How the Food We Eat Increases Our Ailments
Several studies suggest that the incidence of food allergies, learning disorders, early puberty, and cancer are on the rise. Why? What is different about our society today vs 10-25 years ago when incidence rates began changing? Some are suggesting that there is strong correlation between the trends towards the consumption of more fast and processed foods, greater amounts of corn syrup, corn oil and soy in our diets, and the expanded use of growth hormones in dairy and meat production.
Are these related? Michael Pollan, author and food expert featured in the new documentary movie, Food, Inc., attributes the change in our health and wellness to the dramatic changes that began in our food industry in the early 1970s which have taken hold more fully in the last 10 years.
Before last year, I personally, had never heard of corn and soy allergies. Now at the farmers markets in the Houston area, not a market day goes by that folks are not asking me about how to get food and products free of corn and soy and animal protein. Why the change?
Food, Inc, suggests that in part it is because genetically modified (GM) corn and soy are now found in the over 90% of the grain-based feed fed our livestock, our livestock are now raised principally in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and over 85% of our processed foods contain some if not large amounts of genetically modified corn, potato or soy products. But how does the hybridization of our food, which we have done for thousands of years, affect us?
Perhaps it is because the new genetic engineering techniques, in contrast to the hybridization methods of the past, entail introducing genes from viruses, bacteria, and other organisms to create herbicide-resistant and pest-resistant varieties of corn and soy. Most conventional farmers in the U.S. will spray a pre-emergent herbicide on their fields to control weeds and the herbicide- resistant corn or soy will emerge to grow without weed competition. Corn worms are less a problem because insect toxin-producing genes from bacillus thuringiensis bacteria have been inserted into the genes of corn.
To increase the protein content of soy-based feed, we genetically inserted a gene from Brazil nuts. Many people are allergic to Brazil nuts, so the engineers of the genetically modified soy tested their soy for a particular protein known at the time to cause Brazil-nut allergic reactions. They did not test for other Brazil nut proteins believing that only one protein was responsible for the allergies. In March 1999, York Laboratory reported that soy allergies jumped in one year’s time to become the number one cause of food allergies. Although the British Medical Association had warned that more research was needed; no detailed allergy studies are conducted on genetically modified (GM) foods before they are marketed. In 2000, numerous incidents of corn allergies were reported, including people who had eaten corn tortillas their entire lives and had suddenly gone into anaphylactic shock after eating a dinner. A genetically modified corn approved for feed, but not for human consumption, had gotten into the food supply. Over 300 food items were recalled from grocery story shelves.
Similarly, no testing is formally required in the U.S. Although the U.S. FDA has concluded that GM foods are safe, the FDA policy implemented in 1992 in response to the soy allergy increase only requires genetic engineers to “consult” with the agency if genes from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, wheat, or legumes—which account for 90% of known human food allergies are introduced into a human food source. There is no consulting for the other 10% and there is no protocol for testing for allergies that are not previously known. Although some staff toxicologists recommended consulting and testing for a much broader category of protein allergies, their recommendation was not adopted. And any testing is only voluntary.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 25% of Americans believe they or their children are allergic to specific foods. Yet our allergy blood tests can only confirm about 2% of us have allergies. We don’t test for the new proteins in our foods that are causing increased allergies.
Man did not evolve eating food containing protein from bacteria and viruses; we do not fully understand the ramifications of doing so, but statistically and not just anecdotally, it is evident that food allergies and other ailments are on the rise. Over 90 % of the meals we eat contain GM foods or meat from livestock fed GM feed. And our current diets are now higher in simple sugar (especially corn syrup or corn fructose) and salt, and are lower in complex sugars, Omega-3, antioxidants, and vitamins than they used to be because we eat more processed foods and meats that are feedlot or caged grain-fed. Several studies suggest that there is likely a relationship between the lower Omega-3 content of meats and eggs of today’s diet and the increase incidence of learning disorders. Other studies suggest that early puberty, often before first grade, is related to the growth hormones fed dairy cattle and livestock.
Perhaps it is time for us to get back to eating the way we did 50 years ago, buying at local food outlets and farmers markets and eating at restaurants serving local and non-GM foods from people we know.
Charlie Hester is a local businessman who is now overseeing Ranchers Meats, the facility processing most of the local grassfed beef and lamb and natural pork sold in local farmers markets and area restaurants. He also helps Georgia's Farm to Market sell Georgia’s Texas Grassfed Beef and Natural Meats and organic produce at area farmers markets.
View a list of local farmers markets supported by Georgia's Farm to Market.
SHARE This ArticleTell Us What You Think
Commenting is closed for this article.
