| Author | Message | ||
| Anonymous Posted From: 71.163.247.94 |
Hi Everyone, I've been reading the forum for the last month or so, it's great to see people working together on this. I'm 90% sure that I, too, am sensitive to free glutamate and it's taken me forever to figure this out. At this point, my diet is fairly limited but I feel better. I've eaten healthy (or so I thought) for years now, never considering that something like free glutamate could be such a big part of my diet and potentially causing me problems. I used to find it odd that something like a tuna sandwich would practically put me to sleep, leaving me unable to function within an hour. The more I looked into what was IN my food, the more I realized that MSG or free glutamate could be the problem. Eliminating it from my diet has all but confirmed my suspicion. So, I was wondering if anyone had any feedback on Jelly or preserves, specifically the Smucker’s 100% fruit stuff. The list of ingredients includes "natural flavor" which has me concerned. I don't eat a lot of jelly, but from time to time I'll have it on homemade bread with organic peanut butter, especially if I am in a crunch and need to eat. Thanks! James | ||
| EmilyS Unregistered guest |
Hi James, I've never had the Smucker's jelly, can you list the ingredients here? Personally I haven't found a store bought jelly I can eat due to the added pectin and natural flavors. I can handle the jam I make my own the old fashioned way. Others here have found locally made jams and jellies that have been safe for them. | ||
| Anonymous Posted From: 71.163.247.94 |
Hi Emily! Thanks for the reply. Here is a list of ingredients that I pulled from Smucker's website. Oh, and it's "Simply Fruit", not 100% Fruit as the subject says (oops!): FRUIT SYRUP, STRAWBERRIES, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, FRUIT PECTIN, RED GRAPE JUICE CONCENTRATE ADDED FOR COLOR, NATURAL FLAVORS. I noticed that you mentioned pectin as a problem. Perhaps I should read some more, I may have overlooked that as a suspect ingredient. As I did mention, the last ingredient is natural flavors, which is what had me concerned initially. After eating this recently, I developed a headache, my mood tanked, and I became incredibly tired like I used to when eating MSG containing foods, so I'm really suspicious. James | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
James, the pectin is a real problem for corn allergic like me. I haven't found a single fruit spread, jam or jelly in any store that I can eat without problems so I am now an expert on making my own. The only thing you need is a pot, bag of frozen fruit (I buy Naturally Preferred organic berries most of the time) and organic pure cane sugar. Jam is extremely easy to make and there is no need for canning or hot water bath processing, just freeze it after it is done if you make more than you will eat in a week or so. Jelly is complicated but a simple freezer jam is one of the easiest things to make. Just dump the fruit into the pot, add a cup or so of sugar and simmer it for a while. (Just be aware that if you want to taste it you will need to cool it down first because it will be as hot as lava) Also, it will be thicker when it cools so make sure to take it off the heat before it is as thick as you want. Once you do it a couple of times, you will get an idea how long to cook it. It's a bit like pizza, though: even bad fruit jam is still pretty dang good. | ||
| James Unregistered guest |
Thanks Kristy, I appreciate the information. I definitely ate something, my mood is TERRIBLE. My headache is gone, but I still have sinus issues and my mood sucks. This is the biggest indicator for me and it's the symptom that lasts the longest. Just generally depressed. I'll definitely give this a shot though, sounds great! | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Hey guys, my hubby has been fetching information for me and reading it to me so that I can keep up with what is going on. I am feeling stronger and better each day. Thank you for the nice posts on my behalf. When I heard James's problem I had to get up and send a post. James, you have come to the right spot, the group of people here have been in your shoes. Yes it does suck for sure. Mood is a big part of the symptoms here and sinus problems are a part of the migraine syndrome. If you get some organic fruit and try out the ideas here you will be pleasantly surprised and pretty proud of yourself as well as healthy and have a full tummy. Leave all condiments alone for a bit and when you add back in, try some Eden organic yellow mustard, it is delicious and safe for many here including me and I am pretty sensitive. I have a recipe from Kristy's blog livingitupcornfree for ketchup, haven't found a mayo that I can buy, but there's some good recipes for that as well. Please do yourself a favor and get Deb A's book, you can order it on this site. She puts it all into a good organized guide and there are tons of great recipes. Keep coming here and checking things out so that you can learn from everyone here, the new and the old posters. Do you have a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or Krogers near you? They have tuna there that is safe and that is a good travel food and quick fix. Most of us here keep safe food in our cars, be wary of bottled water and the flavored water. I use Poland Springs safely and others use Perrier water plain. We get it at BJs or Sams or Costco discount warehouses. I use Bell and Evans chicken and their chicken Italian sausage which is delicious. They have two other flavors, but there's suspicious ing. so I stick with the Italian. I use frozen Bell and Evans chicken burgers, ing. simply chicken, salt and pepper. Just get the plain ones, no breading. Don't cook them too long. I usually put them in the micro on defrost and push 2, after that I cook them in a fry pan with a little organic extra virgin olive oil. Cook over medium to medium low heat. Use a meat thermometer so you won't over cook them 170 degrees. They stay nice and moist if you don't fry the be jeepers out of them. I wish you health and good eating. Mariann | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Hey guys, I may have posted to James when it should have been annonymous, sorry, still a little loopy from meds. Mariann | ||
| guruofmsg Unregistered guest |
Anon, Please feel free to read my article about the cover-up of hidden MSG: http://www.naturalnews.com/025066.html | ||
| jjmartin Unregistered guest |
I had posted here last week about finding a jam I could eat and later that same day,after searching for years found one at our local store. Three ingredients fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. I am loving it. Their website isn't very helpful but I pasted the phone. You could maybe mail order. I have searched years for a jelly or jam, actually these are butters. Anonymous I bought Smucker's "Simply Fruit" and got a terrible headache from the pectin. I thought because it didn't have citric acid it might be OK--wrong. 17244 Lawrence 2075 Mount Vernon, MO, 65712-7264 Phone: 417-335-4663 Fax: 417-335-7875 Website: www.bekemeier.com | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
The typical recipe for cooked or freezer jam is to measure equal amounts of pureed fruit (or whole berries, but add 1/3 more to the pot) and cane sugar. For the cooked version, simmer on low until thick enough. If this is too sweet of a jam for you, some people just place some fruit with less sugar in a roasting pan in the oven on low heat (225 degrees) until enough liquid has evaporated.An open crock pot may work fine. You can also try adding some arrowroot to the cold fruit/sugar mixture in a pot on the stove to see if that helps thicken it. The texture will not be exactly the same as a pectic thickened jam, but it may work fine. I plan to try it with some tapioca flour or some white rice flour. Most fruits have enough natural pectin, but some, like peaches and strawberries do not, and may need some more sugar, cooking time, or thickener. | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Deb I followed your recipe in the book and made a bunch of rasberry freezer jam last season. It is really good. This year however I will be straining the seeds better. I need one of those grinder, strainer things. Thank goodness my husband is a tool lover as am I. We love kitchen tools and shed tools equally. I am amazed at how much less I spend on food now that I cook from scatch. I had my 2 week after surgery check up today. My Dr. had been really patient with me about my food needs and meds, all went beautifully. Today he mentioned it again as my "very different diet", so I stole Kristy's words. I said, "Well really the truth is that my crazy diet is just eating real food, that's it." He looked puzzled and then said, "You know you're right it is really very simple, just real food." We ended up swapping bread ideas, he has just built an outdoor brick oven. I am so jealous. I told him what flours are safe and to stay away from fast acting yeast. I can't wait til my 4 week more check-up so I can bring him more info. He sees a lot of woman and I am sure some of them complain about MSG symptoms. Mariann | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
Hi mariann...thats a great way to put it...eating real foods. I will remember that the next time i am questioned about why i "deprive" my children junk food. Ali | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
Deb, I read that adding a few underripe strawberries will add enough natural pectin for great strawberry jam. Apparently, "green" fruit contains more pectin than ripened fruit. Mariann, I am jealous of his outdoor brick oven, too. If you watch Jamie Oliver's show "Jamie at home" (the only show worth watching on Food Network), he cooks using his outdoor oven all the time. I love that you got the Dr. to see your diet as not strange at all. It is true about our diet that we can only tolerate real food, but I suspect it is true to some degree for everyone - they just don't realize it. Once we are no longer blinded by our desire for convenience (let's face it, we know we won't be able to go for convenience anymore), it is pretty clear that the stuff in all those food products is not real food when they are done with it. It's just logical that people would have trouble digesting it. I am starting a worm bin tomorrow. I am getting two hens from my Mom next week so I want to be able to grow worms to supplement their foraging and home mixed and sprouted feed. I think using the bin to turn my veggie and paper scraps into pure protein is a more effective way to use my scraps than feeding them directly to the chickens. Also, with a worm bin, I will get the added bonus of rich vermicompost. I am reading up on sprouting seeds to boost the nutritional content of chicken feed. That has made me very interested in sprouting for us, too. Sprouts are super nutritious and rich in vitamin K which is the vitamin that pasture raised animal products contain (only grassfed animals because it comes from chlorophyll). Since it is hard to find butter from exclusively grass-fed cows (and when you can it is too expensive - Kerrygold), I thought the sprouts would be very helpful for us. I'm going to start with some lentils, a wide mouth mason jar, cheesecloth and a rubber band. I am still looking for raw milk so I can start dairy kefir, but I have decided to try making coconut milk yogurt. I read instructions for making coconut milk using shredded coconut and hot water and I have a gallon of the good unsulphured stuff from Tropical Traditions. We really miss yogurt. I figure I can use the spent shredded coconut for chicken food, too. | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Kristy, I love that you are getting chickens. Yesterday we were on the way home from the Dr's. and I said to hubby "I really want a goat you know. I don't know if I can even have one where we live, but it would be so cool. I'd love to have my own chickens too. How are you starting the worm bin Kristy? I just picked up a book Composting for Dummies, I am going to look at it right now. My nieces husband built a turning compost bin for her. He mounted it on an old lawn mower and welded bars coming up to sit the barrel that spins on it. Now she can move her compost to wherever she wants to use it. I wish I had that as the waters of the pond started to rise. It is only about 1 foot over the compost bin now. Maybe, just maybe some good stuff is still there. I am trying to be positive, like maybe some good organic matter has been deposited in my two lower gardens from the pond water. We do have tons of frogs, turtles and many visiting ducks. Some incredibly large snapping turtles too, that we watch migrate up to the shore and lay eggs each year. They are so muddy and pre historic looking, but they lay beautiful pure white pearls of eggs. It is so strange. The grandkids have watched them each year and marveled at them, me too! Well I am going to check out that book. Ali it is thanks to Kristy that I was able to just explain the simple "real food" discription of my diet. Also Ali check out the posts from bo'nana, I think you can help her. Take care Mariann | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
hi , ive just read bonanas posts and replied. I feel for her, it takes a great adjustment to make a family msg free so to speak. Im getting there slowly, but there arent enough hours in the day some days. Ali | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
You are right Ali, all we can do is put one foot in front of the other and rack up our successes. That gives us the power to keep going. You did a nice thing today for Bo'nana. Mariann | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
I was at a friends yesterday mariann, and she had dinner ready in under fifteen minutes for her kids. I could have cried when i saw the food they were being fed. For all the work in the kitchen i do, its a small price to pay for knowing the kids are getting healthy untainted real food!!! And now that Isla is finally asleep for 9pm everynight i now have a couple of hours in the kitchen each evening, without the little ones, to just get on and prepare a few things. I really enjoy that time now. Ali | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
Mariann, I just used this guy's info for starting the bin: http://www.redwormcomposting.com/getting-started/ I am getting it set up and putting scraps into it for a few days before adding the worms. I have already checked at the Co-op to make sure they sell the red worms and to see what seeds and feed options they have for the chickens. I am starting my worm bin with cardboard egg cartons and composted manure from the garden center. I already save most of my veggie scraps for broth making, but all of the others I can use for the worm bin. I have a big foodgrade plastic 5 gallon bucket with a lid that I save the peels into and add them to the worm bin. The worms actually feed on the microbial growth as the veggies break down and not the veggies themselves, so it is better to let them start fermenting before adding to the bin. Just keep thinking about how rich those gardens are going to be. You know, in ancient Egypt that is how they had such rich soil in the areas near the river Nile....they had to contend with flooding sometimes, but it always left the land much richer and healthier. That's why the delta areas of a river are always the most desirable planting ground - frequent flooding. | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Ali everytime we see what you witnessed at your friend's house it only makes us more determined to do it right. In time she may be asking you for advice. I too have come to love the time in the kitchen, it is so creative and we get to eat the creation. What is better than that? Nothing. Kristy, that is exactly what my husband said about the Nile. I look out and the pond is receeding bit by bit. The garlic bed is now above ground. I am sure it is pretty rotted, but that will add to the soil too. I can hardly wait to see if we get blueberries, rasberries or grapes this year. I know it is a process and will take time, but I still get anxious to see the fruits of our labor--or really to eat the fruits of our labor. I am going to try that worm compost. Good luck with the chickens that is going to be awesome. I am going to the farm up the road today to get some more eggs. I know that they are free range because I wave at them as I drive by. I say hello to the beef in the fields as well. They are so happy to be at that farm it is up on a hill and looks out to the Bay in the distance. Take care and be well and I am glad that you took care of the popcorn issue and that they listened. Mariann | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
mariann, i find it so frustrating to see kids eating that stuff. my friend has been with me on my journey with Isla. She is a trusted babysitter as i know she wont inadvertently feed isla the wrong thing. But for all she has seen the effects on my children and been the best support she just doesnt get that everyone is affected and certainly not her children. I now just have to bite my tongue. Its hard!!! Ali | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
You are right Ali, bite your tongue til it bleeds. But stay in touch, because some day she will start to see it. Remember, you didn't even realize that you had a problem with MSG until you changed your diet for your children. We all learn when we are ready. Don't think for one moment that she is not aware of what you are doing, some day the bell will ring in her head. So make it look easy to do, that is what people are so afraid of. They don't know that when you feel better physically, all the chores are easier. Besides, finding someone that you trust with your babies is invaluable. Mariann | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
Mariann, I think you touched on a major reason that people resist the change. They are so fatigued because of the effects of the additives that they can't see any way to do all the home cooking. They just can't know how much better they will feel once they get those additives out of their lives. They don't realize that they are feeling fatigue because of the additives and they won't always feel so exhausted while having to do the home cooking. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
Kirsty that is so true. Ive never had as much energy and get up and go as i have now. I wouldnt have believed it was possible, infact i hadnt even realised how "slowed down and depressed" i was!! I felt daunted by having two little ones at home and all the chores, the thought of all that cooking was scary. I thought it would take what little time i had to play with the kids away. Little did i know it was the fact i didnt cook additive free that was causing the tiredness and lack of enthusiasm for life.... The other thing ive noticed is that i dont feel overwhelmed and agititated if jobs wait till tomorrow!! My moods have improved so much.....its been an amazing discovery on so many levels....i guess the old adage "you are what you eat" holds a lot more truth than any of us would have realised!! | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Amen, Ali, When your mood is better and your neck, back, legs head, teeth and whatever else doesn't hurt you feel like cooking and walking and playing. Now I say "I want more, so I need to be vigilant and not backslide>" I never want to feel exhausted and uninterested in my life again. Mariann | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
Mariann, thanks for the tip about strawberry jam. Sure makes sense, since I add pureed green apples to some of my cooked jams to do the same thing. I always add the juice of a lemon, too. | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
That is why is our society revolves around coffee and other caffeine drinks. No one realizes how tired the additives make them because the never eat any food without them. Most people think that weight gain is caused by a sedentary lifestyle, but maybe a sedentary lifestyle is caused by food additives. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
I think you have hit the nail on the head there Kirsty!! My husband has been very sedentary the last ten years or so, and since our diet changes he has taken up karate, walks five km a day and has the energy to play with the kids. As he is older than me i had just become resigned to it being an age thing. I am now 100% sure it was the food we were eating. Hes younger now than he was ten years ago, if that makes sense!!! And the weight he had gained is dropping off. | ||
| Mariann Unregistered guest |
Sounds like you are falling in love all over again. That is a good thing. AND YOU are the reason for the change. You go girl. Mariann | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
youre not wrong there Mariann. Its a great feeling!!! :-) | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
My husband is a cutie, too. He will be 65 this fall, but looks younger than his brothers who are 7 and 9 years younger than he is. I know it's his diet. Many husbands complain when they feel threatened about not being able to eat what they love. But if we hang in there and learn how to make real food taste wonderful, they usually come to love it AND the new way they feel. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
Mine was none too happy initially Deb. He was always fully behind the food changes for the children but didnt see why he should stop eating what he enjoyed when it didnt effect him. But gradually we all changed our eating as i do the cooking. The final hurdle came after he had a high blood pressure due to gelatine caps. I persuaded him to take his glucosamine without the caps for a week before his next blood pressure check. His next reading was normal. He had been taking the caps just an hour before his appointments. There was no turning back for him after that, and what little "bad food" he was eating was stopped that day. He already felt a lot better from the improved diet at home and since backing it 100% he is amazed at the change in himself. Its great to see our men so well isnt it? | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
Yep, it sure is, Ali. Now on to our friends, neighbors and family members!  | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
My mum has many mystery ailments. Bowel problems, restless leg syndrome, insomnia to name but a few. The doctors can find nothing wrong after tests. She has painful injections in her hips to help with her legs but they dont really work. Ive tried and tried to get her to change her diet which consists of weightwatcher ready meals and not much else.Even after visiting us for a few weeks quite recently and eating what we eat, she still refuses to change her diet. Even though she herself said she felt better here. I guess all we can do is answer questions when asked and hope we make a difference somewhere along the way. Ali | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
Sorry about your mother, Ali. I had several relatives I tried to help years ago, but they didn't want to make any changes. Now they have so many more problems, and fortunately, some have asked us for help. It's pure joy when you can help someone in your family. Weight Watcher's meals, along with most diet meals, drinks, and bars, are full of glutamate. So many lab tests on animals prove that glutamate causes obesity. It's ironic and tragic that the very foods eaten to lose weight, are often causing weight gain and pain. I used to have such pain in my hips, I could barely walk. MSG was the sole cause. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
Thanks Deb. Thats what makes it so frustrating. I had begun to develope milder forms of the same complaints my mum has over the last few years. And they have ALL disappeared. You would expect that knowing that would make her question her own diet. I was especially suffering with hip pain, which i have been plagued with for years. The hip pain was particularly bad when i was working ina greenhouse in Holland. At the time i attributed it to standing for 8 plus hours a day, but in retrospect i realise it was probably the chemical sprays used.Im not sure what they were using but the plants were sprayed daily. I also suffered from headaches, sinus pain and neck and shoulder stiffness that i thought was from being in the same position for too long while working and also maybe a bit of hayfever. I wont be working in a green house again!! Its 5 am here, and i am up with Isla. For the last day or so i have had the familiar neck tension, a little grumpy and nauseaous. I realised yesterday i must be eating something. And sure enough Isla has started to react during in the night -i breast feed. I have just ransacked my cupboards and been through every item i have been eating and its the bread. Ive been buying the same bread for six months now and had no reaction to it. Have just read the label and this batch has aspartic acid in. I still have the old wrappers as i resuse the grease proof paper for backing. Just checked and it wasnt in there before. That was the only safe bread i could find too. Im so annoyed, both with myself for not checking and the local bakery that has jsut suddenly added this to what was a good product for us. I guess its time for me to learn how to make bread!! Isla has been up since 3am and while she is awake she is thankfully quite calm.After such a good run with her, i have managed to "poison" her twice this week. Firstly with tartaric acid and now aspartic acid. Ive just done a search of the site and found reference to aspartic acid being the same as aspartame.Its going to be a long couple of days. But at least ive located the problem quickly and the bread needless to say is now in the bin! Ali | ||
| Deb A. Unregistered guest |
Unfortunately, we have to be detectives from time to time, but I'm so glad that you found the culprit, Ali. I was buying breads from our grocery store bakery for years and finally traced my reactions to their breads last month...they started using flour with malted barley flour. Very frustrating! You might consider talking with someone in the bakery and asking why the aspartic acid is now being added. It has no nutritional value and causes ADD and many other conditions. Perhaps they can make a batch for you without the excitotoxin. You can make a copy of the info in the book about aspartame and give it to them...there's a whole chapter..If you don't have our book, let me know and I can email you the info to download. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
Thanks Deb. I do have your book, so i will do that. I find it an odd thing to suddenly put aspartic acid in bread. Ill see what they have to say. Ali | ||
| carolh Unregistered guest |
Look for artisanal breads if you can find them. That usually means only 4 ingredients - flour, salt, water, yeast. | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
I just noticed the other day that one of our corner shops sells what looks like home backed unsliced loaves. Ill ask next time i am in what the ingredients are. I hope they are as you say, just flour , salt, water and yeast. Not quite sure where i will find the time to bake my own bread. I made three loaves yesterday. They were edible, but leave a bit to be desired...still i will improve the more i make, i guess. | ||
| kristy Unregistered guest |
ali, try quickbreads. They are much easier and leave a lot of room for error. I love them because they don't require the precision and accuracy of yeast breads and I can whip one up in 30 minutes start to finish. AFter a couple of times, you won't even need a recipe. Here's my post about them that includes recipes: http://www.livingitupcornfree.com/2010/03/taco-bread-and-other-quickbreads.html | ||
| ali Unregistered guest |
thanks so much Kirsty. I will look at that. Anything that leaves room for error the baking front is good for me. Thanks Ali |
