Genetically Modified Organisms and the deterioration of health in the United States by N.L. Swanson, 4/24/2013
Extracts:
Peddlers of both chemicals and genetically engineered seeds claim that GMO food is “identical to non-GMO products.” They claim that genetic engineering is no different than plant hybridization, which has been practiced for centuries. It is the reason they gave, and the EPA accepted, for not having to submit GMO food to rigorous testing to obtain EPA approval. It’s up to the companies that manufacture GMOs to research and determine the safety of their products.
Not only are the bacteria genes themselves potentially toxic, but the plants can be sprayed directly with herbicides, the herbicide-resistant plants absorb the poisons and we eat them. It’s difficult to understand how this can be considered “essentially” the same as plant hybridization.
Of the 144 crops approved by the FDA, 75% have been genetically engineered to either withstand direct applications of herbicides or they contain an insecticide Bt toxin, or both. In the mid-’90s, scientists figured out how to combine more than one trait in the same plant. These were first released in 1997 and are called “stacked gene traits.”
In 2012, 93% of all soy, 88% of the corn and 94%U.S. was genetically engineered.
Glyphosate use increased 6,504% from 1991 to 2010
Glyphosate residues of up to 4.4 mg/kg have been detected in stems, leaves and beans of glyphosate-resistant soy, indicating metabolism of the herbicide. This means that the Roundup ReadyTM plants are absorbing the herbicide and you cannot simply wash it off
Cancers of the thyroid and liver especially seem to track with the advent of GE crops and associated glyphosate applications. Thyroid cancer seems to affect women more often, while males are more susceptible to liver cancer.
The Academy of Environmental Medicine has issued a position statement on GMO food stating, “…several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system. “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation as defined by Hill’s Criteria in the areas of strength of association, consistency, specificity, biological gradient, and biological plausibility. The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.” They further state that “because GM foods have not been properly tested for human consumption, and because there is ample evidence of probable harm,” they call on physicians to educate the public and warn their patients to avoid GM foods.
People are ill and they are not waiting for scientists to tell them that GMOs are making them ill. Rachel Linden said in an interview on Weekly Women’s GMO Free News, “I don’t know why science has replaced common sense. I don’t need to check with my doctor to know how I feel when I eat GMOs and how I feel when I don’t eat GMOs. I don’t need a scientist to tell me forty years from now that they were wrong about GMOs. I’m going to decide for myself right now.” Case studies are piling up of patients who have shown dramatic improvement after taking their doctor’s advice and eliminating GMO food. Wouldn’t that be so much easier if they had labels?
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