We believe that factory farmed livestock fed on Monsanto genetically modified corn, “shot up” on antibiotics, whether they need them or not, and fed synthetic growth hormones is a major contributor to weight gain, obesity illness and disease. There are more than 65 scientific studies that support this statement.
It is an ugly truth, but a truth facing each and every one of us every time we order food at a fast food chain, our favorite restaurant or go shopping at our favorite market. This is not the organic meat that our grandparents ate nor the meat produced on free range or organic cattle ranches by caring ethical ranchers. It is the commercialization of food to increase profits.
Every time we write on this topic, a Big Food assigned “attack dog” writes insulting comments on our blogs alleging that our blogs are not true despite overwhelming research and scientific studies that support our conclusions.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine states,”Genetically Modified foods have not been properly tested and pose a serious health risk. There is more than a casual association between GM [genetically modified] foods and adverse health effects. There is causation.”
After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, world renowned biologist Pushpa M. Bhargava concluded that Monsanto’s GMO corn is a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans. Since the introduction of GMO crops, the incidence of people with three or more chronic diseases has nearly doubled, from 7% to 13%.
The reason GMO corn is fed to cattle is because it causes rapid growth and weight gain when combined with synthetic hormones. For example, cattle raised on a traditional ranch will require many years of range feeding before being sent to the slaughterhouse. But by force-feeding GMO corn to the cattle, the steers are ready for market on an average of 140 to 150 days, significantly reducing the cost of feeding and housing them.
Feeding GMO corn to cattle requires the prophylactic use of antibiotics to prevent disease because cattle who eat GMO corn for more than 140 to 180 days become very ill and die.
Monsanto GMO corn contains an activated insect-killing bacterium called Bt Toxin. GMO corn engineered with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) produces its own built-in pesticide. Simply put, the Bt toxin is part of plant’s DNA and repeats itself in every cell. When bugs bite the plant, the poison splits open their stomach and kills them. When humans eat food with Bt Toxin, the toxins remain in their colon, kidneys, liver and other vital organs.
The Bt toxin used in GMO plants is a thousand times more concentrated than natural Bt spray. Studies confirm that even the less toxic Bt sprays are harmful. Unlike the spray, the gene spliced Bt toxin can’t be washed off. Bt toxin is designed to be more toxic and has the properties of an allergen.
At an international meeting of entomologists in Basel, Switzerland, experts warned that Monsanto GMO Bt corn crops exude 10 to 20 times the amount of toxins than conventionally grown crops.
Dr. Daniel C. Dantini opines that, “Any virus, bacteria, parasite, or yeast can inflame the intestine.” Therefore, the residue of GMO corn in the human stomach leads to inflammation.
In India, animals graze on cotton plants after harvest. But when shepherds let sheep graze on Bt cotton plants, thousands died. Their livers were severely damaged. In a small follow-up feeding study by the Deccan Development Society, all sheep fed Bt cotton plants died within 30 days. Those that grazed on natural cotton plants remained healthy. The same thing happens to cattle after 140 to 180 days.In a small village in India, buffalo grazed on cotton plants for eight years without incident. On January 3, 2008, the buffalo grazed on Bt cotton plants for the first time. All 13 were sick the next day; all died within 3 days. Bt corn was also implicated in the deaths of cows in Germany, and horses, water buffaloes, and chickens in the Philippines.
A November 2008 study by the Italian government also found that mice have an immune reaction to Bt corn. Even Monsanto’s own research showed significant immune system changes in rats fed Bt corn. According to Dr. Dantini, the consumption GMO Bt corn and Bt soy by humans leads to allergies and delayed food sensitivities.
In factory farms in eastern Colorado GMO Bt corn grows next to the confined animal pens. Its DNA-altered pollen is blown over the stockyards, adding further to the contamination of the animals. Even worse, the urine-soaked manure from these animals is recycled as fertilizer in the adjacent Bt corn fields, thus contaminating the soil. That circular cycle of GMO Bt toxin is then passed on to you in your meat.
By the time the cattle get to market, they are so toxic from being force-fed GMO Bt corn, synthetic hormones and antibiotics that it often requires application of an ammonia based chemical treatment to avoid the spread of E. coli.
According to the 2009 study, Doctors Warn Avoid Genetically Modified Food by Jeffrey M. Smith, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and author of Seeds of Deception – the world’s best selling book on GMOs:
“This means that long after we stop eating GMOs, we may still have potentially harmful GM proteins produced continuously inside of us. Put more plainly, eating a corn chip produced from Bt corn might transform our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories, possibly for the rest of our lives.”
One need look no further than the increase in diabetes, childhood diabetes, kidney dialysis, kidney and liver transplants to see the direct results of too many toxins in our food supply. Now, children, teenagers and young adults who eat fast foods and processed foods are becoming overweight and obese.These statistics are unique to this generation because of the toxins in GMO corn fed to animals, other GMO foods and the addictive chemicals used to make GMO foods taste better.
Americans did not get fat overnight nor did some mosquito spread a deadly virus that causes obesity. The cause and effect can be found in the viruses and bacterias as “promoters” to split the genes in genetically engineered foods like corn. Don’t let the industry or their highly paid consultants convince you otherwise.
Besides causing weight gain and obesity, cancer statistics have increased dramatically with the ingestion of all these chemicals. In 1990, cancer afflicted only about 1 out 11 people. One out of 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. And, 1out of 6 children are born with neuro-behaviorial problems. The projections are that 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women will suffer from cancer in their lifetime.
There are nearly 15 million overweight and obese children in the U.S. today.