Eye of Modok

In preparation for the May holiday, the kids at Ellie and Blysse’s school put on a show for the parents. In this clip, Ellie and the one other foreign kid in her class (Russian dad and Chinese mom) are dressed in pink (Ellie is the one in the lighter shade of pink) and lead the first graders as they march out onto the pitch. Not bad marching for six year olds!

I like the moment when all the kids (except Ellie and the other girl) whip up a snappy salute to the flag as it’s raised. Although the video doesn’t quite seem to capture it, I was pretty impressed at the time (if impressed is the right word) although it also sent a chill down my spine. I somehow just can’t imagine this in the US! Mind you, these kids are all wearing the “honglingjin”, or red neckerchief, which indicates that they’ve been pegged as potential future leaders of China, or at least future bureaucrats, so they are a proud lot to begin with.

For the last part of the opening ceremony, Ellie and the class run through the exercise program that they all learn early on that seems to be based on martial arts.



After a stream of seemingly endless speeches, there were some demonstrations and some games, in which the parents got to participate. My favorite was a game where the child and the parent have a balloon tie around their ankle and they have to try to stomp on the others’ balloons and pop them. Blysse and Salomae were quickly eliminated.



Ellie and I did better, although her balloon leaked all the air out by itself. :- ( I had a lot of fun with the the remaining squealing little girls, who seemed a little intimidated by Ellie’s laowai dad.

One of the very first Chinese phrases I learned when I arrived in Beijing 4 years ago was, “Wo bu yao fang wei jing.” or, “Please don’t add MSG.” I’ve avoided MSG as much as possible for years, and the Chinese predilection for liberal doses of the vile additive in all food put me quickly on the offensive. Of course, my request is often outright ignored, as evidenced by the super salty burning taste in the back of my throat and all throughout my sinuses, and sometimes the cook doesn’t see the need to substitute salt for the deleted ingredient, causing the resulting dish to be quite bland, but overall if you ask, they’ll leave it out and Chinese food is … well, simply delightful, even without MSG, or, in my case, especially without MSG.

In the US, as well as most of the developed world, as well as in economies in transition such as China, MSG is an ingredient in nearly every processed food. Even if it not listed as an ingredient, it is usually added to most food products you find on the shelf in a supermarket. As the FDA only requires MSG to be listed as an ingredient when it is 99% pure, it is disguised in many products under the following names: Calcium caseinate; Sodium caseinate; textured protein; natural flavoring; yeast food; autolyzed yeast; hydrolyzed protein; hydrolyzed vegetable protein; yeast extract; hydrolyzed yeast; natural chicken or turkey flavoring; modified food starch; and “other spices.” Although it has no taste or nutritional value in and of itself, free glutamate stimulates the taste buds and excites neurons in the brain, creating the illusion of tastier food.

As a parent, the widespread use of MSG as a food additive is a major concern of mine, as children are far more susceptible to the detrimental effects of MSG, or any other food additive for that matter. Fortunately there are plenty of healthy alternatives available, especially yummy snack food, if you are willing to pay a bit more for organic, although thanks to the lobbying efforts of the major food suppliers, even that label is now suspect. The fact that such products are now available in Beijing is wonderful, but the difference in price between the less harmful imported organic products and the highly suspect locally produced snacks is even more substantial, weighing heavily in the decision making process.

One area we can always opt out of MSG is at restaurants, although some items are prepared in advance and you can never fully escape it. It is often a complete mystery to my Chinese dining companions, and often my Western ones as well, why I would eschew something that adds flavor to food. The best I can usually manage is to say that it is bad for your health. But how exactly is it bad for your health?

Fortunately, there are a lot of great references on the web, including TruthInLabeling.com and The Harmful Effects of MSG that outline why MSG should be avoided. Here are some of the primary reasons:

Research dating back to 1969 conclusively links MSG to gross obesity.

General reactions include: a burning sensation on different parts of the body; headaches; numbness in the face; chest pain; nausea and vomiting.

Clinical research has shown that MSG can cause the following allergic reactions, similar to side effects of neurological drugs:

Visual Blurred vision Difficulty focusing Pressure around eyes Cardiac Arrhythmia Atrial fibrillation Tachycardia Rapid heartbeat Palpitations Slow heartbeat Angina Extreme rise or drop in blood pressure Circulatory Swelling Gastrointestinal Diarrhea Nausea/vomiting Stomach cramps Rectal bleeding Bloating Muscular Flu-like achiness Joint pain Stiffness Neurological DepressionMood swings Rage reactions Migraine headache Dizziness Light-headedness Loss of balance Disorientation Mental confusion Anxiety Panic attacks Hyperactivity

Behavioral problems in children Attention deficit disorders Lethargy Sleepiness Insomnia Numbness or paralysis seizures Sciatica Slurred speech Chills and shakes Shuddering Respiratory Asthma Shortness of breath Chest pain Tightness in the chest Runny nose Sneezing Urological / Genital Bladder pain (with frequency) Swelling of the prostate Swelling of the vagina Vaginal spotting Frequent urination Nocturia Skin Hives (may be both ..internal and external) Rash Mouth lesions Temporary tightness or partial paralysis (numbness or tingling) Flushing Extreme dryness of the mouth Face swelling Tongue swelling Bags under eyes

[tags] msg, harmful effects, side effects, monosodium glutamate, glutamic acid, food additives, health, healthy living, food [/tags]

Ellie got to the point where she couldn’t stand her loose tooth anymore and asked me to pull it. Lots of fun, even if Salomae didn’t really approve of my methods.

[tags] loose, tooth, Ellie, Elyssia [/tags]