GMOs: ANYTHING but Natural!
Helene Berk, M.Ed., R.D. is a Registered Dietitian, and Host of “Healthy People Radio” MONDAY Evenings ~ 6pm EST / 5pm Central / 4pm Mountain / 3pm Pacific
Genetically Modified Organisms are lurking in your cuisine, and if you think you are safe because you buy “natural” products, I am here to burst your bubble. According to The NON GMO Project (http://nongmoproject.org), at least 80% of all processed foods contain genetically modified organisms [GMOs], including natural products claiming to be healthier for you. I’ve attended the Natural Products Expo almost every single year since 1994, and am deeply disturbed at the growing number of manufacturers sneaking these creepy ingredients into natural products and claiming to be superior.
Genetic engineering is a gene splicing technique of biotechnology designed to create new plants and animals with “unique” qualities. Nevertheless, it is experimental technology merging DNA from different species, creating unpredictable combinations of genes from plants, animals, bacteria and viruses. These “Franken-Foods” are engineered to withstand herbicides, and even generate insecticide in your own body’s gut, transmuting the DNA in your own intestinal tract! Monsanto is one of the leading corporations to develop this technology, however they falsified scientific studies to pull the wool over American eyes, duping us into believing GMOs are safe, which they are NOT. The biotechnology industry promises increases in yields, improved drought tolerance, and enhanced nutrient densities among crops, which is simply untrue, according to anti-GMO Activist, Jeffrey Smith, who launched The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America. (See http://nongmoshoppingguide.com).
I remember working in cardiology at Mount Sinai Hospital when GMOs were introduced over 20 years ago. Back then, children with Type-2 diabetes were non-existent, which is why it was referred to as “Adult-Onset” Diabetes at that time. However, The American Academy of Environmental Medicine [AAEM] has linked GMOs with a variety of health problems, impaired insulin function, which explains the epidemic of Type-2 diabetes we see in children and young adults. AAEM also connects GMOs to infertility, tumor growths and accelerated aging, not to mention the collateral damage to our environment. This group of doctors urges all physicians to recommend a NON-GMO diet to every single patient. As a registered dietitian, I take it as my personal responsibility to inform you, which is why I have revised my [FREE] Metabolic Makeover Checklist on http://healthypeople.com, highlighting “12 HABITS of LEAN, HEALTHY, ENERGETIC PEOPLE”, including, “GMO’s got to go!!!”
Be sure to check the ingredient list, no matter how healthy the product appears to be. If it is not labeled as “organic” or verified as non-GMO, steer clear of “at-risk” ingredients, including corn, soybean, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, papaya (from China or Hawaii), rice and…yes… flax!!! So, for example, when you see “sugar” in the ingredient list of a product made in America or Canada, it will most likely be a combination of sugar cane and genetically modified sugar beets. Some zucchini and yellow squash are at risk, as well as alfalfa, which is fed to livestock. Also coming down the pike is genetically modified salmon.
Why? Because, WE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN!!! Dairy products are also at risk. When selecting dairy, seek out labels promising “No rbGH”, “rbST” or artificial hormones, because cows are often injected with Bovine Growth Hormone. Thankfully, this practice is soon coming to an end to the dairy industry in America …that is, for human consumption. It will continue to be utilized by the pharmaceutical industry.
Ingredients derived from at-risk crops include “natural flavors”, erythritol, molasses, sucrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, Aspartame (a.k.a, AminoSweet, Nutrasweet, Equal, Equal Spoonful, Canderel, BeneVia), glucose, corn flour, corn meal, cornstarch, soy flour, soy lecithin, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, canola oil, vegetable oil, whey… and the list goes on and on! Frankly, it is up to you and me to phone companies of our favorite packaged foods and demand products without genetically modified ingredients. Most countries around the world have banned GMOs, so what is taking us so long to wake up and smell the organic coffee?
Helene Berk, M.Ed., R.D. is a Registered Dietitian, and Host of “Healthy People Radio”. She lives in Southern California. You can reach her via her website, at http://healthypeople.com /Mom’s Across America March [MAAM] presented by the California State Grange & LabelGMOs.org is planned for July 4 ~ go to http://momsacrossamerica.com and say Yes MAAM! [Contact Kathleen Hallal or Zen Honeycutt]