If you are active on social media these days then you see that living a fit, healthy lifestyle is now the “cool” thing to be doing. It seems like people who have never cared about health and fitness before are now making the effort to improve their lifestyles, which is amazing. What is not amazing is that the majority of these foods people think are healthy are in fact not -- at all.
See that apple on your desk? Or what about that Naked Juice or Odwalla bar you will use as a meal replacement after the gym? They look healthy and one even says it's GMO free on the back, so they must be good for you, right? Wrong. Would you believe me if I told you that these every day foods you and I consume are packed full of GMO, toxic ingredients, that over time will result in us becoming sicker and our own government richer?
The world we are living in these days is not what it used to be and it's time we all took some time to figure out exactly what is going on when it comes to the food we are putting into our bodies. Since 1990, the way our food is grown has changed drastically, as most companies now use GMOs to produce our favorite foods. What even is a GMO you ask? Well, let's break this down.
1. What is a "GMO"?
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism, which is when genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans, the outcome being un-natural foods and products that are hazardous to humans. Basically, your food is being pumped full of weird things it is not made to digest.
For example: Scientists recently created a new breed of chickens, which are not only featherless, but grow faster making it cheaper for processing plants. The chickens don't survive well in cold climates, making the chicken's life now miserable. This change of course is not to help the chicken, but to save money for the ones processing them.
2. Why are GMOs so bad for humans?
GMOs are awful for so many reasons, but the biggest being that they are NOT natural! They are man-made, toxic products the human body is not made to consume and digest. Genetically modified foods have been linked to sick, sterile and dead livestock, and when tested on lab animals, damaged virtually every organ of the animal tested.
Basically the more GMO foods you eat, the sicker you become. You get sick, you visit the doctor, you buy more medicines which = more money for our government, the one's making us sick to begin with. The health care industry is a TRILLION dollar industry so I think it's clear to see why we are being fed poison.
Research shows that consuming pesticides leads to the mutation of cells in the human body, possibly fueling the development of malignant tumors and other forms of cancer.
3. Where are GMOs found?
In your food! First introduced in 1990, GMOs are now in the majority of processed foods in the USA. GMOs are banned in more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan and all of the European Union.
4. What companies feed us GMOs?
Monsanto is the King of GMOs and is pretty much responsible for all the toxic processed food you're poisoning yourself with. They unfortunately work with pretty much every single brand you will find in grocery stores and even some in your favorite health food stores.
5. Exactly who is Monsanto?
Monsanto wasn't always in the genetically modified business. The company's first product was the artificial sweetener saccharine and by the 20th century, Monsanto had expanded into the manufacture of many other chemicals, including plastics, herbicides and insecticides. From 1965 to 1969, Monsanto actually produced Agent Orange for the U.S. military to use in the Vietnam War, and has since been subject to numerous lawsuits related to the herbicide's contamination with a toxic dioxin compound. And they're the ones making our food?
6. Why do companies use GMOs?
At the end of the day, it's always about money. These companies want to make products that taste, look and sell the best to keep you coming back for more. GMOs enhance taste and quality, reduce maturation time and improve crops resistance to disease, pests and bugs. When it comes to animals being altered, they are usually altered to yield better meat, eggs and milk. Basically natural things on steroids, so we enjoy them more.
Example of a GMO:
One crop called Bt cotton actually produces pesticides inside the actual plant, which kill or deter insects, saving the farmer from having to ever spray pesticides. The plants themselves are then toxic, and not just to insects, to animals and humans as well. Farmers in India, who let their sheep graze on Bt cotton plants after the harvest, saw thousands of sheep die.
7. What are the most common GMOs?
The most common are: soy, cotton, canola, corn, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa and squash (zucchini and yellow). Many of these items appear as added ingredients in a large amount of the foods we eat. For instance, you may not eat tofu or drink soy milk, but soy is most likely present in a large percentage of the foods in your pantry.
8. Aren't our foods labeled with GMOs?
Nope! Member how we passed prop 37 last year? Companies do not have to let us know GMOs are in our food. Even crazier, companies can label things "organic" and “GMO free” when they're not! Unless your food says “Non-GMO Project Verified” it most likely is infected with GMOs or produced by a GMO-supporting company.
So, how do we fight back? Many people suggest growing your own food or raising chickens, but let's be real, most people are not going to do that. Here are some realistic ways you can slow down the beast known as Monsanto:
1. The best way to fight back is to BOYCOTT Monsanto and all of the hundreds of companies they provide their poisonous seeds to. Here is the list of a few of the companies you are probably eating now that you must stop buying! Basically, if you are still shopping at grocery stores, you should assume what you are buying is poison. Pepsi, Smart Water, Naked Juice, Coca Cola, Dean, Nestle, all bad news!
2. Choose products that are USDA Organic & Non-GMO Project Verified (Full list here). If it does not say those exact words, it probably contains GMOs or isn't truly organic. Items may say Non-GMO Project Verified and still be linked to Monsanto.
For example: Silk Almond milk contains no GMOs; however, they are sneaky as they are owned by none other than Dean and Dean, which is one of the largest Monsanto backers. So even though your almond milk is GMO free, your money still supports Monsanto.
3. Shop at local farmer's markets or health food stores like Trader Joe's. They offer the best options if you want to shop from an actual store.
4. DL the Buycott & Fooducate iPhone apps. Buycott is an amazing app that actually scans packages to see who makes the item and will also tell you if they are part of the Monsanto BOYCOTT list. The app was created based off all of the companies who donated money to keep prop 37 from passing. Fooducate will actually tell you if the item is non GMO verified and also grades your food based off its ingredients. Both are great tools to fight back and they're free!
5. Share this article with everyone! Everyone should know what GMOs are and how to fight back, especially those with children.
Overall, the effects of GMOs are still being studied, but there is enough info out there to prove these foods simply should be avoided. I know it is overwhelming and it seems like it's impossible, but with a little research and commitment, you and your family can live a healthier lifestyle that makes the entire country stronger in the process.
