Y2K HEALTH AND DETOX CENTRE NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2

Page 4

© Dr. Deb Baker 2007

In This Issue:

Adults Health Zone:

Television News Reports on Obestiy-New Science Information
Children's Corner

Best Way To Relieve Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies Naturally

Pet Nook

Dry Pet Food Recall

Planetary Concerns

How Genetically Modified Foods Work

HOW GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS WORK

Genetically modified foods and the dangers associated with them have NOT been properly disclosed to the public in most circumstances. In fact it is thought that here in Canada, approximately 70% of processed food contains GM food and it is not required to be labelled as such yet!

Mike Adams recently released a report on genetically modified foods and in it, he mentions a to a MOST important video "The Future of Food"

Watch Future of Food to See How Harmful Genetically Modified Food Is!

The video starts slowly...but in about ten minutes it becomes a "rollercoaster" of thought provoking, and even scary facts. Hang in there....

How genetically modified food works and the pros and cons are listed below:

Arguments FOR the use of Genetically Modified Foods arre:

That they produce seeds better able to resist stress.
They produce more nutritious staple foods.
They will make farm animals more productive.
They will produce more food from less land.
They can reduce the need for certain chemicals.
They can produce seeds that grow in infertile land.
Foods will have longer shelf lives.
We may be able to identify diseases more easily using genetic fingerprinting
Development of vaccines.

The arguments AGAINST GMOs were that

Genes may jump from one species to another such as from a plant that resists weed killer to weeds, rendering them resistant too. Once released they cannot be recalled.
Inserted genes may cause harmful mutations.
Sleeper genes could be accidentally switched on and active genes switched off. Genes behave rather like an orchestra, producing certain effects when switched on by stimuli that activate groups of genes to work together. New genes could change the behaviour patterns inherent in natural functions.
GM crops could replace normal crop varieties or compete with wild plants and replace them with the GM version.
GM crops could create resistant insect species and have a harmful effect on insects, essential for pollination.
Allergenic genes may be transferred through mixing plant and animal genes.
GMOs proved safe for animals could enter the human food chain.
Marker genes that confer antibiotic resistance are used to show that the process of gene transfer has occurred. They could cause increased resistance to antibiotics.
Multinationals may gain control of most seed and food production.

As that lists demonstrates, the advantages of GMO's are all short lived and could be attained in various other ways, such as through improved organic farming methods. The hazards and dangers of genetically modified food are long term and may be irreversible.

It is CRITICAL that you, the public know we are talking about genetics here. The very substance we are made up of!! No long term testing has been done. No one knows if by adding/altering genes with virus/bacteria and lab methods, we won't create Monster Disease which cannot be controlled.

Genetic engineering (GE) enables corporations to create plants, animals and micro-organisms by manipulating genes. The results are not found in nature and cannot be achieved by traditional cross-breeding techniques. GE crops are usually sold by multinational corporations and are often designed to survive the application of specific, patented pesticide and herbicides. For example, Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans are resistant to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, so farmers buy both their seeds and their chemicals from Monsanto. Gee....ya think we are talking about financial interests here??? Absolutely..and THAT is what this is ALL about! Not saving the world's food sources...not at all.

According to the ETC Group, which monitors the issue of Terminator Seeds (which is one kind of GM seed, that can never produce offspring...grow once and that's it) "Brazilian soybean farmers would see their seed costs increase by approximately US$515 million each year. Argentinas soybean farmers would pay an extra US$276 million. Wheat farmers in Pakistan would face a price rise of USS191 million. Rice farmers in the Philippines will pay another US$172 million"...simply because they couldn't save seed to start next year's crop.

What Can YOU Do?

1) Watch the Future of Food and send the link or this page to everyone you know!

2) Greenpeace is working hard on this issue. Visit their site and support them. If you put a search in their site for "genetically engineered food" you get this list of articles on genetically modified food activities .

In Canada they offer a free downloadable book on How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Foods..Get yours Here:

This is a Shopping Guide of which companies use GM foods and do NOT use genetically changed or modified foods.

3) The Center For Food Safety in the US is doing what our Governments SHOULD be doing and that is to watch what is happening on this issue. Here is their main page on Genetic Engineering where you can see links to many related items. Support these people!

4) Visit your local politicians and find out what their stance on the GM/GE food issue is. At the very least, we deserve to be told when a food contains these 'frankenfoods', so insist that they support labelling.

And just a head's up! Did you see this on Mike Adam's report? "Today, an astonishing 20 percent of the human genome is now owned by corporations. The simple act of reproducing by having children is now a violation of U.S. patent law. Technically, the corporations that "own" these human genes could sue the parents of all newborns, demanding royalty payments for the use of their intellectual property."

So the US Govt. in it wisdom has sold the rights to your genetics!!!! Legally, your children don't fully belong to you...nice, eh?

Is Cloning Any Safer?

The FDA are poised to allow cloned animals hit the market. Read here and see what you think ...a story for another day.

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