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Our Food is Compromised

by Jordan Rubin

Jordan Rubin

I came across an interesting article about GenXers’ cooking and shopping habits that I thought warranted some discussion.

The good news?

The article, which defines Generation X as people born between 1961 and 1981, asserts that GenX men are preparing meals more frequently than their fathers did ─ bucking the stereotype about men not knowing how to cook. The study polling 3,000 young adults found that on average, GenX men are shopping for groceries more than once a week and are cooking about 8 meals per week, while GenX women were preparing approximately 12 meals per week.

The study also found that “about half of GenXers said they preferred to buy organic foods at least some of the time, and one in 10 said they are committed to buying organic when it's available.”

The bad news?

The study showed that GenXers, although interested in organic, display a lack of understanding about genetically modified foods. In fact, on a 10 point index of understanding, the GenXers scored an average of 3.8.

I find this interesting, because it seems to me that “genetically modified,” “GMO,” and “genetically engineered” have become buzz words in an increasingly health conscious generation, but the lack of understanding shows that there may also be a bit of apathy when it comes to this vitally important health issue that is invading much of our modern food system.

So, what is GMO in laymen’s terms?

A genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically engineered organism (GEO) is an organism (animal, plant, fungus, micro-organism) whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally, utilizing direct human manipulation of an organism's genetic makeup. This manipulation is accomplished through modern DNA technology.

Why are genetically modified foods produced?

GM foods are developed, because there is some perceived advantage to the producer, typically a lower overall production price due to fewer damaged crops. Introduced to the market in 1996, the initial objective for developing plants based on GMOs was to improve crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides.

Which crops are genetically modified?

86% of all corn and 93% of all soybeans in the U.S. are genetically modified. Corn and soybeans are the keystones to the modern food system and can be found in an eye-popping number of foods. They also serve as some of the primary ingredients in conventional livestock feed.

Are genetically modified foods bad for me?

In short, the jury is still out, but as health freedom advocate, Joshua Corn (yes, I see the irony in the name) puts it…

“To date, there have been no long-term human safety studies conducted on GMOs. To assume that they are safe defies common sense, as we lack any scientific evidence to prove that they do not pose a threat to human health. In fact, more research points towards potentially harmful effects of consuming GMOs.”

He further points out that according to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine early animal studies indicate that there may be serious risks associated with genetically modified foods, including reproductive problems, compromised immunity, accelerated aging, blood sugar imbalances and harm to major organs.

I urge you to take the time to learn more about GMO, as I believe it will continue to be one of the most hotly debated issues of this decade and may ultimately prove to be the single greatest threat to the health of people world-wide.

A new study says long-term eating of genetically modified (GM) corn and its weed killer, Roundup, leads to tumors, damaged kidneys and livers, and early death in rats.

September 19, 2012, may go down in history as another turning point for the stand against GMOs in our diet.

That’s when a new study titled “A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health" was released detailing the horrifying effects of GM corn and Monsanto’s Roundup used in GM corn. The study—“the most thorough research ever published into the health effects of GM food crops and the herbicide Roundup on rats”—shows that rats fed a lifetime of GM corn laced with trace amounts of the chemical weed killer Roundup developed grotesque tumors, had systemic organ damage, and a high percentage of premature death.

The Daily Mail reports: “The animals on the GM diet suffered mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group.”

Other findings from the study include the fact that the rats drinking trace amounts of Roundup (at levels legally allowed in the water supply) had a 200 percent to 300 percent increase in large tumors. The rats in the study were fed NK603, the Monsanto variety of GM corn grown across North America that’s widely fed to conventional livestock and is in the marketplace for humans in conventional corn-based cereals, tortillas, chips and many other snacks/conventional products on the market.

Released just before Non-GMOMonth, which starts October 1st, this study is sure to add fuel to the “Non-GMO” fire—and that’s a good thing.

While this study is shocking, GM corn isn’t the only problem. You see, technology used in genetically engineered crops inserts foreign genes into plants’ DNA, followed by the cloning of those cells into the plants. This process damages the plant’s DNA and can add toxins, carcinogens, bacteria, viruses and/or allergens—which can adversely affect the immune system, internal organs, and overall health.

In fact, the gene placed into some GM corn and cotton produces a poison called Bt-toxin designed to kill specific insects by breaking holes in their digestive tracts, but a recent study confirms that Bt-toxin also breaks holes in human cells. Another study found that Bt-toxin continues to circulate in the blood of 93 percent of pregnant women tested and in 80 percent of their unborn babies. Unsurprisingly, Bt-toxin could be especially dangerous for infants whose blood-brain barrier is least developed to handle toxins.

To top it all off, the only human feeding study to date confirms that part of the gene in GM soybeans transfers into DNA of our intestinal bacteria—where it remains to wreak havoc.

The evidence is clear. We need to get rid of GMOs before it’s too late.

† Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, but rather are dietary supplements intended solely for nutritional use.
Common Makers Diet Jordan Rubin misspellings are Jordan Ruben, Jordan Reuben, Jordon Rubin, Jordon Ruben, or Jordon Reuben