(Photo courtesy of HooplaHa Media/News/Publishing)
Ha, ha, ha! Gotcha! What in the world am I talking about?
Well, I found this picture on my Facebook feed a couple of weeks ago and it made me think about a documentary that hubby and I had watched on Netflix.
Have y’all watched “GMO OMG” yet?
You know how much I love healthy food. I even think Kale is Sexy as a Rockstar! π
Yet, after watching this film, I wondered how many of us out there are concerned about what we eat. How many of us are having issues with our health and wonder if there is a correlation between what we eat and how we feel? How many of us are concerned about where our food comes from and how it is handled?
I had an interesting discussion with my doctor last week after finding out I have a auto-immune disorder. I won’t go into the nitty-gritty of my health issue here. Let’s just say I realize I have to make a change in my lifestyle. I need to be more proactive as to what I take into my mind and body and the things that I eat.
For most of us, this is a daily challenge. And for most of us, we do our best to stay within a healthy range as to what we drink and what we eat. But what I find difficult to understand is, while most of us are doing our upmost to watch what we take into our bodies, our food supply is being tainted right before our very eyes.
There, I said it. Our food supply is being tainted my friends.
Hay now, it’s not my wish to play Debbie Downer here. You know how much I hate to play that role. But this subject is important. Too important not to mention.
Thus, may I say, OMG GMO!
Oh wait. That’s “GMO OMG.”
Here’s an introduction to the documentary:
“Today in the United States, by the simple act of feeding ourselves, we are unwittingly participating in the largest experiment ever conducted on human beings. Each of us unknowingly consumes genetically engineered food on a daily basis. The risks and effects to our health and the environment are largely unknown. Yet more and more studies are being conducted around the world, which only provide even more reason for concern. We are the oblivious guinea pigs for wide-scale experimentation of modern biotechnology. GMO OMG tells the story of a fathers discovery of GMOs in relationship to his 3 young children and the world around him.”
You mean humans are being used in a wide-scale experiment for modern biotechnology?
Is it me, or does this sound like the preface for a fiction novel rather than a true life story?
Filmmaker and father Jeremy Seifert took on a huge undertaking in his search for answers about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how they affect our children and the health of our planet. His journey took him to Haiti, Paris, Norway, and even agri-giant Monsanto when he poses perhaps the ultimate question about what we eat: Is it still possible to reject our current food system, or have we already lost something we can’t get back?
Oh no, no, no. I realize this job isn’t for everyone. But the hay isn’t just in my jeans!
I would like to invite you to take a moment and watch this brief preview:
Hmm. What to do, what to do!?!?
As for me, I’m sticking with organic. Because you know, I think it’s sexy like Kale! But if it’s at all possible, buy from local farmers and farmer’s markets. Of course the best situation would be to grow our own veggies if we have the time and needed space.
But hay, if we’re concerned about what we eat, or have issues with our health and wonder if there is a correlation between what we eat and how we feel, we’ll do whatever it takes to stay healthy, right?
That’s what I thought you’d say. π
So what do you think? Have you made any healthy changes in your life? What are your thoughts on the GMO issue? Do you think this is having an affect on the environment? Are organic foods available in your neighborhood? What kinds of food do you and your family enjoy?
Cheers everyone! I hope that life is treating you well. And as always, thank you so much for all your support and wonderful comments!
Karen
Hello, Kind Karen,
Yes, yes, and yes again to what you wrote here about one’s health being threatened by what one eats. I am diabetic, and have several other health issues. Consequently, I am extremely careful about what I eat. I avoid GMOs, go organic all the way, avoid junk foods and foods injected with mucho amounts of salt and chemical preservatives.
But the truer reason I visited your site this morning — Christmas Eve morning, that is — is to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas. So many times this year you showed me kindness through what you wrote on my own site. I believe that people like you, kind and sensitive people, are the reason this season sparkles with joy.
Anthony V. Toscano recently posted..AVT Goes Christmas Shopping
Hi Anthony! So nice of you to come by and see me. I know you’ve been dealing with your own health concerns. And of course that causes me great concern on your behalf. I’m happy to hear that you’re taking good care of yourself my friend. It can make a difference. But diabetes is a serious illness. And a tricky one to monitor. I wish you all the best and thank you so much for all your well wishes and support! I will see what I can do to keep things sparkling with lots of joy!!! π
Hi, Karen,
You and Lynn are my go-to girls for info about food additives and such. Thank you. I hope your health improves twice as fast as a modified corn stalk grows. Take care of yourself!
Pat O’Dea Rosen recently posted..Six Things That Surprised Me about South Korea
Hi Pat! I hope you had a wonderful time in South Korea! Well I know you’ve eaten your share of cabbage! Glad I am able to share such important information with you. I try to stay on top of this stuff. Now it’s time to get on top of my health. I have no doubt that will happen too. Thanks Pat for all your support!! ((Hugs)) π
Great post and topic, Karen! I do my best to limit GMOs in my diet and support organic alternatives and companies. I’m a huge believer in the labeling laws that haven’t yet been passed here in Cali. In the meantime, I seek out the Non-GMO Verified labels.
August McLaughlin recently posted..Come visit me at Making Love Sustainable!
Thank you August! I know you are a very health conscience kind of gal. I too would like to see GMOs labeled. We can only hope that will happen sooner, rather than later. It certainly would benefit millions of people. Keep writing those inspiring post my friend. You’ve helped so many people with the information that you’re sharing. Thanks for all your support! π
Scary stuff, Karen. Like you, I try to eat local whenever possible. We have a great farmers market in the town where I live, and I feel more comfortable buying from a farmer I can shake hands with. I also try to buy organic, but pricing or limited selection make it tough to buy some products organic. I know that I need to eat fewer processed foods, so I’ve been trying to cook more from scratch, but that doesn’t mean we’re not getting GMOs in some fashion. It’s frightening to think that we’re all part of some large-scale experiment. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi story. Yikes.
Sorry to hear that you got bad news at the doctor. Hopefully now that you have a diagnosis you can find the right treatment and your health will improve. Take care and remember to be kind to yourself.
Denise D. Young recently posted..Sunday Summary: The Passion Test
Denise, you are in good company with that thought girl. It is scary stuff. But it sounds like you’ve taken action and found great resources for healthy food. That’s fantastic since not everyone has that available to them. I am also cooking more from scratch. Yes, it may take a little longer, but you know, it tastes so much better. And we know where and what’s involved with our food. Not out of some sci-fi story. Thanks for all your support my friend. I think I’m on the right track and hoping that things will improve with time. ((Hugs)) π
This stuff IS super scary. I’m led to believe that in Australia they at least have to label fresh foods that are GMO, but not so with packaged foods. But that doesn’t deal with the issue of pesticides etc. It’s pretty obvious the food chain is polluted just by the amount of juvenile sickness and allergies around these days. I realise how lucky I was to grow up on largely home grown produce.
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you are able to get some decent medical help, along with the lifestyle changes. And I agree with you, Kale is sexy!! π xox
Alarna Rose Gray recently posted..Domino Effect β Part 2
Hi Alarna! Yes, this IS super scary stuff. Interesting how Australia handles the labeling for GMOs. And then there’s the pesticides. So glad you had such a great start in life. I bet you miss all that home grown food! Thank you for your concern my friend. I think I’m on the right track which makes me happy to get on top of this. Just keep eating that sexy Kale girl! xox right back atcha! π
Sorry to hear, Karen! I think about these food issues. I have idiopathic small fiber neuropathy but bc my dr hasn’t figured out the cause (and might not) I continually try to research things that might help. Diet is one of the things i’ve been trying. I do wonder a lot about how our current food status impacts our health. Seems there are a lot of auto immune issues these days. :/
Wishing you the best, Karen.
Coleen Patrick recently posted..A Cornucopia of Doodles and A Trio of Pies
Hi Coleen! So sorry to hear about your neuropathy my friend. I would imagine that it can be very painful. Your doctor may not know the cause, but I have a strong feeling that you are on to something because diet can cause a lot of abnormalities depending of course on who we are and what we take into our bodies. And that’s why there are a lot of auto immune issues today. You are so right. I hope your quest for better health is successful. And I hope that you and your family will watch the film. It’s well worth it and the kids are so darn cute! Thank you for your well wishes Coleen and thanks for your support! π
I need to make this kind of change in my diet as well, in order to recover from adrenal fatigue. All of these toxins tax our adrenal glands, and if you have other stressors and/or hormonal issues also pounding on them–well, be prepared get sick and be tired a lot, because that’s adrenal fatigue, and it sucks!
The worst thing about GMOs is how hard they are to avoid. Even if you buy food that supposedly hadn’t been manipulated, it’s tough for the farmers to keep them free of contaminants when another farm downwind isn’t. Steps like genetically modifying crops to resist pests and disease might be needed to feed a world of > 7 billion people, but at what cost? Even more troubling is livestock full of antibiotics and hormones–who among us needs those?
And then there’s the simple fact that it’s tough enough to eat healthy when you’re on the go and work full-time, and just thinking about it is stressful, which makes our condition worse… (I need a smiley of head exploding right here LOL)
Oh, and btw, Lynn’s pea protein shakes are very good. One little change that’s easy to make.
Jennette Marie Powell recently posted..Traditions, Old and New
Hi Jennette! Okay, this is it! Why don’t we make a pack to do this food thing together my friend? As you know, I too suffer from adrenal fatigue. So I totally understand where you’re coming from. And I agree. Healthy food is sometimes hard to find depending on where you live and what is accessible to you. But don’t buy into the myth of GMO crops being necessary in order to feed the masses. That, my friend, is a bunch of crapola. It’s not true at all. They feed us that line in order for us to buy into the whole genetically modified seed. But in actuality, recent studies have found that organic farmers’ yields are higher than GMOs. Yes, I was shocked. The organic farmer is having more success! But there is still the challenge of finding the right foods at the market and when we eat out. I am all over that one girlfriend. I’ll blog about it and hopefully it will help you. Glad the Pea protein is helping you. And I hope your doctor has put you on an adrenal supplement because you may need it until you adrenals have had time to recoup. Take care sweetie and thanks for your support! ((Hugs)) π
Sorry to hear you didn’t have the best news at the doctor! But I’m happy to see you taking a closer look at how you eat and informing others. I always find that at least knowing there is a reason for feeling poorly, and knowing that there might be things you can do to feel better (even marginally so) can be a bit encouraging.
Sending hugs your way!
Amber West recently posted..The Power of Free
Hey there Amber! I happened to agree with you my dear friend. It’s all in the knowing, isn’t it? How else would we be able to make our lives better? And I have to thank you for your bone broth recipe which I now drink everyday. That is when I can find bones these days. lol. It seems bones are in quite the demand. Who knew? I hope that you and your family are well. Thank you for your support and I send lots of hugs right back atcha! π
Wow, that’s really scary stuff! I have to admit, I don’t eat terribly mindfully as far as organic goes, except for meat and most fruits/vegs, but we eat a lot of processed food, such as Lean Cuisine and cereals. I’ll have to start looking for some better substitutes. Growing my own food isn’t an option, and I sure don’t have the freezer space to store produce from the farmer’s market over the winter.
Karen, I really hope that your modified diet gives you the results you need. Hang in there, hon!
K.B. Owen recently posted..Cyber Monday: a mystery-loverβs Christmas
Hi Kathy! Yeah it can be scary. But it’s even more scary if we don’t know about it and then later on we’re struck down with a serious illness that could have been prevented. I believe knowledge is power! So I would like to encourage you to look into healthier substitutes for those nights when you need a quick fix for dinner. I understand because I have those evenings too. The good news is there are lots of great alternatives available to us! And I am extremely hopeful that modifying my diet will help alleviate my current health challenges. But I cannot tell you how nice it feels to have your support! Thanks Kathy and take care! π
Looks like the Babies Are Polluted at Birth link isn’t working. Let me try again: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/babies-are-polluted-at-birth-new-report-says/625/
Lynn Kelley recently posted..Legend of Monster Island β Book 3 is Here!
Thanks Lynn! π
You know how I feel about food. I wouldn’t work so hard to grow my own if it wasn’t important to me. Organic dairy is actually one of the most important of the organics. We found that out from our high-risk OB.
Jenny Hansen recently posted..An Orgasm Article Sent My Power Crashing
Hi Jenny! Yes, I know how passionate you are about food. I think it’s wonderful that you’re able to grow your own fruits and veggies. Nothing like it. I wish I had the space. And you’re so right. Dairy is scary! I think we’re very blessed to have the information that we have in order to eat healthy. Thanks so much for your support my dear friend! I look forward to reading more in the future about your garden delights! π
Hooray for you, Karen, doing this blog post. I haven’t seen that documentary, but I’ve watched others, and they’re all alarming. I’m avoiding GMOs as much as possible, buying organic, drinking vegan certified, nonGMO pea protein shakes each day. Thank God for my protein shakes.
After watching Food Inc., The Beautiful Truth, Hungry for Change, Fed Up, Food Matters, and a few other documentaries, I have no doubt the processed foods and contaminated produce (unless it’s organic) is behind so many illnesses, including numerous autoimmune diseases. It’s all surreal, disheartening, and is a major concern to me when I think about children growing up eating all these “Frankenfoods.” Not to mention the rest of the population suffering so many illnesses that have been on the rise.
My five-year-old niece is fighting leukemia. She was diagnosed when she was four. A study done on the umbilical cords of newborn babies showed that there were over 200 industrial chemicals in every newborn’s cord that was tested ( Link: Babies are polluted at birth, new report says.)
I’ve also learned about the Dirty Dozen List of produce that has been tested and was found to have harmful chemicals inside the produce (can’t be washed off) and we should only buy these if they’re organic or not eat them, and then there’s the Clean 15 List of produce that are safer. Check out this link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/the-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-of-produce/616/
I’m still learning but the change in my diet and those of others I know have found it makes a huge difference in how we feel. Not to mention losing weight (getting rid of toxins) and so much more. There’s even a TED talk entitled “The Toxic Baby” and it’s something everyone should watch because there are huge changes taking place in our environment. Here’s the link: https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO80OJ939UOjwAVMFXNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3VzaC1tYWlsbl8wMgRncHJpZAMyU2RneWxpQ1RkcTdEQWpnYW42MTBBBG5fcnNsdAMwBG5fc3VnZwMwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzIzBHF1ZXJ5A1RFRCBUYWxrIHRoZSB0b3hpYyBiYWJ5BHRfc3RtcAMxNDE3NjcyNjA3?p=TED+Talk+the+toxic+baby&fr2=sb-top-search&fr=ush-mailn_02&type=2button. I like how they use humor to deal with such a serious subject.
I’ve got to commend Food Babe for taking on the big guns and actually making headway. If you’re not familiar with her, here’s her link: http://foodbabe.com/2014/12/01/yogurt/ She’s my hero!
As far as studies done on GMOs, check this out:
https://us-mg6.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=5q8a9unc2ldub#7816964025
The World Health Organization only requires 90 days of testing to claim that GMOs are safe. Recent studies done on lab mice being fed a 33 percent of GMO diet have revealed alarming results, with damage being passed down to the third generation of these mice, even though I believe the 2nd and 3rd generations didn’t eat the same diet. Some of these statistics are also discussed in the above-mentioned TED Talk re The Toxic Baby.
So you’re not the only Debbie Downer, Karen. I can only handle so much of this info at a time because it’s alarming, scary, and depressing, and I need time to process it and come to grips with it.
Despite all this grim information, there’s still plenty of hope. We can grow our own food like you suggest, even in a little container patio garden, and we can refuse to buy GMO foods, and change what we eat. As consumers, we can make a difference and spread the word. There are plenty of healthy alternatives we can switch to instead of continuing to consume processed foods and fast foods that do not serve our bodies.
Yay for your doctors taking care of you, Karen. I hope you feel much better. Thank you for writing this post! XO
Lynn Kelley recently posted..Legend of Monster Island β Book 3 is Here!
Hi Lynn! I am at awe at what you’re doing to keep yourself healthy girl! Yes, you are right. The FDA only requires a 90 day testing for these chemicals and pesticides. You know why? Because as I learned in watching GMO OMG, it is in the fourth month that tumors start developing and they wouldn’t want us to know about that, would they? So I could not help but to share the information that I learned from watching that film. It’s really not as dark and dreary as you might think. The filmmaker’s kids are adorable. But it does make you think. And I’d rather be aware than put my head in the sand with a serious illness later. Keep going in your quest for natural health Lynn! I am impressed with your progress and I’m sure there are lots of things that I can learn from you. So I hope you’ll share them with us. π