Well. I have been deliberating over what to do to take back control of my health. It took me two days to get me head around this and its still swimming
It may seem obvious to some of you. Going vegan would probably deal with both food issues of the exposure to micro bacteria called MAP in dairy and meat and the MSG additive issue. But one problem with Crohns is that it can rob you of so many things you enjoy and food is definitely something I enjoy. So I am not ready to go to extremes yet. (apologies to my respected vegetarian relatives, I may get there yet)
So I decided to take it "one bite at a time". I made a big leap yesterday and went shopping for basic ingredients and am going to make my food from scratch so I can control the MSG issue. (It took me half an hour just to read thru labels on dairy and flour packages)
(here is some more reading if you are not convinced of the effects of MSG: http://geneticake.wordpress.com/2007/08/06/msg-insidious-poison-food-industry-conspiracy/, http://www.organicfoodee.com/stories/msg/, and http://banmsgnow.info/
I am not ready yet to give up dairy but I did research organic brands that have high standards of animal husbandry and less likelihood of disease. I figure that's a good first step. here's a website that can help you find farms that follow organic standards. http://www.organicvalley.coop/who-is-your-farmer/index/.
(To read more on MAP http://www.crohns.org/map_food/dairy.htm)
Then I had to make sure there is no msg within the dairy product. So ready, here is a list of dairy that can contain some form of msg just thru the very nature of processing or additives. And labeling organic does not mean it's msg free.
MSG is found in dairy products! Info from Truthinlabeling.org http://www.truthinlabeling.org/Milk%20and%20MSG.html
Powdered milk includes some processed free glutamic acid (MSG) as an inevitable result of the way in which the powder is manufactured.
Reduced fat : Many, but not all reduced fat milks are made from powdered milk. So decided I have to use whole milk for now.
Fortified: If a milk does not meet state requirements, a dairy will fortify its milk with a powdered milk to bring the milk within state requirements. This is most common in California.
Ultra pasteurization: The dairy industry appears to be rapidly turning to a pasteurization process identified on product labels as "ultra pasteurized." The higher heat used in this process appears to break down more of the milk protein than occurs in normal pasteurization, resulting in a level of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) that is causing adverse reactions in a number of MSG-sensitive individuals.
Fermented: Any fermented product will contain some processed free glutamic acid because fermentation will break down protein. If citric acid is used in yogurt and the citric acid is made from corn (the most common source of citric acid), there will be some MSG introduced into the product because in manufacturing citric acid, a remnant of protein remains and that remnant is broken down during production. (not to mention any additives, stabilizers or food enhancers that can be found in yogurt). I'd your head swimming yet?
Aspartame: If the yogurt includes aspartame (about 40% aspartic acid), the product can affect MSG-sensitive people since aspartic acid, based on animal studies, works in the body in the same way as does glutamic acid.
Cheese with pasteurized milk: Many MSG-sensitive people find that they suffer adverse reactions from domestic cheeses that use pasteurized milk in place of raw milk, and enzymes instead of rennet. Some theorize that people with IBS may not be lactose intolerant but actually sensitive to msg in milk.
Carrageenan: The most common problem for MSG-sensitive people in dairy products appears to be the use of a food ingredient identified on food labels as "carrageenan." Carrageenan may interact with the milk protein in dairy products or may act independently, resulting in some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). Carrageenan is found in most whipping cream, chocolate milk, buttermilk, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and ice cream.
So. What do I end up with. Buying organic whole milk from a reputable farm brand. Phew!!! Took a lot of time and research to get to this point. I am sure many of you out there are way ahead if me. Please share any insights you have with us
Blessings and hoping for wellness
Cheryl
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