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Garrett LeSage
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Garrett commented on the article |
It's not as extremely rare as you're pretending. It isn't overly common, of course, but I have happened to meet others and then later coincidentally discover that we had this allergy in common.
Just like with most other allergies, there's a gradient between feeling bad and dying — different people react differently at different times. Therefore, some people are slightly affected and may not know what's causing it, so it may be underreported. (Like I said, this is true for many allergies.) Also, since GM crops are so new (relatively speaking), the amount of cases are underreported.
The world is a big place. To actually claim that I'm the very first person affected or documented with this allergy is quite foolish... you can't prove your assertion, because I know for a fact that there are others in the 6.79+ billion people inhabiting the Earth. (There's no way you have read every allergy-related document on the face of the planet, to come to that conclusion, either.)
I'm guessing that you're referring to "kiwis", but kiwis are not in >80% of the food in the US. Soy is... and much of the time, it's not labelled clearly (passing merely as "vegetable oil", "margarine", or "textured vegetable protein"... just for starters).
Also, in the US, there is no labelling of GM products, making it impossible to determine what is GM and what is not. It's not the case over in Europe, where genetically modified foods *must* be labelled.
It's impossible to avoid soy in the US, because of its prevalance in everything. (Seriously try shopping and avoiding soy for a week, both in grocery shopping and in restaurants, just as an experiment.)
When eating, it's a matter of when — not IF — due to being used in nearly everything! This is with being super-careful and necessarily obsessing over every single ingredient of everything, too!
Of course, the reactions are intensified with the amount of soy consumed... but even a little bit can be pretty devestating. (I almost died from eating a single cracker which happened to soy, for instance.)
You are quite lucky to not have developed a food allergy. Be thankful. You could wake up tomorrow with a brand new allergy (that's what happened to me several years ago) that drastically changes your life.
I have to be careful with not only I eat, but where I go and who I interact with. (Soy is not only included in food, but in fragrences, candles, newspaper ink, detergents, some clothing, etc.)
Anyway, be thankful you're fine... but please try to show some sort of courtesy and empathy to those of us who have to go through the nightmare of trying to find something adaquate to eat. (This includes people who are allergic to corn, gluten, dairy, etc. in addition to soy.)
We just want to know what's in the food. That's all. *If* GM is safe (and obviously it's not 100% safe), then — sure — go ahead and include it in food. It should be labeled and there should be some non-GM alternatives provided. We should be able to have a choice.
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Garrett commented on the article |
You're *completely* missing the point.
I am allergic to genetically modified soy, and not to non-GM soy. There's a difference. My body knows it — and by allergic, I mean *actually* allergic (with swelling, breathing problems, etc.)... and there are others; I'm not the only one.
Soy is also in most food in the US; so this is a pretty widespread thing, and greatly compounds the problem. It's not a matter of just steering away from one food item (like, say, if one is allergic to strawberries, that's pretty easy to avoid). Soy, corn, and gluten are in most food items in the US, and all happen to be the most genetically modified crops.
I did not say I was affected by the DNA directly, but by the results of additional proteins that are in GM soy (causing my allergy). Regardless of what some article at some URL says (or doesn't), I, myself, am evidence that there is indeed a difference between GM soy and non-GM soy. (And like I said before, I know others who also have this same allergy.)
I understand that genetic modifications happen all the time, but a natural genetic modification (or even something like irradiation) is different from splicing in DNA from a completely different species (often from non-food sources).
Also, why are you so defensive about GM foods? Do you work for the industry that produces this sort of stuff?
I want better labeling of foods (including GM) so I can make a choice. For me, it matters greatly (to the point of possibly life-or-death).
(It would be nice if soy weren't in so many foods and other products also.)
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Garrett commented on the article |
Oops. Sorry about the formatting. It looked correct in the text entry box. (How odd.)
At least it's not a huge wall of text. *smile* -
Garrett commented on the article |
Here are a bunch of links from my bookmarks on the subject, from varied sources, over the years:
Soybeans Contain Unidentified DNA
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2001/08/46151
Unknown DNA in Monsanto's genetically engineered soya
http://archive.greenpeace.org/geneng/highlights/gmo/Monsanto_DNA_MP.htm
Mystery DNA Is Discovered In Soybeans By Scientistshttp://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/16/world/mystery-dna-is-discovered-in-soybeans-by-scientists.html?sec=health
Dead Babies (rats fed GM soy have heath issues; especially concerning their offspring)
http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?content_id=497
As a Hormone Substitute, Soy Is Ever More Popular, but Is It Safe?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/24/health/24soy.html?ex=1251259200&en=11ada0cdf2a23458&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland
Should we worry about soya in our food?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/jul/25/food.foodanddrink
Food allergy and intolerance
http://www.betterhealthchannel.com.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_allergy_and_intolerance?OpenDocument
The Dark Side of Soy
http://www.utne.com/2007-07-01/TheDarkSideofSoy.aspx
Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergieshttp://www.seedsofdeception.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=1007
Researchers Put a Microscope on Food Allergieshttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/health/09allergies.html?_r=3&ref=research
Then, of course, there's my own reaction to GM soy. That's kind of hard to cite on the Internet. I can't provide a link to my own allergy.
Also, while I am in contact with a couple people who also have a soybean allergy, I don't know if they'd want me to share their email address out in the open on this blog...
But anyway, I've cited a bunch of different sources above. A few a are somewhat related (the first three listed are from 2001 and cite the same original source, iirc), but they span many years (2001 - present) and different sources overall.
Since this is the Internet, there are more sources available. This just serves as a starter on the topic. -
Garrett commented on the article |
In *actual* reality (not your made-up fantasy-land), there are many people who are affected by genetically modified foods. I know this first-hand, as I am allergic to genetically modified soybeans (and anything made from them).
My body handles organic, non-GM soy just fine... but if I have the modified stuff... pretty much my entire body starts feeling awful and I have severe breathing problems due to anaphalixis.
Why is this? Well, when Monsanto modified the soybean, the DNA formed additional allergenic proteins that do not exist in non-GM soy. They did discover this fact before releasing their product on the market, but chose to make it available anyway. Further research (done by a 3rd party, years later) discovered that were actually several differing proteins which may cause moderate to severe reactions in people.
Since GM soy is included in most foods in the US, every meal I eat in America is like playing Russian Roulette.
I'm not the only one, either... I actually know several others who are affected as well.
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