Don’t worry, Monsanto says. There’s no danger from genetically modified (GM) foods.
Their website claims: “So long as the introduced protein is determined to be safe, food from GM crops determined to be substantially equivalent is not expected to pose any health risks.”
But let’s be honest and examine the evidence to see if this is really true.
You already know that Watson and Crick won the Nobel Prize for figuring out the structure of DNA. And for over 40 years scientists thought that DNA did all the work of transcribing genes. They thought RNA was just a messenger.
But we now know that RNA can store information and can transfer that information to change DNA. This is called reverse transcription, and it turns out to be very important for your health in today’s world. We’ve been able to stop viruses because of this.
But it also means that “proteins,” or micro RNA injected into your food, can also affect your health. And change your entire body.
Last year Chinese researchers published a paper in the journal Cell Research where they found small pieces of rice RNA in the blood and organs of humans who eat rice.1
And this rice RNA wasn’t just sitting there doing nothing. It was binding to receptors in human liver cells that stopped the body from processing cholesterol.
Your body needs cholesterol. Your brain is made out of cholesterol. The myelin sheath that surrounds your nerves and helps your brain react faster is made of cholesterol.
And the evidence shows that genetically modified foods stop your body from processing this molecule. That can kill off your thinking power.
This isn’t sci-fi. The discovery of how RNA can reverse transcribe genes won a Nobel Prize, too. We now know that probably up to 15% or our
DNA is acquired through reverse transcription from RNA.This is why I think it’s huge news that Whole Foods market is going to start labeling all the foods that they know have GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in them, or that are GMOs.
Big Agra is scared to death of this… they’ll lose billions if no one wants to eat their Frankenfoods. But I have always believed you should have the right to choose what goes into your own body.
So to help you choose for yourself, here are my latest recommendations:
Ditch GMO grain products: I recommend you avoid all non-organic soy, corn, and canola products. These are almost universally grown from genetically modified seeds.
Try farm-to-table: If you eat out, try ones that cook from scratch. Even better, look for a farm-to-table restaurant that will tell you where the food comes from and how it’s grown or raised. Of course, avoid ones that tell you their GMO soy is “organic,” or that their meat is raised “organically” on a diet of grains. The American Farm to Table Restaurant Guide (americanfarmtotable.com) lists many of the farm-to-table restaurants in the U.S., and has reviews, directions and contact info.
Become a locovore: There is a movement in place to eat and buy locally. Look for farmer’s co-ops within a 100-mile radius of where you live. Visit your local farmer’s market and ask questions about how they grow their crops. Threats to small family farmers and co-ops from Big Agra, after the latest Supreme Court decision, may be coming, so get the good stuff while it lasts.
 |
Look for a “non-GMO” label. This can be tricky, because the manufacturers of genetically modified foods are lobbying hard to get “non-GMO” labels banned. Look for the label at right:
Also, the Non-GMO Sourcebook at nongmosourcebook.com tells you how and where to get non-GMO seeds and who sells non-GMO soy products. You can also visit non-gmoreport.com. Just click on “resources” on the left-hand menu. You’ll see links to resources, companies, and even test kits. There’s also the European Union’s GM Watch at gmwatch.eu.
Let the government know how you feel: The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act was introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The bill would require food manufacturers to clearly label any product that has been genetically engineered or contains genetically engineered ingredients, or else the product would be classified as “misbranded” by the FDA. You can join in and ask the government to “just label it” at justlabelit.org.
1. Zhang L, et. al. “Exogenous plant MIR168a specifically targets mammalian LDLRAP1: evidence of cross-kingdom regulation by microRNA.” Cell Res. 2012 Jan;22(1):107-26.