Woodford Files: Remarkable Health Recoveries with GMO-Free Organic Diet

Yum! This is the season of the smoothie, that cool, delicious concoction which can nourish you down to your very toes. In Pat Crocker’s feature on Supercharged Summer Smoothies, we discover many magical blends that will turn a simple fruit drink into a high-octane powerhouse. This is nutritional medicine at its finest.

We also carry a rather gruesome feature this month on GMOs by world expert Jeffrey Smith, which points to an interesting truth: living a long, healthy life is not only about what you do, but also what you don’t do. In this case, the not doing refers to consumption of genetically modified foods. Smith puts forward the argument, backed up with physician statements and patient testimonials, that GMOs are a major cause of disease – from asthma to colitis to cancer. Never before have I seen such a strong case for avoidance of GMOs. The patient testimonials of recovery from disease through switching to a GMO-free organic diet are amazing, and have inspired me to root out any residual GMOs that linger in my own diet. Out of curiosity, I went to the website recommended at the end of his article, www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com, and found some interesting statements there. For example:

“Most juices are made from non-GMO fruit (avoid papaya, as it could be the Hawaiian GMO variety), but the prevalence of corn-based sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in fruit juices is cause for concern. And many sodas are primarily comprised of water and GMO corn syrup. Look for 100% juice blends instead. Some brands are now moving away from HFCS to sugar, but unless it is pure cane sugar, it will include sugar from GM sugar beets. The sweetener aspartame, also referred to as NutraSweet or Equal, is derived from GM microorganisms and is  found in over 6,000 products, including diet drinks and diet sodas.”

The site goes on to say: “Other than corn, no GM grains are sold on the market. Look for 100% wheat flour, pasta, couscous, rice, quinoa, oats, barley, sorghum, and dried beans (except soybeans). While baking ingredients such as wheat flour, rice, kamut, and oats are not genetically modified, many packaged breads and bakery items contain other GMO ingredients such as corn syrup, soy flour, and sugar from sugar beets.” (I find these statements suspect, since they don’t concur with the information in Wheat Belly, a book reviewed by Susannah Kent this month. In it, we are told that virtually all modern versions of wheat have been genetically modified into a “dwarf” variety which has damaging effects on the body.)

Since the above quotations refer to the U.S. marketplace, it’s hard to know how much of it is relevant to Canada. My guess is that Canada has as many, if not more, GMO products in circulation as the U.S.

But don’t despair. This month we also bring you our Annual Guide to Organics, featuring farmers, markets, suppliers, and organizations that are beacons of light in the dark world of Frankenfood. By supporting these businesses, we not only strengthen our local economy but also contribute to enlightened farming and genuinely healthy food for future generations. Have a great summer!

Julia Woodford, Editor ~ Vitality Magazine