Genetically Modified Foods And Your Infertility?
There are a myriad of reasons why a couple may be infertile. On the male side, there could be low sperm count, or unhealthy sperm to consider, while even the environment in which the sperm are created can have a bearing on fertility. Excessive stress, poor diet habits, smoking, illegal drug use and STD's can all be the cause of a man's inability to produce health sperm. The ovulation process is the most likely cause for infertility in women; due to such things as hormonal issues, obesity, stressful living or the use of oral contraceptives over a long period of time the ovulation process may be shortened. Pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS and blocked fallopian tubes can all contribute to infertility as can excessive weight. Women can also be susceptible to the same environmental effects as men, such as alcohol consumption, smoking cigarettes, STDs, poor diet and the use of illegal drugs.
What is Frankenstein Food?
Although the name is a little theatrical, the entire concept supports it. Genetically modified or engineered foods have had specific characteristics cut from their DNA, and others spliced in. The genes which are spliced in may not even come from a similar plant-or any plant at all. Scientists have spliced a fish gene which resists cold into strawberries in order to help them be more resistant to a late frost. Little attention has been paid as GMO food has silently and insidiously made its way into a large percentage of the food we consume on a daily basis. Over 45 million acres of U.S. farmlands are planted with genetically modified crops, including soy, corn, wheat, potatoes and cotton. Unfortunately for all of us, the United States does not require that foods containing GMO's be labeled as such, so unless you are buying all organic, then the likelihood that you are consuming large quantities of GMO's is high.
Three Things Scientist Don't Know
Although the practice of gene splicing and modifying our foods is common, scientists have no idea what the long-term consequences of such modifications may be. While the marketing companies swear genetically modified seeds are safe, in truth they have not been safety tested, as the FDA and the EPA have assumed they are safe, therefore have not required the typical scientific safety studies. Secondly, GMOs are having a very unwanted effect on our ecosystem. Some plants which have been genetically engineered to resist a particular herbicides damage, have cross-fertilized with weeds which the herbicide targets.
The result is "superweeds" which cannot be destroyed. Scientists are also unsure of the end effect to animals and humans who consume the genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) commonly given to cows to increase milk production. As with the GMO foods, there are no safety studies in place, and farmers report that rBGH makes their cows sick, requiring large doses of antibiotics which are then present in the milk you feed your children and drink yourself.
How Could Frankenstein Foods Affect My Fertility?
A recent study has definitively linked genetically modified corn to infertility-a long-term study conducted in Australia showed that mice fed GMO corn, had fewer babies and considerably lower birth rates. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine considers GMO foods to carry serious health risks, and infertility is at the top of the list, followed by immune system problems, accelerated aging, inability to properly regulate insulin in the body, and harmful changes in the major organs of the body as well as the entire gastrointestinal system.
GMO Study Results
Sheep, buffalo and goats in India died after eating genetically modified cotton plants. Mice who ate GMO corn for extended periods of time had fewer babies, and the babies they had were considerably smaller than the mice who ate no GMO corn. Over 50% of the babies born to mother mice fed GMO soy died within three weeks. The third generation of mice in the line who had been fed GMOs were completely infertile, and testicle cells in the male mice showed alarming and significant changes when fed GMOs.
If you are trying to have a baby, and having difficulty, eliminating all GMO foods from your diet could prove helpful. Unfortunately, this is more difficult than it sounds, and requires you to become an avid label reader at the grocery store-but it can be done. For your health and the future health of your baby, find out more about GMOs and do your best to avoid them.
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