GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, are a new addition, speaking n evolutionary terms. Not all GMOs are the same, but the truth is we’re not 100% sure about their long-term impacts on the human body.
According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, there are GMOs that can actually trigger sensitivities to gluten. Now health and nutrition experts are wondering whether the rise of gluten intolerance in the population is really just down to individual genetics – could there also be an environmental cause?
Many GMO produce is designed to have a high tolerance for an herbicide called
glyphosate, also called Roundup. The crops are indeed resistant to the weed killer, but the problem is that the produce still contains glyphosate after harvest. This chemical effectively as an antibiotic, and can wreak havoc on the delicate balance of gut microflora – this imbalance is very common in those struggling with celiac disease and food intolerances.
Bt toxin is another powerful chemical that GMO crops are designed to tolerate. Bt toxin is a pesticide that works by literally puncturing the cell walls of insects. Unfortunately, it does something similar to human cells. This effect may be key to why some people develop leaky gut syndrome. Even worse, a concern with Bt toxin is its ability to destroy blood cells, and increase the risk of developing leukemia.
When animals are given GMO feeds, they have been found to display worrying rates of cancer, GI tract inflammation and enlarged uteri. The campaign is ongoing against the use of both GMO crops and the chemicals they are engineered to tolerate. Many activists are fighting to have GMOs banned for the sake of the health of the planet and everything that lives on it. Time will tell how successful they are.
