Living Well

More Reasons To Choose Organic

2010-03-02T16:58:55Z

Most people believe that Organic foods are cleaner and perhaps better for us, but are they really worth the extra cost? In my previous article on Dangerous Fruits and Vegetables, I describe some of the health risks associated with pesticide exposure. Most of us don’t realize that foods today carry much higher levels of pesticide residue then ever before and that these toxic chemicals are in our air, our water and our bodies. They are stored in our fat cells and disrupt a variety of normal cellular functions. They can be passed from mother to fetus in utero and are even in mothers breast milk, unless she consumes an organic diet.

Too little research has been done on the cumulative effect of pesticide residue consumption and how these deadly chemicals may be linked to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Parkinson’s. I’m especially concerned for our children, whose bodies are far more vulnerable to any kind of chemical contamination. Mothers exposed to pesticides while pregnant are more likely to suffer miscarriage. Birth deformities are more common in rural areas after intensive spraying. Still, it’s hard to appreciate the risk of maybe one day getting cancer when you are twenty years old and healthy, with buying apples that might be half the price of the organic ones.

I know that when money is tight, we all have to make compromises and yet, taking risks with our health is always a bad decision. Particularly, taking risks with the health of our children is a bad decision and that is why I believe it is so important to provide our babies with a diet that is as near to completely organic as we can get. If it were a choice of having a new bedroom set or fancy stroller for baby or eating organically throughout a pregnancy and for the first 3 years of that babies life – there’s no question which is the wiser investment.

If money were not a consideration, I would buy absolutely everything I consume or use in it’s most organic form. Not just because it’s a better choice for my health, but because it’s a better choice for the environment. Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides deplete soil and run off into our water supply and kill wildlife. When you choose organic products, you are supporting a small but growing movement away from petrochemical, industrial farming and back to a truly sustainable relationship with the earth. Organic farms are keeping alive varieties of plants that have been lost to the big business of monoculture. They may be the last barrier protecting us from a world of genetically modified, sterile and pesticide ready crops. But perhaps most importantly, organic farming is protecting our soil from erosion and rebuilding precious top soil upon which our lives all depend.

The following list is based on information and studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Working Group. These foods carry a high level of pesticide residue even after washing or peeling when that is possible. The good news is that choosing organic in just these foods can substantially reduce your families risk of pesticide related diseases.

* Beef, chicken and pork

* Dairy products: Milk, cheese and butter

* Strawberries, raspberries and cherries

* Apples and pears

* Tomatoes

* Spinach and salad greens

* Potatoes

* Stone fruits: Peaches, nectarines and apricots

* Grapes

* Celery

* Peppers (capsicums), green, yellow and red

* Coffee (also Fair Trade)

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables found to contain the least amount of pesticides. Notice that many of these have thick, inedible skins which protect the fruit.

* Asparagus

* Avocados

* Bananas

* Broccoli

* Cauliflower

* Corn (However, almost all corn is genetically modified)

* Kiwi

* Mangoes

* Onions

* Papaya

* Pineapples

* Sweet Peas

Other tips is to buy produce from your local farmers market. You may find farmers who are ‘almost’ organic but not yet certified and their prices may be better than you’d find elsewhere. Also, there are organic farmers who give very reasonable prices to customers who buy a box of whatever is ready to be harvested. This is an economical way to get your organic veggies and try foods that you may not be accustomed to.

Try to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables so you limit your exposure to chemicals associated with any one product. There are many stores that advertise now, bio-clean, or some label which indicates the food has been assessed to have a low pesticide residue – even though the food is not organic, it may be a better choice. Buy your organic choices in moderation and use them more sparingly to save money. And most importantly, plant your own organic vegetables. There are so many ways to have a patio garden of at least some salad vegetables that will feed your family well for a season. Whatever you can afford, consider it a down payment on your families health and well being when you choose organic.

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Cultivating Food Security in Africa

2010-03-02T17:00:01Z

photo credit to Bernard Pollack.

This article is reprinted with permission from it’s authors: Abdou Tenkouano and Danielle Nierenberg.

As hunger and drought spread across Africa, a huge effort is underway to increase yields of staple crops, such as maize, wheat, cassava, and rice. While these crops are important for food security, providing much-needed calories, they don’t provide much protein, vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, and other important vitamins and micronutrients—or taste. Yet, none of the staple crops would be palatable without vegetables.

Vegetables are less risk-prone to drought than staple crops that stay in the field for longer periods. Because vegetables typically have a shorter growing time, they can maximize scarce water supplies and soil nutrients better than crops such as maize, which need a lot of water and fertilizer.

Unfortunately, no country in Africa has a big focus on vegetable production. But that’s where AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center steps in. Since the 1990s, the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (based in Taiwan) has been working in Africa, with offices in Tanzania, Mali, Cameroon, and Madagascar, to breed cultivars that best suit farmers’ needs.

photo credit to Bernard Pollack.

By listening to farmers and including them in breeding research, AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center is building a sustainable seed system in sub-Saharan Africa. The Center does this by breeding a variety of vegetables with different traits—including resistance to disease and longer shelf life—and by bringing the farmers to the Regional Center in Arusha and to other offices across Africa to find out what exactly those farmers need in the field and at market.

Babel Isack, a tomato farmer from Tanzania, is just one of many farmers who visits the Center, advising staff about which vegetable varieties would be best suited for his particular needs—including varieties that depend on fewer chemical sprays and have a longer shelf life.

The Center works with farmers to not only grow vegetables, but also to process and cook them. Often, vegetables are cooked for so long that they lose most of their nutrients. To solve that problem, Mel Oluoch, a Liaison Officer with the Center’s Vegetable Breeding and Seed System Program (vBSS), works with women to improve the nutritional value of cooked foods by helping them develop shorter cooking times.

photo credit to Bernard Pollack

“Eating is believing,” says Oluoch, who adds that when people find out how much better the food tastes—and how much less fuel and time it takes to cook—they don’t need much convincing about the alternative methods. Oluoch also trains both urban and rural farmers on seed production. “The sustainability of seed,” says Oluoch, “is not yet there in Africa.” In other words, farmers don’t have access to a reliable source of seed for indigenous vegetables, such as amaranth, spider plant, cowpea, okra, moringa, and other crops.

Although many of these vegetables are typically thought of as weeds, not food, they are a vital source of nutrients for millions of people and can help alleviate hunger. Despite their value, these “weeds” are typically neglected on the international agricultural research agenda. As food prices continue to rise in Africa—in some countries food is 50-80 percent higher than in 2007—indigenous vegetables are becoming an integral part of home gardens.

The hardiness and drought-tolerance of traditional vegetables become increasingly important as climate change becomes more evident. Many indigenous vegetables use less water than hybrid varieties and some are resistant to pests and disease, advantages that will command greater attention from farmers and policymakers, and make the work of AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center more urgent and necessary than ever before.

Abdou Tenkouano is director of the Regional Center for Africa of AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center in Arusha, Tanzania. Danielle Nierenberg is a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute blogging daily from Africa.

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Dangerous Fruits & Vegetables – How to protect yourself & your family

2010-02-24T21:18:37Z

Most of us shop choosing produce that we like to eat and comparing price – does it look fresh, is it on sale? But appearances are deceiving. Those beautiful apples, peaches or grapes may look great, but they are loaded with toxic pesticides and other chemicals that are hazardous to your health. Pesticides are endemic in the way all our food is produced, except that which is labeled as USDA organic. The amount and kinds of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides used, varies depending on the fruit or vegetable and where it is grown.

In America, we have some restrictions on the amount and type of pesticide that can be used based on determinations of ‘tolerance levels’. These ‘acceptable levels’ are obtained using risk assessments performed by the pesticide manufacturers – an arrangement that seems likely to skew results to find pesticides safe to use at levels that may not be compatible with our best interests. Even so, the tests are done only for single pesticides at minimal exposure levels. The compounding effects of exposure to multiple pesticides via air, food and water have simply not been done. Do you wonder why?

Since the use of organophosphate pesticides continues to increase exponentially, our total exposure is much higher than has been tested for safety. Independent studies have shown neuro-toxic effects on developing animals from organophosphate pesticides at legally tolerable levels. There is substantial evidence that long term health risks including Parkinson’s disease and diabetes can result from cumulative exposure.

Farm workers have been afflicted with cancers, respiratory problems, memory disorders, dermatologic conditions, depression, neurological deficits, miscarriages, and birth defects. I can’t help but wonder if our exposure isn’t increasing to levels endured by farm workers through cumulative exposure. It would certainly seem that the diseases that have been tied to pesticide exposure are on the rise and I can’t help but worry about the connection.

“Children have been found to be especially susceptible to the harmful effects of pesticides. A number of research studies have found higher instances of brain cancer, leukemia and birth defects in children with early exposure to pesticides, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.” Wikipedia. Mothers exposed to pesticides via food or through other channels are known to pass on the chemicals to their fetus where is can have profound consequences – miscarriages and birth defects are well documented at ‘tolerable levels’ of exposure.

Mandatory pesticide applications in school and office buildings to prevent pest infestation are regularly reapplied and represent a much higher level of cumulative exposure than studies have evaluated for safety. “No testing has ever been done specifically pertaining to threats among children.” Wikipedia To me, the cumulative impact of pesticides on our food is an obvious health hazard to all of us, but especially to our children. Thankfully, there is an alternative that is completely free of pesticide residue, artificial hormones, genetic modification and other petrochemical contaminants – Organic food.

Organic farmers have successfully managed pests with biological pest controls, composting, crop rotation, polyculture (growing different plants together) and non chemical methods of interfering with insect breeding. In the U.S., farmers have also had success controlling pests by steam cleaning the soil at a cost that is about the same as pesticide spraying. This technique forces steam into the soil and has the added benefit of curing soil fatigue through the release of nutritive substances that were blocked prior to the treatment. In essence, it revitalizes the soil and promotes quicker growth and strengthened resistance against plant disease and pests.

Granted, organic foods do cost more and often don’t look as pristine and perfect. But, they are more nutrient rich because the soil they are grown on is vital and healthy. Eating even a few organic foods can greatly reduce the pesticide risk to your health. Particularly, certain fruits and vegetables consistently show up with high pesticide residue or use pesticides that cannot be removed by peeling or washing. According to the EPA:

Top fruits and vegetables with high pesticide residue include:

* Peaches and Nectarines: Peaches require a large amount of pesticides to grow conventionally and have extremely delicate skin, making them the top organic fruit pick – with nectarines not far behind.

* Apples: Apples are the second priority when choosing organic produce, as their pesticide loads consistently test high.

* Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are the number one vegetable to buy organic. They have thin skins and are heavily sprayed with insecticides.

* Celery: Celery lacks a protective outer layer and needs many different chemicals for conventional growth, making it number two on the list of vegetables to buy organic.

* Strawberries: Strawberries rank high on the organic priority list. They are treated with very large amounts of pesticides, including fungicides. When purchased out-of-season, they probably come from a country with inadequate pesticide regulations.

* Cherries: Cherries continually rank high for pesticide contamination.

* Lettuce and Spinach: Lettuce and spinach are often found to have high levels of various pesticides – sometimes very potent types.

* Imported Grapes: Imported grapes are likely to have higher pesticide levels than domestic. Vineyards may be sprayed with a number of different pesticides throughout the growing season. Because grapes have a permeable skin, even peeling will not eliminate the residues.

* Pears: Pears consistently show high levels of pesticides when tested.

* Potatoes: Potatoes are at high risk for pesticide contamination and may also be affected by chemicals, such as fungicides, in the surrounding soil.

* Tomatoes: consistently among the highest levels of pesticide residue that cannot be removed by washing or peeling.

Safer Non-Organic Foods – produce that has a lower pesticide residue include:

* Fruit: pineapple, mango, kiwi, banana, mango, papaya, blueberries, watermelon

* Vegetables: onions, avocado, sweet corn (may be GM), sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, brussel sprouts

While this article doesn’t address other food stuffs, such as dairy products, eggs, meats and grains, all of these products are equally affected by the pesticide problem as well as other additives such as artificial hormones. I hope to address these issues in future articles.

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BPA Protection: Spinach and Soy

2010-02-24T21:19:25Z

As the facts keep coming in about all the toxins that we are exposed to and how hard it is to avoid them, it’s easy to feel disheartened. Most recently, I’ve been very concerned about Bisphenol A, a plastic that is a known hormone disrupter which is used to line canned food products and is in many baby products. I can’t help wondering just how high my own families exposure has been after years of canned tomatoes, tuna, soups etc. etc. I’ve been taking steps to eliminate cans unless they are clearly labeled, BPA free, but it seems even that isn’t an absolute assurance. Recently, I learned that one can be exposed to this chemical simply from handling grocery store receipts and then eating without washing your hands. It sometimes seems the list of things we need to be wary of, just keeps getting longer and longer.

So, when I read this article “BPA Protection: Spinach and Soy” by Dr. Alan Greene on Healthy Child Healthy World, it was a great comfort. Apparently, there is promising research that shows that consuming green leafy vegetables, (such as spinach, kale, collard greens) and natural soy beans can reverse the damage caused by BPA exposure. While the study was conducted with pregnant women, there is reason to believe that the benefits would extend into childhood and even adulthood – although the strongest results are likely to be during our earliest years.

The nutrients believed to be responsible for the blocking of the genetic damage caused by BPA exposure is folate, in green leafy vegetables and genistein, found in legumes such as soy. We already know that these foods are beneficial for other reasons and should be part of a balanced diet, but protecting us from cancer and reproductive problems is definitely another reason to seek them out.

Personally, I think it’s important to seek these foods out in an organic form. When you buy organic, you are assured that there is no dangerous pesticide residue. Also, since most soy in this country comes from genetically altered crops, I only buy organic soy to avoid whatever unknown risks GM foods may contain.

One of my favorite, super quick ways to cook spinach is to buy organic frozen spinach, cook according to directions, drain and then add a couple tablespoons of cream cheese. Mix well and add salt and pepper and you have a creamed spinach in minute. If there are leftovers, I like to add this mix to our scrambled eggs the next morning for an easy spinach omelet. I buy the huge containers of organic baby spinach greens and use them as a base for our daily salads. Friends have told me they never buy the big cartons because they can’t use it all up before it goes off, but spinach cooks down to nothing and I always find a way to toss it into a soup and use it up quickly.

In fact, one of the standard meals I made for my children when they were babies was to put 1 heaping spoonful of steamed organic spinach, any cooked organic potato and raw organic tofu into my baby mill. Turn the crank and a super satisfying and nutritious dinner is ready. Add a dribble of flax oil or organic butter for extra flavor and nutrients.

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A Global Crisis of Food Wastage

2010-02-24T21:20:04Z

One year ago, a report was released by the United Nations Environment Program that over half of the food produced globally is lost, wasted or discarded as a result of inefficiency in the human-managed food chain. This is a staggering fact that is substantiated by data from countries all around the world. It seems the food crisis that we are currently facing, blamed largely on decreasing yields due to climate change, depleted soil, lack of adequate water, and so on, is more a crisis of management than production. In fact, there is strong evidence, according to UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, that the world could feed it’s entire population, right now, by simply becoming more efficient and reducing the horrific waste that is endemic to the food production industry.

Some figures:

• Up to 25% of all fresh fruits and vegetables in the US is lost between field and table.

• In Australia, food waste makes up half of that country’s landfill.

• In the United Kingdom 30% of all food purchased every year is not eaten.

• Losses in the field between planting and harvesting are around 40% of the potential harvest in developing countries due to pests and pathogens.

• In Africa, 30% of landed fish is lost through discards and spoilage.

• Approximately 30 million metric tons of fish are discarded at sea every year.

• India looses up to 50% of it’s fresh food because of inadequate storage and distribution.

• In South East Asia 37% of rice is lost between field and table. In China, the figure is up to 45%, in Vietnam, it’s estimated to be 80%!

Another factor that accentuates the waste factor in America and Great Britain is the draconian penalties on food suppliers for failing to deliver agreed upon quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. To avoid these crippling penalties, farmers are required to produce a much larger crop than can actually be sold or processed as a form of insurance against poor weather or other factors that might reduce their yield. In some instances, up to 30% of a crop is left to rot. Another 30% of that crop never reaches the supermarket because it is ‘sub standard’ or substantially trimmed for packaging purposes. Of the final produce that reaches our supermarkets, up to 50% is then thrown away.

While it is impossible to calculate the wastage of food from restaurants and all other places where food is served, the final figures of how much food is consumed, compared to how much is produced, must be an astonishingly small percentage. This system of putting incredible pressure on our food producers only so that at least half of what is produced can be thrown away, is clearly unsustainable.

This same study indicates that up to 25% of the world’s current food production capacity may be lost due to “environmental breakdowns” by 2050. Already, cereal yields have stagnated worldwide and fish landings are steadily declining. As the world’s population presses towards 9.5 billion by the year 2050 the demand on the world’s limited resources will reach a breaking point. We cannot ‘produce’ our way out of the next crisis, we must ‘conserve’ our way out.

What can you do?

Plan more carefully the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that your family will consume on a weekly basis and limit your purchases to that amount.
When food is on the verge of going bad, cook it and freeze it. This works well with excess veggies that can be made into a soup and frozen, or apples which can be made into applesauce and kept longer.
Encourage your family to take smaller portions and go back for more if still hungry rather than filling your plate and throwing half away.
Learn to be creative with leftovers. Most meals can be recycled easily the next day into another meal or added to a soup or packed for lunches.
Feed your pet table scraps. In most cases, your animal will be healthier and that last piece of something that is too small to save will not be wasted.
If you shop at a store with large packs of produce or meat, consider shopping with a friend so you can divide the packages and not have excess food in your frige.
At restaurants, bring a Tupperware to take home leftovers or opt to share a meal if the servings are particularly large, or simply eat an appetizer and soup or desert.
If you find you’ve made more than your family can eat of something, bring the leftovers in to your office to share. Maybe have a potluck Thursday when leftovers can be pooled for a fun meal.
Shop at your local farmers market to help small scale farmers and get your produce days after harvest instead of weeks at the supermarket.

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FRESH ORGANICS BUBBLE BATH WINS AWARD!

2010-02-23T19:37:07Z

SAFBABY has awarded Fresh Organics it’s most prestigious Green Award. “We love Fresh Organics Calming Bubble Bath, free of sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, parabens, petroleum, phthalates, artificial fragrances and colors and free of nut oils, gluten, soy and dairy! And if all of that doesn’t make you bubble up inside with joy, wait till you hear how affordable this stuff is.”

See the press release here

# Certified Organic: Made using certified organic and wild crafted ingredients. The total included certified organic ingredients exceeds 95% of the total possible. Organic Baby products are certified in accordance with the National Science Foundation organic standard.

# No animal products, no animal testing: Organic Baby is a cruelty-free company.

# MADE IN THE USA: Manufactured in Rocklin, CA.

# Packaged in a 100% recyclable PE plastic squeeze bottle.

# The behind the scenes office and energy practices of this company are eco-friendly.

Full review here

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Immeasurable Risk of GM food

2010-02-23T19:39:50Z

In my last article, GM Foods – A growing concern, I presented information that proposes that Genetically Modified food has not been adequately tested, shows every sign of being unsafe for human consumption, has not improved yields or had a positive impact on the world food crisis and has led to an increased reliance on highly toxic herbicides and pesticides. The process is an immature and unpredictable science that tampers with the genetic integrity of our food supply and indirectly, with our bodies, our health, our lives.

While the PR machine of the GM industry continues to promise a great deal, to date it has not marketed a single crop with enhanced nutrition, drought-tolerance, salt-tolerance or any other ‘beneficial’ trait. The main trait that has been successfully engineered is extreme herbicide and pesticide tolerance in over 80% of all GM crops. This trait has allowed for increased pesticide use and has caused an epidemic of herbicide-resistant weeds requiring the use of even more toxic pesticides. Conveniently, the same companies that manufacture the genetically altered seeds, are among the world’s largest providers of these pesticides.

Despite persistent concerns about GMO’s (genetically modified organisms), they are spreading so rapidly that it has become almost impossible for consumers to avoid them. Between 1997 and 2005, the total surface area of land cultivated with GMOs had increased by a factor of 50, from 17,000 km2 (4.2 million acres) to 900,000 km2 (222 million acres). More than 100 million acres of the world’s most fertile farmland were planted with genetically modified crops just last year. Wind-blown pollen, commingled seeds and black market plantings have extended the propagation of this new technology into the far corners of the world’s food supply – perhaps irreversibly, according to agricultural experts.

Gene-altered crops are already ubiquitous in the United States, but Europe and parts of Asia have restrictions on the use of GM foods, and has tried to halt or slow down their import. Scientists there say that tampering with nature could inadvertently alter species, harm wildlife and give rise to unforeseen ecological and biological problems. They also worry about the long-term health consequences of eating foods that are armed with insecticides, antibiotics and foreign genes as well as being saturated with abnormally high levels of toxic pesticides.

Already, food makers around the world are finding traces of gene-altered crops in foods that were not supposed to be made with them. Midwestern farmers are complaining that wind is blowing pollen from gene-altered crops into neighboring fields planted with conventional corn. Even some organic crops labeled “GM Free” are testing positive for genetic modification.

“We have found traces in corn that has been grown organically for 10 to 15 years,” said Arran Stephens, president of Nature’s Path Foods, an organic producer of breads and cereals based in Delta, British Columbia. “There’s no wall high enough to keep that stuff contained.”

Yet, there have been cases of lawsuits brought against innocent farmers both in the US and Canada by Monsanto where their seeds were inadvertently spread into a farmers field by wind or insects. “Farmers are being sued for having GMOs on their property that they did not buy, do not want, will not use and cannot sell.” – Tom Wiley, North Dakota farmer. But because the seeds are the patented property of the biotech company, they have legal ground to sue for the ‘stealing’ of their technology’.

The fact that ingredients in foods are not required to be labeled as Genetically Modified, is to me the final insult. How can we as consumers protect ourselves and our families from a genetic Trojan horse? We can not measure it’s effect because genetically modified ingredients are not identified as such and therefore illnesses cannot be traced to consumption of these altered foods.

On a personal note, my husband has suffered from increasingly severe food allergies. He has become allergic to any product containing any form of soy, corn, dairy (fed GM crops) wheat, canola oil and more. He hadn’t been allergic to any of these foods earlier in his life. Now he’s become allergic to even more foods, even organically grown fruits and nuts and his reactions are so severe that they’ve become medical emergencies. I believe his hyper-reactivity is caused by the unwitting consumption of GM foods.

Intense allergic reactions to more and more foods, previously not problematic is one of the main reactions to eating GM crops, well documented in animal testing. Further evidence of this to me is that when we travel to countries where GM products are not used, his food allergies gradually disappear. Of course, illnesses of this kind are not being linked to GM crops and that allows the Biotech corporations to reassure us that there have been no reported cases of health problems associated with the consumption of GM foods. To find out how much GM food your family is consuming, click on the link below.

GM foods currently commercialized.

Read a brief Health Risks Brochure by the Institute for Responsible Technology

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Genetically Modified Food – A Growing Concern

2010-02-23T19:41:42Z

Like most people, I’m concerned about the quality of the food that my family consumes. I’m well educated about the nutritional value of one food over another, but I was astonishingly ignorant of the fact that my family has been consuming foods that are genetically modified on a daily basis. As I began to research this subject recently I discovered what seems to be a fast dance of political and corporate collusion that has manipulated the world’s food supply for the profit of the few, at the peril of the many. Am I being over reactive? Read on and consider these facts, or do further research of your own. This is an important issue.

Genetically Modified foods have not been tested for safety.

Genetically Modified food has been in development for over 20 years and has been in widespread commercial use for about 15 years. Most Americans mistakenly believe that GM foods have gone through rigorous, in-depth, long-term, independent studies. In reality, the FDA has required absolutely no safety testing but instead relied upon research from companies like Monsanto, which produces the products. This is like Phillip Morris doing the research to decide if cigarette smoking is safe for your children!

The FDA’s extremely lax policy on regulation of GM foods only makes sense when you notice the revolving door between agency regulators and the companies they regulate. The first George Bush mandated that GM food be actively promoted and put Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto attorney, in charge of developing the agency’s policy. Taylor later returned to Monsanto as their vice president.

While the FDA has claimed it was unaware of any information showing that GM crops were different from non-GMO crops and therefore didn’t require testing; 44,000 internal FDA documents made public by a lawsuit prove this to be a complete lie. The overwhelming consensus among the FDA’s own scientists was that GM foods could lead to dangerous and hard-to-detect allergens, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. Unfortunately, the FDA scientists who urged their superiors to require long-term studies had their work discredited and the results suppressed.

GM foods are not needed to solve the food crisis

Since GM crops have been in wide spread use, there has been no evidence that they significantly increase crop yields. According to former US EPA and US FDA biotech specialist Dr Gurian-Sherman – when it comes to yield, “Traditional breeding outperforms genetic engineering hands down.” Similarly, the claims that GM crops will produce plants with greater drought resistance, will reduce fertilizer use and pollution or save soil have also been proven utterly false. In fact, many studies have shown that GM yields are less than traditional and in drought or stressed growing conditions, organic farming methods had the highest production rates. If these companies were truly interested in providing

GM crops increase the use of toxic pesticides

It was widely publicized that GM crops would require fewer pesticides and herbicides because these ingredients were already being genetically added to the plant. But in fact, reducing pesticide and herbicide use when that is what your company makes is not good business. So, what they do provide is ‘Round-up Ready’ crops. High herbicide tolerance is found in over 80% of all GM crops planted worldwide. These crops are genetically designed to survive normally lethal doses of pesticides.

The increased use of pesticides is part of the package that farmers buy when they opt to cultivate GM seeds. In fact, GM crops have caused an epidemic of herbicide-resistant weeds and boosted sales of even more toxic pesticides – including ones banned in some European countries. GM plants therefore have extremely high pesticide residue which when ingested by humans can cause serious health problems.

Genetic Modification is not a well controlled science

There are eight GM food crops. The five major ones are: soy, corn, canola, cotton, and sugar beets. Bacterial genes are forcibly transferred across natural species barriers using imprecise laboratory techniques that bear no resemblance to natural breeding to allow the plants to survive an otherwise lethal dose of weed killer. The process creates massive collateral damage:

• Mutations are produced in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA.

• Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off.

• Hundreds of genes may change their behavior.

• Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.

A second GM trait is a built-in pesticide, primarily used in GM corn and cotton. A gene from the soil bacterium called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is inserted into the plant’s DNA, where it secretes the insect-killing Bt-toxin in every cell. There is evidence that these genes continue to be active in the human gut, reproducing and mutating the normal bacteria found there into a virtual pesticide factory. These altered genes have a tendency to migrate and have been found in virtually every organ system in lab animals who were fed the altered food with devastating and deadly effect. No human testing has been done but the evidence is that genetic migration is extensive and poses serious risks to our biosphere and human life.

GM foods are not safe

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ and system studied in lab animals. GM soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice and people who are not allergic to regular soy are commonly allergic to GM soy and it’s derivatives. GM products also seems to cause people to become allergic to a variety of non-GM foods. Animal tests have shown damage to the reproductive system causing infertility, mutations, damaged liver, decreased immunity, and toxic responses that resulted in the animals death.

The only published human feeding experiment revealed that the genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function there. This means that long after we stop eating GM foods, we may still have their GM proteins reproducing inside us. If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GM crops were to transfer, it could create super diseases, resistant to antibiotics. If the gene that creates Bt-toxin in GM corn were to transfer, it could turn our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories. Animal studies show that DNA in food can travel into organs throughout the body, even into a fetus. Further research into these risks has been suppressed but anecdotal evidence is growing that consuming GM foods or animal products from animals fed GM foods may well be hazardous not only to your health, but the health of your entire genetic line. Even if there were no risks involved in the forced genetic mutation of cells, the heavy pesticide residue is an established health risk, especially to children. As a parent, I don’t want to give my children anything that is even remotely suspect, much less a food that has only been tested by the companies that profit from it’s proliferation. It’s time we all learned more about this and I encourage you to stay tuned as I explore this issue further.

In my next article I will talk more about the impact of GM agribusiness around the world and what we can do about it. For more information please contact: The Institute for Responsible Technology – Your Consumer Safety Partner

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Eating Defensively

2010-02-23T19:43:12Z

It used to be that just finding enough food of any kind to eat was the human dilemma. It still is for billions of people today. But in most affluent nations, having too little isn’t the problem; having too much and, in particular, having more food-like items that aren’t either very nutritious or safe, is becoming an increasing problem.

If you look at the layout of a typical supermarket, the produce is usually on one side, the meat on the opposite side and in between, there are acres of canned, packaged and highly processed items that humans were never exposed to until recently. Today, highly refined, chemical preservative and pesticide laden, nutritionally poor and genetically modified food-like substances are grossly over represented in most large scale food stores. How this has happened is that these food-like substances typically don’t spoil, are made from ingredients heavily subsidized by our government and have a much higher profit margin than real food. Plus, worst of all for parents, they taste good.

My hero of this issue is Michael Pollan. If you haven’t already read his books: In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, (winner of the James Beard Award), and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, (named one of the ten best books of the year), then may I suggest that they will forever transform how you view food. His new book ‘Food Rules’ is now in bookstores and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

One of his comments about how to choose a healthy diet was so elegant that I must share it with you. I’m paraphrasing here a bit, but he says that if the food you’re considering wasn’t around when your grand parents were, then it’s probably not a good choice to eat. For me, my grandparents, who lived on a farm in Germany, that excludes virtually any packaged, processed or commercially canned food. For younger people, they may have to look back to their great grand parents to reach the time when humans were eating a non-commercially modified diet.

With the recent information about the dangers of BPA and it’s prevalence in commercially canned food, now you have to worry not only about the quality of the food that you buy, but how it is packaged. Bisphenol -A is a chemical that is used to make plastics hard, clear and resistant to breakage. It is also used in the lining of canned food products. It leaches into liquids in canned food and at present, there is no real alternative available. BPA is linked to breast cancer, male reproductive dysfunction, autism, obesity, infertility, miscarriages, prostrate problems and cancer.

To be safe, I’ve switched to glass containers for tomatoes, juices, using dried rather than canned beans and making my own soups from scratch. My larder now has rows of glass jars filled with colorful beans, lentils, peas, whole grains, oats, nuts and flours. If you still drink canned or bottled soda or juices, there are dangers of BPA leakage in those items as well. The good news is that frozen fruits and vegetables are nutritionally superior to canned and sometimes even to fresh. The long distance that most fresh foods are shipped causes a dramatic loss of vitamins, whereas most frozen foods are packaged within hours of being picked and their nutrients protected. I’m also finding more organic fruits and vegies available in frozen form and sometimes they are a better deal than buying what’s fresh in the local market.

Another great book to help us figure out what we’re up against is “Genetically Engineered Foods: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers” by Ronnie Cummins and Ben Lilliston. Genetically Engineered food is a huge subject and one that deserves careful scrutiny by all of us, but I urge you to seek out the facts yourself. As far as I can tell, genetically modified crops have not fulfilled their promise of providing greater yields with fewer pesticides but have increased our reliance on pesticides and ‘chemi-culture’. Sterile GE crops have been accused of contributing to the global food crisis and also contaminating non-genetically engineered crops world wide.

Perhaps the worst fact of genetically modified food is that there still is no legal requirement to inform us when GE ingredients are being used. Without this information being tracked, there simply is no way to know what the long term health consequences are. In Robyn O’Briens powerful book “The Unhealthy Truth” more of the consequences of our genetically modified diets are exposed. She examines research that links genetically modified foods to multiple health disorders and the increased prevalence of serious childhood illnesses. It begs the question, how can we protect ourselves from dangers that aren’t even acknowledged or made public?

It seems we do need to eat defensively, and shop with a view of protecting our families from unwanted chemical contamination. To learn more of what you can do, check out a favorite blog of mine at Healthy Child Healthy World.

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Why You Should Give Peas a Chance

2010-02-23T19:45:45Z

Peas, beans, lentils and even peanuts are all vegetables that form a seed pod – otherwise known as legumes. They come in all kinds of colors, shapes, sizes and are a highly valued source of protein in cultures around the world. Yet, in America, we have grown away from the humble bean and consume extraordinary amounts of animal flesh as our principle source of protein. The consequence of this shift has been noted by physicians, scientists and environmentalists alike. Americans are less healthy. They have higher cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and colon cancer than in those cultures where the humble legume is a primary source of nutrition.

While I’m not advocating that we all become total vegetarians, new health guidelines suggest that an optimal amount of meat protein in our diet would be around 11 oz a week. Compare that to the average American consumption of that same amount or more, per day! Our ever increasing reliance on meat has also put unsustainable pressures on land and water resources and is exacerbating global warming. The massive quantities of waste produced by livestock and poultry threaten rivers, lakes and other waterways.

In fact, waste generated by livestock in the US is about 130 times the amount produced by humans! Livestock wastes are implicated in waterway pollution, toxic algal blooms and massive fish kills. Also, livestock farms are getting bigger and bigger throughout the world to meet the worlds increasing demand for meat. Along with the innumerable health risks associated with immoderate consumption of meat, isn’t it time that we all gave peas a chance?

Legumes, are a complex carbohydrate, high in protein and low on the glycemic index. They are also high in fiber, folate, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, calcium, and selenium. High glycemic foods cause our bodies to secrete insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) which has been linked to diabetes. These hormones promote cell growth and inflammation which can weaken your resistance to the development of cancer. Legumes also have many of the B vitamins and are rich in antioxidants, which can prevent cell damage. Many kinds of beans, including soybeans, are rich in saponins, an anti-inflammatory compound which helps your immune system protect you against cancer while it lowers your cholesterol.

Plant Estrogens In Legumes

Women in Asia, who tend to eat a diet high in legumes, have blood levels of phytoestrogens (natural plant estrogens) 20 to 30 times greater than those of most American women who consume far fewer legumes in their diets. Researchers believe that phytoestrogens derived from food plants are a safer alternative than chemical hormone replacement for uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. Several phytoestrogens have been identified and classified into groups, the most potent of these are isoflavones. Many of these phytoestrogens are found in several fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains, but isoflavones are found only in legumes.

Tips for Reducing Flatulence from Beans

Perhaps one of the reasons that beans have been so disregarded in our culture is because they can cause intestinal gas, or flatulence. Most legumes contain a sugar, oligosaccharide, that our digestive tract can’t break down. Taking an enzyme product, such as Beano, with your first bite will help prevent gas or you can add a pinch of Asafoetida (hing powder) while cooking beans. Asafoetida can often be found in Indian specialty stores and it is made from fennel root. You often see fennel seeds at the check out in Indian restaurants because chewing a couple of teaspoons of the seed will also reduce gas after eating beans or cruciferous vegetables.

Other concoctions that minimize gas from legumes include:

- Chewing on some fresh ginger slices soaked in lime juice after meals.

- A drop of dill oil in a tsp of honey taken immediately after a meal.

- Powder 1 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of dry ginger and 1 tsp of green cardamom seeds. Mix ½ tsp of this mixture with water and drink an hour after a meal. (similar to ingredients used in Indian spiced teas).

- Chew a spoonful of celery seeds to get quick relief.

You can also try Anasazi beans (Jacob’s cattle beans) which contain only about a quarter of the oligosaccharide that causes gas and yet have all the benefits. Some people have an easier time with black beans, split peas, lentils or refried beans. Experiment until you find some legumes that your body tolerates well.

In conclusion, beans and other legumes (lentils, split peas) are nutritious staple foods for people all around the world. Cheaper than meat, high in protein, fiber and essential nutrients, beans make a perfect addition to any diet, vegetarian or not.

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