Several years ago I learned about the dangers of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in our foods. Basically, scientists have been playing around with the DNA of various crops for a variety of reasons. They have been inserting the DNA of one organism into the DNA of a food crop in order to “help” consumers or farmers. This “franken-food” should be avoided in my opinion because there is not enough evidence or research to show that it is safe to eat. GMOs have only been around since the 90s and it seems the only research being done claiming they are safe are done by the very companies that are profiting from GMOs. I could go on and on about GMOs and the reasons they are to be avoided, but there is another danger lurking out there and that is the increased use of glyphosate — the main ingredient in Roundup — since GMOs were introduced. Let me explain.
One of the main reasons why GMOs were developed is that the biotech companies were interested in developing herbicides and insecticides that could increase yields, especially for corn and soybeans. One of the GMOs developed is called “Roundup Ready.” Scientists inserted a gene into these crops so that they will not die when sprayed with herbicide (Roundup). This allows the farmers to spray their corn or soybeans with Roundup to kill the weeds while the corn and soybeans are not affected. Superweeds have now developed which cause farmers to spray more and more Roundup on their crops. As a result the use of Roundup and glyphosate has steadily increased since GMO corn and soybeans were introduced despite the promise that the use of this dangerous pesticide would decline with the introduction of GMO corn and soybeans.
It is this increased use of Roundup that is becoming a real issue. I am sure you have heard about the many lawsuits that have been filed against Monsanto/Bayer (makers of Roundup) and that many millions of dollars have been awarded to people who have been affected negatively by the use of Roundup. This is a wonderful new development. The courts are finally recognizing that the use of glyphosate is detrimental to health. That’s what make the rest of this issue so disturbing.
Roundup is now being sprayed on non-GMO crops (such as wheat, oats, beans, rye, barley, millet, lentils — just to name a few) prior to harvesting. This allows the crops to dry in the field so that farmers can harvest crops as much as 2 weeks earlier than those not sprayed and dried in the field. So now our wheat, beans, oats, and other crops are being coated with Roundup just weeks before being turned into bread, cereal, cookies, cakes, etc. CLICK HERE for more information. The health of everyone is being affected by this. I find it interesting that we have an epidemic of gluten intolerance causing many people to avoid wheat. It seems that, perhaps, they have a glyphosate intolerance. Glyphosate was originally patented as an antibiotic. When it gets into your gut — which it will when you eat foods containing it — it harms the beneficial gut bacteria. This could be the problem with people and gluten. Perhaps it’s the herbicides you have been eating! CLICK HERE for a article about this.
While I have been advocating a diet that does not contain GMOs it is even more important now to avoid GMOs AND eat organic. Don’t misunderstand — it has always best to buy organic because there are no chemicals that have been sprayed on them. However, sometimes the veggie I want is not available organically. I always felt it better to eat veggies despite the fact that every veggie I eat might not be organic. Veggies are good for you right? Well, I am now changing my mind on this one. Produce labeled as organic cannot contain pesticides. At this point, with the constant contamination of our food supply, if it’s not labeled as organic, you can pretty much guarantee that you are eating pesticides — most likely Roundup. So look for the organic label when buying produce — period.
When it comes to other products, glyphosate might be lurking in your food and you don’t even know it. Wheat is definitely one of the products being sprayed with Roundup prior to harvest. If you eat the following and its not labeled as organic, you are eating Roundup: bread crumbs, cereal, pasta, durum, couscous, farro, kamut, spelt, semolina, and all kinds of flour. Wheat products can also be found in some unexpected places such as: beer, battered food, salad dressings, soups, sauces, candy, and process meats (the list goes on and on). I hate to say 100% of the food you buy should be organic if you truly want good health, but our food system is so broken that that seems to be the case. It’s truly a sad state of affairs.
If this topic interests you at all (and it should if you want good health), I encourage you to watch the movie Secret Ingredients. CLICK HERE to get more information. Actually I think everyone who eats food needs to see this movie. This is from the Secret Ingredients webpage: “The secret ingredients in our food may be a lead driver of our obesity, infertility, cancer, digestive problems, autism, brain fog, skin conditions, gluten sensitivity, allergies, fatigue, anxiety, and many other conditions.” This documentary tells the story of some families and individuals who suffered from a variety of illness including autism. Once the family switched to all organic food, their illnesses disappeared, even the autism. Just by eating organic! Many people say “I can’t afford to eat organic.” However, can you afford not to? You can pay a little bit more for organic today, or pay for expensive medical bills and treatment down the road. I choose to eat organic whenever possible. I pay special attention to the bread and flour I buy. I check ingredient labels. I had been choosing organic prior to watching this movie, but now I am even more devoted to keeping glyphosate out of my body as best that I can. Thanks to modern agriculture and greedy biotech companies I have to really search for foods that don’t contain their poisons. It really makes me angry!! I hope it makes you angry too. If more people understood what was happening to their food they might rise up and take a stand. The organic/non-GMO movement is happening and more and more people are demanding non GMO and organic. This demand will dictate what companies put on the shelf. But the word has to get out.
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