Dr. Carrie Brennan - Kauai Naturopathic Physician
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Soybeans are Laden with the Herbicide Glyphosate

4/25/2014

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At least 90% of soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified. The plant genome of the soybean is altered so when the fields are heavily sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate (common name Round Up) the soybeans survive, while the weeds are killed.

Weeds are becoming more resistant to glyphosate; therefore more and more glyphosate is being sprayed on the soybeans throughout the growing season. This means an increased accumulation of glyphosate residue in the soybean.

A recent article in the June 2014 journal Food Chemistry showed that GM-soy does indeed take up and accumulate glyphosate and its immediate metabolite AMPA. The levels are considered very high to extremely high. The study also compared the nutritional content of GM-soy to organic soy and found that organic soy had a more healthy nutritional profile.

This research is concerning because soy is ubiquitous in the American diet. It is fed to livestock, therefore is incorporated into the animal products we eat. It is the main component of vegetable oil, so is found is most processed foods and used in most restaurants. Avoiding GM-soy also means avoiding edamame, soy sauce, soy milk, and miso. If the soy product is not labeled organic, it’s likely GM-soy, and therefore contains glyphosate.

Food quality is vital. The nutrients in food, as well as the chemicals, enter our body and can either nurture our bodies, or harm our bodies. Therefore I highly advise avoiding all GMO foods, which includes soy, corn, and canola. Buy organic!

Reference:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814613019201

I strongly recommend reading the above Food Chemistry article.  It is very interesting and extremely informative.


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Concerned that your health is negatively affected by pesticides? Get tested!

9/6/2013

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With the introduction of the extremely important Bill 2491 on Kauai, it is been brought to light that the four big seed companies that occupy Kauai use 18 tons of restricted use pesticides here every year. This unprecedented use of toxic chemicals is very disturbing and makes one wonder about their own exposure to pesticides.

Organophosphates are some of the most commonly used and toxic class of pesticides. They are toxic to the human nervous system and are especially dangerous to children (and fetus development) causing developmental effects. Acute exposure can cause nausea, headaches, twitching, and difficulty breathing. Long term exposure is linked to negative reproductive effects, memory problems, depression, irritability, chronic fatigue, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.

Of course here on Kauai we are very concerned about human exposure due to the extremely high use of organophosphates by the four seed companies, but these chemicals are sprayed regularly on crops so most of us are exposed to them if we are eating any non-organic produce (which means the majority of people). If you are living in an area of high use organophosphate pesticides (ie. Westside, Southside Kauai), or are simply concerned about your own pesticide exposure, and/or have any of the above mentioned symptoms, I recommend testing for organophosphate pesticide exposure (as well as the pesticide atrazine). Contact me if interested in testing.


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GM corn shown to damage kidneys and liver

1/4/2010

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A December study in the International Journal of Biological Sciences showed that eating genetically modified (GM) corn damaged several organs, especially the kidneys and liver (http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm). “Genetically modified” means that the corn DNA has had foreign genes, such as a bacteria, forced into it with the idea that this new type of corn will be more resistant to herbicides and able to produce its own insecticides. This is concerning because 85% of commercial corn grown in the USA is GM, therefore most Americans are eating it regularly. It is “hidden” in many products as corn flour, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and corn starch. It has also been fed to animals that are raised non-organically, commonly cows, chicken, and pigs.

The topic of GM foods is controversial, but I agree with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine who are concerned about the negative health effects associated with eating these foods and advise patients to avoid them. Since corn and soy are the most abundant GM crops, buy only organic corn and soy products!

I recommend educating yourself on the topic and making your own conclusions. For further info on GM: http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/GMODangers/FAQs/index.cfm
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    Dr. Carrie Brennan is a naturopathic physician who lives and practices on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.  She can be reached at (808) 652-7581.

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