What Is in Our Foods?

Never, no never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.
—Johann Christolph

The influence of nutrition exceeded that of any other health measure, including medical intervention.
—Thomas McKeown

We all will agree that our health is the most important aspect of our success in all areas of our lives. Food is the dynamic force in all that we are. We are seeing proof of this in our country every day. Unfortunately, what we are seeing is mostly the result of poor choices. Most people do not realize that it is the food we consume every day that results in how we feel, look, and think. The health of the general public is declining, and health care costs are escalating to an all time high; the time has come for alternative health education and guidance specifically in what I call “holistic nutrition.”

Isn’t time we went back to how Mother Nature intended us to eat? Isn’t it time to view food in its whole, true form? Foods need to be viewed not only as calories, proteins, fats, or carbohydrates, but with the understanding that food interacts on many different levels. Food interacts on a physical body level and on an emotional mind level as well. Healthy, whole food helps us look and feel healthy, helps us think clearly, and helps our state of mind, fending off depression, insomnia, and emotional issues.

Obesity is the number one health concern, affecting one out of three adults. Every twenty-five seconds, someone suffers a heart attack. Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States. We are seeing an epidemic of type 2 diabetes in children that was unheard of a generation ago. We are seeing an increase of autoimmune diseases in younger and younger people. We are seeing more and more people with low IQs and, even more startling, less and less people with high IQs. Some are calling this the dumbing down of society. Is this intentional or just a result of a science experiments gone wrong? Could our food be playing a major role in this?

It is not only what we eat, but how the food is produced that may cause harm to our health. Information on what is healthy and what is not is sometimes overwhelming. At times, even if you are able to understand the ingredient list of the food you are choosing, some ingredients are not even listed on the product since the food industry does not have to list ingredients if they are less than 5 percent, and they don’t have to list things that were used during the manufacturing of the product. They only have to list the ingredients that are in the final product. For example, an additive used in manufacturing ice cream is diethyglycol, which is a cheap chemical used as an emulsifier instead of eggs and is the same chemical used in antifreeze and paint remover.

What Is Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering is a revolutionary new technology still in its early experimental stages of development. This technology has the power to break down fundamental genetic barriers—not only between species, but between animals and plants. By randomly inserting together the genes of nonrelated species—utilizing viruses, antibiotic-resistant genes, and bacteria as vectors, markers, and promoters—and permanently altering their genetic codes, genetically altered organisms are created that pass these genetic changes onto their offspring through heredity. Genetically engineered (GE), genetically modified (GM), and transformed are all terms that relate to a wide range of agricultural, industrial, and medical products in which genetic codes have been altered using recombinant DNA techniques. Genetic engineers intend to confer on the genetically engineered organism new, desirable characteristics not found in the original, unmodified organism. By genetically modifying crops, often, the goal is to eliminate the use of pesticides and make farming more productive and affordable. And while many experts believe that GM foods may someday help prevent illnesses such as cancer and osteoporosis, critics claim that GM foods could cause health problems (allergic or toxic reactions) and damage the environment.

The use of GE crops increases the pesticidal pollution of food and water supplies. Most research done is to enable plants to handle more pesticides. Since the green revolution, the use of pesticides has increased, and yet the crops destroyed by insects have doubled. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has had to classify genetically grown corn and potatoes, which have been engineered to produce toxins that kill insects, as insecticides instead of vegetables.

Presently, certified organic foods are the best bet for the anti-GM consumer. However, even with the best intentions, companies attempting to exclude GM ingredients from their products have found contamination from GM crops. An organic company recently had to recall a batch of organic tortilla chips after tests showed that they contained GM maize. The company believes that cross-pollination of crops was to blame. A supermarket chain tried to ban GM ingredients from its own brand products but had to write its suppliers acknowledging that some GM contamination is unavoidable because of cross-pollination of crops. Meanwhile, organic farming is under threat from the biotech companies. In the United States, lawyers from the biotech companies are trying to force the government to require that GM crops be declared organic. Some U.S. states have succumbed to Monsanto’s pressure and banned GM-free labels on food. Monsanto has successfully sued dairy farmers who labeled dairy products as free from Monsanto’s genetically engineered bovine growth hormone.

How Do I Find Non-GM Foods?

It might help to look at the produce stickers, those little stickers on fruits and vegetables. They contain different PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown, organically grown, or genetically engineered. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruits have five numbers prefaced by the number 9, and GM fruits have five numbers prefaced by the number 8.

Many people believe when they enter a health food store that everything in the store is healthy, but that is not the case. There’s a lot about the natural foods industry that is dishonest, and it seems like the larger the companies get, the more dishonest they become. The small companies still offer genuinely natural foods without all the additives, preservatives, and taste enhancers, but once they become large and successful or get purchased by a larger food company, it seems like all the formulas suddenly change, and it’s just another “natural” brand of junk food. This is why we always have to read the ingredient list, even on products we trust. This is where we find most of our answers, but as I stated before, not all.

Conclusion

When we consume whole, real food, our bodies respond in health. Authentic farming is how all food is produced by the growers who sell it. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sold within a 50- to 150-mile radius, making all food at its highest nutritional quality. The soils are naturally nourished, and cover crops are included along with crop rotation. Pest control is treated as an imbalance, where the problem is addressed, not the symptoms; healthy crops have no pest problems. Eating organic and authentic foods is a powerful way to protect our health, our children’s health, and the health of our planet.

We have the power to refuse to consume what is detrimental to our health and to the planet. Since there is very little control by the U.S. government, the responsibility lies with us. Let us put our money where our mouths are. Buy organic whenever possible. We have the power to restore the world to one that is aligned with the healing harmony of the way nature has intended us to eat.

** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health. To get complete details on “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health”, visit http://selfgrowth.com/healthbook3.html