Saturday, February 11, 2012

Bovine Growth Hormones, Monsanto, and the FDA, part 1

It was brought to my attention this week that a petition was started by Frederick Ravid to oust President Obama's appointment of Michael Taylor as senior advisor to the FDA.  Taylor's appointment came in 2009 but this news is resurfacing again in the hopes of making a change.  Why is this important and who is Michael Taylor?  Mr. Taylor happens to be the former vice-president and lobbyist for Monsanto, the lovely company that brought us Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH and rBST) and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).  And don't get me started on the bullying they do on the good old-fashioned farmer that wants to grow clean, healthy crops.

In 1993 Monsanto started injecting their cows with genetically engineered bovine growth hormones in an effort to increase the milk supply.  What resulted was a milk filled with hormones and something called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) which can increase your chances of getting cancer, especially colon and breast cancer.  This hormone, rBGH and rBST, is so dangerous that Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand have all banned it and yet, it is found here in the USA thanks to Michael Taylor.  Monsanto bullied and threatened to sue the companies that insisted on labeling their milk and milk-products as rBGH-free.  Thankfully, we the people, made a change and you can now find these labels on organic milk and milk-products.  Although that is a win for us, Monsanto still fights to have this labelling made illegal.

On a side note, I have pulled out the organic milk from Archer Farms we have in the refrigerator and it states, "Our farmers pledge not to treat their cows with rBST.  No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST treated cows and non-rBST treated cows."  SERIOUSLY??  With all the proof that shows the horrible side effects of bovine growth hormone, the honest organic farmers out there still have to label their milk with this scathing lie.  Thank you Michael Taylor for not giving a shit about the health of the people of this country and focusing all of your time to lining your pockets with not just money but the disease-ridden souls of the people suffering at your hand.

I encourage all of you to sign this petition to get Michael Taylor out of the FDA: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269891&id=35461-18914749-37iPRBx&t=2

For a more in-depth article on this subject please visit: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/rbgh/.  The Sustainable Table also offers a very informative blog on all sorts of topics that are related to our environment.  http://www.ecocentricblog.org/

I would also like to share Jeffrey Smith's website http://www.responsibletechnology.org/ where you can learn about GMOs and how to create a non-GMO diet.

This is a very important and serious topic that we, as consumers, must take a stand on as it affects our farmers, our country, and our health.  For a bigger overview of our food industry please watch the documentary, "Food, Inc."  It will change the way you eat.  Making the slight change from regular milk to organic milk can make all the difference so please, especially those with young children, take the time to find organic milk and milk-products.

Okay, I'm putting the soapbox away but keeping it close by as I will be talking about GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in the next few days.

In the meantime, eat wisely, read the ingredients in the foods you eat, and good health to you all!

4 comments:

  1. Hey Rebeca, thanks so much for writing about this. I had no idea! I'm sorry to admit that many times I pull the old ostrich stance on things....bury my head and try not to know about all the bad stuff. I am definitely going to get some organic milk! Yay for you and others like you!!

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  2. Hi Rebeca,
    I am having a bad tummy day. Although this may not go with Monsanto and Milk Products it does have to deal with food. I went out for a Nice dinner on Valentines Day to our favorite restaurant and decided to treat myself to Soda and whatever I wanted to eat. The results: A tasty dinner with a terrible after math. First came the DA (diarrhea attack) which resulted in several trips to the bathroom for the next 45 min. And if that wasn't enough just after I felt better and went bowling I came home to Nausea, Acid Reflex- including the vomit that comes up and you swallow instantly for some reason, and good old stomach pains and gas. I remember a distinctive taste through this experience while trying to break it all up with tums... GARLIC. I was talking to my Mom and her hairdresser, who has IBS, said that Garlic was a huge problem for her... What a coincidence. I was wondering if you have any thoughts about what I once thought was a good thing- Garlic...?
    -Plus recently my brother who has always been the opposite of healthy has changed his lifestyle including what he eats. He believes that there is something with the whole processed food that may be leading to all these health problems and cancer. I do believe we could cure many health problems by simple changes in our diet but even knowing this and believing it I still find it hard not to want to treat myself with a sugary treat, even knowing 9/10 times it will result in a stomach ache or bathroom visit... Thoughts on Health Motivation?
    -Rita

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    1. Hi Rita,
      I'm sorry to hear about your Valentine's Day dinner. Don't you just love having to use the bathroom a million times in a public place when you know the people around you are wondering what is going on? I'm pretty much convinced that people think I'm doing drugs in the bathroom when I get DAs. And yes, nothing beats a good old-fashioned stomachache especially when it brings its best friend, gas.
      I've heard that garlic can be an irritant to people with IBS. I have not had a problem with garlic but it wouldn't surprise if one day it becomes a food I can no longer eat. I wonder if raw garlic and garlic powder have the same or different effects on the body?
      Congrats to your brother for making a lifestyle change. There is such a rise in cancer and auto-immune diseases that I'm convinced processed food is one of the root causes. Whatever happened to eating fresh, simple meals? I agree with you when it comes to sugary and/or salty treats. My weakness is potato chips. I could easily eat a whole bag and then I end up groaning and in pain. It's not worth it but still...
      As for Health Motivation, I've gotten to the point where I'm going to try a new diet. I'll be writing about it today.
      rebeca.

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  3. BIGGEST THING: 20 min. individualized work outs! I was working out 5 hours a week in 2005 and not feeling much of anything but pain. hgh injections

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