Chemicals in your food?

Carolyn, can you talk about chemicals in foods? How can they affect the health of my body and brain??

Once upon a time, families grew their own food and shared with families and neighbors who did the same.?As the industrial age dawned and with the lure of a better life, people left home to work.?

Farming and food production became big business, and we were introduced to the industrial food model: Grown fast, packaged and shipped to a store near you.

To combat food spoilage, mold and bugs, we learned that there is “Better Living Through Chemistry,” the DuPont slogan until 1982.?

Better living meant food processing and the use of preservatives and additives to enhance stability, flavor and appearance. Today we know that some of the food additives are toxic, impair brain function, and contribute to poor health overall.?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows more than 3,000 food additives in our food supply and relatively few have been tested for safety. They were grandfathered in and listed as GRAS - generally regarded as safe - even though it is well documented that many are toxic. (FDA newsletter November 2004; revised April 2010.)?

Today, we do know that synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame do nothing for weight loss, but create a continued desire for more sweet foods and drinks. So, users tend to gain weight. Studies show that animals fed aspartame developed seizures and brain tumors, yet it is approved by the FDA. Aspartame is made up of three brain-damaging chemicals - aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.?

Aspartic acid activates neurotransmitters, which can cause problems with mood, memory, addictions, energy, libido, and sleep and can excite or stimulate brain cells to death.?

Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Using aspartame can increase levels of phenylalanine in the brain, disturbing the normal balance of serotonin. Methanol is a wood alcohol and is extremely poisonous.?

Splenda, aka sucralose, is also known to prevent or reduce nutrient absorption, diminishing the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50 percent. It can lead to an overabundance of bad bacteria, which has numerous negative effects on the brain, damaging the hippocampus, the area where memories are stored.?

Another no brainer is diacetyl, the butter-flavored additive in home microwave popcorn. It can case beta-amyloid clumping, which is a significant indicator of Alzheimer’s and a condition called “microwave popcorn lung disease.” However, the label will only read “artificial butter flavor” or “natural flavors.” Now we know that this chemical is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is there to? prevent harmful substances from entering the brain.?

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is in nearly all processed foods, although it may well be left off the ingredient label and hidden under “natural flavorings,” which makes it difficult to avoid.? It is only required to be listed if it’s 100 percent pure.? So it hides in “spices,” “flavorings” and “natural flavorings.” Watch out for foods such as canned soups, snacks, some soy products, veggie burgers and ramen noodles.?

Many people are sensitive to MSG and can detect it immediately in foods. They get an upset stomach, with sudden onset of difficulty thinking, diarrhea, heart palpitations, migraines, asthma attacks or moodiness. If you read the ingredients labels, here is what to look for: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, hydrolyzed protein, plant protein extract, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein and autolyzed yeast. When eating out, ask about MSG in the food at your favorite restaurants.?

When I first started studying Alzheimer’s in the 1990s this was a big surprise. Many cooking utensils, pots and pans of old were made from aluminum. Then we transitioned to stainless steel. Now, at banquet events, again we are eating foods cooked in and served in aluminum pans. In the 1970s, autopsies revealed that Alzheimer’s patients had larger than normal concentrations of aluminum in their brains.?

It’s believed that aluminum enters the brain when it comes in contact with fluoride, commonly found in tap water and many toothpastes. Together they form aluminum fluoride, which also can pass the blood-brain barrier.?

Avoid aluminum by choosing aluminum-free baking powder, deodorants and antacids. Certainly, avoid aluminum cookware in favor of cast iron, Corning Ware or stainless steel. Choose waxed or parchment paper as a liner and for food storage.?

Thanks, great question.?

Carolyn Guilford, MPH is a 2008 Project LEAD Cancer Scholar, Certified Nutrition Consultant, health and wellness advocate, author and workshop organizer.??