Me & MSG

In my early 20’s it was discovered, through my family’s recent health problems and my Mom’s persistence in looking beyond “stress” as the cause, that Monosodium Glutamate, or MSG, was the culprit of our regular headaches, hot flashes and flushing skin, fuzzy memories and vision, difficulty concentrating, and occasional clouds of depression, just to name a few, that had descended on my brother, sister, and me, in our adulthood. My Mom had struggled with these and other issues since her early adult life, but now she was seeing it in her usually healthy, bright, energetic children. She came across a list of symptoms caused by MSG, and there we all were, in black and white. After making a quick study and learning the names of ingredients that contained MSG (there are many), we cleared out our cupboards, went shopping, and almost instantly felt a difference in our well-being. My own doubts that a simple change in common food items could rid me of headaches that came on at 5:00 p.m. everyday, were set aside as the migraines completely disappeared. It was so empowering to discover that what I thought was inability to cope, was actually just a chemical wreaking havoc with my nervous system. Within weeks I noticed my post-nasal drip was gone, along with my racing heart, nosebleeds and nightmares. I felt like a weight had been lifted and my outlook was brighter, like blue sky after a winter of gray. It is why I titled this blog, “Taste of Blue Sky”. I noticed if I did get an accidental dose of MSG, one or any combination of these symptoms returned. Now those occurrences are so rare, they are immediately recognizable, and I can usually track down what I ate that caused the reaction. The change was so drastic, I went from experiencing these symptoms several times a week, to 3-5 times a year. We were amazed.
It seemed a natural course for my Mom to find out all she could about this neuro-toxin, talk to authors, researchers, lobbyists, the FDA, then write her own book, Battling the MSG Myth, A Survival Guide and Cookbook©2007, which includes her own story, her years of research, testimonials, and, of course, recipes. The information she has gathered is astounding, the people she has helped are countless. I am on my 3rd copy, because I just wear the book out. For excerpts of her story, sample recipes, message board, and more information and tips, visit her website at www.msgmyth.com.