GMOs - from the label to the table

The pulse oximeter beeped raucously, reminding me to breath deeply. I had just woken from a ten-day drug-induced nap that prevented me from causing any more damage to my hemorrhaging lungs. I coughed gently, my throat sore from the ventilator that I unconsciously yanked out the night before. Apparently my subconscious disliked invasive tubes as much as my conscious self. I exhaled, just grateful to be alive.

It wasn't quite Spring in 2010. I had had a recurring cold all winter and couldn't seem to get rid of it for longer than two weeks. Finally, my body had enough and I became severely ill, coughing up alarming amounts of blood. It took doctors weeks to figure out what was causing my lungs to bleed. I was self-destructing. I had p-ANCA vasculitis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes, in my case, antibodies to attack the blood vessels in my lungs. After an internal battle that took me to the intensive care unit by life-flight to the regional hospital and nearly two weeks of unconsciousness, my life was spared with the help of hefty drugs and lots of machines. There I laid wondering, what sparks autoimmune diseases to wreak such havoc? Little did I know that genetically-modified foods play a part in cases like mine.

Courtesy of plantsci.cam.ac.uk

Genetically-modified organisms, or GMOs, are very prevalent in our grocery stores today. Over 80% of the processed foods you see in the market have genetically-engineered ingredients (Non GMO Project). GMOs are produce, grains, and other plants that are engineered for desirable traits, such as resistance to weed-killer, insects, and drought. Scientist have found a way to remove segments of DNA from organisms like corn, soy, cotton, and other crops and replace them with another organism's DNA (Improving Agriculture). This process has been a controversial subject since it's beginning due to health and environmental concerns. Bioengineering these new plants is a recent technology, and I believe that GMO products should be labeled.

Before my encounter with p-ANCA vasculitis, I had a pretty care-free life. It didn't matter to me what foods I ate, as long as they tasted good. I led a pretty active lifestyle, in fact, I was ascending up a mountain bike trail when my bloody cough became severe. I really didn't even know what autoimmune diseases were or how they affect us. Autoimmune diseases are unlike any other disease because the immune system becomes confused and attacks parts of one's own body, mistaking the body's tissue for a foreign invader.

According to research by medical author Donna Jackson Nakazawa, autoimmune diseases have been on the rise for the last forty years. Most common conditions include type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, celiac, fibromyalgia, psoriases, and lupus and there are more than eighty known types of autoimmune diseases. And the rates of these conditions keep rising. Lupus and multiple sclerosis have nearly tripled over the past four decades. Type 1 diabetes has increased during the same time period. Approximately one in twelve Americans have an autoimmune disease (Nakazawa, 2008). Traditional medicine really can't pinpoint the cause for this epidemic of autoimmune disorders, but this dramatic increase over such a short period of time must be caused by things other than heredity. Virginia T. Ladd, President and Executive Director of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association said, “With the rapid increase in autoimmune diseases, it clearly suggests that environmental factors are at play due to the significant increase in these diseases. Genes do not change in such a short period of time.” (Rattue, 2012).

Despite the lack of concrete causes that trigger autoimmune diseases, there is evidence that food allergies could be the culprit. I'm not talking about IgE-mediated allergies where you eat seafood or peanuts and your throat swells shut or you break out in hives, but a much less-noticeable battle going on in your digestive tract. Hidden food allergens reduce the digestive system's ability to absorb nutrients of certain foods, leaving them undigested. Undigested food particles can leak through the wall of the intestines, becoming foreign invaders that the immune system creates antibodies to attack. This sparks inflammation in our bodies, weakening our immunity. Prolonged exposure to these allergens confuses our immune systems, so that they attack us instead of the offending food, resulting in an autoimmune disease (Lopez, 2007).

So how do genetically-modified foods affect our bodies? In GMOs, the DNA that is being inserted into the target organism's genes is from a completely different species, often from bacteria, animals, and humans. This creates a transgenic organism. These species wouldn't usually mate or have offspring together. Jeffrey Smith, an expert in GMOs, explains why this is a problem: “The process of genetic engineering can cause hundreds or thousands of mutations up and down the DNA and up to 5 percent of the existing natural genes can change their levels of expression. And these are not evaluated in the superficial studies that are being done before the crops get on the market as food,” (Phillips, 2012). Now the problems that can occur with these new organisms are health issues caused by unknown allergies from things that normally wouldn't have to be tested for because humans naturally wouldn't be consuming them. Do you think that you would like to know which of your foods are made with GMOs?

Proponents for GMOs argue that humans have been genetically altering our crops for thousands of years, since the beginning of agriculture. But there is a difference between cross-breeding and genetic engineering. Cross-breeding is natural and produces traits without any lab experiments. Genetic engineering has begun within the last 20 years and has minimal safety studies on its impacts upon our health and the environment.

Credit: istockphoto

GMO producers claim that their products are more nutritious than regular crops. Monsanto, the world's largest GMO producer and seed company, uses the sample of Beneforté broccoli on their site to show how they are making food more nutritious. Beneforté broccoli is bred (read: not genetically modified) to contain three times the amount of glucoraphanin than regular broccoli. Glucoraphanin is a nutrient that naturally boosts the body's antioxidant enzymes and maintain levels of vitamins A, C and B (Improving Lives). The hyperlink used in Monsanto's page takes the reader to an article on USA Today about scientists in the U.K. who developed the broccoli by cross-breeding a traditional broccoli with a wild Sicilian variety (so the result is NOT transgenic like most GMOs). The article clearly states that, “No genetic modification was used” (U.K. Scientists, 2011). The U.K. has the strictest laws and regulations concerning GMOs of any country, and all GMOs for human consumption there are either banned or labeled (Foods in Britain and Europe). At best, GMOs are no more nutritious than regular produce.

GMO producers also claim that GMOs help to reduce world hunger. Due to modern agriculture, we produce much more food than we need. So it's not the lack of food that is causing world hunger, but limited access to it. GMOs like Golden Rice, which was bioengineered to contain beta-carotene, helps the human body produce Vitamin A. But the very countries that need these foods the most are also the ones that can't afford the additional irrigation systems and fertilizer that these crops require to grow properly (Robbins, 2011). Also, Monsanto and other biotech companies patent their seeds and use what they call a “Technology Protection System” - their crops produce seeds that are sterile, preventing farmers from saving some from the harvest and planting them for next year's crop. These “suicide seeds” keep customers coming back year after year to get the desired seeds. Will GMOs really help end world hunger?

Are GMO crops better for the environment and do they pose a more sustainable way to grow than traditional crops? Proponents of GMOs claim that because GMOs are engineered for resistance to insects and weeds, they require less insecticides and herbicides. But Monsanto's “Roundup Ready” seeds are engineered with chemicals in them so when the herbicide Roundup is sprayed on the fields, the crops survive and the weeds die from the toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, we are now seeing super-weeds developing greater resistance to Roundup and other herbicides and more toxic levels of herbicides are being used. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) crops are engineered to contain a bacterial gene that kills insects when eaten. Again, we are seeing super-bugs evolve with resistance to Bt (GM Crops).

Courtesy of sunfood.com

If the claims are true that GMOs are more nutritious, will help end hunger, and are better for the environment than traditional crops, it raises the question: why wouldn't biotech companies want to label their products? If they are more nutritious than organic produce and they were grown sustainably, wouldn't that be a great selling point? Or are large biotech companies trying to hide something by fighting laws that would require labeling of all GMO products? In 2012, biotech companies poured 23.7 million dollars into the campaign against California's 37 Coalition requiring labeling on all GMOs (Phillips, 2012). Many states, including most recently Connecticut and California, have had coalitions to mandate GMO labeling. Each time, they have been shut down by enormous campaigns funded by biotech. With evidence that GM crops are not more beneficial than traditional crops, what is the future of GMOs? I feel that people have a right to know what's in their food, and that the labeling of all products containing genetically-engineered foods is the only responsible thing that biotech companies can do.

Works Cited

1. “Genetically Modified Organisms - FAQ.” Non GMO Project. n.d. Web. 6 December 2013.
2. “GM Crops and Foods in Britain and Europe.” GeneWatch. n.d. Web. 7 December 2013.
3. “GM Crops – Just the Science.” Non GMO Project. n.d. Web. 7 December 2013.
4. “Improving Agriculture – How Are We Doing It? Biotechnology 101.” Monsanto. n.d. Web. 6 December 2013.
5. “Improving Lives – What is Monsanto Doing to Help?” Monsanto. n.d. Web. 7 December 2013.
6. Lopez, Len. “Food Allergies, Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases.” The Christian Post. 12 March 2007. Web. 18 November 2013.
7. Nakazawa, Donna Jackson. “The Autoimmune Epidemic: Bodies Gone Haywire in a World Out of Balance.” AlterNet. 18 March 2008. Web. 18 November 2013.
8. Phillips, Camille. “Link or No Link? Controversy Simmers Over Allergies and Genetically Modified Food.” Harvest Public Media. 22 August 2012. Web. 19 November 2013.
9. Phillips, Camille. “The Money Behind the No on 37 Coalition.” Harvest Public Media. 17 August 2012. Web. 19 November 2013.
10. Rattue, Grace. “Autoimmune Disease Rates Increasing.” Medical News Today. 22 June 2012. Web. 4 December 2013.
11. Robbins, John. “Can GMOs Help End World Hunger?” Huffington Post. 1 August 2011. Web. 7 December 2013.
12. “U.K. Scientists Grow Super Broccoli.” USA Today. 26 October 2011. Web. 7 December 2013.

This Time

This time last year I had a machine breathing for me
I was put in an induced coma so I could not move and possibly cause more damage to my lungs

I was on more drugs than you can count on two hands

For weeks no-one knew why my lungs were hemorrhaging
I was in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's for 13 days

I regained consciousness a week after I was supposed to be running the Canyonlands Half Marathon. I couldn't sit up by myself and it took effort just to talk. I was 25 pounds lighter than I was one month before, in my peak physical condition. It took a long time to get my body back. "Taking it easy," "not overdoing it," physical therapy... I had to be reminded to be patient.

I could've died. Miraculously, I live without lasting impairments. Life means so much more now. My physical body is the greatest gift I've received.

Now, I have been training for months. I am ready to run the Half Marathon that I missed last year.

This time this year I ran the Canyonlands Half Marathon.

p-ANCA Vasculitis

Today marks the one-year anniversary of entering Allen Memorial Hospital for my illness. I had been coughing sputum with blood for about a week previous and was being treated for pneumonia. Finally I became bed-ridden for two days and it was apparent that the antibiotics weren't helping. I went to the ER and within 24 hours I was sedated and flown to St. Mary's in Grand Junction. Five days later I was tested positive for p-ANCA+ vasculitis. Only about 3 in 100,000 people have this condition.

What it is:
periferal-Anti Nuclear Cytoplasmic Antibody -- immune system attacks itself

Positive -- tested positive for p-ANCA

Vasculitis -- inflammatory destruction of blood vessels

with

Pulmonary -- lung

Hemorrhage -- heavy bleeding

In my case, the ANCA affected the large blood vessels in my lungs, but did not affect my kidneys. There is no known cause for this condition.


How I've been treated:
While I was hospitalized I was on and off too many drugs for me to keep track of. After I came home I was taking Predinsone (steriods) and Cytoxan (chemotherapy, which interferes with rapidly dividing cells that make antibodies), both immunosuppressive drugs to stop tissue destruction from attack by my antibodies. I took Bactrim to protect me from infections because my immune system is suppressed by the steriods and chemo. I see a nephrologist (kidney doctor) periodically to monitor my immune system to make sure it's not going haywire as my drug doses decrease. Kidney specialists tend to see more cases of vasculitis than lung doctors do, so this is why I'm under the care of a nephrologist.

What this means long-term:
Since I recovered from my hospitalization, I have been very active and suffer from no ill effects of this condition. If all goes well, I will be weaned off all medication soon. It is possible that I can have a recurrence, but this is improbable and can be treated quickly.

P-anca Positive Vasculitis with Pulmonary Hemorrhage

Yeah, I'm not sure what it means either. I know it's NOT contagious or genetic and we're working at getting it into remission.   So I'm taking a lot of medication. Basically the antibodies in my body attacked my lungs and I coughed up so much blood I needed four blood transfusions. (This post explains my condition better)

(Typed from a few days ago in the hospital) Wow, right now I'm  completely free. The only machine I have touching my body is on my lap: my mom's laptop. No oxygen, intravenus antibiotics, or sensors. It feels so liberating. I looked in the mirror for the first time yesteday in 3 weeks. I shrunk about 25 pounds, so I'm looking pretty scrawny. As far as I know, my name has been on the prayer rolls for the Timpanogos, Jordan, Logan, Ogden, Provo, Monticello, Salt Lake City and Fiji Temples. The youth in my stake even fasted for me, and that's when my condition started to turn around. Maralee Francis made t-shirts with my face on the back and "WWCAD?" (what would Christopher Andrew do?) on the front. Wristbands were made with my name on them. A two-day fundraiser was held at the Moab Adventure Center selling burgers, wristbands and other things. Several local businesses donated gift certificates, time, money. Ivy Hazlett made a facebook page for me and wrote an article in the Times Independent newspaper. Everything has truly been a blessing. I've needed them. Here's what's happened the past couple weeks:

March 13: I start coughing up blood, but I'm not worried. Things are normal, work, church activities, and even a short mountain bike ride. I'm excited for the Canyonlands Half Marathon in a week. At the end of a ward dinner I get the chills and ask my dad if he can take me home. He checks me out, says it looks like I have pneumonia, and starts me on antibiotics. He and our hometeacher, Mike Arehart, give me a blessing.

March 14: I stay home from church.  I'm sleeping in my parent's bedroom.

March 16, 1 am: I did pretty good during the day, but suddenly got worse tonight. Having more trouble breathing. My dad takes me to the hospital.

March 17: Did okay today. Brother Hugentobler, Joe Heywood, and Terri Stucki visit me.

Around 4 am:  I'm taken to get an X-ray of my chest. I have to stand up for the X-ray, and I collapse from loss of blood. I always kinda wanted to be able to say that I've passed out, I just didn't imagine it would be that way. Afterward I smiled and chuckled about it. A few minutes later in another room, I was told I was going to be life-flighted to Grand Junction. My mom comes to see me and my dad leaves to pack up a few things and start driving. I feel strangely at peace, and I know everything is going to be alright. I ask my mom to make sure Ivy knows what's happening to me.  Then I'm put to sleep, a tube is put down my throat to breath for me, and I'm put on the helicopter.

March 21: My Stake President, Todd Stubbs, tells the youth in third ward that if they pray and fast for me, they can expect a miracle. The youth organize themselves and have a stake-wide fast for me. Many people have already have fasted for me. My condition starts to turn around.

March 26: In my sleep, I pull my breathing tube out of my mouth. They don't put it back in because I'm breathing okay on my own now and they were just about to take it out today anyway. My first memories are like nightmares. Everything is dark and I struggle in bed, finally summoning the strength for a feeble "help". I wake up later with what feels like a machine sewing something inside me. Sounds weird, I know, but that's what it felt like. I cough and and suddenly the hallucination ends. I'm awake now. Looking at all the machines around me and seeing nurses walk by my room I realize I'm in a hospital. I wonder when someone is going to notice me and tell me what I'm doing here and what's going on. I feel very thirsty, but nobody will get me anything to drink because they're worried I'll choke on it. It seems nobody is paying attention to me, and I can't understand why I can't even get out of bed. The sun is shining through my window, and I ask someone what time it is. It's 9:12 am. Every nurse that speaks outside my door sounds like my mom. Finally I see familiar faces, it's Joe Heywood and Ken Ballentyne! I'm so happy to see them. I ask Joe when the Canyonlands Half Marathon is, and he told me it already happened. "What?!" "Yeah, you've been out for two weeks." "Two weeks?!" I can't believe it. I ask him if he has his cell phone on so I can call my parents, but the hospital's machinery gets messed up by them, so no phones. Finally my parents come, and my grandparents are here too. I am so happy to be alive. I get water, and it tastes like water never has before. My tongue feels out of place and my ears ring constantly-I feel like I'm willing myself to live. I plead with God to let me live. I'm not afraid of death, but I know my family needs me. Later my parents and grandparents leave to go where they're staying. I have the weirdest hallucinations.

March 29: Moved out of the ICU. Smaller room makes me feel claustrophobic. Sleeping is uncomfortable. I continue to make lots of progress. I don't need as much oxygen, no more IV fluid, I'm eating all my food, and I'm starting to gain some strength back. I can brush my own teeth and even push the buttons on the TV remote! :P

April 1: I wake up at 3:15 am and can't sleep. I call my mom and tell her to pack up because it's time to go home--I want to get out of here! Despite my eagerness, I can't leave until my doctors come and check up on me later in the morning. Argg! After I sleep some more, the doctors come by, check me out, and say I can go.

Mom brings real clothes, which I put on with difficulty. My pants practically fall off my scrawny waist. I'm wheel-chaired to my grandparents' motor home in the hospital parking lot, where they've been staying the last couple weeks. I sleep all the way to Moab.

When I get home I find an awesome banner on the garage door, signed by a bunch of my friends. Mom takes me over to the MAC (Moab Adventure Center), where my friends are putting on a fundraiser for me. Everyone is wearing my shirts, holding posters, and cooking burgers. It's SO good to see my friends again! Emma (John Clayton's little girl) is adorable. She tells me she loves me and hugs me and blows me kisses. Dallen Dalton is dressed up like a hot dog. I have awesome friends.

Later on, after my second nap of the day, Ivy arrives from BYU! Logan Lewis, Clinton Day, Sherri Day, Ivy, my parents, and I watch "The Blind Side." Afterward Ivy and I have an arm wrestle. Just don't tell anyone she beat me. Dang!

April 3: General Conference! During the first session, the choir sang my favorite hymn, "How Firm A Foundation." Before the Priesthood Session, Jed, Zak, Ivy, Rachel, and Clinton come over. We throw a frisbee around (pretty well, too) and then play a game of Sorry. On our way home from the Priesthood Session, my dad and I stop at City Market, where we run into Brian Hays and Doug Garrett. My dad makes me drive around in one of those stupid wheelchair things, but I keep bumping into food displays. People should have to have a license to drive those things! Before too long, I give up and just leave it. Being in public is strangely confusing and overwhelming. I can't really explain it. We go home and have root beer floats (with cookies'n'cream ice cream, the best). Exhausted, I hit the sack.

April 4: Charlotte and Big Chris come down from Pleasant Grove bringing Anna, Matthew, and Olivia back home. We eat my aunt Charlotte's chicken curry, my absolute favorite food. Although General Conference is great, I'm so tired I sleep through most of it.

April 5: I go to seminary with Saren. It's great. Brother Jackman, Robbie Sweeten, Saren, and I talk about everything from good movies to bad illnesses.  I come home exhausted but excited.

April 6: I work on this blog post. Typing is getting easier. Now my fingers go where I tell them to, instead of fumbling around.  I can even start practicing the piano again. I drop my college classes and the ACT test that I'm supposed to take Saturday :( Oh well.

From here it's going to be a slow recovery, slowly gaining my strength back. Just walking up stairs gets me out of breath. I want to be working, hiking, biking, and running all at the same time. Frustrating, but with all that's happened so far, I'm sure I'll make it. Relationships with family and friends couldn't be stronger. Thank you all for your amazing support and love. I can't wait to be back (with a normal body, that is)!

The only things I clearly remember from my days of sedation: Get Well card from Saren (signed by a ton of people from school) and a photo of Ivy, Zak, Lily, Clinton, dog Sunny, and me on a hike. Like I said, amazing friends.

So many machines...