Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods

Posted by: Madelaine

Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 07/22/09 05:13 PM

http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/b...odified-food-2/

n May 19th, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on “Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.”[1] They called for a moratorium on GM foods, long-term independent studies, and labeling. AAEM’s position paper stated, “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They conclude, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,” as defined by recognized scientific criteria. “The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.”

More and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist, and board member of AAEM says, “I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods.” Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.”

Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM, says, “Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions.” World renowned biologist Pushpa M. Bhargava goes one step further. After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, he concludes that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans.

Pregnant women and babies at great risk... snip...

The experience of actual GM-fed experimental animals is scary. When GM soy was fed to female rats, most of their babies died within three weeks—compared to a 10% death rate among the control group fed natural soy.[3] The GM-fed babies were also smaller, and later had problems getting pregnant.[4]

When male rats were fed GM soy, their testicles actually changed color—from the normal pink to dark blue.[5] Mice fed GM soy had altered young sperm.[6] Even the embryos of GM fed parent mice had significant changes in their DNA.[7] Mice fed GM corn in an Austrian government study had fewer babies, which were also smaller than normal.[8]


snip......

Animals dying in large numbers

In India, animals graze on cotton plants after harvest. But when shepherds let sheep graze on Bt cotton plants, thousands died. Post mortems showed severe irritation and black patches in both intestines and liver (as well as enlarged bile ducts). Investigators said preliminary evidence “strongly suggests that the sheep mortality was due to a toxin. . . . most probably Bt-toxin.”[21] In a small follow-up feeding study by the Deccan Development Society, all sheep fed Bt cotton plants died within 30 days; those that grazed on natural cotton plants remained healthy.

more at the link if you can stomach it.
Posted by: Dotsie

Re: Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 07/22/09 05:20 PM

Thanks for this. I read the comments posed at the site and found this helpful:

You can identify GMO foods by the labels stuck on your fruits and veggies:
•A four-digit number means it’s conventionally grown.
•A five-digit number beginning with 9 means it’s organic.
•A five-digit number beginning with 8 means it’s GM.

Source: http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/archives/supermarket-numbers-game

I never knew this, and hope I can remember it for when I'm shopping.
Posted by: Saundra

Re: Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 07/24/09 12:30 AM

Thanks for the tip, Dotsie. I never bought into that GM stuff. Good luck on the memory thing. I'll have to keep referring bsck to your post to check.
Posted by: Dotsie

Re: Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 07/24/09 01:16 PM

I printed it and put it in my wallet. I'm surious to see if it holds true while out shopping.
Posted by: RSLilly

Re: Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 01/25/11 11:43 PM

My understanding is that foods are sometimes genetically engineered so they can be copywrited, which just seems strange to me. Should someone think a neighboring farm is stealing their seeds, for instance, they can have the DNA tested to see if the seeds match the genetics they've created for their veggies. Such a strange world!
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Doctors warn: Avoid genetically modified foods - 01/26/11 12:43 AM

Monsanto actually sued a farmer because their seed drifted into his field - they sued because they said he was using their GM seed without buying it. And most of the GM plants don't produce viable seeds, so farmers will have to keep buying the seed from Monsanto and can't save their own. Many countries have refused seed from Monsanto because of this; other countries have outright banned GMOs. And here, it's being put into our food supply without our consent and without our knowing anything about it.

Then there's the issue of allergies; Monsanto is messing with the proteins in the GM plants so if it's a protein someone is allergic to, they could have a reaction to whatever that plant is. If it's a severe allergy, it could kill a person. But GM ingredients don't have to be listed in what you're buying, so you might never know what you're eating. And Monsanto keeps trying to bully the FDA and the USDA into doing away with Organic standards, which is the only way we can know for sure there are no GMOs, no irradiation, etc. in what we're eating.