GMO Awareness Week

Dr. J’s Health Tip of the Week:  The week is Genetically Modified Organism Week (GMO Week).  24 years ago Monsanto Corporation started the ball rolling with the invention of their bovine growth hormone for cows.  22 years later, Monsanto has led the charge and thanks mostly to them (not really thanking them), 77% of all food in the Supermarket are genetically modified.  And we, the consumers, don’t even know this because Monsanto has spent millions of dollars lobbying our politicians to keep GMO labels off of our foods.  And it has worked.  Despite the fact that GMO food products are labeled in almost every other developed country around the world.  Why the big secret?  GMO’s are dangerous to our health and the environment.  I won’t spend a lot of time discussing the dangers, as you can Google the previous sentence and mountains of literature and documentaries will show up.  Studies of GMO foods have shown tumors, premature death, organ failure, gastric lesions, liver damage, kidney damage, allergic reactions, and more. Not to mention the fact that  Genetically Modified plants and herbicides are leading the demise of Bees. And as most people are aware, the human population will have an extremely hard time sustaining itself without bees pollenating our plants and crops.  So, the bottom line as far as I am concerned with this topic, is even if one does not believe the scientific research against GMO foods or believes the Monsanto lobby that GMO’s are 100% safe, it is the right of the people to know via labeling if foods contain GMO’s or not.  It’s as simple as that.  We, the people (LOL), as intelligent beings, should be given the opportunity to make our own choices with correct labeling.  If GMO’s do not scare me, I will not mind a “This food contains GMO” label.  If I am afraid for my health by eating GMO foods, I would prefer a label on the food letting me know they are in there.  I would like to be aware of what I am consuming and my children are consuming.  This July, the GMO Labeling law voted on by Vermont goes into effect,  forcing all food products in Vermont to be labeled if they contain GMO.   Thanks to Monsanto lobby (again, I don’t mean “thank”), the United States House of Representatives passed a bill saying that States cannot force companies to label foods with GMOs, despite the fact that is actually what states are in charge of doing.  Well, thanks to the hundreds and thousands of people who called their senators and were outraged by this “bill,”  the United States Senate removed the bill from their docket and refused to vote on it. That is why, this July, the GMO labeling law in Vermont will go into effect.  Now all we need is 49 more states to do the same thing.  If you would like to avoid GMO foods, here is a list of the biggest corporate offenders:  Kellogg’s, Campbell’s, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Kraft, Smuckers, General Mills, Starbucks, Conagra Foods, which makes Hunts, Chef Boyardee and Healthy Choice.  I end this topic with one last thought, you do not need to rely on me for this knowledge, you can rely on yourself and your own instincts.  Why would  corporations spend millions and millions of dollars to avoid labeling if there was nothing to hide from concerning their products? Hmmm.

Chiropractic Thought for the Week:  4 things.  Spinal bones not in the proper alignment cause 4 things.  1.  Muscle imbalance.  Muscles attach from spinal bone to spinal bone. Incorrect alignment contracts muscle tissue leading to instability, weakness and immediate or eventual pain. 2.  Spinal bones not in proper alignment cause fixation in the spinal joints.  This leads to decreased range of motion. 3. Spinal bones not in proper alignment alter the shape of the opening that the spinal nerve comes through.  This leads to irritated, pinched and blocked nerves which effects the body’s health. 4. Spinal bones not in proper alignment cause friction on the spinal bone joint surfaces.  This constant friction wears down the surface of the bone.  This is called arthritis.  Here is the good news.  Chiropractors correct 4 things.  When a chiropractor gives a spinal adjustment, the realignment corrects muscle imbalance, restores joint motion, improves nerve flow and reduces friction on the joints.  Chiropractors crrect spinal misalignment and the effects on the body’s health.

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Author

Dr J. Zimmerman, Chiropractor Dr. Zimmerman is a practicing chiropractor from Galloway, NJ with 30 years of chiropractic practice.