How the GMO Grinch Tried to Steal Christmas
With the holiday's approaching, I want to share this article on avoiding GMOs in our food. In an effort to truly educate you on the importance of avoiding GMOs, I am posting this guest blog post, written by Cynde Christie from "A Parallel World." Cynde is a personal friend of mine, and has done an amazing job researching the health effects of consuming products that have been genetically modified. I hope you find this information helpful and informative.
Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza have quite a bit in common. They happen at approximately the same time of year, they are all high holidays and food is always a big part of the celebration. Christmas tables are laden with turkey, ham or goose and all of the trimmings, including many sugar-filled desserts. The Hanukkah table buckles under the weight of the beloved holiday fare packed with fried foods such as "sufganiyot" or jelly-filled doughnuts and "latkes," those wonderful potato pancakes topped with sour cream and applesauce. Fried and fatty foods are especially popular during the holidays, as are dairy foods. The Kwanza tradition, employing the “first fruits” theme, includes dried fruits and nuts, but then splashes out with the delectable Southern fare of fried Okra, ham hocks and greens, cheesy grits, cornbread and all the other mouthwatering dishes bursting with fatty goodness.
Unfortunately, one thing all of these holiday foods have in common is the danger of GMO’s. Sugar, dairy, soy and corn are at the top of the list for “most likely” to have GMO’s. A quick reminder that GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. Take an organism, such as corn; insert a gene from another species into the corn, and you have modified it into a GMO. Unfortunately, there are currently no regulations for safety testing on genetically modified organisms. In addition to the DNA manipulation GMO production utilizes, bacteria and viruses act as carriers of the DNA fragment that contains the desired trait. Like Artic fish in tomatoes. Virus carriers and bacteria carriers used in GMO production act differently. They grow bacteria carriers in a culture and then induce a tumor growth in the infected plant, while the virus itself is a piece of DNA.
What should you watch out for when buying our holiday ingredients? Apples, strawberries and grapes top the GMO list. Following them on the GMO list is celery, peaches, spinach, bell peppers, cucumbers, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, summer squash, and leafy greens, specifically kale and collards. How many of our holiday favorites made the cut? Not many. So, let us look at the ways we can enjoy all of our holiday fare: Buy Organic. By law, Certified Organic foods cannot contain pesticides or fertilizers or come from genetically engineered seeds. Look for Non-GMO Verified produce and products. This program tests products to verify whether they contain any GMO material. Also, do not buy nonorganic frozen, processed (boxed or canned) pre-made meals. Most all of them contain some GMO ingredients.
This season take a few minutes to make sure you are feeding your family what you believe you are feeding them. Happy, healthy Holidays!
Contact me for a free Discovery Session to explore how I can support you on your journey towards losing weight, while gaining a healthy lifestyle, and how to become your own health advocate.
To your health and happiness,
Donna Markussen www.FindingYourHealth.com info@FindingYourHealth.com