Caring viewers, welcome to Healthy Living on Supreme Master Television. On today’s show, the first in a two part series, we’ll examine the damaging health effects of eating genetically modified or GM foods. Genetically modified organisms or GMOs are living systems that have genes from other organisms inserted into their genomes through genetic engineering.

For insights on this subject, we’ll hear from Jeffrey M. Smith of the US, an expert on genetically modified foods and author of the international best sellers “Seeds of Deception” and “Genetic Roulette.”

Mr. Smith is founder of the US-based Institute for Responsible Technology, which informs policy makers and the public about the hazards of genetically modified foods and crops. Widely regarded as the most prominent expert in the field, he has advised many world leaders and spoken to representatives from over 80 countries on GM-related issues.

As I traveled around the world and gave my book to the presidents and ministers and cabinet members, all these different top politicians, I realized they probably don’t have time to read the story book (‘Seeds of Deception’) because it’s written in story format.

So I wrote “Genetic Roulette,” which is more of a reference book, a compilation of all of the health dangers of GMOs – the thousands of toxic and allergic reactions and how current safety assessments are incompetent to identify and protect us from those problems.

We asked Mr. Smith about current research regarding the harmful effects of genetically modified foods on the human body.

There was one published human feeding study, which is amazing. I mean they’re feeding the products of this infant science to the entire population, and there are no human clinical trials. (Right) and no post-marketing surveillance.

The only human feeding study ever published shows that the genes that are inserted into soybeans transfer into the DNA of the bacteria living inside our intestines and continue to function. This means long after we stop eating genetically modified soy, we may still have these genetically modified proteins continuously produced inside our intestines.

I mean I could talk about, in India, thousands of livestock dying after feeding on genetically modified cotton plants. I can talk about thousands of farm workers getting rashes all over their bodies from picking the cotton.

What kinds of health problems can result from these foreign genes? The following is a statement from the Physicians and Scientists for the Responsible Application of Science and Technology:

“All genetically engineered crops contain bacterial DNA. This DNA contains a genetic element (the so called "CpG motif") that stimulates the immune system to start a sequence of reactions leading to inflammation. Exposure to these genetic elements may lead to promotion of inflammation, arthritis and lymphoma (a malignant blood disease).

Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that DNA is not broken down in the gastro-intestinal tract to the extent formerly believed. Ingested DNA sequences large enough to contain whole genes have remained intact and entered the blood and tissues. This means that eating GE (genetically engineered) foods may increase the risk of said disorders.”

The fact that genes transfer to our gut bacteria gets worse when you think of what can transfer. The corn and cotton that are genetically engineered, there’s varieties that produce their own pesticide, so if the gene that produces the pesticide transfers, it might turn our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories.

And what would that do to our bodies?

Well, if you ask the biotech industry, they claim that this pesticide which is called “Bt” from Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria is completely safe. They say it’s used in organic agriculture in its natural bacterial state as a spray and therefore it has a history of safe use. They say it’s species specific, so it only will affect certain insects. We have no receptor cells for it; it’s destroyed during digestion in fact. However, the assumptions have already proven false.

Look at the symptoms of the farm workers in India who are picking the cotton that’s genetically engineered to produce the Bt toxin, they’re getting rashes, upper respiratory reactions, fever; some had to go to the hospital. Now the BT toxin that’s in the crop, however, is thousands of times more concentrated than the natural spray. It’s designed to be more toxic, and it has properties of a known allergen.

And it also cannot be washed off the plant, because it’s produced by little spray bottles in every cell of the plant, in every bite. So many people believe that the Bt toxin that’s produced by the genetically modified corn and cotton is extremely dangerous. And the idea that we have living pesticide (Yes) factories inside us is totally high in the “yuck” factor, I’ll tell you that.

When Healthy Living returns we’ll learn about how to live a genetically modified organism-free lifestyle. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

I still do get emails from people and it’s like the emails are vibrating, they’re on fire, and people have gotten to the “cupboard stage.” They’ve gone through their cupboards and they’re removing all the foods and reading everything that’s GMO and sending it out, calling their kids and saying “Don’t eat anymore GM foods!”

Welcome back to Healthy Living on Supreme Master Television, where we’re speaking with author, speaker and world-renowned expert on genetically modified foods, Mr. Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology, which informs governments and the public about the dangers of genetically modified foods and crops.

Many who have read Mr. Smith’s “Seeds of Deception” have praised it for its accuracy and candor. For example, Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, Director General of the Ethiopia Environmental Protection Authority, states,

“Jeffrey M. Smith's book, ‘Seeds of Deception,’ is both enjoyable to read and very informative about one of the most crucial environmental and health issues of our time. The scientist seasoned in biosafety and genetic engineering as well as the concerned layperson who cares about the present, but especially about the future, will benefit by reading this book, which I find to have been written to be read also for pleasure, not only to be referred to when facts are sought. Satisfying these two needs is a rare achievement.”

Understanding which foods contain genetically modified organisms is an important first step in shifting our dietary choices to non-GMO foods.

Well, if you ask the average American, “Have you ever eaten a genetically modified food in your life?” 60% say “No,” and 15% say, “I don’t know.” Only one in four realize that they’re eating it almost every meal. There are eight genetically modified food crops but the five ones that are virtually in most processed foods are: soy, corn, cotton for cotton seed oil, canola for canola oil, and sugar from sugar beets.

In 1993 the world’s first genetically modified crops were sold commercially in the USA. Known as “Flavr Savr tomatoes,” they were genetically altered to ripen later and thus remain firmer during transport. However, the company distributing the product stopped production after a few years due to poor sales and the public’s deep concerns about the safety of laboratory-created food.

What percentage of food in grocery stores has GMOs?

I would say around 70% but if you look at the packages, the processed foods I would say more like 90%. You see it’s in very little produce; the only produce that it’s in is some zucchini, some crookneck squash, Hawaiian papaya, and some corn on the cob. Okay, those are the only four that’s in the produce section.

Tomatoes?

No more tomatoes, taken off the market. No more potatoes, taken off the market. But the corn derivatives, the high fructose corn syrup, the dextrose, the maltodextrin, the soy derivatives, the soy oil, the soy lecithin, the soy protein isolate, these are in most of the breads we eat and the packaged foods, and anything that comes in a box probably has one of these ingredients, not always. And you can find them and there are different brands you could look for.

To safeguard your health and that of your family and friends, buy only non-GMO products. The Institute for Responsible Technology has published a guide for US consumers to help them select safe, non-genetically engineered foods.

We have different versions of the shopping guide, we have a pocket version, (Okay) which is easy to put in the pocket, of course. And you can download a two-page version. We have an iPhone application which you can download for free called “Shop No GMO.” Having the shopping guide and identifying the brands that contain GMOs is really helpful to make the transition, to choose new brands that are healthier, non-GMO products.

But if you don’t see a product listed in the guide, then what you have to do is either one, buy organic products, because they’re not allowed to use GMOs, two, buy products that say “non- GMO” on the label or three, read the ingredients to make sure there’s no derivatives from soy, corn, cotton, canola and sugar beets, and we list about a hundred derivatives in the back of the guide.

Choosing the organic vegan diet is one of the simplest ways to guarantee that your food is free of genetically modified organisms and is thus safe for your family to eat. We would like to thank Jeffrey M. Smith for sharing his precious time and valuable expertise on the subject of genetically modified foods. May his work and that of all others championing the consumption of non-GMO foods spread awareness of healthy eating to all corners of the globe.

For more information on Jeffrey Smith, please visit www.ResponsibleTechnology.org
The Non-GMO Shopping Guide is available at www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com
“Seeds of Deception” and “Genetic Roulette” are available at www.SeedsofDeception.com

Please join us next Monday for part two of our talk with Mr. Smith here on Healthy Living. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment after Noteworthy News. May we always be one with our planet and the Universe.