?All natural? Chobani Greek yogurt is not as natural as it claims. Actually, it is made from cows that are fed GMO grain. Since the company has just received a $750 million dollar loan to expand its operations, it will be pouring huge amounts of money into supporting GMO manufacturers, an industry in the process of harming human health and the environment by exponential proportions.

In response to the news of Chobani?s impending expansion, a consumer activist endeavor is underway to ask the company to stop using GMO-laden milk. You can add your voice to the effort by signing the petition at this web address.

The successful recent consumer program to get General Mills to make a GMO-free Cheerios is proof that manufacturers will take notice of a groundswell of public opposition to the way they make their products. Since Chobani is the most popular maker of Greek yogurt, the latest initiative is a worthy undertaking to help put the brakes on the runaway freight train of the GMO industry.

Live in the Now consulted Dr. Michael Wald, Director of Nutrition at Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco in Westchester, New York and author of Frankenfoods ? Controversy, Lies & Your Health. This GMO expert shares his perspective in the interview below.

Live in the Now: In the case of eating yogurt made with milk from GMO-grain fed cows, humans are ingesting the GMOs indirectly rather than directly. Please explain how this could be a concern.

Dr. Wald: Not unlike breast milk that could contain toxins, food allergens and other adverse substances that may pass into the breast-feeding infant, milk used to make yogurt could pass on undesirable substances to humans. Altered immunoglobulins, proteins and fats found in milk would all be in the yogurt and would eventually find their way into the bodies of those who eat it.

Live in the Now: GMO Insider reports on a study that disputes the dairy industry?s claim that GM particles are broken down in the intestines of animals consuming them. The particles have in fact appeared in their organs and milk; therefore, humans who eat the meat and drink the milk of these animals are actually consuming the harmful GM particles. What are the potential health effects of this consumption?

Dr. Wald: Genetic modification of our food supply has the potential to cause devastating health risks. GMOs may increase cancers; Alzheimer?s disease; inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn?s disease and ulcerative colitis; various autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and lupus; and hormonal problems stemming from effects upon our DNA and immune system. Nutritional deficiencies may also occur because GMO foods are not ?nutritionally equivalent? to non-GMOs. In addition, the GMO process may create new allergens and toxicities.

Furthermore, the foods can produce genetic problems spanning multiple generations, as GMO-altered proteins can potentially change the bacteria in our intestines, inserting unfriendly gene sequences into our own cells. This can lead to passing on new genetic abnormalities to our offspring.

Live in the Now: What would you say to someone who discounts the concerns people have about GMOs?

Dr. Wald: I?m convinced GMOs are incredibly detrimental to health, but only the passage of time will reveal the full magnitude of the problem. It will not be easy to quantify because we are all bombarded on a daily basis with various factors that will impact our health quality and disease risk. Separating out the effects of GMOs will never be entirely possible, and this is what GMO seed manufacturers know.

They say, ?If GMOs were causing disease, we would all be dropping like flies over the last 15 years since their introduction.? Well, I say to this, ?We are dropping like flies, and how do we know that GMOs are not to blame or are not at least contributing factors?? We do not know, but based on the information that I have researched, any reasonable and intelligent person must draw the conclusion that more study and safety testing should have been done before GMOs were released into the human or animal food chain and our environment.

Live in the Now: Do you have any other thoughts on the topic you would like to share with our readers?

Dr. Wald: Let?s be mindful that as bad as GMOs might potentially be for our health, one must take care to replace the GMO foods eliminated from the diet with non-GMO foods. It is no different from ridding the diet of gluten, which is a food component I believe is bad for virtually everyone. Removing foods from the diet requires proper food substitutions that would prevent deficiencies of protein, carbohydrate, healthy fats, vitamin, minerals and phytonutrients, thus averting disability and disease risk. I am astounded at the imbalanced and nutritionally inadequate diets that I see in my patients who, otherwise well intentioned, have removed GMOs and gluten but have not restructured their food intake.

Dr. Michael Wald, author of the upcoming book Frankenfoods - Controversy, Lies & Your Health available April 2014, offers a riveting perspective of the GMO predicament exploring governmental and industry cover-ups, health dangers, environmental threats, GMO-free food plans and recipes, nutritional supplements and other practical solutions.  Dr. Wald declares, "The GMO dilemma is here to stay and anyone interested in protecting their health and that of their loved ones, friends and the planet, must educate themselves and take political and personal action right now!"  Considering the importance of this information Dr. Wald asks that you re-tweet his GMO links and follow him on Twitter -  @DrMichaelWald. Thank you.

(Dr. Michael Wald can be reached at Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco in Westchester, NY by calling 914-242-8844 (Ext. 1) or by emailing him at: info@intmedny.com).

Sources:

http://action.sumofus.org/a/chobani-uses-GMOs/?sub=fb

http://gmoinside.org/take-action/chobani-uses-milk-cows-fed-gmos-natural/

http://www.liveinthenow.com/article/why-you-should-stop-eating-chobani-greek-yogurt-immediately