By Angie Mentink

Growing up, some of my absolute favorite foods were Doritos and Jalapeno Cheese Dip, Tombstone Pizzas, and boxed Macaroni and Cheese. Most of the foods I loved came in a box or plastic container. After most meals I would feel tired, lazy, and unsatisfied. Little did I know at the time, that those foods I loved would cause some minor health problems that would lead to a completely different way of thinking, lifestyle, and cooking routine. There was nothing healthy about the way I was eating, but I believe one of the ingredients that gave me the most trouble was monosodium glutamate or MSG. MSG is a potent neurotoxin (toxic to the nervous system).  When researching this topic you will find that a lot of studies confirm MSG to be safe, but it’s important to look at the sponsors of these studies. They were all done by the glutamate industry! According to the Weston Price website these studies were done as double blind studies where one group was given MSG and the other group a placebo. The interesting thing to note about the placebo group was that they were given Asparatame, a chemical with similar consequences. Yes, there are plenty of studies out there confirming the dangers of MSG, but you won’t hear about them from our media, government, or FDA. I now understand that we live in a fallen world, filled with greed, corruption, and lies.

It has been documented that many people have been affected by MSG.  According to the Truth in Labeling website, some of the diseases reported include brain damage, endocrine disorders (obesity and reproductive disorders), behavior disorders, adverse reactions, neurodegenerative disease, migraines, seizures, cancer, and asthma. Some studies suggest that MSG also causes food addiction. In my case, I can’t say for sure that MSG was my culprit since I eliminated all processed foods, nonorganic produce, and so much more. This change also cut out many other harmful ingredients such as food coloring, preservatives, chemicals, and food that is devoid of vitamins and minerals because of the way it was raised and processed.  After learning that MSG was a potent neurotoxin, I started to quickly eliminate it from our diet. One thing I learned through this process was that it was in everything we were eating!!  To make matters worse, the big food companies have lobbied to get MSG hidden under 4o FDA approved ingredients. If I see the word spice, natural flavoring, or yeast extract, to name a few, I assume it’s in there and won’t buy it. So, when I read a label and it says, “Does not contain MSG,” I can’t trust it. MSG is also sprayed on a lot of the non-organic crops as an insecticide and according to Natural News website, “Emerald Bio-Agriculture is requesting permission to use AuxiGro (containing MSG) on organic crops in all states!”

I remember feeling so overwhelmed at the beginning of this transition and wondering how I was going to accomplish this great battle. We had some weak moments in the beginning, but once we started eating real foods, we noticed when we did fall into our old habit of processed foods, they lacked flavor and some even tasted like plastic or cardboard. We would feel awful again. Something new started to happen as well, I noticed that since I had avoided MSG for a time, my symptoms appeared worse than before. Every time I would eat something that contained MSG, within 24 hours I would be in pain. At times my legs or other joints burned with pain . Sometimes I would have numbness and burning that accompanied it. I would also be very cold and tired. I was determined to never feel this way again! I also had to wonder what it was doing to our growing children. Since we were already limited by a few of our kids’ allergies, it was then that I decided to eat only food I had prepared myself with the best quality ingredients. We learned quickly how difficult this was, but with all the work the Lord has blessed us with, I need to feel my best at all times.  Recently, I have started sharing my story and most people have been kind and compassionate. It’s a very humbling feeling when you share a struggle and someone doesn’t believe you, but I’m willing to risk that. Since eating real food, I no longer have food cravings, have lost weight without trying, feel energetic, more focused, satisfied, and I really enjoy the taste and flavor of real food.

I have learned to make a lot of the foods we thought we loved using herbs to create a homemade ranch dressing, spaghetti and pizza sauce, ranch potato chips, fettuccine Alfredo, pasta salad, and hamburger helper to name a few. These are just a few of the things I never thought I could recreate! This is how our family avoids MSG 100% of the time. First, we grow as much of our food as time allows. Then we eat this fresh or freeze, can, or dry it for winter. All of our meat is now grown on our farm, but before this I would only purchase from farmers in our area that I could trust. Our cows, sheep, and goats are grass-finished, and we are so careful about feed for our chickens and pigs that do require some grain. Then, we try to support local farmers that are growing food or feed beyond organic standards. When I can talk to the farmer face to face, I’m not worried about an organic label.  Finally, we buy basic organic ingredients and make almost all of our food from scratch. The organic label is meaning less to me all the time, but I do still patronize the organic industry through reputable companies, in order to avoid GMOs, MSG, and so much more, but this is a last resort!

Two great sources for more information are the website, Truth in Labeling, and the book, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Russell Blaylock, M.D. On our farm, our goal is to raise clean, healthy food for our family, neighbors, friends, strangers, and those in need. We are so passionate about providing the best food in a sustainable system, that we will go to extreme measures to make sure we know where our food and feed for our animals is coming from. I ask a lot of questions before I buy anything! As a consumer and producer, we have to stay on top of all the labeling laws, new GMO products (like alfalfa and tomatoes), and constantly be thinking about everything we buy. We direct market all of our products and truly care about all of our customers! We are content knowing that God will provide all of our needs and we don’t need to increase our profits by cutting corners .We trust that people will return because of our exceptional products, flavorful food raised to the best of our ability, fair prices, and friendly customer service. We pray that our food blesses those that receive it in a mighty way!