the above(any more?). While concentrating on spelling oversights, don't lose sight of the message. VRTU1 Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 5:46 am:        More healthy food news. On Fox 5 News Tuesday they reported that the beef industry is worth 50 billion dollars. Japan checks 100% of their carcasses for mad cow, here in America under 10% are checked. Mad cow in humans manifests as that Crudzfelt Jakob syndrome (sp?). They also mentioned that many Alzhiemer's cases could be Crudzfelt Jakob disease but an autopsy is necessary for verification and not many do that. Question why do the Japanese deserve better care than us? If it's worth 50B why not use 4B of that 50B to check each carcass. They also mentioned animal remains aren't being fed to cattle "other than" blood products. What are they feeding farmed fish, pets, pigs and chickens? What's in the grain other than mold, fungus, fungicides, pesticides and some altered DNA? Makes you wonder.... Deb A. Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 8:29 am:        Mike and I are turning more and more to alternatives to beef. You are right. How can anyone trust the safety and quality of food in this country anymore? vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, January 04, 2005 - 6:18 am:        A little comparsion here. 150,000 tsunami victims--Viox according to the news yesterday killed or hurt over 150,000 victims. The world is coming to the aid of the families of the tsunami, has the world forgotten the Viox victims families? An alert system is being suggested for future tsunamis,what about an alert system for future pharmaceutical victims? Wouldn't it be nice to have an FDA that functions as a true watchdog agency instead of how it performs presently? How does this relate to MSG? Without manufactured free glutamic acid in our food---just how many pharmaceuticals would anyone need??? Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, January 04, 2005 - 8:47 am:        Amen. Anonymous Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 8:59 pm:        Thank you for making this information and this website available. More people (especially those in the medical profession) need to learn about the dangers of food additives, in particular MSG and aspartame--and the many, many substances that contain free glutamic acid... I am HIGHLY sensitive to MSG and aspartame, and I have to read labels *constantly* to try to avoid accidental ingestion of problem substances... including things like carrageenan, whey, hydrolized vegetable protein, on and on and on... As a person with glaucoma who experienced a CRVO (central retinal vein occlusion and resulting impairment of vision) (this was clearly the result of ingesting aspartame in TRIDENT Sugarfree Gum on a daily basis after I quit smoking), I *really* need to avoid all these problem substances in order to save my sight. It is truly discouraging that our government has BLINDERS on about the harm these substances cause, and the fact that our agricultural products are being sprayed with MSG-crap is disgusting and heart-breaking. Every day, it seems, my list of things to avoid grows longer! Now I can't even eat grapes or broccoli because of Monsanto's mucking-around with produce! Keep up your good work here and help spread the word about the damages caused by MSG-glutamate substances and also by aspartame. Anonymous Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 9:03 pm:        PS Where can we find a comprehensive LIST of foods & other products that contain MSG, glutamates and aspartame?! I need to find out whether some of the "air fresheners" and "dental products" (like tooth polish and gum-numbing agents) contain aspartame. HOW/WHERE can I find out? Thanks for any help on this. vrtu1 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2005 - 6:18 am:        Anon. you have to check labels for MSG aliases while also assuming that many constituent ingredients in listed ingredients aren't listed. Basically you can't sell anything in this country unless it's got neurotoxic preservatives and additives in it, have you noticed? vrtu1 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2005 - 6:29 am:        I ran across an old article that needs addressed. A major reason to try and eat whole unadulterated foods is that every time you eat manufactured free glutamic acid or aspartame---high levels of insulin are released by the pancreas. The food containing the neurotoxic additives does not have to be a carbohydrate/sugar containing food for this effect to occur. Eating an MSG saturated steak or drinking a diet soda triggers the same insulin surge as if you ate a handful of cookies. Limiting between meal snacking becomes crucial to weight loss. Carol H Posted on Friday, March 04, 2005 - 7:22 am:        That's what is so bad for us. Too much insulin scavenges the blood sugar present. If there are no carbs present, we are left with very low blood sugar - cranky, and hungry again. Patsy Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 8:16 am:        Ref the Food Network and the Paula Deen Show. How did you find out that Paula Deen lives in upstate New York and not the Atlanta Suburbs?? How could she live way upstate NY when she and her sons run a restaurant either in or near Atlanta ? Just curious... Carol H Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:37 pm:        My reference to Paula Deen may not be accurate as to her location - I should double check my source on that. My main point is that she uses MSG - I have seen her use it on her show. That is a major, major problem. Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:52 pm:        Patsy, I read that Paula Dean established Savannah's most popular restaurant, but that may not mean that she still runs it full time herself. Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:47 pm:        Deen will use both accent and seasoning salt in the same recipe, a double whammy of MSG. If anyone wants to call about promoting safer food, here is some info: http://www.foodnetwork.com Mark O’Connor, Director of Public Relations (212)401-2419 Brooke Bailey Johnson, President (212) 401-2419 Kelli Stich Mills, Feren Comm (212) 983-9898 Kathleen Finch SVP Programming and Special Projects (212) 401-5313 Bob Tuschman/SVP Programming (212) 401-6316 Karen Grinthal, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales (212) 549-8619 Roy Piwovar Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 4:03 pm:        You can also contact TVFN offices individually about their programming: CORPORATE OFFICE: FOOD NETWORK/ Headquarters 1180 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Fl New York, New York 10036 Phone: (212) 398-8836 Fax: (212) 736-7716 FOOD NETWORK/ Chicago 333 North Michigan Avenue Suite 2323 Chicago, IL 60601 Phone: (312) 606-8836 Fax: (312) 606-8835 FOOD NETWORK/ Detroit One Buckhead Plaza Southfield, MI 48075-3060 Phone: (248) 447-2791 Fax: (248) 356-0794 FOOD NETWORK/ Atlanta 20777 West Ten Mile Road Peachtree Road, Suite 1080 Atlanta, GA 30305 Phone: (404) 233-7737 Fax: (404) 233-0458 FOOD NETWORK/ Los Angeles Museum Square 5757 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036 Phone: (310) 228-4500 Fax: (323) 931-1874 Anonymous Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 1:20 pm:        OH, heaven forbid, MSG!! You know, despite all your caution and whining about "whole foods" and all that nonsense, I have news for you, guys: WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE. Get out there and live a little. Paula Deen is fantastic. Her recipes are insanely good. And a little MSG is not going to kill you any sooner than cancer or heart disease or anxiety will. Enjoy! Carol H Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 1:49 pm:        Paula Deen aside from using MSG is not a great cook. She abuses the food because she doesn't rely on the actual flavor of the food. I couldn't believe the episode where she made a kind of sphaghetti casserole, with like 4 different cheeses. I nearly got sick watching her maneuver a huge forkful into her mouth. It may seem like "comfort food" but MSG overkill is more like it. Guess what - in the finest restaurants in the US - they don't cook like Paula. There's a reason. Carol H Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 1:51 pm:        Sorry for getting off topic here. Pam E. Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 3:19 pm:        Anonymous, How can we "Get out and live a little" when our backs hurt so bad that we can hardly walk, or we have to stay close to a bathroom or whatever the ailment MSG toxicity has caused!?! I have news for you! We are all trying to feel better (and avoiding MSG is doing the trick-I am listening to my body!) so that we can get out there and live a little. Also, have you ever thought that MSG may be a factor in cancer and heart disease? I believe that it does. I'm sure Tom could give you more insight to MSG and heart disease or you could search this board for his past postings, if you are at all interested in the truth. If you are not, why are you reading the postings here?Good luck & good health to you! Pam E. Deb A. Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 4:32 pm:        Another person tied to the food industry in some way, perhaps? They love to undermine the truth. Shake things up...they don't want to believe that MSG can be so harmful. I didn't believe it at first, myself. Rachel Ray is a much better cook than Paula Deen ...and she doesn't like MSG either. BTW, not until you spend 21 years with 3 migraines a week, racing heart, and colitis, can you know what real living is all about. It's about discovering that by eliminating MSG and aspartame that you have recovered and can enjoy life again. Now THAT'S pure joy and that's what this site is about...helping others do the same. Talk about a thrill when we do help someone, which is daily...we've seen children and adults get their health back. That has nothing to do with whining. You are wasting your time here. Sure hope that you don't develop glutamate toxicity. Over 50% of us do.... Like my friend who gave me a hard time about MSG for years...he now has atrial fibrillation and his doctor suggested it was being caused by MSG. It was. He had his wife call me for information. He was too embarrassed. Why don't you tell the little 8 year old who had autism for 2 years, but who is 100% normal now due to the information here, to get out and live a little and continue eating those Doritos or Big Macs again. I like Paula Deen's spunk, and I've made some of her recipes, tweaking some of the ingredients. But please don't eqate living well with eating MSG. It does not compute for us. It's interesting to note, that most of the orders for our cookbook come from the south and southeast. Maybe some of that southern cooking is so tasty for one reason, ya'll. Deb A. Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 6:29 pm:        Read this! This is an from a procedure manual on the handling of MSG in the factory. Once has to ask...and they sell this for us to eat? Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 10:53 am: "*RECOMMENDED GLOVE MATERIALS: Recommended Glove Type For Use With Neat (Undiluted) Chemical: Recommendations based on permeation test results are made for handling the neat (undiluted) chemical. If this chemical makes direct contact with your glove, or if a tear, puncture or hole develops, replace them at once. Suggested Glove Type(s) (RAD): No information available *RECOMMENDED RESPIRATOR: Where the neat test chemical is weighed and diluted, wear a NIOSH- approved half face respirator equipped with an organic vapor/acid gas cartridge (specific for organic vapors, HCl, acid gas and SO2) with a dust/mist filter. *OTHER: Not available *STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: You should store this material in a refrigerator. *SPILLS AND LEAKAGE: If you spill this chemical, you should dampen the solid spill material with water,then transfer the dampened material to a suitable container. Use absorbent paper dampened with water to pick up any remaining material. Seal your contaminated clothing and the absorbent paper in a vapor-tight plastic bag for eventual disposal. Wash all contaminated surfaces with a soap and water solution. Do not reenter the contaminated area until the Safety Officer (or other responsible person) has verified that the area has been properly cleaned. *DISPOSAL AND WASTE TREATMENT: Not available -EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ==================== *SKIN CONTACT: IMMEDIATELY flood affected skin with water while removing and isolating all contaminated clothing. Gently wash all affected skin areas thoroughly with soap and water. If symptoms such as redness or irritation develop, IMMEDIATELY call a physician and be prepared to transport the victim to a hospital for treatment. *INHALATION: IMMEDIATELY leave the contaminated area; take deep breaths of fresh air. If symptoms (such as wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or burning in the mouth, throat, or chest) develop, call a physician and be prepared to transport the victim to a hospital. Provide proper respiratory protection to rescuers entering an unknown atmosphere. Whenever possible, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) should be used; if not available, use a level of protection greater than or equal to that advised under Respirator Recommendation. *EYE CONTACT: First check the victim for contact lenses and remove if present. Flush victim's eyes with water or normal saline solution for 20 to 30 minutes while simultaneously calling a hospital or poison control center. Do not put any ointments, oils, or medication in the victim's eyes without specific instructions from a physician. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim after flushing eyes to a hospital even if no symptoms (such as redness or irritation) develop. *INGESTION: DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. If the victim is conscious and not convulsing, give 1 or 2 glasses of water to dilute the chemical and IMMEDIATELY call a hospital or poison control center. Be prepared to transport the victim to a hospital if advised by a physician. If the victim is convulsing or unconscious, do not give anything by mouth, ensure that the victim's airway is open and lay the victim on his/her side with the head lower than the body. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim to a hospital. *SYMPTOMS: Large oral doses in humans have provoked burning sensation, facial pressure, chest pains, dyspnea, somnolence, hallucinations, distorted perceptions, nausea and vomiting. Susceptible individuals may experience an allergic response. -SOURCES ======= *SOURCES: Aldrich Chemical Company. Aldrich Catalog/Handbook of Fine Chemical. Aldrich Chemical Co., Inc. Milwaukee, WI. 1986. p. Roy Piwovar Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 8:14 pm: It makes you wonder how MSG got on the FDA's GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") list. Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 2:44 am: The link below is a detail of the case study on MSG and fibromyalgia: http://web2.iadfw.net/marystod/casestudy2.htm Anonymous Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 7:28 am:        Connected with the food industry? Try "medical student". I actually respect all of your opinions, guys, and I applaud everyone out there who is trying to improve their health. In addition, I will not dispute that it is worth it to eliminate many synthetic preservatives and flavoring agents from our diets. However, I don't think it's worth starting a crusade over. Our daily environment is full of things that can kill us; just because some people have severe reactions to certain agents doesn't mean they're going to slowly destroy all of our bodies. Just trying to bring a different perspective into the discussion. And by the way, MSG does not cause or contribute to autism. You can take that fact from someone who was recently granted a fellowship in order to further study that disease. Best of luck and good health to all of you, as well. Pam E. Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 9:40 am:        WOW! A medical student... Then you are interested in the postings here and the truth! It is estimated that up to 50% of the population is MSG sesitive. I wouldn't say that is "some people", that is a lot of people! Maybe you will be intrigued to find out exactly how MSG works in our bodies. It is okay in its bound form, so that our bodies can slowly break it down and use it the way it was meant to be. It is in the freed form (that is in almost everything we eat) that is the problem. My belief is that moderation is the key to a healthy diet and life. How can anyone be getting MSG in moderation, when it is in soooo many foods? Perhaps that is why you were brought to this web site. Devine Intervention? I do really hope that you do not suffer the affects of MSG in your life. It is not fun at all! Take Care and hope you become a GREAT doctor, nurse, etc.!! We definitely need more GREATS! Pam E. Carol H Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 12:46 pm:        You got a fellowship, recently. How long have you studied autism, and may I ask if you have done any studies that involve MSG, and if you did, were you actually able to completely remove it from the diet of your subjects at all? Do you know all of the foods it is in? Please post your findings and your studies that contribute to your opinion. What data are you looking at? Name your sources. We name ours. Since you got this fellowship, may I ask who is paying for it? Is it being funded by any particular food industry related company? How can you be so sure that MSG does not contribute to autism? You sound very confident. I am concerned that someone who has not studied this further - yet -is so sure what they will find. Especially since practicing doctors (not medical students) who study autism and treat autistic patients who believe that MSG is involved, are linking to the msgtruth.org website. Lisa Marie Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 3:09 pm:        I was at the health food store yesterday and they pointed out that there are provisions in Senate Bill 3 which undermine states govenment's rights to inform and protect their citizens (and etc)You will not even believe how these provisions, HIDDEN in Anti-Terror legislation, will benefit the pharmaceutical companies. This would also overturn laws which are now being considered by states to BAN MERCURY in vaccines. This is unbelievable. Please check this link and write to your congressmen!! Thank you. http://www.westonaprice.org/federalupdate/aa2005/actionalert_032305.html Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 5:35 pm:        Doc-to-be, in a booklet sent to me (years ago when I was researching MSG) by The Glutamate Association, "Monosodium Glutamate - A Look at the Facts",(at the time I was unaware that this was a lobby group in D.C, hired by food companies abd MSG producers to promote the public's acceptance of glutamate's safety), it says: "Research has shown that the placental barrier does not allow MSG to pass from a mother to her unborn child, so pregnant women need not be concerned about foods that contain MSG." If such claims are true, then why would the FDA disclose the following statement in a summary called "glutamic Acid. Safety of amino Acids Used as Dietary supplements." : " The continuing controversy over the potential effects of glutamate on growth and development of neonatal animal models suggests that it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant, infants, and children." In addition to this, there have been over 400 tests (some listed on our site www.msgmyth.com and at www.truthinlabeling.org) since the 1970s that demonstrate that lab animals fed MSG in their food, displayed symptoms that became worse with each successive generation and they included brain damage, retinal damage, obesity, infertility, nervousness, brain cancer, and more. According to Dr.Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon and author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, humans' blood brain barriers are weaker than that of the animals used in these tests, and that humans ingest in an average day, more free glutamate than most of the animals tested. The tests also proved that MSG or free glutamate DOES cross the placental wall and mother's milk, quite contrary to what the food industry tells the FDA and the medical profession. These unprotected infants whose BBB are not completely formed, are at high risk. Excess free glutamate can do damage to forming fetuses and babies subsisting on formulas, most of which are high in free glutamate, as are the diets of nursing mothers. Neurologist Dr. Carol Foster, from Phoenix Arizona, says that, " nothing could have taken our country's health down so fast unless it was related to our food, and it goes across every sociological group." She bases her treatments on MSG and aspartame elimination, as does a doctor in Connecticut who treats autistic children with great results. My own doctor says that half of his patients have symptoms caused by MSG. Look at the rise in neurological disorders and more in the past ten years on site www.msgtruth.org. If you are basing your information solely on the information disseminated by the food industry PR people (glutes), then you can join the ranks of certain close minded doctors who do not really listen to their patients and who think that most everything should be treated with a pill, or that their symptoms are caused by stress. Many drugs cover up underlying conditions, and glutamate toxicity is a real condition...a dangerous and growing one. Realize this: The amount of MSG added to processed foods since the 1040s has doubled each ten years, with the largest and more unsafe amounts since the late 80's, early 90's. Compare the rise in health epidemics of the last 10 years to the years previous.. review at www.msgtruth.org. May you be a great benefit to those you serve....and I do mean patients...not the food companies or drug companies. patrick Posted on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 10:02 am:        Another so called "medical student" who will kneel at the alter of the "pills shall fix all" and who will turn his/her blind eyes away from their patients and put a hand out to the drug companies and their money. Great.. thats just we needed... Poor children of the future will have to deal with people like this. Deb A. Posted on Saturday, April 16, 2005 - 4:29 pm:        On a happier note, Mike and I had a table at a health fair last night. It went very well. It is always worth it, especially when we see the expressions on people's faces as a light bulb goes on in their heads..they make the connection! We had lots of handouts and business cards with our phone number and website...it gave me the idea that Mike and I need to post some of the handouts on our site for others to download and use also. One man began reading our large charts and the information on the table. We always have copies of Drs. Blaylock's and Dr. Schwartz's and our book for people to browse through. He could hardly contain himself. His wife was looking at another booth. He grabbed up all the information and told us how this could be the answer for his wife, who had suffered terribly for the last few years with Fibromyalgia. I even had the U. of Florida report there for him to see. He went to find her, and as she listened to me, I could see a glimmer of hope. I gave her a book and now I just hope they will go for it. I swear, almost every woman who came by went right to the folder of letters and email from Fibromyalgia sufferers who got better after excitotoxn elimination....that folder and the one about ADD and autism. I didn't stop answering questions all evening and now my throat is sore...but well worth it. People need this information. I get so sick of hearing the horror stories from people who have suffered for so long and have been through painful tests and tried drug after drug. Please, everyone, don't be afraid to get more active...I sure can't do it alone, and you know what?, it is SO much fun. Look for opportunities in the papers or on the local news. Some of the fairs that churches hold are free and there are small fees for some community health fairs. They are always looking for new people. And we have something very important to share. I had two large baskets of food there..one with healthy choices and one with foods that were loaded with MSG and aspartame (Walmart said I could return them all). By the healthy one, had a vase of real pink tulips. It had a sign that read, "real flowers, real food". By the other basket I just had a vase of fake pink tulips. I have a few sheets of poster paper that list symptoms of MSG toxicity, the hidden aliases, and signs that say things like, "Food Choices and your Health"...."Harmful Food Additives", etc. ANYONE can do it. If you don't know an answer to someone's question, just take a name and get back to them when you find it. Just do it and you will be glad you did! VRTU1 Posted on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 12:59 pm:        Browse: www.healthfreedomusa.org Also check out Business Week article 5-24-05 by David E. Gumpert entitled Complex Diet for Small Business. For Anonymous above-just because none of your Med classes covered the glutamate cascade of diseases does not mean that many diverse disease states are not related to manufactured free glutamic acid ingestion. All it means is that the curriculm advisors have elected to omit pertinent information by choice or are ignorant of the facts themselves. I have been to hospital libraries and the only mention of MSG was in a Merck Drug manual. How economically advantageous, and how tragic for the afflicted. Deb I recently did another health fair booth also. Handed out hundreds of business cards with anti-MSG websites including yours. vrtu1 Posted on Friday, July 08, 2005 - 7:48 pm:        http://codexblog.healthfreedomusa.org/ Deb A. Posted on Saturday, July 09, 2005 - 3:10 pm:        VRTU1, kudos for you and the health fair that you did. We need more people willing to do that sort of thing. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 7:16 pm:        http://panla.org/ Dr. Russell Blaylock Aug. 5-7 Wilson College, Chambersburg PA Will be speaking on--- MSG and Aspartame--What can be Done? at the PANLA conference vrtu1 Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 6:51 pm:        Blaylock--If you do an Msgmyth.com search on this name 110 results are sited. He's gotten quite a bit of well deserved attention on this board; yet not one person has responded to the 7-11-05 posting above. Why is this? The Pennsylvania Natural Living Association conference is real and their website is operational http://panla.org/ (that is if your server isn't blocking it). Deb A. Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:04 pm:        Mike and I have no idea what you are talking about...what server would be blocking this information? It has been posted and that's a good thing. How do you want people to respond to it? People who visit here will see it. Thank you for posting again about Dr. Blaylcok's appearance. I would urge anyone near Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA to attend. vrtu1 Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 3:54 am:        My server blocks websites all the time unless I erase "cookies" or get to the website via a search engine. PANLA was one I had trouble accessing on different occasions. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 7:04 pm:        The August 2 posting "your server" is not referring to the MSG Myth.com website. It was a general "your server" referring to anyone's server, who might be reading the posting(as we know different people have different servers like aol, peoples pc, earthlink, etc.) Didn't realize that you thought I meant possibly yours until I just reread your posting. I visit controversial websites and get timed out or told the website is not available but that same website can be accessed within seconds via other routes, which shows it is available, so the only explanation is gross filtering by the servers. In America in 2005 it's hard to get to the truth sometimes. vrtu1 Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 7:44 pm:        Pg. 56 of the August Southern Living talks about a woman who is working to make the Opelika School system lunches healthier by eliminating fryers, adjusting recipes for healthier eating, substituting fresh local farm vegetables, etc. Says she has educated school workers and testified before Congress. --- Another person who is doing great work in this area is Barbara Stitt. Go to www.Naturalovens.com. She used to be a parole officer and noticed that if case people assigned to her ate certain things they committed crimes. One of the school food programs she instituted is included in the documentary Supersize Me. She also provides a dvd and booklet so that others might introduce healthier menus in their schools. The results in improved student behavior, attention spans,test scores,decreased vandalism, etc., are phenomenal in the schools where the program has been introduced. First they got rid of the soda machines and put in water coolers and real juice. They completely changed the menus cooking most items from scratch other items were checked by their vendors for high sodium content, they put in a salad bar, whole grain items, changed cooking methods to roasting instead of frying, all food items availavble on campus had to meet District nutrition standards,they involved the community, and invited the media,etc. Visit her website, get her dvd, she allows you to make as many unedited copies for distribution as you want. Bravo Barbara! Remarkable what one person can do. She says its vital that we help improve the health of this generation of children. Carol H Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 6:30 am:        Remember that the foods the DC snipers lived on included MSG loaded ramen soups? Racquel H Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 10:02 am:        I HAVE SUFFERED FROM SERVER MIGRAINS EVER SINCE I WAS 12 YRS OLD AND DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL I WAS 22 THAT I WAS MSG IN THE FOOD THAT I WAS EATING. I AM NOW 35 AND I THING THAT NO ONE SHOULD USE MSG IN ANY FOOD OR FOOD ITEMS. AS A RESULT OF MY SERVER MIGRAINS I NOW HAVE PROBLEMS REMEMBERING AND SEE OUT OF MY LEFT EYE MSG IS A TRIGGER THAT CAUSES MY MIGRAINS. MSG SHOULD BE REMOVER FROM ALL FOODS..... Deb A. Posted on Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 9:32 am:        We sure agree with you, Racquel. Please go to our site at www.msgmyth.com and learn all the aliases for MSG. You are young and as you learn to avoid processed foods that contain it and turn more to whole fresh foods, you will most likely find that your headaches and vision problems will subside. Your story sounds like mine and you can read it at the site...but don't be like me. I started reacting at age 27 and it took 21 years for me to discover the cause. Glad you made the connection to MSG. Amy Unregistered guest Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 10:35 pm:        Wonderful and informative web site.I used information from that site its great. LaurenC Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 5:58 am:        I'm far from the political type and I don't usually engage in discussions or debates. I'm not trying to start anything with this, but I found it interesting that a presidential candidate has a stance on nutrition/health rights: http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/health-freedom/ Becky Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 3:06 am:        Yes! I love Ron Paul! I voted for him in the primary election, but sadly it looks like he is not going to win... Roy Piwovar Unregistered guest Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2009 - 5:42 pm:        "New research suggests that one of the active ingredients in marijuana—THC—and similar compounds could possibly prevent or even reverse one of the most devastating memory disorders of all: Alzheimer's disease. Research shows that the neurotransmitter glutamate is involved in storing memory in a process that involves growing both new cells and connections between them, and destroying old ones. Some current Alzheimer's drugs like memantine affect glutamate—as does THC." http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100230518&gt1=31036

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