GMO- The Generational Poison

Genetically Modified Organisms, the process of inserting the genes from viruses and bacteria and other genetic material from animals into the DNA of other species, like soybeans and corn; to create a herbicide and insect resistant food product; is really some scary science. What’s even scarier is that it wasn’t even a well thought out plan. No pre-market testing;  it was just slammed into the food supply, with, I might add, the approval of the FDA and USDA.

Genetic Engineering exposes crops to chemicals and radiation, and switches off selected genes, silencing them. The process of genetic engineering actually modifies the genetic code and re-programs it to become something new; even sounds dangerous. In GM plants, a new protein was spawned that was designed to kill insects trying to eat them or to make them tolerant of the herbicide Glyphosate, found in Monsanto’s Roundup. Sounds great in theory…The effects of course were not predictable.

Or were they??? FDA scientists warned that genetically engineered foods could create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. But….they approved them anyway. 

• Lab animals fed GM crops showed damaged organs, higher infant mortality, smaller babies, organ lesions, signs of toxicity, potentially precancerous cell growth, massive tumors, early death, sterility, and birth defects. Investigations link GM feed with livestock sickness and death. And thousands of farm workers that handle GM cotton plants are reporting rashes, itching, and allergic reactions.

Now–where are We? And what about the next generation, our children and grand children??? This industry wants to replace ALL our food with this poisonous stuff!!!

Right now we are faced with:

• rising health issues in the US, e.g. multiple chronic illness, food allergy, autism, diabetes
• American Academy of Environmental Medicine: infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, organ damage, and gastrointestinal problems.

When we and our families consume GMO foods we are ingesting Roundup. Studies now suggest that our gut has become a pesticide factory. The pesticide is on the food and in the food. Because these genes have mutated, either by deletion or by altering the gene expression, they might also produce harmful RNA. (DNA creates RNA, and the RNA creates proteins). Our healthy gut bacteria are also being destroyed by the trans-genes from DNA bacteria inserted into the GM crop.

Our children are eating more corn and corn-based products than we adults do. There’s also GMO soy in infant formula. Can you imagine what’s happening inside their bodies???

And let’s not forget the GMO fed dairy cows with the added  rbGH for rapid growth. Also, allergies have increased 400%  since the introduction of GE foods into our food supply. Our  future generations are being poisoned right before our eyes.  And often it is the parent that unknowingly contributes to their demise.

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine states that GMO foods “pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit.” Read more at http://www.the-open-mind.com/the-dangers-gmos-pose-to-children/#1LLpPJkeSQvlRFVX.99

And if that weren’t enough, they now want to add Agent Orange (2,4 D) to the killer mix. Enlist Duo, is a mixture of 2,4 D and glyphosate. The monster created a bigger monster and now they have to come up with a bigger gun. Even though 35 scientists have urged the EPA not to approve this deadly mix, citing that it would endanger human and environmental health, the approval is close to becoming a reality. 

Source:http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/2462976/scientists_

On July 23, 2014 Environmental Work Group released this report:

Washington, D.C. – Prominent doctors, scientists and business leaders today urged Congress to pressure the Obama administration to reject an application to market “Enlist Duo,”^TM a new toxic herbicide mix of 2,4-D and glyphosate.

“Exposures to herbicides in early life can lead to disease in childhood or disease later on in adult life or even old age,” said Dr. Landrigan, dean for global health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “Herbicide chemicals can also cross from mother to child during pregnancy and prenatal exposures that occur during the nine months of pregnancy are especially dangerous.”

“Physicians are very concerned about exposure to the combination of 2,4-D and glyphosate because of the potential lifelong and irreversible effects on the health of vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women and farm workers,” said Dr. Thomasson, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility. “Policy decisions should take into account the costs that can result from failure to act on the available data on toxic herbicides.”

GE and the Environment

Roundup Ready grass is in school yards and at home. The horrible disappearance of the honey bees and the monarch butterfly; all pesticide related. There’s air and water and soil contamination. This chart does an excellent job showing the damage to the ecosystem.

•  Roundup
  • Chelates trace minerals,  “meaning it immobilizes critical micro-nutrients, rendering them unavailable to the plant. As a result, the nutritional efficiency of genetically engineered (GE) plants is profoundly compromised. Micronutrients such as iron, manganese and zinc can be reduced by as much as 80-90 percent in GE plants.” Source: Mercola.com, Dr. Huber Interview
  • Dismantles plant defenses,
  • Destroys beneficial microorganisms
  • Promotes disease-causing pathogens
  • Remains in soil and influences later crops

It is believed that widespread contamination has occurred because there has been a dramatic increase in spraying, because of “Super-weeds.” There would be pesticide “drift”causing cross- contamination into nearby residential areas and ecosystem habitats.

What About the Soil?

Dr. Don Huber is an expert in an area of science that relates to the toxicity of genetically engineered (GE) foods. In an article published by Dr. Joseph Mercola, he states the following:

“…glyphosate can accumulate and persist in the soil for years. Persistence is determined by biological activity, soil PH, clay content, and how firmly its sequestered or absorbed in the soil. This is bad news, because glyphosate not only decimates beneficial microorganisms in the soil essential for proper plant function and high quality nutrition, it also promotes the proliferation of disease-causing pathogens.”

The soil is being irreversibly damaged and an epidemic of herbicide resistant super-weeds is raging. All the beneficial nutrients are gone. Globally, the arable land is to be lost through “degradation’, specifically soil erosion”.

*New research links pesticide exposure to adverse effects 3 generations later. This is surely a systemic problem that has a “domino effect of harm to the ecosystem.”

What do we do? What will be left for future generations? Will the land our children inherit feed them and their children?

The answers to these questions are obvious if we can’t turn this poisonous tide.

The O Shift

Fortunately we are seeing a shift to organic foods as more people are becoming aware. Parents are insisting on non-GMO products. But the battle is far from over. We must continue to reject these poisons masquerading as food. The scientific studies (343 of them) support the fact that organic is a healthier, more nutritious alternative to GE foods. Organic market sales have seen a dramatic increase. A big thank you goes to Non-GMO Project Verified for “helping us make informed shopping decisions.”

“The Non-GMO Project is the only organization offering independent verification of testing and GMO controls for products in the U.S. and Canada. Buying products that are verified by our program is the best way to support the sustained availability of non-GMO choices in North America.”

Source:Non-GMO Project.org 

Say NO everyday to GMO!!! Support your  local permaculture farm and organic  agriculture. Better yet, grow your own. Paul  Gautschi’s film “Back to Eden” teaches  simple organic growing methods that mirror  the provisions given to man in the Garden of  Eden. It’s a must see! Gardening made easy,  and the kids will love seeing where their  food comes from.

“Read labels and avoid the at risk ingredients, such as soy protein isolate, lecithin, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, and all corn derivatives, canola and cottonseed oil, etc.”

Our future generations deserve better. We must continue to educate people about GMO’s, make better food choices and invest in sustainability for us and them.

Sharing is caring. Blessings one and all…      

Additional Sources:

PAN’s Pesticide Residue Database, What’s On My Food?

Beyond Pesticides’, Eating with a Conscience guide

Jeffery Smith, Institute of Responsible Technology Speaker’s Notes

Roundup in YOUR Cotton?

Genetically Modified cotton, another production by Monsanto, claims 83% of the GM market. And like other GMO’s this cotton variety produces its own pesticide. Bt cotton is Roundup Ready cotton genetically modified to resist the herbicide glyphosate. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria that comes from soil. The Bt gene is inserted into the cotton seed ( the Monsanto gene gun at work, AGAIN,) and it produces its own Bt toxin. This Roundup Ready cotton is planted by the farmers, and then sprayed with the Roundup containing glyphosate. The plants could withstand this spraying while the weeds died. BUT….

As it goes with GMO’s, something went WRONG. Nature’s inherent desire to survive kicked in and the weeds fought back. The weeds became resistant to the glyphosate in Roundup and many other types of herbicides. Super-weeds came, and next the super-bugs!

The Bt variety was introduced in the US in 1996. That was Monsanto’s banner year. Many of the  GMOs were introduced in this year. And I might add, without proper testing to ensure their safety. They dumped a massive load of untested, pesticide producing seeds, right in our food chain. All done with a handshake and a smile from the FDA. 😦

India was heavily impacted by the introduction of the commercially sold Bt cotton in 2002. These farmers were promised gold. Instead many of them became paupers.

Bollworm pests caused crop failure and major economic losses to these farmers, even though they were told that the cotton had a built-in pesticide that would resist the bollworm.

90% of India’s farmers grew this genetically modified variety of cotton;  followed by big promises from “you know who.” 

Sadly the farmers response to this  failure was the worst imagined. Many farmer suicides were found to have been caused by the failure of these crops; beginning only 3 years after their introduction. Monsanto and its seed monopoly coupled with crop failure, and the high cost of seeds and chemicals were the “seeds of suicide.”

Nations of Change reports that “Monsanto’s cost-inflated and ineffective seeds have been driving farmers to suicide for quite some time, and is considered to be one of the largest — if not the largest — cause of the quarter of a million farmer suicides over the past 16 years.”

In three years these Bt genes began to wreak havoc on the soil. according to Global Research, “In 3 years, Bt-cotton has reduced the population of Actinomycetes (a bacteria) by 17%. Actinomycetes are vital for breaking down cellulose and creating humus (soil produced by decomposition). Bacteria were reduced by 14%. The total microbial biomass or the living part of the soil, organic matter, was reduced by 8.9%.”

They also found that “vital soil beneficial enzymes which make nutrients available to plants have also been drastically reduced. Acid Phosphatase, which contributes to the uptake of phosphates was reduced by 26.6%. Nitrogenase enzymes which help fix nitrogen were reduced by 22.6%. The planting with GM cotton, or any GM crop with Bt genes in it, could lead to total destruction of soil organisms, leaving dead soil unable to produce food.” Global Research

So besides being ineffective at killing pests, the Bt genes were destroying the soil and any possibility for future growth. A study performed in India concluded that “the long-term impact of Bt cotton on soil organisms is a wake up to regulators worldwide. It also shows that the claims of the Biotechnology industry about the safety of GM crops are false.”

For a copy of that report you can go to: http://www.navdanya.org/

Livestock die after grazing in Bt cotton fields, others fall sick. Read more here: Bt Cotton and Livestock: Health Impacts, Bio-safety concerns and the Legitimacy of Public Scientific Research Institutions by Dr Sagari R Ramdas (Director, Anthra)

The Institute for Responsible   Technology, one of the most     comprehensive sources for GMO health risks, cite   problems related to exposure to Bt cotton:

 Workers exposed to Bt  cotton developed allergies
 1. Agricultural laborers in six  villages  who picked or loaded  Bt cotton reported  reactions of  the skin, eyes and upper    respiratory tract.                                     2.  Some laborers required hospitalization.                            3. Employees at a cotton gin factory take antihistamines everyday.                                                4. One doctor treated about 250 cotton laborers

 Sheep died after grazing in Bt cotton fields
1. After the cotton harvest in parts of India, sheep herds grazed continuously on Bt cotton plants.
2. Reports from four villages revealed that about 25% of the sheep died within a week.
3. Post mortem studies suggest a toxic reaction.

Dreaded Skin Affection seen above has become common in people working in BT cotton farms. This photograph shows a 60-year-old farm labourer Mr Ram Singh of Village Agroha, (District Hisar, India) being affected by unknown skin disease due to BT cotton.  (savefarmer.info)

Are We Being Exposed???

The answer is YES! Approximately 93% of the cotton produced in 2010 in the US is genetically modified. Because of the heavy pesticide use, it is considered “one of the world’s most dirtiest crops.”And although cotton is a fiber, its seeds are used for food items and feed, and sadly is on the market.

• Oil: the high-quality cotton seed oil is utilized for cooking and deep-frying, as well as in margarine,
• Whole grain: the albuminous pellet (the endosperm) is used primarily for feed–cotton seed meal. It is also a base for protein compounds and isolates, as well as for cotton seed milk.
• ‘Linters’: These very short, non-textile fibres cling to the cotton seeds. They consist almost exclusively of cellulose. Various food additives such as thickening agents, stabilizers, emulsifiers or fillers are made from these.  http://farmwars.info/?=6920   Be mindful humans can’t break down or digest cellulose.

Other ways we are exposed to Bt toxin in cotton:

• Bed sheets, towels, cotton clothing, socks, diapers;
• “our skin absorbing more than 60% “of what we come in contact with. http://www.organicauthority.com/
• Cotton balls, Q-tips, tampons, and sanitary napkins, paper towels, toilet paper

Here’s an interesting note from Consciouslifenews.com

“Sixty five percent of conventional cotton production ends up in our food chain, directly through food oils or indirectly through the milk and meats of animals feeding on cotton seed meal and cotton gin by-products. The hazardous effect of conventional cotton in our food chain comes from GMO and Bt cotton by-products, which are generated from manufacturing non-food cotton products. These by-products are commonly known as “Gin Trash” which consists of cotton seed, stalk, leaves, burrs, twigs, dirt and everything else that are not used in cotton textile production.  The “Gin Trash” is sold to food companies to undergo further processing to create cotton seed oil, additional additives and fillers in processed foods for  livestock feed, and soil compost mix. Additionally, the waste from the processing goes directly into our water supply.“

The chemicals in cotton are very toxic and they do cause an array of health problems. All Natural is Not Natural, so read your labels and demand Certified Organic Cotton. Those chemicals are still there even after washing. Cottonseed oil is found in many processed foods. Avoid it! The same goes for margarine. Healthy oils include olive, coconut, avocado, walnut, and grape-seed, preferably Organic.

If we all stand together against the evil corporations, boycotting the manufacturers and the sellers; we can send the message that We SAY NO to YOUR GMO and WE MEAN NO!!!

Choose Brands without GMOs.

“Just a small percentage of the population switching to non-GMO brands will create a tipping point, forcing major food companies to quickly replace GM ingredients. When the tipping point of consumer rejection was reached in Europe in 1999, within a single week, virtually all major food companies committed to remove GMOs.” quote courtesy of the Institute of Responsible Technology, Jeffrey Smith

Sharing is Caring. Talk to you later friends…