Health

THE RELIGION CORNER: MSG Foods — What You Really Need To Know (Pt. 1)

Published

11 years ago

June 9, 2015

By Lyndia Grant
Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

Each year in memory of my mother, Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, and to honor the anniversary of my radio talk show The Lyndia Grant Show, I sponsor a health fair. The next show will air on Radio One’s WYCB AM, Spirit 1340, Saturday, June 13, 2015. This year’s health fair will be held at The Mill, 1500 Union Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. I’m so pleased to have invited the honorable Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the president of the Baltimore City Council, Bernard “Jack” Young. District 7 is where The Mill is situated, and The Honorable Nick Mosby & Helen Holton will welcome attendees to his District.

This health fair has been in the planning phase for more than six months, long before the riots! Followers of my column know health fairs are held in memory of mother who died from complications of Type 2 Diabetes at my anniversary, every year; which ties into the reason for this column.

Recently, I wrote a column titled Balancing Your Life — Mentally, Physically and Spiritually. I spoke of how sickness is all over the land, partially because of MSG foods, and I shared a true story about MSG, and how it causes weight gain and its direct connection to Type 2 Diabetes. A reader called me, which prompted this follow-up column. The caller said “You did not tell us what MSG means.” I took for granted most readers were familiar with MSG, obviously not. This follow-up is for those of you who may not be familiar with this acronym.

What is monosodium glutamate (MSG)? It is a sodium salt food additive used to provide flavor to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats.

An article published by the Mayo Clinic shares information from The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which classified MSG as a food ingredient that’s “generally recognized as safe,” but its use remains controversial. For this reason, when MSG is added to food, the FDA requires that it be listed on the label.

A study by National Institute of Health (NIH) showed that mice injected with monosodium glutamate (MSG) led to the development of significant inflammation, central obesity, and type 2 diabetes. By 6 and 12 months of age, “These results take on considerable significance in light of the widespread usage of dietary MSG and we suggest that MSG should have its safety profile re-examined and be potentially withdrawn from the food chain,” the report said.

I’m sure you’re asking: What foods contain MSG? Let us examine the answer. Many websites share comprehensive lists of MSG foods. Www.msgtruths.org has a small sampling for those of you who would like to avoid MSG foods. They suggest you not eat: Doritos; KFC, chicken and sausage products, ranch dressing, parmesan items, gravy, dipping sauces, and fries with any kind of seasoning on them except plain salt. Flavored salty snack chips, like Cheetos and items with cheese powder added. Avoid parmesan encrusted soups, Caesar salad, fish sauce or extract, soy sauce, boars head, cold cuts and beef jerky (usually made with soy sauce) and anything that comes out of a can; the list is extremely long, folks.

Look around and pay close attention to body sizes today. Then look in your yearbooks from the 1950’s, 1960’s and even 1970’s; young people were much smaller.

Organic foods are best, more expensive, but you only have one life. I’m worth it; are you? Far too many African Americans are unaware. This appears to be another form of enslavement; it is a way to kill us off quickly! More next week.

Lyndia Grant is an author, inspirational and motivational speaker, radio talk show host and columnist. Visit her new website at www.lyndiagrant.com and call 202-263-4621. Listen Fridays at 6 p.m. to her talk show on WYCB (1340 AM), a Radio One station.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.