GMOs are linked to Breast Cancer

Hey everyone! October is such as great month not only because leaves are changing colors and warm apple cider is in abundance, but also because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month AND Non-GMO Month!

While I was at Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland a couple weeks ago I was able to attend an educational session on GMOs. For some clarification, GMOs stands for “genetically modified organisms,” and are also commonly known as “GE” or “Genetically Engineered”.  Thanks to the Non-GMO Projects website (nongmoproject.org) it is easy to make sense of what this term means and how it affects our health.

GMOs are plants or animals created through the process of genetic engineering. This technology forces DNA of one species into another, resulting in unstable combinations that do not occur in nature. Almost all commercial GMOs are engineered in order to withstand herbicide and/or produce an insecticide. GMOs are present in 75% of conventional processed foods. Alarmingly, the United States produces 48% of all GMO food, more than any other country. The use of “Round Up” herbicide has increased 15 times since the introduction of GMOs in food.

Biotech companies claim that GMO traits increase the yield, improve drought tolerance, and enhance nutrition. No evidence supports these claims, however there is growing concern that GMOs are connected to health problems, environmental damage and violation of rights.

There are several labeling initiatives that demand labeling of GMO foods. Proposition 37 in California, also known as “Right to Know” is one of these initiatives that will be voted on in the November  ballots that requires food sold in retail to be labeled if it is produced with genetic engineering. Another similar legislative action is the “Just Label It” campaign for which a petition was submitted to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).

So what you may be wondering is, “what do GMOs have to do with breast cancer?” The mission of Protect Our Breasts is to share the conversations about environmental toxins found in products on our grocery store shelves that contribute to breast cancer.  GMOs in our food allows for greater herbicide and pesticide used over time many of which are known endocrine disruptors. Some of these herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides that Silent Spring Institute identified as Mammary Gland Carcinogens include Atrazine, Captafol, and Simazine. The Breast Cancer Fund released a publication, “State of the Evidence” that connects environmental toxins to breast cancer. Some of the pesticides that they identified as causing mammary glands include propazine, cyanazine, chlordane, methhyl bromide, malathion, and 2,4-D.

High-risk crops for Genetic Modification include Corn, Canola, Cotton, Soy, Sugar Beets, and Alfalfa. I recommend looking for any of the following ingredients in your products because they are common ingredients that are derived from GMO crops:

Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast Products.

The best way to avoid GMOs is to buy organic! You can also look for the “Non-GMO Project Verified” Label on many consumer products on our grocery store shelves.