To my readers re: extreme glutamate sensitivity

I feel compelled to write a brief message to my readers regarding glutamates sensitivities far more profound than those that affect me. I received an email that pointed out some of the ingredients that I use that could still be an issue for such an individual. I have researched long and hard to find solutions for my issues, and continue to make changes, but what works for me may not work for even more highly sensitized people.  Some of the ingredients that caused concern for the person that contacted me were vinegar, balsamic vinegar, flour, bacon, cheese and ultra-pasteurized milk. 


The writer's point is quite valid. The most sensitive of individuals may have difficulty with virtually any processed food. I don't always specify that I use organic, but I strive to do so as much as possible, and more so every day. I recently switched to milk from a local dairy that is pasteurized, but neither ultra-pasteurized, nor homogenized. This was a long-desired change, and I was extremely excited to be able to take this step. 


I will be continuing to research food preparation, and will share my journey as it unfolds. What I encourage you to do is to pay careful attention to the signals that your body is sending you, and I welcome comments about what your experiences have taught you. There are many different approaches to food, ranging from a completely raw diet to fast food, and every variation in between.  Please also remember that I am not an expert, I am mostly self-taught, and still learning every day. If you visit my page because you, or someone dear to you, has issues with food additives, you know that caution is our watchword. 


To that end, I want to add a bit of information that I just received regarding flour. Apparently much of the flour that is in the store has malted barley on the ingredients list. Malted barley is used to supplement certain batches according to the quality of the harvest, as some years may be too wet, or some crops have been planted in fields that are depleted of certain nutrients.  In other words, they list it on the label in case they need to include it, but there is no way for the consumer to tell which bags of flour contain the malted barley. 


As some of you may know, I had a recent reaction to some organic whole wheat crackers that had malted barley as an ingredient. Also, as cautious as I have been, I didn't closely  read the label on my all-purpose flour. I had noticed some slight difficulty breathing, but it was never consistent, so I never recognized the source.  I am looking into purchasing a grain mill and grain. Freshly milled flour is higher in nutrients, so this is something I have wanted to do for a while.  The person that sent me this information also gave me the name of a company that offers flour that does not contain malted barley. I want to try the product and confirm the ingredients before I put their name and site on this page, so I will be looking for the product line when I am shopping this weekend and I will keep you informed.