Jeffrey Smith on The Power Hour, 8/9: Genetically Modified Food Dangers
Part 8 of Jeffrey Smith on The Power Hour, 11-26-09 (replay from July). www.thepowerhour.com. Subject: Genetically modified food dangers.
Part 8 of Jeffrey Smith on The Power Hour, 11-26-09 (replay from July). www.thepowerhour.com. Subject: Genetically modified food dangers.
Is the world really ready for the latest in functional foods – the purple tomato?
A team out of the John Innes Centre, Norwich is asking us to face just this question as they’ve developed a new breed of tomato, rich in an antioxidant pigment known as anthocyanin that is believed to offer protection from cancer.
The British researchers took two genes known to induce production of anthocyanin from the snapdragon plant and put them into the tomato. As not one of the human researchers had the nerve to eat the surprisingly purple fruit that resulted, the tomatoes were fed to cancer prone mice instead. Amazingly the animals lived for an average of 182 days, compared to just 142 days for mice fed a standard diet and 146 days for mice fed normal red tomatoes.
Seems like those purple tomatoes did something.
”I think it is one of the first genetically modified foods that’s seen to have a consumer advantage,” explains plant biologist Cathie Martin who helped to create the tomato and has been fielding media calls since the publication of the study in Nature Biotechnology.
Anthocyanin is the substance that is found in grapes, blackberries, blueberries and even cranberries and has been shown to slow down the growth of colon cancer cells. Other evidence suggests that the colorful pigments in these berries can help boost eyesight, act as an anti-inflammatory and may even hold off diabetes and reduce the risk of obesity.
Experts also suspect the substance is able to offer protection against cardiovascular disease and many age related degenerative diseases.
Those who are uncomfortable with eating genetically altered foods (sometimes called functional food) point to the obvious solution. To get the health benefits of anthocyanin, eat the natural sources of the substance – grapes, berries and the like.
Healthy, varied sources of nutrients are always the best choice. Looking for one “superfood” plays into the idea that there are “miracle cures” for health issues. What’s more, tomatoes are already nutrient rich – chock full of antioxidant compounds like lycopene and flavonoids. Do we really need to put time and effort into making them better?
Besides the striking purple color, researchers insist what makes this new breed of purple tomatoes so incredible is that the healthful anthocyanins are in both the skin and the flesh of the fruit. This makes it more likely that sauces made our of these tomatoes would keep the healthful benefits. Although it’s hard to imagine purple pizza… As for the taste… well Martin says she’s tasted it and you can’t tell the flavor from a regular tomato, there is no berry taste at all.
The British researchers hope they’ve made a start toward producing a new generation of “functional foods” to combat a wide range of serious diseases, cancer included. The purple tomato (still a long way from any produce department in store) would join omega-3 fatty acid added to eggs (to help heart disease) and probiotics in yogurt (to help digestive function) already available on store shelves.
Over 14,000 people have joined Kirsten’s popular (and sometimes controversial) Daily Health Bulletin, so why not join them and find out more about the benefits of functional foods and other health news daily. You also get 5 comprehensive health reports free when you join – giving you all you need to treat common ailments, lose weight, look younger and feel healthier.
There was once periods in time when the world was filled with genetically modified food produce and shops very rarely saw or knew about fresh food produce suppliers, otherwise known as organic food suppliers. People found it difficult to buy organic food, with the main disadvantage being the price of each item and whether they item they wanted came as organic.
Organic food is the supply of foods produced on farms that do not use pesticides, fertilisers or chemicals and are produced following the regulations of the Soil Association standards for Organic Food and Farming. There are now more organic food suppliers available than there have been in the last decade.
Baby food was one of the many products that were rarely stocked by organic food suppliers, because there was very little marketing involved. Parents who are concerned about what they feed to their children are much more confident and safe in the knowledge that they are using pure unadulterated produce.
For people who are concerned with the baby food product will need to understand and become more accustomed to reading food labels and recognising organic food standard. Your best bet is to research well-known organic brands, find out where you can buy their produce and begin purchasing from them.
On the other hand, parents can buy organic ingredients and, assuming that you have the time, prepare your own babies meals. This enables parents to have full control over what they feed their child and know exactly what will contain in the meal. Fresh food supplies are better for keeping children fed with nutritional food and getting them accustomed to eating wholesome homemade food.
History
Pre 1900 farming could be classed a time, which produced food organically. There were no uses of chemicals such as DDT, or the routine use of antibiotics for meat produce. Organic food goes back thousands of years from when man was hunting and gathering their own food produce before turning to farming and cropping.
Organic agriculture and farming made it easier to supply food; however, this was overtaken by the industrial revolution, which changed the face of farming forever. This advocated the use of herbicides, chemicals, pesticides and insecticides, which was believed to enhance the crops and the agricultural produce.
By the 1950’s the world was dominated by this industrialised agricultural farming method. It was not until the 1970’s that saw experts making it clear that the use of chemicals in food were harming people’s health and affecting the environment. A call for more organic produce was made further towards the 1980’s, until finally the organic food suppliers began to grow larger in numbers, making organic food more readily available in local supermarkets and shops.
It was not until 1987 that saw the first organic baby food suppliers, producing readymade foods for infants. This contained no artificial colouring, preservatives and they were certified organic food standards. This gave peace of mind to parents who were concerned for the health risks of feeding children chemically modified food.
Nowadays organic is available in practically every supermarket and grocery shop in the UK, with many organic foods associated with the Fair Trade Association. This gave rise to a new attitude towards health, food and eating, with more people opting towards freshly organic produce.
Anna Stenning is enthusiastic about spreading her knowledge about organic food suppliers as she has become more aware of the health risks of eating non-organic food. For more on fresh organic food supplies visit http://www.freshfoodgroup.com/
Nutritional supplements have taken on a very important role in the health especially in the United States. Nutritional supplementation had its start during the early 1900’s when Carl Rehnborg, a Colgate salesman in China, observed that urban areas of mainland China suffered from malnutrition to a much higher degree than the much poorer people living in the rural areas. Those who lived in rural areas where they were able to grow natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables were much healthier overall than the city dwellers that had diets that included much more sugar, fat, and salt and less naturally grown foods. Diseases such as scurvy and beriberi were much more prevalent in the urban areas as well. This observation led him to begin a study of the relationship between health and nutrition that revealed that there are plant based compounds that are imperative to the overall health of human beings.
Mr. Rehnborg set up the first laboratory when he returned to the U.S. to research, conclude, then manufacturer these concentrated compounds in capsule form. That idea launched a revolution in nutritional supplementation that is extremely important especially in today’s market place. At this stage of our technological evolution in food production it is necessary to rely on nutritional supplementation to fuel the body’s immune system. With the advent of genetically modified foods, hybrid foods, poor farming and fertilizing/pesticide processes, and lack of crop rotation as well plowing crops under and allowing the soils to recover over several years, we are seeing the disease rates skyrocket like never imagined. You simply can’t get the nutritional firepower necessary to enable the daily repair and rebuilding of the human body with the non-nutrient dense foods that are available. Mix in the aspect of fast foods and processed foods and we are in the middle of a disaster.
We have only one of two choiced to pick from. First you must put yourself on an eating regimen of natural foods from different sources. Even consuming completely organic food doesn’t ensure nutritional safety. We even have issues with farm raised fish such as salmon. The necessary Omega 3 fatty acids in farm raised salmon have been reduced so much due to dog food being substituted for the native salmon diet. There are other ways to acquire the Omega 3 fatty acids in plant and oils but it is much more convenient and simple to consume a high quality nutritional supplement to ensure maximum effectiveness.
So the point is this: If you are one of those people who have stated that you take no vitamins and don’t need any you may find yourself walking down the sickness and disease path sooner than you think. No human can get away with depriving the body of natures repair nutrients forever. Disease doesn’t happen acutely or because there is a lack of symptom stomping drugs in the body. This is a result of nutrient deprivation for years or decades. The human body is genetically designed to live 120 years glitch free before a shutdown sequence begins. If you want to make it to 100 health and highly productive years don’t wait. Waste no time in regaining your health with a well rounded nutritional supplement immediately.
Everyone is raving about the new lease on longevity and natural antiaging science. To get your special antiaging report, FREE!! Go to http://naturalcellrenewal.com
My take on the foods to stay away from and how to get rid of them. rawalicious.wordpress.com and daniellecharboneau.com
A story about changes in Victoria, Australia, legislation in relation to GM Food
Organic foods are in reality food that have been grown naturally just as how foods had been grown for centuries gone by.
In the fields the farmers are nor allowed to use any of the insecticides, pesticides, fungicides or for that matter any modern day chemical on their plants. No use of human waste or sewage is allowed.
In the animal kingdom that we derive our foods from, animals are suppose to be reared on pastures free from the above chemicals, antibiotics and any other modern day drugs. The animals have to be reared without the use of growth hormones.
Today the term genetically modified applies to farms that tend to use seeds that have been scientifically tampered with in order that the farmer may yield a higher crop on harvesting.
How are organic foods produced?
The farms have to be free of any chemicals for a a specified number of years. Once the land has been certified clean then the farmer can operate as an organic farm.
The organic crops cannot be treated as modern day farms operate. Rather they have to follow more stringent methods to prevent infestation of rodents, insect, etc. from contaminating their crops or live stock.
How to grow organic foods?
Extreme care has to be taken to prepare the soil and keep it free from air borne insects as well as rats and mice. There are a number of plants that can be grown that will help to keep the insect population down.
The farmer must also spend a fair amount of time actually looking at each plant to see that its free from insect attacks. By rotating the crops around the farmer is able to put nitrogen back into the soil along with other nutrients.
As this is a time consuming job, organic farms are never very large. They normally are just big enough for the farming family to manage. Another disadvantage of organic farming is that as the fruit are normally plucked sun ripened they have to be taken straight to market.
So the farms cannot be too far away from the shops. Organic produce is supposed to be fresh and sold daily.
You will generally find organic foods small in size and brighter in color. The taste will be sharper and much more flavorful. The added benefit is the extra nutrient value you get in your food.
Unfortunately the price does seem to be higher as the farmers have to spend more time cultivating a smaller crop. Hopefully this may change as organic foods get more and more popular.
Organic farmers have to obtain certification from the local government in their areas that their land as well as their methods of farming abide by the rules of the organic association.
In the old days the farms were small and the produce was sold in the local markets. At one time organically grown produce was dominated by genetically modified foods.
In the last 10 years that has changed significantly with organic foods growing in acceptance world wide
Claude Fullinfaw is a successful publisher of a number of articles on
Organic Foods. You may access some of his work at CreativeOrganicFoods
Do you care what you and your family eat?
I’m sure you do. But, in today’s fast paced life, most of us often just grab something quick – - – Fast Foods / Processed Foods – - – We are getting empty calories filled with ingredients that increase our appetites and cause cravings for more junk food. No wonder “weight loss products” are such a big business. Then, those of us who really do care and want to nourish our bodies with the necessary ingredients turn to supplements.
What Gives You the Most Real Nutrition?
According to researchers at Cornell University . . . . Eating one small apple is more beneficial than taking a mega dose of vitamin-C. An apple does contain vitamin-C, but it also contains many other healthy naturally-occurring substances such as antioxidants. . . You can get more calcium, from one pint of fresh carrot juice then, you can from 25 pounds of calcium tablets.
The Truth is, there are literally thousands of naturally-occurring nutrients in fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and sprouts that you simply can’t get from synthetic or isolated vitamin and mineral supplements. The Facts are – - – Live Whole Foods are a better source of nutrients for our bodies then Supplements.
But, What has happened to our healthy food supply? Why aren’t we getting the same nutritious foods our Grandfathers or even our Fathers did?
1. Years of farming – trying to get the maximum yield from each field – has depleted the soil. Hence the chemical fertilizer industry was born. These chemicals have tainted our foods and water supply.
2. We are often eating produce that has been sprayed with bug poison.
3. We are eating produce that has been treated with radiation. Yes, treated with radioactive gamma rays so they will appear fresher by the time they reach our grocery stores.
4. In many cases, even foods advertised as natural foods are not really what we think they are. Because, of the time-distance from the fields to your grocery store, many fruits and vegetables are prematurely picked, before nature and sunshine can do it’s best work. Many prematurely picked tomatoes are artificially ripened with unnatural hormones. What is the Toxic and Potential Risk from these foods?
5. Research shows that Hormones, Steroids and, Antibiotics, found in animal products can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables grown in soil treated with manure from animals fed these products.
How Safe are Genetically Engineered foods?
What is the genetically altering of seeds doing to our food supply? What are the hidden Health Risks of Genetically Modified foods?
Genes from, bacteria, viruses, plants, and animals are inserted into seeds, creating plants that are more drought and pest-resistant. If, we can get more yield from our fields, it could help the world hunger challenge. But at what risk? Over 70% of processed foods in our grocery stores contain genetically modified ingredients? The chief offenders are corn, soy, cottonseed and canola. High fructose corn syrup converts to fat more than any other sugar. This is usually made with genetically modified corn and genetically modified enzymes.
Author Jeffrey Smith, in his book “Seeds of Deception” reveals that between 1994 and 2001 when genetically modified foods hit the market — Food related illnesses Doubled.
What do you think is happening to our Honey Bees? How will the disappearance of bees affect crop yields?
Do you get Your Five to Nine Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Daily?
Eating the Five to Nine Serving of Fruits and Vegetable every day as recommended, by the U.S. Government disease control in Atlanta, is not that easy. Most of us only get a fraction of that, especially in the winter months. If, we try to eat only organic, it gets really expensive and even more difficult.
So, What Can We Do?
Some of us can grow some of our own foods, whether it be a farm, a small garden plot, or even patio containers. This though, is only a seasonal solution, and for some it is impossible. Local farmers markets, Health and Whole Foods Stores if available, can be an option.
Ask questions, find out where and how your produce is grown. Read labels. When buying supplements, be sure they are all natural. Isolated vitamins and minerals may not be the best way, but better then not getting any.
What Do you Want?
The key is to be aware of what you really do want for you and your family. By knowing what would be ideal for you, you are more apt to achieve the goal of good Nutrition.
If you are like me, – - – - You want more Real, Whole. Food based Nutrition. That has all the natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that we need. Guaranteed to be of the highest quality, certified organic, naturally grown fruits and vegetables of ideal quantity and variety. Tastes good and be affordable. Is convenient and quick enough to fit into my busy life style.
I recommend, you actually write down, what you feel would be an ideal diet to best nourish your body. And, how would you feel if your body was getting the proper Nutrition? Good Nutrition can change your life!
Meg Greenly grew up on a ranch in Wyoming. She has been a student of Nutrition, Natural Health and Wellness for over 35 years. Also, she is very concerned about Global Warming & the state of our environment To Learn more, click the link below to visit her website. http://www.helpstop-globalwarming.com
In 1971, motivated by their vision of a GREEN and PEACEFUL world, a small team of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat known as the ‘Phyllis Cormack’. They believed a few individuals could make a difference. Their mission was to “bear witness” to America’s underground nuclear testing on a tiny island off the West Coast of Alaska called Amchitka. Besides being in one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions, Amchitka was also the last refuge for 3000 endangered sea otters, and home to bald eagles, peregrine falcons and other wildlife. The boat was intercepted before it got to Amchitka, however the journey sparked a flurry of public interest. America still detonated its bomb, but the voice of reason had been heard. Nuclear testing on Amchitka ended that same year, and the island was later declared a bird sanctuary. Today, Greenpeace is a global organisation that prioritises campaigns that can be addressed on a global scale. Based in Amsterdam, Greenpeace has 2.65 million financial supporters worldwide and national/regional offices in 41 countries.
Part 3 of Jeffrey Smith on The Power Hour, 11-26-09 (replay from July). www.thepowerhour.com. Subject: Genetically modified food dangers.