(Click The Poster Below To Visit The Right To Know Ohio Website, and To Reserve Your Seats To This Amazing Event!)

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By Marsha Bonecutter

Who could have imagined that the critical illness and near death of a little four year old girl would result in a business serving a community and improving the quality of life for people in that community for over 40 years?

Shirlee Gibson, founder of Apple A Day, in Findlay, Ohio, was a normal, happy and healthy four year old who loved to “go barefoot” as many children do. That innocent habit is believed to have caused the illness that nearly took her life. Perhaps Shirlee stepped on a rusty nail—we will never be certain, but one day her legs mysteriously became paralyzed from the knees down and as the illness progressed, the 47 pound child dwindled to a mere 17 pounds. Doctors were baffled by her condition which they diagnosed as a rare blood disease. Shirlee was hospitalized for several months while doctors ran tests and tried every medication they could think of. Even blood transfusions did not work. Finally, doctors told Shirlee’s parents there was nothing more they could do. Then, a miracle took place that Shirlee would remember all of her life—a young intern started Shirlee on several different vitamins! Vitamins and a special diet saved Shirlee’s life!

Eventually, Shirlee recovered and went on to marry and have three children, two boys and a girl. She began a career in banking, but soon found that kind of work to be “cold” and not to her liking. She remembered how her life had been saved by natural supplements and wanted to open a natural foods store. Divine providence intervened once again, when an older gentleman Shirlee had done a kindness for, remembered her in his will. Due to his generosity, she was able to open her store!

In 1968, on North Main Street, Apple A Day was launched. In 1972 the store moved to an old Victorian house at 600 South Blanchard Street, where it still is today.

Shirlee’s three children all went to work with mom at the store, where, between customers, she held them and rocked them in an old green chair. But more than the two boys, Kristina, Shirlee’s daughter was her constant companion. Kristina says, “I grew up at Apple A Day. I spent most of my childhood going to work with mom and what little girl would not enjoy “playing store” all day!”

As the years went by, Kristina continued working with her mom and though they had disagreements occasionally, Kristina soon realized that, like Shirlee, this was her calling in life. “I love it! I’ve learned so much along the way, through online classes, knowledgeable customers and, of course, my mom—my biggest influence!” said Kristina.

Since 1984, with the exception of three years, Kristina has been the manager at Apple A Day. She has three wonderful sons, who like their mother, were fortunate enough to go to work with mom, who held and rocked them in the same old green chair–now in Kristina’s living room. Nathan is in his final year of medical school but continuing on to be an orthopedic surgeon. Dustin, 23, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Criminal Justice. Ryan, 20, was just promoted to Aviation Electricians Mate 3rd Class (AE3) in the United States Navy. He us stationed on an aircraft carrier in Japan. There is certainly something miraculous about that old green chair!

Five years ago Apple A Day opened its second location in the corner of a grocery store at 2021 Broad Avenue in Findlay. “We are doing very well,” says Kristina, “I see a huge demand for wheat/gluten free items and this location has the best selection in town!” Kristina makes it a challenge to have the items that are trendy right now, such as what might have been mentioned on TV by Dr. Oz. “I have alot of allergies myself, so I am very motivated to have available an excellent array of choices for those people who have food allergies and desire high quality, or organic,” explains Kristina. “Speaking of high quality, we have the entire line of Berlin Natural Bakery products, including the pasta and the pizza sauce from Simply Sauce….it’s amazing!

Shirlee retired last summer, and Kristina holds the reigns in her more than capable hands. When asked what she loves most about running her own natural health store, Kristina was emphatic. “I love the customers! I am a very compassionate person and I love people! I love the opportunity to give hope to people who have been told nothing more can be done for them.” Kristina plans to grow with the industry and will fill the need for self help due to the rising costs of insurance—“prevention is the best medicine!”

Visit Apple A Day today for all of your natural health food needs, you’ll see the slogan on the wall: “YES WE CAN!” “By the way,” laughs Kristina, “we had this slogan before Obama did!”

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Megan Westgate
Executive Director, Non GMO Project

On Thursday, Jan. 27th the USDA announced their decision to deregulate genetically modified Roundup Ready alfalfa. As much as it upset me, it really didn’t come as a huge surprise. I know the reality of how things work in our government. According to Food and Water Watch, biotech has spent more than half a billion dollars ($547 million) lobbying congress since 1999. Their lobby expenditures more than doubled during that time. In 2009 alone, they spent $71 Million. Last year they had more than 100 lobbying firms working for them, as well as their own in house lobbyists. Our industry can not compete with that.

———————————————————————————————————————

Click The Link Below To Listen To The Interview With Megan and Mark Talk About The Recent Announcement and the Impact on our Industry (60 Minutes)

KWMR – USDA Approval of GM Alfalfa – What Now!?

———————————————————————————————————————

Thursday proved to be a walk in the park next to what Friday had in store. After reading an article written by Ronnie Cummins from the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) “The Organic Elite Surrender to Monsanto, what now?”, I was left feeling completely defeated.  I felt defeated because of the division that I knew this could potentially create amongst the organic and natural community. Reading the comments of people calling for a boycott of Whole Foods Markets, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farms literally left me feeling helpless and disillusioned. A boycott of organizations that have been so dedicated and instrumental in protecting the interests of our entire community. How was this possible?

“A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand”

I love this industry. I love that what we do increases the overall well being of those we serve. I urge you to listen to this interview. The information shared by Megan and Mark will help to clarify the attacks made against these corporations and share how “UNITED” we can make a difference.

Peace & Blessings,
Joy Schrock
President, Berlin Natural Bakery

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By Joy Schrock – President
Berlin Natural Bakery

Why we joined the Non-GMO Project and what it means to you.

As most of you know by now, Berlin Natural Bakery products are Non-GMO Project “Verified”. We have heard from many of you over the past month asking what exactly “genetically modified” means and to please provide additional information. In this letter, it is my goal to give you a brief overview of what GMOs are and share with you why we are so passionately committed to producing products free from these types of ingredients.

As always we encourage you not just to take our word for it on any issue. The best way to determine what you believe is by doing your own research. The information below will explain why we believe this is the most important issue that our current food supply is facing, and hopefully illustrate to you why these specific types of ingredients could be even more dangerous for those suffering with food allergies.

Today it is estimated that over 80% of processed food found on your grocery store shelves contain genetically modified ingredients. When I first heard this statistic, I did not believe it and at the same time two specific questions came to mind.

Question #1 How is it possible for these ingredients to be in over 80% of our products without us having any knowledge of it or the potential dangers of these ingredients?

Question #2 Why isn’t this specific information listed on our food labels letting us as consumers know that GMO ingredients are in the products?

I know all of this may sound crazy but unfortunately the 80% GMO statistic is an undeniable fact. As you continue reading you’ll soon realize how this came to be.

After becoming Non-GMO Project Verified we Created This Video To Celebrate The Accomplishment

What is a GMO?

A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process of taking genes from one species and inserting them into another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic. This is a process that could not happen on its own in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods farmers have been using successfully and safely for hundreds of years.

For example, a gene from a Brazil nut was spliced into soybeans in an effort to increase the amino acids in the soybean which would create a more nutritious food for animals. The studies conducted by the biotech company on the soybean were done only on animals and they found the soybean to be safe. But thanks to the University of Nebraska’s findings, the production of this soybean was immediately halted. The University discovered that the soybean could induce potentially fatal allergic reactions in people that are sensitive to Brazil nuts. What Dr. Taylor at the University of Nebraska discovered prevented a potential public health disaster. This study also proves that allergens (proteins) are transferred in the process.

The U.S. Government’s position on the safety of genetically engineered crops relies on the findings from the biotech companies. If the biotech companies deem them as safe the U.S. government deems them as safe. This is the same philosophy that the U.S. government uses for off shore drilling. We all know how unreliable the safety measures were in the recent Gulf Coast oil spill. The biotech corporations are every bit as powerful as the oil corporations. The U.S. government does not believe that there is enough of a difference between GM crops and crops found in nature to be of concern.

I’m sure you will find it interesting that currently several of the most powerful positions in our government are being held by previous Monsanto employees. This includes a previous V.P./attorney to Monsanto who is now our newly appointed U.S. Food Safety Czar. He also is the same person that originally approved GM crops when he was in charge of the FDA.

The 3 greatest risks associated with GM foods are:

1) Toxicity
2) Allergens
3) Antibiotic resistance

All three of these risks are important. But for today, we are going to focus on “allergens”.

No one would argue that food related allergies have been rising at epidemic proportions over the last ten to fifteen years. An allergic reaction to a specific type of food is the bodies overreaction to a protein that the immune system reads as foreign and dangerous. Isn’t it interesting that the huge rise in allergy related illnesses started happening at the same time these foods were introduced?

Does it not make sense that when you are injecting DNA (protein) from one species to another that a person could suddenly develop an allergic reaction from the newly created bioengineered food? Could these newly created foods also be introducing a whole new set of allergens? Could these new proteins create an allergic reaction because our bodies don’t recognize them and identify them as foreign? It makes all the sense in the world to me.

If you have a food related allergy, how do you know which foods are safe and which foods could have hidden ingredients that could be dangerous to your health?

The answer is simple…you don’t.

According to the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that 2% of adults and 8% of children are now suffering with some type of food allergy. According to the Consumer’s Union, medical polls show that 25% of American’s report that they or members of their family suffer from some type of food allergy or sensitivity.

More and more scientists are becoming concerned that new proteins spliced into genetically engineered foods could be allergenic. Dr. Rebecca Goldburg with the public interest group Environmental Defense states, “since genetic engineers mix genes from a wide variety of species, people who are allergic to one type of food may find that they are allergic to many more.” Proteins are what cause allergic reactions. Most all gene transfers in crops result in some protein production. New proteins will be found in crops from sources like peanuts, dairy and shellfish as well as from plants of all kinds, bacteria and viruses. The potential of these crops to create an allergic reaction is unknown.

If you want to avoid GMOs, eliminating these will greatly reduce your risk of exposure:

*Soy *Cotton *Canola *Corn *Sugar Beets *Hawaiian Papaya *Zucchini *Yellow Squash

Beware of other sources that are processed versions of these foods:

*Oils from the above list of ingredients, soy protein, soy lecithin, cornstarch, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.

*Meat, eggs and dairy products from animals that have been fed GM feed. Most of the GM corn and soy grown is used for feed.

*Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH (a GM hormone)

*Food additives, enzymes, flavorings and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame and rennet used to make hard cheeses

*Honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen.

USDA Certified Organic does not guarantee GMO free:

When the certified organic laws were written, the standards included that they would be free of GMOs. Back then this was not a big issue because GM crops were just starting to be planted. Due to poor practices of ensuring seeds be kept separate, cross pollination and lack of government testing, today Certified Organic no longer is a guarantee that the products are GMO free.

Summation:

All of my research over the last several years and going through the Non-GMO Verifying process has only created more of a desire inside of me to ensure that we have access to natural and organic foods free of GMOs. “We the people” have become the unsuspecting lab rats for the biotech companies and our government allows it. These corporations are masters at spinning their greedy motives into statements of “humanitarianisms” such as “we want to feed the world.” Yes, I am sure that they do want to feed the world. If they are successful in doing so, this would mean that our food supply (seeds) would all be owned by these biotech corporations. If you’ve seen the movie Food, Inc. you know how ruthless these corporations have acted in the past towards small independent farmers that are already seriously struggling to survive.

We realized from the beginning that taking a public stand against GMOs could lead to retaliation from various government agencies closely tied to these biotech companies. We announced our Non-GMO “Verified” status on Tues. October 4th, 2010 and on Tues. October 11th, 2010 we had a visit from the USDA to do an inspection for the FDA. The FDA had not visited our facility in over three years.

Is this just a coincidence?

Perhaps it is just a coincidence or perhaps the FDA is sending us a message that they are watching us. What harm could possibly come from us avoiding GMOs in our products? If twenty years down the road GMOs are tested and proven safe what harm have we caused by not allowing them in our products? Absolutely none! But what if twenty years down the road GMOs are tested and proven to create a whole host of health issues? What the outcome will be if that happens is that we have helped to secure sources of ingredients that will be safe and in their original state. If 80% of products on grocery store shelves contain GMOs and they are proven harmful down the road, we are in a lot of trouble.

We know that approximately 80% of our customers have at least one type and many have multiple allergies to foods. We take this very seriously and this is the #1 reason that we believe that labeling is an absolute necessity to ensure the health and well being of everyone. We believe it is no longer possible for manufacturers to make a non-gmo statement with total certainty unless there is a 3rd party “verifying” that claim.

The Non-GMO Project’s Product Verification Program (PVP) systematically provides for the evaluation of products, ingredients and manufacturing facilities to determine compliance with the Non-GMO Project standard. As North America’s only independent, third party verification program based on transparent, consensus-based standards, products that have been assessed through the PVP and found compliant are the best choice for consumers wishing to avoid GMOs.

When you see the Non-GMO Project “Verified” seal on packages, you should feel confident that they are in fact meeting the highest standards in the country to avoid GMOs. We could not be more proud to be part of this organization. We’ve always said, we do what’s right, even if it isn’t easy. Taking a stand and saying no to GMOs is not easy…but we most certainly believe that it is RIGHT!

As I stated in the beginning of this blog post we encourage you to do your own research on this issue and welcome your comments and concerns. nongmo[at]berlinnaturalbakery[dot]com.

Web Sites:
www.nongmoproject.org
Facebook: search Non-GMO Project
www.responsibletechnology.org
Facebook: search GMO Truth Alliance

Non-GMO Food Shopping Guide
Non-GMO Food Shopping Guide

Books:
*The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O’Brien – A MUST read if you or anyone in your family suffers from allergies, asthma, ADHD & autism.
*Seeds of Deception by Jeffery Smith
*Genetically Engineered Food: a Self Defense Guide for Consumers by
Ronnie Cummings, Ben Lilliston & Frances Moore Lappe

Movies/Documentaries:
*Food Inc.
*The Future of Food

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By:  Joy Schrock – President

Why do I have a wheat allergy?

Isn’t spelt wheat?

If I have a wheat allergy why can I eat spelt?

I constantly hear these same questions over and over and over again.  I guess the fact that I own a bakery that produces products in the wheat alternative niche appears by some standards to make me a bit of an expert.

Unfortunately, I am not an expert when it comes to this dreaded condition.  As far as I’m concerned, no one has really conquered the issue.  I’ve never read an article or a research document that I thought “ghee, they finally figured it out…problem solved!”  Instead I am left feeling quite the opposite.  Every article I read just leads to more and more questions.  It is so frustrating.  I am sure you can all relate.

No one that knows me would argue the fact that I am a total research and information junkie.  I have this never ending need to understand things and how they work together in the big picture.  The thing that really bothers me about wheat related illnesses is that everyone is focusing on diagnosing and treatment.  No doubt that’s hugely important.   But I want to know more than how to diagnose it and treat it.  I want to know what is causing it.

As far as testing for it goes, why is it so difficult?  The last several months I’ve been hearing stories from people that are being tested positively for wheat allergies that have never even suffered any symptoms.  What is that about?  I believe it is being referred to as a false positive.  Once you are finally properly diagnosed you have one option for treatment.  Quit eating any foods that contain wheat.  Oh, OK, that sounds easy enough…until you start reading ingredient labels.  Now you realize that this is a much bigger problem then what you originally thought.  For adults it’s tough enough, but for children it is downright heart breaking.

It’s very interesting to me that the diagnosis is always referred to in some way as “wheat” itself being the culprit.  Even the new allergen labeling laws that were put into place to protect those with celiac disease from products that contain gluten, instead chose to have the words “contains wheat” on the label.  Very interesting indeed.

Over the years the only real conclusion that I’ve been able to come up with and why this issue is so difficult…is because there are many contributing factors that must be taken into consideration.  No doubt, avoiding any and all ”wheat” products solves all of them.  It’s much easier to tell people to avoid wheat for life, then it is to try to educate them regarding the various growing, processing, storing, milling and baking techniques that could aggravate the condition…and perhaps even be the cause of it.

Over the next several weeks, I will be writing a series of articles that contain information that most companies don’t want you to know.  Why?  Because when you become educated you just might hold them to a higher standard.

These articles will be focusing on what I believe are the top contributing factors of the rapidly increasing food/wheat related illnesses and allergies America is facing.

What will make this series a bit unique is that they will be written from a manufacturers viewpoint.  Initially the information was gathered while we were evaluating every step of production…from seed to sandwich.  That was how it started…but it sure didn’t end there.  Research and ongoing education are just a way of life for us now.  Not just because we are manufacturers, but also because we are consumers…just like you.

Listed below are the articles that will be posted over the next several weeks.

1)  Two slices of bread please: hold the bran and hold the germ.   How we became a nation of white bread eaters.

2) What happens during the milling process of grains and how improper storage of grain and flour can negatively affect your health.

3)  Genetically modified foods…what we don’t know, what we do know and why you need to care and get involved NOW.

4)  Beware of additives, preservatives, chemicals, fads, trends and most importantly savvy marketing.

To ensure that you don’t miss any of these articles be sure to get blog updates by putting your e-mail address in the box in the top right corner of this blog and pushing the “Get Blog Updates” button. You will be sent each article as it is published from here on out after you confirm your subscription.

Also one more thing to share with you that will also help you…

In an effort to create a support group we have also set up a new page on Facebook called “Wheat Allergy Awareness“.  We will post articles that are related to helping to improve the quality of peoples lives that suffer from wheat related issues.  We hope you become a fan and share your stories with the others in the group.  The articles we post won’t just be our own and I’m sure some will be very controversial.  We want all view points to be discussed freely.  We believe that we can learn so much from you and hope you’ll take the time to join.

Wishing you all the best of health,

Berlin Natural Bakery

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“We all deserve to know what’s in our food, and to make informed choices for ourselves and our families. This well-researched overview on the shortcomings of GMOs, and the concerns about the safety of GM food, will leave everyone a little more grateful for ‘Non-GMO Project Verified’ choices” (see a complete listing here)

-Megan (Thompson) Westgate
Executive Director Non-GMO Project

“No one would deny that food related allergies and illnesses are on the rise. Are we better informed or has something more fundamental like our food supply changed? Perhaps both. This is an outstanding and thought provoking article that everyone should read.”

-Joy Schrock President Berlin Natural Bakery
Official Participant of the Non-GMO Project

Scientific Evidence Documenting The Negative Impacts of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods on Human and Animal Health and the Environment

Article Written and Provided By: http://www.bangmfood.org, a project of GM Watch

GM foods and crops were virtually excluded from the European Union in the 1990s by scientific objections and consumer concerns. But now they are once again being strongly promoted in Europe by the biotechnology industry, putting our health and environment at risk.

Scientist’s Warning Proven Correct

When GM crops and foods were first introduced in the 1990s, scientists raised concerns that genetic modification was imprecise and unpredictable. They warned:

• GM could create foods that are toxic, allergenic and less nutritious than their non-GM counterparts

• GM crops could damage vulnerable wild plant and animal populations and harm biodiversity

• GM plants cannot be recalled, but as living organisms will multiply, passing any damaging traits from generation to generation

• GM crops could cause irreversible changes to our food supply, with serious effects on the environment and human and animal health.

All these concerns have since been proven correct. Nevertheless, the European Commission continues to approve GM crops for food and animal feed (more than 24 to date) and the GM industry continues to lobby to change GM regulations in its favour. As a result, European consumers are being exposed to the risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) without their knowledge or consent.

The Scientific Evidence

1. GM is not just another natural method of plant breeding

GM proponents have always claimed that GM is just an extension of natural plant breeding. This is false.

Natural reproduction or breeding can only occur between closely related forms of life (e.g. cats with cats, NOT cats with dogs; wheat with wheat, NOT wheat with tomatoes or fish). In this way, the genes that offspring inherit from parents, which carry information for all parts of the body, are passed down the generations in an orderly way.

GM is totally different. It is a laboratory technique that re-programmes the plant with completely new properties by inserting artificial gene units into its DNA blueprint (plan). These artificial gene units are created by joining fragments of DNA, usually derived from multiple organisms including viruses, bacteria, plants and animals. For example, the GM gene in the herbicide resistant soya beans grown since 1996 is pieced together from a plant virus, a soil bacterium and a petunia plant.

The GM transformation process of plants is crude, imprecise and causes widespread mutations resulting in major changes to the plant’s DNA blueprint (1), unnaturally altering its functioning in unpredictable and potentially harmful ways (2). As detailed below, adverse effects include poorer crop performance, toxic effects, allergic reactions, and damage to the environment.

2. GM foods have not been proven safe to eat

It is often claimed that people have been eating GM foods in the USA and elsewhere for ten years without ill effects and that this proves that the products are safe. But this claim is scientifically indefensible. GM foods are not labelled in the US and other nations where they are widely eaten and consumers are not monitored for health effects. Because of this, any health effects from a GM food would have to meet unusual conditions before they would be noticed. The health effects would have to:

• occur immediately after eating a food that was known to be GM (in spite of its not being labeled). This kind of response is called acute toxicity.

• cause symptoms that are completely different from common diseases. If GM foods caused a rise in common or slow-onset diseases like allergies or cancer, nobody would know what caused the rise.

• be dramatic and obvious to the naked eye. Nobody examines our body tissues with a microscope for harm after eating a GM food. But just this type of examination is needed to give early warning of problems such as pre-cancerous changes.

To detect more subtle effects on health, or effects that take time to show up (chronic effects), long-term controlled studies on larger populations are required. But no such studies have been done.

Under these conditions, moderate or slow-onset health effects of GM foods could take decades to become known, just as it took decades for the damaging effects of trans-fats (another type of artificial food) to be recognized. ‘Slow poison’ effects from trans-fats have caused millions of premature deaths across the world(3).

At present GM foods account for only a small part of the US diet (maize is less than 15% and soya bean products are less than 5%). This is another reason why any harmful effects of GM foods will be slow to surface and less obvious.

“Ben Miflin, former director of the Institute of Arable Crops as Rothamsted, UK, and a proponent GM crops…argues that, under current monitoring conditions, any unanticipated health impact of such foods would need to be a monumental disaster’ to be detectable (8).”

The biotech industry claims that GM foods are the “most tested” foods in history. But GM foods are not properly tested for human safety before they are released for sale (4, 5). The only published study directly testing the safety of a GM food on humans found potential problems (6) but was never followed up.

Nevertheless, there are signs that all is not well with food in the USA. A report by the US Centers for Disease Control shows that food-related illnesses increased 2- to 10-fold in the years between 1994 (just before GM food was commercialized) and 1999 (7). Is there a link with GM food? No one knows, because studies on humans have not been done.

3. Studies show harmful effects of GM foods on animals

Farm animals have been raised on GM feed for many years. Does this mean that GM feed is safe for animals and humans? Certainly it means that ill effects may not show up immediately. But laboratory studies designed to assess longer-term and more subtle health effects of GM feed on animals do show harmful health effects.

Mouse and rat feeding studies:
• Rats fed GM tomatoes developed stomach ulcerations9

• Offspring of rats fed GM soya had 4 times the death rate of rats fed non-GM soya (10)

• Liver, pancreas and testes function was disturbed in mice fed GM soya (11), (12), (13)

• GM peas caused allergic reactions in mice (14)

• Rats fed GM oilseed rape developed enlarged livers, often a sign of toxicity (15)

• GM potatoes fed to rats caused excessive growth of the lining of the gut similar to a pre-cancerous condition (5), (16)

• Rats fed insecticide-producing GM maize grew more slowly, suffered problems with liver and kidney function, and showed higher levels of certain fats in their blood (17)

• Rats fed GM insecticide-producing maize over three generations suffered damage to liver and kidneys and showed alterations in blood biochemistry (18)

• Old and young mice fed with GM insecticide-producing maize showed a marked disturbance in immune system cell populations and in biochemical activity (19)

• Mice fed GM insecticide-producing maize over four generations showed a buildup of abnormal structural changes in various organs (liver, spleen, pancreas), major changes in the pattern of gene function in the gut, reflecting disturbances in the chemistry of this organ system (e.g. in cholesterol production, protein production and breakdown), and, most significantly, reduced fertility (20)

• Mice fed GM soya over their entire lifetime (24 months) showed more acute signs of aging in their liver (21)

• Rabbits fed GM soya showed enzyme function disturbances in kidney and heart (22).

Feeding studies with farm animals:

There are very few studies of this type that have looked directly at the long-term effects on farm animals. However, even these have shown problems:

• GM DNA can survive processing and is detectable in the digestive tract of sheep. This raises the possibility that antibiotic resistance and Bt insecticide genes can move into gut bacteria (23), a process known as horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer can lead to antibiotic resistant disease-causing bacteria (“superbugs”) and may lead to Bt insecticide being produced in the gut with potentially harmful consequences. For years, regulators and the biotech industry claimed that horizontal gene transfer would not occur with GM DNA, but this research challenges this claim

• Sheep fed Bt insecticide-producing GM maize over three generations showed disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system of ewes and in the liver and pancreas of their lambs (24).

Do these animal feeding studies highlight potential health problems for people who eat GM foods?

Yes. Before food additives and new medicines can be tested on human subjects, they have to be tested on mice or rats. This is the scientifically established and generally accepted standard for safety testing. If toxic effects are found in these initial animal experiments, then the drug would most likely be disqualified for human use. Only if animal studies revealed no harmful effects would the drug be further tested on human volunteers.

If animal tests with a drug were to yield results similar to those seen in the GM feeding studies, the drug would most likely be disqualified for further development. But these GM crops were approved as safe for human consumption. Clearly, the government is using far less rigorous standards for GM crops than for new medicines.

Based on the existing evidence, approvals of GM products for human and animal consumption should be revoked and their status re-evaluated.

4. Stealth GMOs in animal feed

European Union (EU) regulations restrict cultivation of GM crops and insist that foods containing GM ingredients are labeled. But a huge loophole in the EU regulation means that milk, eggs, and meat from animals fed GM feed do not have to be labeled.

The biotechnology industry is exploiting this loophole to push millions of tons of GM crops into the EU food supply, unnoticed by consumers. This is despite the fact that plentiful supplies of GM-free animal feed are available.

Should consumers be worried? A growing body of evidence says that they should. Scientific studies have found that “stealth GMOs” in the form of animal feed can affect the health of animals. Humans who eat the milk, eggs, and meat of these animals may also be affected. No one knows, as the studies have not been done.

What’s wrong with GM animal feed?
Health risks and ethical problems posed by GM animal feed include:

• Milk and meat from GM-fed animals may be less wholesome. Laboratory studies show that GM feed can disturb animals’ body functions and make them sick (see Section 3).

• Anecdotal reports from some farmers suggest that animals fed GM crops can suffer ill effects. But these have not been followed up by detailed studies on farm animals.

• GM DNA in feed is taken up by the animal’s organs. Small amounts of GM DNA appear in the milk and meat that people eat (25), (26), (27). The effects on the health of the animals and the people who eat them have not been researched.

• GM feed may create superbugs. GM feed can contain genes for antibiotic resistance that can be taken up by gut bacteria. These may then turn into superbugs— bacteria that cannot be controlled by antibiotics.

• The use of GM animal feed is hidden from consumers. As products are not labelled, consumers have no way of knowing that they are eating milk, eggs and meat from GM-fed animals and that they are probably eating GM material in those products.

• The use of GM feed raises animal welfare concerns because GM feed can harm the health of animals.

5. GM foods are not more nutritious but can be toxic or allergenic

There are no commercially available GM foods with improved nutritional value. Currently available GM foods are no better and in some cases are less nutritious than natural foods.

Examples include:

• GM soya had 12—14% lower amounts of cancer-fighting isoflavones than non-GM soya (28)

• Oilseed rape engineered to have vitamin A in its oil had highly reduced vitamin E and altered oil-fat composition (29)

• Human volunteers fed a single GM soya bean meal showed that GM DNA can survive processing and is detectable in the digestive tract. There was evidence of horizontal gene transfer to gut bacteria (6), (30). Horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance and Bt insecticide genes from GM foods into gut bacteria is an extremely serious issue. This is because the modified gut bacteria could become resistant to antibiotics or become factories for Bt insecticide. While Bt in its natural form has been safely used for years as an insecticide in farming, Bt toxin genetically engineered into plant crops has been found to have potential ill health effects on laboratory animals (31), (32), (33)

• In the late 1980s, a food supplement produced using GM bacteria was toxic34, initially killing 37 Americans and making more than 5,000 others seriously ill. Several experimental GM food products (not commercialized) were found to be harmful:

• People allergic to Brazil nuts had allergic reactions to soya beans modified with a Brazil nut gene (35)

• The GM process itself can cause harmful effects. GM potatoes caused toxic reactions in multiple organ systems5, 16. GM peas caused a 2-fold allergic reaction— the GM protein was allergenic and stimulated an allergic reaction to other food components (14). This raises the question of whether GM foods cause an increase in allergies to other substances.

6. GM foods are not the answer to the world food crisis

The root cause of hunger is not a lack of food, but a lack of access to food. The poor have no money to buy food and increasingly, no land on which to grow it. Hunger is fundamentally a social, political, and economic problem, which GM technology cannot address.

Recent reports from the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation have identified the biofuels boom as the main cause of the current food crisis (36), (37). But GM crop producers and distributors continue to strongly promote the expansion of biofuels. This shows that their priority is to make a profit, not to feed the world.

“The climate crisis was used to boost biofuels, helping to create the food crisis; and now the food crisis is being used to revive the fortunes of the GM industry.” Daniel Howden, Africa correspondent, “Hope for Africa lies in political reforms”, The Independent (London), 8 September 2008

GM companies focus on producing cash crops for animal feed and biofuels for affluent countries, not food for people.

GM crops contribute to the expansion of industrial agriculture and the decline of the small farmer around the world. This is a serious development as there is abundant evidence that small farms are more efficient than large  ones, producing more crops per hectare of land (38), (39), (40), (41), (42).

7. GM crops do not increase yield potential

At best, GM crops have performed no better than their non-GM counterparts, with GM soya beans giving consistently lower yields for over a decade (43). Controlled comparative field trials of GM/non-GM soya suggest that 50% of the drop in yield is due to the genetic disruptive effect of the GM transformation process (44). Similarly, field tests of Bt insecticide-producing maize hybrids showed that they took longer to reach maturity and produced up to 12% lower yields than their non-GM counterpart (45).

A US Department of Agriculture report confirms the poor yield performance of GM crops, saying, “GE crops available for commercial use do not increase the yield potential of a variety. In fact, yield may even decrease…. Perhaps the biggest issue raised by these results is how to explain the rapid adoption of GE crops when farm financial impacts appear to be mixed or even negative (46).”

The failure of GM to increase yield potential was emphasised in 2008 by the United Nations International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) report (47). This report on the future of farming, authored by 400 scientists and backed by 58 governments, concluded that GM is not likely to contribute significantly to increasing yield potential in the future.

8. GM crops will not counter the effects of climate change

Climate change brings sudden and extreme changes in weather. Our crop base needs to be flexible and diverse in order to adapt. GM technology offers just the opposite — a narrowing of crop diversity and an inflexible technology that requires years and millions in investment for each new variety.

GM companies have patented plant genes involved in tolerance to drought, heat, flooding, and salinity — but have not produced a single new crop with these properties. This is because these functions are highly complex and involve many different genes working together in a precise way. It is beyond existing GM technology to engineer crops with these sophisticated gene networks for improved tolerance traits.

Conventional natural cross-breeding, which works holistically, is much better adapted to achieving this aim, using the many varieties of virtually every common crop that tolerate drought, heat, flooding, and salinity (see section 11).

9. GM crops can harm the environment

Two kinds of GM crops dominate the marketplace:

• Crops that resist broad-spectrum (kill-all) herbicides such as Roundup — claimed to enable farmers to spray herbicide less frequently to kill weeds but without killing the crop

• Crops that produce the insecticide Bt toxin — claimed to reduce farmers’ need for chemical insecticide sprays.

On this basis, GM proponents say GM crops will help the environment, but this claim does not stand up to analysis. On the contrary, growing GM crops has been found to harm the environment.

GM crops do not decrease herbicide use:

The most commonly grown herbicide-resistant GM crops are engineered to be resistant to Roundup. But the increasing use of Roundup has led to the appearance of numerous weeds resistant to this herbicide (48). Roundup resistant weeds are now common and include pigweed (49), ryegrass (50), and marestail (51). As a result, in the US, an initial drop in average herbicide use after GM crops were introduced has been followed by a large increase as farmers changed their farming practices and weeds developed resistance to herbicide52, 53. The appearance of resistant weeds has led to farmers being advised to use increasingly powerful mixtures of herbicides and not Roundup alone (54), (55).

A Canadian government study in 2001 showed that after just 4-5 years of commercial growing, herbicide-resistant GM oilseed rape (“canola”) had cross-pollinated to create “superweeds” resistant to up to three different broad-spectrum herbicides. These superweeds have become a serious problem for farmers both within (56), (57) and outside their fields (58).

“I stood side-by-side with a North Carolina [GM] grower looking at a field overrun with glyphosate-resistant weeds. He said that [glyphosate resistant] pigweed isn’t his No. 1 problem; it’s his No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 problems. It was at the point where he was tetermining whether or not that property could be used for farming.” Chuck Foresman, manager of weed resistance strategies for Syngenta, Delta Farm Press, 30 May 2008 (49)

In addition, GM oilseed rape has also been found to cross- pollinate with and pass on its herbicide resistant genes to related wild plants, for example, charlock and wild radish/turnip. This raises the possibility that these too may become superweeds and difficult for farmers to control (59). The industry’s response has been to recommend use of higher amounts and complex mixtures of herbicides (54), (55) and to start developing crops resistant to additional or multiple herbicides.

Insecticide-producing crops tie farmers to a chemical treadmill:

Bt insecticide-producing GM crops have led to resistance in pests, resulting in rising chemical applications (60), (61), (62).

In China and India, Bt cotton was initially effective in suppressing the boll weevil. But secondary pests, especially mirids and mealy bugs, that are highly resistant to Bt toxin, soon took its place. The farmers suffered massive crop losses and had to apply costly pesticides, wiping out their profit margins (63), (64), (65), (66).

Growing GM crops harms wildlife:

Farm-scale trials sponsored by the UK government showed that the growing of herbicide-resistant GM crops (sugar beet, oilseed rape) can reduce wildlife
populations (67), (68).

Argentina — GM-led environmental and social disaster:

In Argentina, the massive conversion of agriculture to GM soya production has had disastrous effects on rural social and economic structures. It has damaged food security and caused a range of environmental problems, including the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, soil depletion, and increased pests and diseases (69), (70).

GM crops harm non-target insects and organisms:

Bt insecticide-producing GM crops harm non-target insect populations, including butterflies (71), (72), (73) and beneficial pest predators (74). Bt insecticide released from GM crops can be toxic to water life (75) and soil organisms (76).

10. GM and non-GM crops cannot co-exist in European agriculture

The biotech industry argues that European farmers should be able to choose to plant GM crops if they wish. It says GM and non-GM crops can peacefully “co-exist”. But the idea of choice is a myth. Experience in North America has shown that “coexistence” of GM and non-GM crops rapidly results in widespread contamination of non-GM crops. Contamination occurs through cross-pollination, spread of GM seed by farm machinery, and inadvertent mixing during storage. The entry of GM crops into a country removes all choice — everyone is gradually forced to grow GM crops or to have their non-GM crop contaminated.

Here are a few examples:

• GM rice grown for only one year in field trials was found to have widely contaminated the US rice supply and seed stocks (77). Contaminated rice was found as far away as Africa, Europe, and Central America

• In Canada, contamination from GM oilseed rape has made it virtually impossible to cultivate organic, non-GM oilseed rape (78)

• US courts reversed the approval of GM alfalfa because it threatened the existence of non-GM alfalfa through cross-pollination (79)

• Organic maize production in Spain has dropped significantly as the acreage of GM maize production has increased, because of cross-pollination problems (80)

• In 2007 alone, there were 39 new instances of GM contamination in 23 countries, and 216 incidents have been reported since 2005 (81).

11. There are better alternatives to GM

Many authoritative sources, including the IAASTD report on the future of agriculture (47), have concluded that GM crops have little to offer global agriculture and the challenges of poverty, hunger and climate change, because better alternatives are available. These go by many names, including integrated pest management (IPM), organic, sustainable, low-input, non-chemical pest management (NPM) and agroecological farming, but extend beyond the boundaries of any particular category. Projects employing these sustainable strategies in the developing world have produced dramatic increases in yields and food security (82), (83), (84), (85), (86), (87).

Strategies employed include:

• Sustainable, low-input, energy-saving practices that conserve and build soil, conserve water, and enhance natural pest resistance and resilience in crops

• Innovative farming methods that minimise or eliminate costly chemical pesticides and fertilizers

• Use of thousands of traditional varieties of each major food crop, which are naturally adapted to stresses such as drought, heat, harsh weather conditions, flooding, salinity, poor soil, and pests and diseases88

• Use of existing crops and their wild relatives in traditional breeding programmes to develop varieties with useful traits

• Programmes that enable farmers to cooperatively preserve and improve traditional seeds

• Use of beneficial and holistic aspects of modern biotechnology, such as Marker Assisted Selection (MAS), which uses the latest genetic knowledge to speed up traditional breeding89. Unlike GM technology, MAS can safely produce new varieties of crops with valuable, genetically complex properties such as enhanced nutrition, taste, yield potential, resistance to pests and diseases, and tolerance to drought, heat, salinity, and flooding (90).

Conclusion

From the beginning, industry and governments around the world have overstated the benefits of GM crops.

They claimed that GM crops would:

• benefit the environment by reducing use of herbicides and insecticides

• help farmers

• solve the food crisis

• feed the hungry by increasing crop yields

• produce more nutritious food.

Above all, they claimed that they were safe to eat and for the environment.

But an accumulating body of scientific evidence and on-the-ground experience with GM crops over the last ten years shows that this technology has failed to live up to
any of these promises. On the contrary, GM crops have been scientifically proven to increase chemical inputs over the long term. They have been shown to deliver yields that are no better, and in some cases worse, than conventional varieties.

Most seriously, GM crops have been shown to pose risks to human and animal health and to cause social and environmental problems. With the availability of proven, energy-efficient and safe ways of meeting the current and future food needs of the world, GM crops are a waste of resources and a risk that is not worth taking.

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For 4 Servings:

18oz ALB-GOLD Pasta Fusilli

1 onion

1-2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1/2 milk

1/2 cup gogonzola

1/2 bunch basil

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 cup hazelnuts or almonds

Directions

Boil the ALB-GOLD Fusilli al dente in saltwater.

For the sauce peel and cut the onions and garlic into precise strips.
Sautee in butter in a skillet until transparent.
Add vegetable stock and milk. Simmer this for a few minutes.

Add the gogonzola, let it simmer until the gorgonzola is melted.
Season it with salt and pepper and add the basil and parsley.

Serve the ALB-GOLD Fusilli with the sauce and the chopped almonds.

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Genetically modified organisms also known as (GMO’s) can be found in as many as 60-70% of the foods in the US.

As we have written about in the past dangers of GMO’s, a genetically modified organism according to The Non-GMO Project are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE).

This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a lab, creating combination’s of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. The use of genetically modified organisms in foods was recently banned in Europe, but the US isn’t to that point yet due to the highly political nature of what is keeping GMO’s on the market and in our food.

Here are six of the dangers that have been discovered by consuming genetically modified foods…

1. Food Allergy Symptoms Increase Dramatically

According to scientific research, it has been shown that those who eat genetically modified foods tend to see an increase in their allergic reactions to the types of foods they are already allergic too. By eating these genitically modified foods people also form allergies to foods which they were never allergic to before.

2. Bodily Toxicity Increases

As individuals ingest more and more genetically modified foods and organisms into their body it has been shown that the bodies toxicity increases which leads to a ton of other potentially serious health problems. As stated by NaturalNews.com it has been shown that there is a definite link between Obesity, Cancer and Toxicity.

3. Negative Reproductive Effects

In lab tests done on animals there were cases where once the animals ingested genetically modified food they became completely sterile in a matter of weeks. What was interesting in fact was that in some cases these animals were force fed the food because they didn’t want to eat it themselves naturally.

4. Negative Effects To Digestive System

They are finding that GMO’s are a breeding ground for bacteria and virus’s and since the digestive system is where the body is exposed when ingesting these harmful foods, reversing the damaging effects of these foods is nearly impossible. In other cases on mice and rats, there is documented proof that the digestive system grows bigger for some strange reason.

5. Unknown Genetic Effects On Humans

The jury is still out on all of the known causes about how Genetically Modified Organisms will negatively affect the greater human race, so it would be best to avoid them at all costs knowing the long term health risks of ingesting these foods on a regular basis.

6. Death

In some cases death has also been a challenge in working with GMO foods where rats and mice die in a matter of weeks by eating genetically modified food.

As everything adds up over time, and the more these genetically modified foods are pushed on us as Americans, knowing the dangers going in and actively speaking out against it may save more lives now and in the future.

Sources:

http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/AboutGeneticallyModifiedFoods/index.cfm

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7277

http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/GeneticRoulette/

http://www.conditionnutrition.com/reviews/top-10-dangers-of-genetically-modified-food/

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMOSandHumanHealth.php

Special Note: We at Berlin Natural Bakery make our products from 100% Genuine German Spelt created from certified seed that is 100% all natural and GMO FREE.  We are proud to be a part of the Non-GMO Project.

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In past posts we have talked about the dangers regarding Genetically Modified Organisms which are also known as (GMO)’s. In this video below it does a great job showing why GMO foods are dangerous to our health, and should be avoided at all cost. Be sure to set aside some time to watch this as the value delivered is powerful.

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As the holidays come to a close and as we transition into the new year, we all can agree that with all the shopping, cooking and wrapping gifts we all took part in the past month our bodies are in a serious state of wanting to get back on track!

Here are six things to keep in mind to help you stay more alert and energized as we move into a very prosperous 2010.

1. Take 1000 to 5000 mg of vitamin C a day.

2. Be sure to always get a good amount of extra sleep.

3. Keep a regular exercise program going.

4. Drink 2 liters of water a day.

5. Take vitamins and minerals especially at night when the body repairs itself.

6. Take acidophilus and antioxidants daily.

Re-Posted With Permission By Dr. Barbara Custer

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