Nourishing PTSD

Did you know…

PTSD is one of the strongest brain body relationships adding to the wear and tear on delicate tissues?
That physical issues stemming from PTSD include gall bladder issues, ulcers, and bowel disruption?
People with PTSD are more likely to have IBS than the average person?
PTSD patients are likely to be vulnerable to excess glutamates leading to brain inflammation and destruction of brain cells?

So what are glutamates?

Glutamate is a powerful excitatory neurotransmitter that is released by nerve cells in the brain. It is responsible for sending signals between nerve cells, and under normal conditions it plays an important role in learning and memory. There are two general ways, however, that glutamate can be damaging to nerve cells and the brain as a whole. First, there can be too much glutamate around; abnormally high concentrations of glutamate can lead to overexcitation of the receiving nerve cell. Second, the receptors for glutamate on the receiving nerve cell can be oversensitive, such that less glutamate molecules are necessary to excite that cell.

In both cases, cells activated by glutamate become overexcited. This overexcitation can lead to effects that can cause cell damage and/or death. For this reason, glutamate is referred to as an excitotoxin when it causes cellular damage.

Neurotransmitters like glutamate are responsible for nerve signaling—that is, for passing chemical messages from one nerve cell to another. Glutamates is an excitatory neurotransmitter naturally found in the body, however it is the consumption of foods that contain high levels of “free glutamates” that creates the problem.

Where do you find glutamates?

A few examples include:

Glutamates (A glutamic acid molecule that has lost a hydrogen ion.)
- Parmesan and Roquefort cheeses
- Walnuts
- Asian Sauces-Soy, Fish, Oyster
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
Glutamic Acid (Glutamic acid is the formal name for one of the 20 amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.)
- Soy protein concentrate or isolate, soybeans and soybean products, edamame
- Cottonseed flour or meal
- Parmesan cheese (and most other cheeses.)
MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate, a sodium salt of glutamic acid.)
- This is found in many processed foods including the following categories of foods:
- Seasonings
- Fast Food (Chinese most often.)
- Soups
- Dressings and Condiments
- Chips
- Frozen Foods
- Instant Noodle products
- MSG may also be hiding under these other names:
  - Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
  - Autolyzed yeast
  - Hydrolyzed yeast
  - Yeast extract
  - Soy extracts
  - Protein isolate