Rather Be Healthy

Kashi Cereal Stirs Anger – Exposed by Small Rhode Island Grocer

A simple sign on a grocery store shelf has gone viral, causing a storm of outrage among consumers who feel they’ve been misled by cereal maker Kellogg’s claims about its Kashi cereals. A Rhode Island grocer posted a note on the shelf where Kashi was supposed to be, saying he’d learned it wasn’t 100 percent natural after all, and therefore wasn’t carrying it anymore.

It turns out the soy in Kashi cereals comes from genetically modified Roundup-ready soybeans, which have a gene inserted in them that allows the crop to withstand otherwise lethal doses of the weed killer.

USA Today reported that consumers felt duped into believing that Kashi was all-natural when it’s noti. Their complaints were initially brushed off by Kashi general Manager David DeSouza, who told USA Today that since the FDA doesn’t regulate the term “natural,” the cereal maker has done nothing wrong by defining “natural” as minimally-processed with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or sweeteners.

Were You Duped by Kashi’s Wholesome Brand Identity?

People generally tend to believe that the word “natural” refers to foods grown “in a natural way,” which really amounts to organic farming methods, or close to it; sans harsh chemicals, and most definitely not something that has been genetically engineered. Unfortunately, that’s not what the “natural” label represents at all. In fact, the “natural” label is unregulated, and companies can define it as they please.

But most food manufacturers are well aware of this general misperception of what the label means, and frequently misuse it to lure health conscious consumers into spending more. This is known as “green-washing” and it certainly applies in this case.

Adding insult to injury, the company appears to have made a poor attempt to save face by further misleading consumers about the accuracy of the information that led the Rhode Island grocer to not carry the Kashi brand anymore.

The Cornucopia Institute released a report, Cereal Crimes, back in November of last yearii, which details the presence of genetically engineered grains in a number of leading “natural” cereal brands, including Kellogg’s Kashi brand. Shockingly, many of the products tested were found to contain high amounts of genetically engineered grains—some, including Kashi, containing 100 percent genetically engineered grains!

The report also mentions a class action lawsuit filed against Kellogg/Kashi on August 31, 2011, “for allegedly misleading consumers with its “natural” claims. One Kashi® product in particular, GoLean® Shakes, is composed almost entirely of synthetic and unnaturally processed ingredients, according to the plaintiff.”

The report contrasts these findings with tests of certified organic cereal products, which by law are not allowed to contain any genetically engineered ingredients or synthetic pesticides. While some were found to be mildly contaminated with genetically engineered ingredients, overall, the report highlights the fact that the ONLY way to ensure you’re not buying a genetically engineered product is to buy a product bearing the USDA 100% Organic label.

When Greenwashing Attempts Finally Backfire…

Once the grocer’s sign went viral and angry consumers began overloading the Kashi telephone lines, the company switched to a recorded message stating they were temporarily unable to accept calls. Then, according to an April 26 report by Cornucopia Instituteiii:

“When the company again began accepting calls, a Kashi consumer affairs employee, Rick Duran, told a Cornucopia staff member that “no actual testing” of their cereal products had been performed. This mimicked the analysis also offered in a response by the company in an online video posted that same afternoon on the Kashi Facebook page. The video spokesperson called Cornucopia’s information “scientifically inaccurate and misleading because it was not based on actual testing of Kashi products.”

“This characterization of our work by Kashi is blatantly false,” said Will Fantle, Cornucopia’s Research Director. “We purchased a readily available box of Kashi’s GoLean® cereal from a Whole Foods store. We then sent a sample to an accredited national lab for testing, finding that the soy in the natural cereal was 100% GMO.”

The Kashi video also suggested, disingenuously, that any genetically engineered contamination in their food was from incidental sources rather than crops intentionally grown from GMO seed. While acknowledging that over 80% of the soybeans grown in North America are GMO, they explain that, “practices in agricultural storage, handling, and shipping, have lead to an environment where GMOs are not sufficiently controlled.”

“This is classic public relations spin and crisis communications work, where corporations use misinformation to try to cover their tracks,” said Rebekah Wilce, of the Center for Media and Democracy/PRWatch, which helps expose corporate PR tactics…”

Three days later, the USA Today reportediv:

“… Kellogg got itself into trouble by “not being entirely transparent,” says Roger Nyhus, president of Nyhus Communications in Seattle. He sees a trend among some companies “of fudging language to allay consumer concerns and jump on the green bandwagon, and I think it’s starting to backfire.” … Kashi’s DeSouza says that by 2015, all new Kashi products will “contain at least 70 percent USDA organic certified ingredients.”

So, in a matter of days, Kashi ended up backpedaling as their initial attempt to discredit the Cornucopia Institute’s test results backfired, and now the company has agreed to ensure their products will, within the next three years, contain at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients. While this is probably not going to be enough for most health conscious consumers, Kashi’s pledge is at least a good demonstration of the power of consumer education, and that consumers ultimately have the power to influence even the largest of food companies. After all, they can only sell what you’re willing to buy!

“Natural” Label is Frequently Misused to Lure Health Conscious Consumers

The misuse of the term “natural” by companies who simply pay lip service to sustainability and the organic movement undermines companies that are truly sincere in their efforts to bring you eco-friendly, unadulterated, safe foods.

And companies like Kashi cannot rightfully claim ignorance about the impact the word “natural” has—marketing firm polls have shown that more people respond favorably to the “all-natural” label than the organic label! It’s a powerful word that conjures up wholesomeness in most people’s minds. Marketing terms such as “natural” are certainly not chosen willy-nilly. No, they’re selected based on what works and what sells. As illustrated by this market research summary by The Hartman Groupv:

“Consumer understanding and shopping behavior of organic and natural foods and beverages continues to change and evolve. Today’s consumers are confused, yet continue to be engaged by the vast array of products, messages, symbols and labels they encounter when making decisions about what to eat or drink and where they shop.

… This study will identify the hierarchy among these attributes and point out differences by product category as well as deeper distinctions between “organic” and “natural” themselves. It will enable companies to go beyond the clutter of product call-outs to have a singular focus on what matters most to consumers thereby increasing brand loyalty and likelihood of purchase”

According to a 2010 Hartman Group poll, more than 60 percent of consumers erroneously believe that the “natural” label implies or suggests the absence of genetically engineered ingredients, so Kashi’s statement that there’s nothing wrong with using genetically engineered ingredients in their “natural” products is rather weak. Food companies know this misconception exists, and they actively prey on consumers’ assumptions. Fortunately, the Cornucopia Institute’s report has awakened many to this sad truth. As one now-former Kashi consumer stated on the company’s Facebook page:

“Yours is the only brand cereal I have bought for years. Not anymore! You are despicable. Everything you supposedly stand for is a lie.”

The Difference Between Natural and Organic

It’s important to understand that the “natural” label is not regulated and does not provide a guarantee of being free of genetically engineered ingredients or synthetic pesticides and additives. Currently, the ONLY label that can protect you against genetically engineered ingredients and other unsavory additives is the USDA 100% Organic label.

The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) took effect October 21, 2002, and regulates the standards for any farm, wild crop harvesting, or handling operation that wants to sell an agricultural product as organically produced. The labeling requirements of the NOP apply to raw, fresh products and processed products that contain organic agricultural ingredientsvi. In order to qualify as organic, a product must be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity.

Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizersvii. Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones.
•Products labeled “USDA 100% organic” must contain only organically produced materials
•Products labeled simply “USDA organic” must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients, whereas
•The label “made with organic ingredients” can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients

Organic products cannot be irradiated, are not allowed to contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals, nor can they contain traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances set by the FDAviii. Additionally, the pesticide residue level cannot be higher than 5 percent of the maximum EPA pesticide toleranceix. For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label, see this linkx. To learn more about organic foods and the findings detailed in the Cereal Crimes report, please listen to my interview with Mark Kastel of the Cornucopia Institute.

Download Interview Transcript

Mom Stands Up to Monsanto and Wins Major Environmental Award

Genetically engineered foods do not just pose a health hazard for those consuming them. GE crops also threaten the health of the environment and those living in GE farming communities, due to the heavy use of pesticides required to grow these crops.

A woman in Argentina who was instrumental in getting the president of Argentina to investigate the connection between pesticide use and the incidence of cancer and other devastating illnesses and deaths in her town has been awarded the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize—the world’s largest prize honoring grassroots environmentalists. The Goldman recognizes unsung heroes who often take great personal risks to work to protect the world’s natural resources and human lives.

Thirteen years ago Sofia Gatica gave birth to a daughter who died three days later of kidney failure. Determined to learn what killed her child, she learned that the people in her working-class neighborhood, surrounded by genetically engineered soy fields and subjected to regular insecticide spraying, were plagued with unexplained health issues including high rates of neurological and respiratory diseases, birth defects, and infant mortality. Even though she faced an uphill battle and death threats, Gatica succeeded in getting a municipal ordinance passed prohibiting aerial spraying around her town. Argentina’s Supreme Court followed with a ruling that not only banned chemical spraying near populated areas, but ordered the government and soy producers to prove the chemicals are safe.

The Devastating Health Effects of Roundup

As of July 2013, Argentina will no longer allow the use of endulsofan, an off-patent organochlorine insecticide, and Gatica is currently involved with an effort to enact a nationwide ban on glyphosate as well. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, which is used on all genetically engineered Roundup-Ready crops, which have been genetically altered to withstand otherwise lethal doses of the chemical.

Glyphosate is easily one of the world’s most overlooked poisons. Research published in 2010 showed that the chemical, which works by inhibiting an enzyme called EPSP synthase that is necessary for plants to grow, causes birth defects in frogs and chicken embryos at far lower levels than used in agricultural and garden applicationsxi. The malformations primarily affected the:
•Skull
•Face
•Midline and developing brain
•Spinal cord

The amount of glyphosate residue you can be exposed to through food is remarkably high, in terms of being close to the maximum residue limit (MRL) allowed. According to a report in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, the highest MRL for glyphosate in food and feed products in the EU is 20 mg/kg. Genetically engineered soybeans have been found to contain residue levels as high as 17 mg/kg, and malformations in frog and chicken embryos occurred at 2.03 mg/kg!xiiThat’s 10 times lower than the MRL. Other independent scientific research has also found that glyphosate has the potential to cause grave health damage, including a 2009 study that tested formulations of Roundup that were highly diluted (up to 100,000 times or more) on human cells, and even then the cells died within 24 hours.xiii

Why We MUST Insist on Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods

Labeling may be the only way to stop the proliferation of genetically engineered foods in the U.S,, but simple petitions will likely fail. We strongly support state initiatives, such as California’s ballot initiative to require labeling for genetically engineered foods sold in their state. A coalition of consumer, public health and environmental organizations, food companies, and individuals has already submitted the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act to the State Attorney General, and thousands of volunteers have done an outstanding job collecting the required signatures.

Now, the campaign needs funding. Needless to say, it’s going to be an enormous battle, as the biotech industry will outspend us by 100 to 1, if not more, for their propaganda aimed at stopping Californians from voting it into law.

I urge you to participate in the Money Bomb Against Monsanto, which was launched on May 1. By May 26, a broad coalition of food-, farming-, health groups, and organic food manufacturers, will attempt to raise one million dollars (i.e. “The Money Bomb”) to help get this law passed.

Donations can be made online, via regular snail mail, and over the phone. And to sweeten the deal further, a group of “Right to Know” public interest organizations and organic companies have pledged to match the first million dollars raised in this nationwide “Drop the Money Bomb on Monsanto Campaign.” So please, help us raise two million dollars to win this historic campaign!

You can donate online, by phone, or by dropping a check in the mail.

References:

——————————————————————————–
i USA Today April 29, 2012
ii Cornucopia Institute, Cereal Crimes Report, October 11, 2011
iii Cornucopia Institute April 26, 2012
iv USA Today April 29, 2012
v Hartman Group, Beyond Organic and Natural: Resolving Confusion in Marketing Foods and Beverages
vi United States Department of Agriculture,Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program, Organic Labeling and Marketing Information
vii Food Marketing Institute, Natural and Organic Foods, Executive Summary
viii US Food and Drug Administration, August 2000, Action levels for poisonous or deleterious substances in human food and animal feed
ix Environmental Protection Agency, Pesticides: Health and Safety, Pesticides and Food: What the Pesticide Residue Limits are on Food
x US Department of Agriculture, The National list of allowed and prohibited substances
xi Chemical Research in Toxicology 2010; 23(10):1586–1595
xii Chemical Research in Toxicology 2010; 23(10):1586–1595
xiii Chemical Research in Toxicology 2009 Jan;22(1):97-105.

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Disorders of the digestive system

The alimentary tract of the digestive system maintains the following four main activities: ingestion, digestion, absorption and elimination.
The alimentary canal begins in the mouth, leads through the thorax, abdomen and pelvic region and ends in the anus. When you eat a meal, a series of digestive processes begin to take place. These can be divided into the mechanical breakdown of food through mastication and the chemical breakdown of food through enzymes.
Enzymes are minute chemical substances composed of proteins that cause or speed up chemical changes in other substances, without themselves being changed. Digestive enzymes are contained in the saliva of the salivary glands of the mouth, the gastric juice in the stomach, the intestinal juice in the pancreas and the bile in the liver.
Absorption is the process by which tiny nutrient particle of digested food pass through the intestinal walls into the blood and lymph vessels, which help distribute them to the cell of the body.
The bowels eliminate as feces whatever food substances they cannot digest or absorb, such as the plant fib4er cellulose. Fecal matter also contains bile, which carries the waste products resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells. Nearly one third of the excreted fecal matter is made up of dead intestinal bacteria. The body can function smoothly and efficiently only if the bowel removes these dily generated waste products every day.
Good health results when each of these major activities in the digestive system is balanced and well coordinated with the rest of the body. By contrast, abnormalities begin to arise in the digestive system as well as in other parts of the body when one or more of the functions becomes impaired. The presence of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder has a disruptive influence of the digestion and absorption of food, as well as on the body’s waste disposal system.

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Medical Board of California bullies couple into shutting down colon hydrotherapy practice, entire profession now at risk

“Our sole source of income and our livelihoods, both taken from us in an instant,” Shea Baird explained to me, struggling to fight back the tears. This veteran colon hydrotherapist and her husband Stephen are the latest victims of the medical establishment’s rogue authoritarianism, as they were recently coerced under threat of imprisonment into signing a cease and desist order that prohibits them from further conducting their practice, even though they have done nothing wrong.

For more than a decade, Shea and her husband Stephen have been helping patients cleanse their colons naturally without chemicals or drugs using simple water, a practice that is fully legal for non-licensed practitioners in the state of California under the provisions of SB 577, Section 2053.6 (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov). But because many colon hydrotherapists like Shea and Stephen operate unlicensed and outside the mainstream medical paradigm, the Medical Board of California (MBC) is irked, and appears to have decided to launch a witch hunt to destroy the practice, beginning with the Bairds.

It all started about two-and-a-half years ago when a client of the Bairds, who happened to be a doctor, filed a complaint against their practice, Every Body Cleansing (http://everybodycleansing.com/), claiming he was harmed by the treatments. After 18 months of laborious legal wrangling, it was finally determined that this doctor-client was simply a troublemaker and a fraud, and had actually filed several other bogus claims against healthcare practitioners in the past.

But this same disgruntled doctor-client, who was determined by all parties at that time, including his own lawyers, to have never had a valid complaint, decided to target the Bairds again by filing a complaint with MBC in December 2010. And roughly a year-and-a-half later in Spring 2012, Shea and her husband received a certified letter in the mail explaining that an MBC investigator wanted to drop by to check out the practice.

Nervous about the situation after all that had already happened, Shea and Stephen reluctantly agreed to allow MBC Investigator Dennis Scully to visit their practice on March 22, 2012. When he arrived, he presented himself in a friendly and cordial manner, reassuring the Bairds there was nothing to be concerned about. But his tune quickly changed after the Bairds complied with his request to show them a little bit more about how colon hydrotherapy works.

According to Shea, Mr. Scully’s entire demeanor changed as he suddenly, out of nowhere, told the couple sternly that it is a felony crime for individuals who are not licensed doctors, or who are not working with licensed doctors, to treat patients using colon hydrotherapy. He then threatened that if the two did not immediately sign a cease and desist order agreeing to stop practicing, he would proceed to file charges with the district attorney’s office, in which the Bairds could end up spending 28 years in prison.

Sobbing uncontrollably at this point, Shea tried to reason with Mr. Scully, who had deceived them as to why he was even there in the first place, but he would not relent, nor would he even allow them to seek legal counsel. So the Bairds, under extreme duress, finally caved to Mr. Scully’s demands and signed the cease and desist order. And since that time, they have had to turn away all their clients, which has left the couple with no source of income and a monumental legal battle on their hands.

SB 577 passed in 2002 to protect people like the Bairds from state oppression
Interestingly, the very same documents Mr. Scully presented to the Bairds as evidence of their supposed violations of the law actually affirm their right to practice colon hydrotherapy without a license. SB 577 specifically provisions for alternative healthcare practitioners, including those that are not licensed physicians, to practice, so long as they agree to fully disclose this information to patients (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov).

But MBC has made it clear that it does not accept this interpretation of the law, citing Section 3640 of the California Business and Professions Code, which outlines how naturopathic doctors (ND) are permitted, though not exclusively, to practice colon hydrotherapy. And it is this non-exclusive provision that technically and legally allows people like the Bairds to also practice colon hydrotherapy, despite what MBC claims.

At this point, however, MBC and the state together have a virtually unlimited arsenal of funds and manpower to bend the law in their own favor to crush the Bairds, and eventually pursue other colon hydrotherapists throughout the state of California. The Bairds, in other words, are the test case — if they lose this fight, it will set a precedent for MBC to go after the entire colon hydrotherapy profession.

In short, the Bairds need your help to fight the system, restore their practice, and ultimately defend health freedom for all in the state of California and nationwide. And to help raise much-needed funds and awareness to fight this legal battle, the Bairds have set up a fundraising portal by which you can donate to their cause. They are also asking for other colon hydrotherapists and their patients to come to their defense in defending the practice of colon hydrotherapy.

You can access the Baird’s fundraising portal, which also contains more information about their case, here:
http://www.indiegogo.com/takingonthemedicalboard

If you like what you read, please consider donating to help support my blog, even as little as $5 will help.

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Why Are Toxic Proteins Genetically Engineered Into Your Food?

By Dr. Mercola
If you’ve ever taken a drive through the rural Midwest in the United States, you’ve likely had the pleasure of seeing acre upon acre of rolling farmlands planted with primarily corn and soybeans. On the surface it’s a calming sight, evoking images of a simpler, more wholesome time — but unfortunately if you dig beneath the surface the image is much darker, because most of these crops are far different from the ones our ancestors first planted generations ago.
Today, upwards of 85 percent of U.S. corn crops contain a special gene added that allows them to produce an insecticide. This way, when bugs attempt to eat the corn they’re killed right away (specifically their stomach is split open) because the plant contains an invisible, built-in pesticide shield. The problem is, of course, that when you eat this corn you eat the built-in pesticide as well, and as you might suspect this is proving problematic for human health and the environment.
You’re Likely Eating Foods That Contain a Built-in Pesticide and Don’t Even Know It
The particular gene added to most corn crops is a type of Bt-toxin — produced from Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria. Genetic engineers remove the gene that produces the Bt in bacteria and insert it into the DNA of corn (and cotton) plants.
These toxins, including Cry1Aa toxin of B. thuringiensis, are known as “pore-forming toxins” because they cause essential minerals needed for cell survival to perforate the cell membrane and kill the host. But these proteins are highly dynamic, meaning they change quickly in different environments, such as inside or outside of the cell membrane. For this reason, studying their exact mechanisms has been difficult and little is known about the basic functioning of these toxin proteins, or their risks in using them as pesticides in our food supply.
Monsanto and others claim that Bt-toxin is quickly destroyed in human stomachs — and even if it survived, it won’t cause reactions in humans or mammals …But studies are now showing that this is not the case.
Bt Toxin May Already be Circulating in Your Bloodstream
Bt toxin is readily passing into the human bloodstream and animal studies have already shown that Bt-toxin does cause health effects in animals, including potentially humans. As Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, wrote:
“Mice fed natural Bt-toxin showed significant immune responses and caused them to become sensitive to other formerly harmless compounds. This suggests that Bt-toxin might make a person allergic to a wide range of substances. Farm workers and others have also had reactions to natural Bt-toxin, and authorities acknowledge that “People with compromised immune systems or preexisting allergies may be particularly susceptible to the effects of Bt.”
In fact, when natural Bt was sprayed over areas around Vancouver and Washington State to fight gypsy moths, about 500 people reported reactions—mostly allergy or flu-like symptoms. Six people had to go to the emergency room.
… The Bt-toxin produced in the GM plants is probably more dangerous than in its natural spray form. In the plants, the toxin is about 3,000-5,000 times more concentrated than the spray, it doesn’t wash off the plants like the spray does, and it is designed to be more toxic than the natural version. In fact, the GM toxin has properties of known allergens and fails all three GM allergy tests recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others.”
In the first study to test whether or not these toxin proteins are finding their way into humans, it appears the toxin is quite prevalent, as upon testing 69 pregnant and non-pregnant women who were eating a typical Canadian diet (which included foods such as GM soy, corn and potatoes), researchers found Cry1Ab, a specific type of Bt toxin, in:
• 93 percent of maternal blood samples
• 80 percent of fetal blood samples
• 69 percent of non-pregnant women blood samples
Toxic Proteins are Also Infiltrating the Environment
As you might suspect, Bt toxin has also infiltrated the environment. According to one study, 50 of the 217 streams, ditches and drains near cornfields that researchers tested were found to contain Cry1Ab above six nanograms per liter. The protein is getting into the waterways via corn stalks, leaves, husks and cobs that blow into the water — a phenomenon that’s incredibly common since farmers often leave such material in fields to help minimize soil erosion.
Eighty-six percent of the streams tested contained various corn material with the potential to transmit Bt-toxin into water. Further, because the study was conducted six months after crops were harvested, it indicates that the GM protein lingers in the environment. Now that this GM toxin is showing up in waterways, it has the potential to devastate aquatic life and continue to spread, uncontrolled and unrestricted, across the entire United States and world.
New Meta-Analysis Confirms: ‘Genetically Modified Feed is Toxic’
The danger posed by GM crops is no longer theoretical, as proven by an analysis of 19 studies in which animals were fed GM soy and corn, which comprise more than 80 percent of all GMOs cultivated on a large scale, and exist in virtually every processed food sold in the United States.
It was 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. The data revealed quite clearly that consuming GM food leads to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, and this occurred in animals fed GM corn and soy for just 30-90 days. As the researchers stated, only three events were tested for more than 90 days in feeding experiments or on more than one generation, even though a 90-day period is considered insufficient to evaluate chronic toxicity!
They continued:
“In fact, it is impossible, within only 13 weeks, to conclude about the kind of pathology that could be induced by pesticide GMOs and whether it is a major pathology or a minor one. It is therefore necessary to prolong the tests …
We can conclude, from the regulatory tests performed today, that it is unacceptable to submit 500 million Europeans and several billions of consumers worldwide to the new pesticide GM-derived foods or feed, this being done without more controls (if any) than the only 3-month-long toxicological tests and using only one mammalian species, especially since there is growing evidence of concern … ”
They labeled the majority of GMOs on the market “pesticide plants,” referring to the about 20 percent of GM crops that contain the Bt toxin, as discussed above, along with the other estimated 80 percent of GMOs, which are modified to be resistant to Roundup herbicide.
They stated:
“All these commercialized cultivated GMOs have been modified to contain pesticides, either through herbicide tolerance or by producing insecticides, or both, and could therefore be considered as “pesticide plants.”
Almost all GMOs only encode these two traits despite claims of numerous other traits. For instance, Roundup ready crops have been modified in order to become insensitive to glyphosate. This chemical together with adjuvants in formulations constitutes a potent herbicide. It has been used for many years as a weed killer by blocking aromatic amino acid synthesis by inhibition of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS).
Most Roundup ready plants have been modified thanks to the insertion of a mutated EPSPS gene coding for a mutated enzyme, which is not inhibited by glyphosate. Therefore, GM plants exposed to glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup do not specifically degrade glyphosate. They can even accumulate Roundup residues throughout their life, even if they excrete most of such residues. Glyphosate and its main metabolite AMPA (with its own toxicity) are found in GMOs on a regular and regulatory basis.
Therefore, such residues are absorbed by people eating most GM plants (as around 80% of these plants are Roundup tolerant). On the other hand, about 20% of the other GMOs do synthesize new insecticide proteins through the insertion of mutated genes derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).”
What this means is that nearly ALL foods you buy that contain either corn or soy have the potential to transfer GM material into your body, often in the form of pesticides:
• GM corn — which is engineered to produce the insecticidal BT toxin — might transfer and continue to create insecticide inside your intestines
• Roundup-ready soybeans — which have herbicide-resistant genes inserted into them in order to survive being sprayed with otherwise deadly doses of Roundup herbicide — might transfer the herbicide-resistant genes into the DNA of your intestinal bacteria, where it continues to function long after you stop eating the GM soy
What Can You do to Avoid This Massive Experiment?
The amount of GM crops now grown in the United States (over 90 percent of all corn is GM corn and over 95 percent of soy is GM soy) makes it so that EVERY processed food you encounter at your local supermarket that does not bear the “USDA Organic” label is filled with GM components.
So you’re eating GM foods, and you have been for the last decade, whether you knew it or not. You can thank Congress for this, and the USDA and Monsanto. What ultimate impact these GM foods will have on your health is still unknown, but increased disease, infertility and birth defects appear to be on the top of the list of most likely side effects. So to call the infiltration of GMOs into our food supply a massive experiment is not an exaggeration.
Even the New York Times stated earlier this year:
“A majority of our foods already contain GMOs and there’s little reason to think more isn’t on the way. It seems our “regulators” are using us and the environment as guinea pigs, rather than demanding conclusive tests. And without labeling, we have no say in the matter whatsoever.”
That you have no say in the matter is really only partially true, as once you become informed you can avoid buying GM foods and even help to stop the GM trend. We CAN shift the balance by simply voting with our pocketbooks. Europe successfully did this over a decade ago, without any government assistance, and Americans can drive GMO’s out of our food supply as well, but it requires educating the public about what GM foods are.
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. Many health food stores will carry these products.
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.
If you’re feeling more ambitious, you can also order the Non-GMO Shopping Tips brochure from the Institute of Responsible Technology in bulk and give it to your family and friends.
Better yet, always buy USDA 100% Organic products when possible, or buy whole fresh produce and meat from local farmers who do not use GM seeds. The majority of the GMO’s you’re exposed to are via processed foods, so by cooking from scratch with whole foods, you can be sure you’re not inadvertently consuming something laced with GM ingredients. Finally, avoid non-organic processed foods as much as possible, as again these are virtually 100-percent guaranteed to contain GM ingredients.

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The importance of bile.
As already mentioned, one of the liver’s most important functions is to produce bile, about 1 to 1.5 quarts per day. Liver bile is viscous yellow, brown or green fluid that is alkaline and has a bitter taste. Without sufficient bile, most commonly eaten foods remain undigested or partially digested. For example, to enable the small inte3stines to digest and absorb fat and calcium from the food you eat, the food must first combine with bile. When fat is not absorbed properly, it indicates that bile secretion is insufficient. The undigested fat remains in the intestinal tract. When undigested fat reaches the colon along with the other waste products, bacteria break down some of the fat into fatty acids or excrete it with the stool. Since fat is lighter that water, having fat in the stool may cause it to float. When fat is not absorbed, calcium is not absorbed either, leaving blood in a deficit. The blood subsequently takes its extra calcium from the bones. Most bone dentistry problems (osteoporosis) actually arise from insufficient bile secretion and poor digestion of fats rather than from not consuming enough calcium. Few medical practitioners are aware of this fact and hence, merely prescribe calcium supplements to their patients.
Apart from breaking down the fats in our food, bile also removes toxins from the liver. One of the lesser known but extremely important functions of bile is to deacidify and cleanse the intestines.
When gallstones in the liver or gallbladder have critically impeded bile flow, the color of the stool may be tan or orange-yellow or pale as in clay, instead of the normal greenish-brown.
Gallstones are a direct product of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. If gallstones are still present in the liver even after all other disease causing factors are eliminated, the pose a considerable health risk and may lead to illness and premature aging. For this reason the subject has been included her as a major risk factor or cause of disease. The following sections describe some of the main consequences of gallstones in the liver on the different organs and systems in the body. When these stones are removed the body as a whole can resume its normal, healthy activities.

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Cleansing the liver and gallbladder from all accumulated stones helps to restore homeostasis, balances weight and sets the precondition for the body to heal itself. The liver cleanse is also one of the best precautionary measures you can take to protect yourself against nearly every kind of illness, known or unknown.
If you suffer any of the following symptoms, or similar conditions you most likely have numerous gallstones in your liver and gallbladder:
Food cravings
Digestive disorders
Diarrhea
Constipation
Clay-colored stool
Hernia
Flatulence
Hemorrhoids
Dull pain on the right side
Difficulty breathing
Liver cirrhosis
Hepatitis
Most infections
High cholesterol
Pancreatitis
Heart disease4
Brain disorders
Duodenal ulcers
Nausea and vomiting
A bilious or angry personality
Depression
Impotence
Other sexual problems
Prostate diseases
Urinary problems
Hormonal imbalances
Menstrual menopausal disorders
Problems with vision
Puffy eyes
Any skin disorder
Liver spots, especially those on the back of the hands and facial area
Dizziness and fainting spells
Loss of muscle tone
Excessive weight or wasting
Strong shoulder and back pain
Pain at the top of the shoulder blade and or between the shoulder blades
Dark color under the eyes
Morbid complexion
Tongue that is glossy or coated in white or yellow
Scoliosis
Gout
Frozen shoulder
Stiff neck
Asthma
Headaches and migraines
Tooth and gum problems
Yellowness’ of the eye and skin
Sciatica
Numbness and paralysis of the legs
Joint disease
Knee problems
Osteoporosis
Obesity
Chronic fatigue
Kidney diseases
Cancer
Multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia
Alzheimer’s disease
Cold extremities
Excessive heat an perspiration in the upper part of the body
Very greasy hair and hair loss
Cuts or wounds that keep bleeding and refuse to heal
Difficulty sleeping, insomnia
Nightmares
Stiffness of joints and muscles
Hot and cold flashes.

From The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse
Andrea Moritz PhD

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Gallstones in the liver, Part two

A healthy liver receives and filters pints of blood per minute and produces 1 to 1.5 quarts of bile every day. This ensures that all the activities in the liver and in the rest of the body run smoothly and efficiently. Obstructive gallstones greatly undermine the liver’s ability to detoxify any externally supplied and internally generated harmful substances.
These stones also prevent the liver from delivering the proper amounts of nutrients and energy to the right places in the body to the right places in the body at the right time. This upsets the delicate balance in the body, known as homeostasis, thus leading to disruption of its systems and undue stress on it’s organs.
A clear example of such ia disturbed balance is an increased concentration of the endocrine hormones estrogen and aldosterone in the blood. These hormones, produced in both men and women are responsible for the correct amount of salt and water retention. When stones congest the gallbladder and the liver’s bile ducts, these hormones may not be sufficiently broken down and detoxified. Hence, their concentration in the blood rises to abnormal levels, causing tissue swelling and water retention. Most oncologists consider elevated estrogen levels to be the leading cause of breast cancer among women, I men, high levels of this hormone. In men, high levels of these hormones can lead to both excessive development of breast tissue and weight gain.
Over 60% of the American population is overweight of obese. Men, women and children in the condition suffer mainly from fluid retention (with relatively minor fat accumulation). The retained fluids help tap and neutralize noxious substances that the liver can no longer remove from the body. This helps the overweight or obese person to survive a major, possibly fatal, toxicity crisis such as a heart attack, septic poisoning, or massive infection. The side effects of fluid retention in the tissues, however, is that it causes these toxins and other harmful waste matter(metabolic waste and dead cell material) to accumulate in various parts of the body and further congest the pathways of circulation and elimination.
Wherever in the body the storage capacity for toxins and waste is exceeded, symptoms of illness begin to occur.

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Andrea Morit, PhD

Gallstones in the liver, a major health risk.

Think of the liver as a large city with thousands of houses and streets. There are underground pipes for delivering water, oil and gas. Sewage systems and garbage trucks remove the city’s waste products. Power lines deliver energy tot eh homes and businesses. Factories, transport systems, communication networks and stores meet the daily requirement of the residents. The organization of city life is such that it can provide all that it needs for the continued existence of the population. But if a major strike , a power outage, a devastating earthquake or a major act of terrorism such as 9/11, suddenly paralyses city life, the population will begin to suffer serious shortages in all these vital sectors.
Like a city’s infrastructure, the liver has hundreds of different functions and is connected with every part of the body. Every moment of the day it’s involved in manufacturing, processing and supplying vast amounts of nutrients. These nutrients feed the 60 to 100 trillion inhabitants (cells) of the body.
Each cell is, in itself, a microscopic city of immense complexity, with billions of chemical reaction per second. To sustain the incredibly diverse activities of all the cells of the body without disruption, the liver must supply them with a constant stream of nutrients, enzymes and hormones. With its intricate labyrinth or veins, ducts and specialized cells, the liver needs to be completely unobstructed in order to maintain a problem free production line and frictionless distribution system throughout the body.
The liver is the main organ responsible for distributing and maintaining the body’s fuel supply. Furthermore, its activities include the breaking down of complex chemicals and the synthesis of protein molecules. Te liver acts as a cleansing device; it also deactivates the hormones, alcohol and medicinal drugs, Its task is to modify these biologically active substances s o that they lose the potentially harmful effects- a process known as detoxification. Specialized cells in the liver’s blood vessels (Kupfler cells) mop up harmful elements and infectious organisms reaching the liver from the gut. The liver excretes the waste materials resulting from the actions via its bile duct network.

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Twenty Genetically Modified Foods Coming to Your
Plate
Into by Jack Adam Weber
Article by Stephanie Rogers – ecosalon.com
Intro – If the need to halt GMOs were not urgent
enough, this article should scare the pants off you.
Here we glimpse some of the potentials for the
unabated and bizarre proliferation of GMOs. Some
of these developments you will already know about
(hopefully), but some will come as a surprise. As I
see it we are now at a crossroads where we can still
dismantle this dangerous and perverted
manipulation of the very fabric of life, the sacred
code of nature, which will undoubtedly affect each
and every one of us in profound ways now and in the future.
I hope we never have to find out. We have to stop this now before we and future generations have to
be genetically engineered, RoundUp and 2,4-D Ready at the least perhaps, to withstand the
onslaught of the weird stuff being channelled into our food supply and into our environment. If you
haven’t already, perhaps after reading this article you will be more ready to take a real stand against
GMOs by enacting the 11 Simple Steps to Eradicate GMOs and join our GMO Eradication
Movement. Now put down that bowl of GMO corn chowder, buckle your seatbelts, clear you ears
and clean off your eyeglasses for the list of 20 GMOs coming soon and already arrived to
supermarket shelves near you.
Main Article by Stephanie Rogers
Good luck distinguishing these Frankenfoods from real, natural food as they flood our
supermarkets.
Genetically altered to withstand heavy applications of toxic chemicals, resist disease or contain
more nutrients, so-called “Frankenfoods” are appearing on supermarket shelves at a rapid rate.
Currently, genetically modified (GM) corn and soy can be found in many processed foods, and the
produce section may contain GM zucchini, corn on the cob and papaya. But beyond those that have
already been approved for human consumption, many more GMOs are on the way – and they
probably won’t be labeled. These 20 crops and animal products include both those that are already
available (whether we like it or not) and some that are still in development, like cows that produce
human breast milk.
Corn
If you eat any kind of processed food on a regular basis – tortilla chips, cereal, granola bars –
chances are, you consume genetically modified corn. The Center for Food Safety estimates that
over 70% of the processed foods in American grocery stores contain genetically modified corn or
soy. Corn is altered to contain proteins that kill insects that eat them, so they effectively produce
their own pesticides.
Rice
Rice plants are often modified to be resistant to herbicides and pests, to increase grain size and to
generate nutrients that don’t exist in the grain naturally. Varieties include Bayer’s herbicide-resistant
“LibertyLink” rice, vitamin A-infused “golden rice” and the bizarre Ventria Bioscience “Express Tec”
rice, which has been altered to contain human proteins naturally found in breast milk. The latter is
used globally in infant formula.
Tomatoes
Among the first foods to be genetically altered, GM tomatoes have been developed to be
unnaturally high in anti-oxidants, to have more intense flavor and to stay fresh longer. While there are
not currently any genetically modified tomatoes on store shelves, they’re being used extensively by
scientists to study the function of genes that are naturally present in the plants.
Soybeans
The most common genetically engineered food of all is the soybean. Since 1996, scientists have
been creating varieties of soybeans that are resistant to both pests and herbicides, and they wind
up in places you’d least expect them, like candy bars. A new GM soybean with higher levels of
healthy oils was approved by the USDA in 2010; chemical companies DuPont and Monsanto are
both working on their own versions of the biotech bean.
Cotton
We don’t think of cotton as a food, and technically it isn’t – but we still end up eating it. Cotton isn’t
classified as a food crop, so farmers can use any chemicals they want when growing it. That means
cottonseed oil, which is present in products like mayonnaise and salad dressing, can be packed full
of pesticides. Along with soy, corn and canola, cotton grown for oil extraction is one of the most
frequently genetically modified crops in the world.
Canola Oil
Canola, a cultivar of rapeseed, produces one of the most commonly consumed food oils, and it’s
one of America’s biggest cash crops. What you may not know is that canola stands for “Canadian
oil, low acid,” referring to a variety of rapeseed developed in the 1970s. 80% of the acres of canola
sown in the U.S. are genetically modified, and a 2010 study in North Dakota found that the modified
genes of these plants have spread to 80% of wild natural rapeseed plants.
Sugar Beets
Despite the fact that an environmental impact study has yet to be completed, the USDA has
announced that farmers may now plant Monsanto’s Roundup Ready sugar beets, which have been
altered to withstand the company’s herbicide. This decision comes despite a 2010 court order that
prohibited planting the GMO beets until the study was performed. Sugar beets provide about half of
America’s sugar.
Salmon
Salmon may become the first genetically modified animal to be approved for direct human
consumption. The FDA has decided that a variety of GM salmon that grow twice as fast as their
natural, un-modified peers is both safe to eat and safe for the environment.
“We’re looking here at a scenario where the fish might wind up sooner or later in the ocean,” Brian
Ellis, plant biotechnologist at the University of British Columbia Vancouver, told Discovery News. “I
think if we go down this route, we have to be prepared to accept some potentially unknown
consequences.”
Sugar Cane
Providing the other half of America’s precious sugar, sugar cane is set to debut on our shelves in
genetically modified form sometime soon. Brazil’s state-owned agricultural research agency has
been hard at work developing drought-resistant sugar cane that also bears increased yields for
years now, and may have it certified for commercial use within five years. Australia is also working
on its own version.
Papaya
After the Ringspot Virus nearly destroyed all of Hawaii’s papaya crops, a new variety was
engineered to resist the disease, and it now represents the majority of the papayas grown in the
United States.
“Papaya would be unique in the sense where the industry in Hawaii is dependent on biotech,” says
Kevin Richards, director of regulatory relations for the American Farm Bureau. “What you have in
Hawaii is a very contained, isolated agro-eco system, which is vulnerable to diseases.”
Potatoes
The first genetically modified food to be approved for cultivation in Europe in over a decade,
Amflora potatoes are currently being grown in Sweden. High in starch content, the potatoes are
actually meant for use in paper, glues and other commercial products rather than as food, but that
doesn’t mean they won’t end up affecting the food chain. Nearby farmers worry about their rabbits,
deer, and especially their bees.
Honey
Could genetically modified crops have something to do with the mysterious ailments that are killing
honeybee colonies by the billions? Some researchers believe so. A zoologist in Germany found that
genes used to modify rapeseed crops had transferred to bacteria living inside bees. GMOs are
currently considered to be among the possible causes of Colony Collapse Disorder. And if the
genes are causing changes within the bees, they’re also likely to cause changes to the honey that
the bees produce.
Bananas
After banana crops in Uganda were affected by a bacterial disease that caused the plants to rot,
scientists developed a genetically modified variety that could help alleviate the $500 million annual
loss. The ban on GM crops was waived to make way for the GM version of Uganda’s staple food. A
gene from sweet pepper was inserted into the bananas that make them resistant to the bacteria.
Cultivated bananas have almost no genetic diversity, so supporters of this decision argue that
introducing the GMO fruits will actually help bananas as a whole.
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Zucchini Squash
Zucchini are among the
foods currently on store
shelves that are often
genetically modified. The
main threats to zucchini harvests are viruses and fungal infections, and GM zucchini eliminate those
problems.
Pork
Pigs are currently being genetically modified for the possibility of producing human organs as early
as 2013, but that’s not their only use. Another variety may eventually end up on our plates. A project
called “Enviropig” has inserted genes from mice and E.coli bacteria into pigs to make them
process their food more efficiently, potentially reducing their environmental impact. The modification
allows the pigs to digest chemicals called phosphates which are present in cereal grains; these
chemicals normally just pass right through a pig’s system where they can end up in waterways.
Alfalfa
Genetic modification is making its way into the sprouts on your sandwiches and salads. The GMO
industry demanded that the USDA allow unrestricted planting of genetically modified alfalfa, which
makes up about 7 percent of U.S. crop fields. Alfalfa is a prolific pollinator, so it can easily spread to
non-GMO alfalfa. USDA chief Tom Vilsack resisted the idea at first, but in January 2011, he gave in.
Meat and Eggs
The importance of that GMO alfalfa decision? It has a huge domino effect on the entire food chain.
Alfalfa is not just grown for edible sprouts, of course – it’s mainly animal feed. Livestock have been
fed genetically modified grains like corn and soy since 1996, when these crops were first
introduced, and adding alfalfa to the mix will substantially increase the amount of GMOs that animals
like cows, chickens and pigs take in. Of course, just like all of the other effects of GMOs, how all of
this will pan out for the livestock and for us is not yet clear.
And direct genetic modification of food animals is in the works, too. Aside from the previously
mentioned pigs, animals that are in “laboratory stage” include cows and goats that can produce milk
containing drugs like antibiotics, and chickens that produce drugs in their egg whites. Under current
FDA rules, GMO meat and dairy won’t need to have special labels on store shelves, making it
extremely difficult to tell what is modified and what isn’t.
Milk
Aside from the contamination that may occur when dairy livestock consume genetically modified
feed, GMOs can end up in your milk in other ways, too. The United States is currently the only nation
in the world that allows milk containing the genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth
hormone (rBGH) to be sold for human consumption. Milk from cows treated with these artificial
hormones has been found to contain lower nutritional value, higher pus content (yes, you read that
correctly) and increased levels of the cancer-causing hormone IGF-1.
And then there are the cows that are being genetically engineered to produce human breast milk.
Scientists in China have bred a herd of 300 dairy cows with milk that resembles the balance of fats
and nutrients that are best for human babies. The researchers believe that this modified cow milk is
a possible substitute for human milk, and could be sold on store shelves in the future.
Aspartame
How can an artificial substance be genetically modified? Aspartame may seem like an odd addition
to this list, but the fact is, Monsanto makes it using genetically modified bacteria. The bacteria
produce the amino acid phenylalanine, which, when combined with aspartic acid, creates the faux
sweetener.
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