Groundbreaking Study Finds Turmeric Extract Superior to Prozac for Depression

July 20, 2013 |By Dylan Charles 

Sayer Ji, GreenMedInfo
Waking Times
A new study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research has confirmed for the first time in a randomized, controlled clinical trial that the primary polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin is both safe and effective in treating serious states of depression.[1]
The research was performed at the Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India, and involved patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The objective of the trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of curcumin with fluoxetine (Prozac) in 60 patients diagnosed with MDD. Subjects were randomized to receive either a six week treatment with fluoxetine (20 mg) and curcumin (1000 mg) individually or their combination.
Success of the treatment was evaluated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D₁₇). The results were reported as follows:

We observed that curcumin was well tolerated by all the patients. The proportion of responders as measured by the HAM-D₁₇ scale was higher in the combination group (77.8%) than in the fluoxetine [Prozac] (64.7%) and the curcumin (62.5%) groups; however, these data were not statistically significant (P = 0.58). Interestingly, the mean change in HAM-D₁₇ score at the end of six weeks was comparable in all three groups (P = 0.77). This study provides first clinical evidence that curcumin may be used as an effective and safe modality for treatment in patients with MDD without concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders. [emphasis added]

Discussion

If the results of this relatively small trial are applicable to a wider population, this is truly groundbreaking news. There was already a rather sizable body of preclinical research indicating that curcumin is an effective antidepressant in the animal model,[2] but this was not enough to sway most physicians who practice so-called “evidence based medicine” into actually suggesting it to patients as a Prozac or antidepressant alternative. And this is understandable, as the lack of solid human clinical evidence supporting the use of a natural substance is no small matter from a legal-regulatory perspective. Unless a substance has passed through the approximately 800 million dollar financial gauntlet of phase I, II, and III clinical trials required to apply for FDA drug approval, and has actually received that approval, there is scant legal protection for those who use natural medicines to prevent or treat disease and who might face a lawsuit, frivolous or genuine, as a result of a claim of injury.

Curcumin, of course, is extremely safe, with a 2010 phase I safety study finding that oral doses as high as 8 grams a day were well tolerated.[3] Fluoxetine, on the other hand, is highly controversial due to its well-known toxicity, and its laundry list of side effects, which include suicidal ideation (not a good side effect for someone already depressed!).
Also, even though it would appear the study found that curcumin and Prozac were equivalent in effectiveness, the fact that curcumin comes “…without concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders,” clearly proves its superiority over Prozac. There are also a wide range of additional side benefits that come with using curcumin, including its powerful neuroprotective properties. You will find no less than 109 studies on our database documenting curcumin’s ability to protect, and in some cases restore brain function. [see research here: curcumin's neuroprotective properties]
Studies like this are greatly encouraging as they confirm the timeless wisdom of plant, mineral and nutrient-based medical interventions which were once the norm before pharmaceutical medicine, only recently, attempted to dominate the spectrum of alternatives available to the public.
Some final details that may be of assistance are: 1) curcumin is approximately 3-4% of the whole root powder by weight. 2) curcumin is poorly bioavailable, as it is alcohol and not water or fat soluble, so must be taken in higher quantities, or in combination with either carrier molecules such as the phospholipid phosphatidyl choline or bioavailability enhancers such as black pepper, or the primary compound responsible for increased absorption in black pepper: piperine.
For additional information on the topics covered here read: 600 Reasons Turmeric May Be The World’s Most Important Herb

About the Author

Sayer Ji is an author, researcher, lecturer, and advisory board member of the National Health Federation.
He founded Greenmedinfo.com in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. It is internationally recognized as the largest and most widely referenced health resource of its kind.
Resources:

[1] Jayesh Sanmukhani, Vimal Satodia, Jaladhi Trivedi, Tejas Patel, Deepak Tiwari, Bharat Panchal, Ajay Goel, Chandra Bhanu Tripathi. Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Phytother Res. 2013 Jul 6. Epub 2013 Jul 6. PMID:23832433

[2] GreenMedInfo.com, Animal Research on Curcumin’s Anti-depressive Properties

[3] Masashi Kanai, Kenichi Yoshimura, Masanori Asada, Atsushi Imaizumi, Chihiro Suzuki, Shigemi Matsumoto, Takafumi Nishimura, Yukiko Mori, Toshihiko Masui, Yoshiya Kawaguchi, Kazuhiro Yanagihara, Shujiro Yazumi, Tsutomu Chiba, Sushovan Guha, Bharat B Aggarwal. A phase I/II study of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus curcumin for patients with gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2010 Sep 22. Epub 2010 Sep 22. PMID:20859741

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of WakingTimes or its staff.
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14 Steps to Cut Out Processed Food

July 20, 2013 |By Anna Hunt | 

Lisa Leake, Guest
Waking Times
We took our own pledge for 100 days in part to convince others that they could follow our same “real food” rules for only 10 days. We realize not everyone is keen on the idea of going “cold turkey” with the 10 Days of Real Food pledge though, which is why we also developed 14 weeks of mini-pledges. If taking baby steps is more your speed then check out the weekly “real food” challenges detailed below.
Earlier this year we finished up these mini-pledges with our readers as a group, but just because we’re no longer taking these pledges together doesn’t mean people can’t do them on their own. If you’re interested in giving it a shot you could start at the beginning or go in your own preferred order. You could also build each week on top of the next or simply tackle one weekly challenge at a time. Our hope is if you take these mini-pledges (or the 10-day pledge) that you’ll gain a new perspective from the experience and make at least some positive long-term changes as a result. No matter what though…these pledges will get you to start reading ingredient labels (if you don’t already)!

14 Weeks of “Real Food” Mini-Pledges

• Week 1: Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal – Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal.
• Week 2: “Real” beverages – Beverages will be limited to coffee, tea, water, and milk (only naturally sweetened with a little honey or 100% pure maple syrup). One cup of juice will be allowed throughout the week, and wine (preferably red) will be allowed in moderation (an average of one drink per day).

• Week 3: Meat – All meat consumed this week will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). Meat consumption will also be limited to 3 – 4 servings this week, and when it is eaten meat will not be presented as the “focal point” of the meal. Instead meat will be treated as a side item or simply used to help flavor a dish.
• Week 4: No fast food or deep-fried foods – No fast food or any foods that have been deep-fried in oil.
• Week 5: Try two new whole foods – Try a minimum of two new whole foods that you’ve never had before.
• Week 6: No low-fat, lite or nonfat food products – Do not eat any food products that are labeled as “low-fat,” “lite,” “light,” “reduced fat,” or “nonfat.”
• Week 7: 100% Whole grain – All grains consumed must be 100% whole-grain.
• Week 8: Stop eating when you feel full – Listen to your internal cues and stop eating when you feel full.
• Week 9: No refined sweeteners – No refined or artificial sweeteners including (but not limited to): white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice. Foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup.
• Week 10: No refined oils – No refined or hydrogenated oils including (but not limited to): vegetable oil, organic vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, organic canola oil, margarine, and grape seed oil.
• Week 11: Eat local foods – Eat at least 1 locally grown or raised food at each meal. This includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, nuts, meats, and sweeteners like honey.
• Week 12: No sweeteners – Avoid all added sweeteners including, but not limited to: white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, date sugar, maple sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice.
• Week 13: Nothing artificial – Avoid all artificial ingredients including, but not limited to: sweeteners, flavors and colors.
• Week 14: No more than 5-indgredients – Avoid any and all packaged food products that contain more than five ingredients no matter what ingredients

Know Where Your Food Comes From

Whenever possible, please support local growers by shopping at a farmers market! Getting to know the people that actually grow your food is a great experience and you’ll be supporting your local community at the same time.
This article was originally featured at Eat Local Grown.

About the Author

Lisa Leake is a wife, mother, foodie, and blogger who chronicles her family’s journey on 100daysofrealfood.com as they seek out the real food in our processed food world. Projects include a 100-day pledge to avoid all processed foods and refined ingredients as well as another 100-day pledge on a food stamp budget. Leake’s award-winning blog is receiving national attention from big names like Rachael Ray, Jamie Oliver, and Yahoo! and has also been turned into a nationally syndicated newspaper column.

5 Reasons Why More Americans Don’t Protest Against The System

July 17, 2013 | By Dylan Charles 

Sigmund Fraud, Staff Writer
Waking Times

Having recently celebrated their nation’s independence on July 4th, Americans were invited to recall the spirit of protest, rebellion, and revolution that marks the popular myth of the birth of the United States of America.

The Declaration of Independence still stands as an important example of how the tolerance of any man can be exceeded by the actions of an over-bearing and intrusive government. Yet, 237 years after the signing of this document, one has to wonder what has happened to the spirit of fearlessness and rugged self-determination that set the American experiment in motion.

As a form of redress of grievances by a people to it’s leadership, protest is as much of a historical part of democracy as voting is. A near-last resort when the populous is bereft of political power, publicly voicing dissent in an organized, peaceful, and constructive manner is a critical and vital sign of life for a society that wishes to be free. Yet, when a ruling elite and political class become too intrusive, parasitic or too dangerous to the population, protest is often a precursor to violence, therefore the outcome of rebellion and protest is never certain and often disastrous. However, the fate of a people without the will to resist the suffrages of an encroaching tyranny is just as foreboding.

While giving credit to the Occupy movement, those who engage in protest at global summits and party conventions, growing national actions like the Tar Sands Blockade and Idle No More, and growing localized activist movements, the nation has no formidable popular mass-movement for dissent. Apparently the American people have little interest in expressing dissatisfaction with the quality of leadership we have in America today.

Why are the American people so permissive of government abuse, intrusion, waste, corruption, cruelty, and stupidity?

Here are 5 reasons reasons why more Americans don’t protest.

1. Protest is Unwelcome in the Matrix

The matrix cannot function properly when people are in the streets speaking truth to power, therefore, protest is an unwanted inconvenience for the economy, the media and the government.

For this, the government is engaged in squashing domestic protest and the media makes every effort to marginalize and ignore popular dissent. Increasingly, protest and civil disobedience are also being viewed as security threats to be met with near-military force. ‘First amendment zones,’ event permits, and laws that equate protest with terrorism all assist in dissuading Americans from participating, while tricks like agent provocateurs, police intimidation, arrest and assault are used to shut protest events down.

The modern American protestor faces regulations, intimidation and physical threats from military crowd control technologies like flash-bang grenades, the LRAD acoustic weapon, pepper sprays, surveillance of all modern types, and even the prospect of microwave pain ray technologies.

All of this already makes protest and dissent seem rather unpalatable to the average American, but, the media further demonizes protest by highlighting and focusing in on any violence that may occur, while downplaying the peaceful moments where intelligent people come together to articulate valid grievances with an out of control system.

The media tarnishes the image of any protest movement to take advantage of the fact that most people are natural followers, not natural leaders, and that most people are watching the protest in relative isolation at home, separated from friends and neighbors. Creating the perception that protests are dangerous events involving un-American, un-patriotic and irresponsible people who are likely to get hurt, helps to prevent popular support on any single issue from reaching critical mass by convincing the average person that it is too complicated and too risky to get involved.

2. Conflict Consciousness – Divided We Fall

Are you a liberal or conservative? Democrat or Republican? Are you on this team, or that team?

It doesn’t matter at all really, but, we’ve been brainwashed into dividing ourselves into an inescapable prison of bi-polarized pigeon-holes.

We blame our neighbors, friends and families for the mismanagement in the world. We blame those different than us, those in different countries, those with different color skin. We trust in authority, those with matching uniform shirts and batman belts, while we distrust and fight amongst each other. We have become culturally programmed to argue, compete, fight, and win for no real purpose. Winning, and being on the winning team has become more valuable than learning, gaining wisdom or uniting.

In this climate, with a social atmosphere so rigidly divided and so pointlessly competitive, any energy for consensus and widespread concerted action is sapped in inter-personal and tribal-like conflict. We are missing great opportunities for compromise, reciprocity, healing and growth. The consciousness of conflict ensures our self-destruction.

3. Higher Priorities… Work and Play

The American Dream of personal freedom and the opportunity for prosperity as a reward for hard work has been transformed in recent decades, influenced by an ongoing sales pitch about what life should be like for the average person. Convenience, ease, comfort, entertainment, excess, escape, work, money, debt. These are the values most available today.

Americans are working harder than ever, if they’re working at all. The economy is in terrible shape and in decline, and the American lifestyle has become so heavily invested in consumerism and debt that the average person is too dependent on continuity of income to risk even a single paycheck. Protesting is at the bottom of the list of things to do on vacation day.

Outside of work, life for most people has become a screen. Television, movies, the internet, work, handheld devices, iPads, Kindle, whatever. A new version of reality has emerged in the delivery of media and the sophistication of entertainment. Our priorities have evolved to put entertainment and escapism at the top of the list, and increasingly less value on honest government, human rights and justice.

Life is also still very good in America for most in the middle class. Food is easy to come by, credit still widely available. Charity, welfare and government assistance in some form are available to most if sought.Drone strikes and IED‘s are not yet to be seen in the homeland.

Commitment to protest and social change requires personal sacrifice. In our social atmosphere of extreme busyness and dumbed-down priorities, participation in social causes is now too risky, too inconvenient, and insufficiently fun. Our natural and historical energies for rebellion and protest are effectively expired in the office, at the bar, or at the movies, or projected onto a character on a screen.

Life has become a hamster wheel of superfluous labor and deliberate distraction.

4. Mindset of Fear, Apathy, and Resignation

Mindset is everything in our quantum-world, and our emotional under current governs how we relate to and participate in the world. Regarding politics, participatory democracy, and protest, the typical American mindset generally falls into one of three categories:

Fear - We are heavily propagandized to approach life from fear-centered consciousness. Life is to be viewed as a threat. America has already become a police state, and is heavily invested in the combination of fear and security. To the average person, the prospect of facing militarized police and possibly being beaten, gassed, dispersed, arrested and perhaps even criminally charged for voicing dissent is certainly an adequate deterrent.

Brutal, violent oppression of dissent works famously well to stop a protest, and for this, people logically fear getting involved.

Apathy - Apathy is another symptom of our cultural decline, and a mindset that keeps most people from participating in civics or protest. Apathy is a nearly-conscious choice to remain ignorant and distracted about something while pursuing the path of least resistance. Apathy seems to be the number one byproduct of our culture of convenience. People don’t care about the quality of our world enough to become involved.

Resignation - Many Americans understand all too well what is happening to constitutional and lawful government and realize that until a much more massive awakening occurs and far more people take interest, there is little to be gained from protesting. This resignation has led many to focus instead on preparing for the worst, including for scenarios like economic collapse and social unrest. Storing food and developing emergency plans is now seen by many as a more productive use of energy than attempting to influence acorrupt political system by participating in politics or protest.

While there are signs that Americans may be slowly waking from the dream-like state that is preventing any unified form of mass protest, it appears that for now, the formerly American qualities of courage, independence and self-determination have been replaced with fear, apathy, and resignation.

5. People Approve of the Status Quo

Americans, by and large, are still happy to enjoy the lifestyle that the status quo delivers, even if it means further forfeitures of privacy and essential human rights. Additionally, the lack of public opposition in mass is also a de facto approval of the political and economic status quo.

‘It is better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission,’ goes the saying, and by not objecting to any scandal or violation, no matter how offensive, the majority of America consents to being governed by this domineering logic.

Whether actively or passively, the majority of America supports any and all actions by our government and the corporate status quo.

Conclusion

America is a wonderful place with a vast and breath-taking landscape and a rich culture of ingenuity and creativity. Americans are interesting and generous people. It is difficult to grasp the contradiction between the beautiful and comfortable aspects of American life and the troublesome developments emerging from our leadership. It not easy to understand the gap between the values extolled in still celebratedDeclaration of Independence and the lack of public will to hold the government accountable to even the simple Bill of Rights.

Why don’t more Americans protest things like government spying, endless wars, the fraudulent banking system, the growing police state, the destruction of the environment, genetically modified foods, the assault on natural health, or even torture?

While the above 5 reasons are merely one person’s observations and generalizations about American culture, the patterns that emerge here are useful in helping to recognize opportunities for our own personal and collective evolution.

Please add any additional you thoughts you may have in the comments section below.

About the Author

Sigmund Fraud is a survivor of modern psychiatry and a dedicated mental activist. He is a staff writer for WakingTimes.com where he pursues the possibility of a massive shift towards a more psychologically aware future for mankind.

This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.

Foods and Products that Always or Often Contain MSG Through Corn Syrup

All Corn Syrup Contains MSG

July 18, 2013 | By Dylan Charles | Reply

Processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is deadly and it’s unlabeled in hundreds of foods. One of the tricks played by the food industry is the deceptive insertion of “no MSG added” on food labels. While there may be no “extra” MSG added, there is sufficient amounts through processing and hidden within many ingredients which cause havoc to our health. One those ingredients found in many foods is corn syrup.Natasha Longo, Prevent Disease
Waking Times

What is MSG?

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is not a nutrient, vitamin, or mineral and has no health benefits. The part of MSG that negatively affects the human body is the “glutamate”, not the sodium. The breakdown of MSG typically consists of 78% glutamate, 12% sodium, and about 10% water. Any glutamate added to a processed food is not and can not be considered naturally occurring. Natural glutamate in plants and animals is known as L-glutamic acid.

In contrast, processed free glutamic acid (MSG) contains both L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid, and is also accompanied by pyroglutamic acid and other impurities. The impurities differ according to the starting materials and methods used to produce the glutamic acid (MSG). It is only acid hydrolyzed proteins that contain mono and dichloro propanols (which are carcinogenic), and it is only reaction flavors that contain heterocyclic amines (which are also carcinogenic).

By FDA definition, processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is “naturally occurring,” because the basic ingredients are found in nature. “Naturally occurring” does not mean that a food additive is being used in its natural state. “Naturally occurring” only means that the food additive began with something found in nature. By FDA definition, the ingredient “monosodium glutamate” is natural. So is hydrochloric acid. So is arsenic. “Natural”, especially in our beloved food industry, doesn’t mean “safe.”

Processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is created when protein is either partially or fully broken apart into its constituent amino acids, or glutamic acid is secreted from selected bacteria. A protein can be broken into its constituent amino acids in a number of ways (autolysis, hydrolysis, enzymolysis, and/or fermentation). When a protein is broken down, the amino acid chains in the protein are broken, and individual amino acids are freed. These processes are discussed in some detail in food encyclopedias — wherein articles on glutamic acid and “monosodium glutamate” are generally written by persons who work for Ajinomoto, Co., Inc., the world’s largest producer of the food ingredient “monosodium glutamate.”

It used to be that when any ingredient contained 78%-79% processed free glutamic acid (MSG), and the balance was made up of salt, moisture, and up to 1 per cent impurities, the FDA required that the product be called “monosodium glutamate”, and required that the product be labeled as such. The FDA required that other MSG-containing ingredients be identified by names other than “monosodium glutamate.” Never has the FDA required mention of the fact that an ingredient contains processed free glutamic acid (MSG).

While the glutamic acid in “monosodium glutamate” is generally produced through bacterial fermentation, the glutamic acid in the other MSG-containing ingredients is made through use of chemicals (hydrolysis or autolysis), enzymes (enzymolysis), fermentation, or a complex cooking process wherein reaction flavors are produced from a combination of specific amino acids, reducing sugars, animal or vegetable fats or oils, and optional ingredients including hydrolyzed vegetable protein.

It is now essentially unregulated when it comes to labeling standards. A label may say “yeast extract”, “calcium caseinate”, or “beef flavoring”, but the product still contains varying amounts of “free” glutamic acid. This makes it very difficult for consumers who are trying to avoid it. It is also very dangerous for those who suffer severe reactions to it. Many people who are very sensitive to MSG experience respiratory, neurological, muscular, skin, urological and even cardiac symptoms.

Some of the common ingredients which contain MSG are: Plant Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Textured Protein, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Yeast Extract, Calcium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate, Gelatin, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Carrageenan, Xanthum Gum, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor, Barley Malt, Malt Extract, Soy Protein Isolate, Ultra-pasteurized Soy Sauce, Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Protease Enzymes, Protein Fortified anything, Enzyme Modified anything and Citric Acid.

MSG in Corn Syrup 

All corn syrup contains some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). In producing corn syrup, producers do not take the time nor undertake the expense to remove all proteins. The remaining protein is broken down during production, resulting in processed free glutamic acid. The final product would also contain free aspartic acid, free phenylalanine, and the free form of the other amino acids found in corn protein.

“There is no corn syrup without free glutamic acid present, it doesn’t exist,” said food scientist Mae Geraldine. “It is a byproduct of processing and the expense to remove it would exceed production costs.”

High fructose corn syrup may be worse for an MSG-sensitive person than is plain corn syrup because an enzyme is added to high fructose corn syrup, further breaking down any protein that may be present.

A study published in Genes & Nutrition suggests that eating high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may boost risk of various liver diseases such as adiposity, hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis and liver damage like cirrhosis.

Previous studies show that a variety of dietary components such as fat, sugars, and neonatal treatment with MSG contribute to the development of liver disease. Exposure to HFCS promoted hepatic fibrosis and markers of liver dysfunction

MSG within corn syrup can cause harmful effects on the function of hypothalamus-pituitary-target gland system. It leads to erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa and an increased secretion of hydrochloric acid and an increased body weight.

Cycle of MSG leading to Obesity:

1. MSG is eaten.
2. Cells in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus that produce dopamine and regulate appetite are destroyed.
3. Hypothalamus becomes leptin-resistant
4. Glutamate activates AMPK, which slows metabolism AND desire for physical activity (“lazy mice”).
5. The fat cells release leptin to stop AMPK, but the hypothalamus ignores the signal.
6. Appetite stays high, activity is depressed. Calorie intake goes up, calories expended by metabolism go down, calories expended in activity go down.
7. MSG although it is an amino acid, signals the pancreas to release insulin
8. Insulin drops our blood sugar – causing increased hunger at the same time it packs away excess calories as fat
9. Obesity

ALWAYS Contain MSG

OFTEN Contain MSG

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Glutamate anything Glutamic Acid Hydrolyzed anything Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten Hydrolyzed Pea Protein Plant Protein Textured Protein Autolyzed anything Autolyzed Yeast Extract Autolyzed Plant Protein Yeast Extract Yeast Nutrient Caseinate anything Calcium Caseinate Sodium Caseinate Gelatin Aspartame (any artificial sugar) The next ingredients listed do not contain MSG, but are added to activate MSG already contained in the food product. These two chemicals are very expensive and have no other function. If you find them on the label you can be assured that MSG is present. Disodium Guanylate Disodium Inosinate

Carrageenan (ingredient in Chocolate Milk) Xanthum Gum (ingredient in Salad Dressings) Maltodextrin (ingredient in Splenda) Flavor(s) and Flavoring(s)anything Malt Flavoring Natural Flavor(s) & Flavoring(s)anything beef, pork, chicken, etc Bouillon and Broth anything Barley Malt Malt Extract Soy Sauce Extract Soy Protein Isolate Ultra-pasteurized Soy Sauce Whey Protein Concentrate Soy Protein Concentrate Pectin Soy Protein Whey Protein Isolate Whey Protein Protease Protease Enzymes Protein Fortified anything Enzyme Modified anything Enzymes anything Fermented anything Citric Acid Seasoning(s) (the actual word) Spice(s) (the actual word)

ALWAYS Contain MSG	OFTEN Contain MSG
Ranch Salad Dressing (Most salad dressings are of concern, but Ranch is the worst.) Vegetable Dips All Flavored Chips Sun Chips Doritos Flavored Potato Chips Bouillon (including those that claim MSG Free) Meat and Vegetable Stock and Broth (including those that claim MSG Free) Baby Formulas and Foods	Hair Care Products Hair Shampoo Hair Conditioner Toothpaste Teeth Whitening Agents Fluoride Treatments Teeth Cleaning Pumice at the Dentist Medication Gel Capsules (contains Gelatin) Children’s Cough Syrup

About the Author

Natasha Longo has a master’s degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.

Sources: 
msgmyth.comnih.gov
preventdisease.com

25 Best Ways to Detox From Heavy Metals, Pesticides, Environmental Pollutants, and Metabolic Waste

July 18, 2013 | By Dylan Charles | 10 Replies

Christina Sarich, Staff WriterWaking Times

If you are endlessly tired, irritable, have trouble losing weight, or feel depressed, you might be suffering from the environmental onslaught of toxins being poured into our air, water and soil by greedy corporate monopolies. If you aren’t sure whether you are suffering from toxic overload, you can at least be certain you are not immune to the toxic effects of environmental pollution like oil spills, fracking, chemtrails, nuclear energy (think Fukushima), or even the domestic production of war materials. Even every day items like shampoo and rug cleaners also contain thousands of chemicals that are deadly toxic in higher dosages.

From concern about BPAs to heavy metals, pesticide residues and GMO foods, its time to take an offensive, instead of defensive, view of our health. Here are more than two dozen ways to purify the body from these ill-imagined pollutants:

1.  Support the liver and gallbladder with beetroot. Beets are a valuable source of iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium which all support healthy detoxification and better elimination. They are also full of B3, B6, C, and beta-catoene, important nutrients for supporting the liver and gallbladder in making bile acids which support detox.

2.  Drink more purified water. Water is one of the most vital ways of self-purification on the planet. It helps every single cell get rid of waste and allows us to excrete toxins through our urine and bowels, as well as through our skin via sweat.

3.  Bathe in Kaolin clay or use acalcium montmorillonite clay as they are considered the best for removing pesticides from the body.

4.  Reduce your meat and dairy intake since these animals are often fed on GMO-rich diets.

5.  Consume more pantethine, a biologically active form of the B5 vitamin, which can help open blockages created by pesticide consumption. When we are too clogged with pesticides our bodies cannot naturally detoxify themselves.

6.  Use activated charcoal. It is very safe to consume up to 20-30 grams a day mixed with purified water. Activated charcoal binds to pesticides and other environmental toxins and then ushers them through the intestines to be purged form the body. You can also supplement with molasses after using activated charcoal just to be sure to replace important minerals the charcoal might leech from the body in the process of getting rid of the unwanted toxins.

7.  Eat more citrus. Pectins in citrus are a very powerful detoxifying substance. Citrus naturally remove heavy metals without depleting the body of important trace minerals.

8.  Create an alkaline state in he body by eating more organic fruits and vegetables that support multiple channels of detoxification in the body. They clean the liver, the bowels, the skin, the blood, etc.

9.  Eat more fiber. When we eat fiber, the liver can more easily flush toxins through the digestive system and we take an immense load off an organ that is constantly trying to get rid of toxic substances from the body. High fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, potatoes (including their skin), etc.

10.  Eat more grapefruit containing naringenin, a special flavanoid that helps the liver burn fat instead of storing toxins in our fat cells.

11.  Eating garlic can help boost detoxification since it helps to boost the production of white blood cells, otherwise known as lymphocytes, an important part of the immune system as well.

12.  Eating asparagus can educe the levels of pesticides in the body.

13.  Eating organic, free-range eggs can also help to remove toxins from the body. They also boost energy levels.

14.  Increasing your levels of vitamin C is so good for you, and detoxing the body that it was found this vitamin could help reduce levels of radiation exposure, even in people who were living near Fukushima.

15.  Native Americans have been using sarsaparilla for hundreds of years in teas and tinctures as a way to effectively detox the blood. It also effectively treats liver, kidney and skin conditions.

16.  Exercising and staying active is vital to keeping impurities out of the body. Just 30 minutes to an hour every day brings oxygen rich blood to the liver and kidneys, thus supporting them in detoxifying the body.

17.  Eating brazil nuts, which are full of glutathione, a natural detoxifying substance, can help the body get rid of pesticides and other harmful toxins. Also, full of selenium, Brazil nuts help to create more glutathione. Sometimes called the mother of all antioxidants.

18.  Our skin is one of the biggest organs of detoxification. It covers about 22 square feet and we replace skin cells every single day. Dry brushing is a great way to help support the skin in detoxing the body through sweat, bathing, etc. If our pores are clogged, the skin becomes less effective. Dry brushing also helps encourage lymph flow that helps to flush toxins from the body.

19.  Take Milk Thistle. Sylibum marianum, also known as Milk thistle is a great support for the liver. Long with helping the body detox, this herb has been linked to reduction in certain cancers, reduced diabetes and even reduction digestive disorders.

20.  Consume Essiac Tea, which cleanses the body and also has anti-cancer properties. This tea can help the body rid itself of pesticides used with GMOs, and ground-spraying including permethrin.

21.  Eat your sea vegetables. Algin in seaweeds helps to absorb toxins form the digestive tract (in much the same way that water softener removes hardness from tap water) so they can be eliminated more easily.  They also offer the largest range of vital trace minerals that can help to clean the blood.

22.  Consuming dandelion greens and roots can help to detox the body due to their high levels of antioxidants but also help to support liver decongestion.

23.  Use broccoli sprouts in your salads to ingest important substances that help with detoxification: sulphorophanes, indole-3-carbinol and D-glucarate. Sprouts also contain up to 20 times more sulfurophane than regular, full grown broccoli plants.

24.  Eat flaxseed and flaxseed oil to help detox the body. This super food is full of fiber and Omega 3s, both important substances for detoxification.

25.  Add turmeric to your recipes. This root is full of Curcumin, used often in Ayurvedic Medicine to treat liver and digestive disorders, and a great detoxing agent.

About the Author

Christina Sarich is a musician, yogi, humanitarian and freelance writer who channels many hours of studying Lao Tzu, Paramahansa Yogananda, Rob Brezny,  Miles Davis, and Tom Robbins into interesting tidbits to help you Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga.

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