I figured lets switch gears for a bit and talk about what everyone loves to do: EAT!!!!!
Yes !! You love to eat and so do I, but let's take a look at what's in our food. Everyone wants to eat well and healthy and yeah yeah yeah, EVERYBODY knows that fast food is no good but what about GMO's ???
In the following post, I decided to simplify the basics behind GMO's..... I will do a series on eating well and striving to eat better. It's not EASY at all. With food costs rising and rising, what is really safe to eat without breaking the bank? Read on for the first in a series on eating well to Get Your Life!
What is a GMO?
A GMO or Genetically Modified Organism also known as Genetically Engineered (GE) food is created when the DNA of different organisms or species is combined to form a plant or food that normally doesn’t exist in nature or created though hybridizing. The genes from one species is extracted and artificially inserted into the genes of another unrelated animal or plant. This process takes place in a laboratory. This is achieved to produce crops that will withstand herbicides (herbicides are chemical agents used for killing weeds or unwanted plants.) Herbicides are steeped with chemicals and are harmful to humans. Herbicides can remain active in the environment for extended periods of time, contaminating water and soil. To take it further, herbicides can damage your gut flora, which is the good bacteria in your stomach used to fight off the bad bacteria and other viruses or foreign antibodies in your body, thus eventually leaving you susceptible to sickness and possible diseases.
Let’s get back to GMO’s!
What kinds of foods are primarily classified as GMO/GE?
Corn and Soybeans and their derivatives. Foods such as tofu, soybean oil, cornmeal, high fructose corn syrup (in just about everything from ketchup to cereal) canola oil and more. GMO is in alfalfa (fed to livestock) and in the hormone given to dairy cows to increase milk supply. Over 80% of the foods in the United States contain GMO’s. Take a look in your pantry or cabinet right now and there is a high change that you have foods laced with GMO ingredients. Fruits and vegetables such as papaya, squash and zucchini which can be replicated in labs are considered GE.
What can I do to avoid eating GMO?
Read labels and ingredients! Read and identify what products constitute as processed…..
Look for “Non GMO”, “rGBH Free” (see below) or “GMO Free” labels or stamps
1. Buy Organic (yes, it costs more but isn’t your health worth it?)
2. Buy Non GMO products found on www.responsibletechnology.com
3. Do not eat processed or junk foods (chips, cereals, package crackers/cookies, etc.)
· Try gluten free products or products without wheat and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) I will discuss selecting gluten free (GF) products in another post. Some GF products aren’t necessarily healthy either
· 70-80% of US processed foods contain GE’s
4. Avoid cooking with canola oil
· Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Non refined oil
· Stay away from Grapeseed Oil, Soybean Oil and Corn Oil
5. Milk – milk contains a genetically engineered hormone given to cows
· (Instead Try Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Flax Milk, Rice Milk or Oat milk) Yes it costs a little more but it’s worth your health!
6. If you eat meats (chicken, beef) I chose Vegetarian/Pescatarian Life (more on that later)
· Try Organic or Grass Fed (yes they cost more but isn’t your health worth it?)
· Pay now or pay later with your healthy food choices
7. Steer clear of drinks laced with High Fructose Corn Syrup
· HFCS (this is the cheap substitute for sugar but worse)
· Bottle punches, fruit drinks, sunny d, chocolate milk, sodas, etc.
The Downfalls of consuming GMO Foods:
1. Neurological issues
2. Reproductive Issues
3. Gluten related disorders such as Celiac’s Disease
4. BT Toxin (contained in GMO Foods) is a bacteria toxin that creates “leaky gut” literally holes in your digestive system. This is a root cause to many diseases in humans especially individuals with Autism.
5. Herbicides- as stated earlier are used in the soil for crops and affect the food you consume damaging the good bacteria or flora in your body. Flora is necessary to fight off diseases and protect your immune system. Weakened immune systems are a recipe for total sickness in your body: physiologically.
6. Farmers are using more of the Herbicides due to super weeds so that crops are preserved.
7. Glyphosate – a carcinogen (A cancer causing product) is contained in herbicides. Herbicides are sprayed on the crops (as stated earlier) to speed up crop production.
8. Glyphosate is so deadly that it is on California’s Prop 65 list - https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/glyphosate
Check this list out- it contains MANY know household name chemicals in your food, in your pantry, your medicine cabinet, in your daily drugs, cleaning products, and more! Herbicides companies such as DuPont, Monsanto, Dow, Bayer and Round Up will not be challenged because of their power and million dollar worth. The Round Up Herbicide is in drinking water, rain water and in just about every human being… Round Up is the most frequently used herbicide in the world.
9. Hormones such as the RGBH raise cancer promoting hormones similar to insulin and creating antibiotic resistance in humans.
10. Cross contamination in crops – once GMO crops are affected, the wind can blow residue from soil to other crops. The cypher never ends.
For further reading try reading “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD. This is a great read for those serious minded individuals looking to change their life or others through knowledge, application and healthy food recipes which can lead to healing the body holistically. Dr. Campbell discusses natural treatments for those with Autism, Dyspraxia, ADD, ADHD, Depression, Dyslexia and Schizophrenia. I ordered my book from Amazon (used) for under 20 bucks.
Remember, the more foods are processed, the more the chemicals change the biological structure of our brains and bodies; nutrients are depleted in processed foods. The chemicals in the processed foods cause hyperactivity, learning disabilities and psychiatric disorders and other health problems. Remember, when reading the labels on the packages of processed foods, the manufacturer (by law) doesn’t have to list all of the ingredients especially if the ingredients are made from processed substances. Read that again.
The United States and Canada are the main countries allowing GMO Foods to be sold on supermarket shelves. GMO foods are banned in many countries however US Government is connected to the industries that produce these unsafe and unhealthy products that we consume daily.
Even if harm is not proven, options to avoid this type of food should be exercised.
Finally, join the fight against GMO Foods by visiting www.justlabelit.org and check out www.detoxproject.org
Stay Healthy, Stay Cognizant and Stay Well.
Commenti