Living in Balance
August 2009

Greetings from Balanced Living,

This article's purpose is to create awareness of EXCITOTOXINS, what they are, how they affect our bodies and how to avoid them.

Excitotoxins and Food - What You Need to Know

Let me paint an easy picture, nerve cells are unable to move within the body, they have receptors at the bottom and messengers at the top which communicate with brain tissue.  Not a natural additive, excitotixins are not able to be metabolized in the body like normal food, so they end up roaming the body and causing havoc.  One area they decide to surround and literally 'bully' are the nerve cells.  They poke and prod and torment the cell until the cell gets so stressed that it bursts!  Much like a firecracker, an exploded nerve cell unfortunately cannot be repaired or recover from such an explosion; therefore, it is extremely important to be aware of these excitotoxins and to avoid them. While there is no cure of already damaged cells, daily detoxification through diet choice and supplementation can help remove these damaging substances from the body.

Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate the amount of excitotoxins or carcinogens (cancer causing substances) that are put into our foods; furthermore they allow them to be added under names that SOUND HEALTHY or in European coded numbers which makes it even harder to recognize them!

Here is a List of Ingredients and Codes to Watch Out for:

Codes:
- E620 - E625
- E627
- E631 and E635

Additives that Always Contain MSG:
-    Monosodium Glutamate
-    Glutamate
-    Glutamic Acid
-    Hyrdrolyzed Vegetable Protein (explained below)
-    Hydrolyzed Protein
-    Vegetable Protein Extract
-    Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
-    Autolized Plant Protein
-    Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
-    Plant Protein Extract
-    Sodium Caseinate
-    Calcium Caseinate
-    Yeast Extract (found in black bread spreads)
-    Yeast Food or Nutrient Textured Protein
-    Autolyzed Yeast
-    Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
-    Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor)

Additives that Frequently Contain MSG:
-    Malt Extract
-    Malt Flavoring
-    Bouillon
-    Broth
-    Stock
-    Flavoring
-    Natural Flavoring
-    Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
-    Seasoning
-    Spices

Examples of Excitotoxins:
-    Aspartame, Aspartate
-    Carrageenana
-    Cysteine, L-Cysteine
-    Phenylalanine
-    Soy Protein Concentrate
-    Soy Protein Isolate

The list is a bit surprising and SHOCKING isn't it?  The first thing I did after reading the book Excitotoxins, The Taste that Kills, by Russell Blaylock, MD, is check my food cabinets.  I was beside myself and was quite upset that some of the healthy foods that I was buying for myself and my family had hidden toxic levels of additives that were detrimental to the nervous system.  Wheat crackers, Chewable Vitamin C, Soups, Sauces, Salad Dressings, Pasta mixes and bread spreads were a few of the many areas where excitotoxins existed in the foods I had purchased.  I really felt cheated and fooled! Could these toxins be one of the reasons there is an increase of autism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases?

One of the areas that is unprotected in the brain is the hypothalamus-which in turn controls the pituitary gland; between these two areas, they control the biological clock, the autonomic nervous system, the sleep-wake cycles, hunger and satiety, the emotions of anger and rage, the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, reproductive function, gonadal function, body growth, certain aspects of metabolism and consciousness itself. Other side effects of excitotoxins can be malfunction of the regulation of some of these areas.

I wrote this article to create 'awareness'.  The truth of the matter is that we are surrounded by preservatives, flavorings, artificial colorings etc. and the reality is that it is difficult to completely avoid them on a daily basis, however, we can cut the intake of excitotoxins down to a level that will hopefully not be too damaging.  I always feel that an informed choice is a better choice.  If one understands that the diet they are eating or the diet cola they are drinking contains aspartame which gradually disintegrates the brain, than that is an informed choice or decision.  But if they feel they are actually making a better choice, and choosing these products because these choices have a lower sugar level than I feel it to be very unfortunate.  Shame on the food makers for 'tricking' the consumer and not being upfront on the products' contents!

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein is a special case that deserves a closer look.  This is marketed as a "natural flavoring" which contains anywhere from 20 to 75 percent MSG.  This is a powerful excitotoxin that is also referred to as vegetable protein and plant protein.  This mixture is made of 'junk' vegetables that are unfit for sale.  They are especially selected so as to have naturally high contents of glutamate.  The extraction process of hydrolysis involves boiling these vegetables in a vat of acid.  This is followed by a process of neutralization with caustic soda.  This material is then scraped off the top of the vat and allowed to dry.  The end product is a brown powder that is high in three known excitotoxins- glutamate, aspartate and cystoic acid (which in the body converts to cysteine).  It is then added by the food industry in everything from canned tuna to baby food!  Are you feeling there is a bit of a conspiracy going on????  Unbelievable! What are they allowing to go into our foods and bodies?

Foods to be Aware of:
-  Salad Dressings
-  BBQ Sauces
-  Fruit Juices
-  LOW FAT anything
-  Diet Colas or other Diet Drinks
-  Fast Foods
-  Baby Foods
-  Spreads (Dark Brown Yeast Extract Spreads)
-  Crackers (I found MSG in my wheat crackers!!)
-  Soups
-  Flavoring Packets
-  Spices
-  Canned ANYTHING
-  Chips
-  Packaged meats
-  Frozen Foods
-  Malted Milk Products
-  Certain Soy Products
-  Chinese Take Away
-  Asian Stir-Fry Sauces
-  Popcorn
-  CIGARETTES (excitotoxins are added to tobacco and filters!!)

So, basically the brain and the body need help, especially in our modern day society of living life in the fast lane. Free radical scavengers or antioxidants are like little sponges that can soak up some of the harmful chemicals that we are pouring into our body.

Here is a List of Antioxidant Rich Foods and Supplements that May Help Reduce and Prevent Free Radical Damage:

-    Vitamineral Green
-    Chlorella
-    Fruits of the Earth
-    Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

-    Goji Berries

-    Raw Cacao Powder (Raw Chocolate)
-    Green Tea Tablets or Green Tea NON-FERMENTED
-    Alpha Lipoic Acid (regenerates Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Selenium)
-    Antioxidant Optimizer
-    Vitamin C
-    Vitamin E
-    Selenium
-    Beta Carotene
-    Magnesium
-    Zinc
-    Selenium
-    Co-enzyme Q10 (regenerates Vitamin C & E)
-    Children's Chewable Antioxidants
-    Children's Chewable Vitamin C
-    Children's Chewable Vitamin & Mineral

I invite you to also do your own research, question what is going into our foods and be aware of how they can damage many parts of the body.