Do GMOs Really Pose Health Threats?
Technology is doing so much for our health and wellness, but it is also presenting numerous threats to our overall health status in many different ways. There are technological applications in the healthcare space and in the wellness space, but there are also technological applications on the other side of the situation in the nutrition space. Specifically, technology has worked its way into our food system to a point where there are significantly harmful developments that are occurring on a regular basis.
Technology has altered the chemical process in the development our food, bringing about changes in the way it is preserved, packaged, and distributed to the community. Additionally, there is an overwhelming presence of dangerous ingredients, food additives, and processing aids that are included into our food to deteriorate our overall health status.
One application of technology that is presenting threats to our health status and to our overall quality of life for the long term. In recent years, the process of genetically altering produce has becomes essentially commonplace. Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) have become the standard in the United States food system. The basis of genetic modification is confounded in the environmental threats to the produce itself. There are ways that scientists can incorporate genetic codes into organisms to make them resistant to certain pathogens, insects, and environmental toxins that may contribute to the death of a plant. If farms cannot maintain large populations of plants, then their profit is impacted negatively and in the twenty-first century, industrial farms rely on high amounts of turnaround to bring them the best financial performance possible.
GMO’s have been linked to the changing of our body’s own genetic codes. DNA and RNA particles from GMO’s are easily absorbed into our bodies and when broken down they become quite absorptive. The incorporation of foreign genetic code and genetic material into our cells can contribute to an increased likelihood of cancer. Some genes that lead to cell proliferation are initiated by particles and compounds of GMO’s, which can lead to cancer development and other health problems.
There is legislation in place in some states that tells consumers whether or not there are GMO’s in their food. However, this legislation is restricted to only some states and until there is federal involvement in the GMO situation, we can expect the inclusion of GMO’s in our food to continue along with the growth of industrialized farming.