Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and YOUR Health

What You Don’t Know May be Dangerous!

This is a time-sensitive Newsletter because I don’t know how many days the first two fascinating links shown below will be available.

Genetic modification (GM) is a broad term that can apply to a variety of methods of changing the hereditary characteristics of an organism – be it a plant or an animal. Historically this occurred through cross-breeding which can take many generations for the desired changes to occur. The multiplicity of breeds of dogs is a good example. There are, of course, problems even with this slow form of GM. And if you know anything about dogs you are aware of some of the various physical and health issues that have resulted.

But an even more dangerous and faster form is more properly referred to as Genetic Engineering (GE) and this is the topic of this special issue of the Newsletter. You may have seen discussions about this in the news, using either GE or GM as the title. Genetic engineering is a type of genetic modification that refers directly to the human manipulation of a plant’s genome using recombinant DNA technology. The benefit of this new technology is that it allows us to not only pick out and preserve those same desirous traits that were chosen in selective breeding, but it also allows for other new traits to be added to the target plant.

For the rest of this Newsletter GE and GM are used interchangeably although this information is technically all related to GE. But since GM is used in the popular press, let’s use it.

Initially it was thought, or at least the claim was made by giant chemical companies like Monsanto, that these modifications would provide a number of benefits such as, increased crop yields, increased amounts of vital nutrients, increased resistance to pests, weeds, cold, disease and drought. In fact experience has shown that crop yields are not increased, the crops are not drought resistant, weeds have not been conquered, the crops are less resistant to disease and so on.

The crops that are genetically engineered are: soy, corn, canola, cotton, papaya (from Hawaii and China), zucchini, yellow squash, alfalfa and sugar beets. Bear in mind that many of these ingredients are used in processed foods and many are used in animal feeds (soy, corn, alfalfa, sugar beets), and corn, canola, and cotton seed are used in cooking oils. Basically you want to avoid each of these and animals that are fed these GM crops. You’ll hear more in the replay of the webinar. The presentation is about 30 minutes followed by 30 minutes of questions and answers and can be found at this link (opens new window).

Jeffrey Smith produced an 86 minute video on this topic and it can currently be found on YouTube at this link (opens new window).

I have no idea how long these two links will remain active. And this is information that you will want to see.

WHAT TO DO

1. Buy organic whenever possible, especially the 9 foods listed above.

2. If you use sugar be sure it is pure CANE sugar.

3. Buy meat that has been 100% grass-fed. Meat that has never gone to a feedlot and been fed GE soy, corn, canola, sugar beets. It is also referred to as grass-fed and grass-finished.

4. Buy only wild caught fish, never buy farmed-fish because of the high likelihood that their feed contain GE products.

5. Work on moving to a whole food diet.

6. Processed foods are full of these GE products, UNLESS they are certified by Project Non-GMO. You can get an App for your cell phone to help you avoid GE foods when you are shopping. If you have an IPhone go to the AppStore and search for “ShopNoGMO”.

7. You can also get a print version Shopping Guide and a smaller Shopping Tips brochure at Non GMO Shopping Guide (opens new window).

8. Educate yourself about these topics at the Institute for Responsible Technology (opens new window).

At the site Click on “GMO Education”.

9. Avoid the GMO derivative labeled as the sweetener aspartame. It is also referred to as NutraSweet® and Equal® and is found in over 6,000 products.

10. Be sure that your milk is not from cows that have been injected with GM bovine growth hormone (called rbGH or rbST), or fed with GM Alfalfa.

11. If you have babies, or young children or grandchildren, download the new baby brochure, an introductory guide for parents on the health risks of GMOs for children and babies. Babies and Children Brochure (opens new window).

The next Newsletter will give you all the dope on Humus, not Hummus.

Yours in Health and Wellness