Author: Taylor Ann Norris

My clients often ask me what’s the difference between a juice cleanse, juice fast, and juice feast. Well, they all mean different things depending on who you ask.

Juice Cleanse, Juice Fast, Juice Feast

Typically these terms refer to consuming nothing but fresh fruit and vegetable juice and water for a period of time, anywhere from 1 day to a year. Yes, I recently read about a guy who juiced for an entire year. Very inspiring stuff!

The terms differ with regard to connotation:

• Juice fast brings up a mentality of scarcity, lack, deprivation, or giving something up. It may be associated with the desire to lose weight or practice a juice fast for spiritual reasons.
• Juice feast highlights the abundance of delicious fresh fruit and veggie juice. Juice feasting is appropriate for those who do not want to lose weight and want to feel fully satisfied with more than enough juice. It is a great option for men and those who are active and have greater energy needs.
• Juice cleanse focuses on cleansing the body, mind, and spirit of harmful substances and behaviors, while replacing those with feelings of contentment and peace, a lack of cravings, a desire for fresh fruits and veggies, and a number of physical health benefits. This is my preferred term.

I recommend that clients start where they are. For some, the idea of living on only juice and water is overwhelming. For these folks, I recommend including fresh fruit. Some people choose to include herbal tea and coconut water. It is really up to you and your goals for the experience.

The time and place for cleansing vs. juicing

Both are great and have a time and a place.

Juicing is safe for pretty much anyone in any walk of life. It doesn’t require an individual to give up anything at all. Having a juice or two a day is an INCREDIBLY healthy way to add in a lot more fresh fruits and veggies than you would normally consume. It’s an easy access point into eating in a healthier, more conscious manner.

Juicing will naturally help reduce cravings for processed and unnatural food-like substances. Regular juicing contributes to healthy weight loss and maintenance. It provides a healthy source of energy, and is a great substitute for morning coffee, energy drinks, and other caffeinated beverages.

A juice cleanse is a great option for someone who wants to reset their taste buds and their habits to allow for deeper healing. It’s an opportunity to begin cleaning the system out.

Cleansing will relieve the digestive tract of its burden in digesting foods that were never meant to be consumed in the first place.

During the cleanse, people report:

• more energy
• mental clarity
• sense of well-being and calm
• decreased bloating
• relief from constipation
• clearer skin
• soft hair and skin
• clear eyes
• relief from congestion
• decreased joint pain and stiffness
• reduced inflammation
• increased hydration
• weight loss

Refeeding

The most important part of the cleanse is what happens afterwards. My cleansers have consistently reported a lack of cravings for unhealthy and processed foods. They’ve reported not enjoying candy and not reaching for unhealthy foods. They haven’t been enjoying rich foods as much when they do indulge and do not enjoy feeling bloated and terrible afterwards. Even those who weren’t really big fruit and veggie eaters find themselves really enjoying the taste of an apple or stalk of celery.

After the cleanse, you have a perfect opportunity to implement healthier, lasting dietary changes that will allow you to preserve the amazing results from your cleanse.

Health is created on the basis of what we do most of the time on a day-to-day basis. Transitioning to a plant-based diet is an excellent way to preserve your results and seek greater levels of health and happiness.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

My clients experience numerous positive changes when they incorporate fresh juice into their lifestyles. They feel so good that they quickly get hooked on juice, excited to elevate to the next level of health and happiness!

Why Juice at all? The Health Benefits of Juicing

1. Compared to eating raw fruits and vegetables, juice allows for better absorption. The body absorbs the nutrients without all the energy expended in processing the fiber. That being said, I acknowledge the importance of fiber in the diet, and understand that most Westerners are fiber-deficient.
2. Juicing releases approximately 90% of the nutrients in food, approximately three times better then chewing. Bodies overloaded with toxins absorb as little as 1% of the nutrients in food.
3. Juicing allows people to consume many more fruits and vegetables than would be eaten. A whole lot of produce goes into a single batch of juice. A single 16-ounce juice contains 5 or more pounds of produce.
4. Regular juicing changes a person’s taste buds to enjoy the natural flavors of fresh raw plant foods. In this way, juicing helps people transition to a healthier, plant-based diet and lifestyle.
5. Regular juicing supports weight loss, reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, increases energy, assists in digestive healing, and supports brain health.

Juicing and Cancer

Juice protocols support recovery in cancer patients. Regular juicing helps those undergoing normal western treatment. In addition, natural healers use powerful juice cleansing and detoxification to stop and reverse cancer.

Juices deliver anti-cancer nutrients straight to the cancer cells. These nutrients turn off cancer genes, interfere with cancer cell reproduction, and cause apoptosis (cancer cell suicide). Powerful stuff.

The Gerson Therapy

One of the most widely known natural cancer treatment protocols is the Gerson Therapy. Max Gerson developed the Gerson Therapy in the 1930 to activate the body’s inherent healing ability. It pairs an organic, plant-based diet with freshly pressed juices, coffee enemas, and natural supplements.

This treatment powerfully boosts the body’s immunity to heal diseases, including: cancer, arthritis, heart disease, allergies, and more. It treats the underlying causes of most chronic diseases — toxicity and nutritional deficiency — without harmful side effects.

In the therapy, patients consume an abundance of enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and other healing nutrients via fresh, organic juices. The phytochemicals break down diseased bodily tissue, and coffee enemas eliminate toxins from the liver.

Everyday modern life exposes us to carcinogens and toxic pollutants. We consume toxins through air, food, medicine, and water. The Gerson Therapy provides patients with intensive detoxification to eliminate toxins and carcinogens from the body to create the conditions for true healing.

Freshly pressed juice from organic fruits and vegetables allows patients to easily and effectively receive high-quality nutrition. Patients consume the nutrients and enzymes from around 15 pounds of produce daily through easy-to-digest juices.

Typical cancer patients on the Gerson Therapy consume thirteen glasses of fresh carrot-apple and green juices. Volunteers and staff prepare juices hourly from fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables. They use masticating or cold-press juicers. Additionally, patients consume an organic plant-based diet low in sodium, fat, and protein.

Unfortunately, the US banned the Gerson Therapy to protect corporate interests.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

When people see my products they are often confused about the difference between a juice or a smoothie. To this day, some of my friends and acquaintances are convinced I sell smoothies, despite the fact I have never in my life sold a smoothie. LOL! Note: what you see in the picture above is a smoothie.

Juice vs. Smoothie

Juice is made with a juicer. Juicers extract liquids from fruits and vegetables, separating out the liquid from the insoluble fiber or pulp. The juice retains soluble fiber.

Smoothies are made with blenders. Blenders puree whole fruits and vegetables, and the fiber remains in the beverage, although broken down.

You see, the difference is the fiber. Juices don’t have insoluble fiber, but smoothies do.

You can make juice in a blender by pureeing whole fruits and vegetables and then straining then through a nut milk bag. I do not recommend this, as it is labor intensive and wasteful.

What are the types of juicers?

Masticating or cold press juicers chop produce and then slowly press the pulp through a strainer.

• Slower, cold processing preserves the integrity of the enzymes, reduces oxidation, and extends shelf life.
• They are best for juicing greens and fibrous veggies like carrots and beets, and harder fruits like apples and pears.
• However, masticating and cold press juicers are more expensive. You may save more in the long run, because you extract every last drop of liquid from the produce (especially in a Norwalk), so less produce is needed.
• These are best for advanced juicers who like to juice greens.
• Plus, these juicers can also be used to make pasta, nut milks, banana ice cream, minced veggies, and more!

Centrifugal juicers grind up produce with blades, spinning the pulp at high speeds to separate the liquid from the pulp in separate chambers.

• They are best with fruits and fibrous veggies, but not great with leafy greens.
• Oxidation occurs, and enzymes break down due to the heat generated by high-speed processing.
• These juicers are more affordable.
• They are best for juicing newbies on a budget.

My process

I use an Omega slow juicer, which is a single gear masticating juicer. Masticating juicers chop the food up into small pieces and then slowly but powerfully use an auger to press the pulp through a strainer. Low speed processing protects and maintains healthy enzymes, prevents oxidation, and allows juice to be stored up to 72 hours without degradation. That being said, I plan to get a Norwalk, which is the king of juicers!

After I make the juice, I may strain it (if I want absolutely no fiber in the finished product). I pour it off into sterilized mason jars. I either drink it immediately, or I ensure an airtight seal and then store it in the refrigerator.

I recommend that my clients drink out of glass for a few simple reasons:

• Everything tastes better in glass.
• Glass is reusable.
• It is made from all natural raw materials.
• Glass won’t leach any harmful chemicals.

So go to your local garage sale and see if they’re getting rid of their canning jars!

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

When I teach workshops on juicing, I always recommend that people choose organic and local fruits and vegetables to juice as much as possible.

Why organic?

Organic ensures the highest quality drink. Organic fruits and vegetables have been shown to be more nutritious and have greater enzyme activity, compared to conventional produce.

When a plant is grown organically, it must defend itself from bugs and other harsh conditions (e.g. dryness, too much rain, etc.). These defense mechanisms the plant uses to survive are the very same mechanisms that fight cancer and other diseases in our bodies. We call these compounds antioxidants.

Organic produce is also non-GMO and free from insecticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals. The herbicide Roundup is one of the most toxic substances you can put in your body. Concentrating a chemical like Roundup with a press type juicer and drinking it is extremely harmful.

Environmentally, organic farming is more natural and more sustainable for planetary harmony and cooperation.

It is unfortunate that organic farmers have to go to great lengths to obtain certification and are in no way assisted by subsidies and government bodies to provide their produce at a competitive cost.

As you all probably know, organic costs more at the store, but put into a long-term perspective spending extra money to buy organic is worth it now when you consider the likelihood of spending thousands of dollars on health expenses later.

Why local?

If you live in a town or city with a local farmers market, GO CHECK IT OUT! Even in my small hometown in Louisiana, there are a couple markets, and a handful of farmers who sell fresh organic produce.

It is extremely important to support local farmers. They are working their tails off to provide an amazing service to the community. They are kind people who are doing things the natural way, largely unsupported by corporate interests and government subsidies. We have the chance every time we buy food to vote with our dollars for what we would like to be available and affordable.

The price is a lot better too when you buy seasonal and local. I can get bags and bags of food from the farmers market and a car full of melons. Spending the same amount of money at the supermarket on organic I can maybe get a couple bags of food.

When we buy local produce, we are also consuming local microorganisms that will help us thrive in our environment. For example, eating food from Louisiana while living in Louisiana will help protect me from pathogens and allergens and other influences specific to this area. On the other hand, eating food from California while in Louisiana might help me out if I were to take a trip to California.

Eating local aligns one’s body with the natural rhythms of the environment and help shapes one’s gut flora and microorganisms. We have more of them (microorganisms) in us than our own cells!

Environmentally, local food conserves more energy than food shipped halfway across the country or the world. By buying local, you are reducing your impact on the environment. Woohoo!

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Juice fasting is one of the easiest, most powerful ways to cleanse and detoxify the body. Personally, I’ve completed a number of juice fasts, and highly recommend juicing to anyone who wants to boost their health and happiness.

I initially got into juicing after switching to a vegan diet at the age of 22. I was at an emotional rock bottom, feeling depressed, hopeless, stuck, confused, and very pessimistic about life. I didn’t feel good in my body, and I had no idea how to care for it.

In 2012, I transitioned to a fully plant-based diet. I committed myself to running and yoga, and began talking about my emotional problems with a wonderful therapist. At first, the results were fantastic, but a break-up and rocky reunion with my family of origin compelled me to stuff a lot of painful feelings. I had given up alcohol and drugs in 2012, but I started using heavy vegan foods and was prescribed psychotropic meditation to medicate my pain. I became a couch potato.

Fortunately, I was able to step out of my misery enough to volunteer at a therapeutic horsemanship facility in Scottsdale, AZ. A man there made me a glass of fresh carrot and apple juice with his Jack LaLanne juicer. I was immediately hooked. The next day I went to Costco to buy a juicer, and began making juice just about every day.

I took my daily juicing habit to the next level after watching Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It’s a highly inspirational documentary on Netflix about Joe Cross. Cross is an Australian man who was obese, lethargic, and suffering from a handful of chronic illnesses. Joe only consumed fresh fruit and vegetable juice for 30 days, while touring the West to learn about the public’s eating habits. He experienced a number of health miracles, and I wanted a piece of that too!

I had gained a ton of weight while emotionally eating and wallowing in my own psych med coma. I knew a juice cleanse would help me reset my unhealthy habits and detox all the drugs I had been on.

30 Days of Juice

I completed a 30-day juice cleanse in the summer of 2013 while working full-time as a lifeguard and camp counselor in Colorado. I was working out and running every day. I felt AMAZING! I lost weight, my skin cleared, my digestion improved, and my whole outlook on life brightened.

During the cleanse, I took it upon myself to learn how to eat properly once I finished the cleanse. I wanted to retain all the amazing health benefits I had worked so hard for. I studied the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman and other leading nutritional experts. I watched every health and food documentary I could get my eyes on.

For anyone considering a juice cleanse, it is very important how you break the fast. Understand that you must change your lifestyle in order to preserve the fantastic results and healing.

Since my month-long cleanse in 2013, I have incorporated juice into my daily life. I have completed a number of shorter cleanses since that time, and have used juice as a tool for preparing for and breaking water-only fasts. In fact, I am juice cleansing right now!

I love juice so much I have started my own business. I prepare freshly pressed juice from organic, locally-sourced fruits and vegetables. I serve people who want to drink a pint a day and those who are looking for the deeper healing that comes from longer-term juice cleansing. Juicing really can and will change your life!

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops claimed to have heard presenters on both sides of the issue: those who believe GMOs are safe, and those who believe GMOs are unsafe.[1] Researchers assessed GMO safety by animal testing, compositional analysis, and allergenicity testing.

Animal Testing

The ethics of animal testing aside, these experimental studies divided small samples of rodents into treatment groups that were fed GE food or conventional food.[2] Low statistical power limits the ability of these studies to detect real, biologically relevant results. The committee concluded that GE food did not harm laboratory animals.

Additionally, long-term data on livestock compared their health and feed conversion efficiency before and after the introduction of GE food.[3] Researchers found no adverse effects of GE food on the livestock.

Moreover, the committee concluded that gut disturbances in livestock fed GE food are probably okay too.[4] They reported that horizontal gene transfer (e.g. Bt genes that bore holes in intestinal walls passing from the GE food to the human) is unlikely to happen or cause health problems either.

Epidemiological Testing

The committee analyzed comparative data from the United States and Canada, where citizens consumed GE food since the mid-1990s, to the United Kingdom and Western Europe, where residents avoided GE food.[5] They found no differences in health and disease between the two groups. The data they used indicated no relationship between consumption of GE foods and cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Celiac disease, and autism spectrum disorder.

Apparently, widespread public concern about the safety of GMOs is much ado about nothing.

Oh, and that pesticide used in massive quantities all over the United States: glyphosate… It’s probably not that big a deal either. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) deemed glyphosate unlikely to cause carcinogenic risk. Canada’s health agency view glyphosate use to be safe as long as workers follow the product’s instruction label carefully.[6] **See the importance of labeling!**

On the other hand, the monograph by the World Health Organization (WHO) changed glyphosate’s classification from Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) to Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans).[7] Meanwhile, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t think GE food adversely affects hormones. Clearly, expert committees need to talk to one another, and sort glyphosate safety out!

Compositional analysis: GE crops basically the same as non-GE

Compositional analysis involves the submission of comparative data on the nutrient and chemical composition of GE crops and conventional crops.[8] For example, analysts compare GE corn to a genetically similar conventional variety. Results indicated statistically significant differences between GE and conventional crops, but researchers consider these differences to be natural variation. Except that it’s not natural variation! GE is intentional manipulation of the integrity of the plant’s genetics to meet corporate interests…

Allergenicity Testing

Allergenicity studies use “indirect methods” to evaluate whether proteins intentionally or indirectly added to GE food caused an allergic response.[9] The report committee recommended standard testing to determine whether new GE proteins are similar to known allergens, and see whether GE proteins are novel allergens that are not digested by gut fluids (a sign that something is an allergen).

However, the report indicated that allergenicity research has not been done, and that “post-commercialization allergen testing would be useful in ensuring that consumers are not exposed to allergens.”[10] Since we are in post-commercialization, this would be really nice to see! Plus, if the GMOs were found to be possible allergens, then labeling would be required, so that people with the allergen could avoid the product. Excellent.

References:

[1-10] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23395.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Recently, we discussed GE for the trait of pest resistance with the case example of Bt toxin. Now, we are going to explore crops that are GE with herbicide resistance traits. These GMOs are designed to survive exposure to herbicides that would normally be fatal.

The goal of GE herbicide resistant crops is to increase yield via enhanced weed control. [1] The goal is to kill all plants except the GE crop, and to prevent casualties of the intentional GE crop thanks to its forced-in herbicide resistance.

One would hope that herbicide use may decrease as a result of GE crops. Not so. While herbicide levels initially decreased with the adoption of the GE crops, these decreases have not been sustained. [2] In other words, farmers still depend on copious amounts of chemical weed killers.

Moreover, the way corporate scientists report herbicide use is sneaky: they simply report kilograms per hectare per year without factoring in the differences in toxicity amongst the various chemicals used. It sounds like lying by omission to me by excluding the practical MEANING of study results.

According to the #GECropStudy, “the herbicide-resistant trait selects for weed resistance only if the corresponding herbicide is applied to the field.” [3] This sounds admittedly cool, but I would like to see further clarification. My understanding is that if farmers were to decide not to use weed-killing chemicals then the GE plant would grow normally without expression of the herbicide resistant trait. Not sure what the point is here. Perhaps to make GE look precise?

Similar to insects able to resist Bt toxin, weeds become able to resist herbicides over the course of repeated exposure. Nature is smart! The weeds that survive the herbicide application proliferate, stronger and more resilient than ever. As a result, farmers must utilize diverse weed management strategies, like “cropping systems and regions where weeds have not yet been exposed to continuous glyphosate applications.” [4] The report concluded that more research is necessary. Read: they don’t know how to outsmart nature on this one.

GE crops are not really increasing yields in US agriculture. Oops, I thought that was the point.

When considering USDA data of changes in yield in maize, soybeans, and cotton fields before, during, and after switching from conventional breeding to GE crops, scientists found “no significant change in the rate at which crop yields increase.” [5] This is in contrast to experimental data—most likely done by biotech corporations themselves—that showed yield increases related to the introduction of GE crops.

This begs the question: why are we using GE crops if they don’t accomplish the desired end: increased yields compared to conventional breeding?

Money? Power? I don’t know. The possibilities aren’t super awe-inspiring.

Biodiversity

So far researchers have not found a decrease in diversity among crop varieties, weeds, and insects. [6] Although they admit it is possible to occur in the future.

Conclusions about the environmental effects of GE Crops

The report concluded a lack of conclusive evidence that GE crops are CAUSING environmental problems. However, the report added that “the complex nature of assessing long-term environmental changes often made it difficult to reach definitive conclusions.” [7]

I sense more convoluted bullshit; how about you? In other words, they don’t know. Either the data really aren’t there to determine the effect of GE crops on the environment, OR corporate interests are blocking scientists from reporting data that do show a causal relationship between GE crops and environmental harm.

The researchers called for lots more research. [8] In the meantime, GE crops are still being commercially grown on millions of hectares of land in the US, showing up in millions of grocery stores worldwide, and ending up in the food eaten by millions of Americans. Shouldn’t the research have been done before such widespread adoption of GE? I would think yes.

 

References:

[1-8] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23395.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

GMO Labeling

Over 60 countries require GMO labeling. Unfortunately, the United States is not one of them. Powerful food, agriculture, and biotech corporations spend millions of dollars to protect their interests and prevent GMO labeling in the US. [1]

This begs the question: What are biotech corporations so afraid of? Why are they going to such great lengths to prevent labeling? What are they hiding? If GMOs are harmless to human health and environment, why not slap the label on to be transparent?

Despite widespread public opposition, Congress passed Monsanto’s Dream Bill or the DARK (Denying Americans the Right to Know) Act in July 2016. This bill prohibits state governments from requiring GMO labeling. The law is a federal response to Vermont’s state law that required GMO labeling. The DARK Act effectively blocks states like Vermont that want GMOs labeled.

Thankfully, efforts have been made to combat the DARK Act and give Americans the right to know what they are eating. Check out the petition to label GMOs and take action here.

Common GE Crops

According to the comprehensive GE report (2016), the most common GE crops with herbicide and/or insect resistance grown commercially in 2015 included: [2]

• Soybeans (83% of all soybeans)
• Cotton (75% of all cotton)
• Maize (29% of all maize)
• Canola (24% of all canola)

Freaky fact #1: In 2015, GE crops were also grown commercially with traits for viral resistance and to reduce browning in apples and potatoes. [3]

I don’t know about you, but if my apple or potato is over the hill, I want it to turn brown so I know not to eat it!

In 2015, farmers planted 180 million hectares of GE crops: [4]

• 70 million hectares in the US
• 90 million hectares in Brazil, Argentina, India, and Canada
• The remaining hectares were planted in 23 countries, including: Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Sudan, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile.

The GE crops planted in 2015 included: [5]

• Maize
• Soybeans
• Cotton
• Canola
• Sugar beet
• Alfalfa
• Papaya
• Squash
• Poplar
• Eggplant
• Potato
• Apple

This makes me very uncomfortable. The list of four crops was disquieting enough, but 12 is simply too much! That means that the majority of processed foods are made with GMOs, as processed foods draw heavily upon cheap maize, soybeans, and canola oil. It also means a large portion of cotton clothing is GMO. And, it means everyday produce at the supermarket and veggies served up at restaurants probably contain some GE apples, beets, papayas, squash, eggplant, and potatoes.

Freaky Fact #2: “As the approaches to genetic engineering of crops change, some regulatory regimes may not be equipped to regulate traits introduced with newer approaches. The committee found that to be the case for the existing regulatory regime in the US.” [6]

Even if the US government wanted to protect consumers and allow them the right to choose whether or not they eat GMOs via food labels, the government may not be able to regulate the technology. It sounds like the attempts to control and outsmart nature have gotten a bit out of hand. Surprise surprise.

 

References:

[1] http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/problems/broken-democracy

[2-6] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23395.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

I am equal parts enjoying and super creeped out, as I research GE and GMOs. Today’s post draws from the findings presented in the report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine called Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. [1] This report alleges to take a “fresh look” at the peer-reviewed evidence base on GE crops.

What’s the point of GE? [2]

GE allows corporations to introduce genetic traits that can’t be introduced or altered by conventional breeding alone. In other words, GE allows biotech companies to violate natural boundaries in a way that conventional breeding does not. The traits selected include: longer-shelf life, higher vitamin content, and resistance to diseases. For the most part, commercially produced GE crops are designed to resist insects and herbicides that are produced by the same biotech companies peddling the seeds.

The Case Example of Bt Toxin

Specific modified genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are forced into the plant genome. The desired trait is the effect of Bt protein on insects: when an insect eats Bt protein, holes are created in the insect’s digestive system, causing death. The goal is to increase yield by eliminating pests.

Studies indicated that “Bt in maize and cotton from 1996 to 2015 contributed to a reduction in the gap between actual yield and potential yield under circumstances in which targeted pests caused substantial damage to non-GE varieties and synthetic chemicals could not provide practical control.” [3] What a convoluted reporting of the data!

In plain English, researchers drew a causal relationship between Bt and higher yields WHEN the non-GE varieties were substantially damaged by pests due to failure of the pesticides to kill said pests. This sounds like a really specific, reductionist, and virtually meaningless way to determine whether the pest-resistant GE crops actually have higher yields than the conventionally grown crops. And what about a comparison to organically grown crops? Researchers aren’t even gonna go there, I guess. Or have they?

Moreover, the committee listed a number of study disadvantages and possible third variable explanations for the observed differences in yield. The GE and non-GE crops were not isolines; they were genetically dissimilar, and had different characteristics that affect yield. [4] Additionally, differences in insect damage, the farmers who plant Bt versus non-Bt varieties, and other production differences could have explained the observed effect. Bottom line: Bt may have contributed to a higher yield, but maybe not.

Side effects

Statistical evidence indicated that targeted pest populations are greatly reduced in areas where Bt crops are grown, which is beneficial to farmers of Bt and non-Bt varieties. [5] This begs the question: why are farmers still using Bt varieties if the problematic pests have vanished? Moreover, continued use will encourage Bt-resistant pests that defeat the whole purpose.

Thankfully, evidence showed decreased use of synthetic pesticides on Bt crops and non-Bt crops. [6] Some nontargeted pest populations have increased, but not problematically so. Bt resistant insects have been slow to evolve thanks to a US government-mandated regulation.

This strategy requires: [7]

1. Bt plants to contain a high enough amount of Bt protein to “kill insects that have partial genetic resistance to the toxin.”
2. Maintenance of refuges, or the planting of non-Bt crops near the Bt varieties so that some target insects survive and mate with resistant individuals.

Supposedly, the strategy has been successful so far. However, Bt resistant insects have evolved in US and non-US farms where the regulation was not upheld.

All this sounds like troublesome tinkering with nature to control, control, CONTROL. It’s laughable to think that Bt proponents think they are powerful enough to control and outsmart nature. As if!

Keep in mind that Bt is always present in Bt crops. [8] You can’t peel the toxin off. You can’t wash it off with your favorite produce cleanser. It doesn’t go away. Regardless of health findings, I don’t want to eat food that contains a protein that bores holes in digestive systems to kill other living creatures. We’ll get into the health effects of GMOs in a subsequent post.

References:

[1-8] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23395.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

GMO are three letters that I am always on the look out for when I am grocery shopping. Unfortunately, they are not always easy to find. The United States does not require labeling, despite the fact that 89% of Americans polled by the Mellman Group, Inc. in 2015 favored mandatory labeling on all foods that have been genetically engineered or contain genetically engineered ingredients. [1]

What are GMOs?

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. This means that scientists modified the DNA of the plant, animal, or microorganism in question. [2] These scientists use a laboratory process in which the genes from the DNA of one species are “extracted and artificially forced” into the genes of another plant or animal. [3]

This type of genetic manipulation differs from traditional crossbreeding and grafting. Farmers have bred plants together to enhance favorable traits, such as sugar content. For example, traditional methods may breed two varieties of corn to produce an ultra sweet corn. Alternately, a pig may be bred with another pig to create a new variety. But, it would be impossible to breed said corn with said pig naturally.

However, in the genetic modification (GM) or genetic engineering (GE) process, the combinations may involve the mixing of genes from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals, and humans. [4] So that pig’s DNA could be forced into the corn!

Humans aren’t giving their consent for eating unlabeled GM products any more than the organisms whose DNA is being altered.

In nature, living organisms have natural barriers that protect them against DNA from other species. [5] Nature knows that fish genes have no business being mixed with tomato genes. As a result, scientists must force the introduction of foreign DNA to create plants or animals with traits that would be impossible to obtain naturally.

Scientists may use viruses to infect plant cells with the new DNA. [6] Alternately, they may coat DNA onto tiny metal pellets and shoot the pellets into the plant cells with a gun. They may inject the new DNA into fertilized eggs. Or, they may use electric shocks to perforate the membrane of sperm and squeeze the new DNA through these holes.

Sounds a lot like rape to me.

But GM is safe, right?!

Unfortunately, the technology is very imprecise, creating unstable combinations of genetic material. Moreover, it is impossible to predict and control any unintended side effects.

For example, the foreign gene could be selected to enhance a plant’s herbicide resistance. It may very well do a great job of “helping” the plant survive copious amounts of pesticides, while all surrounding plant and animal life dies. However, the new gene may disrupt the DNA of the plant, alter chemical reactions within the cell, and disturb cell functions, yielding new toxins and allergens.

This reminds me of Western medicine and big pharma. A drug is created to treat depression by “correcting” the chemical imbalance in the brain. The drug effectively produces the intended effect: it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, allowing serotonin to circulate in the synapse longer ostensibly to “treat” the depression. Additionally, the drug produces unintended side effects: constipation, diarrhea, increased suicidality, weight gain, acne, changes in blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, low libido, inability to orgasm, etc. But we’re curing depression right?! I’m not so sure. That’s a topic for another blog post entirely.

To date, there is no scientific consensus on the safety of GM and GE. [7] The majority of the research to date is funded by the same biotechnology companies selling the GMOs, which is a major conflict of interest in the production of unbiased scientific literature.

What do you think about GMOs? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

 

References:

[1] http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/976/ge-food-labeling/us-polls-on-ge-food-labeling
[2] http://www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/what-is-gmo/
[3] http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/976/ge-food-labeling/us-polls-on-ge-food-labeling
[4] http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education/the-ge-process/
[5] http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education/the-ge-process/
[6] http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education/the-ge-process/
[7] http://www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/science/

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.