OUR FOOD IN CRISIS
by Holly Mills
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth."
(Psa. 104:14).
Is our food in crisis today? I would say very definitely, yes.
These days very few of us are in control of the food that we eat.
Most of us buy our food at the local supermarket or at small
produce and meat stores. We usually have no idea where most of
this food comes from.
Some of it may be from local sources but a large part of it comes
from great distances and also crosses over our borders. Do we
really know what we are eating?
Lately we seem to hear of a problem with our food almost every
week. We've had mad cow disease, avian flu in chickens, worries
over the quality of farmed salmon, tainted food from China and
genetically modified foods which affect almost every thing we
eat. We also have floods, drought, weather changes and
pestilences, which are also having a severe affect on our food.
The Lord provided the Food Laws in Leviticus chapter 11. If we
followed these laws we would have good health. Unfortunately
today even when we try to obey the Food Laws we cannot be
absolutely sure of what we are really eating. We believe that we
are relatively safe when we eat vegetables and grains.
Unfortunately with the new generation of Genetically Engineered
(GE) and Genetically Modified (GM) crops we cannot guarantee the
quality of our fruits, vegetables and grains. In this article
titled "Biotech News, The Next Generation of Genetically
Engineered Foods" by Elisabeth Abergel in "Alive" magazine
November 2002 we see what is happening. "According to a report by
the Genetic Engineering Food Action Coalition, a network of US-
based consumer and environmental groups, the release of the
biopharm plants may cause food crops to be contaminated.
Scientists working for the National Academy of Science in the US
agree that GE biopharm crops may pose a risk by mating with crops
designed for human consumption, which could lead to the ingestion
of novel combinations of chemicals and have unanticipated impacts
on human health. There is also the potential that insects and
animals will ingest these new substances."
In the same article Elisabeth Abergel says that biopharm crops
are "genetically designed to produce both therapeutic and
non-therapeutic drugs, as well as industrial chemicals....Just
one mistake by a biotech company and we'll be eating other
people's prescription drugs in our corn flakes." Corn, soy,
cottonoil and canola are the most common Genetically Modified
crops.
Our cattle, chickens and farmed salmon are being given doses of
antibiotics and pesticides. The cattle and chickens have been fed
ground up dead animals in their feed and of course now possibly
some Genetically Modified food mixed in. I recently heard someone
talking about a test that was done where they gave GMO food to
some animals along with non GMO food. The animals only ate the
non GMO food and would not touch the food that was only GMO. Even
when they were only given the GMO food they only ate a tiny bit
of it. They instinctively knew that the food was bad for them.
Food is a necessity of life, but what is the quality of the food
we are eating? I believe our immune systems and our thinking are
being severely compromised by man's interference in the
production of our food. Children, who are the most innocent
members of our society, are drinking milk that is tainted with
Bovine Growth Hormone. We have no idea how much our thinking and
our health have already been affected by the foods that we have
already eaten. "Food is also a political commodity, fought over
within families and communities, by global corporate interests
and the state. Who controls the food system and who has access to
it are matters that should be of concern to society as a whole.
This is particularly true when the food system is increasingly
controlled by global food traders whose sole concern is turning a
profit." Quote taken from SPARBC magazine Winter 2004 Volume 20
Issue Number 2.
We can do our best to try and eat good quality pure foods by
growing our own food if possible, and if not by trying to eat
organic, free-range meats and organic fruits, vegetables and
grains. I believe that God knows we are trying to do our best.
These are very complex times and it seems now that even the very
simple act of eating has become complicated! We must put our
faith in Christ to help us through this time. Perhaps this is a
time to concentrate on filling our hearts with the food of faith.
God will provide the rest.
"As it is written, He has dispersed abroad; he hath given to the
poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that
ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food,
and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your
righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all
bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God."
(2 Cor.9:9-11).
"You may have heard the FDA and food industry claims that
genetically modified (GM) foods are safe, properly tested, and
necessary to feed a hungry world. UNTRUE! Genetically modified
organics (GMOs) are one of the most dangerous and radical changes
to our food supply. These largely unregulated ingredients found
in 60-70% of the foods in the US, are well worth the effort to
avoid them." (Courtesy www.seedsofdeception.com)
"The long-term dangers of Genetically Modified Foods is
uncertain, but we have already seen severe short-term reactions."
(Courtesy GlobalHealingCentre.com)
......
Holly MIlls writes for www.associationcovenantpeople.org
......
Milk is a wonderful food, when you can obtain it as organic. Some
stores do now carry organic milk or organic goats milk; yes it
will cost more.
The old "Health and Strength" course (which I still have) by
Charles Atlas told you to drink lots of milk. Back in the 1950s
when I first bought his course, milk was organic. We had it given
to us at school; those were the days when the cream rose to the
top and you had to shake it up before drinking. It was sooooo
gooood! I drank two pints a day. As Charles Atlas said I would
have, I had a skin complexion that made the girls envious.
Milk is important for growing children, to form good strong teeth
and bones. Actually, we are all our lives renewing our bones, as
they are living parts of our body just as our skin is. Good
organic milk should be a part of our regular diet. Milk contains
many more nutrients than just calcium and protein.
Eggs, also are an important food. Today you can buy in most large
grocery stores, eggs that have been laid by chickens which have
been fed no chemicals etc. and even added to their natural feed
extra vitamins. They are those lovely dark golden eggs. Yes, they
cost more, but they are well worth that extra money.
Whole grain, organic whole grains, is a must, breads, cerials etc.
Charles Atlas in his course tells you over and over again, to stay
away, stay away from like the plague, all refined white flour
products. Whole grains is how God created it, and they contain all
kinds of health stuff for your body.
Fruits and vegies go without saying. Use honey or barley malt for
a sweetener. Nuts, raisins, dates, figs, seeds of various kinds.
Try to obtain organic meat, the clean meat as in God's law. Fish,
the clean fish, like salmon, should be a part of your diet.
Beans, like baked beans, should be in your diet.
Chocolate is good for you; the darker is the best. Licorice, made with
molasses contains all kinds of minerals, and minerals are important,
more important than most realize.
You can obtain some great fruit drinks, organic, no sugar added, from
the large grocery stores today.
Keith Hunt
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