News on GMO's

Here are some posts on GMO's Hot Off the Press:

GMO Poll Finds Huge Majority Say Foods Should Be Labeled Huffington Post Americans are largely uncertain over whether genetically modified foods are safe for the environment or safe to eat, but the vast majority say that foods containing genetically modifiedingredients should be labeled, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov ... See all stories on this topic »

Vt. House committee approves GMO labeling bill Addison County Independent MONTPELIER — Vermont is one step closer to becoming the first state to put mandatory labels ongenetically modified food products. On Friday, the House Agriculture Committee, after weeks of testimony, passed H.112, or the “GMO labeling bill,” by an 8 ... See all stories on this topic »

Shumlin: GMO labeling good, bill bad Barre Montpelier Times Argus Shumlin heard from Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Thomas Donahue against the bill on the grounds it would harm a number of local businesses, like Westminster Cracker, which uses genetically modified Canola Oil. Then a member of the ... See all stories on this topic »

Our Foods, You, and the Corporate World

Recent News:

6,000,000 American children have food allergies. That means 1 in 12 children. That's incredible! It is more pervasive that what was formerly thought by experts. Two in five have severe reactions, and experts, it was said, have no idea what's causing the epidemic.

Interestingly however, there have been experts for many years that do have, and have had "an idea" as to what is causing this horrendous problem.

I have posted a video from a TEDx Event featuring Robin O'Brien. She was a food industry analyst working on Wall Street prior to starting her family of 4 children. Reared on Twinkies and Poor Boys, she admittedly didn't give a lot of credence to health foods and organic produce until the day one of her children had a terrible allergic reaction to her breakfast... scrambled eggs, blue yogurt, and Eggo Waffles. She immediately took the child to her doctor. While at the doctors, she was told that the foods were on the top of the list for allergic reactions. She was alarmed and horrified to be told that common foods that average kids eat could cause her child to be so sick. That event started her analytical mind to seek answers, and what she found shocked her as she dug deeper.

She found:

A reason why children are having more food allergies now than the previous generations...

Chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and bovine growth hormone-a synthetic protein which is linked to breast, prostrate, and colon cancer, that are allowed in the US, are not allowed in over 27 countries in Europe as well as many others around the world, & more.

Ms. O'Brien's lecture is most interesting and important information for everyone, especially parents and grandparents. She has chronicled her findings in her new book, The Unhealthy Truth.

From our own research, Donna and I have known for years that pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, food coloring, food additives, preservatives, etc, affect people. Dr. Feingold's studies back in the 70's tied additives and food coloring to so many health challenges including severe allergies that children were experiencing, and those things are in nearly everything packaged, especially cereals!

Side note here: Read your labels!!! If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. Shop on the perimeter of the groceries stores and avoid the inner aisles whenever you can, for your food choices. Shop for fresh, non-packaged, non-preserved, unadulterated foods as much as possible. Now to get back on track...:)

However, in the US in the last 2 decades there are now GMO's added to the list and more and more pesticides and herbicides-literally thousands of them. With that, as well as, all the other things in our food supply, illnesses and allergies have escalated to alarming proportions among all age groups, especially children. Their immune systems from birth are being attacked from all sides in our highly chemicalized world.

The video is a good overview from a food analyst's standpoint that brings the corporate world and the bottom-line financial aspect into the picture. Watch and do share.

Have a blessed day,
Stephen

Great Quote:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

P.S. For a PDF on some of the GMO's-CLICK HERE

What Effects May GMOs Have on Humans?

This is a thought provoking quote regarding Genetically Modified Crops I thought you may find of interest:

"We simply do not know the long-term consequences for human health and the wider environment...If something does go badly wrong, we will be faced with the problem of clearing up a kind of pollution which is self-perpetuating. I am not convinced that anyone has the first idea of how this could be done." Charles, Prince of Wales, June 1998--Speaking About Genetically Modified Crops. This quote is found in the book Harvest for Hope, A Guide to Mindful Eating by Jane Goodall in Chapter 4, entitled, Seeds of Discontent: Very insightful book!

The UK Progressive reports:

If you're not buying organically produced foods (or growing your own food), then you're probably eating genetically modified ingredients in most of the processed foods you're consuming.80% of the food sold is now GMO food.

"Scientific testing has not been done on what effects GMOs may have on humans. What has been shown is that GMO foods contain excessive amounts of certain toxins, the effects of which have not been determined. Genetically modified foods also negatively impact the environment by creating more toxins and potentially leading to the creation of mutated soil bacteria, which may lead to more harm regarding the future of food production." UK Progressive March 29, 2011

A very interesting PDF for you with scientific references. CLICK HERE.

GMO Explained-Very Informative! Watch This Today

Hello,

Most people do not understand what genetic modification, GMO, is, and it is important that you do. Do visit Health Freedom US in the tabs and click on Info when you get to the site to learn even more from various informational sources. This is a very serious subject and one that all of us need to understand.

Here is an entertaining and, yet, most educational and easy to understand presentation for you. Please follow the prompts. You will need to click the arrow to proceed. Hope you enjoy it.

To your health & prosperity,
Stephen

P.S. Here is a PDF on GMO's that has some interesting facts. It's a good, short overview to go along with the PPT.

Aggie the Traveling Agrobacterium

More PowerPoint presentations from Barbara Peterson

Could GMO's Be Entering Your Health Food Store?

Check out what may be at your health food store...Interesting article.

"No one would guess that there are genetically engineered foods right here in Whole Foods," said Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director of the Organic Consumers Association, which organized the protest. The activists dramatically trashed a battery of well-known health food brands outside the store, including Tofutti, Kashi and Boca Burgers.

Though people have been modifying foodstuffs through selective breeding and other methods for centuries, genetically modified crops differ in that the plants grow from seeds in which DNA splicing has been used to place genesfrom another source into a plant. In this way, the crop can be made to withstand a weed-killing pesticide, for example, or incorporate a bacterial toxin that can repel pests.

Some consumers are concerned that such changes may pose health risks and say manufacturers should be required to prove GMOs are safe for human consumption before putting them on the market. They also say products containing genetically modified ingredients should be identified for the consumer; the U.S. is one of the few industrialized nations that does not require such labeling or testing.

Industry representatives say that GMOs are safe and that labeling them is unnecessary, citing a 1992 statement from theFDA saying the agency had no reason to believe GMOs "differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way." No mainstream regulatory organization in the U.S. has opposed the introduction of GMOs.

"FDA has the scientific and nutrition expertise to establish food labeling and to assess food safety," said Ab Basu, the Biotechnology Industry Organization's acting executive vice president for food and agriculture. "You can look at the FDA website and see that if the corn is substantially equivalent to corn produced conventionally, there is no reason to label it as being any different."

Critics of the technology say they are concerned not only about possible health risks but also about soil and plant nutrient losses, contamination of non-GMO crops and increased pesticide use..." Cont'd HERE--By Monica Eng, Tribune reporter

Monsanto to Be in Charge of It's Own Testing? Interesting...

This sounds like the wolf being in charge of the chicken house.

According to fastcompany.com,

"Monsanto, enemy of organic farmers and anti-GMO advocates alike, will likely be allowed to conduct its own environmental studies as part of a two-year USDA experiment. But there is no good that can possibly come of an experiment where the company behind nearly every genetically modified crop in our daily diets is allowed to decide whether its products are causing any environmental harm. And Monsanto isn't the only biotech company that will be permitted to police itself.

As it stands, the USDA is responsible for assessing environmental impacts of new GMO crops. The agency has been lax about this, to say the least. In 2005, the USDA gave Monsanto the go-ahead to unleash its sugar beets before preparing an Environmental Impact Statement. This decision eventually triggered a judge to rule that Monsanto sugar beet seedlings should be ripped from the ground.

Because the USDA is so bad at doing its job on time, the agency decided to see if anyone else was prepared to do its safety testing work instead. And so it looks like the USDA will at least temporarily hand over environmental impact reporting responsibilities to the biotech companies behind GMO crops. The pilot program will allow these companies to conduct their own environmental assessments of crops or outsource the work to contractors." Read the whole article.

This is important because now we have Round-Up resistant Super Weeds. What's next?

Till next time,
Stephen

BTW: Click HERE for a great cartoon that is so apropos for the subject being discussed, and there's more if you follow the prompts.

GMOs - Risks and Solutions

This is an addendum to the previous post. Pass on this information to those you care about. We can make a difference if more information is shared.

"If you think that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) don’t affect you, then consider this. Up to 90% of all major US grown crops are grown with genetically engineered seed, and can be used in human and animal foods without any safety testing or labeling to let us know what’s been used.

This includes GM corn (maize), soybeans, canola (a North American cultivar of oilseed rape), sugar beet and cotton, which have made their way into approximately 80% of current US grocery store items. Don’t know if you’re eating GMOs? If you’re not buying organically produced foods or growing your own vegetables and raising your own animals for food, you’re probably eating genetically modified ingredients in most of the foods you’re consuming today."

Article-ukprogressive.co.uk

There is power in knowledge. We can't keep our head in the sand and ignore what is happening. To ignore makes ignorance and apathy prevail. It means our health and that of our children to stay aware and awake to the tampering of our food supply and its potential or inevitable consequences depending on the expert consulted. Their future depends on what we do today. Protect our children's and grandchildren's inalienable right to unadulterated food supplies!

To your health,

Stephen

Food & Monsanto: "Future of Food"-the Movie

"Agriculture bio-technology will find a supporter occupying he White House next year, regardless of which candidate wins the election in November." Monsanta, in-house Newsletter dated Oct. 6th, 2000.

Studies done on GMO soy beans were done at the University of Arkansas. Interesting findings.
GMO fed rats had suppressed immune systems & other health challenges!
A terminator gene (known as the suicide gene) is put into crops to kill them after a certain point. Result: Stop normal seed production. (The co-owner of this terminator gene patent is the United States Government.)
Patented genes are not limited to food!
Should food, or any life at all, be patented? Monsanto and Big Agribusiness thinks so!
GMO foods that were approved for release: Zucchini, Hawaiian Papaya, Tobacco, Crook Neck Squash, Flax, Radicchio, Rice, Sugar Beet, Bovine Growth Hormone, Peppers, Carrots, 15 different kinds of fish, etc...
Mexico banned the growing of GMO corn-Why?

That story is most interesting. All this information and more is told in the movie, Future of Food. It is a movie that you must watch. It is a movie that everyone needs to watch. It can be found on Netflix to watch instantly. If you don't have Netflix, you can get a free trial by clicking HERE or on the banner to the right. Be aware of what is going on. We are what we eat!

Stay well; stay informed,
Stephen

What Is the Codex Alimentarius?

So many have asked me what the Codex Alimentarius is, so I am addressing it today. It goes along with the numerous bills regarding foods, supplements, agriculture, and other issues that are being debated in our country's Congress as I write. However, the difference with this is that it involves the issues on a world-wide scale which would ultimately affect the US in many ways.

What are the ramifications of all these laws, rules, and regulations if adopted? The proposed agenda, according to experts such as Dr. Rima Laibow, would be the loss of the individuals right to choose what you will be able to consume, what your food supply contains or is genetically modified with, our unalienable right to live holistically, and to voice our concerns.

Is having access to the natural foods and the supplements important to you? If you are like my wife and I, it is! For 41 years now, we have endeavored to live as naturally as humanly possible in an imperfect world and have used primarily natural organic flour, grains, oils, supplements, produce, and other items and staples purchased from health food stores along with other natural food sources and organic farms.

During all those years, however, there have been many who have have tried to limit access to living holistically. Numerous efforts have had to be initiated by those who treasure the freedom to consume wholesome organic, non-GMO/non-irradiated, non-adulterated foods, and to purchase supplements and herbs to counter those attacks on the ability to live naturally and holistically.

Now, besides the proposed bills in Congress I have discussed in previous posts, there is, also, the Codex Alimentarius, the Grand-daddy of all efforts to thwart access to holistic living, and this is, as I said before, a world-wide goal. The codex proponents now have several bills before Congress designed to overturn and get rid of DSHEA. There are many things that the Codex covers:

According to Dr. Rima Laibow, the most vocal doctor on the subject informing people about it, ...

Organic food governance will be dumbed down to suit the interests of large food producers. Various synthetic chemical additives and processing aids will be allowed, and food labeled as organic may be irradiated. Labeling will permit the use of hidden, non-organic ingredients.

Only what is expressly allowed under Codex will be permitted, and everything else is forbidden. In 1994, the same year DSHEA was signed( The Dietary Substances Health and Education Act was signed into law in 1994 for the purpose of ensuring that safe and appropriately labeled products would remain available to those who wanted to use them), Codex had nutrients declared to be toxic and poisonous. And as poisons, they claimed people must be protected from them through the use of toxicology and risk assessment, under which scientists test small doses on animals until they are able to discern an impact. They then take the first sign of the most minimal impact and divide this amount by 100 to establish a safety margin required from these poisons. This means that the largest dose of any nutrient allowed under Codex is 1/100th of the amount shown to produce the first discernible impact.

According to Dr. Robert Verkerk, founder and director of the Alliance for Natural Health, about 300 dangerous food additives that are mainly synthetic will be allowed under Codex, including aspartame, BHA, BHT, potassium bromate, tartrazine, and more. Dr. Verkerk is particularly concerned that no consideration has been given to potential risks associated with long-term exposure to mixtures of additives.

All together, Codex allows over 3,275 different pesticides, including those that are suspected carcinogens or endocrine disrupters.

Surprisingly, Dr. Laibow found that very few congressional representatives even know about the Codex and the agenda it propses to set forth.

Notes from: Barbara Minton - July 22, 2009 - source NaturalNews- posted at BlackListedNews

It is up to every "citizen" who values their health freedoms to know what is happening locally and world-wide and to keep abreast of the issues. You can make a difference.

Just to show how much of a difference health interest groups can make, just recently-6/6/10, there was a news release that stated:

Big pharma and other powerful groups have suffered a major blow in their efforts to strangle the vitamin industry. A US court has ruled that a manufacturer can make general health claims about its product – a decision that threatens the draconian new laws that will be introduced across Europe next year.

District Court Judge Ellen Huvelle upheld complaints from the Alliance for Natural Health USA and others that the FDA ban went against the First Amendment that allows free speech. She said there was credible scientific evidence to demonstrate that selenium helps protect against cancer, and so the manufacturer should be allowed to include the fact in promoting the product.

The surprise decision is a blow for European laws that will impose similar restrictions on the sale of vitamins in Europe. Under the Nutrition & Health Claims Regulation, manufacturers will not be allowed to make general health claims about their vitamin and dietary supplements.

Rob Verkerk, executive director of ANH International, said: “The verdict in our case against the FDA should be sending shock waves across the Atlantic. If European authorities implement the regulation, it is the European consumer that will be the main loser. Disease prevention using good diets and nutrients will effectively be thrown out of the window.”

This may slow the efforts of Big Interest Groups here a bit; however, this is by no means a time to become complacent. If these issues and concerns are important to you, VOICE THEM.

You can make a difference. Support Dr. Rima Laibow in her efforts to keep people abreast on the Codex and other important topics in the health field. Donations to her foundation are appreciated. Please see the web sites below for her contact information and listen to her radio show on Sunday evenings. The schedule is on the site.

To your health,
Stephen

http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/
http://www.anhcampaign.org/
For more of Dr. Laibow's videos in sequence, go HERE






"Healthy food & water, makes for healthy people!"

Health Freedoms for You: Act Now!

Hello,

Things change so rapidly in Washington. Bill 3002 may have been set aside; however, Bill 510 has taken its place. Take it seriously as to what is happening to our food supply. The GMO's are deadly to our future health according to renown experts. Share this with people you know.

Have a great day,
Stephen

P.S. I will try to get the video that went this post. Till then, stay awake, stay aware!

Genetically Engineered Foods: Does It Affect You?

In my previous post I talked about Genetically Engineered Foods, or Genetically Modified Organisms-GMO's, and that if I wrote about the subject, it would be a long post. To make it simpler, you can watch The Future of Food on NetFlix, or with a few commercial interruptions, you can go to http://www.hulu.com/ or watch it right here. This way you will understand first-hand the massive commercial movement behind the genetic engineering of our food supply and how it affects each one of us and our future.

How will all this affect our children and their children? The trouble is, no one really knows, and that should be of concern to us all.

To your health,
Stephen



Quote:
"We simply do not know the long-term consequences for human health and the wider environment...If something does go badly wrong, we will be faced with the problem of clearing up a kind of pollution which is self-perpetuating. I am not convinced that anyone has the first idea of how this could be done." Charles, Prince of Wales, June 1998--Speaking About Genetic Modified Crops. This quote is found in the book Harvest for Hope, A Guide to Mindful Eating by Jane Goodall in Chapter 4, entitled, Seeds of Discontent: Most interesting!