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Friday, January 13th, 2012

The Very Real Danger of Genetically Modified Foods

Author:     ARI LEVAUX
Source:     The Atlantic
Publication Date:     Jan 9 2012, 7:57 AM ET
 Link: The Very Real Danger of Genetically Modified Foods
Stephan:   Read this keeping in mind the stories I ran yesterday. Everything I can find out about the drive to promote GMO foods tells me this is evil because it is becoming increasingly clear the Central Dogma of DNA is inadequate. The simple model that information flows only from DNA to the cells it governs, as this report shows must be changed. If we do not allow science to guide us we and our world will never be the same. As time goes on this will become clearer and clearer. Yet by that time GMO may have altered human DNA, and GMO plants may have altered the DNA of several of humankind's staple plants. This is an extraordinary risk so that a few can become rich. There is no way in the United States to tell whether you are eating GMO foods so, once again, I urge you to take the time to research where you can obtain locally grown organic food and, if you possibly can, to start your own garden. You can grow a garden on a balcony or a roof, as well as your yard. This is the only way I know to assure your health and the health of your family Thanks to Terrence Glassman.

Chinese researchers have found small pieces of ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the blood and organs of humans who eat rice. The Nanjing University-based team showed that this genetic material will bind to proteins in human liver cells and influence the uptake of cholesterol from the blood.

The type of RNA in question is called microRNA, due to its small size. MicroRNAs have been studied extensively since their discovery ten years ago, and have been linked to human diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. The Chinese research provides the first example of ingested plant microRNA surviving digestion and influencing human cell function.

Should the research survive scientific scrutiny, it could prove a game changer in many fields. It would mean that we’re eating not just vitamins, protein, and fuel, but information as well.

The Chinese RNA study threatens to blast a major hole in Monsanto’s claim. It means that DNA can code for microRNA, which can, in fact, be hazardous.

That knowledge could deepen our understanding of cross-species communication, co-evolution, and predator-prey relationships. It could illuminate new mechanisms for some metabolic disorders and perhaps explain how some herbal medicines function. And it reveals a pathway by which genetically modified (GM) foods […]

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