More GMO news; Russia Announces Ban on GMO Imports

As a physician who aims to help people by healing their bowel and microflora, and subsequently reducing inflammation over the whole body, I am frustrated as to how hard it is. 

Even with a pure gluten free diet, so many people have signs of inflammation, malnutrition and bowel malfunction. 

What do I suspect is going on when the person is following a pure true gluten free diet. Well there are lots of food additives that can cause problems such as carrageenan. Drugs can be a hinderance to healing, such as NSAIDs. However, the one prime suspect seems to be GMO in or on vegetables, grains, legumes, and in commercial meats and meat and dairy from animals fed the usual commercial feed with GMO corn and soya. 

Here is a report from Alternative News on the trends on the rejection of GMO products in Russia and in other parts of the world including China.  This rejection is based on complex influences such as: practicality in the light that GMOs are not needed to end hunger, early yet scientific discoveries and politics.

Earlier this year, Russia’s plan to stop importing GMOs went into effect. According to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Russia has the means, and the space, to cultivate organic food, and therefore has no need for GMOs.

In a statement, the Vice President of Russia’s National Association for Genetic Safety, Irina Ermakova, asserts:

“It is necessary to ban GMOs, to impose moratorium (on) it for 10 years. While GMOs will be prohibited, we can plan experiments, tests, or maybe even new methods of research could be developed.


It has been proven that not only in Russia, but also in many other countries in the world, GMOs are dangerous. Methods of obtaining the GMOs are not perfect, therefore, at this stage, all GMOs are dangerous.”



Ermakova continues:

“Consumption and use of GMOs obtained in such way can lead to tumors, cancers and obesity among animals. Bio-technologies certainly should be developed, but GMOs should be stopped. We should stop it from spreading.”

Aside from imports, Russia does allow the production and trade of GMO foods within the country. If a certain product contains more than 0.9 percent GMO material, however, it must be labeled by the manufacturer.

Along with Russia, much of the world is fighting against the continued proliferation of genetically modified foods. China has repeatedly refused imports from the United States, due to the potential for GMO contamination, and last summer decided to end its production of GMO corn and rice altogether.

The Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico refused to allow the planting of Roundup Ready soybeans earlier this year. Northern New Zealand is working to ban GMOs, and, Bhutan has announced its plan to become the first fully organic nation on Earth. These are just a few examples among many.

In the United States, we're far from banning GMOs – we’re still working on labeling. Seems we’re a bit behind the times on this front.

Sources:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/its-official-russia-has-banned-gmo-products-commitment-to-organic-food/5414961
http://rt.com/news/russia-import-gmo-products-621

To Your Health

Dr. Barbara

WHY SHOULD I AVOID GMOs?

Back in March of this year I wrote about Dr. Seneff's work which showed eerily similar damage from GMO crops to the damage from gluten. This is a public health issue as is gluten sensitivity when it is undiagnosed and untreated. 

Since then, I have made a serious effort to eliminate and avoid GMO's, especially corn and soya products. I just threw away a new bottle of a supplement I take, which has been reformulated and contains soya bean. I have contacted a number of supplement companies and reviewed their policies on GMO sourced products. 

We all have to make the personal decision to avoid GMOs or not. One can not make that decision without getting good information on why one should. Below is an article from the Institute for Responsible Technology entitled "Why should I avoid GMOs?". 

I for one believe there should be labelling if the product has GMO's. Without labelling, as things stand now, there is no way to know if any food or product has GMOs in it.

From the Institute for Responsible Technology :

WHY SHOULD I AVOID GMOs?
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) recently released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that "... GM foods pose a serious health risk". The AAEM called for a moratorium on GM food, with implementation of immediate long-term safety testing and labeling of GM food. The AAEM is just one of many organizations worldwide calling for these steps to be taken. Read their position paper on GMOs


Hasn't research shown GM foods to be safe?
No. The only feeding study done with humans showed that GMOs survived inside the stomach of the people eating GMO food. No follow-up studies were done.

Various feeding studies in animals have resulted in potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, livers, and testicles, partial atrophy or increased density of the liver, odd shaped cell nuclei and other unexplained anomalies, false pregnancies and higher death rates.

And more here:

Why are children particularly susceptible to the effects of GM foods?
Children face the greatest risk from the potential dangers of GM foods for the same reasons they face the greatest risk from other hazards like pesticides and radiation, these include:
Young, fast-developing bodies are influenced most.
Children are more susceptible to allergies.
Children are more susceptible to problems with milk.
Children are more susceptible to nutritional problems.
Children are in danger from antibiotic resistant diseases.

How dangerous, or potentially dangerous, are GM foods relative to other food dangers, e.g., pesticides, irradiation, additives, preservatives?
Since so little research has been done on the safety of GM foods, it is not possible to rank its risks. Unlike the others, GM crops persist in the environment, and may continue to pose risks to health for centuries.

In addition, transfer of transgenes to gut bacteria may present long-term chronic exposure, since the foreign protein may continue to be produced inside of us after we no longer consume the GM food.

View all 65 health risks of GM foods, excerpted from Jeffrey Smith's comprehensive book Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods.

The most concerning to me is the possible permanent changes to one's own microbiota's DNA with the incorporation of  abnormal genetic material that makes the microbiota continue to make glyphosate in the bowel. Healthy microbiota are essential to good general health. 

Within the last two months there has been news that, Russian lawmakers want to impose criminal penalties on those conducting GMO business.

Lots to think about. 

Here is the link again, and at the top, there is an app available for purchase for a GMO free shopping guide. 

To Your Health

Dr. Barbara