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Our Intimate Relationship with Food: A Complex Truth
Healthy Child
Monday, August 20, 2007
A famous French political thinker once said that the public would rather believe a simple lie than a complex truth.
The truth behind genetic engineering is extremely complex. It has been used for decades, but it is only in the last ten years that neurotoxins have been
engineered into our food supply.
No one has studied the long term health implications of children consuming foods containing neurotoxins, novel proteins and allergens.
Though to look back over the last ten years, you quickly remember that ten years ago, we didn¹t have to worry about sending a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into school with our children; we didn¹t have to medicate our eight year olds to get them through the school day; and the movie, Rain Man, was all we knew of autism.
Today, at least 1 out of every 17 children under the age of three has a food allergy with at least 5 million American children suffering from this condition (though these statistics are from 2002, over five years old).
Autism, diabetes and obesity are often referred to as American epidemics.
So what has changed?
In 1996, the United States adopted widespread use of genetically modified crops due to growing public concern over the health risks associated with the industrial spraying of insecticidal and pesiticidal toxins.
In an effort to reduce the spraying of these toxins, scientists began using biotechnology to engineer these pesticides and insecticides into the plants themselves.
As these ingredients were introduced around the world ten years ago, government agencies in Europe, Asia, Australia, Japan, Russia and 45 developed countries required them to be listed on food labels, so that consumers could make informed choices when it came to feeding their families.
In the United States, our regulatory agencies do not require these genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled.
So, unlike other developed countries, we have not been informed that almost 70% of our corn, 90% of our soy and 75% of our processed food now contain
neurotoxins, novel proteins and allergens.
Today one out of every three children suffers from allergies, asthma, autism or ADHD. It appears that we have unknowingly and without informed consent engaged our children in one of the largest human trials in history.
Ten years into this human trial, our children are trying to tell us something.
Shouldn¹t we listen?
By Robyn O¹Brien, Founder, AllergyKids
Posted by Beth Aldrich on 08/20 at 11:12 PM
How fortunate we all are to now have a clear-cut explanation of this issue that we can share with our “gmo-eating” friends and family members. Three cheers to Robyn. Thank You!
Beth
Posted by Angie Nordstrum on 08/24 at 03:53 PM
Thank you Robyn for the fantastic work you are doing to create awareness and change for allergic children!! Our children’s bodies are telling us loud and clear that we must drastically change the toxicity of our food and world!!
Organically yours,
Angie Nordstrum
Posted by Nancy Myrick on 08/27 at 08:20 PM
I just got a chill down my spine when I read this. How can we tell now if these things are in our food. I know they still are and it’s only making us sicker. I want to take Sinclair out of the human trail. Thanks for the information even though it’s making me sick at this moment.
Posted by Keeley on 08/30 at 12:41 PM
Thanks Robyn! This makes a lot of sense…and now when people ask me, as they often do, why more and more kids have food allergies I’ll have a new, informative answer for them. You do a great job and as a mom with a peanut and egg allergic child I can tell you that every bit of knowledge helps our family so much.
Thanks again,
Keeley
Posted by Pamela Drew on 09/07 at 12:36 AM
What a fabulous article and amazing gmo graphic Robyn! You have really done the most phenomenal job of assembling resources and talent to help parents navigate this minefield of adulterated foods, to acquire the knowledge and tools to raise, not only allergy kids, but healthier families.
We are all fortunate to have you leading the charge, thanks so much for the hard work and inspiration!
Enjoy and eat well,
Pamela :~)
Posted by Sue DeBardi on 09/07 at 03:59 AM
Thank-you Robyn! Please continue the important research you have done on “genetically-engineered foods”!! Most people have never heard of this! Once this information becomes common knowledge, hopefully a positive change will happen and maybe we can spare the next generation of children.
Respectfully,
Sue DeBardi
Posted by Dmitry Zhigalsky on 02/09 at 01:32 AM
Thank you for the great article!
Now when world is “ready” to see GM meat and fish in the stores soon, this information is a must read for everyone. Thanks a lot, and please continue your research and publications. After all, we have to know the “complex truth”...
The Best wishes,
Dmitry
Posted by ideas for classroom door decorations on 02/21 at 11:30 PM
Great article. Very informative especially for my kids assignment.
Posted by Celebrity Foods on 02/23 at 01:19 PM
Thank you for the informative article. It is frightening the number of children and adults who may be affected by this. Any ideas on how to become involved in requiring the governing agencies to be more responsible in labeling?
Posted by felicitare de dragobete on 02/24 at 09:14 AM
A solution is to demand organic foods! Make a commitment to buy and eat food which is grown organically. Support your local organic suppliers and farmers.
Posted by custom essay on 04/11 at 07:30 AM
I agree that organic food is worth of our investment
Posted by Diabetes Recipe on 04/18 at 12:16 AM
all these genetic engineering is giving us new kinda foods with lot bigger sizes, but it tastes like crap. no alternative for organics
Posted by Solaray calcium citrate on 06/16 at 12:59 PM
It’s all very insightful and interesting, understanding the relationship with food means understanding the relationship with your body. Food is the most important aspect in keeping a good health. Giving our body the right fuel it will sure work properly, it’s that simple.
Posted by Bilete de avion on 09/16 at 08:59 AM
Here in Romania pesticides and insecticides haven’t really been used on a large scale so you’re bound to get good organic food from farmers.
Posted by denirosdoll on 09/23 at 04:23 PM
In the UK we have also seen an astronomic increase in allergies and neurological problems like autism, ADHD etc. so if GM foods are banned here, why do we still have this growing problem too?
2 years ago i was diagnosed with narcolepsy and recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, both conditions related to damage of the hypothalamus in the brain.
These kind of conditions are also increasing rapidly.
My theory is that many of these problems are being caused by additives in food, the biggest culprits being monosodium glutamate (a flavour enhancer found in many ready meals, processed foods and things like noodles) and aspartame (a sweetener found in most low-cal, low sugar, diet drinks and foods).
If you look at how aspartame, in particular, got into our food chain, you would be amazed at the level of corruption by the company that made it and how the FDA were corrupted into passing it, Donald Rumsfeld has a lot to answer for.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 09/24 at 09:14 PM
denirosdoll - The shifts in public health problems are likely not due to one singular cause like GMOs. As you point out, in essence, every country is conducting it’s own experiments. It’ll likely be generations before we have any clue how all of the GMOs, chemicals, and shifts in diet (with regards to additives, preservatives, and such) all interact and then impact human development and health.
Posted by denirosdoll on 09/25 at 11:31 AM
The UK allowed aspartame into our food chain solely on the basis it was allowed by the FDA, and the person in the UK responsible (can’t find his name now) works for a research company funded by - the company who made aspartame.
This was licensed in the early 80’s, very shortly before a huge epidemic of CFS/ME (yuppie flu as we called it in UK) began.
I can’t stress enough how dangerous this aspartame is, it got pushed through the red tape even though it was known to cause brain damage and tumours in rats. Please avoid it, and at all costs, please do not give it to your children.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 09/25 at 11:52 AM
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has great information on food safety and additives. They point out the dangers of aspartame, as well. You can find their full report at:
http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm
They have great information about many, many different additives, preservatives, sweeteners, synthetic colorings, and more.
Posted by denirosdoll on 09/25 at 03:21 PM
That is a really useful, informative guide Janelle. I’m going to try and keep a copy in my bag until i get used to what to watch out for.
Posted by Allergy symptoms on 01/08 at 12:13 PM
All this genetic engineering has increased the production multi fold, but the quality is not same as the original one. Even some of them are so badly engineered that their taste is very bad and even introduce some health problem in human body.
Posted by Health Care Pharmacy on 05/04 at 05:36 PM
Any food can cause an allergic reaction, but 90% of all food allergies are caused by one of the following: wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shell fish. If you walk into a preschool classroom anywhere in America, the number of students with food allergies tells a much different story, suggesting that these five year old statistics underestimate the problem and that food allergies are far more pervasive than industry-funded groups and medical advisers would have you believe.
Posted by Bilete avion on 06/27 at 12:47 AM
Thank you for this article. That is a really useful. Food is the most important aspect in keeping a good health. Thanks again.
Posted by Diabetes Treatment on 07/03 at 02:03 PM
“Today one out of every three children suffers from allergies, asthma, autism or ADHD.” That’s scary. Those junk foods really destroy our generation. However, pollutants also have a role here.
Posted by yun shi on 08/20 at 05:58 PM
Thank you for this article. It is very informative. I am so glad that I get to read this to understand it. thank you. I would like to be informed of any new articles and publications that you have.
Sincerely
Yun Shi