Soy...a GM food

[Guest guest]

Hi Listmates,

Here is an interesting article that I just received that thought many of you

might find it of interest. Even if you (your family!) do not consume a lot

of soy, the hidden GMO's can cause apparently cause inflammatory/allergic

reactions.

Dr. Oz also did a segment recently about " ensoy " products, but felt

that natural soy such as Edemame was okay, as long as it was organic, and

therefore non GM .

HTH,

Lori

If you consume soy...think again.

Genetically Engineered Soybeans May Cause Allergies By

" I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is

genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat

it-unless it says organic. " -Allergy specialist Boyles, MD

Beginning in 1996, genes from bacteria and viruses have been forced into the

DNA of soy, corn, cotton, and canola plants, which are used for food. Ohio

allergist Boyles is one of a growing number of experts who believe that

these genetically modified (GM) foods are contributing to the huge jump in

food allergies in the US, especially among children.

The UK is one of the few countries that conduct a yearly food allergy

evaluation. In March 1999, researchers at the York Laboratory were alarmed

to discover that reactions to soy had skyrocketed by 50% over the previous

year.

Genetically modified soy had recently entered the UK from US imports and the

soy used in the study was largely GM. Graham, spokesman for the York

laboratory, said, " We believe this raises serious new questions about the

safety of GM foods. "

Genetic engineering may provoke allergies

There are many ways in which the process of genetic engineering may be

responsible for allergies. The classical understanding is that the imported

genes produce a new protein, which may trigger reactions. This was

demonstrated in the mid 1990s when soybeans were outfitted with a gene from

the Brazil nut. While scientists attempted to produce a healthier soybean,

they ended up with a potentially deadly one. Blood tests showed that people

allergic to Brazil nuts reacted to the beans. It was never marketed.

The GM variety planted in 91% of US soy acres is called Roundup

Ready-engineered to survive otherwise deadly applications of Monsanto's

Roundup herbicide. The plants contain genes from bacteria, which produce a

protein that has never been part of the human food supply. Since people

aren't usually allergic to a food until they have eaten it several times, no

tests can prove in advance that the protein will not cause allergies.

As a precaution, scientists compare this new protein with a database of

proteins known to cause allergies. According to criteria recommended by the

World Health Organization (WHO) and others, if the new GM protein contains

amino acid sequences that have been shown to trigger immune responses in

other proteins, the GM crop should not be commercialized (or additional

testing should be done). Sections of the protein produced in GM soy,

however, are identical to shrimp and dust mite allergens. But the soybean

got marketed anyway.

Frighteningly, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever

conducted verified that the gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA

of our gut bacteria and continues to function. This means that years after

we stop eating GM soy, we may still have the potentially allergenic protein

continuously produced within our intestines.

Damaged soy DNA creates new (or more) allergens

The process of creating a GM crop produces massive collateral damage in the

plant's DNA. Native genes can be mutated, deleted, permanently turned on or

off, and hundreds may change their levels of protein expression. This can

increase existing allergen, or produce a new, unknown allergens. Both appear

to have happened in GM soy.

Levels of one known soy allergen, trypsin inhibitor, were up to seven times

higher in cooked GM soy compared to cooked non-GM soy. Another study

discovered a unique, unexpected protein in GM soy, likely to trigger

allergies.

In addition, of eight human subjects who had a skin-prick (allergy-type)

reaction to GM soy, one did not also react to non-GM soy, suggesting that GM

soy is uniquely dangerous.

Increased herbicides, digestive problems and allergies

Farmers use nearly double the amount of herbicide on GM soy compared to

non-GM soy; higher herbicide residues might cause reactions.

GM soy reduces digestive enzymes in mice. If proteins " digest " slowly in

humans, there is more time for allergic reactions (possibly to many food

proteins).

Eating GM foods is gambling with our health

Documents made public from a lawsuit revealed that FDA scientists were

uniformly concerned that GM foods might create hard-to-detect allergies,

toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. Their urgent requests for

required long-term feeding studies fell on deaf ears. The FDA doesn't

require a single safety test. The person in charge of that FDA policy was

Monsanto's former attorney, who later became their vice president.

Buying products that are organic or labeled non-GMO are two ways to limit

your family's risk. Another is to avoid products containing any ingredients

from the seven GM food crops: soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, Hawaiian

papaya, and a little bit of zucchini and crook neck squash. This means

avoiding soy lecithin in chocolate, corn syrup in candies, and cottonseed or

canola oil in snack foods.

To learn more about the health dangers of GMOs, and what you can do to help

end the genetic engineering of our food supply, visit

<http://www.responsibletechnology.org/> www.ResponsibleTechnology.org.

To learn how to choose healthier non-GMO brands, visit

<http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/> www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com.

International bestselling author and filmmaker is the leading

spokesperson on the health dangers of genetically modified (GM) foods. His

first book, <http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/Home/index.cfm> Seeds

of Deception, is the world's bestselling and #1 rated book on the topic. His

second, <http://www.geneticroulette.com/> Genetic Roulette: The Documented

Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, provides overwhelming evidence

that GMOs are unsafe and should never have been introduced. Mr. is the

executive director of the

<http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/Home/index.cfm> Institute for

Responsible Technology, whose

<http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/CampaignforHealthierEatinginAme

rica/index.cfm> Campaign for Healthier Eating in America is designed to

create the tipping point of consumer rejection of GMOs, forcing them out of

our food supply.

Take Action Now by visiting

<http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/Home/index.cfm>

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/Home/index.cfm to join the

campaign and help raise awareness to the health risks GM food has on our

health and overall food supply.