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Martial Arts and Your Health: An Interview with Scott Schmaltz >>

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Genetically Modified Foods >>
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Toxins In Meat >>

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Genetically Modified Foods

What are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods?

Although "biotechnology" and "genetic modification" commonly are used interchangeably, GM is a special set of technologies that alter the genetic makeup of such living organisms as animals, plants, or bacteria. Biotechnology, a more general term, refers to using living organisms or their components, such as enzymes, to make products that include wine, cheese, beer, and yogurt.

Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant DNA technology, and the resulting organism is said to be "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic." GM products (current or in the pipeline) include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds, and fibers.

I have analyzed many different diets, digestive problems, and health issues, and I have seen a pattern in many of my training clients. I put a "food additives" list together very carefully, and I feel that this information is vitally important to everyone. Genetically modified foods have become a part of our everyday life, and they're a part of every food product that we consume. An example of a common food that has been altered in such a way that is harmful is corn products. Many corn products are even registered as insecticides. Here is a link to more information on corn products from PBS. (Bacillus Thuringeiensis Corns "BT Corns") http://www.pbs.org/wnet/dna/ pop_genetic_gallery/page2.html

All of the food we eat these days, unless 100% organic, is genetically manufactured. These additives are very harmful and don't go through any FDA testing/approval. This is due to heavy lobbing from food companies, and was passed into law by George Bush Senior's Vice-President.

Former Vice President Dan Quayle, in May 1992, announced a new FDA policy called "regulatory relief." This leaves food producers to themselves to decide whether they need to consult FDA before marketing GE foods. It also no longer requires food manufacturers to scientifically establish the safety of new substances that are added to food before selling them to the public. The FDA requires proof of safety only "in cases where safety questions exist sufficient to warrant formal pre-market review." Since 1992, the FDA has required allergy testing only when new foods contain genes from milk, eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish, legumes or nuts--foods that account for about 90% of food allergies in the United States. Companies are required to do nothing more than verbally assure the FDA that their novel foods are "substantially equivalent" to conventional foods. Of the 44 crops approved by the FDA by early 1999, 44 were claimed to be "substantially equivalent" by the industry. The refusal of the FDA to regulate GM foods has continued under the Clinton Administration. ("Genetically Engineered Foods: Who's Minding the Store," Environmental Defense Fund pamphlet; "Long-Term Effect of Genetically Modified Crops Serves Up Food for Thought," by Declan Butler and Tony Reichhardt, Nature, 4/22/99)

Food products are being injected with viruses and bacteria. This is the only way that the new genetic material can be forced into a cell's nucleus and be allowed to replicate. There is very little testing and research being done on how this will impact the enviroment or our personal health. (See BBC news article- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ health/328578.stm.) We can't quite say how these chemicals will interact with our bodies or how these chemicals will interact with each other. We are being afflicted with many new illnesses, allergies, diseases and syndromes that are likely attributed to these modified foods.

Here are just a few examples of how these products are interacting with us. Our society is being inundated with information about soy and how it's a healthy alternative. However, the soy we eat is not organic or fermented. It is the fermentation process that makes soy easier to digest. Soy causes a lot of flatulence and intestinal boating. It is this bloating that can cause problems, especially in people with IBS syndromes (eg. Chrone's diease). Someone with Chrone's already has intestinal swelling and left unchecked, it can lead to the intestine bursting.

Soy is listed in many ways on nutrition labels, and our current food labeling system is undergoing many changes. Many consumers are very educated (like yourself), and they refuse to buy certain products with certain additives. Unfortunately, the names of the additives are being changed on the labels. If it was purely organic, it would have the USDA Label on it, and it would simply say "Soy". Soy is highly refined and processed to make it more palatable, and soy has really become soybean oil (and ususally is hydrogenated).

Also, just recently, the state laws making mandatory food labeling was repealed. Without this law, food manufacturers are no longer required to label the ingredients in their foods. (Here is a link with more information from the San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/09/ MNGFMHL5921.DTL).

Many of the other items listed are sneaky ways genetically modified chemicals make it on the label without saying the are modified. A lot of these chemicals have their amino acid chains spliced. This is to bring out the freshness in the product/chemical, but it has pulled apart things like Glutamate. Which is normally fine and digestible in the full amino acid chain, but it is harmful on its own. It becomes MSG, and MSG has been linked to all sorts of problems. (Here is a link for more information on MSG.) http://www.newstarget.com/009379.html

There are so many things to say about this topic and many different angles to approach it. The best thing is to do your own research on genetically modified foods. You will need to make up your own mind and decide for yourself what you are willing to do. We will however, make ourselves available to answer further questions you may have, and you may also visit our website for a free download on unsafe food additives. (www.precision-fitness.net)

Additional Resource Links For This Posting:

Genetically Modified FOOD- Panacea or Poison (video link) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4257109745160540352&q=world food

Vandana Shiva: Planting the Seeds for Change (video link) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5820797504478488

"The Future of Food"- Comprehensive DVD http://www.thefutureoffood.com/ (This is a very comprehensive video on Modified Foods.)

Dr. Rima Laibow MD: Natural Solutions Foundation on health and nutrition (video link) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5266884912495233634&hl=en