Though this sounds redundant, the phrase is an attempt to capture the essence of what herb medicine is all about – pure organic plants without contamination and re-structuring. With all the genetic manipulation by corporate food giants, no current pure botanic material exists, anymore. Nevertheless, natural preservation benefits us all. We need to guard our wellbeing sources or else we may “reap the wild wind” of genetic re-structuring of essential foodstuffs. Before it’s too late, we must commit to this pursuit. Unadulterated herbs and herbal formula extracts do still exist in protected environments. Agricultural scientists are discovering everywhere that hybrid contamination is growing. Scientist have determined that all, so called, 100% organic farms in the U.S. have at least 2%+ contamination from mutant products thus affecting the original impact of herb medicine. It is extremely important to source traditional herbs and traditional Chinese herbs from protected pollinated farms, free from genetically modified organism (GMO) seed.

Currently, experiments in India and Japan are being conducted with the emphasis on increasing the medicinal properties of the herbs. explanation regarding herbal medicine potency is in broad disagreement. The GMO group deems extraction of particular alkaloids in the overall herbal composite. The anti-GMO herb camp holds that when you change the property ratio then you, in effect, change the medicinal value which stems from the original structure. The dispute that a particular alkaloid is the chief cause for the remedial effect as opposed to the entire or combined outcome of the herb is a continuing argument that deserves scrutiny.       

Besides the changes to the original plant structure, GM herbs are philosophically opposed to the premises of natural, alternative medicine. These ethical concerns deserve respect and careful consideration before admitting these foods into the gene pool. Input from the herb medicine & research community needs to be acquired before making these changes. Decisions by large corporate ventures are lacking, by nature, conscience in this regard. Though many execs may intend well, it would be to their benefit to attract unbiased feedback as to whether to choose GM procedures in their development. What are the consequences versus the profit?

Most Master Herbalists, specializing in Chinese Medicine, focus on food as a therapy. Here are some points to consider about the food nutrient (incl. herbal herbs) industry:

• In the U.S. alone, between 1997 and 1999, gene-modified (GM) ingredients suddenly appeared in 2/3rds of all processed foods."
• Be sure to choose organic soy milk. Most soybeans in America are genetically modified. Unrefined (organic) soybeans are not genetically modified.
• If the proponents of GMO are so wise then why do we still have nutrient depletion in our food products?
• That carrot has about 57% less magnesium and 16% less calcium in it than the ones our parents ate, a banana 87% less folic acid, and spinach 59% less vitamin C!
• While there is an increase in vitamin and mineral sales to cover the our food nutrient deficiency, more city/county public works departments are disposing by the multiple truck loads, the residual pellets to dump sites. The only real working source of nutrition comes from food that our body absorbs or supplements based on whole food sources.

Genetically modified foods can have decidedly unhealthy effects. One solid conclusion found that:

1. More than half of the offspring of rats fed on transgenically modified soya died in the first three weeks of life, six times as many as those born to mothers with normal diets. Six times as many were also severely underweight.
2. Mothers who include GM foods in their diet during pregnancy may unwittingly endanger their unborn babies. A report by the corporate GM giant, Monsanto, revealed that rats fed a diet rich in GM corn had smaller kidneys and higher blood cell counts than those that ate a natural strain, suggesting possible damage to their immune systems.

 

The nutrient value of food has fallen drastically while the price is skyrocketing:

        Source: 1996 Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Foodstuffs laboratory, Karlsruhe / Obertal Sanatorium.

Enhancing our immunity systems, metabolic and vascular efficiency with appropriate mineral and vitamin supplement acts preventively and helps us counteract insufficiency. However have you ever seen how wasted our elderly become when sustained on ENSURE in a nursing facility? The ignorance can only be rationalized and accepted for how long?   Reliance on healthy, nutrient rich foods and herbs are the essential foundation for sustaining life.

The bottom-line is this. Greed has, unconsciously and consciously, crept into the way we develop our food supply. At any time the food supply is administered in an remote manner there is increased probability for abuse. Though this development is not everywhere, it is extensive enough now that balance in the industry is fargone. This condition, may be, beyond the ability of mankind to retrieve it unless radical changes are implemented.  

Mark Hammer, C.M.H., Master Herbalist, Longevity Mountain

1. India working on GM herbs, says Greenpeace, Joe C Mathew / Business Standard New Delhi (November 05, 2008)
2. "50 Harmful Effects of Genetically Modified Foods" By Nathan Batalion