What are GMO's and how do they affect us?

Reflective GMO Essay

The current debate surrounding genetically modified organisms, often called GMO’s, is an absolute disaster. A genetically modified organism (GMO) is a plant, animal or microorganism whose genetic code has been altered, subtracted, or added (either from the same species or a different species) in order to give it characteristics that it does not have normally. A GMO is an organism whose genetic makeup is changed by humans. Some individuals trumpet genetically modified (GM) genes, and others, like myself, are wary of the unwanted side effects of this new technology. In this essay I will discuss my personal views on food based GMO’s and how they affect us. Let me start with the science behind GMO. Scientists and engineers manipulate crops by inserting or deleting genes in various plants, enabling those plants to resist drought and pesticides, grow in non-native environments, and to produce more items for consumption. Scientists often do this with the genes from things like fish, fireflies, and bacteria. I must add as well, that this genetic transfer of species does occur in nature, but apparently not fast enough for our society. So instead of going with what Mother Nature intended for us, scientist’s toy with nature in ways that are greater than our planet can keep up with. Individuals who support GMO’s will argue many of the proposed benefits of the process. These benefits include that GMO crops are able to withstand extreme weather, are safe to eat, and can even provide vitamins previously unavailable in certain types of crops. GMO’s have been a savior in some third world countries because of their ability to resist, thrive, and produce in such harsh conditions. So many credit GMO’s to aiding in world hunger. One of the world’s largest distributers of genetically modified seeds is a corporation named Monsanto. Also known as Big Agriculture, Monsanto backs this new technology and is the most visible player in the multinational agricultural biotechnology field. They are backed and run by government officials, and have an aggressive manner when it comes to their attempts to patent seeds and genetic research. They continue to grow in power despite class action lawsuits against them arising from health effects due to some of their chemicals, and even corrupt practice lawsuits against them filed by the US Department of Justice. Monsanto is not willing to back down and is no stranger to the controversy that comes along with it. The debate over GMO’s and how Monsanto is affecting the world will be ongoing for some time to come. I will continue to do my research on the topic, but as of now I do not support genetically modified foods. My biggest concern is the fact that we as citizens are left in the dark and mislead on this topic. Studies have shown that GMO’s are harmful to humans, animals, our eco system, the economy, and can also devastate small local farming businesses. It is very concerning to me that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Government officials that are involved as advisors for Monsanto are not informing us on the labels of products that are in fact “genetically modified” in our country. This makes me and many other Americans very uneasy as to why we are not provided with the information and choice of what we are really putting into our bodies, our children’s bodies, and even our pet’s bodies. Although we as members of the general public may not fully understand the exact science of the GMO process, what we do know is that this new technology seems to have been introduced hastily with very little pre-trial studies into what the long-term effects may yield. In my opinion, we as American citizens should have the right to know what we are consuming into our bodies. I can understand the exploration of GMO’s and how they can be beneficial, but what I cannot understand is why our government does not want the public to be informed of their risks. Many other countries have banned the use of GMO’s, or at least inform the public on the health risks. Some countries have begun to label products that are made from GM foods so the consumer has the choice whether or not they want to eat GMO’s. Our government however, will not approve such labeling in our country which to me raises red flags on their intentions. If they are going to keep producing GMO foods and putting them on the shelves knowing the health risk that they are introducing to the general public, the least that they could do is provide us the knowledge and choice by labeling our foods with a simple GMO food stamp or something to that effect. The fact that GMO’s have really only been introduced into our society for a mere 20 years and we are already starting to see acute negative health effects, is not a comforting sign. There has not been nearly enough studies done on how genetically modified foods interact with the human body as a whole and or over an extended period of time. Studies on mice have shown results including tumors, cancer, mutations, and extreme behavior issues. Also by making our crops pesticide resistant using genetically modified antibiotics, we are creating weeds that are tougher to kill, which is leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This in return calls for tougher pesticides to kill these bacteria. This vicious cycle is egregious for the environment, and even more so for animal and human consumption. I am sure you are wondering why local farmers do not just grow non-GMO crops for those of us who do not want to consume these poisons. Well my friend, this is easier said than done. Monsanto has made it nearly impossible for small farmers to acquire non-GMO seeds to grow. Their products are patented, and once farmers start using them, they are trapped with no other option but to keep using Monsanto products because of the way they have genetically modified their seeds and manufactured their pesticides. Monsanto is also known for manipulating farmers by offering them a free trial of their product, and also by using the “big brother” method to take control of a farmer’s crop. It is a sad day when a small or big family farm cannot run and grow the quality product that they have known and loved for decades, because this monstrous corporation threatens their very existence. Now that I have informed you with some facts on this important issue, I would like to tell you how I became aware of the dangers that lurk behind GMO’s. As you can tell I am very passionate about this topic and for good reason, the knowledge I have obtained has truly open my eyes to a new set of lifestyle choices. I have always considered myself to be an active person, however, within the last year or so, I have been dealing with a roller coaster of emotions stemming from knee complications. These problems have been ongoing for some time and it was at the point where had begun to affect my quality of life. The amount of pain I was in was affecting my active, work, and home life. Ultimately this made me and everyone else around me miserable. I finally went to the doctor in hopes of finding some relief only to be bounced around to several doctors with inconclusive results at every turn. It was extremely frustrating. I had explained to my doctor that I wanted to avoid medications and handle my issues as naturally as possible. Well, I guess they did not understand this because I was sent home with anti-inflammatory pills and pain killers nearly every time. I felt unsatisfied and alone, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I conducted hours upon hours of research and then the answer became clear, I needed to attack my diet. I took this challenge on step by step, starting with removing gluten out of my diet. Gluten is a wheat protein that is formed through the processing of whole wheat into wheat flour, and is found in a good portion of processed shelf products. Gluten is almost always genetically modified and is on the list of foods that promote inflammation in our bodies. After becoming gluten free for about a month, I could already feel the difference in my joints, but it still was not enough. I decided to take the next step and took a 21 day body cleanse to rid my immune system of food based toxins. This entailed consuming organic foods only. My mind was blown at the end of this and I was amazed with the results. My years of suffering seemed to be healed by something as minute as controlling what foods I consumed. I now am a firm believer of all natural healing and love the idea that I have the knowledge, control, and experience over how I feel based on something as simple as food consumption. The key word here is simple. I can only hope that more individuals will realize that they too can live a longer, healthier life by avoiding dyes, preservatives, pesticides, and GMO’s. It is my pleasure and passion to inform people of all ages the importance of their diet, and how easily they can feel healthy and active by being more aware of what they eat. Read your labels, look for non-gmo project stamp, and if you cannot pronounce the ingredient then you probably should not be putting it in your body. You are what you eat!