Since around 1996, Americans have been eating genetically modified ingredients in most processed foods. Genetically modified foods have had their DNA changed through Genetic Engineering. It is unnatural, and scientifically proven to be very unsafe. And, thanks to Monsanto and other agricultural biotechnology companies, this genetic pollution and monopolism could reach epic proportions around the world.
“Genetic Engineering”, or Genetic Modification of food involves combining genes from different organisms, a process known as “Recombinant DNA Technology”, and the result is called a genetically “modified” organism (GMO). Another good name for it would be manipulated, or even mutated. Either way, this Frankenstein food is wreaking havoc on people’s health and well-being.
These GMOs can be engineered with genes from bacteria, insects, viruses, and animals, even humans. Sound appetizing? This article is not intended to cause us all to freak out the next time we sit down to a nice family dinner. My motivation is to help create awareness of the situation and give people ideas on how best to safeguard your health.
Why You Should Be Concerned about GMOs in Your Food!
There is evident research suggesting the link of GMOs to such human health problems as sterility, infant mortality, obesity, cancer, ADHD, allergies and asthma. Even FDA scientists have warned that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored. The FDA does not require any safety evaluations for GMO’s.
Why Isn’t the FDA Pushing Harder to Protect US?
We could go through a summary of how the FDA is sleeping with the enemy here, but that is reflected quite well in the documentary “The World According to Monsanto”. In a nutshell, internal memos made public by a lawsuit reveal that the FDA’s position was politically staged under orders from the White House to promote GMOs. Power has been handed to the biotech companies to be in charge of determining whether GM foods are safe, rather than the FDA! It should be noted that Monsanto’s former Attorney and Vice President is now head of the FDA’s policy on this matter. Politics and corporate influence, not sound science, are allowing these Frankenstein foods to be shelved in our supermarkets.
The biotech companies, with Monsanto at the helm, have manipulated the government, our food and the media, potentially putting an entire generation of people at risk. Why? GMOs produce more food, bigger cuts of meat with growth hormones, larger fruits and vegetables, more milk…. more profits for them.
How You Can Protect Yourselves from GMOs
This is getting increasingly harder since, unlike most other industrialized countries that protect the citizen rather than corporate greed, the U.S. does not require labeling. Hence, we don’t even know that we are eating these genetically modified foods. But here are some great tips for avoiding GM crops:
- Buy Organic
- Look for “Non-GMO” Labels
- Avoid At-Risk Ingredients:
- Corn…. including corn flour, meal, oil, starch, gluten, and syrup. Sweeteners such as fructose, dextrose and glucose. Modified cornstarch
- Soy: Soy flour, lecithin, protein, isolate and isoflavone. Vegetable oil and vegetable protein
- Canola: Canola oil (also called rapeseed oil)
- Cotton: Cottonseed oil
There is also a fabulous non-GMO shopping guide available from the Center for Food Safety. Print this out and try to refer to it when you shop.
You can help end the genetic engineering of our food supply! Go to ResponsibleTechnology.org to get involved and learn how to avoid GMs.
You and your loved ones health is well worth the extra effort!
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