We have heard of old time "You are what you eat." Recently, I read an article that actually takes this down to the gene level. At Nanjing University in China, a study testing for the presence of microRNAs (building blocks of genetic material that prevent specific genes from giving rise to the proteins they encode) from corp plants, such as rice, wheat, potatoes and cabbage in blood samples of 21 volunteers.
The different microRNAs from commonly eaten plants were found in the subjects' bloodstream. They also found that a rice microRNA could control of activity of receptors controlling removal of LDL ("bad" cholesterol). The findings support co-evolution, a process in which genetic changes in one species trigger changes in another.
This leads me to question, if genetic changes of plants show up in people's bloodstreams, then genetically modifying foods cannot be an isolated event. These genetic changes to plants will show up in those who eat them. Could this contribute to more genetic problems that we pass down to the next generation including allergies, diseases, cancer, you name it? Cancer existed 50 years ago, but was just not as prevalent as it is today.
One thing to do that combats genetically modified food is to have your own garden. And, to make sure that the seeds you use to grow your food are non GMO (not genetically modified). The more non GMO we use, the more chance there is that these good seeds will be preserved and really bring what we need to fight disease and improve wellness of life for the people we love.
More on genetically modified foods, previous post: Someone Wants to Control Your Food
Source: Scientific American
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