Since the dawn of humanity, food has played a pivotal role in culture, social interaction, and of course nutrition. However, the food that we have cherished so deeply for so long may now be something we are completely unfamiliar with, even though it looks the same as it did to our grandparents. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are replacing the natural bounty of the Earth at an alarming rate, so much, so that even ten years ago 70% of all United States soybeans were Genetically Modified.

You might be wondering what in the world a GMO is and why any of us should give a hoot. Well a GMO is an organism (In this article we are mainly looking at plants) that has had its genetic code selectively modified. This at first glance seems like a fine idea, as nature naturally adapts and shifts genetic codes all the time.

We of course have been guilty of this in our breeding of dogs or the crossing of different apple varieties. The dangerous difference in GMOs is that with modern science, corn has the potential to be engineered from the genes of animals such as spiders. One of the major ‘lines’ of GMO crops are Roundup Ready crops which are actually resistant to Roundup (a powerful herbicide). These crops can withstand an herbicide designed to eliminate ANY plant, and we are consuming them daily. Eating organically is the best way to avoid these crops, and to be even more certain, try to know the source of your food or look for labels such as “Non-GMO” on your groceries.

Recently when they found GMO wheat in a portion of the US wheat harvest, Japan cancelled US wheat imports valued between $300 and $500 million. Norway has banned the planting of numerous GMO crops and numerous European countries such as Germany, France, and Spain have placed restrictions on GMOs. Why are these countries so concerned? BECAUSE little if any testing has been done to find out what effects these GMO’s will have humans!

A Brazilian study found that female rats fed GMO soy had experience extreme hormonal changes and shifts in ovulation cycles. That said women might have an increased risk of severe or heavy periods with consumption of GMO soy. A 2009 study by the University of Caen in France found that many GMO are exposed to a substance in roundup – especially corn and soy that can kill the cell walls of the human placenta and by doing so kill the placenta entirely. This is only the start of the scare. They are now engineering cows to produce human milk.

This can seem overwhelming, many of the foods we love and have eaten since we were young may now be harming us, BUT there are things you can do. At the bottom for this article is a link to a Non-GMO food guide put out by Dr. Joseph Mercola. Whenever possible always look for organically and locally grown foods. Demand as many other Americans are, to have GMOs banned or at least labeled so we can start reclaiming our food and our wellness.

Food Guide Sources

• http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.20878/full (Brazilian Study)
• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/05/has-any-company-ever-harmed-the-planet-more-than-this.aspx
• Genetic Roulette by Jeffery Smith
• Pew Initiative on Food and Technology
• Food Policy Institute – Public Perceptions of Genetically Modified Food
• http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732 • http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx800218n (French Study)
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/geneticmodification/8423536/Genetically-modified-cows-produce-human-milk.html
• http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/why-arent-g-m-o-foods-labeled/?hp

Dr. Tina Paul, BCND, Traditional Naturopath, Vibrant Living Wellness Center, 144 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, (626) 470-7711 or visit www.vibrantlivingwc.com.