Researchers are reporting that a combination of proteins in the saliva of the black fly help this blood-sucking pest spread parasites that cause "river blindness," a devastating eye-disease. A better understanding of these proteins could lead to treatments for river blindness and other diseases spread by biting insects.

River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, affects more than 17 million people worldwide, particularly in rural Africa. 

The saliva of adult female black flies contains substances that mute the human body's natural defenses. This chemical cocktail makes the body more vulnerable to disease. Researchers collected salivary glands from hundreds of adult female black flies and identified 72 different proteins, including several new to science.

An alarming new study finds that nearly 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese. This suggests that, overall, more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese.

The rate is even higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Obesity also occurs at a high rate among Hispanic and black youngsters.

The study was an analysis of nationally representative height and weight data on more than 8,500 preschoolers born in 2001. Almost 13 percent of Asian children were obese, along with 16 percent of whites, almost 21 percent of blacks, 22 percent of Hispanics, and 31 percent of American Indians.

Advertising claims stating that Coca-cola will not make children fat or rot their teeth have landed the company in trouble with Australia's consumer watchdog, which has ordered the soft drink company to correct its advertising.

Coca-Cola ran advertising titled "Motherhood & Myth-Busting," which claimed that Coke was "kiddy-safe." The full-page print ads also argued that Coke was not packed with large amounts of caffeine.

Coca-cola has agreed to publish corrective advertisements in major newspapers in every major Australian city, as well as on the company's own website. The company was ordered to include the correct levels of caffeine for Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero.

According to Haley Curtis Stevens, spokesperson for the International Formula Council which represents the infant formula industry, the rocket fuel chemical perchlorate, recently proven to contaminate powdered baby formula, is ’safe’.

The CDC report that revealed the contamination contained no information at all on the potential effects of consuming rocket fueled baby formula, other than to say levels of the chemical might exceed the limit considered safe for adults if it is mixed with water that also contains perchlorate. However, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted recent tests public water supply systems, approximately 160 of them contained perchlorate in detectable levels.

The CDC study merely identified the presence of perchlorate in an assortment of powdered baby formulas that it did not mention by name.

In an explosive interview on Bill Moyers Journal, William K. Black, a professor of economics and law, alleged that American banks and credit agencies conspired to create a system in which risky loans could receive AAA ratings and zero oversight, amounting to a massive “fraud” at the center of U.S. finance.

What’s more, said Black, Timothy Geithner, President Barack Obama’s Secretary of the Treasury, is currently engaged in a cover-up to keep the truth of America’s financial insolvency from its citizens.

A single bank, IndyMac, lost more money than the entire Savings and Loan Crisis. The difference between now and then, says Black, is a drastic reduction in regulation and oversight. That financial calamity was brought about not by mishap or accident, but following after a concerted effort to undermine and remove all regulations, allowing a creditor free-for-all that hinged on fraudulent risk ratings for bad loans.

A recent New York Times and CBS News Poll shows a surprising increase in the belief that the economy is rosy and turning around. Obviously most of them have not seen this PBS video.  I encourage you to view it so you won;t be fooled.  This is one of the most enlightening videos on what the banks have done that I have ever seen. It is absolutely extraordinary.

To see the full interview, click the PBS link below.

Growing up with at least one girl in the family makes people more able to cope with their problems. The researchers believed that daughters and sisters tie loved ones closer together and encourage them to communicate their emotions more effectively.

According to Professor Tony Cassidy, who carried out the study with other researchers, "Sisters appear to encourage more open communication and cohesion in families. However, brothers seem to have the alternative effect. Emotional expression is fundamental to good psychological health and having sisters promotes this in families."

Girls who had sisters also tended to be more independent and achievement-oriented.

The study questioned close to 600 young adults about the make-up of their families and their emotional well-being.

Dental experts placed teeth in sports drinks and in water to compare the effects, and they found that the sports drinks caused corrosion that could result in severe tooth damage if left untreated.

The researchers cut calves' teeth in half and immersed each half in either a sports drink or water. They compared the results after 75 to 90 minutes. The erosion on the half placed in the sports drink was clearly visible -- dozens of tiny holes appeared. There was no damage on the half which was immersed in water.

Brushing teeth immediately after the drinks would actually compound the problem, because the citric acid in the drink softens tooth enamel, leaving it vulnerable to abrasive brushing.

The obsession with routine and dislike for new experiences common in children with a certain type of autism may be related to low levels of a stress hormone.

Researchers found that children with Asperger syndrome do not experience the normal twofold increase of cortisol upon waking up. Levels of the hormone in their bodies still decrease throughout the day, however, just as they do in those without the syndrome.

Your body produces cortisol during stressful situations. Cortisol increases blood pressure and blood sugar levels to signal the body's need to adapt to changes occurring around it. The increase shortly after waking may help jump-start the brain for the day ahead.

The study results suggests that children with Asperger syndrome may not adjust normally to the challenge of a new environment on waking, which could affect the way they subsequently engage with the world around them.

Believe it or not, looking on the bright side of things can be good for your career and your mental health. Research shows that an attitude of gratitude in trying times can not only help you keep your job, but get you the job you want.

The most common responses to economic problems are panic, fear, anger, distrust, and even hostility. But a study of the characteristics of recession survivors and found that those who avoided being cut were cheerful, likable, generous contributors -- and not necessarily the most skilled and proficient.

Corporate leaders are likely now placing more value on workers who add positive energy to the atmosphere beyond increasing sales and visibility. That means that those who are grouchy and unpleasant can end up on the layoff list, along with the person who never says anything and flies under the radar.

From Lawn to Lunch

To convert your lawn to a lunch box, remove turf in long, 18-inch strips. Cut the edges of each strip with a sharp-bladed edging tool. While one person rolls up the grass like a jellyroll, another slices through grass roots with the edging tool. Remove about an inch of rooty soil with the top growth. When the roll gets heavy, slice it off and load it in a wheelbarrow.

Compost the strips by layering green sides together, then brown sides together, ending brown-side-up. Cover the stack with soil and mulch (straw, chopped leaves, or shredded bark) and let it stand for 10-12 months.

Make beds 10 to 20 feet long and six to eight feet wide, so you can reach the center from each side. Mulch three to four-foot wide paths between beds to accommodate a wheelbarrow. Now fork over the soil strips and remove as many roots as possible. Aerate beds with a garden fork, sinking it as evenly and deeply as possible. Spread on two or three inches of compost, then set plants about six inches apart, in staggered rows. Top with a mulch containing corn gluten, a high-nitrogen protein that prevents weed seeds from germinating.

Eat Your Vegetables

The USDA attributes 14 percent of all deaths in the U.S. to poor diets and/or sedentary lifestyles. You can improve your health and the health of the planet by following food columnist Michael Pollan’s simple rule: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Party with Your Preserves

Ten quarts of pumpkin puree in the pantry, and not a jar of tomato sauce left? Throw a canning swap party. Here are some tips and recommendations from foodroutes.org:

Gauge interest with your friends early on. Then remind them throughout the planting, growing, and harvesting season to set aside extras for canning and swapping.

Try new recipes on your swappers. Bust out that crazy 5-alarm salsa verde recipe you’ve always been scared to try. Make sure to can extra so you can pop a jar open for samples.

Not everything at the canning swap party has to be pressure-canned or boiled in a hot water bath. Dried items, homemade baked goods, candies, and homebrewed beer are all eligible. You’ll be amazed by what can be preserved from the season’s bounty

Glean Those Fields Clean

A lot of perfectly good food is left to rot in farm fields and under fruit and nut trees. With a bit of work, you can gather a group to “glean” this free food, providing fresh, nutritious food to your community.

To glean in your area, talk to farmers, gardeners, and orchard owners. Explain your purpose, share a copy of federal “Good Samaritan” law, which protects them from liability, and ask for written permission to glean.

Family, friends, students, and members of your faith community are potential volunteers. You can also put a notice on craigslist, bulletin boards, at farmers markets, or in the local paper. Contact food banks, shelters, and other facilities to check on their needs, and to arrange delivery times.

On gleaning day, bring collection baskets and buckets, snacks, water, and other necessities that will ensure a successful expedition. As the day ends, gather your freshly harvested food, thank the landowner, distribute something to each gleaner, and leave the land in better condition than you found it.

Shop Outside of Supermarkets

Local foods are not nearly as well-advertised or visible as chain supermarket foods, so even those who want to give locally harvested food a try may not know where to get it. Consider what types of agriculture are natural to your environment. Does your area have a history of blueberry farming or cod fishing? Are there traditional foods that have been neglected in the fast-food age?

Talk to old timers, ask around at farmers markets, look for road-side food stands and U-pick places. Watch for hand-painted signs. You may find a wide variety of freshly harvested foods and get to know new communities and regional traditions at the same time.

Visit localharvest.org, sustainabletable.org, and eatwellguide.org to find sources of affordable and environmentally friendly food.

Start a Community Garden

Call a meeting (or better yet, a potluck) to decide what kind of garden you want, what locations might work, and how to manage plots. Identify possible sites. Look for land that gets plenty of sunlight, has a water source, is convenient to get to, and is free of soil contamination. You could consider combining back yards if several neighbors are involved.

Identify the owner of the land and negotiate a lease long enough to make it worth building the soil and the community involvement. Invite immediate neighbors to join.

Test the soil for nutrient levels and contaminants. Clean the site, mark plots with gardeners’ names, and, if possible, include on-site storage for tools and equipment. Also designate a spot for compost.

For more ideas, including sample bylaws and insurance policies, go to communitygarden.org.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

As unemployment rises, more people are wondering how they will put food on the table. How can you boost food security at home:

• Skip the so-called convenience foods; processed foods almost always cost more for what you get
• Form a buying club to get healthy food in bulk at discount prices
• Buy in season, or harvest and preserve it yourself
• Study (and/or teach) the art of cooking and preserving tasty, nutritious food on a budget

And in your community:

• Contribute something from every shopping trip to local food banks
• Plant a row for the hungry and donate the produce to a shelter, day care center, neighbor, or food bank

Share Your Table

The best antidote to fast-food culture is as close as your table. Invite friends and a few strangers to a local-foods potluck. In good weather, eat outside. Share an evening of conversation and enjoy the good life.

Dr. John Cannell, noted vitamin D expert, recently received a great letter from a reader.  I thought I’d share it with you, along with his introduction:

“I want to pass a reader's letter along (with her permission) as many of you may know a couple who cannot conceive and know the heartbreak that brings to childless couples.  While I know of no direct evidence this is true, why should childless couples be Vitamin D deficient?  Both the man and the woman should take 5,000 IU a day.”

John Cannell, MD

Vitamin D Council

“Dear Dr. Cannell,

“I am writing to thank YOU for doing what is important work. I am an RN, BSN, work in the area of fertility in collaboration with an OB/GYN and others. I have studied the research on vitamin D for the past 2 years and came across your site. You can only imagine what treating vitamin D deficiency does for fertility. I see there are no large studies on this in existence anywhere. I have developed protocols based on current research. They are used by the OB/GYN I work with as well, and it's nothing short of amazing. (I guess we do not need a large study to prove what we are seeing, it is across the board success) Everyone of our women have conceived that previously had difficulty. One was infertile for 10 years, another for 3 years, and one had no cycles for three years, they all returned to full fertility within 6 weeks.

“An understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of fertility disorders has led to the development of my protocols that include, Vit. D, diet and lifestyle. All key components. I watched too many women over the years with fertility disorders of every kind, go on to develop breast, uterine and ovarian cancers. What was the link? Well now we know and can do something about it.

“Thank you for all your work and helping educate people on the need for vitamin D in all of this.”

Darcy Hemstad, RN, BSN

Fertility Educator

When Dr. Jonathan Leo told editors of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) about undisclosed financial ties between a researcher and a drug company, all he wanted was prompt, public disclosure. A study published in JAMA reported that stroke patients who took the drug Lexapro were less likely to become depressed -- but the author, Dr. Robert G. Robinson, did not disclose speaking fees from Forest Laboratories, which makes Lexapro.

By the time a correction ran -- five months later -- Dr. Leo had run out of patience. He posted an essay about his concerns on the Web site of the British Medical Journal. JAMA rebuked him for going public and called his dean to demand a retraction. Now the American Medical Association has asked an oversight committee to look into the issue.

In an editorial, JAMA said its confidentiality policy banned anyone who made charges about undisclosed conflicts of interest from publicizing these concerns before the journal completed its own investigation.

The world is on the cusp of an explosion of drug-resistant tuberculosis cases. Patients could inundate hospitals and leave physicians fighting a nearly untreatable malady with little help from modern drugs.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the director-general of the World Health Organization, urged health officials from 27 countries at a three-day forum on drug-resistant TB to recognize the warning signs of what looms ahead. She argued that traditional drugs are useless against some strains of tuberculosis and health-care costs for treating those strains could skyrocket.

“This is a situation set to spiral out of control,” warned Chan. “Call it what you may: a time bomb or a powder keg. Any way you look at it, this is a potentially explosive situation.”

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that attacks the lungs and can also affect other organs. If untreated, a person with TB can infect 10 to 15 other people in a year. Virulent forms of tuberculosis are on the rise, fueled by improper use of drugs and poorly managed treatment regimes.

A new theory about sleep's benefits has gotten a boost from a study on fruit flies. Researchers found evidence that sleep, already recognized as a promoter of long-term memories, also helps clear room in the brain for new learning.

The scientists looked at whether synapses, or junctures where nerve cells communicate with each other, are modified by sleep. Neurologists believe creation of new synapses is one key way the brain encodes memories and learning, but this cannot continue without limit -- which may be where sleep comes in.

Your brain can't indefinitely add synapses, if only because of the finite spatial constraints of your skull. But scientists were able to track the creation of new synapses in fruit flies during learning experiences, and found that sleep pushed that number back down.

According to one theory, less important connections are trimmed back during sleep, while connections encoding important memories are maintained.

Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid may reduce the frequency, severity and disability of migraines, according to new research. Daily vitamin supplements were found to produce a two-fold reduction in migraine disability.

About 12 to 15 percent of people suffer from migraines, with twice as many women as men affected. The headaches are sometimes preceded by flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms or legs, or anxiety. Suffers generally experience a pounding sensation in one side of the head and many undergo nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and noise. The symptoms are often severe and debilitating.

Scientists recruited 52 people diagnosed with migraine. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either vitamin supplements or a placebo for six months. The supplements were associated with a reduction in the prevalence of migraine disability from 60 percent at the start of the study to 30 percent after 6 months. No reduction was observed in the placebo group.

Reductions in the frequency of the headache and the severity of the pain were also observed in people in the B vitamin group, while no such changes were observed in the placebo group.

The omega-3 fat docosahexanoic acid, or DHA, reduced the size of tumors in mice and made a chemotherapy drug more potent while limiting its harmful effects.

The findings add to evidence showing a range of health benefits from eating omega-3 fats.

Researchers looked at how DHA affected solid tumors growing in mice, and how well it interacted with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. At the molecular level, DHA reduces the accumulation of white blood cells, systemic inflammation, and a harmful condition marked by decreased antioxidant levels -- all of which have been linked to tumor growth.

Their experiment also showed that the fatty acid reduced toxicity and injury to kidney tissue caused by the chemotherapy drug.

The obsession with routine and dislike for new experiences common in children with a certain type of autism may be related to low levels of a stress hormone.

Researchers found that children with Asperger syndrome do not experience the normal twofold increase of cortisol upon waking up. Levels of the hormone in their bodies still decrease throughout the day, however, just as they do in those without the syndrome.

Your body produces cortisol during stressful situations. Cortisol increases blood pressure and blood sugar levels to signal the body's need to adapt to changes occurring around it. The increase shortly after waking may help jump-start the brain for the day ahead.

The study results suggests that children with Asperger syndrome may not adjust normally to the challenge of a new environment on waking, which could affect the way they subsequently engage with the world around them.

Researchers are reporting that a combination of proteins in the saliva of the black fly help this blood-sucking pest spread parasites that cause "river blindness," a devastating eye-disease. A better understanding of these proteins could lead to treatments for river blindness and other diseases spread by biting insects.

River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, affects more than 17 million people worldwide, particularly in rural Africa. 

The saliva of adult female black flies contains substances that mute the human body's natural defenses. This chemical cocktail makes the body more vulnerable to disease. Researchers collected salivary glands from hundreds of adult female black flies and identified 72 different proteins, including several new to science.

An alarming new study finds that nearly 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese. This suggests that, overall, more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese.

The rate is even higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Obesity also occurs at a high rate among Hispanic and black youngsters.

The study was an analysis of nationally representative height and weight data on more than 8,500 preschoolers born in 2001. Almost 13 percent of Asian children were obese, along with 16 percent of whites, almost 21 percent of blacks, 22 percent of Hispanics, and 31 percent of American Indians.

Dental experts placed teeth in sports drinks and in water to compare the effects, and they found that the sports drinks caused corrosion that could result in severe tooth damage if left untreated.

The researchers cut calves' teeth in half and immersed each half in either a sports drink or water. They compared the results after 75 to 90 minutes. The erosion on the half placed in the sports drink was clearly visible -- dozens of tiny holes appeared. There was no damage on the half which was immersed in water.

Brushing teeth immediately after the drinks would actually compound the problem, because the citric acid in the drink softens tooth enamel, leaving it vulnerable to abrasive brushing.

Advertising claims stating that Coca-cola will not make children fat or rot their teeth have landed the company in trouble with Australia's consumer watchdog, which has ordered the soft drink company to correct its advertising.

Coca-Cola ran advertising titled "Motherhood & Myth-Busting," which claimed that Coke was "kiddy-safe." The full-page print ads also argued that Coke was not packed with large amounts of caffeine.

Coca-cola has agreed to publish corrective advertisements in major newspapers in every major Australian city, as well as on the company's own website. The company was ordered to include the correct levels of caffeine for Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero.

According to Haley Curtis Stevens, spokesperson for the International Formula Council which represents the infant formula industry, the rocket fuel chemical perchlorate, recently proven to contaminate powdered baby formula, is ’safe’.

The CDC report that revealed the contamination contained no information at all on the potential effects of consuming rocket fueled baby formula, other than to say levels of the chemical might exceed the limit considered safe for adults if it is mixed with water that also contains perchlorate. However, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted recent tests public water supply systems, approximately 160 of them contained perchlorate in detectable levels.

The CDC study merely identified the presence of perchlorate in an assortment of powdered baby formulas that it did not mention by name.

In an explosive interview on Bill Moyers Journal, William K. Black, a professor of economics and law, alleged that American banks and credit agencies conspired to create a system in which risky loans could receive AAA ratings and zero oversight, amounting to a massive “fraud” at the center of U.S. finance.

What’s more, said Black, Timothy Geithner, President Barack Obama’s Secretary of the Treasury, is currently engaged in a cover-up to keep the truth of America’s financial insolvency from its citizens.

A single bank, IndyMac, lost more money than the entire Savings and Loan Crisis. The difference between now and then, says Black, is a drastic reduction in regulation and oversight. That financial calamity was brought about not by mishap or accident, but following after a concerted effort to undermine and remove all regulations, allowing a creditor free-for-all that hinged on fraudulent risk ratings for bad loans.

A recent New York Times and CBS News Poll shows a surprising increase in the belief that the economy is rosy and turning around. Obviously most of them have not seen this PBS video.  I encourage you to view it so you won;t be fooled.  This is one of the most enlightening videos on what the banks have done that I have ever seen. It is absolutely extraordinary.

To see the full interview, click the PBS link below.

Growing up with at least one girl in the family makes people more able to cope with their problems. The researchers believed that daughters and sisters tie loved ones closer together and encourage them to communicate their emotions more effectively.

According to Professor Tony Cassidy, who carried out the study with other researchers, "Sisters appear to encourage more open communication and cohesion in families. However, brothers seem to have the alternative effect. Emotional expression is fundamental to good psychological health and having sisters promotes this in families."

Girls who had sisters also tended to be more independent and achievement-oriented.

The study questioned close to 600 young adults about the make-up of their families and their emotional well-being.

The U.S. FDA has ordered 14 drug makers to stop using “misleading” ads on Internet search engines. The agency faulted the companies for failing to identify product names and side effects in sponsored search results.

Companies and interest groups pay search engine operators like Google to post links to their Web sites in a sidebar after someone types in a related search term. With drug advertisements, the links usually include a headline and blurb about the relevant medical condition or product.

The companies receiving letters were Bayer, Biogen Idec, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cephalon, Eli Lilly, Forest Laboratories, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi-Aventis.

In small amounts, dark chocolate has many benefits:  it can help keep your heart healthy and even provide some anti-cancer benefits. Now scientists say it may even help you with math.

In a new study, participants given large amounts of flavanols, which are compounds found in chocolate, did better when asked to count backwards in groups of three from a random number between 800 and 999. Flavanols increase blood flow to the brain, according to researchers.

However, when the participants were asked to count backwards by sevens, the chocolate didn't help -- apparently that's a more complex task that uses a different part of the brain.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, are sold with promises of energy savings that have prompted the federal government to dictate their use. However, consumers of the new technology are finding the product doesn't always live up to the promise. They have found cause for complaint in both faulty bulbs and unexpected side-effects, including problems with pets and serious safety concerns.

Tests on CFLs have shown that 5 of 29 models failed to meet promised the lifespan, luminosity and on-off cycling. And installing the bulbs in some places, such as enclosed light fixtures, where heat is likely to build up, can significantly shorten their longevity.

A number of consumers are also complaining that their pets react adversely to the new bulbs. People have complained about dogs barking at the ceiling and growing agitated in rooms that use CFLs. Some believe the bulbs produces an ultrasonic noise that disturbs animals.

What’s more, compact fluorescent light bulbs contain the poisonous liquid metal mercury. A study released last year shows the level of mercury vapor released from broken bulbs skyrockets past accepted safety levels. Breaking a single compact fluorescent bulb on the floor can spike mercury vapor levels in a room -- particularly at a child's height -- to over 300 times the EPA's standard accepted safety level.

With fuel escalating to historically high prices, many people are looking for ways to reduce their monthly expenditures on gasoline. One popular idea is that a device could be made which uses the electricity from a car's battery to electrolyze water in an onboard cell, and then burns the resultant hydrogen-oxygen mix in the engine.

In theory, the burning hydrogen provides extra energy, reducing the amount of gasoline you need to move. There are dozens of websites touting such devices, guaranteeing anywhere from 15 percent to 300 percent improvement in fuel economy.

There’s only one problem:  it won’t work.  It takes more energy than you get back to make the hydrogen/oxygen mix. Basically, more chemical energy from the gasoline you're burning in the engine is needed to spin the alternator to make the electricity -- far more than will be generated by the HHO. In fact, it's not even close.  Multiply all the inefficiencies in the system and you only get a few percent of the energy back, certainly not the over-100-percent promised by these systems.

But some of the more savvy HHO proponents have altered their claims as this fact becomes more widespread. They now claim that the extra fuel economy actually comes from hydrogen's ability to facilitate the combustion process, producing more power from the engine with the same amount of gasoline. But this is also nonsense.

by Dr. Mercola

A widespread and silent killer that’s worse for your health than alcohol, nicotine and many drugs is likely lurking in your kitchen cabinets right now.[1] “It” is monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that’s known widely as an addition to Chinese food, but that’s actually added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants.

MSG is one of the worst  food additives on the market and is used in canned soups, crackers, meats, salad dressings, frozen dinners and  much more. It’s found in your local supermarket and restaurants, in your child’s school cafeteria and, amazingly, even in baby food and infant formula.

MSG is moore than just a seasoning like salt and pepper, it actually enhances the flavors of foods, making processed meats and frozen dinners taste fresher and smell better, salad dressings more tasty, and canned foods less tinny.

But while MSG’s benefits to the food industry are quite clear, this food additive could be slowly and silently doing major damage to your health.

What Exactly is MSG?

You may remember when the MSG powder called “Accent” first hit the U.S. market. Well, it was many decades prior to this, in 1908, that monosodium glutamate was invented. The inventor was Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese man who identified the natural flavor enhancing substance of seaweed.

Taking a hint from this substance, they were able to create the man-made additive MSG, and he and a partner went on to form Ajinomoto, which is now the world’s largest producer of MSG (and interestingly also a drug manufacturer).[2]

Chemically speaking, MSG is approximately 78 percent free glutamic acid, 21 percent sodium, and up to 1 percent contaminants.[3]

It’s a misconception that MSG is a flavor or “meat tenderizer.” In reality, MSG has very little taste at all, yet when you eat MSG, you think the food you’re eating has more protein and tastes better. It does this by tricking your tongue, using a little-known fifth basic taste: umami.

Umami is the taste of glutamate, which is a savory flavor found in many Japanese foods, bacon and also in the toxic food additive MSG. It is because of umami that foods with MSG taste heartier, more robust and generally better to a lot of people than foods without it.

The ingredient didn’t become widespread in the United States until after World War II, when the U.S. military realized Japanese rations were much tastier than the U.S. versions because of MSG.

In 1959, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeled MSG as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS), and it has remained that way ever since. Yet, it was a telling sign when just 10 years later a condition known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” entered the medical literature, describing the numerous side effects, from numbness to heart palpitations, that people experienced after eating MSG.

Today that syndrome is more appropriately called “MSG Symptom Complex,” which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identifies as "short-term reactions" to MSG. More on those “reactions” to come.

Why MSG is so Dangerous

One of the best overviews of the very real dangers of MSG comes from Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills.” In it he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees -- and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and more.

Part of the problem also is that free glutamic acid is the same neurotransmitter that your brain, nervous system, eyes, pancreas and other organs use to initiate certain processes in your body.[4] Even the FDA states:

“Studies have shown that the body uses glutamate, an amino acid, as a nerve impulse transmitter in the brain and that there are glutamate-responsive tissues in other parts of the body, as well.

Abnormal function of glutamate receptors has been linked with certain neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's chorea. Injections of glutamate in laboratory animals have resulted in damage to nerve cells in the brain.”[5]

Although the FDA continues to claim that consuming MSG in food does not cause these ill effects, many other experts say otherwise.

According to Dr. Blaylock, numerous glutamate receptors have been found both within your heart's electrical conduction system and the heart muscle itself. This can be damaging to your heart, and may even explain the sudden deaths sometimes seen among young athletes.

He says:

“When an excess of food-borne excitotoxins, such as MSG, hydrolyzed protein soy protein isolate and concentrate, natural flavoring, sodium caseinate and aspartate from aspartame, are consumed, these glutamate receptors are over-stimulated, producing cardiac arrhythmias.

When magnesium stores are low, as we see in athletes, the glutamate receptors are so sensitive that even low levels of these excitotoxins can result in cardiac arrhythmias and death.”[6]

Many other adverse effects have also been linked to regular consumption of MSG, including:

• Obesity
• Eye damage
• Headaches
• Fatigue and disorientation
• Depression

Further, even the FDA admits that “short-term reactions” known as MSG Symptom Complex can occur in certain groups of people, namely those who have eaten “large doses” of MSG or those who have asthma.[7]

According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex can involve symptoms such as:

• Numbness
• Burning sensation
• Tingling
• Facial pressure or tightness
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing
• Headache
• Nausea
• Rapid heartbeat
• Drowsiness
• Weakness

No one knows for sure just how many people may be “sensitive” to MSG, but studies from the 1970s suggested that 25 percent to 30 percent of the U.S. population was intolerant of MSG -- at levels then found in food. Since the use of MSG has expanded dramatically since that time, it’s been estimated that up to 40 percent of the population may be impacted.[8]

How to Determine if MSG is in Your Food

Food manufacturers are not stupid, and they’ve caught on to the fact that people like you want to avoid eating this nasty food additive. As a result, do you think they responded by removing MSG from their products? Well, a few may have, but most of them just tried to “clean” their labels. In other words, they tried to hide the fact that MSG is an ingredient.

How do they do this? By using names that you would never associate with MSG.

You see, it’s required by the FDA that food manufacturers list the ingredient “monosodium glutamate” on food labels, but they do not have to label ingredients that contain free glutamic acid, even though it’s the main component of MSG.

There are over 40 labeled ingredients that contain glutamic acid,[9] but you’d never know it just from their names alone. Further, in some foods glutamic acid is formed during processing and, again, food labels give you no way of knowing for sure. 

Tips for Keeping MSG Out of Your Diet

In general, if a food is processed you can assume it contains MSG (or one of its pseudo-ingredients). So if you stick to a whole, fresh foods diet, you can pretty much guarantee that you’ll avoid this toxin.

The other place where you’ll need to watch out for MSG is in restaurants. You can ask your server which menu items are MSG-free, and request that no MSG be added to your meal, but of course the only place where you can be entirely sure of what’s added to your food is in your own kitchen.

To be on the safe side, you should also know what ingredients to watch out for on packaged foods. Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:[10]

So if you do eat processed foods, please remember to be on the lookout for these many hidden names for MSG.

Choosing to be MSG-Free

Making a decision to avoid MSG in your diet as much as possible is a wise choice for nearly everyone. Admittedly, it does take a bit more planning and time in the kitchen to prepare food at home, using fresh, locally grown ingredients. But knowing that your food is pure and free of toxic additives like MSG will make it well worth it.

Plus, choosing whole foods will ultimately give you better flavor and more health value than any MSG-laden processed food you could buy at your supermarket.