The Dangers of GMOs

Have you heard the words genetically modified or genetically engineered? How about GMO's(Genetically Modified Organisms)? You may not know what that means or how it affects you and your health, so I hope to help you learn about it all today. This is something that is REALLY important, so please take a moment and read how this affects you.

Genetic Engineering(GE) or Genetic Modification(GM) of food involves the laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. The result is a GMO. What they are doing is merging the DNA from different species, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sit well with me!

Studies are showing a correlation between consumption of GMOs and an array of health risks. Dr. Mercola says, "Thousands of genetically modified products are now on the market, creating potentially life-threatening problems, but no one knows what to look out for. Why? Because no one knows the full extent of what happens to the end product when you splice in new genes. The only thing that is guaranteed is that it will create surprise side effects…It may also create brand new diseases that we’ve never seen before, in addition to spurring on the disease rate of some we already have, such as cancer."

Can you believe this statistic? You have a 75 percent chance of picking a food with genetically modified ingredients in the United States. This is because at least seven out of every 10 items have been genetically modified!

Unfortunately, it is hard for us to know exactly what we are buying in the grocery stores any more. The US doesn't require labeling of GMOs, so it is up to you, again, as the consumer to educate yourself and make good choices for your health and your family's health! You just have to stand up for yourself and your health!
Here are 4 tips for avoiding GMOs:

1. Buy Organic. Certified organic products cannot intentionally contain any GMO ingredients.
2. Look for Non-GMO project verified seals. The Non-GMO project is a non-profit organization committed to providing consumers with clearly labeled and independently verified non-GMO choices. Visit their website for great information!!
3. Avoid At-Risk Ingredients. Avoid products that are made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs. GM food crops are CORN, CANOLA, COTTON, FLAX, PAPAYA, RICE, SOY, SUGAR BEETS, ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH. There are also a ton more ingredients that are derived from these risk crops such as: ascorbic acid, maltodextrins, xanthan gum, yeast products, and more. Also, watch out for milk, meat, eggs, and honey because of their potential GMO contamination in feed and other inputs.
4.Check out the Non GMO Shopping Guide, and only choose products listed there. You can also download the FREE ShopNoGMO iphone app at the iTunes store.

Shoot me an email or write a comment if you have any questions about this topic. Check out the resources I included in this article, and educate yourself about what you are putting in your body!!