Seize The Day Blog

Health-Related Articles & Recipes

Epilepsy Insight #8: Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) & Soy

Monosodium Glutamate, known better by its notorious acronym, “MSG,” and Soy are two of my primary seizure triggers. Each is found in a large variety of products including food, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. The list truly does goes on and on…each ingredient is cheap to use and companies love the fact that it increases their bottom line.

Recently, people have become more aware of exactly how bad MSG and Soy are for the human body so many companies have tried to side-step the issue of decreased sales due to their inclusion of poor quality ingredients by using code-names instead. So, these companies are still using the same poor quality ingredients, they’ve simply become adept at disguising “said” ingredients with hard to pronounce and unrecognizable ingredients names.

Entire lists of codenames exist for MSG and Soy. By using codenames, companies can continue to use these ingredients without the general public realizing it. Some codenames for MSG include Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor, Carrageenan, Dextrose, and Malted Barley.

To read the full list of codenames for MSG visit:

Over 34 Hidden Names for MSG

Codenames for Soy include Tocopherol or Vitamin E, Soy Lecithin, Soy Protein, Soybean Oil, and Mono or Diglycerides.

To read the full list of codenames for Soy visit:

Click to access Soy-Allergy-Avoidance-List-Hidden-Names.pdf

It is actually quite sneaky because who would have guessed that Vitamin E can be sourced from soy? It’s crazy! In Epilepsy Insight #8, I go into greater detail about MSG and Soy as seizure triggers. I also share a few tips on how to avoid these ingredients in your everyday life.

***Side Note: It is also important to pay special attention to a brand’s wording in relation to whether or not they include either of these ingredients in their food. Take the very popular chain restaurant Panda Express, for example. On the glass display where you choose your dishes you will see a notice informing the customer that there is “No MSG Added.” At first glance, one might think Panda Express’ food does not contain any MSG. Reading the ingredient labels for each individual dish offered by Panda Express will quickly inform the consumer that MSG does indeed exist in their food, however, once it’s put behind the pretty glass case no more MSG is added. So, be careful to investigate every ingredient label whether it is involving something edible or not because you will uncover the true nature of the product regardless of what is advertised.

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text, and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

 

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Mango Protein Shake

 

I know this is my third protein shake related post, but figuring out the right ingredient combinations can be a tad challenging. So, since I’ve got plenty of firsthand experience with these protein shakes, I figured, why not share it all with you? After all, it could be helpful (at least I hope it will be!). Any information I might have left out in the first two posts is guaranteed to be in this one! I hope it helps with your own protein shake assembly process!

First, it’s important to consider the homemade protein powder when you’re deciding which fruit to add to your shake (if you’re using the recipe). The quinoa and brown rice have a very mild flavor, but the dried oats are a bit stronger. The flavor isn’t overpowering, so there’s no need to worry about that ruining the taste of your protein shake, but it is present.

 

If you would like to add some vanilla flavor to your powder, cut a whole vanilla bean in half and scrape the vanilla beans from only one side into the powder. Another option is to cut the it in half longways and stick the entire whole vanilla bean into your powder. This will allow the bean to gradually flavor the entire batch. Both ways work very well so it’s about personal preference if you choose to add flavoring.

Another piece of advice when creating your protein shake masterpiece is to go easy on the blueberries. I learned the hard way that blueberries and homemade protein powder do not mix well. For some reason the two flavors together produce one funky aftertaste! Everyone has different tastes, of course, but in case your taste is similar to mine, consider yourself warned.

 

Okay, now that I’ve covered all the important tid bits I might have missed in previous posts, I would like to share one more recipe. It’s a little more on the tropical side with the main ingredient being mango. If you would like to upgrade the tropical quality of your shake to Hawaii status, I recommend reducing the 1 cup of mango to 1/2 cup instead and replacing the other half with 1/2 cup of pineapple. It’s healthy and bursting with flavor!! And who doesn’t want to try a healthy protein shake that is basically Hawaii in a cup??

Here is the recipe, bon appetit and good luck with your own personal shake making!!

 

MANGO PROTEIN SHAKE

The Final Product!

 

Drink This to Calm Your Crazy Hormones!

 

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Okay, ladies, how do you deal with your crazy hormones? Whether you’re menstruating or just happen to be having one of those months where your emotional stability can become compromised over the most minute situations (like your inability to find your sunglasses whilst they sit comfortably atop your head), how do you, as Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory would say, “ride the dragon”?

Pharmaceutical companies happily push pills like Midol and birth control our direction, but from my experience these “magic” pills really aren’t very magical at all. If anything, they make things worse by pumping synthetic hormones into our bodies and screwing up our hormones even more (not very “magical” in my opinion)! I’m not even going to mention the side effects that also come along with these so-called “solutions” because they’re atrocious. It’s exhausting to research drugs like these because once I’m finished reading the warning section of the box, I can’t decide if it is good or bad! It’s incredible how contradicting the claims on the front of the box are from those on the back. This may explain why they now print the negative information in such small font…the pharmaceutical companies are crossing their fingers that, if it is borderline microscopic, we’ll just give up and buy it with the hope that we won’t die after taking it.

tea box:kettle 3

 

This is why I propose you skip the pharmaceuticals altogether! My experience with Catamenial Epilepsy and, therefore, a severe hormone imbalance, has helped me find alternative solutions to things like taming my hormones. In this case, one of the solutions I have discovered and would like to share with my fellow ladies is an herbal tea called Raspberry Leaf Tea. This may be the first time you’re hearing about this natural herb, but it has actually been around for years! Our ancestors used it to heal multiple health problems including the flu, diarrhea, headaches, menstrual cramps, hormone related problems, and many other illnesses!

Please remember, I am not a doctor nor am I any type of healthcare professional, so be sure to take into consideration any allergies you might have to the tea before drinking it. I have simply experienced, firsthand, the beneficial effects this tea can have on hormones and the female system as a whole.

tea box:mug

I recommend the Traditional Medicinals brand of Raspberry Leaf Tea because it is both Organic and non-GMO verified. It is a very good quality product and you can easily find this brand of tea at a multitude of locations including Target, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Market, and various supermarkets. I also suggest drinking it like you would regular iced tea, it is much more delicious at a cold temperature! My mom, my sister and I all drink the tea so we typically make large batch of tea, large enough to fill a two quart pitcher and store it in the fridge. If you would also like to prepare a larger batch, 8-9 tea bags give it the perfect amount of flavor.

This tea is also naturally caffeine free so you can drink it anytime during the day or night without having to worry about how it will affect your night’s sleep. Although this tea does conveniently support the female reproductive system, it is a naturally occurring herb therefore there are zero hormonal additives. No need to worry about synthetic hormones tampering with your current hormone levels!

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In my house, my dad and brother avoid it because we call it “Woman Tea” (Let’s be honest “Raspberry Leaf Tea” is a bit of a mouthful), but men can drink this tea, too! They’ve got to be dramatic about it so now they’re missing out on a really healthy and tasty beverage! But, hey it’s their loss…plus, there’s more for us girls, right?

Protein, It’s Kind of Important

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Do you frequently visit the gym? Are you seriously into lifting weights? Are you a health nut? If you answered “no” to all three of those questions, guess what? Protein is still crucial for your diet and overall wellbeing! I feel like the word “protein” has become associated with a very specific stereotype, you know who I’m talking about…the kind of people whose ultimate fitness goal is looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. I have absolutely nothing against this stereotype; if I could say one thing to these people it would be “more power to you!” However, I am frustrated with how often people walk around with the misconception that protein, in general, is limited to this group of people. As if the only purpose in consuming protein is to build muscle (Ha!). I’m here to tell you that protein is a seriously misunderstood food group and is actually a fantastic source for the nutrients your body desperately needs to remain in a healthy state.

How big of a role does protein play in your daily diet? If you consume any protein at all, how good is the quality of that protein? The fact of the matter is, if your source of protein lies within meats, you’re only consuming a healthy android quality protein if you are eating Organic meats free of antibiotics and GMOs. So, stop and reevaluate your current source of protein…is it 100% healthy or does it come with some not so great chemical and/or hormonal additives?

 

For those of you who are vegetarians or vegans, how do you make protein a key part of your diet? It is challenging enough for those of us who do eat meat and dairy products to find acceptable protein. Unfortunately, it is all too common for food companies to automatically add preservatives and chemical ingredients instead of using the real thing. Our food industry has developed a habit that severely hurts us, the consumers, in the long run. You see more and more people developing serious health disorders these days. Autism is becoming too common among children, as is epilepsy.

I developed epilepsy as a teen and I thought I was perfectly healthy at the time! The saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover” is very appropriate for my situation because my insides would have told a VERY different story from my “healthy” exterior! My poor brain was struggling and I had no idea. It’s going on 7 years since I was first diagnosed and I’ve learned quite a bit about the cause of my epilepsy during that time. While I started out thinking it was simply my brain “misfiring,” I’ve come to learn that the human body rarely “misfires.” No, there is always an underlying cause that is to blame for one’s poor state of health. This underlying cause could be a multitude of things including deficiencies, diet, lifestyle, environment, etc. (the list goes on and on).

 

Discovering the cause of my seizures to be a hormone imbalance was my first step toward figuring out how to return to a state of good health. Some people are content to simply take their medication and listen to everything their doctors have to say. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to be one of those people. I don’t want to take my medication forever and I certainly don’t plan on dealing with seizures for the rest of my life. I have found that considering all factors as a cause of poor health is the best way to think beyond doctors and actually get to the root of the problem.

It was this very thinking that led me to consider my diet as a contributing factor to my hormone imbalance and my seizures. Once I began my own research on the quality of those foods I frequently ate, it was no longer a mystery why my hormones were so unstable and why I had multiple deficiencies.

raspberries

From the nasty preservatives to the synthetic ingredients, I was basically eating junk on a daily basis. Processed foods may taste good, but they certainly aren’t doing your body any favors. None of these foods have any nutritional value (despite what the box says!). The fruits and veggies I typically bought were not organic; therefore I was filling my body with pesticides. All the meat and dairy products I consumed were treated with antibiotics, hormones, and who knows what else because they also were not Organic.

After learning about all of the horribly toxic ingredients I was consuming during every meal, it’s a shock I hadn’t started growing an extra limb. After switching completely to Organic foods and carefully looking over every ingredient label before buying anything, my health improved immensely. However, I realized that one challenge still remained: providing my body with the appropriate amount of protein.

 

I’ve had people tell me to use protein powder, such as whey or pea, to solve this problem, but it is nearly impossible to find a product without toxic ingredients and harmful preservatives. So, do I carry on being deficient in protein or do I consume a healthy amount of protein and compromise my health by also pumping it full of toxins??? It sounds like quite the dilemma, I know, but I can happily answer this question with an alternative solution…make your own protein powder instead! Thanks to a brilliant recipe from Back to Her Roots, you only need three ingredients and a coffee grinder to do this! Here is a breakdown of the protein powder recipe:

 

PROTEIN POWDER RECIPE

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Homemade Protein Powder (per 1/4 cup of powder):

-130 calories

-8g protein

-1g fat

-24g carbs

Store Bought Protein Powder (per 1/4 cup of powder):

-80 calories

-14g protein

-0g fat

-5g carbs

(Recipe and nutritional information courtesy of Back to Her Roots)

I know that the levels of calories, fat and carbs are a bit higher in the homemade powder, but it is also free of toxic ingredients, artificial flavorings and preservatives, so this truly is the better option. Thanks to the brilliant resources available on the Internet, you will have no trouble finding recipe ideas for protein shakes! Here’s a link I have found helpful: 48 Delicious Protein Shake Recipes. You will be shocked at how delicious and filling these shakes are (I certainly was!). Protein shakes, in particular, tend to be thought of as exclusively for weight lifters, but they truly are an excellent way to get protein into your diet and to start your day off right! Plus, they’re great for vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters!

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If you could use some more protein in your diet, seize the day and implement more of it into your diet whether your source is (Organic, antibiotic-free) meats and dairy, protein rich grains (like Chia seeds and Quinoa), or protein shakes.

 

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Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website. 

Hydrating with Extraordinary Flavor: Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint Water

 

I am constantly trying (and usually failing) to drink more water throughout the day. It should be a daily essential in every person’s diet. For those of you who, like me, live in Southern California or some other region with a dry climate, keeping water with you both at home and on the go is as important for your health as a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and before you know it, you’ve gone the entire day without drinking even one full glass of water. Why is something that should be so simple such a challenge to manage? Because we’re in the habit of not drinking the amount of water we should be! This task has dropped on our list of priorities, therefore, we’re also in the habit of forgetting to maintain this act.

Could we also not drink enough water because there are so many other drinks available that taste much better than water? It’s undeniably tempting to choose the sugary soda bursting with flavor over the mundane water. Your taste buds might thank you, but your body certainly won’t. What if I could make it easier for you to choose the healthier option instead of the “tastier” option? While exploring a blog called, Back to Her Roots, I stumbled across a recipe for Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint Water. I, of course, had to try making this delicious sounding water and the results were anything but mundane!

 

I’m a huge supporter of clean eating (Organic, no synthetic or toxic ingredients like MSG and GMOs) so being able to flavor my water with natural ingredients is a huge triumph for me! You need four ingredients for this recipe: strawberries, cucumbers, limes and fresh mint leaves (in addition to the water, of course). You will be amazed by the refreshing flavor your water will have after adding these simple ingredients! Plus, it’s too pretty not to pour yourself a glass instead of grabbing a can of soda.

Happy Hydrating!

 

Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint Water

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup sliced cucumbers

2 limes, sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Ice cubes

Water

Instructions:

1. In a half-gallon jar, or a 2 quart pitcher, layer the strawberries, cucumbers, lime slices, and mint leaves with the ice cubes. Fill Jar or Pitcher with water. Let chill for 10 minutes, and then enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Back to Her Roots

 

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Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.