Precautionary Principle Says No to GMO

A recent study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology (see abstract and citation below for details) evaluated the impact of feeding mice the common herbicide Roundup, as well as GMO Roundup-tolerant maize cultivated with and without Roundup, on mortality and cause of death compared to control animals (fed non-genetically modified maize).

The results were rather astounding and demonstrated that all treated animals died 2-3 times more than control animals and  they died more quickly.

Female animals developed large breast tumors almost always more often than and before controls, and the pituitary gland (in the brain) was also affected. Sex hormonal balance was modified by both GMO and Roundup treatments. In male animals, liver congestions and necrosis were 2.5–5.5 times higher.

After reading this study, I reflected on 2 main issues:

1. Why wasn't this study performed, and the duration extended, prior to the approval and availability of GMO-modified Roundup tolerant products to the public? How in the world did any regulatory agency approve the use of modified seeds in the US food supply before this type of independent toxicology study was performed?

2. Doesn't anyone actually apply the "Precautionary Principle" anymore, i.e., the Public Health principle that roughly states, don't expose the public until we know it's safe?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precautionary_principle

Regardless of whether or not future studies confirm these results, they are frightening. Regardless of whether or not your "trusted" regulatory agencies follow the "Precautionary Principle" - you should! How do you do it in this case?

1. Eat organic
2. Move to Europe (they are older and smarter there)
3. Move to New Zealand (they are just plain smarter there)

Putting Health into Practice-

Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH

"The health effects of a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize (from 11% in the diet), cultivated with or without Roundup, and Roundup alone (from 0.1 ppb in water), were studied 2 years in rats. In females, all treated groups died 2–3 times more than controls, and more rapidly. This difference was visible in 3 male groups fed GMOs. All results were hormone and sex dependent, and the pathological profiles were comparable. Females developed large mammary tumors almost always more often than and before controls, the pituitary was the second most disabled organ; the sex hormonal balance was modified by GMO and Roundup treatments. In treated males, liver congestions and necrosis were 2.5 5.5 times higher. This pathology was confirmed by optic and transmission electron microscopy. Marked and severe kidney nephropathies were also generally 1.3–2.3 greater. Males presented 4 times more large palpable tumors than controls which occurred up to 600 days earlier. Biochemistry data confirmed very significant kidney chronic deficiencies; for all treatments and both sexes, 76% of the altered parameters were kidney related. These results can be explained by the non linear endocrine-disrupting effects of Roundup, but also by the overexpression of the transgene in the GMO and its metabolic consequences."

2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Citation: Séralini, G.-E., et al. Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Food Chem. Toxicol. (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.005)

Pickles - and the benefits of acetic acid

 I love pickles, especially the hard-to-find bread and butter ones. I once received a jar of handmade bread & butter pickles in a CSA box, over a decade ago and I've been thinking of them ever since!

Pickles are a good snack option, although their high salt content can be problematic for some people with high blood pressure or edema. And, some of the brands are filled with high fructose corn syrup. For most people, however, they are an excellent functional food. A tasty and healthy way to get a few more vegetables into you diet, plus, the health benefits of vinegar.

Vinegar is acetic acid, and acetic acid slows gastric emptying. That is, it helps your feel full faster and longer - which helps you eat less.  One great way to include vinegar is to eat salad at the beginning of your meal with a simple dressing of olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Any vinegar will be beneficial, it doesn't just have to be apple cider vinegar. Balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar all do it.  Pickles, of course, are another great way to get acetic acid.

The other week, we got a box of "field cucs" and a fistful of whole dill from the farm stand near Mt. Vernon and decided to make some homemade pickles.  They are delicious - in fact, I'm eating one right now! I'm posting the recipe below for making approximately a single quart jar of pickles. Classic dill pickles are excellent too.

Assembling the ingredients

Sterilized hot jars, ready for filling

Once the jars are filled, the boiling brine mixture is poured over the cucumbers.  Then hot sterile lids are put on...

And you've got pickles!

Recipe

Bread & Butter Pickles (here's the original from Saveur)

4 persian or kirby or other small cucumbers, thickly sliced

1 shallot, chopped

1/4 red pepper, julienned

1 clove garlic

2-3 whole cloves

1 grape leaf (optional but it makes the pickles more crunchy)

1 T salt

1 cup hot water

2/3c. cider vinegar

3/4c. sugar

1 tsp mustard seed 

1/4 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp turmeric

Make brine: In a pan, bring the salt, vinegar, water and spices to a full boil.

Pack the first 5(6) ingredients into a sterile, hot quart jar (dip the jar in boiling water) leaving 1/2 at the top.

Pour the brine over the cucumbers, covering everything but leaving an air space.

Cover with a new canning lid and gently tighten a ring to secure it.

Leave the jar sitting on the counter to cool - you'll hear a ping/pop when it cools enough to seal the jar.  If it doesn't seal, keep it in the refrigerator. 

Let it pickle for 2-3 days before eating.

Clean Eating on a Tight Budget

Here comes fall! Time to head back to school and back to routine.  It's a great time to re-commit to some systems to help you and your family stay on track for eating well.  A favorite way for us to do this is to make a big batch of something that is easily frozen in serving-size quantities, or that can be re-arranged into different meals over the week. The Environmental Working Group recently published their Back-to-School guide for low cost healthy ideas.  It's a great resource.  I love their modular recipes. Check it out!

Eating Well on the Road

Labor Day weekend and we've taken advantage of these last days of summer to enjoy the ocean on the Oregon coast.  This is our favorite way to restore our own health: trading views of computer screens and office walls for the expansive horizon and endless rolling waves.  Getting our vitamin D from the sun, not a supplement.  Working our muscles through hiking, paddling & exploring rather than programming the elliptical with the "hills tour." Yet, eating well on a road trip is a challenge.

We've come prepared.  A cooler in the car and a rental with a kitchen.  We've brought already-chopped carrots, celery, radish, cucumber and jicama and a tub of our favorite hummus.  Greens, tortillas, nut butter & a nutty trail mix, fresh & dried fruit, smoked salmon, dark chocolate, parmesan and our "spice kit" comprise the staples we've brought along to ensure "the healthy choice is the easy choice. Yet somehow, after a day in the sun and surf, we find ourselves in front of the pizza parlor instead of heading back to our lodging to make our own dinner.  Sound familiar?

So what do you do when faced with 1) hunger, 2) desire for festive ambiance, 3) a pizza parlor 1.5 blocks off the beach, and 4) a desire to stay committed to eating well?  Well, you go on in and ask for a table for 2!

Here's what we did.  Started with a large green salad to share - dressing on the side. We asked the waitress "Please, don't bring that tempting bread basket." Next, we ordered a 10" thin crust, veggie dense pizza, light on the cheese.  We skipped the tiramisu and opted for a post-dinner walk on the beach.  In all - healthy, delicious, and we left dinner feeling both indulgent in our vacation-mode and physically good for having resisted too much bread and cheese. Bon appetit!