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Hi folks,

 

I have a question about MSG. I pulled MSG from my daughters diet (along with about 10 other things) more than a month ago. We got her tics to a noticeably reduced state and once it seemed "level" started to intro foods we'd pulled. When I put in MSG (if you want to try this for your own kid, buy "Ac'cent" Seasoning, it's pure MSG) and loaded her up with it, her tics became markedly worse and worse. Okay, so we pull it back out and I find out more dirty little secrets of the food industry (like citric acid!!! GRRR) and am feeding her a "clean diet" as far as the MSG goes. We pulled the MSG back out 6 days ago and I'm noticing that her tics, although improving, are still worse than before we tested her for it. It got me wondering how long that stuff stays in the system...anybody had experience with this that could share their insights??

 

I have read that Vit B6 and Magnesium help "toughen up the system" with this stuff...is that right?

 

Thanks,

 

Valerie

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Hi folks,

 

I have a question about MSG. I pulled MSG from my daughters diet (along with about 10 other things) more than a month ago. We got her tics to a noticeably reduced state and once it seemed "level" started to intro foods we'd pulled. When I put in MSG (if you want to try this for your own kid, buy "Ac'cent" Seasoning, it's pure MSG) and loaded her up with it, her tics became markedly worse and worse. Okay, so we pull it back out and I find out more dirty little secrets of the food industry (like citric acid!!! GRRR) and am feeding her a "clean diet" as far as the MSG goes. We pulled the MSG back out 6 days ago and I'm noticing that her tics, although improving, are still worse than before we tested her for it. It got me wondering how long that stuff stays in the system...anybody had experience with this that could share their insights??

 

I have read that Vit B6 and Magnesium help "toughen up the system" with this stuff...is that right?

 

Thanks,

 

Valerie

 

 

I wonder if it will last a while after you have stopped. I'm also in the process of doing the 'elimination' diet. My son started exhibiting vocal tics/OCD after a fever in Sept. 09. After seeing several doctors that have prescribed antibiotics to treat for possible PANDAS the tics/OCD never went away completely. So I stopped them. Last Monday out of the blue I made him stop putting an artificial sweetner, my son loves, in his iced tea. His vocal tics stopped within a day. What a shocker... that evening I was online researching like a nut. Now we are all on this diet and BOY my head hurts from giving up caffeine and sugar. I still give him decaf tea in the mornings and only in the mornings. He's promised to give it up this weekend. So far he's been great about the sugar.. well a little grumpy but he's not eating sugar right now. I can't believe how much sugar is in a lot foods.

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Hi folks,

 

I have a question about MSG. I pulled MSG from my daughters diet (along with about 10 other things) more than a month ago. We got her tics to a noticeably reduced state and once it seemed "level" started to intro foods we'd pulled. When I put in MSG (if you want to try this for your own kid, buy "Ac'cent" Seasoning, it's pure MSG) and loaded her up with it, her tics became markedly worse and worse. Okay, so we pull it back out and I find out more dirty little secrets of the food industry (like citric acid!!! GRRR) and am feeding her a "clean diet" as far as the MSG goes. We pulled the MSG back out 6 days ago and I'm noticing that her tics, although improving, are still worse than before we tested her for it. It got me wondering how long that stuff stays in the system...anybody had experience with this that could share their insights??

 

I have read that Vit B6 and Magnesium help "toughen up the system" with this stuff...is that right?

 

Thanks,

 

Valerie

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I've also just recently been sensing MSG could be a trigger. When I make top ramen, I toss the flavor packet and use bouillon base that is MSG free. It tastes so much better anyway. We are having our son drink one of the Emergen-C drinks everyday now to boost up his Vit B and Magnesium levels. We try to limit the cookies/candies/sugar which is so hard, it feels punitive because his little dessert after dinner seems to be the highlight of his day.

 

Honestly, I haven't figured out if there is a dietary trigger, or if the ticcing just goes through it's own cycle. Does anyone know if the brain chemicals have cycles of their own, as hormones do? Everytime a new tic starts, it seems to last a week or 2 then fades out and after a little reprieve where things are really below the radar, the next thing you know a new one (or I should say a returning one) emerges.

 

Right now my son is doing a jaw stretch. It's a tough one, especially at mealtime. Sometimes it interrupts his talking, he has to pause between words. Thanks for listening everyone. I'm a newbie on ths board even though we've been dealing with this for almost 3 years.

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I've also just recently been sensing MSG could be a trigger. When I make top ramen, I toss the flavor packet and use bouillon base that is MSG free. It tastes so much better anyway. We are having our son drink one of the Emergen-C drinks everyday now to boost up his Vit B and Magnesium levels. We try to limit the cookies/candies/sugar which is so hard, it feels punitive because his little dessert after dinner seems to be the highlight of his day.

 

Honestly, I haven't figured out if there is a dietary trigger, or if the ticcing just goes through it's own cycle. Does anyone know if the brain chemicals have cycles of their own, as hormones do? Everytime a new tic starts, it seems to last a week or 2 then fades out and after a little reprieve where things are really below the radar, the next thing you know a new one (or I should say a returning one) emerges.

 

Right now my son is doing a jaw stretch. It's a tough one, especially at mealtime. Sometimes it interrupts his talking, he has to pause between words. Thanks for listening everyone. I'm a newbie on ths board even though we've been dealing with this for almost 3 years.

 

Hi there,

 

Thanks for writing. Here's a couple of things I've learned that may help you. One is that MSG goes by around 30 names or so. The food industry hides it because they know people don't want it in their food. There is a website called "Truth in Labeling" that gives you allllll the names of MSG. Your bullion cube probably still has MSG. I'm not sure, but even if the package says "no MSG" it probably does because the troublemaker is rightly called "free glutamic acid" and although they may not technically have "monosodium glutamate" in their product, they may have "free glutamic acid" and it's the same thing. Even then, "free glutamic acid" is not listed on the label, it is a by-product of processing certain foods in certain ways (processed intentionally to make that stuff) so on the label you'll see any number of things listed which are probably a source of MSG. (Example: anything "autolyzed", anything "malted", anything "protein", carrageenan, "natural" flavors, citric acid, etc...) I'm no expert, but by trying to get a grip on things, I've picked up a bit from my internet trolling :blink:. So...if you seriously want to see if MSG is a trigger for your son, check out that website.

 

Also, I would recommend the book "Natural Treatments for Tic Disorders and Tourettes". Fabulous fabulous fabulous! Soooo much information, help, and incouragement! My library had a copy until I decided to buy it. Worth every penny!

 

Also, as far as taking sugar out of your son's diet, I did that for a while, too. During that time she wanted sweet stuff also, so here's a few things I did to help: I froze a bunch of over-ripe bananas and bought bags of frozen fruit. Every evening we capped off her day with a frozen fruit smoothie blended with rice milk or water and sweetened (if necessary) with Stevia (a naturally sweet herb) These were a highlight of her day. She'd have them with a bowl of potato chips which were only for her and nobody else (chips with no artificial ingredients, just potatoes, oil, and salt).

 

I also asked her what her favorite fruits were in all the world without regard to price, and she said pomegranates so we bought her many pomegranates, as well as any other fruit her heart desired, even if it was expensive, and these fruits were only for her.

 

Maybe these things will help until you know if sugar is a trigger for him.

 

The question we all need to ask with tic disorders is..."What makes him tic?" Because it is something.

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re MSG

it is one of the biggest tic triggers and also causes flares of many other neuro conditions and other illnesses

 

we have many threads here about its hidden names and also that it is bad stuff for tics.

 

my son can immediately feel when he has accidentally ingested some.

 

just wanted to link Sheila's book again and correct the title as it is called Natural treatments for Tics and Tourettes in case someone struggles to find it...no "disorders" in the title

 

http://www.latitudes.org/book.html

 

here again is the article on tic triggers (scroll to the bottom for the list, which isnt comprehensive , but gives some helpful pointers)

http://www.latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm

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yes,

We avoid MSG and citric acid, too. Back when my son was reactive the tics lasted at the very least 5 days, but usually longer up to 2-2 1/2 weeks after ingesting something toxic to his system. It helps when the gut heals and the immune system gets stronger. You will not see such a reaction and the duration will lessen too. Just my experience with it.

Do watch the corn sweeteners too, if you are not already doing that. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is a major trigger.

 

Read Dr. Blaylock's book about Excitotoxins.

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yes,

We avoid MSG and citric acid, too. Back when my son was reactive the tics lasted at the very least 5 days, but usually longer up to 2-2 1/2 weeks after ingesting something toxic to his system. It helps when the gut heals and the immune system gets stronger. You will not see such a reaction and the duration will lessen too. Just my experience with it.

Do watch the corn sweeteners too, if you are not already doing that. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is a major trigger.

 

Read Dr. Blaylock's book about Excitotoxins.

 

Thanks Caryn, good info you have there.

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Thanks for the inside scoop on MSG and its other names. I ordered the book last week and can't wait for its arrival. I keep wondering...are there really triggers? or is it the brains way of processing it's own chemicals or whatever it does perhaps on a cyclical basis??? When my son starts a new tic, it last 2-3 weeks. Valentine's party in the classroom next week, oh yeah, load him up with sugard, chemicals and food dye. I wish they would just do crafts instead of feeding them junk at these classroom parties. Man, I feel so grinchy here! sorry! lol!

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