The Unprocessed Child: GMO's

WHAT IS A GMO?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. They may also be called GE's for Genetically Engineered. Genetically Modified foods entered the food system in the 90's from the Monsanto company without testing the effects on animals, humans or the environment.

The idea was for these food to decrease unwanted qualities in certain organisms or add certain qualities in certain organisms.To do this the DNA is changed to add or remove the desired quality. For example certain plants DNA is changed to withstand drought or to contain a pesticide so kill off insects. Sounds great in theory, however organisms and mother nature is pretty complex and changing DNA is incredibly risky.

WHY THEY ARE HARMFUL

Recent research has found that eating GMO's have caused animals to be sterile in 2 generations. GMO's also increase the chance of developing cancer, skin conditions, infertility, allergies, migraines, birth defects, developmental delays, Autism and intestinal distress just to name just a few. Moreover, based on the only human feeding experiment conducted on genetically modified food, it was established that genetic material in genetically modified food product can transfer into the DNA of intestinal bacteria and still continue to thrive! Meaning that after you stop eating a GMO food it can continue to have effect and multiple in the your healthy intestinal bacteria. They also cause harm to the environment through unintended effects. Cross contamination from pollen of GMO plants to non GMO plants. The decrease in the population of bee's, who facilitate pollination of plants is thought to be cause by GMO's.

HOW TO AVOID

To avoid genetically modified foods you need to educate yourself which foods are genetically modified, avoid those foods or buy them organic. Also read labels to check for top GMO food ingredients in processed foods. Contact the manufacture. Ask if the food item in question is GMO free.

Top GMO Foods

Buy the following list of foods organic or find non GMO manufactures. Most food companies have contact information on their packaging. Call or e-mail about any items you have concerns about and ask if they use non GMO sources for their products. Also please remember this list is for all derivatives of these foods. For example when reading food labels for GMO's it is not just corn, but all things made from corn such as: corn meal, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

Palm oil
Soybeans (Soy milk, Tofu, Soybean oil in your food)
Sugar Beets (The sugar in your food make sure it is organic!!)
Canola (the oil in your processed food)
Corn
Cotton / cottonseed
Peanuts
Potatoes
Hawaiian papaya
Zucchini and Yellow Squash
Most Dairy and Meat
Infant Formula

Please read this to find an extensive list of GMO food sources.

Educate yourself further with the following video's and links