So lately there has been a ton of hype regarding an issue which I feel is of upmost importance to every singe person alive.
GMO"S (genetically modified organisms)
I have so much to say on this topic, but I am going to try and say what I want to in a "nutshell", an organic non-GMO nutshell..lol
Ok so, I am not an expert on this topic and do not claim to be. I have not sat down and done tons of research on GMO's, but I have read a shit ton of articles in the last few years on the subject, and will be basing my knowledge off of what I have learned and retained.
GMO's are genetically modified organisms, which in essence means it was made in a lab. For instance, they take corn which is genetically modified as a seed, they grow it in mass quantities and for cheap, they harvest it, use it to make harmful ingredients such as corn syrup, then they put corn syrup in almost everything you see in the grocery store today.
I remember back in my high school days (in the 90's), hearing that "they" (scientist) might have come up with a way to clone a sheep. Do you remember hearing that?
The chatter among people I was around at the time was something like "hey did you hear they might be able to clone a sheep now"? "Really whats that mean"? "Oh, that means they replicate the exact sheep, DNA and all, to reproduce another sheep just like it"? "ooohhhh.....hmmm I'm not sure I agree with that". "Yeah me either, its kinda weird", "Yeah, can you imagine if they cloned ME" "haha yeah that would be funny"..............
Moved on and didn't think much about sheep cloning after that convo.
Looking back, the messed up part is at that exact moment, when I am hearing rumors about sheep cloning, and being introduced to the facts of science possibly becoming too big for itself, what I did not know or realize was that I, and everyone else I knew, was actually EATING and DRINKING products of whom's ingredients were made in a lab!
In essence, I have been raised on food that was made in a lab, by scientist, with chemicals...CLONED FOOD!
And what really sucks is that now almost everything is GMO!
Over 80% of processed foods are GMO, not to mention the cotton we wear, the lotion and soaps we use.
From what I have learned, in most developed countries, they either have strict restrictions or a complete ban on all GMO products because they are thought to be unsafe and cause a lot of health issues, as well as environmental.
Fast forward 10-15 years from my high school days, and the conversations are now like this....
"Man, its so weird how there is so much disease now days", "Yeah, I know, its crazy"!, "I wonder where all this cancer and shit is coming from"?, "who knows..could be something in our food, could be something in the environment, could be, could be, could be...who knows" ........ all the while not even knowing that the food we were eating WAS and IS a huge cause of disease, cancer and sickness.
There are of course other factors in people getting sick, but I have come to the conclusion that what we put in our bodies is going to effect it. Positive or negative..it matters. Food does matter.
So, here we are in the year 2013, and people of America are finally starting to WAKE UP!
We are becoming more aware, informed, and educated on important topics some of us were never even aware of. Its awesome! And feels amazing!!
I now choose to eat organic, non-GMO foods which have made me feel tons better and get sick less often.
I was once unaware of the corruption going on around me, the lies being sold to my kids and I, and the effects that it had on our whole entire world.
I was not aware that eating McDonalds, Cheerios, Rice Chex, Lunchables, potato chips and goldfish could actually be dramatically increasing my family and I's chances of getting cancer or other disease. I did not know.
I knew it was unhealthy and could make me fat, but I did not know that it was and still is, causing cancer and disease in not only humans, but animals too.
Have you noticed how many dogs die of cancer these days?
Did you know that lab rats fed GMO's grew humongous cancerous tumors?
I did not know that the chemicals used to make the ingredients, the dyes and other harmful additives to my food was reeking havoc on my body and the body of my child.
Well now I do.
I now understand that what I put in my mouth is very important and is a choice that I need to mindfully make everyday.
I now know that food dyes and GMO's are proven to cause behavior problems in children.
How sad is that? That we parents uknowingly feed kids food which will biologically mess them up enough to cause behavior problems.
Its unfair.
I really feel like we have all been duped.
I get that we could have and should have been more aware and responsible for researching and knowing what what being put into our food, and bodies..but, I just feel like it was kind of done in a sneaky, shady fashion and that my parents, nor Grandparents were properly informed about these ingredients, the potential side effects and long term effects.
So what can we do to help repair our damaged food system?
First and foremost, try your best to start thinking about the foods you buy and eat.
Shop local and organic.
Look for the green and white "USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC" label on the foods you buy. Next time your in a grocery store, go to the "health food isle" and just browse. If you see something interesting, get it and try something new!
Grow your own food, but try and make sure your seeds are non-GMO.
Buy organic meats. Or buy meat from a local farmer if possible. That way you know that the cows, pigs and chickens your eating were not fed GMO food and do not have antibiotics and hormones in it, which non-organic meat is full of. (gross right?)
Another thing you can do is contact your local legislature and let them know you want GMO's LABELED.
As of right now there is no law stating that these companies who manufacture these products have to label them as GMO, and therefore they choose NOT TO LABEL them.
If they had confidence in their product, then why not label them?
This not labeling GMO's is a part of the reason why so many Americans are still not even aware of the dangers of feeding these foods to their family.
You may think its alot to take on at once, and there will be a hundred different excuses why you cannot do it..but think about this..cancer is expensive, it takes up alot of your time, it effects your family, its painful and can actually kill you.
Its all baby steps in starting to live a more natural, healthier lifestyle, but every step is worth it for the long-term health of you and your family.
If you would like to learn more about Genetically Modified Foods, google it:) read about Monsanto...they are evil. Do not believe a word they say. Its all about the money for them. Watch the documentary Food Inc, or Food Matters. Or click on the link below...
http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/
Once we are all better informed, we can start to make the necessary changes to live longer, happier and hopefully disease free!
