toxicity - pesticides, herbicides and insecticides - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 75– Is Genetically Modified FoodMaking Us Fat?He adds, “It’s like slow poisoning with small amounts ofarsenic. At first, you feel fine, but over time, the toxinbuilds up in your body and does more and more damage.”What’s the link with obesity and illness?The paper reports that eating foods that containglyphosate sets off a chain reaction. First, the chemical,which is known to have antibiotic effects, kills off goodbacteria in our gut, which contains 70 percent of the cellsthat comprise the immune system.“Two papers discussing gut bacteria in chickens andcows show that glyphosate—which is frequently found inanimal feed—causes an overgrowth of pathogens,” saysDr. Seneff. “This results in several problems, since thegut can’t absorb nutrients in food properly and the body’sability to get rid of toxins and defend against diseases isreduced.”Additionally, says Samsel, “there’s a disruption inproduction of three essential amino acids, includingtryptophan, the precursor to serotonin, a brain chemicalthat helps regulate appetite, satiety, and insulin levels.This creates a vicious cycle in which people don’t feelfull and overeat, leading to weight gain and obesity.”Is there any other evidence linking GM food to weightgain?Last year, a long-term international study reported thatwhen rats were fed GM corn, they were fatter after 90days than a control group of rats that ate non-GM corn.Researchers found that the same thing occurred when ratsate fish that, in turn, had consumed GM corn.GM corn is one of the more common crops specificallydesigned to withstand Roundup. The international studyalso looked at the effects of GM food on salmon. Fish feda GM diet seemed to be outwardly healthy, but werelarger and ate more than fish that didn’t receive GM food.Fish on a GM diet also were less able to digest proteinsand had alterations in their immune system and gut notfound in the salmon on a non-GM diet. Subtle changes inother organs, including the kidneys, liver, pancreas, andreproductive organs were also observed.Which foods contain Roundup residues?“If you are eating the typical Western nonorganic dietthat includes anything made from corn, soy, canola,wheat, sugar (both cane and sugar beet), cottonseed oil,sunflower, carrots, okra, potatoes, lentils, beans, andpeas, or meat, then you’re almost certainly consumingglyphosate,” notes Samsel.There are three ways that this chemical gets in our food.Monsanto developed Roundup in 1974 as a weed-killer.It’s most commonly used on crops that are geneticallymodified to be Roundup Ready, meaning that the plantshave had their DNA altered to withstand a chemical thatwould otherwise kill them.“In addition, the EPA allows much higher levels ofglyphosate in animal feed than it does in human food,which is how this chemical gets in meat, chicken, andeggs,” adds Samsel.He notes that Roundup is also used to dry out certaincrops, such as wheat and potatoes, so they are easier toharvest.How to Avoid the Health Effects of RoundupResidueIf you’re concerned about glyphosate in your food, trythese strategies to limit exposure, protect digestivehealth, and maintain a healthy weight, suggest Seneffand Samsel:• Go organic. Certified organic foods are free ofpotentially hazardous chemicals and additives. Inaddition, strict labeling and production rules bangenetically modified organisms (GMOs) asingredients.• Look for the Non-GMO Project Seal. Foodslabeled “Non-GMO Project Verified” have beenchecked by the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit thatrequires testing of all ingredients to make sure theydon’t contain GMOs. The Non-GMO Project has afree shopping app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, andiPad that’s searchable by brand name and producttype.• Avoid risky ingredients. Foods most likely tocontain glyphosate include sugar, wheat, soy,canola, cottonseed oil, corn, non-organic meat, andcertain processed foods. About 75 percent of theprocessed foods on supermarket shelves contain GMingredients, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) reports.• Consider going soy-free. The USDA reports that90 percent of the soybean samples it testedcontained glyphosate. In addition, 12 differentpesticides were detected. However, all residueswere below the EPA’s limits.• Buy locally grown produce. Since GMO crops aretypically grown on large industrial farms, it's muchless likely that the small farmers who participate infarmer's markets or food coops will be producingthese foods. To make a smart shopping decision,Continued on page 7776-- Traditional African Clinic July 2013