Why do children have more food allergies than ever before? Do you ever find yourself wondering why you didn’t know a single person with a food allergy when you were growing up? I have definitely pondered these questions, and I finally got some answers when I had the opportunity to attend a luncheon sponsored by Stonyfield Organic featuring Robyn O’Brien. Robyn is the author of the critically acclaimed book, “The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It”
To understand the answers to the above questions, I think it is really important to understand how Robyn came upon finding the answers. Robyn grew up in Houston, Texas, and she was the furthest thing from a foodie. She lived on meat and potatoes with Doritos and Ding Dongs. Robyn later became a Wall Street analyst, but traded in her briefcase to be a stay at home mom. They had a limited budget and she didn’t know how to cook, so her kids thrived on things like blue yogurt, store bought vats of mac and cheese, and microwaved chicken nuggets.
Robyn’s blissful ignorance about food choices ended the day that one of her children had a violent allergic reaction to eggs. Being that analytical person that she is, Robyn started digging for information. Why did her child and so many others in this generation have food allergies?
The answers she found were frightening.
Here are some of the facts Robyn found:
- In 1994, the FDA and the USDA approved new proteins to be added into our milk supply. All other developed countries said no to adding this protein.
- Soon after, a new protein was introduced into soybeans.
- Corn began to be genetically engineered so that it could produce its own insecticide internally. Corn was then regulated by the EPA as an insecticide.
- There was ONE human trial to test these genetically engineered foods. It showed a 50% raise in allergies.
- Elevated hormone levels in food are linked to various cancers.
- Cancer is the leading disease cause of death in children under 15 in the U.S.
You can imagine how horrified Robyn was when she discovered all of this information. She spent several weeks crafting a research based email to Erin Brockovich, and from there, Robyn’s life took a new turn:
“But I couldn’t unlearn what I had learned, and I couldn’t turn my back on what had to be done to restore
the health of our children. So I am an unlikely crusader for cleaning up our food supply. You may be,
too. But fortunately, there is a lot that we can do about it. We simply have to get savvy and stand
together so that our voices can be heard by leaders in our government and the food industry the same
way that families overseas have made their voices heard over there.”
If a Cheetos eating, non-cooking mama like Robyn could change her life and dedicate it to saving our children, then don’t you think we can make a few small choices to better the lives of our families?
Here are some other tidbits that Robyn shared that motivate and inspire me to make healthy food choices:
- In the U.S., we spend more on disease management than any other country on the planet. This affects everything from our health to our global competitiveness.
- Brands change in response to consumer demand. In other developed countries, major brands like Coca-Cola and Kraft distribute products that do not contain GMOs or genetically modified organisms.
- 88% of ADHD medications are consumed in the U.S., but we only represent 5% of the world’s population.
- Kids are 30% of our population but 100% of our future!
- 90% of cancers are environmentally triggered.
- As the CEO of Stonyfield says, every time you go to the grocery store, you are voting.
*Thank you to Stonyfield Organic and Robyn O’Brien for a wonderfully informative luncheon!
For more information on this topic:
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Accckkk! I am in the midst of the book right now. I can’t read it before bed, keeps me thinking about the harm that can be done by EATING.
Thanks for the insight.
Twitter: CodeNameMama
October 4, 2011 at 4:06 pm
WOW. I need to read that book – that is unreal! Thank you for sharing!
Twitter: MBJunction
October 4, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Thank you for posting this! I need to read that book. I love learning about this subject.
We have cut out milk for various reasons, and we try to buy whole foods as much as possible. I wonder if that’s even enough.
Jenn @ Monkey Butt Junction recently posted..Return of the Toddler Busy Bags
Heavy sigh! Thank you for sharing this. I know I vote at the grocery store, but I think I’d like to see about doing more. This is too scary.
teresa recently posted..Love Selflessly… 30 days of Kindness and a Giveaway!
Twitter: clothmamajess
October 4, 2011 at 6:03 pm
great info…especially for a family like ours…food allergy central over here!!!
Jessica | Cloth Diapering Mama recently posted..Reduce, Reuse and Re-purpose with Rags, Rags and more RAGS! CTWW
Twitter: granolacatholic
October 4, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Thank book is on my amazon list. I listen to Robyn’s TED talk. I have often wondered why so many more kids have allergies now than when I was in school. Thankfully my kids don’t eat much in terms of processed food.
Twitter: tmuffindotcom
October 4, 2011 at 8:32 pm
Bookmark, bookmark, bookmark. You know, your articles are great. They pack a lot of information into a really easy to read format. They are powerful! Thanks for this information. People need to realize what’s going on with big food companies in the U.S.
Gaby @ Tmuffin recently posted..The Lazy Mom’s Guide to Night Weaning
Ugh, I want out of this country!!
Momma Jorje recently posted..Monday Minimalist: Other People Holding You Back?
Twitter: mamasfeltcafe
October 4, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Nice article. These same reasons are also why my son has his natural immune system intact. Many parents do not realize vaccines contain peanut oil, chicken albumin, fetal cow blood. It is not a coincidence that there have been increasing incidences of peanut, egg and dairy allergies. Doctors are injecting newborns with GMO’s every day and none of this has been tested long term for safety or efficacy. We always have to remember we are our child’s only advocate for everything that goes into their little bodies. I’ll step down from my soapbox now
Twitter: mommyande
October 4, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I appreciate the post. It was very informative, especially being a person who suffers from food allergies. I look forward to getting the book.
Just as I was about to respond with what I thought was the news on Stoneyfield Farm and GMO I decided I should double check my info and this is what I found: http://www.stonyfield.com/blog/2011/01/29/the-organic-community-must-come-out-swinging-at-the-right-opponents/
I am glad to see it wasn’t as they were portraying it!
melissa recently posted..Don’t judge a book by its cover….
Twitter: CleverlyChangin
October 5, 2011 at 8:45 am
Wow! Very interesting and scary too. Post Stumbled. Check out mine From the Runway to Everyday (http://cleverlychanging.com/?p=1437).
Elle recently posted..Challenging Your Finances: Learning From Michelle Singletary
Thanks for writing about this- I think the increase in food allergies is a super interesting topic, and really quite frightening when you really look at it. Sounds like an awesome luncheon!
Heather @ Side of Sneakers recently posted..The PumpKING of Cream Cheese
Twitter: AfriBabesDntCry
October 5, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Thank you for posting this. I needed a renewal of inspiration to stick to whole and organic foods as much as possible.
I have seen so many changes in many different things over the last 20 years that are very concerning. I’ve seen surgeries touted as necessary or great when we have no idea yet of the long term effects, medications for “diseases” that almost sound made up, medications being recalled for sometimes fatal side effects, and I keep hearing about the modification and deterioration of our food supply. Seems we are rapidly pushing ourselves to the brink of a disaster.
thanks for this eye opening post!
Grady Pruitt recently posted..Broke? Find More Money to Build Your Wealth!
Twitter: alisonjgolden
October 5, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Yup, yup and more yup. This could have been my story except instead of allergies it was inexplicable weight gain and ADHD symptoms in my child. I would add a couple of things to her list. Wheat and dairy. Meat and veggies with the occasional fruit is where it’s at. And even then we have to be careful.
Alison Golden – The Secret Life of a Warrior Woman recently posted..101 Awesome Things To Make You Smile
Some of these statistics are pretty shocking, I have to admit. I will do what I can to keep my family healthier, even if that means making a few changes I’ve been putting off! Thanks for the tips.
Twitter: dnceluv
October 5, 2011 at 7:30 pm
OMG! This is was REALLY eye opening. Those last few stats had my jaw on the floort. But, as you say at the end “everytime you go to the grocery store you’re voting.” This is a HUGE topic that needs to be shouted from the rooftops!
Twitter: riverand
October 6, 2011 at 8:56 pm
This is the second time this book is coming up on my radar. I think I have to get around to reading it sooner rather than later!!! Thanks for the great post!!
Nicole Rivera recently posted..Now That I Can Be President…
Twitter: thebudgetdiet
October 7, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Our entire food supply is a mess! When will the media jump on this bandwagon??? Thanks for sharing!
Kristl Story recently posted..Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes for Groups
Twitter: DrJulie_Ann
October 9, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Yep. In an effort to use the chemicals that were developed for warfare for domestic use once they were no longer needed in war, we have put our own country’s food supply at risk. We’ve created mutations so that our food supply can survive the chemicals. But at what cost? Frankenfood has become the norm.
I can’t even tell my readers to go back to only eating foods that were around before 1960 because even our non-processed foods have been frankenized. It is a pretty scare food world out there!
DrJulieAnn aka The Modern Retro Woman recently posted..From the Archives: Pyramid of Success: Not Either-Or…But With-And
I read Robyn’s book a few months ago. I won’t say it was the best written (if I hear the phrase ‘mama guilt’ one more time…) but it was very informative. Every parent should learn what Robyn learned. Thanks for highlighting this important issue.
simply heidi recently posted..Food Day 2011
Very interesting! I stumbled upon this post. I’ve held this theory personally that GMOs have done evil things to our food supply. I suspected this with the increase in allergies also. I think it’s affected the increase in other A’s as well: autism, ADHD, autoimmune disorders.
I didn’t see anyone else with this theory but it seems so obvious to me. Something changed in the mid-90s that cause the increase in above. What could have cause it? The fact that our food supply changed so dramatically around that time with GMOs is an excellent suspect to explore, IMHO.
Cheryl D. recently posted..Yay! The Saw Is Out of the Tree!
Thanks so much for an informative post, Charise! I saw it before, but really benefited from reading it again. Stumbled!
Melissa recently posted..Checking In: An Exercise in Self-Empathy
Twitter: childorganics
December 21, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Great info! I have wondered those same questions,! It’s shocking,, really. Thanks for sharing!
Erica @ ChildOrganics recently posted..Blog Blitz-Most Viewed 2011
thank you for spreading the word! I have read Robyn’s book b/c I have a son with food allergies,& like Robyn I wanted answers. The more people that know the truth, the more hope we have for change!
Twitter: mamagatzemeyer
January 15, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Thank you so much for this post! I read it when you first posted it, but I’ve thought about it pretty much every day since- the idea about buying as an act of voting has really changed the way my husband and I buy everything now. I feel so empowered and educated! It actually inspired my January submission to the NatParCar. I haven’t read the book yet, but I did buy it and it’s next on my list! Thank you again!
Amy G recently posted..Watch Her Grow…
Twitter: ithoughtiknewma
January 17, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Wow, Amy! I am so honored that this post inspired you that much! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the book! <3
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