Part 1 of the GMO Facts Report:
Preface
An abbreviated version of this report was recently published in the AFIB Report. The following is much more detailed and is offered as a critically-important awareness alert for those interested in learning how exposure to Genetically Modified Organisms or Engineered foods is linked to many health problems. As you read the GMO Facts report, keep these Preface points in mind as they highlight major contributors to many health complications. If we care about living long, healthy lives, we need know how to protect the integrity of our brain and intestinal tract membranes. Here’s why:
Among the most relevant, universal concerns for everyone (especially afibbers) is the resultant intestinal damage or Hyper-intestinal Permeability (aka Leaky Gut Syndrome/LGS) since intestinal issues are often reported as initiators of Afib events.
With LGS, metabolic and microbial endotoxins from intestinal contents intended for quick transit out of the body via fecal elimination, instead enter the blood stream through hyper-leaky membranes and are circulated throughout the entire body via the blood stream and promote various systemic diseases—called “translocation.” This is not new since LGS increased with the advent of and overuse of antibiotics and NSAIDs-type drugs which vigorously inflame the intestinal lining and cause the hyper-permeability. Our innate host-defense, protective mechanism to this exposure is the inflammatory response known to initiate many detrimental, chronic ailments. Other causes of hyper-permeability include aging, alcohol, stress, chemotherapy, lactase deficiency, gluten/gliaden allergy, acidic diet, parasites, yeast and environmental factors such as toxic air and water, mold, chemicals, inhaled formaldehyde from new carpet or synthetic cabinetry and mercury/amalgam dental fillings – a few of many sources.
And, now (since the early 1990’s), we have exposure to the Genetically Modified Organisms in the food supply.
Agriculture uses GMO Bt bacteria as an insecticide. It kills insects by poking holes in their intestines. When we or animals consume Bt toxins in GMO foods, the Bt bacteria poke holes in our intestines as well. Human tests show GMO Bt toxins in blood and red blood cells confirming wherever blood circulates, exposure occurs.
There are other important concerns….
Highly significant is damage to our friendly intestinal bacteria (bowel flora) or the gut’s microbiome required for proper immune system and neurological functions including brain function and production of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which functions in the cardiovascular system, muscles and various elements in the endocrine system. “Stunning new science coming from the most well-respected institutions around the world is discovering that, to an extraordinary degree, brain health is inextricably linked to the organisms that populate and live in the gut.” (Perlmutter 2015)
Enteric nervous system cells produce and store 95% of our serotonin. This gut serotonin manages digestion, stimulates pancreatic enzymes and the pace and rhythm of intestinal peristalsis. Serotonin influences the cranial brain by stimulating the tenth cranial nerve (Vagus nerve).
“The Vagus extends from the brain to the abdomen and is the primary channel of information between the hundreds of millions of nerve cells in our intestinal nervous system and our Central Nervous System. It automatically directs many body processes such as maintaining heart rate and controlling digestion. The population and quality of gut bacteria directly affects the stimulation and function of cells along the Vagus nerve and some gut microbes actually release chemical messengers (just as neurons do) that speak to the brain in their own language through the Vagus nerve.” (Perlmutter)
The intestinal tract hosts over 500 types of beneficial bacteria that perform hundreds of functions required for healthy metabolism and immune function. Intestinal dysbiosis or dysfunction of the “microbiome-brain-gut axis” caused by GMOs killing our good gut bacteria results in a large variety of health disorders including depression, mood, anxiety, IBS, autism, auto-immune dysfunction and much more. Good gut bacteria produce vital brain chemicals such as BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor), GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) and glutamate whose levels are directly dependent on adequate gut bacteria function. Changes in the brain’s ability to protect itself allow entry of proteins, viruses and bacteria. Decreased levels of BDNF correlate with neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, anorexia, depression, schizophrenia, OCD and more. Since leaky gut syndrome and the subsequent inflammation cause permeability of the blood-brain barrier, we now have a relatively new term… ‘leaky brains.’
“In the ten wealthiest Western nations, death from brain disease in general, which largely reflects death from dementia, has risen dramatically over the past 20 years. The United States leads the way. A 2013 British report showed since 1979, death due to brain disease increased 66% in men and 92% in women in America. The surge is affecting people at younger and younger ages – in sharp contrast to major reductions in death risk from all other causes.” (1) (Perlmutter)
Between 70-80% of our body’s total immune system function is generated in the gut. In addition to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the activated immune system response to LGS and resultant inflammatory cytokine production is also associated with other chronic health ailments including heart and brain diseases such as mood disorders, brain fog, dementia, autism, ADD, autoimmune disorders, food allergies, gluten and gliaden sensitivity, headaches, eczema, asthma, insomnia, diabetes and more.
Studies show GMO-fed livestock also have stomach and intestinal problems including massive diarrhea--obviously a huge concern for food safety and infection control on commercial farms. They also have fertility problems. Globally, thousands of sheep, goats and buffalo died after grazing on Bt cotton plants after harvest. Cotton pickers and handlers frequently develop intense skin reactions.
RoundUp/glyphosate herbicides used on core crops since 2001 are known endocrine disruptors and are also are found to be chelators that bind up key heart function minerals such as magnesium and manganese for thyroid function. The connection between endocrine dysfunction and Afib is well-acknowledged as is magnesium deficiency and arrhythmia.
This Preface is a short overview of an extensive list of associated health problems caused by GMO exposure and why we should be concerned. Take time to read the full report and follow the many weblinks and references that corroborate the scientific findings to become informed. The primary sources of the Preface information on intestinal and neurological issues are my notes gleaned from presentations by Board Certified Neurologist, David Perlmutter, MD, Gastroenterologist, Trent W. Nichols, MD; and Gastroenterologist, Gerard Mullin, MD.
(
1) Changing Patterns of Neurological Mortality in 10 Major Developed Countries – 1979-2010. Publ Health 127 (April 2013) p 357-68 [www.publichealthjrnl.com]
Gut-Microbiota-Brain Axis and Its Effect on Neuropsychiatric Disorders With Suspected Immune Dysregulation [www.clinicaltherapeutics.com] May 1, 2015
Before proceeding to the following expanded report... I’ve inserted here this current news or Disaster Alert about the labeling of GM Foods
Alarming Current News: July 23, 2015…. the
DARK Act or HR 1599 (Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015) has just passed in the House and will be up for Senate vote in September after recess. Contact your Senators to prevent this bill from passing and protect the food supply and your health.
Act now.
[
www.fooddemocracynow.org]
[
hsionline.com]
History:
Fast Forward to very current news – April and May 2015 Hardly a day goes by without something new surfacing on GMOs or GM-related toxins in our food sources. Recently, Dr. Oz was severely criticized for taking a stand on the public’s right to know about GMO food labeling. His rebuttal stance publicly exposed the DARK Act, which, if passed, would totally disallow any future citizen referenda or state initiatives to label what's in their food. The D-A-R-K Act is an acronym for: DENY AMERICANS’ RIGHT to KNOW [
www.facebook.com]
"The sponsors of the bill claim that GMO labeling is not needed. The bill specifically makes mandatory labeling of GMO foods impossible and that takes away your right to vote in your state for what you and your family wants to eat."
According to guest Scott Faber, Vice President of the Environmental Working Group:
"This is a radical, radical proposal when you think about the fact that ninety percent of Americans want to know whether their food contains GMOs, just like consumers in sixty- four other countries. It's just incredible that Congress would pass a law that would block all state GMO labeling laws and make it virtually impossible for the FDA to mandate labeling. The Congress is saying 'we don't trust you to make those choices"
He notes if the
DARK Act became law, all the existing state laws that require GMO labeling would be "wiped off the books" and the 17 bills now pending in state legislatures would all be blocked, effectively forever. Continue at page 11 for more labeling information.
If this bill passes in the Senate,
imagine the hundreds of millions of pounds of additional pesticides, including Roundup and 2,4-D—an element of “Agent Orange”—in your food, water and air. And the Dark Act will have the greatest impact on the
health of farm workers who will be in direct contact with these toxic pesticides. This bill would also be
economically devastating to organic and non-GE farmers who could lose billions of dollars as their crops are contaminated by unregulated GE varieties
Also…..Be sure to note on the very last page… this 7/14/15 News
GMO Soy Accumulates Formaldehyde & Disrupts Plant Metabolism, Suggests Peer-Reviewed Study Calling for 21st Century Safety Standards
Study Concludes FDA GMO Approval Process is Flawed, Outdated, and Unscientific
Knowledge is health,
Jackie
GMO Facts you may not know Part 2 - Dietary Enlightenment
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when adults are afraid of the light…… Plato
The GMO topic is broadly complex and multi-faceted. The intent of this report is to create awareness about a very important topic by covering basic, scientific facts along with recent developments since almost daily, new findings are revealed. While this overview is lengthy, it is by no means all-inclusive. Hopefully, motivated readers will continue independent research for benefit of personal health and that of family, pets, farm animals and the environment. It’s
that critical. This is an alert for those who really want to know about GMO’s – the risks, the facts, the science in order to be wary about the consequences of consumption.
Introduction
A variety of adverse health conditions can result from GMO food consumption. This is especially relevant to Afibbers because of the direct impact on the gastrointestinal tract since GI issues are frequently reported as part of a prelude to an Afib event. Also noted are connections to immune activation and allergies. Since 70 percent of our immune system functions in the gut to expel and kill foreign invaders, it makes sense not only to be concerned but highly aware. Children are the most vulnerable to the potential dangers of GMOs. Test animals and farm animals show dramatic consequences of consuming GM foods. Some individuals may be more sensitive or reactive than others which may actually be helpful because strict avoidance in the early stages can help prevent severe manifestations from long-term exposures that go undetected or are largely ignored or denied.
“Since so little research has been done on the safety of GM foods, it is not possible to rank its risks. Unlike the others, GM crops persist in the environment and may continue to pose risks to health for centuries. In addition, transfer of transgenes to gut bacteria may present long-term chronic exposure since the foreign protein may continue to be produced inside our bodies after we no longer consume the GM food.” [1]
A deeper scientific understanding about the genetic implications of modified plants and foods is addressed in the book by Professor of Medicine, Cell Biologist, Epigeneticist Bruce H. Lipton, PhD.
The Biology of Belief (2007) Quote:
"Epigenetics is the science of how environmental signals select, modify and regulate gene activity. This new awareness reveals that our genes are constantly being remodeled in response to life experiences… which again emphasizes that our perceptions of life shape our biology.”
“Already there is a study that shows that when humans digest genetically modified foods, the artificially-created genes transfer into and alter the character of the beneficial bacteria in the intestine. (Heritage 2004; Netherwood, et al, 2004) Similarly, gene transfer among genetically-engineered agricultural crops and surrounding native species has given rise to highly-resistant species deemed superweeds.” “Now that we are aware of this inter- and intra-species gene transfer mechanism, the dangers of genetic engineering become apparent. For example, tinkering with the genes of a tomato may not stop at that tomato but could alter the entire biosphere in ways that we cannot foresee.”
“When we eat food, the micro-RNA from the food is picked up by the digestive system and not broken down. The micro-RNA is taken into our own body, intact, and now what they’f found is tht the micro-RNA from food ends up in our own cells – like in our liver and other cells in our body – and these micro-RNAs still have the same function: they change our genetics and they change the readout of our genome. And the significance is profound: It says when we eat genetically modified food, we’re eating a new class of micro-RNAs that have never been in the world before, and yet those micro-RNAs are picked up by our biology and adjust our own genetics; so in a sense, the old story “we are what we eat” actually now has a biochemical foundation. And now all of a sudden, you can say if that’s true, why would you risk your life eating a genetically modified food containing micro-RNAs tht can totally destroy our own biology and cause great problems in our lives?” [End Quote]
For this report, I chose Jeffrey M. Smith
1 as the primary information source because of his vast experience and credibility.
Jeffrey is a highly-respected and well-known leading researcher and consumer advocate, author of
Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating and the award-winning film,
Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods. Jeffrey counsels leaders from every continent, campaigned to end the use of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone, influenced the first state laws in the United States regulating GMOs and is an admired keynote speaker around the globe. He has lectured in nearly 40 countries, has been quoted by world leaders and hundreds of media outlets and is also a popular guest on influential radio and television programs.
Former US National Institutes of Health neuroscientist, the late Candace Pert, described Jeffrey as "the leading world expert in the understanding and communication of the health issues surrounding genetically modified foods."
He is the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) and producer of the films
Hidden Dangers in Kids' Meals and Your Milk on Drugs: Just Say No! He writes an internationally-syndicated column,
“Spilling the Beans,” and has a blog on the popular Huffington Post. Spend time at his very extensive website and follow the links to learn more. The IRT website also offers links to a handy GMO-free Shopping Guide and iPhone App.
[Ref] There are many other credible sources confirming the observations and science. IRT’s website blog offers news on current developments, the latest on GM labeling laws and trade agreement conflicts. [
www.responsibletechnology.org]
Those who consume exclusively fresh or frozen Certified Organic and verified Non-GMO foods and beverages, choose organic supplements and enjoy organic garden produce from certified organic seeds will find this report reinforcing of their good habits although it’s alarming to learn that some packaged (processed) Certified Organic foods are now found to contain GMOs due to ingredients derived from GM crops…such as soy or canola cooking oil –(just one example often not identified on the label.)
For adults and their children who do not “eat unprocessed organic” and eat meals away from home, eat packaged foods and don’t read labels, let this serve as an awareness alert on the potential health risks of consuming Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or Genetically Engineered foods (GE). As with grain/gluten toxicities, often, diet isn’t considered suspect; thus, treatments focus on eliminating symptoms rather than finding core causes. Until exposure is eliminated, chronic health ailments continue to lurk behind the scenes with drugs prescribed to suppress symptoms but failing to correct the problem. Another very popular, extensive website offering food guides and pitfalls on GM foods is
Food Babe. Host, Vani Hari, offers an amazing collection of data on unhealthy, hidden ingredients in packaged, processed foods…even organic. Her personal story is inspiring and motivating.
[5]
Doctors report when patients observe both a grain/gluten-free diet along with a GMO-free diet, chronic symptoms typically resolve in a few weeks and often, a few days. It’s thought that GMO influences magnify the gluten toxicity reaction. One physician who instructed 5,000 patients to also avoid GMOs said, “Everyone gets better.” Interviews with some of those patients indicated allergy and asthma responses diminished in 3 – 5 days; GI disorders take a couple of weeks or longer. Most said they either switched to organic or drastically reduced processed food plus reducing all the cofactors helped. Farmers report their livestock improved when switched from GM to non-GM feed.
[1]
A quick way to catch up on the background of the GMO debacle, is by listening to Jeff Smith’s 2007 presentation, Don’t Put That in Your Mouth. He details the history leading up to the current, ongoing exposeˊ on the cover-ups and lack of science clouding the safety issues back when GMOs were first introduced in the mid-1990’s. The details he offers on the treatment of Árpád Pusztai (pronounced Poos-tie), the original whistleblower scientist on GMO safety, is worth the listen. That was 2007 – much more has been revealed since then. IRT’s website blog offers news on current developments and the latest on GM labeling laws and trade agreement conflicts.
So what exactly are GMO’s?
Clarification: hybridized is not the same as GMO. Wheat is hybridized or bred (by sexual reproduction techniques) to enhance various desirable qualities such as wheat bred to enhance traits that make bread products lighter, fluffier, use less flour, taste better, have different mouth-feel or for farmers who want a wheat that has higher yield per acre or is more drought tolerant.
A GMO is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Because this involves the transfer of genes, GMOs are also known as "transgenic" organisms. Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM) is the same process and works in several ways to cause harm:
1. Seeds are treated with the herbicide glyphosate, aka Roundup by Monsanto, so that when the plants grow, they are genetically engineered not to die when sprayed with Roundup herbicide; thus, are called “Roundup Ready.” RR seeds and include soy, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa and small squash - yellow crookneck and zucchini. This means that plants of RR seeds store a portion of Roundup in the food portion we (or animals) eat which means we get a dose of Monsanto’s herbicide with every bite.[1] Newly approved are the GM non-browning apples and non-bruising potatoes. Now, Monsanto wants to introduce Roundup-ready wheat. Many more are coming.
A report published on March 20, 2015,
The Lancet Oncology medical journal, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC; Lyon, France) announced its findings after a meeting of 17 oncology experts from 11 countries met to review the available scientific research exploring the connection between the organophosphate pesticides glyphosate, tetrachlorvinphos, parathion, malathion and diazinon and various human cancers. These assessments will be published as volume 112 of the IARC Monographs. [
tinyurl.com]
"Consumers have the right to know how their food is grown and whether their food dollars are driving the use of a probable carcinogen." —Ken Cook, Environmental Working Group.
According to IARC, glyphosate is used in more than 750 different herbicide products and its use has been detected in the air during spraying, in water and in food. The panel of experts concluded that "limited evidence" exists to show the herbicide can cause non-Hodgkins lymphoma in humans and additional "convincing evidence" that it can cause other forms of cancer in both rats and mice. Researchers noted that glyphosate has been found in the blood and urine of agricultural workers, showing the chemical has been absorbed by the bodies of those who work most with it. [
tinyurl.com] [
tinyurl.com]
An interesting side note on the glyphosate component in Roundup: It has broad-spectrum antibiotic properties and is highly selective as it kills the beneficial gut bacteria but not the E. coli, salmonella or botulism bacteria. This causes big bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis) problems in poultry and cattle and the epidemic of botulism because it’s now found everywhere, when formerly was typically held in check by good bacteria that keep out invaders, so more gut issues or complaints are being seen. Example, the good bacteria, bifidus, helps suppress inflammation so if missing, many health problems can be related to inadequate protective (good) gut bacteria, overgrowth of bad gut bacteria, leaky gut, autoimmune disease, food allergies, autism, cancer and more.
[1]
2. Plants are engineered with
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt toxin) to produce their own toxic insecticide by killing insects that feed on the plant, fruit or leaves. This kills the bugs by bursting their stomachs and making holes in their intestines. The Bt toxin is a natural soil bacteria often used by organic farmers to kill insects while it’s active but it also washes off and biodegrades. Corn and cotton plants (themselves) are now registered pesticides as the plants do the killing.[1] When the insect’s good, normal gut bacteria get out of the stomach and into the insect’s blood stream, it becomes pathogenic. Transfer of transgenes to gut bacteria may present long-term chronic exposure, since the foreign protein may continue to be produced inside of us long after we no longer consume the GM food. When the Bt toxins get in human intestines, the result from the hole poking manifests as Leaky Gut Syndrome or Intestinal Permeability and all the related symptoms, as previously noted. Farm animals have the same problem from GM feed.
3. Aside from the GMO process, the
topical spraying of glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient which kills beneficial gut bacteria, is also used as an herbicide to prepare crops for harvest so is another source of exposure to this toxic chemical considered to be an endocrine disruptor. This is a particular problem now since the US Environmental Protection Agency increased the allowable residues on fruits, vegetables and grains by as much as 30 times. It’s said the acceptable level now is about a million times more than the original level linked to damage from Roundup. Fruits, vegetables and grains are being sprayed to dry down crops to make harvest easy. When you spray, it doesn’t just stay on the surface. It contains a surfactant, which allows the Roundup/glyphosate to penetrate inside; and then it is stored in the fast-growing sections of the crop. As harvest time gets closer, that’s the only place it goes, to the food portion, which we eat, and includes crops of wheat, rye, barley, lentils. But these aren’t GMO’s. Now, it’s going to be used for citrus and sweet potatoes before harvesting.
[1]
Back to the endocrine disruption (hormones)…glyphosate disrupts aromatase (enzyme) which is the basis for estrogen and testosterone production. In animals fed Roundup, the females had more testosterone and the males had more estrogen. An inverse. They are feminizing the males and virilizing the females which is said to be a big problem in humans at this point in terms of hormone levels.
Another big danger with Roundup is that glyphosate was originally patented as a broad-spectrum
chelator, meaning it binds with trace minerals making them unavailable for digestion and assimilation. That means the food that’s genetically engineered, Roundup-ready, is drenched with Roundup and becomes nutrient deficient. The animals eating the RR crops become nutrient-deficient. We eat the Roundup residues. It can further chelate within us and block the availability of certain nutrients. Trace minerals are like keys in locks to certain metabolic pathways; and, many, many diseases can be traced to nutrient deficiencies. So, by eating large quantities of Roundup-drenched food, we may be interfering with metabolic pathways that, of course, can affect health. It’s known to interfere with calcium, cobalt, vitamin B12, manganese,
magnesium and so on.
[1]
[One can’t help but think about the increasing prevalence of Afib and since Afibbers are typically found to be magnesium deficient as it relates to this mineral chelation connection and conclude this is not just coincidental, especially with AF affecting wider age-ranges of people. jb]
According to Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior PhD research scientist at MIT, glyphosate is largely responsible for the escalating incidence of autoimmune and other neurological disorders we are experiencing.
[6] Dr. Seneff indicates that glyphosate is one of the most commonly-used weed killers in the U.S. primarily on genetically modified “Roundup Ready” crops like corn, soy, canola, sorghum, alfalfa, and cotton, but is also being used on sugar cane and coffee crops.
She also says that Roundup is sprayed on wheat to kill it which makes it easier to harvest. The glyphosphate binds to the wheat which increases its toxicity or makes it more allergenic. (So that’s another gut factor to take into consideration and reflects back to Dietary Enlightenment Part 1.)
And glyphospate also:
• Damages healthy gut bacteria
• Makes normal foods allergenic
• Causes depletion of tryptophan and leads to serotonin deficiency (linked to obesity, depression, and sleep problems)
• Causes depletion of the amino acid tyrosine contributing to thyroid hormone dysfunction.
• Disrupts the proper motility of the gut creating symptoms of IBS.
• Disrupts CYP enzymes( P450) in the liver necessary to help the body detoxify foreign chemicals and promotes LGS.
• Leads to problems with the liver activating active vitamin D
• Contributes to vitamin A toxicity
• Disrupts the production of bile acids and contributes to fat malabsorption.
• Depletes the essential minerals magnesium, iron, cobalt, zinc, and molybdenum & Vitamin B 12
• Causes an increased histamine and inflammatory response[6]
Summarizing Alert for Afibbers: As seen in animals fed GM food, in humans, the impact of GMOs and Roundup spraying can knock out the good protective GI bacteria and allows the bad bacteria usually kept in check by the good, to flourish and take over…the Bt bacteria pokes holes in the intestines..(aka Intestinal Permeability) which triggers the whole systemic inflammatory cascade and leads to many neurological disorders, chronic ailments and immune system dysfunction health issues.
When we eat meat, eggs and food products of animals fed GMO grains and such, all of the potential health risks mentioned come into play. Results yet unknown.
While the main focus of this expository post covers basic Facts about GMOs and the many health risks and undesirable effects of GMOs exposure, it’s important to keep in mind that even though Afib is not officially mentioned (yet) as being connected to GMO exposure, if we connect the dots to the associated facts and correlations, Afib makes sense considering what we know about gut disturbances and certain food exposures frequently reported as arrhythmia triggers. (Recall the many past posts about “The Second Brain” by Michael D. Gershon, MD, a leading investigator in the expanding field of Neurogastroenterology and those who have reversed their afib by eliminating gut issues.) It’s not wild speculation to note that the increasing incidence and prevalence of heart arrhythmias since 1990 makes an interesting and plausible parallel to the rise in other ailments starting in 1996 associated with GM food exposure. Note graph correlation: [
www.alternet.org] and the fact that 80-90% of commercial/prepared foods contain GMOs.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a global healthcare problem with evidence suggesting an increasing prevalence and incidence worldwide [4-6]. A systematic review of worldwide population-based studies (n = 184) estimated that the number of individuals with AF in 2010 was 33.5 million and that there are about 5 million new cases each year. In 1990, the estimated age-adjusted prevalence rates (per 100,000 population) were 570 in men and 360 in women; the estimated age-adjusted incidence rates (per 100,000 person-years) were 61 in men and 44 in women [6]. In 2010, the prevalence rates increased to 596 and 373 and the incidence rates increased to 78 and 60 in men and women, respectively. The age-adjusted prevalence rate (per 100,000 population) was highest in North America (700 to 775) and lowest in Japan and South Korea (250 to 325). The rate in China was also relatively low (325 to 400). [
www.uptodate.com]
The United States globally is the leading grower of Biotech crops: The top ten countries planting GM crops each grew more than 1 million hectares in 2011: USA (69 million hectares), Brazil (30.3 million), Argentina (23.7 million), India (10.6 million), Canada (10.4 million), China (3.9 million), Paraguay (2.8 million), Pakistan (2.6 million), South Africa (2.3 million) and Uruguay (1.3 million).
As Roundup use rises, plant disease skyrockets. When Roundup Ready crops were introduced in 1996, Monsanto boldly claimed herbicide use would drop as a result. It did—slightly—for three years. But over the next 10 years, it grew considerably. Total herbicide use in the US jumped by a whopping 383 million pounds in the 13 years after GMOs came on the scene. The greatest contributor is Roundup. Over time, many types of weeds that would once keel over with just a tiny dose of Roundup now require heavier and heavier applications. Some are nearly invincible. In reality, these super-weeds are resistant not to the glyphosate itself, but to the soil-borne pathogens that normally do the killing in Roundup sprayed fields.
Having hundreds of thousands of acres infested with weeds that resist plant disease and weed killer has been devastating to many US farmers, whose first response is to pour on more and more Roundup. Its use is now accelerating. Nearly half of the huge 13-year increase in herbicide use took place in just the last 2 years. This has serious implications. As US farmers drench more than 135 million acres of Roundup Ready crops with Roundup, plant diseases are enjoying an unprecedented explosion across America’s most productive crop lands.
Worse….
Roundup persists in the environment. Monsanto used to boast that Roundup is biodegradable, claiming that it breaks down quickly in the soil. But courts in the US and Europe disagreed and found them guilty of false advertising. In fact, Monsanto’s own test data revealed that only 2% of the product broke down after 28 days.
[1]
In October 2014 – a new version of an old herbicide, Enlist Duo which contains
2,4-D and includes glyphosate is known to cause health problems including non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Parkinson’s and reproductive issues. Enlist primarily kills broadleaf weeds and is sprayed on crops, lawns and pasture. Airborne drift is causing crop damage concerns in areas such as Oregon’s grape fields. It’s known to ultimately create stronger weeds. [
www.huffingtonpost.com]
March 2015 - Glyphosate was recently classified as a Class 2 A carcinogen.
GE Foods sold in California will likely have to carry a cancer warning.
Roundup Also Tied to Antibiotic Resistance, New Research Shows Quote: “Right on the heels of the IARC's reclassification of glyphosate as a Class 2 carcinogen, another breakthrough-study9 published in the peer-reviewed journal mBio on March 24 ties Monsanto's weedkiller to antibiotic resistance.” [
tinyurl.com]
According to this study, sub-lethal doses of Roundup (the actual formulation of Roundup, not just glyphosate in isolation) alter disease-causing bacteria's response to commonly used antibiotics, including tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, thereby raising resistance to drugs used in medicine. [
www.rodalenews.com]
Why Glyphosate (Roundup) Contamination Matters (quoted report)
“ Nearly one BILLION pounds of Roundup are used each year for conventional crop production around the globe, but genetically engineered (GE) crops see some of the heaviest use. This is especially true for Roundup Ready crops, which are designed to withstand otherwise lethal doses of this chemical. The issue of glyphosate contamination is well worth considering if you value your health. Recent research suggests glyphosate may in fact be an instrumental driver of many chronic diseases, and in my view, avoiding
glyphosate is a major reason for buying organic, in and of itself.
Labeling GMOs could help you select products that are less likely to have heavy contamination, although you'd also avoid many other hazardous chemicals used in conventional farming by opting for products labeled 100% organic.” (Source: motherjones.com)
It's important to understand that these glyphosate residues CANNOT be washed off, as the chemical is actively integrated into every cell in the plant. Dr. Don Huber, who is one of the most prominent scientific experts in plant toxicology, firmly believes glyphosate is FAR more toxic and dangerous than DDT. A number of other studies have raised serious questions about the safety of glyphosate, including but not limited to the following:
• Research published in the International Journal of Toxicology 7 in January revealed that glyphosate-based formulations like Roundup pose a threat to human health through cytotoxicity and oxidative effects. Such formulations were also found to be lethal to human liver cells
• A 2012 study8 found that 3 ppm of Roundup in water induced morphological changes in frogs
• A German study9 on poultry, published in 2013, showed that glyphosate tends to be more harmful to beneficial gut bacteria like Lactobacillus, while pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella entritid10 tend to be largely resistant to the chemical. Subsequently, the microbial balance tends to shift toward pathogenic overgrowth when exposed to glyphosate, and can predispose the animal to botulism. Source: [
tinyurl.com]
SAFETY CLAIMS ‘Busted’… The EPA claimed the Bt toxin is safe because it only interacts with certain insects and not with humans or mammals. But in the Journal of Applied Toxicology (2012), this was overturned when they took Bt toxin from a GM corn plant, applied it to human cells and it poked small holes in the human cells causing leakage. (The author wrote: Like in insect cells).
[1]
While the EPA and biotech industry have also said the Bt toxin is completely destroyed in the stomach and it becomes ineffective, this finding was overturned in 2011 by Sherbrooke University Hospital (Quebec, Canada) in a study using blood from pregnant women that found: This is the first study to reveal the presence of circulating PAGMF in women with and without pregnancy, paving the way for a new field in reproductive toxicology including nutrition and utero-placental toxicities.[2] The Bt toxin was in the blood of 93% of the pregnant women and about two thirds of the non-pregnant women. With the pregnant women, the Bt toxin was in fetal blood cord, leading then to speculation that with the hole-poking toxin in the blood of humans and unborn fetuses, it might end up in the brain because the blood brain barrier is not yet well developed and that could underlie developmental problems of the child’s brain such as Autism.[1] The newly-released movie,
BOUGHT, points out that the increasing incidence of developmental problems with children began around 1996 when these GMOs were first introduced in the food supply and have increased straight upward on a graph/chart showing time and increasing prevalence since introduction.[3]
Another concern is one of the only human studies ever done on GMOs found that genes can transfer from a genetically modified crop into the DNA of gut bacteria where it might continue to function. Example… if you eat a corn chip made from GM corn that produces the Bt toxin, it has the gene that produces the toxin in the corn. If that gene ends up in your gut bacteria and continues to function, it could now be producing the Bt toxin 24/7. No one knows that yet.
This might explain why the study with 93% of the pregnant women tested positive for the blood Bt toxin because it seems illogical that 9 out of 10 Canadians that don’t eat corn tortillas every day would have that much Bt toxin. [1]
One Claim of Scientific Consensus on GMO Safety is Patently FALSE “The 1992 FDA policy statement, which was invalid when it was made, has been repeatedly rebutted and refuted and yet that policy statement is still the sole purported legal basis for the presence of GE foods in the US. The FDA knew the legal criteria of their policy had not been fulfilled and today there’s even more evidence of conflict and disagreement within the scientific community. In fact, on January 24, a statement signed by 300 scientists, researchers, physicians and scholars was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Sciences Europe, asserting that there is no scientific consensus on the safety of GMOs.
Moreover, the paper titled “No Scientific Consensus on GMO Safety,” states that the claim of scientific consensus on GMO safety is in actuality “an artificial construct that has been falsely perpetuated.” The paper also notes that such a claim “is misleading and misrepresents or outright ignores the currently available scientific evidence and the broad diversity of scientific opinions among scientists on this issue.”
In addition, the FDA still does not possess any evidence demonstrating safety because they do not even do scientific reviews. And even if they did, a large number of scientists say there’s still no evidence demonstrating that GE foods are safe, while a number of independent studies have raised serious health concerns. Quite clearly, there is NOT a “general recognition of safety among scientists,” and these foods are on the market illegally. They were illegal when they were first introduced in 1992, and they continue to be illegal now in 2015.
“One of the nation's most important and most venerable consumer safety statutes, consumer protection laws, has been blatantly and intentionally violated by the agency that’s supposed to uphold it, and they’ve been getting away with it all these years,” says Steven Druker. “It’s time to really pull the rug out from under the whole thing, because the evidence is overwhelming. All people have to do is just read it.” [In this article, Attorney, Steven Druker, author of
Altered Genes, Twisted Truth, exposes scientific fraud, collusion and continues the fascinating story of how GMOs came into being and have been allowed to permeate our food supply through illegal means and without legally required safety testing.]
[4]
“The pervasiveness of GMOs in animal feed, also makes it a challenge for organic producers to secure uncontaminated organic feed. This is a challenge that will continue to grow if GMO crops are allowed to continue their land cover growth as a result of limited supply, increasing the risk of irreversible cross-contamination.”
[1]
What are other sources of GMOs? Currently, commercialized GM crops in the U.S. include soy (94%), cotton (90%), canola (90%), sugar beets (95%), corn (88%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (over 24,000 acres). Learn more on sources of GMOs – follow the extensive links at Institute for Responsible Medicine. Products derived from the foregoing list, include oils from all four, soy protein, soy lecithin, cornstarch, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup among others:
• Meat, eggs and dairy products from animals that have eaten GM feed (and the majority of the GM corn and soy is used for feed); Corn is a major feedstuff ingredient particularly in developed countries 90% of the corn for animal feed is GMO. Pet food becomes a concern as well.
• Canola meal or mash is one of the most widely-used protein sources in animal feed for livestock, poultry and fish. According to the ISAAA, 97.5% of the canola grown in Canada last year was GM. The biggest buyer of canola oil and meal for animal feed is the United States. Canola meal is in pet food.
• After sugar and molasses are recovered from the sugar beet, the remaining pulp is utilized for animal feed.
• Alfalfa - dairy cows are the primary consumers of alfalfa hay. GM-alfalfa was approved in 2011.
• Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH (a GM hormone);
• Food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet) and rennet used to make hard cheeses (from GM bacteria)
• Honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen**
• You can avoid GM beet sugar by buying pure cane sugar… but not all labeled products identify the sugar source.
• While you may not intentionally consume NutraSweet/Aspartame, it’s found in many pharmaceutical products such as children’s chewable vitamins, cough and cold remedies, non-aspirin, and Alka-Seltzer…so beware. These products parallel GMOs in hidden safety risks.
• Most of the soy grown in the US is GM, so unless the label says ‘organic soy lecithin,’ it probably came from a GM soybeans; yet the jury is still out on whether there is enough DNA in the protein of soy lecithin to be of concern. But be aware, it’s used in a lot of foods and supplements… and the majority of soy (94%) is GMO.
•
This loophole, where the GMO label is not applied to food products made from animals raised on GMOs, is responsible for a large amount of unnoticed GMO consumption.
•
GM soybean oil is used ubiquitously throughout the food industry…preparing foods, packaged/processed foods and in restaurant cooking. It’s not always labeled Beware.
**
(Aside on the bee/honey notation: “But one area that has been largely overlooked is the role high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) fed to bees plays in killing off bees, as the vast majority of it comes from genetically-modified (GM), pesticide-treated corn crops.” [tinyurl.com] I had a conversation with man who is a hobbyist beekeeper. He has 9 hives in three different counties and they are thriving. I commented about the HFCS fed to bees being sourced from GMO corn and he agreed that’s one problem but also said that the commercial bee keepers are so greedy they take all the honey and feed the bees only the HFCS which they can’t thrive on because it lacks their essential nutrients-- besides the GMO reaction. A responsible beekeeper lets the bees have a portion of the honey for food. So that and the prevalence of lethal pesticides, contributes to the bee decline. In any event, if all the bees die… we will suffer greatly.
Monarch butterfly decline correlated to increased plantings of herbicide-tolerant GM crops and overuse of glyphosate herbicide Twelve years ago, a study found that genetically modified Bt corn was lethal to monarch butterflies; recent research shows that another type of GM crop is even more damaging to the beloved insect. A recently published study says that increasing acreage of GM Roundup Ready (RR) corn and soybeans is a major cause for declining populations of monarch butterflies in North America. The paper, published in the journal
Insect Conservation and Diversity, says that increased use of glyphosate herbicide with RR GM crops in the Midwest is killing milkweed plants, which monarchs rely on for habitat and food. Taylor has been warning about the negative impact of RR crops on monarchs since writing a blog about it in 2001. “I’ve always thought they were a bigger threat to monarchs than Bt corn.” Taylor says the monarchs’ decline accelerated around 2003 when herbicide tolerant GM crops accounted for nearly 50% of all corn and soybeans. That number has increased to more than 80% in the last two years. “Once herbicide tolerant GM crops reached 50%, we saw a significant impact on monarch populations,” he says. [
tinyurl.com]
End of Part 1
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2015 12:33PM by Jackie.