2017 intends on being the year of dramatic change and rebirth. From all manner of society; politics to Nutrition. A big player coming onto the markets and soon to be hitting your grocery stores is a revitalization of certain GMO foods and the technologies that produce them . And its all going to begin with a staple food that all of us give our kids each day....
The Washington Post recently wrote and article outlining some new GMO foods that are going to hit the market this year and the need to double down on how we regulate GMO food. The 'Arctic Apple' developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits in Canada has developed a gene manipulation which allows for this variety of apple not to turn brown when exposed to air. Like other GMO foods, the goal is to increase shelf life, and simply provide a product that the consumer deems easier, healthy and more convenient to buy.
GMO 2.0 does not have any signs of slowing down either. In fact, upon doing a bit of research into GMO technology, companies like Monsanto and DuPont are investing huge in technologies like CRISPr, which is a gene halting technology that halts certain natural variations from occurring insides seeds, making all food as uniform as can be. The technology also uses seed sterilization so that farmers must buy seeds each year and thereby keep the agriculture market controlled from the top down. Greater concern for further research into this technology and to slow these products coming to market are very warranted. Gene silencing and RNA manipulation are said to have great impact on human cells but no research has begun on the topics!
Yet midwestern grocery stores are already seeing GMO 2.0 foods on shelves!
Improvement over the previous methods of GMO crops has at least moved away for the use of such harsh pesticides and herbicides. Round Up, a chemical used as an herbicide was practically washing all corn and soybean crops upon planting. Over the past few years, all corn and soy fed to animals waiting for slaughter as well as products such as breads and all things that contain SOY (which is practically everything) are of this GMO variety.
No matter how you fight it, you consume GMO everyday. Unless you are completely off the grid that is...
Doing my due diligence to find a positive for the GMO side, the marketing materials do point to some very indisputable facts about how GMO foods could help our changing food environment. It is true that our population on this earth is skyrocketing and the need for nutrients is a necessity. Food is so abundant in the US and we literally throw away more than we eat as a nation. GMO 2.0 foods provide a way to feed more impoverished nations and even lower our food costs here at home. GMO 2.0 foods also are coming out with 'nutrient inhanced' vegetables and fruits which are claiming to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Once again, these claims are from the chemical companies themselves and are not at all taken as fact by me. I am about facts, and so far there is nothing to back this up.
What bothers me is that I come from a farming family; my dad, my uncles, my grandfather all farm. I do not like the sound of potentially buying my food from DuPont or Monsanto instead of the farmer that I know. Food, no matter how you intend to think about it, is our life source. As long as I have been writing this nutrition blog a very proven truth has always been evident in the research that I have read, "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT". GMO 2.0 is taking chemistry, biology and nature and manipulating it; and I (along with billions of others) are going to be the science experiment which either proves or disproves their theories. I love science and what it has done to help find cures for disease. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "Where is the Tipping Point?" Between manipulating Nature for Humans benefit.
Could we be doing ourselves more harm than good in the long run?
I encourage your thoughts and comments on this topic. As always, do your own homework and remain conscious about all things that you put into your body.
3/1
***Week 3 of Barbell Front Rack Step Ups
Baseline:
2X
:20 At each movement
Jumping Jacks
Squats
Reverse Lunges
Cossack (side) lunges
Bow/ Bend
Pineapple Pickers
Sit Up to straddle splits
Russian Twist
Leg Levers
Superman Hold
Piked Handstand Push Ups
Lunge Flow: Ankle Rotations, Elbow To Instep, Warrior Pose, hamstring Pulses, Pigeon Stretch
Skill Development:
3X8-12 Per Leg
Barbell Front Rack Box Step Ups
@ 30-33% of Backsquat Weight
**Superset each with 15X GHD Hip Extensions
WOD:
AMRAP 12
12 Burpee
12 Toes To bar
12 Push Press 115/75
Cool Down:
Row for 5 mins. Find a pace that allows you to breathe deeply and hold on the pull and slowly release the breath on the return. Do not rush, only take the next pull once all O2 has been expelled.
3/2
Baseline:
Lat Band Mobility/ Bully Stretch/ Banded Half Moon Pose/ Pitchers Stretch (4:00)
Kettle Bell Warm up:
W/ Light KB
12@ Each
Head Circles 'L'
Head Circles 'R'
Trunk Rotations
Up right Rows
Press 'L'
Press 'R'
Romanian Deadlift
Squat Up and overs (outside right foot, up and over to outside left foot)
Single Leg Deadlift
Goblet Squat
Lateral Lunges
Windmill 'L'
Windmill 'R'
Sit Ups
Snatch 'L'
Snatch 'R'
Squat Jumps
4 Rounds Not For Time:
10 Strict Chin ups
20 Strict Ring Dips
50/50m KB Overhead Walk/ KB Farmer Carry
**one Kettle Bell is held at the waist, the other overhead. At the 50m mark, switch arms. 50m walk out>>50m Walk Back.
3/3
**Week 2 of the Crossfit Games Opens!!!!
