Excitotoxins

Are you consuming excitotoxins? These substances are found in many of the processed and packaged foods and drinks people consume every day. Some of the most common ingredients which are excitotoxins are aspartame and MSG or monosodium glutamate. According to Dr. Russell L. Blaylock M.D. (a neurosurgeon)- on a fundamental level, excitotoxins increase the risk of cancer growth and metastastis. Excitotoxins belong to a family of substances known as glutamates - which are some of the most plentiful amino acids found in the brain.

Glutamates are a naturally occurring substance in the body, but when you introduce them into the body from outside sources, such as what you will find in processed foods, you are just asking for trouble. The blood-brain barrier is not meant to deal with such high levels of glutamate in the body. "So, when you're consuming MSG, the level of glutamate in the blood can rise as high as 20-fold. You get very high glutamate levels in the blood after eating a meal containing MSG. You're stimulating all of the glutamate receptors." Dr. Blaylock said. Because too many glutamates cause the body to have to deal with much higher levels of glutamates than it would ever naturally be accustomed to, what has been created is an upset in the chemical balance that is a ripe environment for disease and illness to develop.

Where will you find excitotoxins? In millions of products! Here is a short list: breads, cereals, salad dressings, crackers, soy products, soda pop, "juices", "energy drinks", sauce mixes, cocoa mixes, drink mixes, desserts, candies, pop tarts, "fruit" snacks, "food" bars, and many others.

Aspartame (also known chemically as aspartate) is the substance found in many beverages and sweeteners used as an alternative to sugar. Both glutamate and aspartate are considered major excitatory transmitters, and aspartate has been found to activate neurons in place of glutamate (from James South, MA, Excitotoxins, The Ultimate Brainslayer). Besides causing sugar cravings and tumors, aspartate may also be responsible for major brain damage.

MSG has actually been found to cause IBS, diarrhea, and may even explain the rise in incidences of sudden cardiac death. In fact, research shows that MSG is a major source of cardiac irritability, and people with these disorders should entirely avoid anything with MSG in it or greatly promote their risk of sudden death. Studies show that animals exposed to MSG prefer carbohydrate and sugar-laden foods over the protein rich variety.

Soy products have been found to have some of the highest glutamate levels of any processed foods. If you read soy labels, you will find in many instances that they contain hydrolyzed matter (hydrolyzed soy protein is the common wording used), and when something is hydrolyzed, it releases glutamate. Many people who consume soy complain of migraine headaches. When they stop eating soy, headaches go away. We've now been shown that not only are soy products dangerous to endocrine and reproductive systems, but also to the nervous system as well.

So Beware! Even if a packaged item reads, "100% all natural ingredients", you could still be purchasing a food containing glutamates. Food labels are very deceptive and are designed to sell products. Remember, if something is processed, in all likelihood it will be responsible for causing health problems.

For more information, read the latest article on Agriculture Society. Also, check out these other resources:

Applied Health Journal

Dr. Risley (chiropractic doctor)

Complete Wellness Center

Suggested reading: Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills - Dr. Russell L. Blaylock.