Article #5 in our GMO Series
About 64 countries — including China, Australia, and the entire European Union — already require GE (Genetically Engineered) foods to be labeled. But in the U.S., GE/GMO foods aren’t required to undergo safety testing, and we typically don’t know which foods have been genetically engineered by Big Ag giants like Monsanto.
Check out this video for a few grins and solid facts. “Take the Monsanto Challenge”: http://civic.moveon.org/mamonsantochallenge/share.html?id=72145-25424817-8xc9nCx&t=1
Eating Well – Not so Hard After All!
“You don’t have to eat every single thing organic, but your aim should be to eat “clean” by sticking to lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables rather than stuff that comes from a box or bag. To start, take a glance at the price look-up (PLU) code sticker you find on fresh fruits and veggies, which can provide important clues about the produce you’re buying. If it starts with a “9,” and is followed by four numbers, it means the product is organic. (You should always buy the Dirty Dozen organic.) If the code begins with the number “4,” it means the produce is conventionally grown, and could have been farmed using fertilizers and pesticides. Look out for PLU codes that start with an “8,” indicating genetic modification. ‘There’s just not enough research out there to tell whether or not (all) GMO foods are potentially harmful to your health or impact metabolism, so your best bet is to avoid them,’ says Garner-Wellington.” Check out the full article here: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/more-4065-worth-expert-weight-loss-advice-140600028.html
Now, as promised, we’re moving on to some of the Players in this GMO Arena: The Bad Guys and the Good Guys of GMO. Today’s article is on The Baddies. Next time I’ll leave you with Good Guy News and Hope, and that will be the last article in this series.
SOME DO-BAD’ERS
The Chemical Companies & Big Ag? At this point in my research, I must conclude that many of these industry leaders are ill-informed, stupid, or evil, or all three. None of those are good characteristics for people in powerful positions creating food for the masses. One article I read suggests that this is a form of germicidal warfare being waged upon the planet. What I can’t figure out is, “Who is the enemy?”
Fortunately, there is push back, which is a form of progress. Just this summer, India stood up to Monsanto and rejected their “climate resilient” plant patent. Read more here: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-07-10/news/40492378_1_monsanto-indian-patent-act-patent-protection
Hold On to your Hats! We are on the road to Reverse Direction! Here’s just one reason Monsanto is in the hot seat. According to Green Medical News:
“ . . . “within the scientific community and educated public alike, there is a growing awareness that Roundup herbicide, and its primary ingredient glyphosate, is actually a broad spectrum biocide, in the etymological sense of the word: “bio” (life) and “cide” (kill) – that is, it broadly, without discrimination kills living things, not just plants.”
Check out the full article:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27918.cfm
The Government? First of all, I want to acknowledge that all political parties have participated in creating this mess. The FDA no longer protects us as well as originally designed. They have a revolving door with Monsanto executives & legal counsel, e.g. attorneys who take key positions inside the FDA go back and forth to Monsanto. Monsanto is likely the greatest single force behind the widespread success of GMO’s, which are now in the bulk of commercial grown food. How wide-spread? Check out these FAQ’s about GMO’s, assembled by Whole Foods Market http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/gmos
One more disturbing piece of the puzzle…see this news scoop by the largest German newspaper on July 12 about the U.S. Military tracking GMO Campaigners and Independent Scientists: http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/07/13/us-military-tracks-gmo-campaigners-and-independent-scientists-english-excluusive/#.UeIZ-9JJNBk
Consumers—or is it the News Media’s Fault?
It appears that the majority of us consumers are MIA on the topic of GMO’s. We are either not informed at all or are confused about this most basic issue of our food supply. Most of us don’t even know what it is, so why would we care about labeling it or considering it when making our food choices?Wake up, America. Your standard News Media isn’t working well to inform you about the issues as they affect your health and future generations (and many more living things). So this is your Buyer Beware Alert. Start reading labels. Stop eating btToxin-laced and Roundup-Ready crops with poison built in… and stop eating the animals who eat them too. Start demanding GMO labeling! Find more organic foods. Know your sources! Which of the local farms have a more natural approach to their business? Which ones are NOT buying Monsanto’s GMO’d seeds? Vote with your dollars to stay healthy, and positive changes will begin to happen when enough of us do this.BUT, I WANT SOME CORN ON THE COB!
This week I have been craving some good, sweet corn which is abundant in the grocery stores right now. But, alas, I know too much about the dangers of commercial corn. So, what to do? I found a local farmer who has been buying the same seeds from the same company for 30+ years. I researched that company online (Seedway), and discovered that, although they do sell GMO corn, they make farmers sign a waiver before buying it. AND, they only sell to farmers with 20 acres or more. My farmer was much smaller than that and had signed no such disclaimer form. So, I felt good to go. I bought 8 ears for $2…and boy are they YUMMY, “Peaches and Crème” melt-in-your-mouth! Now I have a source I can go back to over the summer months for fresh corn. The investigation consisted of two questions to the farmer and took me about 5 minutes online to research.I’ll leave you today with a quick reminder.
Here’s a list of the High Risk Crops to avoid:· Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
· Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
· Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
· Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
· Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
· Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
· Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
· Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)As you can see, there are still many fruits and veggies not listed above. You can still eat plenty of things like beans and carrots and lettuces and sprouts and cherries and apples and more. Some of the foods, like tomatoes, may be GMO’d, so read the “PLU” number if you buy at a store. Do NOT buy an “8” (GMO). Buy the “9” Organics. Beware of packaged foods which contain many of the items on the High Risk Crops list above.THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: What will you do to make yourself healthier and happier this week? How will you pay attention to the quality of fuel that you put into your body?To Your Health,
Dr. David and Deb Martin
www.LotusBlossomClinic.com
(239) 277-1399