How to shop non-GMO

Disclaimer: I didn't intend to write a book, but I got to researching this topic and am passionate about it and just couldn't keep all of this information to myself. If this overwhelms you, then at minimum - dowload, print and use the Non-GMO shopping guide to help you purchase brands that do NOT use GMOs in their ingredients. Or, to be safe and effective, buy organic. GMOs cannot be present in Organic Certified foods.

Shopping non-GMO is more difficult than you might think. GMOs are laced into much of our food supply. Even if the product itself is not made from genetically modified ingredients, many of the additives can be. For example: soy is present in most pre-packaged foods as a stabilizer and a filler. It is estimated by experts 96% of the soy crop in America is genetically modified. Start checking your labels, you will be surprised to see how often a soy product shows up. I challenge you to try to remove soy from your diet - try it for a week. Most things have soy in them, and those that don't are made in a factory where soy is present so they could theoretically be contaminated. Here is a list of "invisible GM ingredients", these ingredients are found in things you eat everyday - bread, Coca Cola, gold fish crackers, margarine, and the list goes on.

Monsanto has made large strides in an effort to achieve a monopoly on America's soy crop. Monsanto controls soy {almost} in it's entirety - 96%! They are not far behind with the GM corn crop, coming in at 80%. Guess who President Obama named Head of Agriculture when he took office? Now the company who is going after our food supply is "in-like-Flynn" with our President. And make no mistake, Monsanto IS going after our food supply. Monsanto's long term vision is monopoly. When one company controls food, one company controls the people - all people. Or, when one company closely linked with our government controls the food supply, the government controls the people. At that point in time, it won't matter if you're rich or poor, black or white. If you think I am blowing this out of proportion, allow me to point out that American soil is currently laiden with Monsanto's genetically modified soy, corn, cotton, sugar beets, canola and they are pushing hard to plant GM alfalfa.

(If you want more information on Monsanto, click here to visit the Organic Consumer Association's website)

What's the big deal with GMOs? Well, for starters it's not natural. This is not the way we were ever intended to eat. Our bodies were designed to eat an apple grown from the earth, not from the pocketbook of man. We don't fully understand the repercussions of consuming modified food. The first GM seed was planted in US soil in 1996, and only recently have people started talking about it. Only recently has it made it's way to headline news reports. We don't know what affect it's going to have on the human popluation, and yet Monsanto pushes forward with introducing new GM seeds into our food supply, with the backing of the USDA.

This is a great article from Mother Earth News, please take a few minutes to look it over and to take action to let President Obama and Head of Agriculture Tom Vilsak know that you will not tolerate un-labeled GMO products.

More excellent resources found at the Organic & Non-GMO Report.

US & the World at large in danger of being sold GMO foods that are NOT labeled

Codex Conference - Institute for Responsible Technology

Please take a moment and follow the above "Codex Conference" link which will allow you to send a (pre-written) letter to US Government representatives about your concern over Genetically Modified Foods being sold to consumers without any labeling or warning. Monsanto is trying to make it a law that no GMO foods should ever require labeling, they would simply be stocked next to non-GMO foods.

America's Food Crisis, coming to a grocery store near you soon....

I watched Food, Inc. last night. I was aware of several of the issues represented in the film, but boy, oh, boy was it a most informative refresher. I was just waiting for them to bring up Monsanto, and they did, near the end of the film. If you don't know anything about Monsanto, you should know these two things:

1) They started out as a chemical company, and are now pioneering the way for genetically modified foods. I dont know about you, but I work hard to keep chemicals and food separated, not combined. Mosanto's pride and joy is the Roundup Ready soybean. They control something like 80 % of the soybeans in the USA. That should scare you folks, scare you right into action. Write a letter to your Congressmen and let them hear your voice. There is power in numbers. Power of the people, it still works today.

2) President Obama named Monsanto the head of agriculture for the United States of America. This means that without intervention of the people, Monsanto is now on a fast track to control the majority of food in America from seed to market. They already have an insane monopoly on the soybean, sueing small time farmers who don't use their product, but whose crops have involuntarily become contaminated with Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybean by winds blowing the contaminated seeds from neighboring famers who DO use Monsanto's soybeans.

We eat three times a day, 365 days a year. To me, it's worth putting in some research from time to time to ensure that one is abreast of the food world and can make educated decisions about what to put on the table. There are always "new and exciting" opportunities available to us in this country. New and exciting does not always mean it's best, or healthiest. Unfortunately, so often, the American public readily ingests media propaganda becuase "they" said so and don't ever think twice. Let me just give you a news flash which will never appear in mainstream media. You cannot trust the government with your health. They absolutely do not have your best interest in mind, they have their pocketbooks and stocks in mind. The food and drug industries in this country are like peanut butter and jelly. You can't have one without the other. There is so much money involved, that no one at ground level is going to make any positive change until we, the people, rise up and demand a change in our agriculture. It is incumbent for you to assume full responsibility for your health, don't allow that responsibility to fall to someone else's shoulders. You are your own advocate. And as your own advocate, I strongly encourage you to watch Food, Inc. (if you have Netflix, you can watch it instantly online right now) or forgoe your daily Starbucks and spend your money on renting Food, Inc. You are getting the better end of the deal, trust me. You may want to order your Venti half-calf Caramel Macchiato with organic milk from now on ;)

Recommended resources:

Food, Inc official trailer; watch it here

Michael Pollan's Book The Omnivore's Delimma

www.organicconsumers.org

The Future of Food Film --- watch it for FREE here, courtesy of Hulu.

What's the big deal with GMOs (genetically modified organisms)? Well, I'm glad you asked. I just came across a very informative article and encourage you to click here to read it.

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey in the Wall Street Journal "The alternative to Obamacare"

A friend once asked, "how do you create healthy meals?"

And I answered:

For dinner; we eat a protein (usually a meat), a veggie or two, a piece of fruit, & a simple carb (bread)

I start with choosing a meat. We love salmon, and it is oober healthy brain food, so eat it at least once a week if possible. That leaves chicken, brats, sausages, turkey, pork, buffalo, other sea food and red meat. I would recommend eating red meat no more than 2 times per week. Also, the meat protein can be incorporated into the dinner so you aren’t serving a whole piece to each person. Add it to soup, marinara sauce, pasta, rice dishes, enchiladas, etc. Purchase quality meats (organic or at least grass fed, no antibiotics) and then use it in a meal to “stretch” it. Utilizing your meat this way can help make up for purchasing the higher quality, more expensive meats. At the minimum, please buy organic chicken. There are so many hormones packed into chicken breasts (and dairy) today, it is thoroughly disgusting. Google "Monsanto and genetically modified" and see for yourself what the typical American diet has turned into because of greedy corporate giants. Or visit, wideeyecinema.com and type "the World According to Monsanto" into the search box for the 2 hour special about Monsanto. I strongly encourage you to watch this video, consider it an investment in your health.

Next, add a veggie. Fresh is best. The second best method of cooking vegetables is with steam. Steaming (please do not boil vegetables and NEVER microwave a fresh vegetable, this is a tragedy, seriously) vegetables lightly is the best way to preserve the naturally occuring vitamins and minerals. Roasting, grilling and pan-searing vegetables, especially root vegetables, produces a delightful vegetable anyone can be proud of! Don’t be afraid to add seasonings and marinades to make your vegetables taste good. When I say “veggies”, I mean a green or orange veggie. Not a potato or corn, those are both highly starchy. Those we would eat in place of the bread. I am talking about the following: Broccoli, Asparagus, Green Beans, Carrots, Snap peas, Zucchini, Squash, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Spinach & other greens, Cucumbers, Sweet potatoes, and the list goes on.

Add a piece of fresh fruit; slice up an apple, banana, orange, peach, pear, grapes and split it for the family to share. Also, if serving a salad, add fresh fruit to the salad, it’s such a sweet and wonderful contrast to the lettuce taste. My favorite salads are relatively simple: I use a dark green lettuce (spinach), add nuts (walnuts), cheese (swiss), fruit (grapes) and a small amount of balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The above is one of my all time favorite salads.

Then add a piece of whole grain bread to dip in olive oil, or toast it in the oven with Italian spices and garlic, or lay sliced tomatoes on top and melt a little parmesan reggiano over it. Or add corn or potatoes-(mashed, baked, boiled) in place of a whole grain bread.

Again, I strongly encourage you to buy organic chicken, eggs, and dairy products. Due to the excessive content of chemicals in our nation’s dairy products, it is worth each additional cent because it directly affects your family's health. The healthier you eat now, the less you will visit the Doctor later in life. This is our family motto and our “insurance policy” if you will.

The American Dietetic Association recommends the following:

Servings from the Food Pyramid

Fruits:3-5

Vegetables:3-5

Whole Grains:6-11

Fats/Sugar: sparingly

Milk/Dairy: 3-4

Protein/Meat:2-3

If you want to count calories: 2000 per day is a fair standard for a moderately active person; on your feet chasing children, walking around the zoo, running errands, etc.

This breaks the basic three groups down to the following percentages for consumption:

Carbohydrates 60% - strive for mostly complex carbohydrates; vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grain breads, pastas, rice, cereals, and oats!

Protein 30% - meats, nuts, legumes, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk

Fats 10% - don’t be afraid of fat. Fat is essential. It is crucial to maintaining healthy body function. The imperative thing about fat is to consume healthy fats. Avoid trans fats or anything hydrogenated. Saturated fats are also necessary, but be sure to eat them in moderation.

Sorry for the short novel, I just came across this information in my Word documents and thought it may encourage and inform someone, somewhere?!?