Dear Health Conscious Reader,
I read about something really monumental today. It’s a big event but not necessarily good for your health. The first-ever genetically modified animal – salmon – is on its way to being approved for human consumption.
This genetically engineered fish will contain DNA from two other fish species and high levels of growth hormone. What happens when you eat a genetically modified animal with very high levels of growth hormone? No one knows. I have no idea what this is going to do to people’s health, or how anyone could know, because it’s never been done before. Between you and me, I get the feeling that Frankenstein’s monster has escaped from the laboratory and is running amuck in nature.
These “frankenfish” are triple, if not quadruple the size of a wild Atlantic salmon of the same age. They grow to market weight in 16-18 months versus the 30 months for standard farmed Atlantic salmon.
The manufacturers say this modified salmon is “essentially the same as Atlantic salmon.” Well, I don’t know what they mean by “essentially,” but it seems like another reason to question just how natural these fish are.
In fact, their plan is to “grow” genetically modified salmon eggs in pens within the natural habitat of wild salmon. But, if these hormone-laden fish were to escape and integrate with the wild salmon, there will be consequences. Wild salmon are already endangered, and if these altered salmon get out, they’ll eat all the wild salmon’s food. This could mean the end of wild salmon all together.
Even if the genetically modified salmon proves to be safe in the long run … if incomplete testing is all you need to pass a product through the U.S. regulatory system … who knows what other disasters lie in our future?
As much as 60-70 percent of the processed foods on store shelves contain genetically modified ingredients.1 Some common GMOs include corn, canola, cottonseed, tomatoes and strawberries. These foods have had their DNA tampered with to create more desirable results just like the genetically modified salmon. They grow bigger and faster, but have almost no nutrients.
You can help avoid these potentially harmful products with these tips:
1. Find a farmer’s market in your area. Eating locally is the best way to get the freshest organic food with no trace of GMOs. Try these websites: www.farmersmarket.com or www.localharvest.org.
2. For dairy products and other packaged foods, 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. But for now, they’re still legal.
3. Let your representatives and senators know you’re concerned about this issue and demand that genetically modified crops be banned until proven safe.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
- O’Fallon, M., Gursoy, D., Swanger, N., “To buy or not to buy: Impact of labeling on purchasing intentions of modified foods,” International Journal of Hospitality Management 2007