GM Food: Cuckoo in the nest

I have just received the latest edition of the Soil Association magazine Living Earth.  One of the articles is by Peter Melchedtt, their Policy Director.   In it he comments on what the Environment Secretary: Owen Paterson said concerning GM Food, with particular emphasis on their safety:

He says: “Despite claims such as those made in June by the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, there is no scientific evidence that eating GM food is safe. Worldwide, there have only been around 30 scientific animal trials looking at the impacts of eating GM food, and half of those have raised concerns such as clear signs of toxicity affecting the liver and kidney, with ill effects on the heart, adrenal glands, spleen and blood cells. Since the introduction of GM food ingredients (mainly soya and maize) into US processed food. American rates of diet-related illnesses have soared – this proves nothing, but it is astonishing that no studies into human health have been done to investigate further. The truth is that while there is currently no evidence that eating GM food has caused human ill-heatth. equally there is no positive evidence that it is safe.”

He then asks:

GM Food: What if?

And says: What’s more, there are a number of other negative impacts of GM food that have emerged over the last 20 years. For example, anecdotal stories have persisted about negative impacts of GM feed on livestock, and now a detailed study, just published in scientific literature, has found that severe inflammation in stomachs is significantly higher in pigs fed on a GM diet.

Meanwhile, GM food crops modified to be resistant to a total weed-killer like glyphosate have rapidly encouraged the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds, and it is now being reported that insects are developing resistance too. This has led to increases in the use of herbicides and insecticides; overall pesticide use on GM crops in the USA is now higher than on non-GM, according to US government data.

Some seeds from GM crops will remain on fields after each harvest, but because GM seeds are patented and cannot be saved, to avoid being sued by a chemical company for unauthorised use the following year, farmers are locked into continuing to buy GM seeds, which have rapidly risen in cost.”

Those in the Africa and parts of Asia who those that say GM Foods is needed to feed such people will not be able to afford it which is likely to result in their farms being taken over by big firms and they loose their livelyhood.

He continues: “Despite these manifest problems the Soil Association is often asked, hypothetically, if all these problems were ‘dealt’ with through ‘research’, and if exciting developments like blight- resistant potatoes or nitrogen-fixing wheat were available, would we still oppose GM in principle? It’s a seductively simple question, one that reveals a touching belief in the problem-solving abilities of our scientists, but one that, like current GM crops, simply isn’t fit for purpose.
For despite all the talk, to ‘deal’ with all the existing problems we see GM creating will require a different technology to remove the inherent uncertainties of inserting foreign genes in a plant’s DNA, a complete overhaul of the regulatory system to include proper safety testing and social appraisal, and a liability regime that protects the interests of farmers and consumers alike. It will also need years of effort and millions of pounds in research, and even then no one can know whether the proposed benefits will materialise.

For despite claims to the contrary from the UK Government, there is no evidence that GM crops can help feed the world. The fact is GM has failed to deliver any of the benefits promised in the 1990s, like more nutrients and higher yields, and newer crop-breeding technologies are now delivering more benefits, more quickly. In the UK, public money spent on GM research has not led to a single hectare of a commercial GM crop in the UK, and not a single job in GM farming.

GM Food: 21st-century farming

In the 1990s, we were told all farming and food would be GM by 2000. Now pro-GM campaigners claim GM crops are simply ‘one tool in the tool box’. But GM crops are the cuckoo in the nest – bloated, sucking resources from and ultimately destroying other farming systems. GM crops have locked farmers further into depending on costly inputs from a handful of powerful chemical companies, and have been sold on false promises. GM food is a 20th-century technology wholly unfit for the challenges of the 21st century. These challenges are producing good yields of crops with lower inputs of fossil-fuel-based and mined fertilisers, with 80% lower greenhouse- gas emissions, and producing food with higher animal welfare, lower pollution and more wildlife and more jobs on farms. Which system does that sound like to you?”

This post has looked at if GM Food is safe, you might like to visit another post I have done on GM Foods: http://goldensitehome.com/gm-food-eat/

Which is Better Old Natural Remedies or New Man Made Drugs?

This is usually the question that those who think New is Better phrase it, but those who in the main support natural remedies say both are needed and the question should be which have the greatest benefits and the smallest side effects. These and allied questions are being asked in connection with a Bill that is currently going through the Canadian Parliament. The whole debate has been put on YouTube so we know what is being said. A web site has been set up to allow all those who are opposed to it to express their concerns.

Goverments and Natural Remedies

From what is said it looks as though they operate in the same way as we do here in England. The English (and I use the word deliberately) has been, correctly, called ‘The Mother of Parliaments’. It started out with people wanting someone to represent them and this is still the prime function of a Member of Parliament. It is definitely not to tell us what we can eat, or not eat, or use natural remedies.

I cannot comment on how things are in other countries, but here in England all of our medical training is drug orientated and anyone who mentions natural remedies to a doctor, nurse, etc is likely to encounter either a closed mind or hostility. And this seems to be the case in Canada.

Testing Drugs and Natural Remedies

The drug companies tell us that the natural remedies have not been tested whereas drugs have been. But the opposite fits the facts better. Given the fact that the drug companies have Members of Parliament backing them these things are not often aired in Parliament. But others have arisen to keep us informed about what actually is happening.

Drugs are manufactured and all we hear about is what they can do for the specific disease they have been manufactured to deal with. We are not told about the side effects, even when the manufacturer know about them and which in many cases can prove lethal.

Drugs have side effects than no one anticipated, the effect thalidomide had on unborn babies is only one of these. Most drugs are based on ingredients found in plants, which are isolated and manufactured artificially. But those who manufacture them do not test and see if there are other ingredients that are just as beneficial. If the whole plant was used these would naturally be included.

A case in point is that of Vitamin C.  When they wanted to produce it artificially they took out what they thought was the prime ingredient, manufactured it and found it didn’t work.   They had to include over 100 other ingredients before it did.

Here we have looked at Natural Remedies V Drugs, in the next one you are asked if you want governments dictating to you what you take.

Do you Diet or are you on a Diet?

When you hear that people are on a diet, or dieting you immediately think that they are trying to lose weight. But this is not the primary meaning. The primary meaning of the word diet is what we habitually eat, or in this case, don’t eat. You should remember this if you want to lose weight because this will encourage you to eat for health and not just for weight loss.

What Your Diet Does To You

But people are obsessed with weight loss! Don’t believe me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising… you’re instantly bombarded with the latest diet schemes and “Hollywood” food fads.

In the UK and America, a thriving industry trying to control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence has arisen. The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care treatments is staggering And even with all this interest in losing weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before…

– A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese…up about eight percent from earlier estimates and the U K residents are going the same way.

– Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine million are overweight…triple the rate in 1980!

– Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Diet: Think about the following for a moment…

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it’s television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared… activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

What Does Our Diet Consist Of?

And please do not misunderstand me…I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem…

With all of our modern day conveniences and “cushy” style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat “today” vs the 1970’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

– We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970’s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.

– Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because French fries and potato chips are included as vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our “produce” choices.

– We’re drinking less milk, but we’ve more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.

– We’ve cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we’re eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970’s.

– We’re drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970’s, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.

– We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.

– Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.

In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person’s calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it’s “OK” to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It’s time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits… slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!

Here excess calories are blamed as being the cause of obesity combined with lack of exercise.

Mention was made of too much refined carbohydrates. These, say others, are the main cause of obesity and would also include other carbohydrates. Those who blame excess calories point out that these diets could fail to provide necessary nutrients.

In this post we have looked at our Diet, in the next one we look at Natural Remedies v Drugs.

What about Minerals?

In the last post on Vitamins Calcium was mentioned and the fact that it was a mineral. Do you know what they do for you, why you should ensure that you get the correct amount, etc. Once again you are urged to ensure your mineral come from natural sources. The soil plants are grown in is vital as this is where they get the minerals our bodies need and if the soil is deficient in these nutrients then the plants will be as well.

What Do Minerals Do For Us?

Calcium is the mineral that everyone has heard of with the increase of osteoporosis. It maintains the health of bones, teeth, hair and nails, it is also required for maintaining the fluid balance in the body, sending nerve impulses and enabling muscles to contract. And in the coagulation of blood, the functioning of the heart and the secretion of breast milk in Provigil online No prescription nursing mothers. Calcium is taken on a daily basis from the bones and teeth where it is stored, and constantly replenished. The levels of calcium in the blood are very carefully maintained, by two hormones, as small variations from the normal levels can cause cell damage and seizures.

It is found in milk, dairy products, hard tap water, pilchards and sardines, bread and flour, green vegetables and cereals. It is estimated that the body normally only uses about 30% of the calcium present in the diet.

Calcium is found in milk, dairy products, hard tap water, pilchards and sardines, white bread and flour, leafy green vegetables and fortified cereals. It is estimated that the body normally only uses about 30% of the calcium present in the diet.

Phosphorus is needed by the enzymes that metabolise fat, protein and glucose. It is essential for the processes by which the body produces and stores energy, and it helps in the formation of nucleic acids for cell division. If too much is taken it can inhibit the absorption of calcium and iron.

It is found in practically all foods, but particularly high protein ones, such as meat, dairy, pulses and milk, as well as leafy green vegetables and most fruits.

Potassium is required for the correct working of the nervous system, the muscles and the heart. It maintains the body’s osmotic balance, and is required by several enzyme processes, including the metabolism of protein. The right balance of potassium is required to prevent heart problems.

Potassium is found in most foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables (potatoes are a very rich source), meat, milk, wholemeal flour, coffee, tea and cereals. Coffee is one of our primary sources, as it contains about 45mg per cup.

Iron deficiency is generally a consequence of a poor diet, lack of vitamin C, and may be a result of a vegetarian diet. It causes anaemia, which is the most common deficiency condition in the western world. Anaemia is characterised by tiredness, weakness, loss of strength, pale skin, nervousness, fainting and palpitations. Deficiency also undermines the white blood cells’ immubne system, leaving the body more susceptible to infections.

It is found particularly in meat; liver; offal; blood; eggs; vegetables such as peas, parsley, green leafy vegetables; pulses; nuts (almonds, particularly); apricots; figs; cocoa; whole grains; and fortified flour and cereals. These are the most important minerals, but there are others and also micronutrients, which will be reviewed in one of the message you will receive.

The Difference Between Vitamins and Minerals

Our bodies are composed of minerals, whereas vitamins manufacture certain substances in our bodies. Both are necessary, but are effective only when obtained from natural resources.

In this post we have looked at Minerals and what they do for you, in the next one we look at Diet.

Vitamins

In this post we look at Vitamins and what they can do for you.

We start with Vitamins, which come can be fat or water soluble. It is possible to take too much fat soluble vitamins as they are stored in your body longer but unlikely that you would be able to do so. For the average person the cost would be prohibitive and in addition you would feel bloated before it happened.

Vitamins: The oil based ones are A D E and K.

Good eye sight depends on vitamin A as does the soft tissues and your skin (which is not just there to keep your internal organs in but is your largest organ. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in your body. It keeps your joints lubricated.

It is found in butter, egg yolk, liver, kidney, green vegetables and yellow/red fruits and yellow/orange vegetables.

The most dependable source of D is sunlight, but here the risk is getting burnt or skin cancer. Lack of Vitamin D causes rickets, as it acts on Calcium (a mineral – of which below) to make and maintain your bones. It is needed for healthy bones and teeth.

Vitamin E first came to prominence when tests were done with it in connection with heart attacks. It also prevents degeneration of the kidneys and general wasting symptoms. It an antioxidant, and protects cells from free radicals and peroxides. It can help to prevent cancers , when taken with selenium, and seems to reduce the unwanted side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is benefits womens reproductive system, preventing miscarriages, etc.

Ir is found in wheatgerm, soya, corn and peanut oils, margarine (but not hydrogenated, which no one should eat), raw nuts and seeds, eggs, butter, yams, liver and some green leafy vegetables.

Deficiency of Vitamin K, may prevent the blood from clotting properly, and trigger the development of osteoporosis, as it is required for calcium to form new bone. People with conditions that prevent the proper absorption of fat may have a deficiency, as may alcoholics and anyone who doesn’t eat sufficient green vegetables. Prolonged use of antibiotics also reduces the body’s ability to make vitamin K.

It is found in green vegetables, seaweed, potaotes, liver, eggs, wheatgerm, fish, nuts, alfalfa, molasses, yoghurt, dairy products, corn oil and soya oil.

Vitamins: Water Soluable

Vitamin B is a group of vitamins rather than one each one with a different function. They are also found in different foods.

There are eight of them and they are all water soluble. They work together to boost metabolism, enhance the immune system and nervous system, keep the skin and muscles healthy, encourage cell growth and division, and other benefits to your body. Brewer’s yeast is one of the best sources of the B vitamins.

B1 (thiamine), is a catalyst in carbohydrate metabolism and helps synthesize nerve-regulating substances. It stops: your heart from swelling, leg cramps, and muscular weakness. Rich food sources high in thiamine include liver, heart, and kidney meats, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, berries, wheat germs, and enriched cereals.

B2 (riboflavin), helps metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and respiratory proteins. Prevents skin lesions and light sensitivity. They are abundant in mushrooms, milk, meat, liver, dark green vegetables, and enriched cereals, pasta, and bread. It is good for the skin, nails, eyes, mouths, lips, and tongue, and it is believed to help protect against cancer.

B3 (niacin, vitamin P, or vitamin PP) helps release energy from nutrients. It can reduce cholesterol and prevent and treat arteriosclerosis, among other benefits. Too little B3 can result in pellagra, a disease with Provigil pharmacy symptoms that include sunburn, diarrhea, irritability, swollen tongue, and mental confusion. Too much B3 can result in liver damage. Food sources rich in niacin are chicken, salmon, tuna, liver, nuts, dried peas, enriched cereals, and dried beans.

B5 (Pantothenic acid), has a role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. It is most abundant in eggs, whole grain cereals, legumes, and meat, although it is found in some quantity in nearly every food. Deficiency can result in fatigue, allergies, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), helps the body to absorb and metabolize amino acids, to use fats, and to form red blood cells. Deficiency in the vitamin may result in smooth tongue, skin disorders, dizziness, nausea, anemia, convulsions, and kidney stones. Whole grains, bread, liver, green beans, spinach, avocadoes, and bananas are rich food sources that are high in this vitamin.

B7 (Biotin or vitamin H), helps form fatty acids and assists in the release of energy from carbohydrates. There have been no cases of deficiency among humans.

B9, (folic acid), sometimes goes by the name of vitamin M or vitamin B-c. Folic acid enables the body to form hemoglobin. It helps treat anemia and sprue. Good food sources include leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and organ meets. However, bear in mind that folic acid is lost when foods are stored at room temperature or cooked. Deficiency is rare, although folic

acid is particularly important in pregnancy. Consuming adequate folic acid before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects in newborns, including spina bifida. The RDA for both men and women is 400 micrograms, but women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should consume 600 micrograms a day. When breastfeeding, the recommendation is 500 micrograms.

Vitamin (B12, also known as Cobalamin or Cyanocobalamin), assists the function of the nervous system and the formation of red blood cells. If the body is unable to absorb sufficient B12, pernicious anemia can result. B12 can only be found in animal sources such as eggs, milk, fish, meat, and liver. Therefore, vegetarians are strongly encouraged to supplement.

Vitamin C is another water soluable vitamin. Its importance was realised when sailors on long journies went down with scurvey, which is caused by lack of vitamin C. But once again you have to ensure that it is derived from natural sources, whether you get it from food direct or from a supplement. We know this because when the drug companies manufactured Vitamin C by extracting what they thought was the active ingredient they found that it did not work and in the end they had to put in over 100 active ingredients. The lesson we can learn from this is that Vitamins must be natural.

In this post we looked at Vitamins and what they can do for you, in the next one we will look at Minerals.

Nutrition

Your diet, i.e. what you eat on a regular basis is the starting point when it comes to keeping yourself healthy. You have to eat a balanced diet. No one food contains all you need and food contains things that tablets do not. You may need to take vitamins, minerals, etc, but they are not substitute for food. While all foods contain one or more necessary nutrients, some have more than others and are therefore should feature more prominently in your diet.

You must keep in mind that your body is composed of proteins and you need to replace those which have been lost daily. Other foods are also needed for good nutrition.

But you may, like others, have chosen to follow a certain type of diet due to your personal preferences, or because certain foods trigger an allergic reaction in your body, etc.

So let us see what foods constitutes a balanced diet and leads to good nutrition, bearing the above in mind. In every category there are foods which can be said to be superior to others in that category, but which you may not wish to or cannot eat due the fact you are allergic to them.

So what you can substitute for those foods will also be given.
Nutrition: Major Categories

Nutrition: Categories

There are 3 major categories of food:

Proteins, your body is composed of protein so proteins can be said to be essential and if it is missing from your diet is the one that leads to disease

Carbohydrates and Fats. These supply you with energy. Fat contains over twice as many calories as the other 2.

We start with

Nutrition Proteins:

The most dependable sources of protein are meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese, as they contain all the amino acids that are bodies are composed of. If you are a vegetarian, you can eat eggs and cheese and if you are a vegan you can substitute nuts and pulses. But do not just have one of these, but mix them. Plants do not usually contain all the amino acids that your body needs, but there is one that does, which will be the subject of a later post.
Nutrition: Carbohydrates:

These are divided between starches and sugars. Most people nowadays eat these after they have been processed and all the goodness removed from them. In some cases the nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals have been put back, using artificial versions, which do not contain what they do in their natural form. But more often than not even this is missing.

Many people are allergic to wheat products, but can eat other grains, such as corn, rice, etc.

But if you are allergic to all grain products as some are all you can do is avoid them and make sure that you get your carbohydrates from such sources as fruit and honey. But definitely avoid white sugar, as this contains no nutrients.
Fats:

Food also contains vitamins and minerals and these are a vital part of nutrition and essential if you are to be healthy. There are twice as many calories in fat as in the other 2 categories and must be eaten sparingly. Fats contain cholesterol which, by some people, is cited as the cause of heart trouble. It is not realized that our bodies produce it, but it is only what we get from external sources that cause problems. What definitely should be avoided is hydrogenated fats, as our bodies are not equipped to deal with them. Oil, particularly olive and sunflower oils are good for you as are essential fatty acids.

If you are a vegetarian, or a vegan it is possible to eat a balanced diet, but you have to be careful not to do what many vegetarians do and eat a lot of pasta, especially if this is not the wholegrain variety. If you make this the basis of your diet you stand the risk of developing anemia, even pernicious anemia. This is because everyone require B12, which your body does not produce and you need to get from food and meat is one of the most dependable sources.

Some vitamins are water soluble and have to be taken daily, but other are oil based and can be stored by your body. This post has looked at nutrition and what we eat on a regular basis, in other posts specific aspects of nutrition will be looked at, starting with the next one when we look at Vitamins.

GM Food: Genetically Modified Fish

The information about this latest attempt to foist GM Food on us is from Avaaz, whom I am a member of.   They keep their eyes on what is happening that they think is wrong and let us know ab out it. They provide a petition for us to sign.

Earlier this year (2013) I have received one from them was on the above topic.

Please read it carefully and, if you are not already a member, join them, and sign the petition.

Most of what is below is taken from their email to me.

The US is about to treat the world to the first genetically modified meat: a mutant salmon that could wipe out wild salmon populations and threaten human health — but we can stop it now before our plates are filled with suspicious Frankenfish.

The new fake salmon grows twice as fast as the real one, and not even scientists know its long-term health effects. Yet it’s about to be declared safe for us to eat, based on studies paid for by the company that created the GMO creature! Luckily, the US is legally required to consider public opinion before deciding. A growing coalition of consumers, environmentalists, and fishermen is calling on the government to trash this fishy deal. Let’s urgently build an avalanche of global support to help them win.

GM Food: What is Happening

The consultation is happening right now and we have a real chance to keep mutant fish off the menu. Sign to stop Frankenfish and share widely — when we reach 1 million, our call will be officially submitted to the public consultation:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_frankenfish_r/?bDbEtbb&v=21096

The company that developed the Frankenfish altered the DNA of the salmon to create a fish that would grow at lightning speed, year-round. Not only do we not understand its long term health effects, if a few of them or their eggs reached the wild, these super-salmon could decimate entire wild salmon populations. Worse, once they hit supermarkets, we won’t be able to tell apart Frankenfish and real salmon, so there won’t be a way to avoid it!

The biotech industry has spent hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying governments to approve its GM food and crops. Frankenfish is their next million dollar baby — it could open the floodgates for other GM Food in the shape of transgenic meats. But the US government will consider public opinion before it makes its final decision — if we can stun them with a giant global opposition when they least expect it, we can stop this reckless deal.

Frankenfish is on the verge of being approved — let’s make sure biotech companies don’t decide what we eat. Help build one million voices to stop the mutant fish:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_frankenfish_r/?bDbEtbb&v=21096

GM Food: What Can We Do

Avaaz members have come together to protect the natural world and our food system from dangerous meddling. In 2010, over 1 million of us spoke out against GM food in Europe. Let’s come together again to stop Frankenfish.

With hope,

Jamie, Nick, Emma, Dalia, Emily, Paul, Ricken, Wen-Hua and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION

Engineered Fish Moves a Step Closer to Approval (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/business/gene-altered-fish-moves-closer-to-federal-approval.html

GM salmon: FDA’s assessment of environmental risks (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-aquabounty-salmon-fda-assesses-risks-20121224,0,2554480.story

Genetically Modified Animals (Women’s Health Magazine)
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/genetically-modified-animals

Protect our waters from GE Salmon (Center for Food Safety)
http://ge-fish.org/

Below the Surface: The Dangers of Genetically Engineered Salmon (Food & Water Watch)
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/factsheet/below-the-surface/

Genetically Engineered Salmon (Ocean Conservancy)
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/aquaculture/aquaculture-genetically.html

Thank you for reading this, and taking action to stop this genetically modified food and harming both us and our planet.

You might like to read my other posts on GM Food http://goldensitehome.com/category/g-m-food/

You want to Meet Others and Talk to Them?

There are quite a few ways you can get in touch with those who share your interests, concerns, etc, i.e. Forums, Social Networks, etc. But there are fewer where you can hold a conversation with them. One of them is Skype, which is expanding into other aspects on the internet, and conference rooms, which will be looked at here. Conference initially, were held on the phone, which was very expensive for those who id not live in the country of the person who was holding it, usually the U. S.
Ways You Can Meet Others

There are the traditional ways, at work, in shops, in clubs, etc.   Up to now, if you wanted to meet people on a regular basis these were limited as you had to be able to get to them and back in a reasonable time.   But all this changed with the advent of the telephone and then the internet.     Now you can have a 3 way conversation on the phone, but this is still limited.

The phone was also limited by price as up to fairly recently each phone call had to be paid for and people couldn’t afford it particularly if it was out of their country of residence.    This was overcome with the advent of Skype.   But this was, and still is, limited if you want to talk, so people started using it to text messages to others who had joined Skype.

Another way it can be used if for conferencing, but there are other newer systems for doing this.
Meet Others:  Conference Rooms

There are more than one Conference Room, but the earliest and best known and most used was Hot Conference.    All Conference Rooms rely on fibre optic cable, just as phones rely on phone lines.   Hot Conference was the brain child of Joel Therien, a Canadian, who was told by those who supplied his fibre optic cables that they could not provide him with any more and as this limited his growth he moved his family to San Antonio in Texas, which is the fibre optic capital of the world.    In 2010 he relaunched it under the domain name of GVO Conference.

Hot Conference was expensive for the average person, but due to the fact that everything, but the fiber optic cables belong to Joel Therien he has been able to launch it at an unbelievable price: $8.97 a month for a 50 seater room, which means that the average person can afford to use it to meet others.

Another way people can meet others is by attending conferences, but this is expensive, but pays dividends as you meet others who can become your partners in what you are doing on the internet.

In this post Buy Cialis we looked at ways to meet others, in the next one we look at Nutrition.

Do you want to Retain or Improve Your Health?

You have just retired or about to do so and want to enjoy your retirement? But recognise that as we get older we are prone to experience an decreased level of health and are wondering if there is anything you can do to stop yourself getting arthritis, etc.

You are “Home Alone” much of the time wish to meet other people, especially those in your age group and find out what worked for them. It is nice to have others to talk to hearing what they have done, are doing, have achieved and sharing your own experiences.

We hear more about the killer diseases such a heart attacks, cancer, etc, but less about those that are crippling but do not kill us. That is until a drug company manufactures some new drug that they want to charge the earth for and you cannot get it.
Information on the Health Service

Here in England when the Health Service was set up we were promised health care from cradle to grave, but it was soon realised that this was not possible and with more and more drugs being produced more and more people are being refused them.
Health:  Prevention Better Than Cure

But many people, both here and in other countries are turning away from drugs and seeking out natural remedies and even more, believing that “Prevention is Better than Cure” are seeking out ways to maintain their health by eating correctly, exercising, etc.

People are also taking supplementary vitamins, minerals and tonics.   These are good for your health, if they are manufactured from natural ingredients, but they do not replace food, which contain ingredients beneficial to your health than are not found in them.

The best health plan is to source the best food and supplement it with natural supplements.

You want advice on what to do, what to eat, should you take supplementary vitamins, etc?

To learn what else is on offer please fill in the form on the right and receive a series of messages in your inbox.

If you would like to learn more about how to improve or maintain your health please get in touch with me  at: health@goldensitehome.com, or on Skype jeanne0738.

GM Food Right Not To Eat It

I attend the Organic Festival, which was put on by the Soil Association, in Bristol, England when it is put on. While I was there in 2011 I was given an leaflet which said we had “a right to eat and plant GM-free food”.   We are told that we need it so that we can feed those in Africa, etc who do not have enough.

But the facts do no support this.    The big chemical firms want us to believe this as it puts more power in their hands and allows them to dictate to farmers where they should buy their seed, if they can store it, and in many cases take over their farms.

It give the:

10 BIG MYTHS About GM Food and crops

1 We need GM Food to feed a growing world population.
The vast majority of the world’s crops are not GM – GM is only planted on about 2.75% of global agricultural land. Most of this goes to animal feed, fibre and industrial scale agrofuels. What’s left is in processed food (primarily unlabelled in North America). The current push for GM is about a failing industry trying to save itself. The world’s underlying approach to food should not be about market control, patents and profit. Feeding the world means tackling poverty, improving access to the food we already produce, ending the waste of 30-40% of the world’s food, reducing losses in storage, making trade fairer, curbing overconsumption and investing in effective research. We don’t need GM to do any of this.

2 GM food helps farmers grow more in droughts and fight climate change.

All crops need the right mix of sun, water and healthy soil to produce a good yield – GM cannot change this. Despite many promises and billions of pounds spent over decades on research, not a single GM drought tolerant crop has been developed that farmers can grow. Traditional plant breeding, using modern techniques, has produced successful drought tolerant crops in fields where farmers need them now.

3 GM Food delivers more food on less land.

No current GM crops have been shown to boost yields. Independent US studies show up to 10% less yield in GM soya – manipulating a few genes gives unpredictable results. Increased yields in the past decade are due to developments in traditional plant breeding, not GM.

4 GM food helps farmers use less chemicals.

Herbicide tolerant crops: Initially GM did reduce the use of weedkillers, but weeds quickly developed resistance to the chemicals used on GM crops. The resulting “superweeds” are forcing farmers to use more chemicals, including older, more dangerous ones, at considerable expense. Some US GM cotton farmers have to hand weed whole fields when chemicals stop working. Insecticide crops: GM maize and cotton are engineered to produce toxins in every part of the plant – including the parts we eat. This is a change in the way pesticides are used, not a reduction. The toxins kill some insect pests, but not all, and Monsanto now admits that pink bollworm in parts of India is resistant to GM cotton. Yet emerging evidence shows Bt toxins may harm non-target insects (like butterflies), and there are serious concerns about the safety of the Bt toxins for human health.

5 EU opposition to GM Food is holding back developing countries (or, it’s only well-fed activists who oppose GM).

The Indian Government put an indefinite moratorium on GM brinjal (aubergine) -a flagship project for the GM industry-until safety questions are answered. There are GM bans, active protests and legal opposition in Thailand, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Mexico, South Africa, Kenya, Argentina and elsewhere. EU opposition to GM leads the way, showing that GM agriculture is not inevitable because citizens have the right to make our own decisions about what we grow and eat.

6 The EU is going to be left behind in science if we don’t do GM Food (or, we need GM Food for our economy).

GM hasn’t delivered. Farmer training needs to be improved right around the world, including in the UK. Rather than throw good money after bad, the UK should establish centres of excellence in areas like soil husbandry and advanced traditional plant breeding to lead the world in a more sustainable and equitable approach to managing farmland and forests.

7 GM Food is safe – they’ve been eating GM in the US for years and no one has ever been hurt.
GM is unlabelled and untraced in the US food supply, so there is no way to determine where GM is going or what health impacts it might be having, or even how much GM Food is actually being eaten. It is impossible to study, so this claim has no scientific basis.

8 People are changing their minds about GM Foods.

When US dairies started labelling their milk as free from GM hormones, they were so popular Monsanto went to court to get them banned. They failed. A 2010 NOP poll showed 89% support for labels on animal products in the UK showing where GM feed is used, like they have in Austria and Germany. If the GM industry believes people are changing their minds, they have nothing to fear from using such labels and letting the market decide.

9 We need GM to keep food prices down and meat industry going.

It was not a lack of GM that caused prices to go up – GM was produced throughout the 2007/8 price rises. Regional droughts, diverting food crops into industrial scale biofuels, financial speculation in food markets and the rising costs of fertilisers and fuel were key contributors, but GM Foods can’t fix these. The EU has become far too dependent on imported animal feed, much of it GM. Policies favour a highly concentrated industrial farm model that has resulted in poor animal welfare and forces smaller farmers out of business. We need a more accountable and responsible food production system. Research across the EU is helping us find the kind of crops and breeds we need to be less dependent on importing GM animal feed and exporting the damage it does to communities and the environment in far away countries.

10 Opposition to GM Food is based on emotion (or politics), not sound science.

The US and Indian courts are showing that the science behind GM Food is far from sound, particularly when approvals have been based on safety dossiers provided by the industry itself. In any case, citizens are not obliged to accept whatever is scientifically possible. Non-GM Food alternatives do the scientific job better, with less risk and no public rejection, keeping farmers and consumers on the same side so everyone benefits.

GM FOOD FOR ANIMAL FEED

The hidden GM in your trolley

When GM Food hit supermarket shelves people rejected it. Today it is hard to find food with GM ingredients shops can’t sell what people won’t buy. There is a hidden exception: milk, cheese, meat and eggs from animals raised on GM feed do not legally need a GM label. So there is no way to tell if your pint of milk or ready meal supported the GM industry.
Since people reject GM as food, the vast majority of GM crops (around 80%) have no place to go except into animal feed, Yet we simply don’t know the extent of the many problems with GM crops, including:
* GM Food not proved safe
Industry safety claims are based on their own, not independent, data. National authorities are not testing food either to find GM or to confirm independent studies showing GM damage to animals’ guts, lower nutritional value and allergic reactions or reactions in immune systems. GM DMA from feed can pass into animals’ blood. Pesticides in GM animal feed are not routinely monitored, so we don’t know what our livestock are eating. We do know the maximum legal residue limit for weedkiller glyphosate in food was raised 200% when GM soya came on the market.
• Environment damage
GM herbicide tolerant crops have accelerated the development of weedkiller resistance. There are now 140 types of herbicide tolerant “superweeds” in 40 US states, with 13 species resistant to glyphosate, and even the industry admits it takes older, more dangerous chemicals to control them.
« Corporate control
Patented GM crops give companies like Monsanto and Bayer unprecedented control over the supply of seeds and food. They say we need GM animal feed to keep costs down, but GM prices I spiked just as steeply as non-
J*A GM in 2007/08 – and we pay them even more to avoid it.
Our right to choose another way
Without clear labels, you don’t know where the GM feed is used.
While we look for better ways to feed our animals (like feeding cows grass and clover), Brazil alone grows enough non-GM soya for at least 80% of the EU’s needs without further damaging the Amazon – we don’t need GM.
Austrian and German shoppers have labels on non-GM fed foods, and France and Ireland are introducing them soon.
Supermarkets say it is too confusing to give consumers the information what they want. Your supermarket can and should insist that the dairy, meat, fish and eggs they sell are produced without GM crops and back this up with clear GM-Free labels.

Tell supermarkets to ditch GM Food once and for all

A sample letter, updated campaign information and email and postal addresses are all available at www.gmfreeze.org or directly from us on 0845 217 8992 .

They say to concentrate on the supermarkets, but this is only because most people buy their foods from them. I would say search out Farmers Markets or go to small privately owned local shops where you can ask about what they sell. They are unlikely to sell GM Food as they know most people do not want them.

But not wanting GM Foods does not mean that they are whole heatedly for organic food. Many people see the popularity of a trends such as organic foods, but do not espouse the organic movement as such and only buy it when they think they can afford it and it is usually from supermarkets that they buy it.

A lot of programs on the BBC recently have looked at both GM Food and Organic ones and this topic will be looked at in the next post.