Genetically Modified Organisms

Genetically modified organisms or GMOs are really scary. They were never properly tested for safety in humans. More and more evidence is starting to show how damaging they are, as we are starting to also understand just how malleable our genes and genetic expression is, from the field of Epigenetics. We have tended to think of genes as these static things, but really, whether a gene is actually expressed or not is highly dependent on the environment it is in. It is estimated that only 1% of all disease states are totally genetically determined i.e. by having the gene the disease is unavoidable. The rest is determined by the environment around and inside your body, including the food you eat, what you drink, what you put on your body, the air you breathe, the thoughts you think, and the perceptions you have. These things matter far more than the genes you have. GMOs have the capacity to affect which genes are actually expressed, and which ones are suppressed.

How are they created? Typically, a gene that was never part of a given organism is inserted into the genetic material of that organism to create a new one with this new gene with its given capacity. An example of this is BT corn, where a gene is inserted into corn’s genome for the production of BT toxin. The corn now produces BT toxin itself which gets into the system of the insects surrounding the plant and kills them by poking holes in their stomach. Unfortunately BT toxin potentially also pokes holes in our stomach and is now showing up in human foetuses, including their brains. One study found BT toxin present in 80% of foetuses.

From the insertion or splicing of genetic material into cells to create these scary modified plants, Industry is now using RNA interference technology which has the potential to disrupt human gene expression. As a very basic explanation, DNA carries codes and stores information and RNA makes things happen by carrying messages and transcribing genetic codes to create new DNA, RNA, and proteins in the body. Now that RNA interference is being used it can literally introduce RNA into our body which have the potential to activate genes, suppress others, and create proteins we were never designed to create. Safety approvals for this technology was based of saying that there are no sites on the human genome where this engineered RNA could bind to, and therefore effect gene expression. However, this was only looking at part of the human genome that we understand well, not the so-called “junk DNA” which also forms part of our DNA and is likely in time to be proven to be not junk at all. A study was performed on honey bees where they were fed a meal containing double-stranded RNA from jelly fish that activates production of the compounds that make jelly fish glow. The reason this RNA was chosen was because it does something so far removed from a function that bees have, and they were trying to find something that should have no impact on honey bees. After one meal containing this RNA over 1400 genes had changed their level expression which is about 10% of the honey bees’ genome. Another study in New Zealand on GMO wheat found hundreds of sites where the double stranded RNA could potentially bind to human DNA, including silencing a gene that prevents disease. Examples of commercially available foods using this double-stranded RNA interference technology include the non-browning apple and non-browning potato.

The DNA and the RNA in all the food we eat, including plants and animals, affects, activates, suppresses, and can even be incorporated into, our genes and bodies. RNA is a cross-kingdom messenger with positive and negative consequences. It has worked really well up until now with the other species in nature we have evolved to eat. The problem with GMOs is that the consequences of consuming their DNA and RNA in many cases unknown, and now beginning to be found highly negative. In one survey of over 3000 people who had switched to non-GMO diet and avoided chemical herbicides and pesticides, 85% had their digestive problems improve, 60% fatigue improved, 55% lost weight, 52% had brain fog improve, 51% had improvements in mood, anxiety or depression, and 50% experienced improvements in their food allergies and sensitivities. Peanut allergies doubled in the 5 years after GMO soy was introduced with one hypothesis being this was causative due to the high cross reactivity between soy and peanuts (they are both legumes).

Do you eat GMOs and where are you finding them?

Do you know the GMO labelling laws for your country?

If you do eat them, what effect do you think they could be having on your body?

Related Articles:

Herbicides and Pesticides
Digestion
Microbiome
Leaky Gut
Gut Healing
Grains and Gluten

Further Information:

Institute for Responsible Technology: responsibletechnology.org

Much Love,

Sophia Englezos