The Franken-Plant: GMO Part 2

So where were we? Of yes! We talked about some of the potential risk factors of GM foods, but let’s get into the nitty-gritty:

• Loss of locally adapted seeds. Seeds that are unique to the endogenous area carry characteristics unique to that region due to cross pollination. The result is that creation of strains with advantageous qualities for that area. GM creates a standardized seed. The result: Lack of variety. Not only is variety the spice of life, but it’s also the primary way we can get various nutrients and anti-oxidants.
• Plants genetically modified to withstand pests and climate changes are less resilient, and have a decreased detoxifying effect than traditional plants. Reason being, they've never had to fight to survive. It’s similar to how evolution adapts organisms so unnecessary features are lost (like how humans don’t have a tail anymore.) These plants have lost their detoxifying quality since it's no longer needed.
• Genetically modified seeds can be copyrighted, and copyrighted seeds can be controlled by the seed producer. The result, a monopoly such as the one Monsanto has on soy beans which doesn't allow farmers to save seeds from season to season (they must buy new seeds every year) and will sue if the conglomerate suspects that their seeds have been cross pollinated (even if by accident due to cross winds from adjacent farms). The result here: Farmer’s profits severely reduced.
• Our organs have been designed to breakdown food with specific genetic properties. Drastic changes in the DNA of our produce throws off our system, increasing digestion problems and allergies. Increased GMO in our diet has been shown to be a major contributing factor to the sudden rise in irritable bowel disease and various food allergies (like peanut allergy more than doubling since the late 90's.)
• Our livestock’s feed is also genetically modified. The animals as a result have digestive issues, tumors and nutritional deficiencies. Even more disheartening, animals that have been genetically altered much like plants, emphasizing more desirable qualities. Chickens breed to grow larger breasts to produce more breast meat are just one example. Cows that are bread to produce more milk (at this point I will hold off discussing the use of hormone injections to induce milk production.) Calves bred to have a higher fat content to produce more tender veal. The meat and dairy products they produce is not what our body readily accepts as food.

Let's play devil’s advocate and say that according to Darwin, our bodies are built to adapt and evolve. That if we continue to consume modified foods, those people whose systems can thrive on the new food will live to reproduce. Great, if you're the lucky part of the population that makes it. But how many generations will it take for the majority to adjust? And who's to say that the industry and the science will stop making changes? Like a rabbit chasing the proverbial genetically-modified-carrot.

I don't know about you, but I'm OK with not testing Darwin's evolutionary theory, at least not at the expense of my family's health or my own. I would rather go back to traditional farming practices and not test the waters. The problem is that the companies who manufacture GMO products can profit much more from the patenting of seeds and bullying farmers into using the intellectual property. Good for big business, bad for farmers and consumers.

So how do we fight back? Simple: buy organic! Whenever possible buy from local farms and farmer’s markets that use traditional growing practices.  Recently the FDA decided food manufacturer were not required to label their products as GMO. So you will have to be more diligent in your shopping. Look for labels that say "Non-GMO" at your grocery store when you purchase soy, corn, canola and dairy products. These four products are currently being genetically modified, but in the future I’m sure more will be included. Maybe you can check your local coffee shop's soy milk; is it GMO? Ask the manager if they'd consider switching. The most effective way to create a change is to vote with your wallet.

The Franken-Plant: GMO Part 1

I envision an evil scientist in a lab. Lightning and thunder strike on an eerie night. The full moon radiates through the breaks in the threatening thunder clouds. He holds up his test tube containing the genetic material of the first strain of genetically modified plant and lets out a deep, gut wrenching laugh in celebration of his success. He's created a monster, the birth of the Franken-plant.

The development of the first genetically modified plant strains, back in the 60’s, was intended to help farmers loose less crops to environmental concerns such as frost bite, pests and other threats. Crops that could be more resilient would yield a larger crop. Scientists were trying to develop super-strains that would be more likely to survive and produce a more lucrative crop for farmers. Well intentioned science, but like Frankenstein, it would eventually get out of control.

Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMO, are any organism (plant or otherwise) that have been engineered by recombinant DNA technology resulting in an alteration of its genes. Generally, these changes produce a more favorable strain, eliminating weaknesses and enhancing favorable properties such as size, color and flavor. For example, in the 60's tomato farmers began to harvest their crops with more mechanical equipment rather than hand picking. Agricultural scientists created a strain that was more resilient, less easily bruised and damaged, by the new, more aggressive harvesting techniques. 

In more recent years, Franken-plant has reared its head in the genetic modification of crops that would withstand damaging pesticides. Herbicide tolerant GMO crops now comprise the majority of the US crops. Roundup is a trade name for an herbicide used to kill weeds. Roundup Ready seeds are created to withstand the spray with this pesticide; killing the weeds without harming the plant. Sounds appealing, but unfortunately it’s where the problem starts. The more herbicide-tolerant crops are planted, the more herbicide is used. The pesticides used lead to nutritional deficiencies, increasing quality concerns and potential health problems such as various types of cancer, irritable bowel disease and a slew of allergies.

But that’s just where it starts. In the next post, we'll see where GMO has brought us.

Organic Soapbox

Remember 15 years ago when “granola” was a derogatory term, used to describe people who were flaky and unreliable? Who would have thought that these “granola crunchers” would spawn a mainstream culture promoting organic, local farming and humane treatment of animals? This heightened awareness of organic versus traditional farming has brought dramatic changes into the marketplace. Question is though, is this attention a passing fad? A labeling trend similar to the way “low-fat” diets or “low-carb” labels invaded the market n the past?

Contributing to this growth spurt is the sudden interest of so-called “traditional” food manufacturers in this emerging market. Organic and natural food producers are being scooped up under the wings of the big corporations, allowing more and more organic products on the supermarket shelves. Two examples are Stonyfield Farms and Kashi. Stonyfield Farms, known for making organic yogurt, was acquired by Dannon in 2003. Kashi, who specialize in whole grain cereals and convenience foods, was acquired by Kellog in 2000. Both companies have been around since the early 1980’s (1983 for Stonyfield Farms and 1984 for Kashi.) But both only gained wide scale, national attention once they were distributed nationally by the large conglomerates. Did these small guys sell out? Maybe, but ultimately, selling out to the large chains is what helped increase access to these organic alternatives as well as increased national awareness for all organics in general.

Another example is Whole Foods supermarket. The well-known chain started as a single health food store in Texas 30 years ago and has become one of those big national chains. Growing steadily with good ‘ol fashioned acquisition techniques since its inception in the early 1980’s, it has become one of the leading national supermarkets. The supermarket’s policy is to stock only those items adhering to a self regulated “natural” product rules. The company has also been known to discontinue sale of products that demonstrate cruelty to animals and those containing toxins, as well as minimizing use of plastics. Not to mention they have been continuously named as one of the best companies to work for by Forbes Magazine several years running. Whole Foods demonstrates that big companies are capable of being environmentally and humanely conscious while also being profitable.

So all that being said, let’s get right to it: Should you be buying organic food? I can sit here and talk to you till I’m blue in the face about how organic products are nutritionally superior to “traditionally” farmed foods. That:

• The soil used in the production of organic fruits and vegetables is more nutrient rich than traditional farm soil, resulting in more nutrient packed produce.
• The use of pesticides in traditional farms reduces the plants ability to detoxify and grow as resilient since it doesn’t have to fight to survive. As a result, organic fruits and veggies pack more anti-oxidant power and detoxifying effects.
• And there’s no contest that animals fed a better diet, and allowed to live a healthy, normal life free of cages, hormone injection and daily antibiotics produce better meat products. (We will get into the genetically modified products in a future blog!)

Yes, all those things are important for our health and for disease prevention. But how likely you are to eat a 100% organic diet depends on a couple of factors. You might be lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that has a health food store or a Whole Foods supermarket nearby. Access is one very important step. But what if you can’t afford the organic apples? What if you have kids? Those little guys sure can eat! The general population is aware they need to eat better, and most Americans know enough about organic food to realize it’s the healthier option. But the stumbling blocks are access and affordability. If you don’t have a conveniently located market to buy organic, local foods at an affordable price, will you realistically go out of your way to make that purchase on a regular basis?

 

What I’m getting to is that as much as I’d love to stand up here on my soap box and preach about supporting the local markets and boycotting the giant corporations, the reality is there’s a benefit to the big guns that the big companies carry. Advertising dollars, prime real estate on grocery store shelves and national availability at traditional supermarkets. These factors all lead to growth of the organic industry, lower production costs and increased consumer awareness. Of course you should support the local, small markets and farmers when it’s available! But keep in mind the impact of purchasing power when you walk into the chain stores as well and choose the brands that are ethically conscience. Economics is a numbers game people, and it’s about time we started using the power of the capitalism for good, instead of evil.

 

I guess I never answered my own question, is the "organic" label a passing fad? We'll have to get into a few more topics before we answer that question: Genetically Modified Organisms and toxins will be next!

Finding Balance: The Rock Theory

I tend to take on a lot. Anyone who knows me knows I love making new friends, starting new projects, learning new skills and discovering new hobbies. I’ve been made to feel admired, criticized, questioned and overwhelmed for this little “habit” of mine. But when it comes right down to it, I wouldn’t change any minute of this crazy, hectic, fun and amazing life! But what I have learned is how to take it as it comes and make sure it all fits in.

So at some point in the late 90’s I got a forward. No Earth shattering news there, but the content of that forward has stayed with me (unlike the thousands of other forwards I’ve gotten since). Let me see if I can rephrase its words of wisdom to demonstrate my point.

Say you have a clear glass jar, filled with sand. You add to it pebbles and maybe a few little rocks. Now your jar is filled pretty much to the brim. The problem is you have some larger rocks that you were supposed to put into the jar, but since that the jar is full, they won’t fit.

Moral of the story, the rocks and sand represent different aspects of your life; family, friends, career, spirituality, hobbies... etc. The size of the rocks is proportional to the importance of each aspect of life to you and your happiness. For example if you think family and friends are important, they’re the big rocks. Learning Dutch, that’s more like a pebble (well for me anyway.) The size of the jar is also significant. The fixed, inflexible glass jar represents time and its constraints.

That being said, why would you put the least important stuff, sand (for me that’s organizing my closet), in first? When it’s all said and done the things in your life that you value most you’ll eventually run out of room for. All of a sudden, you’re unhappy and wondering how you can make more time to squeeze it all in. The thing is the glass jar isn’t going to change size any time soon, just as time isn’t a flexible commodity either.

But what if we were to change our perspective? Rather than creating more time, we reorganized our priorities. Take that same jar; put your big rocks in first. Next take the smaller rocks and pebbles and drop them in. Watch how they find their way between the crevasses of the larger rocks. Also notice that there’s still space in between all the stones, and go ahead and add the sand to the jar. Again the sand trickles through the tiny spaces between the rocks and pebbles. Oh hell, go ahead and even pour in some water, it’ll fit!

Life’s short and there’s a lot to take in. Keep your priorities in mind. Time management is a misnomer; what we need to manage has nothing to do with time. You can’t control time, that’s a constant, inflexible factor. You’ll have to decide what’s most important to you in your life. Make sure you create space for those things first and respect that commitment. The smaller, less important things will find their way into the crevasses.

How do you fill your jar?