Four ways to know if GMOs are making you fatter
Summer Tierney
(NaturalNews) Besides what we already know about the dangers of consuming genetically modified foods, these "frankenfoods" now appear to play a key role in the current obesity pandemic. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the number of Americans now classified as overweight has doubled in the last 20 years - the same amount of time that GM foods have been on the market, paving the way too for the increased spraying of pesticides and herbicides.
Through food, beverages and drinking water alone, the average American consumes between 10 and 13 different pesticides every single day. And with nine of the 10 most common pesticides being known endocrine disruptors, the origins of this fatter, sicker population may be less of a mystery than conventional spin doctors might like us to think.
A person experiencing weight gain in conjunction with any of the following lifestyle patterns or behaviors can be sure the destructive forces of GMOs are hard at work in their own bodies:
You eat mostly non-organic, processed foods
If you don't know you're not eating organic, GMO-free foods, then you likely consume them often and have been for years. Still, even if you've not yet manifested symptoms related to the many health complications associated with GMO consumption, your body is probably already under their influence. Foreign materials - in this case, genetic foreign materials - cause the immune system to have to work harder than usual to keep you from experiencing the inevitable consequences, which can be as serious as organ damage, diabetes, infertility, cancer and death. Studies so far suggest it's really only a matter of time before something goes terribly awry. Even healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente has encouraged readers of its newsletters to steer clear of non-organic GM foods. The reason, presumably, is that executives there understand that, if enough of its members make this important lifestyle change, it would actually save the company millions in future healthcare costs. Unfortunately, most corn, soy (as in the dairy-alternative milk, tofu, etc. much beloved by vegans), wheat and canola produced these days are genetically modified and it would probably be best to avoid them altogether. You'll know your foods are GMO-free if they bear either a label reading "100% organic" or the "Non-GMO Verified" logo.
You eat conventional meats or dairy
If the meats and dairy you purchase are not 100 percent organic, grass-fed or bug-fed (as with chickens), or at least given a grain feed that is 100 percent organic, you can bet your life (and you are) that they contain harmful GMOs guaranteed to pass into your system upon consumption. A study in the International Journal of Obesity involving researchers from 10 different universities indicated that hormones used in conventional meat production might also be a direct contributor to the recent rise in obesity rates, as fat-soluble pesticides are attracted to the body's fat stores. If you purchase these foods locally, simply ask the farmer to tell you how they raise the animals, or better yet, take some time to go and view their operation yourself. If you have no idea where the meats and dairy come from and cannot find out easily, then avoid them altogether.
You feel hungry frequently or experience low energy
The tendency to overeat may actually have more to do with poor nourishment than with lack of self-control or an inactive lifestyle. While balance and some activity are certainly important, food (assisted, perhaps, by carefully chosen food-based supplements) is ultimately how the body acquires the essential nutrients and minerals it needs. When a person lacks a diet rich in these life-giving properties, the body - overweight though it may be already - is actually starving. But thanks to the genius of the brain which knows better than to think it's been properly nourished by a diet of empty foods, the person still feels hungry. For this reason, as often as possible, it is important to choose fresh, organic foods in their whole, unprocessed form.
You suffer from insulin resistance, diabetes or impaired kidney or liver function
Unlike some sugars, fructose (as in High Fructose Corn Syrup, which is made from GM corn and shows up in all kinds of processed foods like soft drinks, candy, beer, preserved meats, canned fruits and vegetables, breads, and even pharmaceuticals, postage stamps and sealable envelopes) is not bound to glucose and therefore goes directly to the liver for processing. Once there, it is converted to fat and is deposited throughout the body, a metabolizing process that elevates uric acid levels, leading to increased blood pressure and kidney damage. Fructose also disrupts the liver's hormone production, eventually resulting in insulin resistance and diabetes. Over time, such continued demands placed on the liver can overburden it, impairing its ability to filter out toxins from the body and leading to infections, congestion or cancerous tumors, to name a few.
Sources for this article include:
http://naturalsociety.com/infographic-how-corn-syrup-made-america-fat/
http://readersupportednews.org
http://www.naturalnews.com/037170_GM_wheat_liver_failure_GMO.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/035305_weight_gain_fatty_liver_obesity.html
http://drlwilson.com/Articles/LIVER.HTM
http://www.naturalnews.com/z038237_GMOs_making_you_fat_processed_foods.html