Danica Collins
This is a fact.
In order to make crops more resistant to pests, scientists insert a special gene, called Bt-toxin – derived from Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria – into corn and cotton plants. The toxin attacks the stomach lining of nibbling insects, killing the pests within a couple of days of ingestion. More than 65 percent of U.S. corn crops contain this special gene that produces the insecticide.
Another alarming fact: 80% of the processed food items in your local supermarket contain genetically modified ingredients. This means that if you are a U. S resident, you are undoubtedly eating genetically modified foods.
These genetically modified foods have been sneaking into our diets since 1995, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzed the first genetically engineered plant – corn. Today, 90% of several U.S. crops are grown with genetically engineered seed.
The biotech companies and the EPA assure us that genetically engineered toxins such as Bt-toxin are safe. They claim that it dissolves quickly in our stomachs, and won’t cause any side effects because humans and other mammals have no receptors for the toxin. This assertion arouses suspicion, as the Bt-toxin belongs to a family of bacteria (Bacillus Cerus) that cause food poisoning in humans.
Resent research likewise indicates a far different conclusion: Bt-toxin poses significant health risks that far outweigh any perceived benefits.
When natural Bt spray was sprayed over regions of Vancouver and Washington State to control the gypsy moth population, 500 people reported adverse reactions. The majority complained of allergy or flu-like symptoms and six others were hospitalized for severe allergic reactions or asthma flare-ups. Farmers and workers exposed to Bt sprays have reported eye, nose, throat, skin and respiratory irritations.
Authorities have cautioned against the effects of the spray for years, warning, “People with compromised immune systems or preexisting allergies may be particularly susceptible to the effects of Bt.”
The Bt-toxin, in addition to being 3000 times more concentrated than the spray, fails all 3 GM allergy tests prescribed by organizations such as the WHO. Judging by these results and warnings, it is evident that Bt-toxin does indeed influence human health.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) states, “several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with genetically modified foods.” These health risks include:
- Infertility
- Lung damage
- Cancer
- Immune Impairment
- Vitamin Deficient
- Premature Aging
- Damaged Insulin Regulation
- Liver, Kidney, Heart and Spleen Dysfunction
- Higher Rate of Mortality
Although there are as yet no reported human clinical trials confirming the devastating effects of the Bt-toxin on human health, recent studies indicate that the toxin passes easily into the bloodstream. There is a specific type of Bt-toxin called Cry1Ab that is already widespread in humans. Canadian researchers found high levels of the toxin in pregnant and non-pregnant women whose diet consisted of foods such as genetically modified corn, soy and potatoes. Bt-toxin was present in 93% of maternal blood samples, 80% of fetal blood samples and 67% of non-pregnant women’s blood samples.
One published human feeding experiment suggests that toxins in GM soy transfer into bacteria that live inside our intestines – bacteria that continue to thrive long after we have stopped eating genetically modified foods. This could harm the balance of good bacteria in our intestines and turn our digestive systems into pesticide storehouses that create diseases resistant to antibodies.
Unfortunately, avoiding GMOs is difficult, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require genetically modified foods to be labeled, despite repeated warnings from FDA scientists that the side effects of GMOs prove to be unpredictable and hard-to-detect. Influenced by the food and agriculture biotechnology industry, which has spent more that $572 million in campaign contributions and lobbying costs, government organizations such as the FDA continue to keep consumers in the dark.
In order to reduce the amount of genetically modified foods in your diet, buy organic foods labeled “Non-GMO.”
Avoid non-organic products containing:
- Peanut
- Alfalfa
- Safflower
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Crookneck squash
- Sugar cane
- Beets
- Peppers
- Papayas
- High fructose corn syrup
- Maltodextrin
- Soy lecithin
- Soy protein
- Corn
- Soy
- Canola
- Cottonseed
- Dairy
Further Related Reading:
Source: http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/genetically-modified-foods
