The Frightening Trend toward Genetically Modified Foods

I am deeply disturbed by the trend toward genetically modified foods or GMOs.

We have no idea what the long term effects of genetically modified organisms will do to our bodies, to the food supply and to the planet.  But we do know that many over 40 countries greatly restrict and or ban genetically modified foods, including:

• Germany                                                                                
• The United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Spain
• Italy
• Greece                                           
• France
• Portugal
• Luxembourg
• Norway
• Austria
• Poland
• Russia
• Algeria
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• China
• The Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• Brazil
• Paraguay

And yet, in the United States, not only do we allow GMO foods into our food supply; we don’t even require that the foods be labeled as such.  

The commercial food industry spend billions to defeat a law requiring GMO labeling in California.

 Perhaps we should be aware of these companies as we make our purchase decisions!

Monsanto, the food industry and the FDA (in many ways, one in the same) insist that genetically modified foods are harmless and there is no need to let us know if what we are eating is genetically modified.  Monsanto’s website states that “There is no need for, or value in testing the safety of GM foods in humans.”

WHAT???  Let’s use some common sense,

1)      There has been little to no research as GMOs haven’t been around long enough to study the long term effects.

2)      If we genetically modify a crop to resist insects, we are introducing a foreign insecticide into the plant…how will this change the chemical makeup of the plant?  How will that change the environment?

3)      We are tampering with Mother Nature, that can’t be good!

May studies a have implicated genetically modified foods in a wide variety of health problems, including accelerated aging, immune dysfunction, insulin disorders, organ damage and reproductive disruption.  Read more here
and here

Jeffrey Smith, in his book Genetic Roulette; The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods points out that Americans get sick more often than Europeans or people from any other industrialized nation.

He states that since the mid-1990s, the number of Americans suffering from at least three chronic illnesses nearly doubled. Life expectancy has decreased and infant mortality has increased. Illnesses “such as Autism, Type 2 Diabetes, Celiac Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease which were once rare are now common, with some approaching epidemic levels. He points out

•  Autism now affects one in 88 children, compared to one in 25,000 in the mid-1970s
• Type 2 diabetes rates in the U.S. increased by 176 percent between 1980 and 2010
  
• Celiac disease is four times more common now than 60 years ago
• Alzheimer’s disease is rising at alarming rates. It’s estimated that 5.4 million Americans (one in eight older Americans) now has Alzheimer’s disease, and nearly half of those age 85 and older have it; AD rates have doubled since 1980, and
• New infectious diseases are increasing in number

He links this trend to genetically modified foods.  Read more here .

More bad news – nearly all processed food contains Genetically Modified Organisms. Grocery Manufacturers Association estimates that between 75% and 80% of all processed foods available on grocery store shelves contain GMOs.

And the FDA is about to approve a genetically engineered salmon for sale to the US Consumers.  This fish has been engineered to mature in about half the time as natural salmon.  Luckily “retailers are beginning get on the side of protecting the consumer.  Some food retailers including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi supermarket chains have decided not to sell the “frankenfish”.  Unfortunately some of the largest grocery chains are not participating in the ban.

But all is not grim.  Recently Whole Foods also announced that they will require by 2018 all foods they sell to be labeled to indicate whether they contain GMOs.

What can we do in the mean time?  Look for the Non-GMO label.

The No-GMO project is made up of a collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, food processors, distributors, farmers, seed breeders and consumers.  They developed the independent third party Non-GMO verification program, and this seal ensures that food production follows best practices for avoiding GMOs.

Buying organic also ensures that the food doesn’t contain genetically modified ingredients.

By law, organic products must be created only with non-GMO ingredients.

So consumers can look for this seal to ensure that their foods are organic.

An Unhealthy Nation

I came upon this article from Health Impact News Daily.  It is worth reading.  The article makes it clear that we need to take care of our own health and not rely on government or the experts to act in our best interest

U.S. Ranks First in Healthcare Spending – Last in Life Expectancy

As the title states, the article points out that

• In the US we spend more on healthcare and yet we have the highest death rate as compared to other  high income countries, and that:
• Government is not the solution.
• The FDA acts on behalf of the drug companies, condemning natural remedies can’t be patented and controlled by the drug companies.
• We are addicted to prescription drugs, and prescription drug kill over 100,000 people each year.
• US babies get more vaccines before age one than any of the other comparable countries, and yet we rank #1 among those countries in infant mortality.
• As of 2011, drug companies are protected from liability from harm caused by vaccines.
• 50 countries restrict or ban GMO foods, yet the US and Canada don’t even require GMO labeling.

What can we do?  I believe we need to take control of our own health by eating right, exercising, getting plenty of sleep and adopting a healthy lifestyle.  In this way we will live healthy lives, and when we do get sick and need medical assistance, our bodies and immune system will be strong and better able to combat disease.