glutamate

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

More and more studies are coming out linking the damaging effects of dietary free glutamate, excitotoxins, and aspartame to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Studies quoting, "dramatic results", "84% reported that over 30% of their symptoms resolved", and "the removal of aspartame was followed by a complete regression of pain, without recurrence". So what are these dietary sources of excitotoxins and where can they be found? These eye-opening studies should shed some light on the importance of whole food and low-glutamate diet. "The elimination of MSG and other excitotoxins from the diets of patients with fibromyalgia offers a [...]

Fibromyalgiaandistowe2020-10-02T12:13:54-04:00

Pesticides, Herbicides, & Why We Try to Consume Organic

Pesticides, Herbicides, & Why We Try to Consume Organic

This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. Organic is always our preferred choice! Here are just a few examples of why we try to choose organic over conventional food products. While we are not always able to source organic, making an effort to at least avoid the "Dirty Dozen", should be beneficial. Auxigrow In 1998 the EPA ruled that MSG can be sprayed onto crops without restriction. Auxigrow, which contains free glutamate has historically been sprayed on conventional fruits and vegetables to increase yield and help prevent mildew. [...]

Pesticides, Herbicides, & Why We Try to Consume Organicandistowe2023-05-11T12:44:21-04:00

The Role of Glutamate in Vaccines

The Role of Glutamate in Vaccines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIxmq6W5Omg&fbclid=IwAR3L0wD6mKCBQaCsdIVCz2kqXiYSsKWf3OXrBulIJ9EKhsiUVUEU_ONGgLM&app=desktop As a mother of an injured child, I believe there is a huge connection between vaccines, autism, and glutamate. As we know autism, like many other chronic conditions, is a hyper-glutamate condition. There are several ways vaccines can lead to elevated glutamate levels and induce neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and 'immunoexcitotoxicity,' resulting in increased sensitivity to glutamate. Elevated glutamate levels have been studied to be a primary contributor to a laundry list of health issues. A few include autism, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer's, addiction, cancer growth, migraines, mitochondrial dysfunction, movement disorders, complex motor stereotypies, and seizures [...]

The Role of Glutamate in Vaccinesandistowe2024-03-19T10:07:25-04:00

Screen Time & EMF’s

Screen Time & EMF’s

This is not a comprehensive list, these are simply some articles I have found along the way. Many (especially children on the autism spectrum) demonstrate drastic behavioral and mood improvements by reducing exposure to electronic screens and electromagnetic frequency (EMFs), including wifi/wireless routers, cellphones, tablets, smart meters, cellphone towers, etc. This behavioral improvement may be because screen time decreases GABA (therefore increasing glutamate), and EMFs increase overall glutamate levels. They cause a surge in glutamate from the increased glial activity, and they induce hyperstimulation of glutamate receptors (increasing sensitivity to glutamate). It is suggested that early [...]

Screen Time & EMF’sandistowe2023-05-11T12:42:57-04:00

Seizures & Epilepsy

Seizures & Epilepsy

This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “Epilepsy, a paroxysmal disorder characterized by abnormal neuronal discharges, is common in children. While the causes of epilepsy are many, the fundamental disorder is secondary to abnormal synchronous discharges of a network of neurons. Whether or not a seizure occurs in a child depends upon the balance between excitability and inhibition. Central nervous system neurotransmitters have significant effects on neuronal excitability and play a pivotal role in brain excitability. The most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, glutamate, has been implicated [...]

Seizures & Epilepsyandistowe2020-10-02T13:39:16-04:00

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Higher levels of glutamate and altered glutmate signaling have been linked to the development of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is thought that the high levels of glutamate in response to immune/microglial activation could be a large contributer to the imblanance. Though the connection is still being explored, glutamate-modualting drugs are being targeted as a treatment. Personally, this makes a lot of sense as you often see higher levels of OCD in those with chronic underlying infections (PANS, PANDAS, Lyme, etc..) and immune activation. Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Review This is [...]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)andistowe2020-10-02T13:40:04-04:00

Movement Disorders, Tourettes, Tics, CMS & Stimming

Movement Disorders, Tourettes, Tics, CMS & Stimming

Johns Hopkins Video on CMS This is not a comprehensive list, and these are simply some information I have found along the way. Getting a bit vulnerable tonight, but I wanted to give an example of what physically happens to our son when he consumes free glutamate and/or sources of MSG. This video shows a mild form of the intense “shakes” he was experiencing nearly 40 times a day. While movements like these (hand flapping, wringing of wrists, aka stimming, etc.) are typically lumped under the Autism umbrella, they can also independently be diagnosed as Primary or Complex [...]

Movement Disorders, Tourettes, Tics, CMS & Stimmingandistowe2023-03-29T19:10:44-04:00

Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Low Muscle Tone

Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Low Muscle Tone

Our little guy once struggled with extremely low muscle tone. In fact, his physical therapist once suggested she suspected cerebral palsy. While working to reduce his glutamate load with diet helped, it wasn't until we started homeopathy to get at some of his underlying imbalances and intrinsic glutamate produced by the body, that we really started to see improvements. Our little guy is now one of the most physically fit kids I know. This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “Mitochondrial Dysfunction is a Primary Event in Glutamate [...]

Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Low Muscle Toneandistowe2020-10-04T15:57:17-04:00

Headaches & Migraines

Headaches & Migraines

” The authors propose that this central neuronal hyperexcitability involves overactivity of the excitatory amino acids, glutamate, and possibly asparate. Stimuli that activate the migraine attack evoke neuronal depolarization, slow deplorization shifts, and spreading suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity possible by glutamate and K+dependent mechanisms. A low brain Mg2+ and consequent reduced gating of glutamatergic receptors may provide the link between the physiologic threshold for a migraine attack and the mechanisms of the attack itself by promoting glutamate hyperactivity, neuronal hyperexcitability, and susceptibility to glutamate-dependant spreading depression.” The Concept of Migraine as a State of Central Neuronal Hyperexcitability https://www.neurologic.theclinics.com/article/S0733-8619(18)30319-0/abstract [...]

Headaches & Migrainesandistowe2020-10-04T15:58:58-04:00

Methylation

Methylation

This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “Methylation also plays a role in the GABA and glutamate balance in a variety of ways. For one, if there is impairment in the methylation pathway, then folate doesn’t get utilized and it can break down into glutamate. Additionally, if you are not methylating properly you may not be able to suppress microbes like viruses or make enough T cells to fight them off, which means they will linger around to interfere with the GAD enzyme. Methylation may be impaired due [...]

Methylationandistowe2019-09-16T14:40:17-04:00