Blog #6 – Genetically Modified Foods
Today I write about something that brings up a lot of emotion for me – anger, sadness, and frustration about the power of corporate lobbying and corporate greed. GMO’s!!
Several months ago I took my son Nolan to see a Holistic Allergist which really opened my eyes and once again brought more awareness to the many questions I have about autism and even cancer. For years we have been eating very clean and very healthy knowing that we are helping our kids and guiding them towards a healthy lifestyle for their future. In Dec of 2012, I took Nolan to see a medical intuitive which was again very enlightening but hard all at the same time. He too told me that Nolan was still full of toxins. I have known for some time that some children with Autism have difficulties ridding their bodies of toxins which can cause many of the behaviors and of course what goes on inside their little bodies too. I do believe that there are a lot of questions about what causes Autism but my belief is the environment (toxic environment) plays a huge role. There was a study released just last year that tested mothers umbilical cords and there were anywhere from 130 – 200 different chemicals in them. That is crazy!!
In my pursuit of asking questions I have come across the GMO! GMOs are made by forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans, into the DNA of a food crop or animal in order to introduce a new trait. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine reported, “Several animal studies indicated serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They urge physicians to prescribe non-GMO foods to everyone.
The eight GM food crops are: corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, papaya from China, or Hawaii (most) and a small amount of zucchini and yellow squash. GM alfalfa is also fed to livestock. Think of all the round up ready corn and soy etc that is fed to the animals that many people eat.
Nolan has a condition called leaky gut which is very common in children with Autism but seems to be affecting more and more people around me all the time. Leaky gut is linked to GMOs as well. The GMO crops are designed to fight off the bugs and when the bug eats the plant their stomach basically explodes. Do they not think that the same thing would happen to our stomachs too!!!! GMOs require massive amounts of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. These things are poisons, and should not be eaten or allowed to run off into our water supply. But they are, every day, by companies who care far more about the bottom line than they do about your health, your environment or your children’s future.
Who is the cause of all this? MONSANTO – a very large company that would like to genetically alter all of our seeds so they can patent them and control the world’s food source. Dioxin (Agent Orange) which was created by Monsanto, destroyed the lives and happiness of so many Vietnamese children and so many American veterans has turned up in the North American food supply. See video below for more information.
The last line in the video “Genetic Roulette” really says it all!
“What have I done to my children and what has been done without my consent.”
For 50 years we have been eating these genetically modified crops…and we wonder why so many of us are sick.
Chances are very good you’ve eaten GM foods: At least seven out of 10 items at your neighborhood grocery store contain them. That said, there’s some steps you can take that will help you steer clear of them:
- Reduce or Eliminate Processed Foods. Some 75 percent of processed foods contain GM ingredients. There are many reasons why processed foods are not optimal for your health — for instance they often contain trans fat, acrylamide and little nutritional value — so avoiding them will not only help you to cut back on the amount of GM foods you are consuming, but will also boost your health.
- Read produce and food labels. GM soybeans and corn make up the largest portion of genetically modified crops. When looking at a product label, if any ingredients such as corn flour and meal, dextrin, starch, soy sauce, margarine, and tofu (to name a few) are listed, there’s a good chance it has come from GM corn or soy, unless it’s listed as organic.
- Buy organic produce. Buying organic is currently the best way to ensure that your food has not been genetically modified. By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all GM organisms, produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs.
- Look at Produce Stickers. Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown, organically grown or genetically modified. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number nine, and GM fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number eight.
Finally, if you feel you can’t afford to buy organic foods, please read Colleen Huber’s excellent piece on how you can do so on your current budget.
GENETIC ROULETTE – Amazing documentary on GMOs.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/dvds/genetic-roulette
GMO’s affect all of us. Please do yourself a favor and watch this film and then tell everyone about it.
What You Will Learn
- The serious far reaching threats posed by genetically engineered foods
- Compelling evidence that suggests a link between the consumption of GE Foods and rising disease, illness and allergy rates
- Why GM foods are bad news for you and your family’s health
- The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) policy on genetically engineered foods
- The power and influence of Agribusiness and Chemical companies in deciding what we eat and how they hide the evidence
- Ways that you can help in the fight for healthy food and transparency with food labeling.
Non-GMO Shopping Guide – http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/
They even have an app for your phone! It is called shop no GMO – available at the iPhone App Store.
The Non – GMO Project is a non – profit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non – GMO products, educating consumers, and providing verified non – GMO choices: http://www.nongmoproject.org/
GM food toxins found in the blood of 93% of unborn babies
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1388888/GM-food-toxins-blood-93-unborn-babies.html
Food Matters – GMO corn linked to cancer tumors:
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/gm-corn-linked-to-cancer-tumors
genetically modified (GM) crops
Movie trailer on Monsanto (you will be appalled) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8hFuuDAZjk
