CHLORINE, FLUORIDE & LEAD CONTAMINATED-TAP-WATER........IS A VERY TOXIC BREW! And, a threat to all living things.

Water is the most essential element of life, because without it you can’t make coffee, nor support living organisms or life as we know it. Current news reports of widespread LEAD contamination in coast-to-coast municipal water supplies from corroded lead delivery pipes is most alarming. All this including hundreds of other chemical and toxic contaminants are reported to be in our home tap-water-supply including but not limited to mercury, lead, arsenic, aluminum, and likely hundreds more!
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Contaminated water supports disease and death.

The potential risks are many, and are sadly being withheld by those who benefit from keeping this health robbing threat undercover.

It’s interesting to note that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used to have a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for chlorine in our drinking water due to its potential toxicity. They list it as a “probable human carcinogen,” and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that chloroform byproduct may reasonably be anticipated to be a cancer causing carcinogen.

However, the EPA was forced to remove the zero standard -- effective as of May 30, 2000 -- after the MCLG was successfully challenged in court by the Chlorine Chemistry Council and the Chemical Manufacturers Association.

Big Chem. got it’s way again with our Gov’t. agencies as does Monsanto and other GMO polluters of our food supply.

While Chlorine and fluoride contamination is a fact of life in our municipal water supplies, you can protect your family by purifying your own drinking water at home with a good quality purifier.

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And science isn’t even close to understanding what levels of these chemicals can cause damage. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are contaminants created in nearly every municipal water supply that adds chlorine, and they are over 100 times more toxic than just chlorine alone.

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Heart Attacks

Free radicals are linked to the presence of arterial plaque. The residents of a small town in Pennsylvania who ate diets rich in saturated animal fats and milk had no heart attacks – until they switched from mountain spring water to chlorinated tap water.

Immune System Injury

Chlorine destroys acidophilus, a probiotic which helps build and maintain friendly bacteria in your colon. A healthy colon is necessary for a healthy immune system, since about 80 percent of your immune cells operate from your digestive tract. When your colon is overrun with unfriendly bacteria, your immune system is compromised, and your ability to fight disease is greatly reduced as well.    

Cancer

Scientists have linked worldwide pollution of rivers and oceans and chlorination of swimming pools to increased incidents of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Research from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands discovered that people who swam in chlorinated pools or polluted waters as children had 2.2 to 2.4 times the risk of developing melanoma compared to those who did not swim in chlorinated waters.

In the 1970’s, researchers found that chlorinated water at levels at or below the EPA standard increased the risk of gastrointestinal cancer by 50 to 100 percent over a lifetime.

Additionally, -- as your bladder and rectum store waste products for periods of time – chlorinated water is associated with increased risk of bladder and rectal cancers.

A study published in 1998 by the National Cancer Institute found that male smokers who drank chlorinated tap water for more than 40 years had double the risk of bladder cancer as smoking males who drank non-chlorinated water.5

Another study found that rates for rectal cancers for both sexes escalated with duration of consumption of chlorinated water. Individuals on low-fiber diets who also drank chlorinated water for over 40 years more than doubled their risk for rectal cancer, compared with lifetime drinkers of non-chlorinated water.

Reproductive Issues and Birth Defects

Studies have also shown that chlorine found in human tissue and breast milk has caused a 50 percent drop in sperm counts in Denmark.

And, research conducted in Europe indicated that women in their first trimester of pregnancy who drink five or more glasses of chlorinated tap water a day could be at a much higher risk of miscarriage.

A Norwegian study of 141,000 births over a three year period found the risk of spina bifida increased 14 percent in areas with chlorinated water.

Allergic Reactions

Chlorine can cause allergic symptoms like skin rashes, headaches, gastrointestinal difficulties, and even arthritis.

In addition to the toxic byproducts and the health hazards mentioned above, chlorine also creates free radicals and oxysterols in water.

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Government Admits it Overdosed Children on Fluoride

The government finally admitted it has overdosed American children on fluoride.

Citing studies showing that two out of five adolescents had tooth streaking, spottiness or pitting (ie, fluoride poisoning), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduced itsggg guidelines for fluoride in municipal water supplies to 0.7 milligrams per liter from 1.2 mg per liter.

Sodium fluoride is added to most American drinking water under government fiat. American dentists recommend using fluoride toothpaste, though they recommend infant formula be made from fluoride-free water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls fluoride one of the “ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century.”

They don’t tell you it’s a poisonous pesticide that harms teeth and bones. Don’t believe it? Type the words “dental fluorosis” in your Google search bar and view the images.

Fluoride is a developmental neurotoxin that causes brain defects, according to a study in The Lancet. It’s also an industrial waste so toxic that were you or I dumping it into lakes and streams we would be arrested for dumping hazardous toxic waste. But municipal water suppliers are recommended to dump it into the water supply.

Studies have shown fluoride increases cancer risk, reduces IQs in children, causes arthritis symptoms and is an endocrine disrupter. A World Health Organization study conducted from 1978- 1992 showed that Americans living in areas where drinking water was treated with what the

Environmental Protection Agency deemed was “optimal” levels had increased risk of cancer in 23 different areas of the body. Male children exposed to high levels of fluoride may have a 546 percent increased risk of developing osteosarcoma later in life, according research conducted at Harvard.

Now that the government has admitted it has for years poisoned American children and ruined their teeth, will it hold itself responsible? When pigs fly!

Over-Fluoridation of Drinking Water

For decades, fluoride has been pumped into the tap water of most municipalities. This is all part of a government plan to prevent cavities in low-income children. The federal government sets regulations. And cities add fluoride to your drinking water based on those safety standards.

But those safety standards aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Public health officials have long tried to dismiss anti-fluoridation arguments. They call them baseless. They paint those against forced fluoridation as paranoid tinfoil-hat types. But hard facts aren’t as easy to dismiss.

The Centers for Disease Control released some disturbing numbers about fluoride in a recent report. They admitted that 41% of American children over age 12 exhibit symptoms of fluorosis. That’s the technical term for toxic levels of fluoride. The first symptom is discolorations on teeth. That’s evidence that millions of people are ingesting too much of fluoride.

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There is no substitute.

This brings to mind the case of the California drought—the human suffering in that state is directly attributable to poor infrastructure and government mismanagement. Over and over again, our government mismanages our natural resources. And we’re the ones who have to suffer for it.

At Least 2 in 5 Children Get Too Much Fluoride

Since 1962, the government had been encouraging cities to add fluoride to their drinking water. Bureaucrats have set guidelines at 1.2 parts per million in cooler parts of the country. In warmer climates, guidelines are lower at 0.7 PPM. In hotter climates, people tend to drink more water. So the lower fluoride levels are meant to prevent toxicity.

Public health officials are calling for a reduction in fluoride because they realize now they’ve been poisoning people. But the decision only affects cities that use the higher 1.2-PPM guideline. The implication is that only these communities are at risk of toxicity.

But fluorosis afflicts children and adults in all parts of the country.  

The new federal fluoride standard is 0.7 PPM throughout the country. No reduction in the recommendation for warmer climates. Apparently, government officials don’t think that regional variations in water intake matter. Either that, or they are knowingly putting people in southern states at greater risk compared to the rest of the country. 

Is Fluoride in the Water Even Necessary?

A lot has changed about oral health practices since 1962. Today, almost all toothpastes contain fluoride. Mouthwash products are more widely used – many of which also contain fluoride. Whatever the justification for water fluoridation was decades ago, it is weaker by today’s standards.

There’s just less of a need for fluoride in drinking water. 

Critics of forced fluoridation have warned about the dangers of toxic levels of the chemical. They argue there’s a need to eliminate fluoride from our drinking water. At the very least, they’d like to see the levels scaled back dramatically everywhere that water fluoridation is practiced. 

Fluoride Levels Lowered – But Not in All Regions

Over-fluoridation is a national problem. So why isn’t the government lowering fluoridation targets in all parts of the country? There doesn’t seem to be a good scientific reason. Perhaps there is a political one. Bureaucrats have spent 50+ years defending forced fluoridation levels of 0.7 PPM as safe and necessary. At this point, they don’t want to lose face.

So officials admit that fluoride-induced tooth discoloration is a widespread problem. But there is a more disturbing consequence of fluorosis that you won’t hear about from bureaucrats.

Multiple academic studies have shown that fluoride can accumulate in brain tissue. Over time, it can impair cognitive functioning. A 2013 study found that fluoridated water could subtract as much as 6.9 IQ points from children. You can bet the government doesn’t want you to read that study.

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Filter First

It may be fine to rinse with fluoridated tap water.  But if you’re going to drink it, filter it first. Make sure you choose a filtering system capable of removing fluoride contaminants.  Otherwise, opt instead for bottled spring water.  (Caution: most bottled “drinking water” comes from municipal sources and may therefore contain fluoride.)

Fluoridation proponents claim that fluoride makes teeth more resistant to cavities.  Most dentists agree.  Even so, there’s no good reason to swallow and ingest fluoride.  It can be applied topically to the teeth via toothpaste, mouth rinses, and professional treatments. 

Many mouthwashes contain alcohol. For some people, alcohol can be harsh and lead to dry mouth. Fortunately, non-alcohol-based dental rinses can be just as effective. Look for rinses that contain xylitol, which targets certain types of oral bacteria. Xylitol also stimulates salivation and promotes a healthy pH balance in the mouth.

So gargle and rinse to a cleaner mouth. And drink a fluoride-free glass of water to preventing toxins from accumulating in your body.

Chia Seeds ... Who Knew?

Chia Seeds

But what exactly are Chia Seeds?
 

Remember the terracotta figurines of people’s heads, or various animals such as turtles, frogs or alligators, along with seeds that grew green sprouts resembling hair or fur.

Chia pets were introduced as holiday gag gifts, but chia seeds are no joke. They are seriously healthy foods, and once I learned about their health benefits, they became one of my favorite superfoods.

Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures. "Chia" means strength, and folklore has it that these cultures used the tiny black and white seeds as an energy booster. 

We’ve now learned that there are so many other health benefits:

Omega-3 fatty acids: Chia seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fats, especially Omega-3 fatty acids, and even contain more Omega-3’s than flax seeds. Chia seeds' lipid profile is composed of 60 percent Omega-3s, making them one of the richest plant-based sources of these fatty acids -- specifically, of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, which can help reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol.

Fiber: With 10 grams of fiber in only 2 tablespoons, Chia seeds provide an excellent source of fiber, which is associated with reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and regulating bowel function.

Antioxidants: Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer. The high antioxidant profile also gives them a long shelf life. They last up to two years without refrigeration.

Minerals: Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 18 percent of the daily recommended intake for calcium, 35 percent for phosphorus, 24 percent for magnesium and about 50 percent for manganese. These nutrients help prevent hypertension and help you maintain a healthy weight. They are important for energy metabolism and part of DNA synthesis.

Satiety:  Satiety is the feeling of being full and satisfied, which helps lower food cravings between meals. The combination of protein, fiber and the gelling action of chia seeds when mixed with liquids all contribute to their satiating effects.

Gluten-free: Chia seeds naturally contain no gluten or grains, so anyone avoiding gluten can enjoy all the nutritional benefits.

Dyslipidemia: A study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" showed that chia seeds as a dietary fat source can lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels while increasing HDL or "good" cholesterol. The study also found that when substituting chia seeds for other fat sources, such as corn oil, the ALA was able to prevent high triglyceride levels and reduce obesity.

Blood sugar regulation:  Chia seeds can play an important role in regulating insulin levels. They can reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.

How to Use Chia Seeds

1. Chia seeds have a slight nutty flavor that works with savory or sweet foods. You can eat them as is, or toast them.

2. Sprinkle chia seeds on your favorite foods such as yogurt, oatmeal, eggs, salad or sautéed vegetables.

3. Stir them into liquids such as a smoothie or soup. They will keep you filled up for longer.

4. Use them as a thickener in place of corn starch or flour, or incorporate them into breading to add a whole new dimension to breaded salmon or chicken.

5. Add them to burgers with the organic protein of your choice, from veggie to chicken or bison burgers.

6. Replace eggs with chia seeds. When chia seeds are mixed with liquids, the outer layer swells and forms a gel. You can use chia seeds in place of eggs or to increase the nutrient content of foods and baked goods.

To make the egg replacement, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 15 minutes.

#Safe2drink water has become an issue we will soon have to accept and deal with.

We’ve been put on alert that Rolling Electrical Blackout’s are coming.

The U.S. news media has been warning of the coming rolling blackouts that will wreak havoc on our ability to receive clean and safe municipal water delivery to our home faucets. Without electricity, our municipal water delivery, one that is totally dependent on electrical pumps to provide water pressure, will be  helpless as quickly as the fuel runs out for their backup generators. Most people do not drink tap water however knowing that it is laced with dangerous chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride. And, that spendy bottled water in many cases is drawn and filled at the bottling plant with you guessed it…tap water.

We’re all seeing the horrifying headlines, harsh weather and rolling black-outs are numerous rendering unclean, unhealthy, dirty, toxic, totally contaminated and mysteriously cloudy water supplies that are becoming the norm. You wouldn’t drink it, and you certainly wouldn’t serve it to your family? The reality is that after 3 days without water your body is beginning to deteriorate and your senses are becoming quite dull and disoriented.

Conditions at the Sochi Olympics highlighted the lack of clean-safe water to drink that had visitors rightly alarmed and frightened.

There Is Good News However

Everyday preparedness brings peace of mind in the face of unforeseen unsafe water emergencies. In these situations, you simply cannot be without the aid of a filter device to prepare pure drinkable water for your family. Tainted infectious water is not acceptable, and will quickly degrade your precious health, when your very survival greatly depends on a strong mind and body.

Discover a ridiculously inexpensive method to purify water. It’s a simple solution to prepare for unclean water emergencies, and without the use of electricity. 

It’s the portable Life Straw Filter. Compact and portable. Great for outdoorsmen, campers, and all family members as a take-along in the event of any #safe2drink water emergencies.

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Environmental groups take federal government to court for permitting manufacture of genetically modified salmon in Canada.

http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Fish

What is the GM Salmon?

The U.S. company AquaBounty has genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically modified or GM) Atlantic salmon. The company claims its “AquAdvantage” salmon grow to market-size twice as fast as other farmed salmon. That’s because the Atlantic salmon are engineered with a growth hormone gene from Chinook salmon and genetic material from ocean pout (an eel-like creature).

AquaBounty wants to produce all the GE Atlantic salmon eggs on Prince Edward Island, ship them to Panama to grow out and then ship the processed fish to the US consumer market. This is only the first part of the company's plan - the plan they are seeking approval for now - they say they want to grow the fish in North America, Chile and other countries, in the future.

The GM Salmon is from Canada

Prince Edward Island, Canada is now home to the world's first GM fish-egg production factory. In November 2013, Environment Canada announced its decision to allow production of the GM fish eggs. The company has a research facility at Bay Fortune in Prince Edward Island which it will turn into a fish-egg factory if the U.S. and Panama also approve the fish.

No One Wants GM Fish

                     The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Association and the International Salmon Farmer's Association do not support the commercial production of GM fish.

                     Grocery stores are now pledging not to use GM seafood.

Will GM Salmon Be On Our Plate Soon?

January 2014: Environmental groups are taking the federal government to court for permitting manufacture of genetically modified salmon in Canada. Ecology Action Centre (NS) and Living Oceans Society (BC), represented by Ecojustice, assert that Canada's approval of GM fish production is unlawful because it failed to assess whether genetically modified salmon could become invasive, potentially putting ecosystems and species such as wild salmon at risk. The Canadian government approval would permit egg production and even the grow-out of GM salmon at other facilities in Canada, provided criteria in the Minister of the Environment’s November 2013 notice are met.

January 2014: The GM salmon is very close to approval in the U.S. but a timeline for a final decision is not known in the U.S. or in Canada. In Canada, Health Canada refuses to tell the public if they are currently assessing the salmon for human consumption.

November 2013: The Canadian government (Environment Canada) gave the first-ever government approval for this GM fish when it permitted the production of the GM fish eggs.

In late 2010, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the preliminary conclusion that the GE salmon is safe for to eat and does not pose a risk to the environment. But FDA meetings in September 2010 did not conclude with a recommendation to approve the salmon. Instead, the FDA’s own committee members voiced serious concerns about the quality of the data and the risks. In January 2013, the US government released its environmental assessment of the GE Atlantic salmon, a last step to approving the GE fish.

The First GM Food Animal in the World?

The GM fish was in a race with the GM pig called “Enviropig” to become the first genetically engineered animal in our food system but the campaign led by the Canadian Biotechnology stopped the GM pig in March 2012. The GM salmon would be the first GM food animal approved in the world.

Environmental Risks

Atlantic salmon are farmed in both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. The escape of farmed fish from either marine net pens or hatcheries is serious, reoccurring pollution that threatens species. For example, mature escaped Atlantic salmon have been recorded in streams in B.C..

To try to avoid a full review of these risks, AquaBounty is only seeking permission to raise the fish in a land-based facility in a “remote highland area” of Panama - even though they say they want to raise the fish in the U.S. and other countries. The company also says that all the fish will be sterile females, but admits they can only guarantee 95% of the salmon will be unable to reproduce.

Any risk of GM Atlantic salmon escaping into the wild is unacceptable, especially when Atlantic salmon are already in danger of disappearing.

Also, GM salmon could put even more pressure on marine ecosystems. The fast-growing GM salmon could consume up to five times more food than other farmed salmon - because salmon are carnivorous they actually eat large amounts of wild-harvested fish like anchovies and sardines, caught just to feed them.

Health Risks and Bad Science

Critics have long warned that the process of genetic engineering itself could possibly result in increased allergenicity and AquaBounty’s own data point to this potential in their GM salmon.

Dr. Michael Hansen, Senior Scientist at Consumers Union US, says, “The FDA is relying on woefully inadequate data. There is sloppy science, small sample sizes, and questionable practices.” For example, the company used insensitive tests to try and measure the levels of growth hormone in the GM salmon and the levels of IGF-1, a hormone linked to a number of cancers.

Resources

Media Backgrounder, April 10, 2013: Genetically Modified (GM) Atlantic Salmon in PEI

"Biotech Gets Fishy with GE Salmon" Common Ground Magazine, Lucy Sharratt, CBAN, October 2010.

From Cream to Scream

By Julie Daniluk

   http://www.healthyorganicwoman.com/

Lynda: Why are so many people confused about GMOs, and the difference between them and hybrids?

Julie: People are told that GMO's are equivalent to hybrids when in fact the technology carries potential hazards. We need to think of whole systems instead of individual products on the market. 

My great concern about GMOs is when people said, "Oh, we just moved a gene from one plant into another plant."  

But when you insert a gene, you actually change the code that makes up these plants. 

Think of it like spelling. If you take the word "cream" and insert the letter "s" at the beginning, all of a sudden it becomes "scream". The two words have entirely different meanings.

Genetic codes are like the alphabet. We have all these chromosomes and the codes tell them how to express themselves.

Sticking in extra genetic material changes the plant on a fundamental level. The entire protein changes, and so does the way that plant reacts in your body.

Lynda: What results have shown up so far from genetically modified foods?

3 Growing Concerns about GMOs

Julie: My three biggest concerns are allergies caused by changing the protein of the GMO, antibiotic resistance, viruses that leave the plant vulnerable to molds and fungal infections, and pesticide resistance.

1. Allergies: There is a real concern that genetically modified plants have a  higher potential of causing allergies because the protein itself has been fundamentally changed. New proteins can be flagged by our immune system as unsafe and an inflammatory response is launched as an attempt to protect your body from a foreign invader.

And we're wondering why we have allergies like never before. We have people with compromised immune systems, with brand new auto-immune diseases, and a record number of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. One in five people now suffer from severe gut problems, and we wonder why! 

2. The use of Antibiotics: If you hybridize a plant, you are simply crossing 2 varieties of the same species to create a unique new trait. 

With GMO creation, the insertion of the genes are done forcibly. For scientists to ensure the experiment worked, they insert an antibiotic resistant marker gene into the gene package. They then bathe the cells of that plant in a bath of antibiotics. If the plant survived, they know that the gene package was inserted correctly. 

But we forget that this plant now carries antibiotic resistance that may transfer to our human gut! My concern is that the government is not insisting that the cost of long term mammal testing fall on the GMO seed company, and should be carried out by a 3rd party that has no financial gain in the results.

3. Mold and viruses: The third great concern is they're using viruses to create genetic modification because viruses by nature, force their own DNA into a host.  

Scientists pry open the gene package using a virus and inserting extra material. As a result GMO crops have a weakened immune system.

It's been shown that genetically modified plants are higher in mold and have a much higher propensity of fungal infection.

That makes sense to me because if there's been a virus attack, the plant's immune system is left vulnerable. The plant is more likely to have a bacterial or fungal infection because its immune system is knocked down. In the case of GMO corn, we're gene splicing in bacteria that can harm the gut lining. 

4. Pesticide resistance

GMOs are also resistant to a dreadful pesticide which has been shown to have many negative health effects.

These plants are resistant to organophosphate pesticides, so farmers now spray much higher amounts than in the past because it no longer kills their crop.

The rest of the field may be decimated but the actual plant remains.

Instead of reducing pesticide use, it's dramatically increased the amount of pesticides in the food we consume.  Organophosphate pesticides have been proven to increase ADHD, Cancer and Parkinson's disease.

Lynda: Now that we know more about the health concerns, how can we protect ourselves and our families?

Julie: I truly avoid genetically modified food.  People think that the genie is out of the bottle. It's not - yet!

Not all our foods are genetically modified. In Canada, four major crops are genetically modified: corn, canola, soy and sugar beet.

In the US, papaya can be genetically modified. The US also has a massive cotton industry, and cotton seeds are genetically modified. And you have large test plots of rice, from which some rice has escaped, so it's a good idea to buy non-GMO rice.

Lynda: What else can we do to avoid GMOs?

Julie: You're not being force-fed this stuff. You just have to avoid certain plants.  In Canada, the only item on the produce shelf today that's genetically modified is sweet corn. The Arctic apple is soon to follow, but presently we're only dealing with corn in the produce aisle. 

Outside the produce aisle, it gets dodgy. That's why I choose to make as much of my own food as possible. I avoid processed and packaged foods which generally contain canola oil, and soybeans and corn products that have been processed into derivatives.

I do not consume genetically modified taco shells, corn flakes and any sort of taco shells, or any of those corn products.  I just don't eat them.  And I also choose not to eat soybeans that are genetically modified.  I won't put soy past my lips unless I know for a fact that it is completely organic, which means it's not genetically modified.

Lynda: What labels should people look for on packaged foods?

Julie: Look for "Non-GMO verified" products because they've got certifications.  The verification is done by a third party, from field to table. They test it all away along the tracks so there's no contamination. 

My favorite website for up to date information on GMO's is www.CBAN.ca

The person who runs the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network is Lucy Sharratt and she has been with her finger on the pulse of this critical issue for over 16 years.

Check out the Non-GMO project website, which is very helpful. 

They've developed a shopping guide to help people avoid genetic modification and they really keep up to date on GMOs that are being released.   

Also remember that anything that is certified organic cannot be genetically modified. 

GMO Food for thought!

GMO plants have been created in laboratories and then planted by farmers. 

Last year, if you’re like the average American, you ate more than your body weight of a group of foods you didn’t even know you were consuming. Foods that have never been proven safe to eat. Foods that are becoming more and more widespread in our food supply.

These foods consist of genetically modified organisms (GMO), plants that have been created in laboratories and then planted by farmers. The most frightening part about these foods is that they are unlike any other foods that humans have ever eaten before recent times. And they were probably on your dinner plate last night and almost certainly in your snack foods.

Food for Thought

The Environmental Working Group, a consumer advocate organization, determined that Americans eat, on average, 193 pounds of GMO foods a year. And the group justifiably asks: “If you were planning on eating your body weight of anything in a year, wouldn’t you want to make sure it was safe to eat?”

But you don’t know if these foods are safe to eat and nobody is planning any research to find out how risky they are. The government doesn’t require international corporations like Monsanto, that make tremendous profits off of these foods, to establish their safety.

Other countries are more concerned about these foods than we are. As a matter of fact, the United States is just about alone in not requiring labeling of GMO foods or the performance of safety tests to see whether or not these bizarre, chemist-created foods are harmless. As a result, about 90 percent of the corn, soy and cotton now produced in the United States are GMO crops. When you eat processed foods like corn chips or breakfast cereal, 70 percent of what you take in has been made from GMO products.

GMO Profits

Who stands to profit from this change in our eating habits? Primarily Monsanto, the bio-tech company that controls 90 percent of all GMO seeds that farmers plant.

A big reason Monsanto can get away with engineering this profitable threat to health stems from its gargantuan lobbying efforts in Washington. According to a report by Food and Water Watch, a non-profit consumer organization, Monsanto and other huge food and agricultural biotechnology firms and trade associations lavished more than $540 million in campaign contributions and lobbying efforts during the past decade. And their efforts are accelerating. Food and Water Watch has determined that the annual spending on politicians by these corporations has doubled during that time. These companies employ more than 100 lobbying firms and also have in-house lobbyists who wine and dine government officials to get what they want.

Revolving Door

In many cases, the same people who hold high paying jobs at Monsanto eventually move into positions at the regulatory agencies that are supposed to be protecting us against their abuses of the food system.

Consider the case of Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for Foods for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the past, he has moved from a job at the FDA to a job at a law firm that represented Monsanto. Then he moved to a job at Monsanto, over to the United States Department of Agriculture, back to the law firm, over to Monsanto, to a position on a university, to a think tank and then back to the FDA. It’s a pretty cushy career path for Taylor, but a disaster for our protection from questionable food. While Taylor was doing his second stint at the FDA, the agency adjusted its regulatory policies so GMOs could be introduced into our diet without being tested for toxic effects.

Pesticide Danger

Aside from the possible danger of eating GMO foods that have had genetic material from other species added to their cells, the GMO crops that farmers grow often have been sprayed with unconscionable amounts of pesticides that contaminate our air and water. Residues of these chemicals may also contaminate foods made from these plants.

Many of these GMO crops are “Roundup® ready.” That means they have been modified genetically to survive massive amounts of the pesticide called Roundup® (also provided by Monsanto). Glyphosate from Roundup® is now being detected in ground water far from the farms at which it is sprayed. Traces are even being found in the urine of city dwellers. It crosses the placental barrier and can be detected in the blood of unborn children.

This technology threatens you and me and the world around us. Roundup®-ready crops have led to the creation of “frankenweeds,” weeds impervious to herbicides. GMO seeds that produce their own pesticides are creating “frankenbugs” that withstand and even thrive on GMO plants. But this toxic brew is killing off populations of beneficial insects like pollinating honeybees. It has led to what is called colony collapse disorder and a world-wide die-off of bees. GMO crops may also be wiping out monarch butterfly populations.

Right now, the only way for you to avoid GMO foods is to eat organic food. Any other food, even items marked “all-natural,” may contain GMO ingredients.

If you were to write a movie about evil scientists plotting to insert secret ingredients into our food that might make humans sick, you’d have a hard time coming up with something more inventive and potentially more dangerous than genetically modified (GMO) food. Even though GMO ingredients are not listed on food labels, they have already infiltrated our dinner plates. And this technological change to our food has the potential for sabotaging the world’s food supply.

Amazingly, most Americans don’t even realize they eat GMO food at just about every meal. In particular, the soy and corn ingredients of our favorite dishes almost always contain GMO ingredients.

Vast Amounts of GMO

U.S. farmers and farmers around the world plant shockingly vast amounts of these laboratory-created crops. In particular, soy, corn and cotton (our food frequently has cotton- seed oil added to it) have been genetically engineered to contain toxic pesticides and to withstand massive amounts of herbicides applied to farm fields. This allows GMO crops to survive and be harvested while weeds are supposed to wither and die. Of course, other beneficial living things like honeybees and a wide collection of wildlife also perish from pesticide exposure. And the pesticides often persist long enough to poison our water and air.

Right now, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications estimates that since GMO crops were introduced in the 1990s, a billion acres worldwide have been planted with these plants. That’s an area larger than the continental United States. GMO farming is good for farmers…deadly for people!

Hidden Problem

Although GMO proponents argue that the technology is safe, recent discoveries about what happens in the genetic material of altered organisms are not reassuring. In theory, alter- ing an organism’s genetic material seems simple and precise. The process is supposed to consist of extracting a desirable gene from one plant or animal and inserting into another.

For example, suppose you want to create tomatoes that can withstand cold weather. In theory, you take the genes that allow a frost- resistant plant to survive freezing temperatures and you put it into a tomato plant. When seeds of the new tomato plant grow, the presence of this genetic material stimulates activity in the new plants that keep them alive as the temperature drops.

In practice, however, unforeseen complications arise that are unexpected. Only during the past few months have scientists discovered that the genes technologists insert into plants are often contaminated with unintended material. That includes viruses.

Recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) discovered when lab scientists altered genes in GMO food they were also feeding in parts of a virus gene. No one had ever noticed that before.

This virus gene, however, is now in the food we eat. Is it safe? Will it lead to unforeseen illness among the millions of people who consume it? The experts are uncertain. It has never been present in our food previously. Until this recent scientific discovery, nobody knew it was in our GMO foods.

Reports about this virus show that of the 86 different processes being used to insert genes into GMO crops, this virus is present in 54 of them. Meaning this virus of questionable safety is in a lot of the snack foods sitting in your cupboard.

Viral Danger

Experts explain that these types of viral genes can be very dangerous. Viral genes are designed to hobble our immune systems (and the immune systems of plants and animals) so that the viruses can invade cells and flourish. Scientists are concerned about this newly discovered viral material because the viruses that invade the cells of a plant do not funda- mentally differ from the viruses that make us sick.

Concern about these genes caused Pete Riley, director of the public interest group GM Freeze, to warn: “This is a clear warning (that GMO food) is not sufficiently understood to be considered safe.” Riley also told the British publication The Daily Mail, “’Authorization for these crops must be suspended immediately, and they should be withdrawn from sale, until a full and extended review of their safety has been carried out.”

Labeling Movement

Perhaps the only good news about GMO food in the United States is its presence soon may be labeled on food packages.

Last November, voters in California turned down a law requiring food companies to list GMO ingredients on food packages. Although most consumers seem to be in favor of GMO labeling (Doesn’t everybody want to know what’s in our food?), food manufacturers spent more than $40 million in the election season frightening voters and ensuring the GMO labeling law lost. Voters in Washington state recently declined a GMO  labeling mandate due to an extensive and deceptive TV and print mailing campaign that flooded the airways and mailboxes sponsored by Monsanto, Dow, and Bayer that just overwhelmed voters with bogus campaign claims, and flat-out lies How sad!

But now that food companies are realizing other States are going to be passing GMO labeling laws in the near future, they seem to be caving in and negotiating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to craft labeling guidelines. Even Wal-Mart seems to be moving in favor of GMO labeling

In this effort, though, we should keep our government officials and local supermarkets aware of the importance of this issue. Write to your local legislators and the heads of your favorite food companies to make sure they know you want GMO foods to be labeled.

If you want to avoid eating GMO foods— until foods are labeled—the only sure way is to stick to organic food. Certified organic food is the only food in supermarkets and health food stores that has to be free of GMO ingredients.

Here’s a tip for cleaning non-organic vegetables in the meantime….

Note:

You should always rinse organic produce also, as there may be residues of germs or signs of visiting insects. Plain water alone is fine for organic items only.

For all non-organic veggies & fruit… a non-toxic cleansing brew is simply vinegar and lemon juice.

Keep a kitchen spray bottle filled with white distilled vinegar and the juice of 1/4 lemon.

Spray all non-organic fruit and veggies well and allow to sit for a few minutes before rinsing with water. Some veggies and fruit are sprayed with as much as 5-6 different kinds of pesticide, and herbicide, and spraying and rinsing will dissolve most all toxins.

These toxins are not removed with simply washing under water as they are made to withstand water from the rain.

Remove outer leaves of lettuce, cabbage, and other leafy veggies, and remove any peel that’s possible before eating.