What exactly is Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering?

Biotechnology (sometimes shortened to "biotech") is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products, and it is usually seen in agriculture, food production and medicine production. Modern use of similar terms includes genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies. The concept encompasses a wide range of procedures (and history) for modifying living organisms according to human purposes - going back to domestication of animals, cultivation of plants, and "improvements" to these through breeding programs that employ artificial selection and hybridization. By comparison to biotechnology, bioengineering is generally thought of as a related field with its emphasis more on higher systems approaches (not necessarily altering or using biological materials directly) for interfacing with and utilizing living things. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as:[1]



"Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use."



Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using molecular cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence, or by synthesizing the DNA, and then inserting this construct into the host organism.

A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Since this involves the transfer of genes, GMOs are also known as "transgenic" organisms.



The genetic engineering technology was developed in the 1970s. In the early 1990s, the tomato was one of the first to fall victim to this technology. The anti-freeze genes from an Arctic fish were forced into tomato DNA, allowing the plants to survive frost. Fortunately, this type of tomato was not introduced into the marketplace. Actually, it never left the lab.



In 1976, a major biotechnology company manufactured a herbicide called Roundup. When the farmers sprayed this herbicide on their crops, not only would it kill the weeds, but it would also kill the crops. This biotech company developed genetically modified crops after finding bacteria in a chemical waste dump near its factory that were not dying in the presence of the herbicide. The bacterial gene that produced the protein that allowed it to survive in the presence of herbicide was inserted into soy, corn, cotton and canola.



In 1996, this company (Monsanto) introduced genetically modified soybeans, and slowly introduced genetically engineered corn, cotton and canola. When these crops are sprayed with this Roundup, all plants except the resistant crop are killed.



In 1992, the FDA declared that GM crops are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) as long as their producers say they are. Therefore, the FDA doesn't require any safety evaluations or labeling of GMOs. A company can even introduce a genetically modified (GM) food to the market without telling the agency. The official FDA policy stated, "The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods derived by these new methods differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way." But behind closed doors an internal FDA report stated: "The processes of genetic engineering and traditional breeding are different and according to the technical experts in the agency, they lead to different risks."



Internal memos made public from a lawsuit showed that GM crops can have unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects including allergies, toxins, nutritional effects and new diseases as potential dangers. The FDA doesn't require a single study, and the complex biology of GM crops may produce far more side-effects than drugs. GM foods are fed to the entire population, and they are not labeled or monitored, so symptoms are difficult or impossible to track.

Since the 1990s world agriculture and food production has undergone the most radical transformation in history. With very little public awareness, in just a few short years genetically modified foods have come to dominate both global agriculture and supermarket shelf space.



The first GMO experiment was crossing the DNA of a flounder with that of a tomato. This was done in order to make the tomato able to withstand colder temperatures. Oh yes, did we mention? - in the biotech industry, pieces of DNA can be transferred theoretically from any plant to any animal, vice versa, or any combination thereof.



Segments of DNA from one species are randomly spliced into the DNA of the other species hundreds and hundreds of times until the desired effect appears. How this cross-species DNA insertion is accomplished is a little less than scientific. The two most common methods of DNA modification are the gene cannon

using bacteria and viruses as carriers for the DNA fragment Scientists refer to the Position Effect when talking about not being able to predict where the inserted fragments will end up in the genetic sequence. Limitless possibilities result - recombining genetic sequences that can turn on or turn off vital processes that have taken thousands of years to refine.



In the gene cannon method tiny little golden bullets are shot into the cells of the target organism with a .22 calibre pistol. Not kidding. Hundreds of times. In this way the DNA of the host organism can be available for splicing in new fragments from the donor species. Of course this method is imprecise and unpredictable and anything but scientific. Only a tiny percentage of the blasted foreign DNA ends up inside the host DNA, of course. But if you do it enough times, you might eventually get a desired recombination. This was the how the flounder and tomato genes were combined.



The more popular method however is to use bacteria and viruses as carriers of donor DNA fragments which may then invade the host's DNA and splice in the new pieces. We have long known that viruses have this ability to invade the host's DNA and to actually splice themselves into the DNA strands. Both these methods of genetic modification result in the random scrambling of the host's DNA, which has virtually unlimited unpredictable consequences.

Are you inflamed because of GMOs?

Inflammation: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly



Everyone who has had a sore throat, rash, hives, or a sprained ankle knows about inflammation. These are normal and appropriate responses of the immune - your body's defense system - to infection and trauma.



This kind of inflammation is good. We need it to survive - to help us determine friend from foe.



The trouble occurs when that defense system runs out of control, like a rebel army bent on destroying its own country.



Many of us are familiar with an overactive immune response and too much inflammation. It results in common conditions like allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disease, and asthma. This is bad inflammation, and if it is left unchecked it can become downright ugly.



What few people understand is that hidden inflammation run amok is at the root of all chronic illness we experience - conditions like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, dementia, depression, cancer, and even autism.



How to Locate the Causes of Hidden Inflammation



So if inflammation and immune imbalances are at the root of most of modern disease, how do we find the causes and get the body back in balance?



First, we need to identify the triggers and causes of inflammation. Then we need to help reset the body's natural immune balance by providing the right conditions for it to thrive.



As a doctor, my job is to find those inflammatory factors unique to each person and to see how various lifestyle, environmental, or infectious factors spin the immune system out of control, leading to a host of chronic illnesses.



Thankfully, the list of things that cause inflammation is relatively short: Poor diet - mostly sugar, refined flours, processed foods , and inflammatory fats such as trans fats - Lack of exercise

, and inflammatory fats such as trans fats - Lack of exercise Stress

Hidden or chronic infections with viruses, bacteria , yeasts, or parasites

, yeasts, or parasites Hidden allergens from food or the environment

Toxins such as mercury and pesticides

Mold toxins and allergens

Inflammation is an ingenious process invoked by the body to isolate and destroy hostile or noxious particles ( think GMO's). It does so by tissue swelling and the influx of a host of immune cells and anti bodies. To facilitate it's defensive function, the lining or mucose, of the bowel is in a perpetually controlled or orchestrated state of inflammation. This is a normal state in healthy people. The powerfully destructive forces of the immune apparatus must be routinely regulated, kept in balance, so that it can carry out policing duties without harming the delicate body tissues, it is in charge of defending. Some substances (again think GMO's) promote inflammation others inhibit it. If the balance is upset disease can result.

Modern medicine describes hundreds of individual "diseases." Each "disease" is generally named for a group of symptoms and the area of the body affected. Many are suffixed by -itis, meaning inflammation of... like tonsill-itis or arthr-itis. And interestingly, recent studies are finding inflammation involved in virtually all of them. Does this terminology serve to pigeonhole distinct "diseases" and distract us from seeing the big picture of inflammation as the disease? Have we been looking at secondary pathologies and opportunistic microbes, and treating them at symptom-level... instead of addressing a common root cause? Is there some imaginary partition that separates human health from chemistry, physics and cell biology?



Whether inflammation is acute like appendicitis or chronic like atherosclerosis and obesity, an immune response is taking place. In-flam-mation literally means "on fire" and is classically marked by the Latin: rubor, tumor, calor and dolor - or redness, swelling, heat and pain - so we know from those words that oxidation is at work.



Oxidation is simply fire or rust or whenever one molecule seizes an electron from another molecule. The needy oxidant grabs or shares the electrons of an electron rich anti-oxidant. When the electrons are stolen from chemical bonds, those molecules (like DNA) come apart or are deformed (like fats) and said to be oxidized, burnt.



Inflammation does not just happen; a bacterium or toxin or some other irritant triggers an immune response. The ammunition used by the body for immune firefights is singlet oxygen, an all-purpose defensive weapon. With an unpaired electron, an oxygen radical is a powerful oxidant.



It can deconstruct and destroy pathogens, poisons, cell debris and other unwanted substances, molecule by molecule, by snatching the electrons that hold them together. Immune cells initiate the conflagration, armed with mini-flamethrowers that generate oxidative bursts of singlet oxygen to burn the area clean.

Is it possible that GMOs trigger and cause inflammation in the body?

"As a scientist, actively working in the field [of GMO] I find that it is very, very unfair to use our fellow citizens as guinea pigs." - Arpad Pusztai, PhD

Among the symptoms associated with GMO consumption are fatigue, allergies, weight problems, infertility, stomach issues, and migraines, he noted, adding that doctors who've prescribed non-GMO foods to their patients say that GMOs cause inflammation and increase allergic responses. In the film "Genetic Roulette" I went to interview the doctors who had been prescribing non-GMO diets to patients for years, they were completely unambiguous. They said, "GMOs CAUSE inflammation. GMOs INCREASE allergic responses among my allergenic patients." GMOs DO cause all these things. In fact, one doctor from Chicago said that 100% of her patients get better on a NON-GMO diet. So I went to Chicago and interviewed their patients, and it turns out Irritable Bowel, Crohn's Disease, morning fog, weight problems, skin problems, migraine headaches ALL found relief when the person switched to non-GMO eating.

Are GMO foods triggers that lead to inflammation in the body?

"One of the major modifications done to genetically engineered food crops is the introduction of herbicide resistance. Monsanto is the leader in this field, with their patented Roundup Ready corn, cotton, soybean and sugar beets, which can survive otherwise lethal doses of glyphosate - the active ingredient in Roundup."

The plants

The physical environment

The dynamics of the biological environment, and

Pests and diseases (plant, animal, and human diseases)

Herbicides are chelators - Glyphosate (herbicide) chelates nutrient availability, kills micro-organisms in soil and changes ecology.

Glyphosate reduces minerals in the soil, chelates nutrients essential for crop growth, reduces the plants uptake potential. Reduces uptake of Iron by 50% and manganese by 80%. Inhibits translocation of minerals to the leaves of plants.

Glyphosate makes the plant susceptible to disease.

Glyphosate intensifies stress and accumulates in plant tissues, roots and tips.

Glyphosate increases virulence of soil borne disease organisms.

Glyphosate causes epigenetic changes - cannot absorb nutrients, depletes nutritional value of plant.

Glyphosate damage causes the following symptoms in plants: low vigor, stunting, slow growth, leaf yellowing, leaf deformation (copper deficiency), poor bulking (zinc, manganese deficiency)

Allergic reactions

High disease levels

Sterility, deformities, spontaneous abortions (in animals)

Pre mature aging

Infertility problems in all mammals

Celiac Disease (Alberta Canada, as a result of Round Up ready Canola)

Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) attributed to the huge increase of GM soy and corn

Autism - 600% increase since GMO foods came on the market

Biological Imbalance

"we are willing to sacrifice our children and jeopardize future generations based on failed promises and flawed science just to benefit the 'bottom line' of a commercial enterprise."

Glyphosate Persists in Soil, and Promotes Disease-Causing Pathogens



According to Dr. Huber, glyphosate can accumulate and persist in the soil for years. Persistence is determined by biological activity, soil PH, clay content, and how firmly it's sequestered or absorbed in the soil. This is bad news, because glyphosate not only decimates beneficial microorganisms in the soil essential for proper plant function and high quality nutrition, it also promotes the proliferation of disease-causing pathogens . ..."The organisms that are stimulated are the pathogens," Dr. Huber says. "...all of the natural biological control organisms are very sensitive to that concentration of glyphosate.



..."All it does is make it possible for that plant to survive and to accumulate more glyphosate. We still change the soil ecology, microbial ecology, and...our intestinal microbiology."



To quickly recap, while glyphosate promotes the growth of more virulent pathogens, it also kills off beneficial bacteria that might keep such pathogens in check - in the soil, and in the gut of animals or humans that ingest the crop.



"[W]ith glyphosate, we also see an additional stimulation of virulence, so we see increased ability to cause disease, as well as the loss of the natural biological controls," Dr. Huber says.



It's important to understand that the glyphosate actually becomes systemic throughout the plant, so it cannot be washed off. It's inside the plant . And once you eat it, it ends up in your gut where it can wreak total havoc with your health, considering the fact that 80 percent of your immune system resides there and is dependent on a healthy ratio of good and bad bacteria.

GMO labeling: Your Right to Know What is in Your Food

An estimated 60 to 70 percent of processed foods contains genetically modified organisms, but unlike 50 other countries, the US doesn't require labeling.



For years, polls have shown that about 90 percent of Americans support the labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). That's about as close to a consensus as you're going to get in this country. But amazingly, in this supposed bastion of freedom and democracy we're denied the fundamental right to know what's in our food - a right that more than 50 other nations, including China and Russia, offer their citizens.

The official U.S. government position on genetically-modified organisms, is that there is no difference between them and natural organisms. Crafted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the position set forth to the Codex Alimentarius Committee on the issue goes even further to suggest that no country should be able to require mandatory GMO labeling on food items, even though science shows that GMOs act differently in the body than do natural organisms and are a threat to health.



A group of over 80 food processors, farmers and consumer organizations has sent an official letter to Michael Taylor, deputy commission at the FDA, and Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of agriculture at the USDA, protesting the official U.S. government position, citing the fact that it creates "significant problems" for all U.S. food producers that wish to label their products as being GMO-free.



Not only is there no mandatory labeling of products sold in the U.S. that contain GMO ingredients, but the FDA and USDA now want to prohibit the labeling of products that do not contain GMO ingredients. In other words, not only are you not allowed to know when there are potentially harmful ingredients in your food, you not even allowed to know when there aren't! Clearly the FDA and USDA are trying to outlaw truth in labeling and are openly working deceive the public.

Consumers all over the US are in favor of this by wide margins. It is very important because, with the full power of the US government behind GMO, and huge amounts of money flowing back to Washington from GMO producers, the only way to stop the GMO juggernaut is to tell consumers what they are buying.

In case you had any doubt that California's Prop 37 - which would require labeling of food containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) - is a significant threat to industry, a top food lobby has now made it perfectly clear.

In a recent speech to the American Soybean Association (most soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modified), Grocery Manufacturers Association President Pamela Bailey said that defeating the initiative "is the single-highest priority for GMA this year."



You may not know the about the Grocery Manufacturer's Association, but its members represent the nation's largest food makers - those with the most at stake in the battle over GMO labeling; for example, soft drink and snack giant PepsiCo, cereal makers Kellogg and General Mills, and of course, biotech behemoth Monsanto.

"If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it." - Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto, quoted in the Kansas City Star, March 7, 1994

Monsanto and Food Inc.'s stranglehold over the nation's food and farming system is about to be challenged in a food fight that will largely determine the future of American agriculture.



A growing corps of organic food and health activists in California - supported by consumers and farmers across the nation - are boldly standing up to Monsanto and its minions, taking the first steps to expose the widespread contamination of non-organic grocery store foods with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), and moving to implement mandatory GMO labeling through a grassroots-powered Citizens Ballot Initiative process...

Monsanto, as most of you may already know, has long been referred to by those in the know as "the most evil company on the planet." But it has stiff competition. Before there was Monsanto, junk food companies were already hard at work influencing American politics to further their own agenda.



The processed food industry has a lot to answer for when it comes to the general health of Americans, who spend upwards of 90 percent of all their food dollars on processed convenience foods.



The latest developments in the fight for GMO labeling actually makes a strong case for giving the title of "Most Evil Organization on the Planet" to the Grocery Manufacturer's Association of America (GMA), which represents the processed food leaders, including Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Kellogg's, and General Mills.



The Grocery Manufacturer's Association also lists Monsanto as a member, so it would make sense that the sum would be greater than the parts.



This organization is no stranger to stooping way down low to protect their members' interests - your health and human rights be damned.

It's important to realize that genetically engineered foods must be labeled in nearly 50 other nations around the world, yet "the land of the free" has persistently denied its citizens the right to know whether or not a food is genetically engineered. The industry, led by Monsanto, the worst company of 2011 according to Natural Society, has gone so far as to threaten states with costly lawsuits, should they decide to label GE foods. This is about as unAmerican as it can get.



Meanwhile, what little research is actually done on GE food keeps revealing disturbing results. The latest comes from France, where rats fed Monsanto's GE corn, or exposed to glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup), suffered tumors and multiple organ damage.

Biotechnology and Corporate Agriculture use dirty political tricks to block consumers Right to Know what is in their food

And make no mistake, Prop. 37 was the food-system equivalent to a lunge at the king. No fewer than two massive sectors of the established food economy saw it as a threat: the GMO seed/agrichemical industry, led by giant companies Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, and Bayer; and the food-processing/junk-food industries who transform GMO crops into profitable products, led by Kraft, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and their ilk. Collectively, these companies represent billions in annual profits; and they perceived a material threat to their bottom lines in the labeling requirement, as evidenced by the gusher of cash they poured into defeating it.

Between Oct. 7 and Nov. 6, 4.3 million Californians - nearly 47% of those who voted - cast their ballots in favor of what would have become this country's first law to require mandatory labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and ban the routine industry practice of marketing GMO-tainted foods as "natural."



It has permanently altered the national debate surrounding food safety, chemical-intensive agriculture, and sustainability. And it put the consumers' right-to-know and truth-in-labeling on the table for millions of Americans.



Prop 37 has exposed the dark side of Big Ag and Big Food, and their desperation to keep U.S. consumers in the dark about whether or not our food has been genetically engineered, a fundamental right enjoyed by citizens in over other 60 countries.



What can be done to reduce inflammation in the body and mind caused by GMO's?

Several years ago the general public was completely unaware of GMOs and GE foods (genetically modified organisms or genetic engineering), but today the topic is becoming rather well known, thanks to growing education and alternative media coverage. The general public is becoming better informed about the potential harms and health issues associated with biotechnology and bioengineered foods, but the smoke and mirrors the mega-corporations use to obfuscate deeper understanding of the dangers inherent in such 'mad science' increases in tandem with growing awareness.Ok, so a lot of people know they are eating GMO's and what they are, but the real question is: are GMOs actually safe, as proponents and supporters of biotechnology claim, or are they not? Should we be worried about the long-term health and environmental effects of genetically altered foods? In the following article I hope to present clear evidence and data for stating very definitively: YES! We should be very concerned!As an organic farmer, agriculture consultant and researcher, I became interested in the GMO issue over seven years ago, particularly their effects on the soil and the contamination or mutation of various plant species. 'Connecting the dots', so to speak, it dawned on me how serious this issue is, not just in terms of the environmental effects of GMOs, but also the consequences of eating GMO foods for human health.A very disturbing picture began to emerge.As I realized that this 'genetic engineering' is essentially a mad science, I joined a local group called ' Seeds of Truth '. We began meeting weekly to discuss how to get the word out about the growing takeover of Hawaii's agricultural lands by several biotechnology corporations.In November 2010, I had an opportunity to do a podcast with the SOTT team: GMO Frankenfoods and What You Can Do to Improve Your Health . The transcript for the podcast can be read here For those who are new to this topic, it's important to explain some background knowledge when using the term 'Biotechnology'. According to Wikipedia For the purpose of this article I will use the term 'genetic engineering' and 'genetically modified organisms' (GMO's) in place of 'biotechnology'. I hope to clearly explain that 'genetic engineering' is not in humanity's best interest, regardless of claims by avid supporters. The agriculture industry, or Big Ag, began introducing 'genetically engineered foods' to the public in the early 1990s. Today, 80% of U.S. grocery store foods contain GMOs.The following articles carried on SOTT.net provide important background information regarding the 'mad science' behind GMO technology:Dr. Tim O'Shea, author of the website 'The Doctor Within', provides more background information explaining what exactly GMOs are:By 'inflamed', I'm not just referring to the state of anger and frustration people feel upon learning the sneaky, deceptive tactics Biotechnology corporations use to put these unsafe ingredients in our food. I am talking aboutas a result of eating genetically engineered food loaded with 'genetically mutated bacteria and viruses'.Extensive study has been conducted regarding inflammatory responses to disease in the body. Doctors like Mark Hyman and Gabor Mate have written about the connections between inflammation in the body and the onset of disease:Dr. Gabor Mate also describes inflammation in the body in his book, When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection Additional information about the connection between inflammation and disease is available at the Greenmedinfo.com website:Now that we have covered both the history of GMO technology and the inflammatory response in the body, we can begin to look at the deeper issues associated with 'genetic engineering' and the introduction of mutated foreign pathogens into our bodies, such as bacteria and viruses.With the introduction of 'genetic engineering' and its widespread use in the production of food for both humans and animals, we can begin connecting the dots. The issue here is that this 'genetic mad science' is producing disease and illness in the population based on the foods that are being touted as safe and healthy. Basically the population is being used as guinea pigs to test the long term effects of eating a diet composed of genetically modified organisms. Naysayers and pro GMO advocates say that 'genetically altered foods' are safe, GRAS (Generally regarded as Safe) or substantially equivalent to non GMO food, but where is the data to back up such a claim? Biotechnology corporations like Monsanto claim that there is no need for value testing the safety of GMO foods . What do scientists working in the field say?Researchers such as Jeffrey Smith have written extensively on the health risks of GMO's. Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of GMOs. Smith's first book, Seeds of Deception, is the world's bestselling book on the subject. His second book, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, identifies 65 risks of GMOs and demonstrates how superficial government approvals are not competent to find most of them. Jeffrey Smith recently released a new movie: Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives . The documentary tracks a certain category of things that are going wrong - or several categories - in lab animals. So, when the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, for example, reviewed the peer-reviewed published studies, they said: ". Jeffrey Smith has stated:Jeffrey Smith is not the only researcher speaking out about this highly controversial issue, many scientists like Arpad Pusztai PhD, have been attacked and ridiculed when they published their research detailing their concerns associated with genetic engineering. Read the following article for more on this issue:What conclusions are we to draw from such information? Why are scientists being attacked? Why is evidence denied? And are we really a population at risk? And if these claims are true, what are the health risks associated with consuming a diet loaded with GMO's?Based on the research gathered by Jeffrey Smith it would appear there is a connection between GMO's and the increasing onset of diseases of the immune system. It is important to present additional data to make a compelling argument. Last year I attended the National Heirloom Seed Exhibition in California . The event was organized as part of the California Right to Know initiative or Proposition 37. The event had the following guest speakers, Percy Schmeiser, Organic Consumers Association ) Ken Rosoboro ( The Organic & Non-GMO Report ) and Dr. Don Huber Emeritus Professor at Purdue University. Many of the speakers shared the importance of the Right To Know labeling initiative and spoke at length about the growing health and environmental concerns of GMO's. In addition to Jeffrey Smith, Dr. Don Huber spoke about his research and his disturbing findings, regarding the effects of genetic engineering on the environment, plants, animals, and humans.Dr. Huber's talk was titled 'Impacts of Glyphosate & GMO's on Crops, Animals, People and the Environment'. His specific areas of training include soil-borne diseases, microbial ecology, and host-parasite relationships. Dr. Huber taught plant pathology, soil microbiology, and micro-ecological interactions as they relate to plant disease as a staff Professor for 35 years. Dr. Huber spent over 40 years in military and professional capacities evaluating man-made and natural threats, including biological warfare for military intelligence. In this interview Dr. Huber clearly describes the serious negative health consequences of genetic engineering and focuses specifically on RoundUp ready crops:Dr. Huber reveals a number of shocking facts that need to become common knowledge in order to stop this catastrophic alteration and destruction of our environment, our food supply, and ultimately, our own biology. Dr. Huber's research, which spans over 55 years, has been devoted to looking at how the agricultural system can be managed for more effective crop production, better disease control, improved nutrition, and safety. The introduction of genetically engineered crops has dramatically affected and changed all components in agricultural practices:The speech that Dr. Huber gave, with scientific data and detailed diagrams, was shocking to say the least. As I listened to his talk and noted the evidence he had gathered, a very scary picture began to form;. A few key points made this 'genetic modification madness' absolutely clear: if plant life is affected in the following ways how can the same effects not be seen in animal and human organisms?:Food and Safety Concerns (Glyphosate Exposure) presented by Dr. HuberDr. Huber was very clear in stating. He shared that the concerns listed above are just the tip of the iceberg. In conclusion Huber said that our basic responsibility in agriculture is providing safe and nutritious food. Instead, with current GMO-based agricultural practices:What can we conclude from such shocking data? The following link has a video excerpt of Dr. Huber:Dr. Huber is just one of many scientists who have spent years studying genetic engineering and its negative effects in animals, humans and the environment. The information provided above is a small piece of the puzzle. Numerous articles, videos and research concerning the negative effects of genetic engineering, are being published and the debate is really beginning to heat up.The following articles carried on SOTT.NET provide additional data about the serious negative health effects of GMO foods:People are informing themselves more and more and they want to know what is in their food, they are inflamed over this issue and they want answers. The California Right to Know 2012 Ballot Initiative which did not pass on November 6 , would have required GMO food - that is, all food containing genetically engineered ingredients - to be so labeled in the state. The labeling initiative in California, was an attempt, by concerned grass roots organizations, to set a precedence for other states to follow, many states have been pushing for labeling measures when it comes to knowing what is in their food, and calls for GMO labeling keep cropping up . And thanks to the FDA, you really have no idea what's in your food: It is obvious that the US government does not want GMO foods labeled and there is a massive effort on the behalf of biotech corporations to squash the labeling initiatives! Read more about the ongoing labeling battles across the US and how the opposition resorts to dirty tricks and lies to squelch labeling laws.Based on the data above it would appear that the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is well aware of the following fact:Reduce inflammation in the body by Stimulating the Vagus Nerve with easy to use breathing exercises Learn about the benefits of a Ketogenic diet Eliminate all GMO food from your diet : To date, a list of 10 food products have been identified to be genetically modified. They are as follows: Corn, Soy, Cotton, Papaya, tomatoes, rice, rapeseed, peas, potatoes, sugar beets and dairy products. Some of these foods are called by different names. For example, rapeseed, an industrial heating oil, was never meant for human consumption. It was later called canola oil, and marketed as being a 'healthy' oil to consume. The following links below will help provide helpful information on HOW to effectively eliminate GMO's from your dietLearn more about GMO's and educate others on how to avoid them. The following books and movies about the evils of GMO's are a great place to start: