MSG allergy

Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate and MSG, is a sodium salt of the naturally occurring non-essential amino acid glutamic acid.

It is used as a food additive and is commonly marketed as a flavour enhancer. It is typically, Asian cooking, which uses considerable quantities of this ingredient. There have been reports of physical reactions suggesting MSG allergy. The usual signs of this reaction are numbness in the back of the neck, the arms and shoulders; this may be accompanied by heart palpitations and a feeling of weakness and drowsiness, chest pains, headaches and dizziness.



Can MSG make me fat?

"One of the MSG symptom missing from this list above is obesity. Studies on animals showed that glutamate (MSG) constricts blood vessels because it acts as a calcium channel OPENER, and it also increased appetite in healthy animals by 40% by acting on the hypothalamus.

Consequently, if you think you are immune from the effects of MSG because you don't have one of the symptoms listed above, note that free glutamic acid acts on the pancreas to secrete insulin and acts to stimulate hunger by targeting the amygdala and hypothalamus and creates valium-like GABA in otherwise HEALTHY folks." So to put it in simpler terms......

"You have a pancreas. When you eat sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to counteract the sugar. The insulin tells the cells in your body to absorb the excess sugar. The problem is, is that MSG causes an insulin response. And MSG isn't a sugar. So guess what happens. The (MSG induced) insulin produced by your pancreas tells the cells in your body to absorb sugar.

Within an hour or two. You are low in sugar. Your body says "I need to eat"

So you eat.

But the food you eat has more MSG in it. So you produce more insulin than you need again. So you eat again, and again"

Hmmmm....sounds a bit suspicious!

Is MSG bad for me?

Only you can make this decision but with the increase in neurological disorders, cancer and various other diseases, something has to have changed in our society. And, truth be known, the one common factor is the increase of chemicals in our food and personal products. Studies by the hundreds are showing that MSG is linked to a plethora of symptoms and life altering diseases. It is time that we take some responsibility in what we consume and focus our efforts on putting healthy foods into our bodies.


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Easy Preventing of dog's allergy

There are lots of things you can do so that someone with an allergy to dogs can live in the same house with a dog. Here are just a few ideas.

1) Designate "No-Dog" Zones

Pick a few rooms of your house or apartment where your dog is no longer allowed to go. The best and first choice should be the allergic person's bedroom. Do whatever you have to do -- put up a baby gate, keep the door closed, whatever- to keep the dog out of the room at all times, even when the allergic person is not there. Giving your allergic guest (or partner) a dog-free room will help a lot with keeping their symptoms down. If possible, do keep the door closed and if you have central heat, or vents between rooms, block off the vents to the dog-free areas. Also designate "dog-free" seating so your allergic guest does not have to recline back into dog hair.



2) Get some air ionizers or HEPA air filters

These high-tech filters can pull pet dander out of the air and will reduce the overall amount of air-borne particles in the house. With fewer irritants, the less your allergic guest's nose will have to get inflamed about.

3) Get a HEPA vacuum cleaner - and vacuum a lot

There are vacuums made specifically for people with allergies. Get one. Use it at least twice a week. Change the filter as often as necessary. It will make a big difference.

4) Get rid of carpets and upholstery

This is an expensive request, but if you just can not live without your dog or your allergic partner, seriously consider having all carpets removed and replaced with tile. Carpets are sinks for pet dander, as is cloth upholstery. Switching to leather furniture will significantly reduce the pet dander in the house.

5) Wash both the person and the dog regularly

The person should wash their face and/or hands every time they touch the dog (a hassle, yes, but it is very effective). The dog should get a bath at least once a week. This can make all the difference, and if you're having someone over who is allergic to dogs, just washing the dog and doing a good vacuuming job before they arrive may be enough to minimize the reaction. If not, one Benadryl will reduce or block the allergy symptoms, though you may have a sleepy guest.

6) Try products specifically made to reduce dog allergens

You can get wet-wipes called Allerpet D for Dogs that will significantly reduce the allergens given off. The results are temporary, but they will work for an overnight guest. There are also sprays you can buy that purportedly deactivate pet allergens.

7) Reduce clutter

If you have fewer things in your house, there are fewer places for dog allergens to accumulate.

8) Air out the house

By Pamella Neely



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Food Allergy

An allergic reaction is caused when the body perceives a substance to be a threat to the it.

The exact reason why the substance is perceived as a threat is not known. The most common substances known to cause allergic reactions are milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish and shellfish (including shrimps). Allergic Reaction to milk, eggs, wheat and soy may occur early in life but may also disappear with age. Tree nuts and peanuts may also cause reactions at an early age but are rarely outgrown. Sensitivity to fish and shellfish happens during the adult years and are never overcome.



Food allergy occurs when the body detects substances it believes harmful to the body, it creates Ige antibodies which induces the allergy cells of the body, mast cells, to release histamine into the circulatory system. The defense mechanism of histamine involves enhancing the permeability of capillaries so that white blood cells can work to neutralize the threatening substance. Allergic symptoms then manifest themselves in the organs affected by the presence of histamine. Red and swollen eyes, sneezing, throat congestion, difficulty of breathing, itchy skin rashes and gastrointestinal malfunction are all signs of an allergic reaction.

Not all the signs may accompany a food allergy reaction. More frequently, only the skin manifests itching and redness. The kind and degree of reaction to a specific allergen differs from one person to another depending on how much of the allergen was ingested and on the strength of the immune system of the body.

There are severe food allergy reactions which intensely affect one or two body organs. Such reactions may induce pronounced difficulty in breathing, a lowered blood pressure, weakness, fainting and even death.

But not because a person is manifesting one or more of the symptoms of allergy, it will be safe to conclude that he has an allergy. Some diseases may mimic the signs of allergy. The best option will be to consult a physician so he can conduct tests to determine if the cause of aberrant manifestations is an allergy or another type of disease. If the doctor suspects an allergy, he refers his patient to an allergist.

The only way to prevent food allergy is to avoid taking in allergenic food. Discretion becomes difficult with food that is eaten in public restaurants because the patient is not sure whether the dish he is eating contains allergens or not. In general, patients with allergies should not eat fancy dishes in food centers. If he needs to go to a restaurant, he should order foods that don't have the substances he is sensitive to. In the event of doubt, the chef should be consulted. When purchasing grocery edibles, the patient should read the labels on the cans or boxes to check if any allergens have been used in preparing the product.

The lifestyle of a person with food allergy can be very restricted and lonely. He may be shy to accept invitations to parties for fear of accidentally ingesting allergenic substances there. Such a person should inform his friends of his handicap so that they can help him look out for himself.

By Jeffrey Frasco


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