This recipe was taken from my book A Closer Look At Nutrition & Wellness – Handbook of Digestive Health for Well-being
At the end of this article, there are 2 videos to watch.
What Is A GMO, GE, or Cloning?
There are an increasing number of people becoming aware of the harmful effects that foods created in a lab are having upon us. There are still many who have never heard of them, and those who sadly don’t care. Hopefully since reading this, you care understand what they are, how they affect us, and what you can do about it.
What exactly is a GMO or GE?
A GMO (genetically modified organism) or GE (genetically engineered) are animals and plants which are created by combining the DNA of totally unrelated species to form a new species of a plant or animal that does not exist in nature. For example, they have merged fish genes into tomatoes; created to withstand weather concerns and toxic herbicides/pesticides that are heavily sprayed on them in fields. Another reason they are created to be able to produce their own pesticides. The foods created in a lab are referred to as “new foods” or “lab foods”.
What About Cloning?
There’s also another type of genetics called cloning which is slightly different from GMO or GE foods that poses concern to most people who learn of it. According to the FDA, it is safe for consumption, despite the lack of research on the risks to human consumption. According to three documents the Food and Drug Administration released on January 15, 2008 “Meat and milk from clones of adult cattle, pigs, goats, and their offspring are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals”.”1
What is not addressed in the reports is that conventionally bred animals are actually not safe for human consumption either. Effects may be short or long term, or mild or acute symptoms; depending on circumstances of each individual. A report by The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Production highlights the risks. The report is 111 pages and it took 2 years to compile. It outlines the public health, environmental, animal welfare and rural livelihood consequences of what they call conventional/industrial farm animal production. The conclusions are apparent; conventional/factory farm production is intensifying worldwide, and rates of new infectious diseases are rising. Of particular concern is the rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes, an inevitable consequence of the widespread use of antibiotics as feed additives in industrial livestock operations.2
Another thing to consider is that conventionally raised animals are fed GMO’s, not grass which they are designed to eat. As a result, many of the animals are sick and pumped full of antibiotics to keep them alive. In turn, the meat is consumed by humans who have a very high chance of becoming ill due to that animals health condition and/or over consuming antibiotics unknowingly. The main effects start in the digestion system; anything can result, but one of the more common conditions is an over growth of yeast, a condition called Candida.
Environmental Concerns
There are many environmental concerns as a result of GMO foods and the pesticides contaminating nearby streams. There is also a concern with them harming beneficial insects. There is little doubt that the long- term effects on the environment can be disastrous.
Food altering weather GMO, GE, or cloning food is purely for profit of big corporations with no concern for the health of the consumer. These “foods” have no health benefit or any other benefit to the consumer. They have actually been linked to various diseases causing mild symptoms and affecting the body long term. Some of the affects generate intestinal damage, they create food allergies, a sign of immune system dysfunction, reproductive dysfunction in both men and women, including sterility, and lead to increased infant mortality.
What Can We Do About It; How To Avoid GMO, GE, and Cloning?
Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment. Unfortunately, GMO foods are not labeled and more than 80% of processed foods are believed to contain them. One way to avoid them is buying organic-whole foods (food in its whole form such as dry beans, grains, fruits, vegetables, and so on).
In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale.
More than 60 countries around the world do not consider GMOs to be safe; including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union. There are major restrictions or total bans on the production and sale of GMOs. Many other countries are demanding an end to GMO crops.
There are many organizations trying to put an end to GMO products or at least label them so we as consumers have a choice!
Here are a few organizations you can view to take action:
http://www.thrivemovement.com/critical-issue-gmos-genetically-modified-organisms
1. Source by Walt D. Osborne, M.S., J.D., Assistant Editor
FDA Veterinarian Newsletter 2007 Volume XXII, No VI, report can be seen at http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/FDAVeterinarianNewsletter/ucm110044.htm
2. Source 2008 report from the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, a joint project of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Source for GMO and GE information, http://www.responsibletechnology.org/
VIDEOS:
I am sharing 2 films here, the first one is a shorter film for those who don’t have the time to watch the second one, new to learning, or never heard of them. The first film is a simple presentation for anyone.
- Here is the first film, it’s about 15 minutes click here to watch.
- Here is the second film, it’s a little less than an hour and a half Video on GMO Foods.
Shared with Healthy2 Day Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays
A Nutritional Makeover 