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GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 02, 2015 12:32PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
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. Smith1 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.
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
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. Smith1 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.
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Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 02, 2015 12:49PM |
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Segment 2
Following is a partial listing of recent GMO headlines …just a few of many…
GMO Labeling Concerns and the Public’s Right to Know
March 2015 – Newly-approved GMOs are the non-browning apples and non-bruising potatoes. In the wake of that approval, GMO peaches, pears, berries, bananas and oranges are in the works. Monsanto also wants to introduce a Roundup-ready wheat.
November 7, 2012 Prop 37 GMO Labeling Law Defeated by Corporate Dollars and Deception, Proponents Say http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/proposition-37-gmo-labeling_n_2090112.html
May 29, 2014 California lawmakers reject GMO labeling bill
http://rt.com/usa/162384-california-gmo-labeling-law/
April 28, 2015 Vermont Wins Round One of GMO Labeling Lawsuit http://www.vpirg.org/news/vermont-wins-round-one-of-gmo-labeling-lawsuit/?cpg=vt-label-gmos
Vermont legislated GMO labeling May 7, 2014….to be effective in July 2016… [www.cnn.com]
And then… came the interferences and back-peddling… and litigation plus rebuttals… [www.vtrighttoknowgmos.org] - long list of links
New Form of GMO Sneaking into the Food Supply this Year (2013)
“This year [Evolva] will release a product that has been created by genetically modified yeast that converts sugars to vanillin. It will be the first major synthetic-biology food additive to hit supermarkets.” - Nature.com
A Switzerland based company called Evolva has developed a synthetic vanilla that is set to be released in 2014. The vanilla is created using a process of genetic engineering called synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology, according to a 2005 European Commission paper is “…the engineering of biology… the synthesis of complex, biologically based (or inspired) systems which display functions that do not exist in nature.” Unlike the older science of splicing genes from different species together, synthetic biology is seeking to create whole new organisms that do not exist on earth.
Evolva’s synthetic vanilla is created by inserting computer-coded DNA into yeast. This new method of genetic engineering is called “natural” by Evolva.
Environmental organizations like Friends of the Earth have recognized the potential danger posed by synthetic biology. In its Synthetic Biology Vanillin fact sheet, FoE points out the distinct lack of oversight regarding the health impact of ingesting these engineered ingredients. The organization has launched a campaign called No Synbio Vanilla to tell ice cream makers Haagen Dazs, Dreyers, Baskin Robbins and others not to use synthetic biology vanilla.
The Big Picture
Synthetic biology goes well beyond engineering our food. Geneticist Craig Venter is a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology. In 2010 the media hailed his team’s success in creating “the first self-replicating species we’ve had on the planet whose parent is a computer.”
Currently, companies cannot patent naturally-occurring DNA. Synthetic biology will allow syn-bio companies a loophole through patent laws. “One could theoretically upload a DNA sequence onto a computer, “print out” an exact copy of that DNA sequence, and patent the synthetic DNA sequence as an invention,” Gene Watch reports. http://tinyurl.com/nhuykg3
August - 2014 - Häagen-Dazs Says No to ‘Extreme’ Genetic Engineering Techniques http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/27/haagen-dazs-synthetic-biology/
October 09, 2014 The GMO Biotech Lobby’s Emotional Blackmail and Bogus Claims: Monsanto’s Genetically Modified Crops Will Not Feed The World [telling quote]
“It’s difficult, in the short term, figuring out how I am going to make money dealing with people who don’t have money. But in practice, the development of agriculture at a village level is something that could make an enormous amount of business sense over time.” – Robert Shapiro, former CEO of Monsanto (quoted in the CBAN report ‘Will GM Crops Feed the World’).
By ‘development,’ what Shapiro really meant was allowing Monsanto to take control of agriculture and strategic policy decisions and destroying traditional methods, knowledge and practices in order to recast them in its corporate image.
Proponents of GM crops claim that we need such technology to address hunger and to feed a growing global population. We are told by the GM biotech sector that GM crops are essential, are better for the environment and will provide the tools that farmers need in a time of climate chaos. It claims that GM crops provide higher yields and higher incomes for farmers around the world.
The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) has just released a fully-referenced report that dissects each of these claims and dismisses them one by one. Readers are urged to conult the full report. Continue: http://tinyurl.com/ps6atxc
September 30, 2014
GE Wheat Contamination in Montana Proves GMOs Can’t Be Controlled
The USDA’s response is to talk out of both sides of their mouth. In a single press release, the USDA closes its investigation of the contamination of wheat fields in Oregon, calling it an “isolated incident,” then immediately contradicts itself by opening another investigation into contamination from genetically engineered wheat. The contamination was found at a research facility in at Montana State University that was the earlier site of authorized field trials.
Both the Oregon and Montana contaminations trace back to wheat developed by Monsanto. No GMO wheat has been approved for commercial use in the US. Of course, APHIS (the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) is not planning any disciplinary action against Monsanto—not even a fine.
The Oregon wheat incident we told you about last year caused Japan and South Korea temporarily to cease buying our wheat, which rocked international trade—and it wasn’t the first time countries have halted trade with the US because of GMOs. We are hoping the National Organics Standards Board will consider shifting some of the blame onto GMO producers and the agencies that oversee them, as we reported in our lead article in this week’s issue of The Pulse.
Readers will recall that we commissioned a report analyzing the cost of not labeling GMOs. Joanna Shepherd-Bailey found that among other problems, it affects the country’s ability to compete worldwide. Reduced global consumer demand for agricultural products risks over 130,000 jobs and $33 billion (from food sales, tax revenue, local jobs, and the ripple effect on related industries such as retail, transportation, etc.) in Washington State alone. The damage could be devastating for larger agriculture-producing states. It should be noted that GMO labeling has not had a negative impact on other world economies.
Although the Montana State University research center doesn’t operate as a commercial farm, it raises another big red flag over this issue of uncontrolled GMO contamination. In Oregon, the USDA has no idea how the wheat contamination occurred. If you don’t know how it happened, how can you guarantee it won’t happen again in the future?
Since GMOs are unlabeled, consumers’ only way to be sure they are getting non-GMO foods is the organic certification notice on the package. But organic foods are not routinely tested for unintentional GMO contamination. With this cross-contamination in Montana, it’s clear that GMOs simply cannot be controlled. And that means all organic food is threatened. If you have the ‘stomach’ for it, this website offers a plethora of reports on the prevalence of GM foods. http://www.healthfreedoms.org/category/gmo-foods/
Non-GMO Project Verified… www.nongmoproject.org.... is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. Watch for the labels on products with the green leaf/shoot and the orange butterfly and the NON GMO Project designation. They offer a list of ingredients that are derived from risk crops and include but is not limited to: Amino acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Ethanol, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, MSG, Textured Vegetable Protein, Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Molasses and Yeast products.
April 8, 2014 … 10 Scientific Studies Proving GMOs Can Be Harmful To Human Health http://tinyurl.com/n6l7voq
August 26, 2014 Fact Sheet on GMO risks – courtesy Alliance for Natural Health
/[www.anh-usa.org]
May 2015 - Chipotle announces they’ve gone GMO free… but that’s not totally true since they still use meat and dairy from animals fed GMO food. They pick and choose what suits their image agenda, perhaps thinking the public is too ignorant to read between the lines or doesn’t care. Their sodas are still sweetened with GM corn syrup. http://tinyurl.com/mujpog6
It’s easy to be exposed to GM food molecules in packaged and processed foods and often, even though labeled organic, may not use 100% organic ingredients. A very popular consumer awareness website, Food Babe Way, goes into encyclopedic detail for the pitfalls of packaged, processed foods. http://foodbabe.com/category/gmo-info-tips/
Chocolate lovers alert: lecithin is an emulsifier and the majority of lecithin is soy derived. As mentioned previously, most soy is GM so unless your chocolate bar is labeled ‘organic soy lecithin’ or has the symbol of GMO free, you’re exposed to a GM component with every bite. Ghirardelli’s uses GMO soy lecithin as one example.
Upscale food garnishes: A new ‘foodie’ cooking technique using soy lecithin produces a foaming decorative sauce… such as Basil Foam using water, fresh basil and soy lecithin powder whipped with an immersion blender until foamy; then used as a topping.
GMOs in supplements: Soy lecithin is also used in various supplements and typically is not labeled ‘organic.’ Some vitamin C may be extracted from GMO corn unless stated to be organic, non-GMO. What about the countless other formulas that can extract from GM foods as a source. And when you consider GMO-containing ‘food’ can legally be labeled as ‘natural’ under current regulations, what ‘natural’ supplements could be based on Monsanto’s GMO crops? When questioned, the people from NOW brands responded:
“All of our C is derived from standard corn not certified to be non-GMO… Many products [in the industry at large] contain soy or corn derivatives which are generally GMO’d. We are motivated towards non-GMO-sourced products.”
The NOW Science & Nutrition Group rep then included some information from their Technical Director Michael Lelah, which talks about how NOW is generally opposed to genetic manipulation of the food supply but does not specifically use non-GMO sources for all of their products. The excerpt from Lelah which the rep said was copied from a blog ‘Natural Is Better,’ reads: “Genetic Modification: NOW is opposed to genetic modification, because there are real and unknown harmful effects. Unfortunately, much of the world’s supply of corn and soybeans is genetically modified which is why we continue to offer more products that are certified GMO-free.” Source: [tinyurl.com]
Note: In the Postscript that follows, note the various companies and brands known to be supporters of GMO foods.
April 25 – May 3, 2015…In the recent Food Revolution Summit, Jeff Smith was asked at the beginning of his interview for his view on the March 2015 issue of National Geographic’s cover story, “The War on Science,” showing a picture on the cover of a fake moon landing with the focus of the article associating those who question the safety of GMOs with those who believe the moon landing was faked. But, as the interviewer, John Robbins, commented, scientists representing the Consumers Union, The Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, the Pesticide Action Network and many other groups are saying, with 300 of them signing a statement saying, “ there is no scientific consensus whatsoever on GMO safety.” Yet, there are scientists working at the FDA who have long been saying that GMOs are dangerous and they should be carefully tested.
Before the FDA decided to allow GMOs into food without labeling, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that genetically modified foods could create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems.
Jeff’s response: “ Well, the cover story in National Geographic really came, I believe, from a full-court press public relations strategy by a desperate industry. The information about the dangers of genetically engineered foods, the awareness of people about the fact that the FDA put it on the market in spite of the concerns by their own scientists - and there’s a whole story about that and all that’s getting out. And the number of Americans who are trying to avoid GMOs, or at least saying they are, went from 15% in 2007 to 40% in 2014. We are on the verge of a tipping point.
And so the other side, primarily with dollars from Monsanto, has revved up their public relations campaign, and has resulted in recycling the same empty myths. The concept that GMOs are safe, and that it uses cutting edge science is totally a public relations myth; it has no basis in reality. The scientists at the FDA, as you pointed out, had repeatedly warned that GMOs were different than traditional breeding, not an extension of natural breeding, and that they lead to different risks. So that was political science, and that’s what was being repeated in the National Geographic article, claiming that GMOs were just an extension of natural breeding, which is false.
It turns out that the most predictable consequence of genetic engineering is surprise side effects. The GMO, at the end of the day, after you’ve taken a gene gun, and inserted millions of genes into a plate of millions of cells, hoping that some of those genes will make it into the DNA of some of those cells, and then clone those cells into a plant, the mother plant, or the resulting plant, is maybe 2% to 4% different than the original. And most of those are mutations – hundreds or thousands of mutations up and down the DNA. Now those mutations can create changes, as you say, in the protein expression, and yet they do not even look for those changes before they commercialize a crop.
Long after Monsanto’s corn was commercialized, it’s called MON810, the most popular Bt toxin- creating corn - a corn that produces its own insecticide - they not only found the insecticide as predicted, but they found 42 other genes that had produced either much more protein or much less protein. That included a gene that’s normally silenced in corn that was producing an allergen in Monsanto’s corn. In other words, without labels, there is an allergen that might cause a serious allergic reaction, possibly death, in the corn in the United States, produced completely by accident from the process of genetic engineering.
Nothing in the review process, the meaningless exercise called the Voluntary Consultation Process by the FDA, required that Monsanto or anyone else would discover this allergen.
Likewise, in their soy there is a known allergen called trypsin inhibitor. After cooking, it was as much as seven times higher in genetically modified cooked soy compared to non-GMO cooked soy. This was Monsanto’s own study and they hid the evidence. They conducted the trial and they found the result; and they did not publish it. But it was discovered later, when someone asked the journal archives to turn over the data from a published article that Monsanto’s authors did do, and there it was right in front of them – as much as a sevenfold increase in a known allergen in the soy. Again, part of the background noise of this very imprecise, and primitive technology.” Reference – Food Revolution Summit 2015 [foodrevolutionsummit.org] [quotes from the Interview with Jeffrey Smith]
May 25, 2015 – Similac Advance Infant Formula to be Offered GMO Free Abbott, the maker of Similac Advance, the top commercial baby formula brand in the United States, says it will begin selling the first mainstream baby formula made without genetically altered ingredients by the end of the month at Target. Abbott joins a growing number of companies offering popular products without genetically modified organisms.
May 28, 2015 Richardson Milling says glyphosate desiccation acceptable for its oats. While General Mills decision to switch Cheerios to non-GMO sugarcane sugar could be considered a positive step forward, it effectively distracts from the fact that General Mills' oat products are contaminated with glyphosate due to the use of raw material that underwent post-harvest desiccation. How do we know this? Because North America's largest oat supplier, known to supply General Mills, Kraft, Kellogg, ConAgra Foods and others, just announced it will continue to buy oats that are sprayed with glyphosate.
Oat supplier Richardson Milling – North America's largest supplier of oats – says glyphosate desiccation is acceptable for its oats and that it has no intention of changing its policies. This decision flies in the face of an accumulating body of scientific evidence that shows glyphostate has a wide range of harmful properties, including possible carcinogenicity, which is now supported by the World Health Organization's own assessment. We can only assume that downstream manufacturers such as General Mills are in tacit agreement with their suppliers decision, despite their public bragging about taking some of their cherished cereal brands "GMO free." http://www.producer.com/2015/05/richardson-milling-says-glyphosate-dessication-acceptable-for-its-oats/
May 30, 2015 - Why The Netherlands Just Banned Monsanto’s Glyphosate-Based Herbicides The Netherlands is the latest country, following Russia, Mexico and many others, to say no to Monsanto. The sale and use of glyphosate-based herbicides (the most commonly used herbicides in the world) has just been banned for non-commercial use in the country, effective later this year. This means that people will no longer be able to spray RoundUp on their lawns and gardens and will instead have to find another (hopefully more natural) means of pest control.
This is definitely a step in the right direction.
The move comes as no surprise, considering that the number of countries around the world choosing to ban this product is growing at an exponential rate. Bans and restrictions are being implemented due to the fact that glyphosate (the main ingredient in RoundUp) has been directly linked to several major health issues, including: birth defects, nervous system damage, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, various forms of cancer, and kidney failure. (Sri Lanka recently cited deadly kidney disease as their reason for banning his product. Read more about that and access the research at this link.) Indeed, The World Health Organization recently acknowledged the fact that glyphosate can cause cancer and you can read more at these links. http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/04/04/the-worlds-most-credible-medical-journal-outlines-bad-news-for-monsanto/ [www.collective-evolution.com]
The End of the GMO Highlights report, but by no means complete as this is ongoing. Spend time following the reference links included; especially the one by William F Engdhal on the last page. I stopped adding the news toward the end May as this report was expanding rapidly. If you want more, let me know, as I have a large collection. What follows is are various facts of interest and importance that deserve to be highlighted and with so much data online, can easily be missed. The References give weblinks for verification and further investigation as well. Spend time at Alliance for Natural Health, Food Democracy and IRT as they are strong voices representing the Public’s Right to Know.
End of Segment 2 - more coming.....
Happy Awareness Reading!
Jackie
Following is a partial listing of recent GMO headlines …just a few of many…
GMO Labeling Concerns and the Public’s Right to Know
March 2015 – Newly-approved GMOs are the non-browning apples and non-bruising potatoes. In the wake of that approval, GMO peaches, pears, berries, bananas and oranges are in the works. Monsanto also wants to introduce a Roundup-ready wheat.
November 7, 2012 Prop 37 GMO Labeling Law Defeated by Corporate Dollars and Deception, Proponents Say http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/proposition-37-gmo-labeling_n_2090112.html
May 29, 2014 California lawmakers reject GMO labeling bill
http://rt.com/usa/162384-california-gmo-labeling-law/
April 28, 2015 Vermont Wins Round One of GMO Labeling Lawsuit http://www.vpirg.org/news/vermont-wins-round-one-of-gmo-labeling-lawsuit/?cpg=vt-label-gmos
Vermont legislated GMO labeling May 7, 2014….to be effective in July 2016… [www.cnn.com]
And then… came the interferences and back-peddling… and litigation plus rebuttals… [www.vtrighttoknowgmos.org] - long list of links
New Form of GMO Sneaking into the Food Supply this Year (2013)
“This year [Evolva] will release a product that has been created by genetically modified yeast that converts sugars to vanillin. It will be the first major synthetic-biology food additive to hit supermarkets.” - Nature.com
A Switzerland based company called Evolva has developed a synthetic vanilla that is set to be released in 2014. The vanilla is created using a process of genetic engineering called synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology, according to a 2005 European Commission paper is “…the engineering of biology… the synthesis of complex, biologically based (or inspired) systems which display functions that do not exist in nature.” Unlike the older science of splicing genes from different species together, synthetic biology is seeking to create whole new organisms that do not exist on earth.
Evolva’s synthetic vanilla is created by inserting computer-coded DNA into yeast. This new method of genetic engineering is called “natural” by Evolva.
Environmental organizations like Friends of the Earth have recognized the potential danger posed by synthetic biology. In its Synthetic Biology Vanillin fact sheet, FoE points out the distinct lack of oversight regarding the health impact of ingesting these engineered ingredients. The organization has launched a campaign called No Synbio Vanilla to tell ice cream makers Haagen Dazs, Dreyers, Baskin Robbins and others not to use synthetic biology vanilla.
The Big Picture
Synthetic biology goes well beyond engineering our food. Geneticist Craig Venter is a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology. In 2010 the media hailed his team’s success in creating “the first self-replicating species we’ve had on the planet whose parent is a computer.”
Currently, companies cannot patent naturally-occurring DNA. Synthetic biology will allow syn-bio companies a loophole through patent laws. “One could theoretically upload a DNA sequence onto a computer, “print out” an exact copy of that DNA sequence, and patent the synthetic DNA sequence as an invention,” Gene Watch reports. http://tinyurl.com/nhuykg3
August - 2014 - Häagen-Dazs Says No to ‘Extreme’ Genetic Engineering Techniques http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/27/haagen-dazs-synthetic-biology/
October 09, 2014 The GMO Biotech Lobby’s Emotional Blackmail and Bogus Claims: Monsanto’s Genetically Modified Crops Will Not Feed The World [telling quote]
“It’s difficult, in the short term, figuring out how I am going to make money dealing with people who don’t have money. But in practice, the development of agriculture at a village level is something that could make an enormous amount of business sense over time.” – Robert Shapiro, former CEO of Monsanto (quoted in the CBAN report ‘Will GM Crops Feed the World’).
By ‘development,’ what Shapiro really meant was allowing Monsanto to take control of agriculture and strategic policy decisions and destroying traditional methods, knowledge and practices in order to recast them in its corporate image.
Proponents of GM crops claim that we need such technology to address hunger and to feed a growing global population. We are told by the GM biotech sector that GM crops are essential, are better for the environment and will provide the tools that farmers need in a time of climate chaos. It claims that GM crops provide higher yields and higher incomes for farmers around the world.
The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) has just released a fully-referenced report that dissects each of these claims and dismisses them one by one. Readers are urged to conult the full report. Continue: http://tinyurl.com/ps6atxc
September 30, 2014
GE Wheat Contamination in Montana Proves GMOs Can’t Be Controlled
The USDA’s response is to talk out of both sides of their mouth. In a single press release, the USDA closes its investigation of the contamination of wheat fields in Oregon, calling it an “isolated incident,” then immediately contradicts itself by opening another investigation into contamination from genetically engineered wheat. The contamination was found at a research facility in at Montana State University that was the earlier site of authorized field trials.
Both the Oregon and Montana contaminations trace back to wheat developed by Monsanto. No GMO wheat has been approved for commercial use in the US. Of course, APHIS (the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) is not planning any disciplinary action against Monsanto—not even a fine.
The Oregon wheat incident we told you about last year caused Japan and South Korea temporarily to cease buying our wheat, which rocked international trade—and it wasn’t the first time countries have halted trade with the US because of GMOs. We are hoping the National Organics Standards Board will consider shifting some of the blame onto GMO producers and the agencies that oversee them, as we reported in our lead article in this week’s issue of The Pulse.
Readers will recall that we commissioned a report analyzing the cost of not labeling GMOs. Joanna Shepherd-Bailey found that among other problems, it affects the country’s ability to compete worldwide. Reduced global consumer demand for agricultural products risks over 130,000 jobs and $33 billion (from food sales, tax revenue, local jobs, and the ripple effect on related industries such as retail, transportation, etc.) in Washington State alone. The damage could be devastating for larger agriculture-producing states. It should be noted that GMO labeling has not had a negative impact on other world economies.
Although the Montana State University research center doesn’t operate as a commercial farm, it raises another big red flag over this issue of uncontrolled GMO contamination. In Oregon, the USDA has no idea how the wheat contamination occurred. If you don’t know how it happened, how can you guarantee it won’t happen again in the future?
Since GMOs are unlabeled, consumers’ only way to be sure they are getting non-GMO foods is the organic certification notice on the package. But organic foods are not routinely tested for unintentional GMO contamination. With this cross-contamination in Montana, it’s clear that GMOs simply cannot be controlled. And that means all organic food is threatened. If you have the ‘stomach’ for it, this website offers a plethora of reports on the prevalence of GM foods. http://www.healthfreedoms.org/category/gmo-foods/
Non-GMO Project Verified… www.nongmoproject.org.... is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. Watch for the labels on products with the green leaf/shoot and the orange butterfly and the NON GMO Project designation. They offer a list of ingredients that are derived from risk crops and include but is not limited to: Amino acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Ethanol, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, MSG, Textured Vegetable Protein, Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Molasses and Yeast products.
April 8, 2014 … 10 Scientific Studies Proving GMOs Can Be Harmful To Human Health http://tinyurl.com/n6l7voq
August 26, 2014 Fact Sheet on GMO risks – courtesy Alliance for Natural Health
/[www.anh-usa.org]
May 2015 - Chipotle announces they’ve gone GMO free… but that’s not totally true since they still use meat and dairy from animals fed GMO food. They pick and choose what suits their image agenda, perhaps thinking the public is too ignorant to read between the lines or doesn’t care. Their sodas are still sweetened with GM corn syrup. http://tinyurl.com/mujpog6
It’s easy to be exposed to GM food molecules in packaged and processed foods and often, even though labeled organic, may not use 100% organic ingredients. A very popular consumer awareness website, Food Babe Way, goes into encyclopedic detail for the pitfalls of packaged, processed foods. http://foodbabe.com/category/gmo-info-tips/
Chocolate lovers alert: lecithin is an emulsifier and the majority of lecithin is soy derived. As mentioned previously, most soy is GM so unless your chocolate bar is labeled ‘organic soy lecithin’ or has the symbol of GMO free, you’re exposed to a GM component with every bite. Ghirardelli’s uses GMO soy lecithin as one example.
Upscale food garnishes: A new ‘foodie’ cooking technique using soy lecithin produces a foaming decorative sauce… such as Basil Foam using water, fresh basil and soy lecithin powder whipped with an immersion blender until foamy; then used as a topping.
GMOs in supplements: Soy lecithin is also used in various supplements and typically is not labeled ‘organic.’ Some vitamin C may be extracted from GMO corn unless stated to be organic, non-GMO. What about the countless other formulas that can extract from GM foods as a source. And when you consider GMO-containing ‘food’ can legally be labeled as ‘natural’ under current regulations, what ‘natural’ supplements could be based on Monsanto’s GMO crops? When questioned, the people from NOW brands responded:
“All of our C is derived from standard corn not certified to be non-GMO… Many products [in the industry at large] contain soy or corn derivatives which are generally GMO’d. We are motivated towards non-GMO-sourced products.”
The NOW Science & Nutrition Group rep then included some information from their Technical Director Michael Lelah, which talks about how NOW is generally opposed to genetic manipulation of the food supply but does not specifically use non-GMO sources for all of their products. The excerpt from Lelah which the rep said was copied from a blog ‘Natural Is Better,’ reads: “Genetic Modification: NOW is opposed to genetic modification, because there are real and unknown harmful effects. Unfortunately, much of the world’s supply of corn and soybeans is genetically modified which is why we continue to offer more products that are certified GMO-free.” Source: [tinyurl.com]
Note: In the Postscript that follows, note the various companies and brands known to be supporters of GMO foods.
April 25 – May 3, 2015…In the recent Food Revolution Summit, Jeff Smith was asked at the beginning of his interview for his view on the March 2015 issue of National Geographic’s cover story, “The War on Science,” showing a picture on the cover of a fake moon landing with the focus of the article associating those who question the safety of GMOs with those who believe the moon landing was faked. But, as the interviewer, John Robbins, commented, scientists representing the Consumers Union, The Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, the Pesticide Action Network and many other groups are saying, with 300 of them signing a statement saying, “ there is no scientific consensus whatsoever on GMO safety.” Yet, there are scientists working at the FDA who have long been saying that GMOs are dangerous and they should be carefully tested.
Before the FDA decided to allow GMOs into food without labeling, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that genetically modified foods could create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems.
Jeff’s response: “ Well, the cover story in National Geographic really came, I believe, from a full-court press public relations strategy by a desperate industry. The information about the dangers of genetically engineered foods, the awareness of people about the fact that the FDA put it on the market in spite of the concerns by their own scientists - and there’s a whole story about that and all that’s getting out. And the number of Americans who are trying to avoid GMOs, or at least saying they are, went from 15% in 2007 to 40% in 2014. We are on the verge of a tipping point.
And so the other side, primarily with dollars from Monsanto, has revved up their public relations campaign, and has resulted in recycling the same empty myths. The concept that GMOs are safe, and that it uses cutting edge science is totally a public relations myth; it has no basis in reality. The scientists at the FDA, as you pointed out, had repeatedly warned that GMOs were different than traditional breeding, not an extension of natural breeding, and that they lead to different risks. So that was political science, and that’s what was being repeated in the National Geographic article, claiming that GMOs were just an extension of natural breeding, which is false.
It turns out that the most predictable consequence of genetic engineering is surprise side effects. The GMO, at the end of the day, after you’ve taken a gene gun, and inserted millions of genes into a plate of millions of cells, hoping that some of those genes will make it into the DNA of some of those cells, and then clone those cells into a plant, the mother plant, or the resulting plant, is maybe 2% to 4% different than the original. And most of those are mutations – hundreds or thousands of mutations up and down the DNA. Now those mutations can create changes, as you say, in the protein expression, and yet they do not even look for those changes before they commercialize a crop.
Long after Monsanto’s corn was commercialized, it’s called MON810, the most popular Bt toxin- creating corn - a corn that produces its own insecticide - they not only found the insecticide as predicted, but they found 42 other genes that had produced either much more protein or much less protein. That included a gene that’s normally silenced in corn that was producing an allergen in Monsanto’s corn. In other words, without labels, there is an allergen that might cause a serious allergic reaction, possibly death, in the corn in the United States, produced completely by accident from the process of genetic engineering.
Nothing in the review process, the meaningless exercise called the Voluntary Consultation Process by the FDA, required that Monsanto or anyone else would discover this allergen.
Likewise, in their soy there is a known allergen called trypsin inhibitor. After cooking, it was as much as seven times higher in genetically modified cooked soy compared to non-GMO cooked soy. This was Monsanto’s own study and they hid the evidence. They conducted the trial and they found the result; and they did not publish it. But it was discovered later, when someone asked the journal archives to turn over the data from a published article that Monsanto’s authors did do, and there it was right in front of them – as much as a sevenfold increase in a known allergen in the soy. Again, part of the background noise of this very imprecise, and primitive technology.” Reference – Food Revolution Summit 2015 [foodrevolutionsummit.org] [quotes from the Interview with Jeffrey Smith]
May 25, 2015 – Similac Advance Infant Formula to be Offered GMO Free Abbott, the maker of Similac Advance, the top commercial baby formula brand in the United States, says it will begin selling the first mainstream baby formula made without genetically altered ingredients by the end of the month at Target. Abbott joins a growing number of companies offering popular products without genetically modified organisms.
May 28, 2015 Richardson Milling says glyphosate desiccation acceptable for its oats. While General Mills decision to switch Cheerios to non-GMO sugarcane sugar could be considered a positive step forward, it effectively distracts from the fact that General Mills' oat products are contaminated with glyphosate due to the use of raw material that underwent post-harvest desiccation. How do we know this? Because North America's largest oat supplier, known to supply General Mills, Kraft, Kellogg, ConAgra Foods and others, just announced it will continue to buy oats that are sprayed with glyphosate.
Oat supplier Richardson Milling – North America's largest supplier of oats – says glyphosate desiccation is acceptable for its oats and that it has no intention of changing its policies. This decision flies in the face of an accumulating body of scientific evidence that shows glyphostate has a wide range of harmful properties, including possible carcinogenicity, which is now supported by the World Health Organization's own assessment. We can only assume that downstream manufacturers such as General Mills are in tacit agreement with their suppliers decision, despite their public bragging about taking some of their cherished cereal brands "GMO free." http://www.producer.com/2015/05/richardson-milling-says-glyphosate-dessication-acceptable-for-its-oats/
May 30, 2015 - Why The Netherlands Just Banned Monsanto’s Glyphosate-Based Herbicides The Netherlands is the latest country, following Russia, Mexico and many others, to say no to Monsanto. The sale and use of glyphosate-based herbicides (the most commonly used herbicides in the world) has just been banned for non-commercial use in the country, effective later this year. This means that people will no longer be able to spray RoundUp on their lawns and gardens and will instead have to find another (hopefully more natural) means of pest control.
This is definitely a step in the right direction.
The move comes as no surprise, considering that the number of countries around the world choosing to ban this product is growing at an exponential rate. Bans and restrictions are being implemented due to the fact that glyphosate (the main ingredient in RoundUp) has been directly linked to several major health issues, including: birth defects, nervous system damage, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, various forms of cancer, and kidney failure. (Sri Lanka recently cited deadly kidney disease as their reason for banning his product. Read more about that and access the research at this link.) Indeed, The World Health Organization recently acknowledged the fact that glyphosate can cause cancer and you can read more at these links. http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/04/04/the-worlds-most-credible-medical-journal-outlines-bad-news-for-monsanto/ [www.collective-evolution.com]
The End of the GMO Highlights report, but by no means complete as this is ongoing. Spend time following the reference links included; especially the one by William F Engdhal on the last page. I stopped adding the news toward the end May as this report was expanding rapidly. If you want more, let me know, as I have a large collection. What follows is are various facts of interest and importance that deserve to be highlighted and with so much data online, can easily be missed. The References give weblinks for verification and further investigation as well. Spend time at Alliance for Natural Health, Food Democracy and IRT as they are strong voices representing the Public’s Right to Know.
End of Segment 2 - more coming.....
Happy Awareness Reading!
Jackie
|
Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 02, 2015 12:53PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
PS Lest you think this isn’t a big deal, here’s a list of money spent by Grocery Manufacturers Association members to circumvent GMO labeling and includes the 15 largest contributors to stop GMO labeling in California and Washington. GMA spent almost $70 million to narrowly defeat GMO labeling forces. (You can choose to not support these companies by being selective with your food dollars.)
Among the traitor brands to boycott, you may not realize these names are included in many of your favorite organic and natural brands such as: Annie's, Honest Tea, Muir Glen, Odwalla, Kashi, Earthgrains, Santa Cruz and others, are owned by corporations that do belong to the GMA. Those corporations spent about $68 million just to defeat GMO ballot initiatives in California (Prop 37) and Washington State (I-522). And they continue to fight against your right to know by supporting the GMA’s latest efforts to overturn states’ rights to pass GMO labeling laws. Who are the Traitor Brands?
(1) Monsanto: $13,487,350 The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit
(2) Dupont: $9,280,159 GM drought-hardy seeds; other crop-protection products
(3) Pepsico: $4,837,966 PepsiCo - IZZE, Naked Juice, Simply Frito-Lay, Starbucks Frappucino
(4) Coca-Cola: $3,210,851 - Honest Tea, Odwalla, Keurig/Green Mountain Coffee (10%)
(5) Nestlé: $2,989,806 - Gerber Organic, Sweet Leaf tea
(6) Bayer Crop Science: $2,591,654 seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control.
(7) Dow Agrosciences: $2,591,654 – Agricultural chemicals (pesticides), seeds and biotechnology solutions
(8) BASF Plant Science: $2,500,000 - GM plants
(9) Kraft Foods (now in part Mondolez Int’l) $2,391,835 - Boca Burgers, Green and Black's
(10) General Mills: $2,099,570 - Annie's, Cascadian Farm, Larabar, Muir Glen
(11) ConAgra Foods: $2,004,951 - Alexia, Pam organic cooking sprays
(12) Syngenta: $2,000,000 – Professional Pest Management
(13) Kellogg’s: $1,112,749 - Bear Naked, Gardenburger, Kashi, Morningstar Farms
(14) Campbell Soup: $982,888 - Plum Organics, Wolfgang Puck organic soups
(15) Smucker Company: $904,977 - R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz organic, Smuckers Organic
(16) Hershey's ($880k) - Dagoba
(17) Bimbo Bakeries ($560k) - Earthgrains bread
(18) McCormick ($400k) - Simply Asia, Thai Kitchen
Sources:[www.healthfreedoms.org]; [www.naturalnews.com] [salsa3.salsalabs.com]
Reference Resources
[1] Jeffrey M. Smith – [www.responsibletechnology.org], responsibletechnology.org nongmoshoppingguide.com geneticroulettemovie.com Food list .. Avoid GMOs…. [responsibletechnology.org]
Composite Book Review—Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods [tinyurl.com]
Scientists under Attack — Árpád Pusztai, a GMO Whistleblowing Hero!
[wakeup-world.com]
Don’t Put That in Your Mouth (2007) mp3/audio presentation [ia902701.us.archive.org]
As Roundup use rises, plant disease skyrockets [www.responsibletechnology.org]
Monsanto: The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit
July 30, 2010 by: Jeffrey M. Smith [www.naturalnews.com]
[2] Reprod Toxicol. 2011 May;31(4):528-33. Epub 2011 Feb 18. Aris A, Leblanc S. Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada. [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
[3] Bought movie [free.boughtmovie.net]
[4] One Claim of Scientific Consensus on GMO Safety Is Patently FALSE [tinyurl.com]
[5] Food Babe http://foodbabe.com/category/gmo-info-tips/
GMOs in beer http://foodbabe.com/2013/07/17/the-shocking-ingredients-in-beer/
GMO ingredient list http://foodbabe.com/possible-gmo-ingredients-a-z/
Altered Genes, Twisted Truth: How the Venture to Genetically Engineer Our Food Has Subverted Science, Corrupted Government and Systematically Deceived the Public – March 20, 2015
by Steven M. Druker http://alteredgenestwistedtruth.com/
[6] Stephanie Seneff, PhD http://naturalsociety.com/dr-stephanie-seneff-mit-scientist-explains-synergistic-effect-aluminum-glyphosate-poisoning-cause-skyrocketing-autism/
[www.glutenfreesociety.org]
Recommended viewing Series of video clips offering expert testimony on “GMO Ticking Time Bomb directed by Gary Null, PhD, author of Seeds of Death. [tinyurl.com]
Genetic Roulette – The Gamble of Our Lives has won the 2012 Movie of the Year by the Solari Report and the Top Transformational Film of 2012 by AwareGuide! http://online.www.geneticroulettemovie.com/
65 Documented Health Risks of GE Foods – 7 segments. Scan the titles as a test to see what you know about the science of these facts. Start here and follow the arrow for all three parts: http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/65-health-risks/1
2013 GMO Media Fact Sheet (Jeffrey M. Smith)
1. 91% of Americans polled want GMOs labeled, a right already enjoyed by 40% of the world’s population in 49 countries.
2. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require independent safety studies of genetically engineered foods.
3. No long-term safety studies exist on either the safety or benefits of GMO ingredients.
4. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) urges all doctors to prescribe no-GMO diets for their patients.
5. Many physicians now prescribe non-GMO diets, and people are getting better from a variety of disorders. Livestock taken off GMOs are also getting better. These same disorders, (e.g. reproductive, immune, and GI tract) are the ones that the AAEM identified as common among lab animals fed GMOs, and their incidence has soared in the US population since GMOs were introduced.
6. What is a GMO? Bacteria and/or virus genes that are forced into the DNA of crops like soy and corn. 80% are engineered to withstand normally deadly doses of herbicides, primarily Monsanto’s Roundup.
7. GMO corn varieties are also engineered to produce their own toxic insecticide that breaks open the stomach on insects and kills them.
8. GMO plants either drink poison or produce poison. Roundup and insecticide, now found in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn children, have been found to be extremely dangerous.
9. The only human feeding study ever conducted showed transference of foreign DNA into human gut bacteria.
10. Multiple independent studies raise questions about links to allergies and other serious potential health risks including cancer.
11. In 2012 the AMA called for mandatory premarket safety studies of GMOs.
12. Consumers Union says labeling may be the only way to determine that the GE process was linked to adverse health effects.
13. Twenty years ago, Vice President Dan Quayle announced the FDA’s policy on genetically engineered food as part of his ‘regulatory relief initiative’ and held the American biotechnology industry would reap huge profits ‘as long as we resist the spread of unnecessary regulations.’
14. Dan Quayle’s 1992 policy announcement was premised on the notion, quickly refuted by the FDA’s own scientists, that genetically engineered crops are ‘substantially equivalent’ to regular crops and thus do not need to be labeled or safety tested.
15. The ‘substantially equivalent’ or GRAS policy was crafted by Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto lawyer who was hired by the Bush FDA to fill the newly created position of deputy commissioner of policy.
16. The Monsanto Corporation controls 90% of all genetically engineered seeds in the world.
17.Vice President George H.W. Bush visited a Monsanto lab for a photo op with the developers of Roundup Ready crops. He told them, “Call me. We’re in the dereg businesses. Maybe we can help.”
18. Non-GMO labels are the fastest growing private label claim.
19. Millions of dollars were poured into the 2012 opposition campaign in California to defeat Proposition 37, which would have required the labeling of foods containing GMOs.
20. The final tally of votes as certified by California’s Secretary of State was … 6, 088,714 in favor of Proposition 37 and 6,442,371 against. A scant difference of 353, 657 votes.
21. GMO Labeling is endorsed by: American Public Health Association, American Medical Students Association, American Academy of Environmental Medicine, Physicians for Social Responsibility, California chapters, California Nurses Association and other leading health organizations.
Monsanto: The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit
July 30, 2010 by Jeffrey M. Smith
"Saving the world," and other lies. Monsanto's public relations story about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are largely based on five concepts:
1. GMOs are needed to feed the world.
2. GMOs have been thoroughly tested and proven safe.
3. GMOs increase yield.
4. GMOs reduce the use of agricultural chemicals.
5. GMOs can be contained, and therefore coexist with non-GM crops.
All five are pure myths -- blatant falsehoods about the nature and benefit of this infant technology. The experience of former Monsanto employee Kirk Azevedo helps expose the first two lies, and provides some insight into the nature of the people working at the company. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/029325_Monsanto_deception.html
GMO Fact Check: http://www.anh-usa.org/microsite/gmo-fact-check/
GMOs: Respected Analyst Says They Could Destroy Life on the Planet …. Invoking the risk of famine as a justification for GMOs is “a deceitful strategy, no different from…Russian roulette,” according to the report.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a scholar, statistician, Wall Street analyst and advisor, professor at New York University, and the bestselling author of Fooled by Randomness and The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. He predicted the 2008 financial crisis by pointing out that commonly used risk models were wrong. (He was correct, and he became quite wealthy from the strategic financial decisions he made at that time.)
Now his analysis of our use of genetically modified organisms shows that GMOs could cause “an irreversible termination of life at some scale, which could be the planet.” Taleb and his two co-authors argue that calling the GMO approach “scientific” betrays “a very poor—indeed warped—understanding of probabilistic payoffs and risk management.”
Taleb believes GMOs fall squarely under the rule that we should always err on the side of caution if something is really dangerous. This is not just because of potential harm to the consumer, but because of systemic risk to the system, which in this case is the ecosystem that supports all life on the planet:
Top-down modifications to the system (through GMOs) are categorically and statistically different from bottom-up ones (regular farming, progressive tinkering with crops, etc.). There is no comparison between the tinkering of selective breeding and the top-down engineering of arbitrarily taking a gene from an organism and putting it into another.
Continue: [www.anh-usa.org] Copyright © 2013 Alliance for Natural Health USA (ANH-USA). Permission granted to forward, copy, or reprint with date and attribution (including link to original content) to ANH-USA.
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FDA refuses to require labeling of genetically-modified salmon http://www.naturalnews.com/029862_salmon_genetically_modified.html (There is GM Salmon, engineered by AquaBounty Technologies-- mostly Atlantic salmon -- with a Pacific salmon gene added to make it grow faster, plus an added eel gene to make it grow year round.)
The Darkest Side of GMOs involves underlying intent. Seeds of Destruction - The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation by William F. Engdahl http://www.amazon.com/Seeds-Destruction-Hidden-Genetic-Manipulation/dp/0973714727 and also https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=seeds+of+deception+william+engdahl&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-003
News Flash WASHINGTON, July 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/systems-biology-group-international-center-for-integrative-systems-gmo-soy-accumulates-formaldehyde--disrupts-plant-metabolism-suggests-peer-reviewed-study-calling-for-21st-century-safety-standards-300112959.html
Systems Biology Group, International Center for Integrative Systems:
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
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published today in the peer-reviewed journal AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES reveals genetic engineering of soy disrupts the plant's natural ability to control stress, and invalidates the FDA's current regulatory framework of "substantial equivalence" used for approval of genetically engineered food (GMOs).
The study, led by Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, Ph.D., an MIT-trained systems biologist, utilizes his latest invention, CytoSolve, a 21st century systems biology method to integrate 6,497 in vitro and in vivo laboratory experiments, from 184 scientific institutions, across 23 countries, to discover the accumulation of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and a dramatic depletion of glutathione, an anti-oxidant necessary for cellular detoxification, in GMO soy, indicating that formaldehyde and glutathione are likely critical criteria for distinguishing the GMO from its non-GMO counterpart.
Dr. Ayyadurai stated, "The results demand immediate testing along with rigorous scientific standards to assure such testing is objective and replicable. It's unbelievable such standards for testing do not already exist. The safety of our food supply demands that science deliver such modern scientific standards for approval of GMOs."
"The discovery reported by Dr. Ayyadurai reveals a new molecular paradigm associated with genetic engineering that will require research to discover why, and how much formaldehyde and glutathione concentration, and what other cellular chemicals relevant to human and animal health, are altered. We need the kinds of standards Dr. Ayyadurai demands to conduct such research," stated Dr. Ray Seidler, a former EPA Senior Scientist. "Formaldehyde is a known class1 carcinogen. Its elevated presence in soybeans caused by a common genetic engineering event is alarming and deserves immediate attention and action from the FDA and the Obama administration. Soy is widely grown and consumed in the U.S., including by infants fed baby food products, with 94% of soy grown here being genetically engineered," declared Seidler.
The study concludes the U.S. government's current standards for safety assessment of GMOs, based on the principle of "substantial equivalence," is outdated and unscientific for genetically engineered food since it was originally developed for assessing the safety of medical devices in the 1970s. The current criteria for assessing "equivalence" considers only basic nutritional and superficial characteristics such as taste, sight, smell and touch, for declaring GMOs safe for human consumption, allowing them to be fast-tracked to market without independent scientific testing. If formaldehyde and glutathione were criteria, then the GMO would likely not be deemed "equivalent" to its non-GMO counterpart. This finding calls into question the FDA's food safety standards for the entire country.
The publication of the paper coincides with release of a bulletin by the Obama Administration on July 2, 2015, calling for "Improving Transparency and Ensuring Continued Safety in Biotechnology."
Ayyadurai shares, "This is not a pro- or anti-GMO question. But, are we following the scientific method to ensure the safety of our food supply? Right now, the answer is 'no'. We need to, and we can, if we engage in open, transparent, and collaborative scientific discourse, based on a systems biology approach."
The full study - [www.integrativesystems.org]
Contact Information:
Nathan Nye: nnye@fenton.com, (910)876-2601;
Alison Channon: achannon@fenton.com, (202)789-7752
This concludes this collection.... by no means complete or the end of the GMO saga.
Be sure you take action to ensure a defeat in the Senate in September 2015 so GM Foods can be labeled.
Call and write your Senators. Spread the word. Be aware.
Healthy regards to all,
Jackie
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Anonymous User
Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 02, 2015 04:28PM |
Thank you Jackie for this rather horrifying look at controlling powers such as those of biotechnology Monsanto Company Inc.
In case anyone thinks "horrifying" is overblown I recommend reading your cited book
Seeds of Destruction - The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation (2007) [www.amazon.com]
along with Full Spectrum Dominance - Totalitarian Democracy In The New World Order (2009) [www.amazon.com]
both by professor F. William Engdahl [www.williamengdahl.com]
In case anyone thinks "horrifying" is overblown I recommend reading your cited book
Seeds of Destruction - The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation (2007) [www.amazon.com]
along with Full Spectrum Dominance - Totalitarian Democracy In The New World Order (2009) [www.amazon.com]
both by professor F. William Engdahl [www.williamengdahl.com]
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Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 03, 2015 12:42AM |
Registered: 10 years ago Posts: 1,748 |
Professor F. William Engdahl lives in Germany, he was born in the U.S.,
F. William Engdahl also contributes regularly to a number of international publications on economics and political affairs including Asia Times, FinancialSense.com, 321.gold.com, The Real News, RT.com OpEdge, RT TV, Asia Inc., GlobalResearch.com, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Foresight magazine. He has been a frequent contributor to the New York Grant'sInvestor.com, European Banker and Business Banker International, Globus in Croatia, and has been interviewed on various geopolitical topics on numerous international TV and radio programs including USA Coast-to-Coast with George Noory, Al Jazeera, CCTV and Sina.com (China), Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), and Channel 1 Russian TV.
William is a Research Associate of Michel Chossudovsky's Centre for Research on Globalization in Montreal, Canada and member of the editorial board of Eurasia magazine. He currently lives in Germany and in addition to writing and giving interviews on current events, consults as a political risk economist for various private organizations, major European banks and private investor groups. Why the "F." in F. William Engdahl? That's an interesting question.
He blames the Rockeffellows for almost everything that he believes is bad, says he loves Russia, he is a geopolitical analyst, I don't believe a lot of what he says, there is some truth of course. He seems to despise our Gov., guess that is why he lives in Germany.
Liz
F. William Engdahl also contributes regularly to a number of international publications on economics and political affairs including Asia Times, FinancialSense.com, 321.gold.com, The Real News, RT.com OpEdge, RT TV, Asia Inc., GlobalResearch.com, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Foresight magazine. He has been a frequent contributor to the New York Grant'sInvestor.com, European Banker and Business Banker International, Globus in Croatia, and has been interviewed on various geopolitical topics on numerous international TV and radio programs including USA Coast-to-Coast with George Noory, Al Jazeera, CCTV and Sina.com (China), Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), and Channel 1 Russian TV.
William is a Research Associate of Michel Chossudovsky's Centre for Research on Globalization in Montreal, Canada and member of the editorial board of Eurasia magazine. He currently lives in Germany and in addition to writing and giving interviews on current events, consults as a political risk economist for various private organizations, major European banks and private investor groups. Why the "F." in F. William Engdahl? That's an interesting question.
He blames the Rockeffellows for almost everything that he believes is bad, says he loves Russia, he is a geopolitical analyst, I don't believe a lot of what he says, there is some truth of course. He seems to despise our Gov., guess that is why he lives in Germany.
Liz
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Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment August 27, 2015 05:13PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
In the August 20, 2015 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, two respected experts on pesticides and children’s environmental health call for the FDA to require mandatory labeling of GMO foods.
Currently, the FDA does not require labeling of genetically modified foods, even though 65 countries mandate the labeling of GM foods, and more than 90 percent of Americans support it. Last month, the DARK Act, which would block states and federal government from making mandatory labeling laws, passed in the House. Next, it goes to the Senate.
What the article says
In the article, titled “GMOs, Herbicides, and Public Health,” Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, the Dean for Global Health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and co-author Charles Benbrook, a crop and soil scientist, say the time has come for three important steps.
One of these is GMO labeling. They write: “We believe the time has come to revisit the United States’ reluctance to label GM foods.”
As they explain, two recent developments are dramatically changing the GMO landscape:
The number of chemical herbicides applied to GM crops has increased sharply and is scheduled to increase even more in the next few years.
This year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate, the herbicide used most widely on GM crops, as a “probable human carcinogen.” And the agency classified 2,4-D, another herbicide, as a “possible human carcinogen.”
Continue: [foodrevolution.org]
Currently, the FDA does not require labeling of genetically modified foods, even though 65 countries mandate the labeling of GM foods, and more than 90 percent of Americans support it. Last month, the DARK Act, which would block states and federal government from making mandatory labeling laws, passed in the House. Next, it goes to the Senate.
What the article says
In the article, titled “GMOs, Herbicides, and Public Health,” Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, the Dean for Global Health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and co-author Charles Benbrook, a crop and soil scientist, say the time has come for three important steps.
One of these is GMO labeling. They write: “We believe the time has come to revisit the United States’ reluctance to label GM foods.”
As they explain, two recent developments are dramatically changing the GMO landscape:
The number of chemical herbicides applied to GM crops has increased sharply and is scheduled to increase even more in the next few years.
This year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate, the herbicide used most widely on GM crops, as a “probable human carcinogen.” And the agency classified 2,4-D, another herbicide, as a “possible human carcinogen.”
Continue: [foodrevolution.org]
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Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment September 07, 2015 03:33PM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 277 |
Jackie,
Thanks for all your work researching this important topic.
I, for one, have been diagnosed by my alternative medicine doctor as having a RoundUp allergy from food I have eaten, and I have also been diagnosed with leaky gut and leaky brain as a result. Though I now eat organic whenever I can, this information in your research has motivated me to be even more diligent.
I can personally attest to the fact that cancer can be caused by RoundUP. My first husband was drafted into the Vietnam War in 1969. For several months, he was in an area of Vietnam near some canals that had dense foliage growing near them. These areas were sprayed with RoundUP by American PT boats from time to time, to kill the foliage so the VietCong army couldn't mount a surprise attack. It was so hot there, that my husband and other soldiers would swim in the same RoundUP sprayed canals, not knowing the danger, as Monsanto told the US military it was harmless to humans. Five years after my husband returned from Vietnam, he was diagnosed with cancer. He died ten years later. At the time, Monsanto would take no responsibility for their cancer-causing agent, but since then, evidence has connected RoundUP to these cancer deaths.
Monsanto is a ruthless company and must be stopped. We MUST do all we can to prevent the DARK Act from becoming law, and now that we are armed with Jackie's research, we can email this to all our friends and family to ge them involved. Without GMO labeling, we will not be able to know what we are eating, and the health consequences for our nation will be horrific.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
---Edmund Burke (British statesman during America's Revolutionary Period)
Thanks for all your work researching this important topic.
I, for one, have been diagnosed by my alternative medicine doctor as having a RoundUp allergy from food I have eaten, and I have also been diagnosed with leaky gut and leaky brain as a result. Though I now eat organic whenever I can, this information in your research has motivated me to be even more diligent.
I can personally attest to the fact that cancer can be caused by RoundUP. My first husband was drafted into the Vietnam War in 1969. For several months, he was in an area of Vietnam near some canals that had dense foliage growing near them. These areas were sprayed with RoundUP by American PT boats from time to time, to kill the foliage so the VietCong army couldn't mount a surprise attack. It was so hot there, that my husband and other soldiers would swim in the same RoundUP sprayed canals, not knowing the danger, as Monsanto told the US military it was harmless to humans. Five years after my husband returned from Vietnam, he was diagnosed with cancer. He died ten years later. At the time, Monsanto would take no responsibility for their cancer-causing agent, but since then, evidence has connected RoundUP to these cancer deaths.
Monsanto is a ruthless company and must be stopped. We MUST do all we can to prevent the DARK Act from becoming law, and now that we are armed with Jackie's research, we can email this to all our friends and family to ge them involved. Without GMO labeling, we will not be able to know what we are eating, and the health consequences for our nation will be horrific.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
---Edmund Burke (British statesman during America's Revolutionary Period)
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Re: GMO Facts you may not know - Dietary Enlightenment September 08, 2015 12:42PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
Thanks Nancy for your comments. I'm terribly sorry to read about your late husband's dreadful and tragic experience with toxic chemical exposure. You've reminded me of several similar very sad stories about Vietnam veterans and each time there was denial from the military and obviously, Monsanto.
Another reminder about the deception of Monsanto in today's news from Health Freedoms Alliance...
Future of GMO Strategies Moving Forward After The Dark Act
[www.healthfreedoms.org]
excerpt:
Glyphosate was recently classified as a Class 2A “probable human carcinogen” by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) research arm on cancer, and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) admits foods are not tested for glyphosate residues due to the high expense of doing so. So, GE corn, soy, cottonseed, and sugar beets are known to contain higher levels of a probable carcinogen, which the government does not test for, andthat in and of itself is cause for labeling GMOs — not hiding it on some website that you can only get to by scanning a QR code and hoping the company is completely transparent in its reporting.
Although consumers have a right to know what’s in their food, especially concerning products for which health and environmental concerns have been raised, there are 7 reasons why they are unlikely to be be identified on any labeled food products.
In particular, the DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know)Act – if passed by the Senate and signed into law by Obama – will:
Preempt State and local laws regarding the production and sale of GMO crops, not just the labeling of GMO foods;
Eliminate “GMO-Free” zones;
Unfairly burden traditional farmers and food producers to label their food as “GMO-free,” requiring certification from the pro-GMO USDA;
Further muddy the food definition of “Natural,” allowing companies to make “natural” claims on packaging even if the food contains GMOs; and
Allow dairy products from animals fed bioengineered foods and foods developed using bioengineered processing aids or enzymes to still be labeled as non-bioengineered.
Although touted as a means of ending a “confusing patchwork” of GMO labeling laws, the DARK Act is really nothing more than camouflage for the removal of Americans’ right to know what is in their food and drink.
Another “Too Big to Fail” System in GMOs
Jackie
Another reminder about the deception of Monsanto in today's news from Health Freedoms Alliance...
Future of GMO Strategies Moving Forward After The Dark Act
[www.healthfreedoms.org]
excerpt:
Glyphosate was recently classified as a Class 2A “probable human carcinogen” by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) research arm on cancer, and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) admits foods are not tested for glyphosate residues due to the high expense of doing so. So, GE corn, soy, cottonseed, and sugar beets are known to contain higher levels of a probable carcinogen, which the government does not test for, andthat in and of itself is cause for labeling GMOs — not hiding it on some website that you can only get to by scanning a QR code and hoping the company is completely transparent in its reporting.
Although consumers have a right to know what’s in their food, especially concerning products for which health and environmental concerns have been raised, there are 7 reasons why they are unlikely to be be identified on any labeled food products.
In particular, the DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know)Act – if passed by the Senate and signed into law by Obama – will:
Preempt State and local laws regarding the production and sale of GMO crops, not just the labeling of GMO foods;
Eliminate “GMO-Free” zones;
Unfairly burden traditional farmers and food producers to label their food as “GMO-free,” requiring certification from the pro-GMO USDA;
Further muddy the food definition of “Natural,” allowing companies to make “natural” claims on packaging even if the food contains GMOs; and
Allow dairy products from animals fed bioengineered foods and foods developed using bioengineered processing aids or enzymes to still be labeled as non-bioengineered.
Although touted as a means of ending a “confusing patchwork” of GMO labeling laws, the DARK Act is really nothing more than camouflage for the removal of Americans’ right to know what is in their food and drink.
Another “Too Big to Fail” System in GMOs
Jackie
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