New Tips to Live Healthy and Feel Young
Introduction
Living healthy requires one to eat healthily while avoiding risks which can actually pose a risk to your own health. A healthy person feels young and energetic despite age factor. What is causing quite a number of people to live unhealthy lives is lack of interest of what is available in the market for human consumption. Some are dying young due to diseases that are triggered by poor eating habits. The trend of deaths has raised concerns over the safety and risks of the recently introduced genetically modified foods. The raising cases of cancers as well as kidney diseases have made doctors to become concerned over the usage of genetically modified foods.
These foods contain some additives which lessen the nutritional values as well as increase toxics levels on these modified foods. These foods becomes of less nutritional value of both human and animal foods. Due to the addition of additives and genes in GM foods, these foods increase toxins in the human body thereby causing serious health risks. People should now start to be more concerned on what is readily available in their food shelves. They should read the food labels adequately and they should only buy foods that contain organic labels. This will help in reducing risks thereby promoting a healthy eating which would subsequently contribute to healthy living.
Though the genetically modified foods gives a dramatic promise of reaching the twenty first century greatest food challenge just like any other new technologies, they pose serious risks to human health (Forman, 7). A number of studies have confirmed that the genetically modified foods controversies focus on environmental and human safety. The choice of consumer, labeling, food security, environmental conservation, ethics among others are among the controversies and benefits of genetically modified foods. Allergens as well as transfer of antibiotic defiant markers usually have a greater impact on human health. Unintended transgenes transfer through cross pollination has dangerous effects on the soil microbes (Freedman, 15).
The proteins found in the genetically modified foods have not proven to be safe and suitable for human consumption. What is evident is that the DNA of genetically modified foods is not the same as that of the original organic food. (Forman, 16). Any change however slight it is, is known to be a serious health risk due to the fact that these changes in a plant’s genome change the nutritional value. Once the nutritional value has been altered these foods becomes of less importance to the human body and they continued consumption actually leads to more serious health problems.
The world’s farming biodiversity is under the threat of genetically modified foods. Genetically modified foods are a threat to the human health since they contribute intensely in the organs damage. In genetic modified foods, some organisms are altered through genetic engineering methods (Freedman, 15). These processes involve mutation bleeding whereby the organism being modified is subjected to radiation so as to produce a non-specific change. Foods can also be genetically modified through somaclonal variation as well as selective bleeding. Some of the products that have been genetically modified include animal products as well food crops which include corn, cotton seed, potatoes, tomatoes, soybean canola, maize and many others crops.
Animals such as pigs which have been victims of genetic modification since 2006 provide human beings with meat as well as manure. Of note is that these pigs were modified in order to produce omega-three fatty acids. The modification was done through introduction of a gene of roundworm. These genetically engineered pigs are said to have the capacity to absorb phosphorous more effectively thereby leading to reduction of content of phosphorous in their manure. These manure causes soil pollution thereby posing risks to the human health. If human beings use this manure for growing their crops, chances are these crops will also be contaminated with the chemicals that were used for the modification of these pigs. Serious health problem will occur to the human healthy as well as other organism. (Forman, 45). The pig meat from the genetically modified pigs is also not suitable for human consumption. This is because its nutritional value has been altered and at the same time, addition of toxins is also evident.
By deleting or adding genes to food products through the process of cisgenesis, the natural composition of these products is changed. An example of food crop that was among the first crops to be modified was tomato which is referred to FlavrSavr. The company that produced this food crop first sought approval whereby it wanted to be allowed to release the modified product without labeling. The reason why the company wanted to have no labeling on the modified product was to attract customers who would buy the products unaware of what it was. Notably, the company wanted to test its seed production using consumers.
Labeling is an essential tool as far human health is concerned. The information found in the product labels helps consumers to choose wisely so as to avoid making wrong decisions which may eventually become a risk to their health. What such companies do is to cut down on the price of these commodities in order to attract a good number of customers. Some genetically modified foods for instance, sugarcane is resistant to some pesticide, and therefore these food crops are prone to some pests whose toxins may be harmful to human health upon consumption of these crops (Gittleman, 13).
Notably, numerous genetically modified micro-organisms are actually used as sources of preservative enzymes for processed food. This is the reason why people who want to live healthy and be energetic should avoid using processed food. Natural foods are the best no matter what. Why should people go for preserved food while they are much aware that these foods contain additives which change the nutritional value of these foods? Eat healthy by ensuring that you only consume what is right and with the right contents.
Though genetically modified foods are important since they ensure that people do not starve. This is because they usually take much shorter time to grow and also have abundant harvest. All the same, they are dangerous to our health. Having your stomach half full with the correct and safe diet is better than having your stomach full of toxicated foods which would eventually lead to undesirable consequences such as death and illnesses (Gittleman, 13).
In the mid of this year, a case was filed in the supreme court of USA by organic farmers whereby these farmers were complaining on the destructive impact that the Monsanto’s Roundup had on their crops. This genetically modified product had actually cross pollinated thereby affecting the organic crops. The GM roundup affected the environment thus causing other organic crops to yield very poorly. This raises many questions on what such products can actually do to human health if they can extensively damage other crops.
The human organs are very sensitive to any foreign product or any toxins. This explains the reason why people who use genetically modified foods get a lot of illnesses as well as premature deaths. Quite a number of investigations have been carried out by researchers in order to ascertain the effect of genetically modified foods in the human body as well the bodies of other animals. While some studies have indicated that there are no adverse effects on the human body upon consumption of genetically modified crops, nutritionist as well s some doctors have asserted that they are both long term and short effects after consumption of GM products.
However, consumption of these products actually worsens ones health conditions. Some of these conditions include diabetes, HIV aids, and kidney diseases among others. This occurs because the GM foods consist of modified nutrients which actually becomes of less value to such patients. These illnesses require nutritional diet which helps in fighting the effects of these diseases. Some doctors have proved that genetically modified foods makes bacteria which have invaded the human body to become resistance to antibiotics. This causes the human body to become prone to bacterial infection thereby reducing the healthy capacity of human body.
It has also been confirmed by numerous doctors that genetically modified foods cause allergies. In order to tests for toxins in genetically modified foods doctors as well as nutritionist use chemical analysis of both micro and macro nutrients. RNA and metabolite profiling are among the best diagnostic methods of testing toxicity in food. In the recent past health providers have highlighted that consumption of GM foods which have high biological actions may affect the gut as well as the metabolism of the body. However, the effects on the metabolic system can only be revealed through animal studies.
Before any genetically modified food is introduced for human or animal consumption, nutritional or toxicological methods should be urgently provided in order to screen for destructive results on human health. Genetically modified foods are said to work against natural nutrients as well s water cycles which are very essential in maintenance of human life. It is always good to learn from the past. It is worth noting that, during the earlier times when the genetically modified were unheard off, farmers used to save their own seed each year. These seeds helped in sustaining their lives all through and some of these people are here with us. The question may people need to ask themselves is why these people lived healthy and strongly to an extent that some of them are here with us while the young generation is diminishing. Of note is that these people ate natural foods whose nutritional value is intact. Therefore if people want to maintain good health, they should as much as possible avoid inorganic products as well as processed foods.
Though some food additives with an example of preservatives are essential even to organic foods, these additives are hard to do away with. Conversely, only the natural additives are fit for human consumption. Additional chemicals in human foods are dangerous no matter what. These chemicals affect human health by causing illnesses as well as behavioral issues in young children. The chemicals are also responsible for alteration of the fragile balance of immune and endocrine systems (Freedman, 15).
Other preservatives with an example of those preservatives used in sausages, bacon as well as cold meet can actually cause cancer. Genetically modified foods also cause neurological diseases as well as autoimmune disease due to addition or removal of genes. Consumers should be extra carefully when buying foods. Foods with organic label are the best since they pose no risk to ones health.
Natural foods offer good nutritional values which are quite essential for health functioning of the human body. Look out for the genetically modified foods. Most producers and manufactures of genetically modified foods do not put labeling on their products so as not to haul their customers away. They want their products to be purchased and since they are aware of the risks associated with their products, they do not want to label their products. To the potential consumers, always make sure that you are only buying organic foods. Make sure that these foods are certified by the correct association.
In order to ensure that you are eating healthily, make sure that the animal products you are using in your food has the label “vegetarian”. Maintenance of good health requires people to be very keen on what food stuffs they buy from the markets. Reading the labels carefully is quite important. Notably some information in some food labels is irrelevant and untrue. Just ensure that you are aware of what you are looking for in a certain products (Gittleman, 13).
Simplify your diet so as to stay and remain healthy. Do not go looking for food with lengthy instructions since only a smaller percentage of what is contained in those instructions is correct. The lengthy instructions are provided in order to confuse people. Be natural and eat natural foods.
Cooking food for yourself is the best option as this as this will ensure that your diet is made up of the right foods. Buying convenience and ready made foods can be dangerously to your health since ones is usually not aware of what food products were used for the meal. If the labels contained in the food product you are wishing to buy does not show the ingredients used for the preparation of the food product, avoid it as much as possible. In addition, packed food in the shelves usually contains many additives, avoid using them as well
In order to live healthy and feel young one should try as much as possible to avoid harmful diets as well as diets whose nutritional value has been altered. The genetic modified foods are not the best choice for a person who wants to remain healthy. As indicated earlier, these GM foods apart from having altered nutritional value, they also alter the body’s metabolic system thereby obstructing the body’s activities (Gittleman, 13).
This actually lead to poor health with get worse each day and eventually leads to death. Studies conducted in animals with an example of rat have indicated that some rats died a few weeks after eating genetically modified tomatoes which were engineered using the Kanr genes.
However, there are various ways in which people can avoid usage of genetically modified foods which have serious effects on human bodies as well as the environment. These ways include purchasing foods which have clear organic labels. This will help in reducing the risks associated with GM foods. One should have a thorough reading on the provided label so as to learn of the contents of the product that he/she has purchased. This will ensure that an individual will only consume what is healthy and of substantial use in the body. Knowing what could affect ones health is important since it actually helps in maintaining a healthy living. Notably, a healthy eating ensures that one remains strong and energetic as well as avoids situations which would make one to look older than she/he is (Gittleman, 13).
Work cited
Ann Louise Gittleman. How to Stay Young and Healthy in a Toxic World. London: McGraw-Hill Professional, 1999. p13
Jeri Freedman. Genetically Modified Food: How Biotechnology Is Changing What We Eat. London: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009
Lillian Forman. Genetically Modified Foods. New York: ABDO, 2009.p 16-48
