Be aware of this sneaky ingredient that pops up in the oddest of places…(MSG) Monosodium Glutamate.  It has many alias’…But by any other name…it’s still as dangerous.

Contain Monosodium Glutamate:

• Glutamate 
• Glutamic acid
• Gelatin
• Monosodium glutamate
• Calcium caseinate
• Textured protein
• Monopotassium glutamate
• Sodium caseinate
• Yeast nutrient
• Yeast extract
• Autolyzed yeast
• Hydrolyzed protein (any protein that is hydrolyzed)

OFTEN contains MSG or can create it during processing:

• Carrageenan
• Maltodextrin Malt extract
• Natural pork flavoring
• Citric acid
• Malt flavoring
• Bouillon
• Broth
• Natural chicken flavoring
• Soy protein isolate
• Natural beef flavoring
• Ultra-pasteurized Soy sauce
• Stock Barley malt
• Soy sauce extract
• Whey protein concentrate
• Pectin Soy protein
• Whey protein
• Protease
• Soy protein concentrate
• Whey protein isolate
• Protease enzymes
• Anything protein fortified
• Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s)
• Anything enzyme modified
• Anything fermented
• Natural flavor(s) & flavoring(s)
• Enzymes
• Anything ingredient listed as “Seasonings”

This little guy is a secret ingredient that has been shown in recent studies to actually cause weight gain. This horrible, very unhealthy and down-right dangerous ingredient is used in the great name of being a “flavor enhancer”.  It is common to go to various restaurants and see signs that say “no added MSG” and while this is a great thing…the problem lies in that it can and most often is used in the processing of the food before it reaches the restaurant.

MSG is considered an “excitotoxin,” which means that it functions in the system by exciting the neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are your master brain chemicals. We can test them to determine your levels with a simple urine test. This will help us to determine a very fundamental state of your health. The imbalances that are shown on the results can be corrected very easily with some extraordinary products.

MSG being an “excitotoxin” has been linked to many various conditons ranging from simple headaches to severe strokes and seizues. I don’t know about you…but neither of those things,  nor anything in between, sound all that great to me.  It is in your best interest to avoid them at all costs. There are so many times that I pass people in restaurants and coffee shops putting 2-4 packets of the “pink” blindly in their coffee – having no idea just how dangerous it is.   Just because it sits on the shelf in the grocery store doesn’t mean that its safe. The FDA has a classification where they distinguish ingredients as G.R.A.S. which means ”Generally Regarded As Safe”. Under this classification if they state that something is “natural” it just means that is once started out as natural…doesn’t also mean that its safe.  Again, here I can’t stress and reinterate enough you must be an advoate for your own health.

Read the book “Excitotoxins – The Taste that Kills” by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.  In this book, your eyes will be opened so wide about the dangers of MSG, as well as other harmful chemicals, that I highly recommend you avoid (i.e.: saccharin, aspartame, sucralose – pink, blue and yellow respectivly).

Removing and eliminating the MSG from your life is not an easy undertaking, I am sorry to say.  Especially if you eat out very often.  A great place to start on this journey of removing harmful chemicals from your life is to completly avoid anything with MSG!  See the list above for other names that MSG might be called on a label.

Tips for Avoiding MSG

• Organic whenever possible.
• Prepare your own food. Use ingredients, spices and foods that are not processed.
• When using spices, pre-packed foods, etc. make a trip to a Health Food Store and buy them without the harmful ingredients.

It’s your life and your health we are talking about.  I’m sure that the cost will be made up in increased energy, less doctor visits and missed work.  I assure you that just because you are eating organic and healthy that is doesn’t have to taste bad.  Ask any of my friends and family – I love to eat.  I love the taste of food.  When Julia Child was asked by her husband what she liked to do, her reply was “eat”!  That is so me! I have been doing it for years and while I understand and sympathize with the expense it is worth it and the healthy alternatives most often actually taste better than those chemical laden counterparts.

A few good example of previous recommendations are switching from table salt to sea salt and from conventional ground beef to grass-fed organic beef.  Give them a try for a few months then try your “old friends” again – and you will quickly see why I recommend the things that I do.

Foods and products that you may not realize contain MSG are: chips, candy, gum, medications, vitamin and nutritional supplements, vaccines and bottled drinks. I am not trying to scare you, I just want you to be aware and be careful. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

‘Assist’ with Digestion

There are so many issues that we could discuss here – so I will try to stay focused and on track.

If you haven’t already seen the movie – Food, Inc. Please do so immediately. It is worth your health, time and money.  My point here in directing you to see that is so you will understand all the implications that food has on our health – all the way back to where the food comes from before it goes from your hand to your mouth.

Chemicals, pesticides, dyes and additives are all, for the most part, unnatural and unhealthy for your body and immune system.  Understandably, there is a need for some of these things, but the point that I must make here is that everything has a risk to benefit ratio.  This includes all forms of medicine – is the risk of doing X worth the benefit.  There is always this choice when taking any prescription, doing any surgery or procedure and even with any supplement or food that you put into your mouth.

I have often said that the most important thing you can do for your health is eat a healthy diet loaded with clean, organic “whole-foods”.  This means grass fed beef, free-range eggs, no processed foods, fruits, vegetables.  Minimal complex carbohydrates and sugar…you know what I am talking about here – cakes, cookies, pies, breads – just to name a few.

Another aspect that is diet related is to rotate your foods. This is very important – you can research on the internet and you will find a plethora of information about food sensitivities and allergies.  We tend to be creatures of habit and constantly and continuously consume 30-40 of the same foods 80% or more of the time.

Over the course of our lives of doing this, we often have issues internally because our bodies need variety.  It is the spice of life.  Keep it interesting. Many doctors advocate what is known as the rotation diet. This can be useful when trying to determine what you may be sensitive or allergic to, but it is also beneficial in that it will allow your body to rest and relax between days of consuming something you are sensitive to.

I have said many times the most common food sensitivities are wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy and corn.  A specialized test can be run from a company such as ImmunoLabs in Florida to give you information about exactly what you should and should not consume for your health and well being.

Eating foods that are toxic and laden with chemicals, high in fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates have been linked to many issues including, but not limited to, diabetes, weight gain, cardiovascular issues, attention deficient, hyperactivity, difficulty with concentration, digestive disorders (constipation, diarrhea, IBS), insomnia and anxiety. This test will definitively rule out for you what is causing the issues.  Removing these foods for 4-6 months with rotating in high quality foods will give your body a chance to heal.  Most often, these foods can be reintroduced into the diet after your system has had a chance to heal with little to no issues of the symptoms recurring.

A problem of epic proportions in this country is constipation. This first and foremost is a dietary related issue – such as not getting enough fiber, eating garbage food, lack of exercise and dehydration.  A question that I constantly ask all of my clients, friends and family is how their bowels are.  Most people think that every day is quite normal to have a bowel movement. This I assure you is not!  Once per day is the minimum to maintain health.  It is so important that we keep all of our organs of detoxification – clean and functioning at optimal capacity.  This includes our liver, colon, skin, kidneys and emotional well being.  If our colon is backed up, it is not uncommon for the bacteria that are present in our colon within the stool, to be reabsorbed into our bloodstreams.  This process is known as auto-intoxification, which means that we are doing something that is causing the toxins to be re-introduced.

If you are having issues with constipation, please check out our recommendations BEYOND FIBER (a great blend of fiber and nutrients – good for colon and heart health),

BIONUE (a fantastic source of high quality healthy-bacteria for your intestinal track, also known as probiotics)

TERRAMIN (mineral supplement that detoxifies the gastrointestinal track)

OXYPOWDER (by far the best product used to help move the bowels without it actually being a laxative.  This is better than any natural or conventional product I have seen.  It is not a stimulant and should cause no cramping.  For the cost and benefit investment – it is truly a blessing for those who suffer from constipation.

For those of you that suffer from  diarrhea – please don’t hesitate to contact us as there is lots that can be done for you as well…most of it the same just with a slightly different slant. There is a fantastic remedy from China called Curing Pills. It works for any digestive issue but is exceptional for diarrhea and irritable bowel.

We see commercials all the time for these wonderful new drugs that are being used to treat things like heartburn, GERD and acid reflux. In the commercial is a person looking longingly at a double meat, double cheese, and double bread greasy hamburger – thinking if I didn’t get heartburn from that I could eat it.  WELL…How about we don’t eat what is causing us this heartburn instead.  Our poor bodies are literally talking to us (screaming actually) with symptoms and we ignore it.  Try using common sense and not eat those foods in the first place.  If you notice, most of the people in the commercial are usually overweight, which is a major part of the bigger picture.

Now that I have ranted about everything so far except for what this article was intended…its time to discuss digestion and a fantastic product called Assist and Assist-Dairy and Protein.

This product helps us to digest proteins from animal sources (fish, eggs and meat) and it will increase our digestive process which will help us to achieve and maintain optimal wellness. It is also helpful for digestion of dairy, nuts, seeds and legumes (if you have issues with digestion be sure you soak your beans and legumes before you cook them).

These enzymes are beneficial to take with food to not only “assist” with digestion, but also assilimation of the nutrients from the food that you are eating.

The ingredient HCl (also known as hydrochloric acid) is a primary player in the digestion of your foods. The products used to treat acid reflux are an excess of acid production. This is most often not the case, but rather too little production of stomach acid causing these problems.  If you have low stomach acid you will have issues digesting proteins and your system will eventually become depleted of its mineral stores.  When your blood is too acidic, it starts to steal minerals from wherever it can get them in your body (this is a great reason to have TERRAMIN on hand, and take daily for general colon health as well as re-mineralization of your body). Having minerals leached from your body in this manner can also lead to disorders such as osteoporosis.

Donna Gate’s on her website www.bodyecology.com the makers of the products – ASSIST and ASSIST Dairy and Protein list symptoms caused by low stomach as:

Bloating, Belching & Flatulence
Heartburn
Digestive Disorders (constipation, diarrhea and acid reflux)
Acne
Fungal Overgrowth & Candida
Food Sensitivities

Assist is virtually the same product as Assist Dairy and Protein.  Assist is a more generalized product than the formula intended for protein and dairy.

Please contact me if you will like to discuss your digestive issues in more detail. There are so many beneficial products that can be used to help assist with this common issue that plague so many of us. Drink lots of water, eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies…and for goodness sake – sit down and relax when you eat.

Now you can have relief from allergens, dander and mold! Check out the air-purifier in AskDrSkip.com’s online store!

The answer is a resounding YES! There are a variety of chemicals, bacteria, virus, fungus, etc. that grow inside our homes and offices. These harmful critters can wreck havoc on our immune systems not to mention leave an odor inside our homes.

I have used many different air cleansers and purifies. I am a huge proponent of Oxidative Therapies – which is the utilization of things like hydrogen peroxide, oxygen and ozone for the treatment of a variety of different conditions. Again, the main focus of those therapies is ridding the body of virus, bacteria, fungus – all those lovely little friends, that when out of balance within our bodies, cause us so much trouble.

With the utilization of these Oxidative Therapies and keeping in line with that methodology the best method that is not an industrial type air cleaner is the Airwise Purifier.

This revolutionary air cleaner is based on advanced technology that goes beyond mechanical filtration methods like HEPA and electrostatic filtration, ozone, ultraviolet light and ionizers. This technology (photocatalysis plus WisePointeTM) oxidizes odors, fungi, mold and parasites and toxic chemical gases.  Simultaneously, it settles dust and other large particles out of the air and destroys microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, and fungus.

It creates inductive warmth, drawing humidity into the purifier. When humidified air enters the target area, a photocatalytic reaction occurs and superoxide ions and hydroxyl radicals are created. Additional benefits -positively charged indoor pollutants are treated by the WisePointe technology which generates active negative ions at an accelerated rate, thereby enhancing the speed at which dust and other airborne particles are dropped out of your breathing space. This reduces allergens such as pollen, pet dander, dust and smoke; and it destroys viruses, bacteria, mold and mildew.

This filter is quiet and air is circulated through the unit. It has no fan and is totally silent. There is no gird or filter, so it requires no cleaning or filter replacement. Once a year you replace the photocatalytic lamp – no tools are required.

I have personally used this specific air cleanser in my office for years. I love the results. My office has always smelled clean and fresh. I run this unit constantly! It is so small and compact that it is not an eye sore and I don’t have to worry about the dangers of airborne critters causing trouble for me and my patients!

Okay everyone… not trying to beat a dead horse here… but when it comes to things that I am passionate about I really want to get the message out. Informed and educated decisions are what I want everyone to be able to make. We may not agree, but I will support your decision as long as you make an educated one.

Plastics are utilized everyday in ways that help us. Unfortunately plastics can also be a danger. Please read this article that was written in the LA Times about a chemical  used in infant bottles that is harmful to their health.

I have been preaching… standing on my soapbox screaming, about the dangers of plastics (especially where food storage is concerned) for years. Please don’t store food or liquids in plastic containers. Chemicals in the plastics have been found to “leach” into the foods or liquids that are stored in them. These chemicals can have major implications on your health. Now obviously, occasionally being exposed to these types of things is not the end of the world. However, being aware and conscious of this is prevention. Like the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure”. This is so true.

Store your leftover foods in glass storage containers. You can get them from discount stores with lids. They work great and keep your leftovers fresh and free of unwanted chemicals. Minimize the amount of plastic water bottles that you buy. Purchase reusable bottles (we will offer them here for you shortly) from Wholefoods. They are polycarbonate plastic bottles that are glass like. They do not leach these dangerous chemicals. I don’t advocate storage per se of water even in these bottles, but to fill them up and use them throughout the day is optimal. Not only are you helping the environment, you are protecting your health. These bottles are available through Wholefoods Market from New Wave Enviro Products.

Again, I am totally perplexed as to why chemicals like the ones discussed in the article in the LA Times are in products that we use to consume foods and beverages. These chemicals in plastics mimic very harmful, artificial hormones in the body that your system doesn’t really understand what to do with. Air Fresheners in our cars and homes also mimic these harmful chemicals and cause our hormones to get out of whack.

I have been treating hormonal related imbalances in my patients for years. Anything that can be done to minimize the risk of exposure to these things makes health much easier to maintain and treat.  This is not something that we need to be scared of – there are simple things that can be changed or modified in our lives that make very helpful differences.

Please be kind to the environment. Recycle whenever possible. We are clogging the earth with trash that she can’t handle. Companies like Enviro and Seventh Generation take great pride in trying to protect Mother Earth. Let’s all kick in and do what we can. Don’t take a bag from the store for one product. Bring a canvas bag with you when you head to the grocery store. If everyone kicks in, the positive benefits for all of us, and Mother Earth, will be priceless.

A friend of mine read the article concerning the dangers of using non-stick coated cookware and mentioned the reason she doesn’t use them currently is because they are a pain to clean. To be perfectly honest here I have to agree with her.

However, thanks to a dear friend of mine who has been using Stainless Steel cookware for years I have several great tips that work for quick clean up. Keep in mind that the best thing to do with the cookware is not put it in the dishwasher. I know, I know… Hand washing is a pain too! But it will keep your pots and pans in great shape for years to come.

When cleaning the cookware I use 2 products that work great. The first one is called Mrs. Meyer’s Surface Scrub. It comes in several fragrances – my favorites are Lemon Verbena or Lavander. The second is called Bar Keepers Friend Liquid Cleanser. Using these products together quickly and easily will get your stainless steel clean as new.

I am very careful about the types of cleansers that I use and/or recommend. That includes cleansers for the kitchen, bathroom, house, car, pets, etc. Always wear gloves and choose cleaners that are safe for you and the environment. When in doubt about what brand of cleaner to select – always choose Seventh Generation. You can’t go wrong with this amazing company. From laundry soap to toilet bowl cleaners their products are a great value, safe for you, and the environment. Seventh Generation makes a great pet shampoo as well.

I will write more soon regarding healthly choices for cleaners! But for now – good luck cleaning your stainless steel and say goodbye to the dangerous non-stick cookware! Your birds will thank you too!