Despite the cold and snow, signs of spring are starting to break through. Many of us are beginning to think about planting again. Do you know what you are planting? Do you know what you are eating? In these times of genetically modified food the old adage "you are what you eat" gets a little frightening, don't you think? Do you really know what you are eating? Well, here are some thoughts to "chew" on.
Genetically Modified Organisms have invaded our food system. A majority of items on the supermarket shelves contain genetically modified ingredients. Most are not labeled. This of course implicates fish and meat as they are fed GMO food! What you may be wondering is a genetically modified food? Let me briefly explain. Seeds have a foreign gene inserted into its DNA, one not even remotely related. This is accomplished with a gene gun, attaching it to a virus and introducing with a tiny syringe or using bacterium. To ensure the foreign gene attaches well, biotechnologists insert an antibiotic marker gene. Douse the cells with bacteria and if it survives, it's got the gene. We eat this "food". Hungry yet?
A large number of studies have indicated that GM foods cause a wide variety of health problems, including accelerated aging, immune dysfunction, insulin disorders, organ damage and reproductive disruption. Rats fed GM experienced a drastically higher infant death rate and their surviving infants were smaller and less fertile than offspring of rats fed on a non GM diet. Male rats fed GM diet had their testicles change from pink to blue and there was observable damage to the DNA of sperm and embryos. Fertility problems such as abortion, infertility, premature delivery, prolapsed uteri, infant death and delivery of unformed infants have all been regularly observed in GM fed farm animals.
In my research I discovered that the FDA suppressed a report that described lesions being created in the stomach of mice that had eaten GMO diets and many died within two weeks for unstated reasons. My point here is you have a choice, know your food!
These are identified as popularly genetically modified foods:
Corn, Soy, Cotton, Papaya, Rice, Tomatoes, Rapeseed (canola oil), Dairy Products (Monsanto created a hormone that artificially forces cows to increase their milk production by 15 percent, increasing levels of IGF-1(insulin growth factors -1 ) and increased levels in humans are associated with color and breast cancers), Potatoes, and Peas.
Appetizing!
References:
1. www.naturalnews.com/035734_GMOs_food_dangers.html#ixzz2M8NoKqnG
2. Brief 35:Golobal Status of Commercialized Biotech GM Crops 2006
3. The True Food Shopping Guide (www.truefoodnow.org/)
4. American Rice Banned in Many Countries After Genetic Contamination (organicconsurers.org Whitman)
5. Pharm Phresh Frankenfoods (www.mindfully.org Margaret Wertheim
6. Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health? (www.actionbioscience.org A.Puszati
Mancos Public Library has the following DVD's and I highly recommend them:
Thrive, GMO Trilogy, Food Matters, One Man, One Cow, One Planet.
Also recommended but not in the MPL collection: Dirt, Genetic Roulette, Hungry for Change, Seeds of Deception, The Unhealthy Truth, The World According to Monsanto, Thwarting Consumer Choice, Pandora's Picnic Basket and In Organic We Trust. Bon Appetite!
March 20 from noon to 3 p.m. - MPL and Gretchen Gronke hosts a Seed and Plant Exchange. Why not come, share some soup and bread, and share some heritage seeds and plants. No GMO's! Join us for a fun afternoon!