GMOs: Are They Shortening Your Life?

GMOs or genetically modified organisms were initially created as an assist to farmers. If a farmer could kill weeds without killing their crop or if suddenly less water was required to maintain crop health it would be innovative. This was the initial promise of genetically modified organisms in our food. Unfortunately, genetic modification had a downside.

Actual live organisms found immune to certain pesticides were spliced into the genes of plants. The result was a plant whose genetics were modified and now was immune to pesticides such as glyphosate, found in Monsanto’s Round-up product. Glyphosate is one of the most common herbicides used on the planet.

If you offer mice or squirrels or other wild animals the option to eat a genetically engineered (GE) crop vs. a natural one, they’ll choose the natural one every time. Researchers who force-fed animals GE foods developed a whole host of problems including stomach lesions, infections, tumors (extremely large ones), intestinal inflammation, and early death. Rats had babies that were infertile and their mortality rates dramatically rose to over 55% when forced to eat GM soy.

Companies producing GM products have “gotten around” reporting bad outcomes of studies because “safety” studies typically only last 2 or 3 months. Toxicology reported a study outcome in September of 2012 where a 2-year feeding study was conducted using Monsanto’s Roundup-tolerant maize on rats. A large number of tumors developed around the four-month mark. You see the problem.

Dr. Samsel was quoted as saying “GMOs pose one of the greatest threats to life on the planet. Genetic engineering is NOT the safe and beneficial technology that it is touted to be.” The doctor is not only a research scientist and hazardous materials expert but is a contractor with the EPA, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Coast Guard.

When Dr. Samsel was a contractor for the EPA he asked to see the trade secret documents of Monsanto’s in order to get to the truth of what Monsanto knew about the possible dangers of glyphosate. He was initially denied but with the help of Senator Shaheen’s office in New Hampshire, the documents were sent to him.

Based on his review of thousands of pages of data from animal studies it became clear Monsanto knew back in 1981 that glyphosate creates tumors and cancer in rats. The animals survived well through the 20th month of ingesting the pesticide, but by the time the 2-year mark rolled around, more than half of them had died. By the 26 month mark, only 30 percent remained. Despite their findings of glyphosate causing tumors, Monsanto never published them nor submitted them to either the FDA or EPA. The studies they did release lasted a mere three months, not nearly long enough to reveal the dangerous outcomes of consuming glyphosate.

A researcher named Dr. Séralini performed studies yielding similar results. His research was retracted from all databases, many feel due to Monsanto’s influence, but re-published in the journal  Environmental Sciences Europe by the Springer Group.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined glyphosate a “probable human carcinogen”.

The author of “Food Plague”, Dr. Arden Andersen, writes genes translocated from one species into another don’t function in a predictable fashion. He associates genetic engineering with infections, a virus, or bacteria foreign to healthy food is literally “infecting” it, thereby consequences are negative and can create disease processes as mentioned above.

Our own human intestines are composed of 100 trillion organisms and through a concept called horizontal gene transfer, it is thought our healthy gut flora can be affected by the organisms used in genetic engineering. In other words, GMO foods could create serious consequences for our immune system through an “infection” like process.

Bt toxin is a pesticide produced by plants once a certain protein, Cry1(b), is inserted in their genes. A Canadian study measuring the presence of the protein in pregnant women and their fetuses found 93% of the mothers had it in their blood, while 80% of their baby’s cord blood tested positive. The amounts of the protein found in the blood were greater than ingestion alone could account for, causing the researchers to surmise it was manufactured within the mothers by their own gut flora.

It takes the concept of “Frankenfood” to a whole new, and frightening level.

The same study was observed to create autism-like behaviors in animals. And yet another study of three species of animals observed pathological destruction of their intestines and acute autistic behavior, reported by an Australian research team who fed this same protein to the animals.

Did you know a healthy human intestinal tract has 100 trillion microbes, making up our microbiome? These organisms manufacture vitamins such as B, K plus fatty acids. Too, the microbiome gives strength to our immune system and, when healthy, can keep bad genes, those that initiate disease, turned off. The microbiome is so fundamental to our health or, once weakened, our risk of disease, anything that can adversely affect is must be considered quite seriously. The writing is on the wall that GMO foods fall into such a concerning category.

Could GMO foods be linked to depression, mood disorders, and anxiety? According to Dr. Samsel, yes. He explains: “Glyphosate disrupts tryptophan, an amino acid necessary for the production of serotonin.” Where is serotonin produced? As a chemical affecting your brain, you would assume it’s manufactured there, but 90 percent of it is produced in your gut by your friendly bacteria. Giving us another reason to protect the health and integrity of our microbiome.

Drugs designed to increase serotonin are prescribed by the millions. The drugs are called SSRIs, but they wouldn’t be prescribed if serotonin production was normal. Such drugs have extremely dangerous side effects, including suicidal tendencies. Would it make more sense to get to the root cause of decreased serotonin naturally? Would it be reasonable to enhance the function of the part of the body that normally and naturally manufactures serotonin? I think so, and as you just learned, 90% of serotonin is manufactured in the gut. Glyphosate is suspected of disrupting the amino acid that leads to serotonin production – a serious accusation that adds to the list of glyphosate’s crimes against our bodies.
The types of tumors demonstrated in the 26-month long feeding study of Dr. Séralini, and others, are present at an all-time high in our population. Dr. Seneff, Dr. Samsel, and Dr. Swanson feel it indicates the negative effects of glyphosate beginning to manifest in human health.

GMOs have been in our diet for only 15 years. With a human lifespan of around 80, the true and irrefutable effects of GMOs on human health will likely take many more years to define. Scientists and researchers studying GMOs feel they are shortening our lifespan through a variety of mechanisms. Time will tell for sure but do you want to be part of the research project?

Even if you’ve been a consumer of some of the foods most rich in GMOs, including soy and corn, there are steps you can take to relieve your body of GMO’s negative effects. That’s good news! Of course, the first order of priority is to stop consuming GMO foods whenever possible. Once they are no longer coming into the body, the process of detoxification can begin in earnest.

The good news is the body is able to excrete glyphosate via urine and feces. Unfortunately, the not so good news discovered by Dr. Samsel when he reviewed Monsanto’s “secret” studies was the ability of glyphosate to enter our bone marrow, the location of where we produce our blood cells. Over the course of a 10 hour time period, the glyphosate can remain stable. The result is white blood cells produced in the bone marrow can carry the pesticide with them as they leave the bone and travel to the thymus and tonsils to mature.

As if it wasn’t bad enough glyphosate affected the immune system by its negative effect on gut bacteria, it produces a double whammy through its effect on our blood cells at a deep molecular level.

5 Steps to Reduce Glyphosate Exposure and Improve Detoxification

1. Eat organic and non-GMO. Your biggest risk of exposure comes from non-organic processed foods. Non-GMO foods aren’t all organic so there will still be some pesticides present. Strive for organic therefore whenever you can. Recent new laws have made it legal to not label GMO foods as GMO. Why? Your government doesn’t want you to know whether a food is GMO or not. Don’t even get me started! The solution is to look for labels of “non-GMO” or “organic”, as companies who do care about your health want you to know what you’re eating.

Note: the word “sugar” on an ingredient list means derived from sugar beets, a crop that is more than 90% GMO. While I would rather you sweeten things with dates or maple syrup of just plain fruit, if you are eating a product with added sugar ensure the source is “organic cane sugar” to avoid any GMO exposure.

2. Avoid high pesticide fruits and vegetables. The “dirty dozen” as they are known, is a list of the fruits and vegetables that must be avoided unless organic due to high pesticide residues. Also acquaint yourself with the “clean fifteen”, the produce you can get away with consuming when you cannot get organic as they are not riddled with high pesticides generally. A list of both is found on the internet. The need of healthy fiber to feed your microbiome, gut bacteria, is best achieved through eating organic fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes.

3. Hydrate with at least eight, 8 oz servings of “clean” water per day.

4. Safely prepare and store food. Discard non-stick pans and plastic bowls and cooking utensils.  The safest cooking pans are stainless, ceramic or glass. Plastic storage containers leach dangerous chemicals into your food and beverages. Opt for glass or stainless containers.

5. Move toward more natural, low chemical cleaning products, detergents, personal care and dish soap options. As you finish a product take some time to research an option that is organic, free of chemicals, and utilizes natural ingredients. Essential oils, vinegar, and the like are effective in cleansers and won’t result in your skin “eating” dangerous chemicals. We often forget the skin is our body’s largest organ and it does ingest what is placed on it topically. Lawn and plants should also be treated naturally, no dangerous pesticides.

GE salmon was recently approved by the FDA. Since it’s not labeled as such, do be aware and only dine on a verified non-GMO product.

Finally, consider getting active on a grassroots level with local government to defend your right to know what is in your food.