Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG was discovered in a Tokyo university in 1908, and since that time is commonly used as a flavour enhancer. Most people have heard of MSG, specifically in Asian takeout dishes. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a form of glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter that is used in your brain. This means that your brain uses glutamate to talk to other neurons or parts of your brain. Normally this neurotransmitter is present in regulated concentrations in your body, but when MSG is added to foods it is in such high concentrations that is overwhelms your body which can lead to health issues.

I finally have a reason not to pig out on Doritos

Today, MSG is processed by fermenting sugar beet molasses, which creates a crystal that looks similar to sugar and it is added to canned, packaged and processed foods. MSG does not really have any specific taste but it is able to "trick" your brain into thinking the food tastes better then it really does, allowing manufacturers to skimp on quality ingredients.

So why is MSG dangerous?

The Canadian Government has some information about MSG, in terms of labels and general information. It claims that MSG is a safe product although "effects of consuming food containing MSG may include: a burning sensation, facial pressure, headache, nausea and chest pains appearing about 20 minutes after consumption and disappearing about two hours later". This sounds pretty serious if you ask me...
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/msg_qa-qr-eng.php

When reading labels MSG may also be labeled as:
Aspartame
Broth
Casein or Caseinate
Glutamate
Hydrolyzed
Autolyzed Yeast

Additionally, research over the past few decades, specifically animal studies (horrible I know) have demonstrated that MSG is an excitiotoxin, meaning this chemical excites the brain's neurons to death! What does this mean? Russell Blaylock M.D claims that findings from countless studies prove that excitiotoxins including MSG (as well as a list of other food additives) can create health problems such as;
Negative effects on developing brains
Obesity
Juvenile diabetes
Type 2 diabetes and Insulin Resistance
Cardiovascular disease
Fibromyalgia
Endocrine effects (this got my attention!)
Cancer
Eye disease
Degenerative brain disease



Here is a link to a web-site that outlines different research and information that you may find helpful if you're interested in learning more on this topic http://www.msgtruth.org/

Here is a list of recommended foods to avoid from MSGtruth web-site. The web-site also has more detailed lists and facts.

The best advice to anyone visiting a Fast Food establishment (if you have to):

AVOID all CHICKEN items
AVOID all SAUSAGE items
AVOID all PARMESAN items
AVOID all Ranch dressings - stick to oil and vinegar Italian
AVOID Croutons
AVOID KFC altogether - we're not kidding
AVOID Dipping Sauces
AVOID Gravy
AVOID TOMATO AND MUSHROOM soups



Here is a video because I LOVE videos!





This is a great book that I found full of great information:

Health and Nutrition Secrets [Paperback]

Russell L Blaylock MD (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Health-Nutrition-Secrets-Russell-Blaylock/dp/0929173481


Thank you for your time :)

Angie

Heartwood

To celebrate the end of an insane semester at school myself and a few friends went to one of my favorite restaurants Heartwood! This vegetarian restaurant in located in Halifax and the menu is reasonably priced and beyond delicious! Anna and I would look for any reason to make a trip to try something new on the menu. Here is the web-site for Heartwood check it out. http://www.heartwoodbakerycafe.ca/ P.S They also do take-out.

Anna couldn't wait to chow down on her bean melt !
A generous serving of rich savoury beans, over two slices of Heartwood’s focaccia bread, with a thick layer of melted cheese on top. (Could it get any yummier?)

This is myself (on the left with the bean melt) and Laura with the Avocado and Tomato sandwich, a thick slices of ripe avocado, tomato, lettuce and sprouts, drizzled with olive oil/umeboshi dressing. I have also tried this sandwich in previous visits and it is sooo good, anyone that knows me I love avocado! mmm

Kerri enjoyed Guacamole and Hummous Platter
Heartwood’s famous guacamole and hummous, served with chopped veggies, foccacia and organic corn chips. We all had a few bites and it was delicious!
 

It was a great night of food and celebration as we ended our last full time semester of hard core school work and studying. Great job girls! Yeahhh OT! haha

Makeup , A Girls Best Friend?

From the time that we are wee girls we are marketed to buy makeup. All the pretty girls wear it and we need it to look beautiful. I'm not going to lie makeup does work and I do wear it, but over the past few years I have been looking a makeup in a whole new light. (check out my earlier post on the story of cosmetics for more info).

I remember hearing about bugs in makeup and the Victorians wearing makeup with lead in it, that could make them sick. I found this shocking..but I found it even more shocking that we are doing the same thing! Our makeup is chemicals...and we put it on our skin, on our lips and around our eyes. Doing this daily for years adds up to alot of chemical exposure and potential health issues. So what am I doing about it? Well there are some great makeup alternatives out there and you don't need to sacrifice your sexy self to make a difference. Here a a couple of products that I use and love!

I use Ecco Bella concealer and Aubrey power..both which are made with natural ingredients. I got the power from Pete's Frootique for $30 CAD and the concealer from the White Lotus (although she stopped selling because there wasn't enough demand).

http://www.eccobella.com/cosmetics/cosmetics

http://www.aubrey-organics.com/

Another great place to get makeup is http://www.purebodysolutions.com/ they are stringent with what makeup they make available and only the cleanest and purest cosmetics make it to this on-line store. I had a mascara off this site produced by real purity and I LOVED it! It smelled great and it had no chemicals, and best of all it worked just as well as "normal" mascara. I am going to order a few next time because shipping can be expensive. I also have ecco bella eye shadow and blush which I also love. Remember that just because a makeup claims it is organic does not mean it is chemical free. The best way to make sure your purchasing what you want is to check the Environmental Working Groups( EWG) chemical index. I hope this helps and happy shopping!

Natural Healing


Hearing people say "my Naturopath" is becoming an increasingly familiar phrase, but for those of you who aren't familiar with with title, welcome to the wonderful and natural way of healing!

I can't exactly remember the first time I heard about a Naturopath, but I know over the last three years I would meet people who would make comments like "I am avoiding _____ food because my Naturopath has me on a diet" or "since going to my Naturopath I have lost 30lbs and feel great". All I could say is "what is a Naturopath? Please tell me more!"

The following information has been taken from: The Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (http://www.cand.ca/index.php?51&L=0 ).

Naturopathic History

The idea of natural healing has been around since the beginning of time.. we all heard about shaman and medicine men/ woman. Well 2400 years ago, a Greek Physician Hippocrates first formulated the concept of "the healing power of nature". This concept is recognized world wide and is the foundation for Naturopathic medicine.

In North America, naturopathic medicine traces its origins to Dr. Benedict Lust who not only used the term Naturopathic medicine to explain several areas of clinical practice, he founded the American School of Naturopathic medicine, which graduated its first class in 1902. By 1920, Naturopathic medicine had made its way to Canada. (yeahh Canada!)

Once the Second World War came to an end health care was changing based on the advances in surgical techniques, the introduction of antibiotics and growth of the pharmaceutical industries. The more traditional healing practices lost ground. This was an era of scientific reductionism and an almost blind faith in the medical 'miracle'. This approach continued through the 1950s.

Over the last several decades individuals have been learning the truth.. that current medical practices are missing a component of the picture, a holistic approach to health. Currently, we look at the body as parts, separate from each component. Why do you think we have separate doctors for each aliment? I'm not saying that modern medicine is "bad" or "wrong", every healing practice has its place and modern medicine has allowed for many miracles to happen since its inception. I am saying however, that I am open to the idea that the body is its own healer and that we have the ability to heal  ourselves.

So after many years of interest in Naturopathic medicine, I found myself a Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Rosalyn Hayman. I choose her specifically because she has a focus on hormones, perfect for me. Before even meeting her I had to fill out and drop off a few sheets (3 days before your appointment) covering every aspect of my life, you even write down everything you ate for the past three days, and when you poop! Instantly, you notice Naturopathic doctors take a Holistic approach, looking at your body as a whole.

When I first met with Doctor Hayman, we met for an hour and a half and she listening to my health history and what brought me to her that very day. The most interesting and eye opening aspect of that visit was she asked me "have you accepted your tumor?" (for those who didn't read the first post I have a pituitary tumor..don't worry its not cancerous). This stumped me..who thinks about accepting tumors? I thought about this question and realized I didn't.. consciously I tried to convince myself I did, but deep down I didn't. I didn't want to think about it, I hardly told anyone only my parents and a few close friends that I had a tumor and I only really brought it up when I had a few too many to drink (classic denial).

After meeting Dr. Hayman that day my life forever changed! I was put on a strict diet (no sugar) for 4 weeks and I learned about nutrition and my body for the first time in 25 years. Over the past 8 months I have come to accept the tumor and since that time my health has been improving! But the most important gift that Dr. Hayman gave me was hope! In Occupational Therapy School (which I am currently in), we learn about the importance of hope for clients and that you should NEVER take away someones hope. I now appreciate that on so many levels, as I optimistically asked Doctor Hayman if my body could heal itself through natural means, resolving the tumor; she said "most definitely". Thank you Dr. Hayman!

As Naturopathic medicine becomes increasingly important to Canadians many insurers are providing coverage for these services. However, you still need to pay some cash. My first appointment was around $120.00 CAD, but I am lucky that I had the financial means make an appointment. My wish is that someday everyone will have equal access to such wonderful services. I am also happy to announce that some towns and cities hold weekend clinics for individuals who may benefit from such services but cannot incur that financial cost. There is a clinic in Halifax and it has been excitedly embraced by the Halifax community here is the link   http://www.saturdayfreeclinic.blogspot.com/







Thank you for stopping by to check out my blog and if you have have the opportunity to go to a Naturopath I highly recommend it.

Cheers,

Angie

FOOD MATTERS

I am a lover of documentaries..especially ones that challange the belief systems that are ingrained in our society as "truths". One documentary that I watched about a month ago is Food Matters. This documentary really turns the pharmaceuticals claims upside down and helps you to view food as more than a tasty meal but as natures medicine. Here is the trailer of the video, I watched the full video on the official web-site .http://www.foodmatters.tv/ (you have to pay 4 something but its worth it). This video is especially eye opening if you or a loved one has cancer as it talks alot about the importance of diet for individuals diagnosed with cancer.

As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.

Adelle Davis (1904 - 1974)

Getting Nutty

A stumbled across this magical berry or nut as it is often referred to the soap nut. Don't worry its not for eating! Its for cleaning..and it seems this little berry has many great and wonderful uses.

A deciduous tree found wild in north India, the Sapindus Mukorossi tree is one of several that bear fruits that are commonly referred to as soap nuts. Soapnuts are so good at cleaning because they have a high saponin content (cleaning power).

In the Western world soap nuts have been used but we dump chemical additives, which don't help the actual washing process and are damaging to the user as well as our environment. Soapnuts are becoming a very popular environmentally friendly alternative to these manufactured chemical detergents.



Here are some of the wonderful uses of soapnuts (taken from the web-site http://www.sapindusmukorossi.com/).
 
DISH WASHER


Use soapnut liquid for washing your glasses, dishes, cutlery and pans as usual. Don’t be deceived by the lack of bubbles on the effectiveness of the cleaning. There are no artificial foaming agents so there will be very few if any lasting bubbles. Alternatively, just put 3 shells in the bottom of the cutlery holder and some vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser and your dishes will come out sparkling clean. (for more info see soapnut liquid making instructions below)



CLEANING & DETOXIFYING FOOD

Soak your fruit and vegetables for approximately 10-15 minutes in the soapnut liquid. Rinse off and enjoy this food free from harmful chemicals and residue. This soap nut solution can then be reused for household cleaning



CLEANING JEWELRY

Soap nuts are commonly used in Indian households for cleaning and shining jewelry. Jewelry is soaked in soap nut liquid and then rubbed with a cloth to give it a shine.



NATURAL PESTICIDE

Using soap nuts is an effective and natural alternative to repel insects off your plants and around the house. This easily replaces chemicals. This is a great use for left over soap nut liquid from washing or laundry.



SHAMPOO

Simply use soap nut liquid in place of your regular shampoo! Since soap nut liquid does not foam like regular shampoo its easy to use to much liquid. If you find your hair is feeling dry or greasy you probably used to much. For best results reuse a shampoo bottle with a pump to help determine how much you need. It will naturally help prevent dandruff and keep your hair soft and strong. When using to treat dandruff apply the liquid soap nut on your scalp and leave on for 5-10 minutes. Make sure the liquid does not get into the eye as it will burn. Rinse hair with water. Also works well as a body wash!

Here are the soap nuts that I bought from http://www.purebodysolutions.com/  (from the states, they were cheap but shipping can cost a pretty penny).
If you are interested in trying them i would contact local health and Eco conscious stores. I have since seen them at P'lovers in Halifax.

So overall, I give these nuts two thumbs up! The clothes come out fresh and clean and if your worried about not having that wonderful chemical smell on all your clothes you can add a few drops of essential oils to the cotton bag. I have yet to try the nuts for some of the other suggestions, I'll let you know how that goes. Here is a little video showing how to use the soap nuts..enjoy!

 

Back to Bloggin'

The past few months I haven't been updating my blog because I have been insanely busy with school. Well, the semester finally came to an end and I am spilling over with lots of great information, questions and insights that I am excited to share!

This is a picture of my cat Chico having a nap on my books (totally how I feel after exams!). My favorite part is behind her on the cork board there is a quote "The point of power is always in the present moment." How fitting.

I hope everyone has a great Holiday and is able to get some time to spend with family and friends.

Cheers,

To family, friends, health and a fabulous New Year!

Angie