First Our Water…Now Our Food
Posted by Michelle Moquin on June 16th, 2011
Good morning!
This one’s for you Doug, and all of those people out there who loved their milk as a kid growing up, and those that continue as an adult to guzzle the gallon. And really for anyone who eats food. Period. This is one of the saddest, most difficult, illuminating videos I have ever watched.
We are getting poisoned every day, and all of us need to do one thing.
The Popular Food that Turns Your Gut into a Pesticide Factory
Robyn O’Brien shares her personal story and how it inspired her to become a Real Food evangelist. Her journey started when one of her children had a dangerous allergic reaction to a “typical” breakfast.
Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
Five years ago Robyn O’Brien was an average American mom; busy with four kids, living on a limited budget, and not in the least interested in hearing anyone lecture her about what to feed her kids. Then one day, after being served a typical breakfast consisting of Eggo waffles, blue-colored yoghurt and scrambled eggs, her youngest child suddenly had an acute allergic reaction. That very day, Robyn threw herself into researching food allergies, and virtually overnight, Robyn became a real-food activist.
She quickly learned that the foods sold in our grocery stores are not necessarily safe. On the contrary, many, if not most of them, now contain “foreign” ingredients that have never been tested for safety.
That something has gone awry is obvious when you take a look at the statistics. Between 1997 and 2002 the number of peanut allergies doubled, and the number of hospitalizations related to allergic reactions to food increased by a whopping 265 percent. One out of 17 children now has some form of food allergy. And allergy rates are rising.
When you consider that a food allergic reaction occurs when your body reacts to a food protein asa foreign invader (just like a virus or bacteria) which triggers an inflammatory response, the obvious question then becomes:
Is There Something “Foreign” in Our Food Today that Wasn’t There Before?
Absolutely!
Processed foods in general can contribute to allergies for a number of different reasons. Most processed foods contain a variety of food colorings, flavors, preservatives, and other additives can have a major impact. But there’s another, even more insidious hazard lurking in American food stores…
In the mid-1990′s, new food proteins were engineered and introduced into our food supply, yet many people are still, to this day, clueless about this. As O’Brien states, it was clearly done to maximize profitability for the food industry, yet NO human trials were ever conducted to see if these genetically engineered proteins were actually safe for animal- and human consumption.
One of the first foods to undergo this change was milk, which incidentally is also the number one food allergen in the US.
In 1994, the dairy industry started using a genetically engineered growth hormone, rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) on cows in order to increase milk production. However, it resulted in higher rates of disease in the treated livestock. To counteract the ill effects, dairies also had to start using more antibiotics, which we now know is one of the driving factors behind the rise in antibiotic-resistant superbugs in humans.
While Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and 27 countries in Europe refused to use rBGH due to the fact that it had not been proven safe, the United States took the opposite stance, and basically decided that since it hadn’t been proven dangerous, it would be allowed…
As inconceivable as it may seem, prior to rBGH being introduced into the milk – and every other conceivable dairy product – that millions of Americans consume every day, it had only been tested on 30 rats for 90 days!
Why You Should be Concerned About rBGH in Your Milk
Samuel Epstein, MD, a scientist at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, is one of the top experts on cancer prevention. He is frequently called upon to advise Congress about things in our environment that may cause cancer, and he has written eight books, including two books on this particular topic What’s in Your Milk?, and Got (Genetically Engineered) Milk?
In his books, Dr. Epstein explains that rBGH milk is “qualitatively and quantitatively different from natural milk,” and is “supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), excess levels of which have been incriminated as major causes of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.”
In addition to increased IGF-1 levels, other differences between rBGH milk and natural milk include:
Contamination of milk by the genetically modified hormone rBGH Contamination by pus and antibiotics resulting from the high incidence of mastitis in rBGH-injected cows Contamination with illegal antibiotics and drugs used to treat mastitis and other rBGH-induced disease Increased concentration of the thyroid hormone enzyme thyroxin-5′-monodeiodinase Increased concentration of long-chain and decreased concentration of short-chain fatty acids A reduction in levels of the milk protein casein Armed with these facts, O’Brien began researching cancer rates, and lo and behold, the United States has the highest rates of cancer of any country on the planet. According to the statistics she compiled, one in two men, and one in three women are expected to get cancer in their lifetime. One in eight American women has breast cancer, and only one out of every 10 breast cancer cases is attributed to genetics.
Ninety percent are triggered by environmental factors.
What’s Wrong with Our Soy and Corn?
Another common ingredient in processed food is soy, which is also one of the top eight food allergens. And again, we see the presence of something “foreign” as the vast majority of soy now grown in the US is genetically engineered to withstand massive doses of weed killer.
Ditto for corn.
Corn allergies are on the rise, and while some genetically modified corn is engineered to withstand Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup, other varieties are engineered to create their own internal pesticide (Bt toxin). The biotech industry claimed there were no health risks to worry about from these altered foods. In the case of Bt corn, the concern that your gut might turn into a pesticide factory was shrugged off with lame assurances that the Bt toxin wouldn’t survive once ingested.
However, just last month, a study revealed that Bt toxin was detected in:
- 93 percent of maternal blood samples
- 80 percent of fetal blood samples
- 69 percent of non-pregnant women blood samples
Turns out you cannot replace actual safety studies with lip service after all. Another recent review of 19 animal studies on genetically modified organisms (GMO) revealed that nearly 10 percent of blood, urine, organ and other parameters tested were significantly influenced by GMOs, with the liver and kidneys faring the worst. Additionally, Jeffrey Smith, executive director of theInstitute for Responsible Technology and author of two books on the topic, has previously documented more than 65 serious health risks from GM products of all kinds.
Among them:
- Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce
- Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells
- The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA functioning
- Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties
Signs of Food Sensitivities and Allergies
Paradoxically, the foods you crave are oftentimes the foods that cause you the most trouble, so that’s a good place to start. Common food cravings are milk, ice cream, pasta or bread. Other questions that can help you determine whether or not you might have a food sensitivity or allergy are:
- Do you experience bloating after meals, gas, frequent belching, or any kind of digestive problems?
- Do you have chronic constipation or diarrhea?
- Do you have a stuffy nose after meals?
- Do you have low energy or feel drowsy after eating?
- Do you have frequent headaches or migraines?
- Does anyone in your family have food allergies?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you may want to investigate further.
How to Determine What Foods You’re Allergic to
If you think you’re suffering from a food allergy and notice symptoms shortly after eating a specific food, then that’s a good place to start. Keep in mind that you can also be sensitive to food additives like artificial colors, preservatives and flavor enhancers (MSG), so reading labels is required if you’re having allergy symptoms. One of the best things you can do if you believe you are suffering from a food allergy is to do a diet elimination challenge. Simply remove all foods that contain what you believe you are allergic to and see if your symptoms improve over the next few days. You may need to go as long as five days to give it a full trial.
If the symptoms disappear in one day, then you have your answer. The real clincher, though, is to reintroduce the food or drink (on an empty stomach). If the suspected food is the culprit you will generally be able to feel the symptoms return within an hour.
This can be difficult if you eat a lot of processed foods, as these often contain “hidden” ingredients like corn, milk, soy, wheat, yeast and artificial additives that are often problematic. The most suspect foods will be those eaten daily or more than once a week, as well as foods that you crave or eat at night. In extreme cases where it is difficult to isolate the offending food, you may even need to go on a fast to see if your symptoms resolve.
Avoiding Foreign Ingredients is Beneficial for Everyone
As discussed above, when your body encounters something that it views as a foreign invader, allergy symptoms are a natural side effect. However, there’s evidence that even if you don’t have food allergy symptoms, genetically modified foods are NOT entirely compatible with human biology, and long term, anything could happen… As mentioned earlier, infertility is a recurring side effect in animal studies. Whether or not this can occur in humans is still completely unknown.
Therefore, avoiding GM foods should be on everyone’s list, whether you have food sensitivities or not. As O’Brien says, we cannot wait for legislation. We must begin to act in our own self interest.
“There is nothing more patriotic we could be doing,” O’Brien says.
If you don’t already have a copy of the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, please print one out and refer to it often. It can help you identify and avoid foods with GMOs. Also remember to look for products (including organic products) that feature the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal to be sure that at-risk ingredients have been tested for GMO content. You can also download the free iPhone application that is available in the iTunes store.
You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.
When possible, buy your fresh produce and meat from local farmers who have committed to using non-GM seeds and avoid processed non-organic foods as much as possible, as again these are virtually 100-percent guaranteed to contain GM ingredients.
Genetically modified foods are, from my perception, one of the most significant threats that we have against the very sustainability of the human race, so everything you can do to avoid them is a step in the right direction for humankind.
***********
Readers: Robyn O’Brien is so inspiring. It’s Thursday, but who cares…you know what title she gets from me.
All I want to add, is that so many of the articles that I post here daily are bringers of bad news. It sometimes can weigh very heavy on me. But I know that we need to know this stuff in order to affect change.
I am one person and this is my part in doing one thing. What is yours? Will you give up milk? Soy? Corn? Will you be the next O’Brien or Brockovich? Remember when Oprah spoke of mad cow disease on her show in 1998, and the huge impact she had? How far will you take it? Tell me… Blog me.
“There is nothing more patriotic we could be doing,” O’Brien says.
Peace, Love & Pure Food: “Live it, Give it, Eat it”
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
June 16th, 2011 at 9:26 am
Debbie #3 June 15:
I am aware of the danger of my city every Summer when hurricane season threatens us. I become more relaxed in November when it is officially over.
What about California — especially the Bay Area (San Francisco/Oakland)? That is also a crazy place to live, but millions do.
It sure is a good thing that I am friends with a God. It has its perks as well as its responsibilities.
You have a good sense of humor and thanks for the compliment.
HOWIE
June 16th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Michelle:
You sure got it right with “Peace, Love & Pure Food: “Live it, Give it, Eat it”.
The past couple of days I learned about fluoride poisoning our water supplies, “Why You Should be Concerned About rBGH in Your Milk” and other concerns over our food supply.
If there is a way for a Giant Corporations to profit, poisons will wind up in our food supply. Either genetically engineered seeds, and hormones, or fertilizers.
If profit can be gained, the FDA turns their collective heads away and food gets tampered with.
Pure food and water should be a given. We should not have to be detectives to find out if what we are eating and serving our families is poison. This is why we have a Food and Drug Administration.
Unfortunately their hands are out for bribery and the FDA is just a puppet organization. They do not accomplish the job they were put here to do. It is a matter of “Buyer Beware” out in the jungle we call a Grocery store.
Thanks for all the good advice. We have been warned and must take the responsibility to choose correctly.
HOWIE
June 16th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Hi Misch,
Great video. It’s enough to make you grow your own : ) all organic and controlled. That’s a plan. I posted a month or so ago about 50% of all the meat in grocery stores being tainted and uh, well, which 50% – are you willing to risk that? No, not me. I pay more and eat less bc of that decision also. Organic and grass fed meat and happy cows and all that costs dear. It’s a drag that that’s the truth of it though.
There’s a fine pic of Nadal for you all if you’re so inclined to take a look at ‘the zen of blogging, tennis and backs…’ he’s such a dolly : )
Luv, Zen Lill
June 16th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Michelle:
I have bee trying all day to get in. I hope this works. It is incredible what our government has allowed these criminals to get away with.
How can any of the past presidents hold their heads up?
Carol
June 16th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Howie, when you said “It is a matter of “Buyer Beware” out in the jungle we call a Grocery store.” you were speaking my thoughts.
All of those positions were held by white men when America’s health was sold to the highest bidder. Yet, my father and brothers are forever saying “frankly politics is just too brutal for a woman.”
If women were in those positions, I wonder if they would have sold their children’s health for a raise? I doubt it.
Men, make excuses for their deplorable acts. They make up cute words like “collateral damage” to justify their apathy.
Mothers don’t consider the murder, maiming and poisoning their children for profit “collateral damage.”
Ginger
June 16th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Most men who comes to this blog end up complaining about how the women are so down on men.
Well, when are you men going to admit that you were in control of ALL the positions that we are talking about?
Men were also in all the positions that made up the lies that told us Fluoride and other things were good when they actually were terrible for the country and 300,000,000 people.
Lin
June 16th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Are you so horny that you have to have her every day? Or is it her? Is it love? Or is it lust?
Do I want her everyday because I love her? Or do I love her because I lust for her? She is the finest thing I have every seen. But she would be if I loved her or if I lusted for her.
Or does it really matter? She owns me.
Her look, her walk, her talk, her fucking silence owns me.
I doubt she even knows or cares about the effect she has on me. She says she loves me. But what does she know about love?
June 17th, 2011 at 8:39 am
http://www.foodmatters.tv/
June 17th, 2011 at 9:25 am
THE GENETIC CAUSE OF BACK PAIN
I had never had a back problem in my life… until the day we moved from one house to another and I loaded and unloaded boxes for a day, a night (the better part of it anyway) and another day.
Then the phone rang, and I stretched myself across multiple rows of boxes to grab it. When I tried to straighten up, I found that I couldn’t. So there I was, bent at roughly a right angle and in considerable pain.
Luckily for me the injury was fairly minor and things returned to normal in a number of days. But I have never forgotten that sharp pain and how easily it all happened.
It turns out that 20% to 30% of Americans are suffering from lower back pain at any given time. (Millions and millions of us!) Often the pain comes from disc degeneration in the lumbar (lower) spine.
Doctors had long assumed that the main causes were activities such as heavy lifting and physically demanding jobs. But guess what? New research shows that people with lumbar disc disease (LDD) usually get it for the same reason that their eyes are brown or blue — it runs in the family.
The University of Utah analyzed health and genealogic data for more than one million people in the Utah Population Database and discovered that those who have a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with LDD are four times more likely to develop it as well!
Given my very personal interest in the topic, I called Peter Moley, MD, a physiatrist (specialist trained in rehabilitation) at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, to learn more.
Dr. Moley told me that what at first glance may seem to explain why disc degeneration runs in families — the fact that family members tend to be “built” the same way, having similar physical structures — in fact may have nothing to do with LDD risk.
Neither do similar posture habits, he says, because how people stand doesn’t have much effect on the lower spine. The real culprit in family-related disc degeneration lies deeper — some people might have a protein structure that predisposes them to disc injury and eventual degeneration.
To understand how that works, we’ll first look at a bit of LDD’s back story (so to speak).
A PROBLEM OF COLLAGEN
It is connective tissue made of collagen, called the annulus, that keeps the nucleus of each disc in its proper place in the spine and protects us against injury.
Should this nucleus or “center” slip out of place, or bulge forward like a partially squished jelly doughnut, one can suffer with sciatica or other “slipped” disc pain.
These collagen fibers not only protect the nucleus but also allow the spine to tolerate the compression force put on it when a person lifts heavy loads…
as well as the shearing force that results from making perpendicular motions that angle the spine away from its usual vertical position. (Yes, that was my big mistake!)
Some portions of the spine tolerate compression force better, while others are better able to tolerate shearing, but in either case if the collagen fibers weaken and break down, the person is at high risk for a disc injury.
This is where family makeup comes in — before the Utah study, research in Finland and elsewhere had revealed a genetic linkage in the nature of the spine’s collagen and in fact identified two versions of a gene that directly impacts how strong — or weak — the collagen will be.
Dr. Moley adds that the Finnish research had shown a high LLD risk among twins, but the sheer size of the University of Utah research revealed a much more powerful association than previously believed.
“The risk of having disc degeneration is four times more likely for a first-degree relative and 1.5 times more likely for a third-degree relative, such as a cousin, for instance.
It was quite an undertaking to review three generations of medical records and produce this data. It really opened our eyes,” he says.
STRONGER AT THE CORE
Dr. Moley stresses the importance of everyone strengthening the lumbar spine area because that is where discs get the greatest pressure and hence the greatest risk for injury — and families at higher risk should, of course, be particularly aware of this need.
Most important is that they strengthen the core muscles in the pelvic and abdominal areas. Hip and leg strengthening helps to provide the solid support that the back needs, and back exercises are best done while lying down at first so there is less chance of straining the back.
The second critical element in self-preservation is to be sure to practice an exercise program that teaches good body mechanics.
Working with physical therapists, Dr. Moley designs programs for clients to teach them how to move properly.
As patients become stronger, they graduate to exercises on their hands and knees, raising an arm and a leg at the same time, for example, and doing the plank, a yoga position similar to holding a push-up, which activates multiple muscles and builds endurance.
The final stage includes various standing balance and rotation exercises that further train people to keep their spines well-positioned during movement.
A PROGRAM FOR LIFE
Dr. Moley notes that 95% of people who complete his programs avoid the need for spinal surgery. If you have lower back pain, he advises calling an orthopedic or spine center to ask specifically for a doctor who specializes in nonsurgical spine work.
Be sure you locate the best doctor for you, and don’t be timid if you feel the need for a second opinion. Once the doctor has completed work on your back, you will need to practice your exercises for life. Constant maintenance, yes, but it’s a small price for a strong spine and no more aching back!
Source(s):
Peter Moley, MD, assistant attending physiatrist, Hospital for Special Surgery, an assistant professor of rehabilitation, Weill Cornell Medical College, both in New York City.