Low Glutamate Diet

Beginner Green Smoothie

Beginner Green Smoothie

Early on, the thought of a green smoothie was about as exciting as a trip to the dentist. However, we quickly realized they weren't as bad as we had expected. We grew to love them. Whenever we have overnight guests, I nearly always make them a green smoothie, shock them with the green, and prove how good they are. The sweetness of the fruit does a great job of masking the bitterness of the greens. Green smoothies have been getting a bit of a bad reputation recently due to oxalate load, but it is essential to [...]

Beginner Green SmoothieTammi Murphy2020-10-06T13:52:20-04:00

Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie

Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie

Serves 2 Ingredients 1 c. raw cauliflower 1 1/2 c. raw kale or spinach (use dino kale if lower oxalate is needed) 1/2 large frozen* banana 1 1/2 c. frozen* pitted cherries 2 tbsp. raw cashews 2 tsp. cacao nibs (Amazon link for Navitas Cacao Nibs , Thrive Market link for Navitas Cacao Nibs) 3/4 – 1 c. filtered water (depending on desired thickness) Instructions Place cauliflower, greens and water in high powered blender and blend until well combined. Add remaining ingredients to cauliflower, greens & water mixture and blend until very smooth. Pour into glass cups and [...]

Chocolate Covered Cherry SmoothieTammi Murphy2020-10-02T13:21:51-04:00

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

We’ve found that one of the best ways for us to personally navigate the world of casein-free, is to incorporate the use cashews. Cashews have a cheesy creamy texture and can often taste like a creamy ricotta, depending on the seasonings used. This creamy cashew ricotta works well in many recipes and stores great in the freezer. It can also easily be grated on meals for the perfect finishing touch! […]

Vegan Ricotta CheeseTammi Murphy2020-10-02T13:31:12-04:00

A Story of Hope | “My Son’s Diagnosis Was Removed”

A Story of Hope | “My Son’s Diagnosis Was Removed”

We occasionally get letters or comments from parents that have seen improvements in health with diet. To help provide hope to so many still in the trenches, I’ve decided to make more of an effort to share some these comments (with their permission, of course). Many of us don’t have it all figured out, but we cling to the hope and words of progress. Everyone’s journey is different, diet changes may not reap huge changes for all, but it is absolutely helping some. Like this family, glutamate and diet have been a huge piece to our puzzle. [...]

A Story of Hope | “My Son’s Diagnosis Was Removed”andistowe2020-10-01T15:57:29-04:00

Lowering Glutamate | Flaxseed Oil

Lowering Glutamate | Flaxseed Oil

"Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is immensely globally used as a food aroma and additive, several studies indicated its toxicity in different body organs. Here, we aimed to evaluate brain dysfunctions in experimental animal that administered MSG and appreciate the beneficial role of flaxseed oil in attenuating this effect." "The results of this study indicated that MSG was responsible for brain dysfunction that appeared in disturbances of neurotransmitters levels. In addition , the administration of omega-3 fatty acids in treated group effectively attenuated this dysfunctions through replacing omega-6 fatty acids in the neurocells by omega-3 fatty acids that [...]

Lowering Glutamate | Flaxseed Oilandistowe2021-09-16T12:19:00-04:00

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

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