11/16/2017 / By Isabelle Z.
You might be aware that organic food is better for you than GMO options, but sometimes the price difference can be prohibitive. If you’ve ever stood in the produce section of the supermarket and asked yourself if the higher price tag on organic offerings is worth it, the results of a peer-reviewed study published recently in the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine will probably help make that decision a lot easier.
The survey of 3,256 people found that 28 conditions could be reversed by switching to a mostly non-GMO and organic diet. This research is consistent with physician reports that show the power of making this type of dietary improvement.
The respondents were asked, among other questions, what conditions or symptoms they have seen improve since making the switch to a GMO-free diet. For each of the 28 symptoms listed, they chose between “some mild improvement,” “moderate improvement,” “significant improvement,” “nearly gone,” “complete recovery” and “not applicable,” which was the default.
Some of the most common conditions to note improvements from making the switch to non-GMO were digestive problems like fatigue and leaky gut, along with obesity.
In total, 85.2 percent of respondents with digestive problems noted they were severely reduced or reversed by switching to non-GMO food. More than 60 percent with fatigue and low energy reported improvements, while 54.6 percent said it turned around weight problems such as being obese or overweight. This is not surprising when you consider that a GMO diet has been linked to excessive cell growth in the lining of the stomach and intestines along with other physiological issues.
More than half of people said a non-GMO diet eliminated that feeling of “brain fog” that is familiar to many people, while a similar amount noted that the change helped them avoid food allergies and sensitivities.
Mood problems also benefited from the switch, with 51.1 percent saying it helped with anxiety and depression, and 48.1 percent noting improvements in memory and concentration.
Meanwhile, 47.5 percent of people said their joint pain improved, and 46.6 percent said a non-GMO diet meant the end of their seasonal allergies.
The research cited in the study points to three major ways GMO foods like corn, soy, alfalfa, and papaya can cause illness. First of all, the GMO transformation process is known to cause some side effects. The Bt toxin in cotton and corn plants is also considered dangerous, while the herbicides that are sprayed on most GMOs are full of side effects. One of the most popular herbicide ingredients, glyphosate, has been called a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization and is at the center of class action lawsuits filed on behalf of cancer patients.
There are a few limitations to this survey, as the authors freely admit. The respondents do not represent the population at large as they are people who were on a mailing list of the Institute for Responsible Technology, an advocacy group that teaches people about GMO health dangers. Nevertheless, the wide range of improvements seen is very promising.
The next time you’re making grocery decisions, keep these results in mind. Why not try going all organic for a while and see which of your symptoms improve?
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Tagged Under: corn, digestive problems, GMO, GMO foods, GMO Free, health problems, non-GMO, organic food, soy