BATTLING THE MSG MYTH

It's easy and you won't get hungry. Eat only the suggested foods and as much as you like of them.

The following was posted on our discussion board. We share it with newcomers to inform them that it may take more than a couple of weeks on the diet to detox and feel improvement. Others may see results after just a few days.

"Several weeks ago, I was discouraged and thought that I was headed for Parkinson's Disease or worse because of my very severe Restless Legs Syndrome. I had been on the test diet for about 2 weeks and had little if any success. This is just to tell others that it took me about 2 months to get relief from symptoms. Now, the minute that I let my guard down and am not vigilant about what I eat, I get nerve spasms and insomnia again. For the first time, I can say that it is possible for me to be free of symptoms and for the first time I can declare that it is absolutely caused by the MSG. It took a long time for me to detox -- be patient. Don't give up."
Elizabeth

​

Eat the following foods for at least 1 week and judge for yourself if excitotoxin (MSG, Aspartame, L-cysteine) enhanced foods are causing your health problems. Stop taking vitamins, supplements, protein drinks, protein bars, soy products, or protein products of any kind. If possible, stop taking over-the-counter medications and prescribed medications unless they are absolutely necessary during this period. Wash coatings off of any OTC pills and remove medication from any gelatin capsules you must take.  Many fillers, binders, coatings, and gelcaps contain sources of glutamate. You can make almond milk by pureeing 1 cup rinsed almond slivers with 4 cups water, pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for 3 minutes.  Avoid all candies, chips, crackers, ice cream, and processed snacks. Drink only water, organic whole milk (unless dairy intolerant), and Rice Dream rice beverage (plain original variety in blue box). Organic Valley whole milk in the gallon containers (it's not ultra pasteurized as paper cartons are) is a good choice. It can be diluted with water to cut down on fat intake if that is a consideration. Avoid coffee and tea for now.

Eat the following when hungry and/or at meal times.

​

1. Cooked brown rice.

Place 5 cups of short grain brown rice in large pot with 10 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cane sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to lowest setting, cover, and let cook 40 minutes. If you must use white rice, rinse very well to remove starch or glucose coating (glutamate sources) and cook as described for only 20 minutes. Store covered in refrigerator and eat with milk, cinnamon, and cane sugar (C&H) or stevia on top as breakfast or snack. Or eat warm with butter, pepper, and salt (kosher or canning salt only) with meals, or mixed with sautéed vegetables.

2. Eggs - Fresh eggs (unless allergic).  Also Crystal Farms egg whites without additives is okay.
These can be cooked any way using mild olive oil or butter (cream and salt only). For less cholesterol, use the whites, making an omelet. Olive oil, sunflower, safflower, or coconut oil may also be used in any sautéing.  Do not boil rapidly.  Bring eggs to simmer and let cook on low heat 15 minutes.

​

3. Vegetables

Eat fresh greens - spinach, romaine (not iceberg), cabbage, broccoli, collards, and/or any organic fresh or frozen vegetables (if nothing has been added to frozen products.)
If not organic, wash vegetables in bowl of luke warm sudsy ( 1 drop of Dawn) water or baking soda and water. Rinse well to remove waxes and sprays.  Rinse organic produce well.
Other good produce are squash of any kind, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, avocados, and celery. Avoid monster size produce like some potatoes.  Tomatoes and mushrooms are quite high in natural glutamate. Just go easy, avoiding cooking at high heat for any length of time.  Vegetables can be eaten raw, steamed, baked, and sautéed. Processed free glutamate (the form found in MSG) can be created in the kitchen by boiling or roasting (avoid high temperatures) foods naturally high in glutamate. Simmer, grill, and roast at moderate temperatures. Protein in food + extreme heat + moisture = processed free glutamate. Example: Do not cook tomatoes or milk at high temperatures for any length of time.

​

4. Fruits

​

Eat only fresh fruits or those you personally have frozen or bottled that do not contain beet sugar, corn syrup or bottled lemon juice.
Peel apples and pears that are not organic. Avoid grapes treated with sulfur dioxide (ask green grocer or look on box).

​

5. Meat

​

Fresh turkey, chicken, or fish.
Use nothing frozen or treated with broth (MSG) solutions. Ask butcher if poultry is additive and preservative free. We do okay with Foster Farms boneless chicken breasts, wings, and legs. If in doubt, avoid meats during ths time. Do not eat canned or processed meats, sausages or cold cuts of any kind. The word here is fresh everything for now.  Organic beef and chicken are best.  Be careful:  many seafoods are treated with sulfites and/or phosphates.  We do okay with Costco frozen shrimp (tail on) and most of their fresh fish.  Canned wild salmon is good.

 

6. Cheese

​

Whole milk mild cheeses such as Colby/Jack and Mozzarella only.

​

7. Bread

 

Avoid for now.  If you grind your own flour and use only whole wheat flour with water, oil, canning salt, and plain yeast (Fleishman’s, Redstar), you should be fine as long as you eat bread only 3 times a week for now.

​

8. Toothpaste

​

Use baking soda.

​

9. Fresh herbs, canning salt, pepper, and dry whole herbs are okay to use.

​

10. Smoothies

 

These are my go to meals in the morning or when I need a fast snack (or to lose weight!).  Keep frozen fruits on hand (we freeze fresh produce all summer long).  Fresh or frozen berry, pineapple, kiwi, bananas, apples, peeled oranges are great.  To make 2 large smoothies, put 2/3 cups Crystal Farms Egg Whites (Walmart has their brand also).  Add 2-3 cups of any mixture of fruits and a handful or two of fresh spinach (carrots are good in this, too).  Add 1-2 cups water, stevia or honey to taste, and pinch of salt.  Vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, almond extract, or cocoa can vary the flavor.

​

11. Organic decaffeinated  coffee or tea is okay, but decrease intake.  Peppermint and chamomile teas are good.

​

This is not typical of our diet. We have many healthy and delicious food choices that you can learn about (Our book contains over 400 recipes). During this test time, however, the newcomer's lack of information about the hundreds of sources of hidden MSG can be daunting. Thus, we keep it simple. This diet is safe and easy to follow.