GMO – do you know what this term means? i’m sure you’ve heard doctor oz mention it, and if you’ve ever been to a whole foods market, you’ve seen their signage boasting they do not carry any GMO products. i for one, do my absolute best to ensure i do not consume any GMO products. why is this?! let me see if i can break it down without becoming too intense, ramble-y, or make you want to click on something else…….. oh, and there won’t be any fotos or recipes in this blog — i’m way too worked up lately and need to get some stuff of my chest… so, thanks in advance for sticking with me!
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. now – what exactly does that mean? well, let’s see if i can explain it this way —
nature is pretty freaking amazing. and it can produce some fantastic fruits and vegetables… and depending on where you live, those vegetables may taste a little different. for example – the san marzano tomatoes i always rave about?! they are grown locally here in colorado – hydroponically. they are INCREDIBLE! like candy! {i wish the farm was closer, i’d so go volunteer there.} however, i understand that san marzano tomatoes actually originate from italy. i’ve read that they get their unique flavour from the volcanic ash soil in which they grow, near naples. now, that doesn’t mean you can’t buy a san marzano anywhere but italy. in fact, you can even buy heirloom seeds still today. however, due to that unique soil – they may not taste the EXACT same as the original…
now, having said all that — we are a spoiled nation. we want what we want and we want it now. we want it to look the same and taste the same every single time. this is why fast food chains are so popular. you get the same result each and every time… there is a formula.
well, GMOs work the same way. in this process, a perfectly wonderful seed such as corn is injected with a genetically modified organism {often created in a lab and with little testing}, which ensures it will produce around the same size, taste, and “quality” every time it is planted. it’s as if you could inject that volcanic ash soil directly into the tomato plant, and guarantee the flavour to be consistent. however, this is a much much more unhealthy, unnatural, and unethical way to do things. bluntly stated, GMOs SUCK!
personally, i appreciate diversity in everything — including my food.
biotechnology is a growing field. while i do not wish to begin even touching the surface of what exactly it is all about, i do know that one large company in particular is controlling the vast majority of the food supply… and they are doing it with GMO, through biotechnology. i’m not going to mention the name, but you can do the research on your own. this completely grosses me out. the idea of someone “making” my food in a lab just makes my skin crawl. how is that food?! do we even know what food is anymore?!?!
the other awful issue with GMO plants is that once they pollenate, the wind blows and POOF! all those genes from the GMO are flying rampant all across the fields. in other words, some farmers don’t even have an option — their crops are now contaminated with the GMO seeds.
now, you may be asking yourself what the big deal is?! what’s the problem, audrey michelle – you crazy conspiracy-theorist – what is the big deal with GMO!? who cares if my corn tastes like corn every time – i actually like that! who cares if GMO genes pollenate the whole globe?! would it be so bad to have some consistency?!
well – to you, nay-sayer — i say, I CARE! do your own research. i’m not a scientist, a chemist, a politician, an executive, nor am i a public speaker, motivational influencer, or even an expert… on anything. but, i AM a passionate human being who questions everything. i do not take anything for face value. i don’t buy everything i read and i haven’t even read everything i bought. over the last decade i have chosen to fill my brain with any information i can on the organic industry and how to avoid eating “foods” that other people maintain are good for me. the problem with GMOs has been and continues to be thoroughly researched. did you know in some parts of europe – GMOs are actually ILLEGAL?! yes, they have banned them entirely in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg…
know why i else i think GMOs suck?! well, even though some scientists refuse to agree, there has been independent research done and studies have related GMO to infertility in males, cancer, and some suggest, the increasingly alarming autism rate. of course, as a pharmaceutical-driven nation, we’d rather throw a pill at a problem than look deeper, uncover the truth, and FIX the issue. pppssshh, here’s where i start to get all fired up and intense…. but i’ll retract a bit, for your sake.
listen, i don’t want to be preachy. i didn’t start this blog to tell you that what you are doing is WRONG — i just want to open people’s minds. don’t believe everything you’re told. just because we’ve been doing things a certain way for centuries, doesn’t mean it’s effective anymore. i mean, would you still be operating on a DOS-based computer? what if apple had never upgraded their software?! c’mon… evolution is necessary — for everything!
i didn’t site any recourses on this subject because there is just SO much information out there. what i will do, is encourage you to watch some of the independent films i’ve listed at the end of this blog. they have opened my mind to a much cleaner, healthier way to live – and it begins with what we eat. we get to vote every second with our dollars. you have a CHOICE, every single day. one other thing i recommend you do, is avoid GMO {buy organic} in these top 5 products : corn, canola, soy, cotton, potato. also, visit this site for lots of updates and information on GMO.
buying organics is the BEST WAY to ensure that you are not getting GMOs in your food. look for labels that say “NON GMO” – and learn to read labels, in general. if you don’t know what an ingredient is, look it up or ask me – i’ll find out for you! support local organic farming. that is the absolute best and foremost action you can take in the fight against GMO. choose to care for your body, choose to be free from dependence on medication, fast food, and toxic living. choose to question the norm. choose to take a stand. how else are we going to change things?!
join me.
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“thrive” — available on youtube for free {only watch this if you’re extremely open-minded}
food & foto 
Audrey, this really opened my eyes, I have kinda heard about this in the past but you really gave us the real facts and straight talk here, big hugs and big thank you
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Well said! I love that the public is getting more and more aware about our food industry, and that hopefully means change! I’ve heard theories about GMOs being at least partially responsible for the sudden increase in food allergies…who knows what else! Thanks for this, Audrey!
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I too try to steer clear of GMO’s … wish we could label this stuff!
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i hear ya! the non-gmo project is doing its best to see that we can. some companies opt to seal with the non-gmo stamp which i love and appreciate! 🙂
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