Why? Evidence points to glyphosate toxicity from the overuse of Monsanto\u2019s Roundup herbicide on our food.<\/span><\/p>\n For over three decades, Stephanie Seneff, PhD, has researched biology and technology, over the years publishing\u00a0over 170 scholarly peer-reviewed articles<\/a><\/strong>. In recent years she has concentrated on the relationship between nutrition and health, tackling such topics as Alzheimer\u2019s, autism, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the impact of nutritional deficiencies and environmental toxins on human health.<\/p>\n At a conference last Thursday, in a special panel discussion about GMOs, she took the audience by surprise when she declared,\u00a0\u201cAt today\u2019s rate, by 2025, one in two children will be autistic.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0She noted that the side effects of autism closely mimic those of glyphosate toxicity, and presented data showing a\u00a0remarkably consistent correlation<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0between the use of Roundup on crops (and the creation of Roundup-ready GMO crop seeds) with rising rates of autism. Children with autism have biomarkers indicative of excessive glyphosate, including zinc and iron deficiency, low serum sulfate, seizures, and mitochondrial disorder.<\/p>\n A fellow panelist\u00a0reported<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that after Dr. Seneff\u2019s presentation, \u201cAll of the 70 or so people in attendance were squirming, likely because they now had serious misgivings about serving their kids, or themselves, anything with corn or soy, which are nearly all genetically modified and thus tainted with Roundup and its glyphosate.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Seneff noted the ubiquity of glyphosate\u2019s use. Because it is used on corn and soy, all soft drinks and candies sweetened with corn syrup and all chips and cereals that contain soy fillers have small amounts of glyphosate in them, as do our beef and poultry since cattle and chicken are fed GMO corn or soy. Wheat is often sprayed with Roundup just prior to being harvested, which means that all non-organic bread and wheat products would also be sources of glyphosate toxicity. The amount of glyphosate in each product may not be large, but the cumulative effect (especially with as much processed food as Americans eat) could be devastating.\u00a0A recent study<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0shows that pregnant women living near farms where pesticides are applied have a 60% increased risk of children having an autism spectrum disorder.<\/p>\n Other toxic substances may also be autism-inducing. You may recall\u00a0our story on the CDC whistleblower<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0who revealed the government\u2019s deliberate concealment of the link between the MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps, and rubella) and a sharply increased risk of autism, particularly in African American boys.\u00a0Other studies now show<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0a link between children\u2019s exposure to pesticides and autism. Children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalate chemicals, are more likely to have autism. Children whose mothers smoked were also twice as likely to have autism. Research now acknowledges that environmental contaminants such as PCBs, PBDEs, and mercury can alter brain neuron functioning even before a child is born.<\/p>\n This month, the USDA\u00a0released a study<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0finding that although there were detectable levels of pesticide residue in more than half of food tested by the agency, 99% of samples taken were found to be within levels the government deems safe, and 40% were found to have no detectable trace of pesticides at all. The USDA added, however, that due to \u201ccost concerns,\u201d\u00a0it did not test for residues of glyphosate.<\/em>\u00a0Let\u2019s repeat that:<\/strong>\u00a0they never tested for the active ingredient in the most widely used herbicide in the world.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>\u201cCost concerns\u201d? How absurd\u2014unless they mean it will cost them too much in terms of the special relationship between the USDA and Monsanto. You may recall the revolving door between Monsanto and the federal government, with agency officials becoming high-paying executives\u2014and vice versa! Money, power, prestige: it\u2019s all there. Monsanto and the USDA love to scratch each others\u2019 backs. Clearly this omission was purposeful.<\/p>\n In addition,\u00a0as we have previously reported<\/a><\/strong>, the number of adverse reactions from vaccines can be correlated as well with autism, though Seneff says it doesn\u2019t correlate quite as closely as with Roundup. The same correlations between applications of glyphosate and autism show up in deaths from senility.<\/p>\n Of course, autism is a complex problem with many potential causes. Dr. Seneff\u2019s data, however, is particularly important considering how close the correlation is\u2014and because it is coming from a scientist with impeccable credentials. Earlier this year, she spoke at the Autism One conference and presented many of the same facts; that presentation is\u00a0available on YouTube<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Monsanto claims that Roundup is harmless to humans. Bacteria, fungi, algae, parasites, and plants use a seven-step metabolic route known as\u00a0the shikimate pathway<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids; glyphosate inhibits this pathway, causing the plant to die, which is why it\u2019s so effective as an herbicide. Monsanto says humans don\u2019t have this shikimate pathway, so it\u2019s perfectly safe.<\/p>\n Dr. Seneff points out, however, that our gut bacteria\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0have this pathway, and that\u2019s crucial because these bacteria supply our body with crucial amino acids. Roundup thus kills beneficial gut bacteria, allowing pathogens to grow; interferes with the synthesis of amino acids including methionine, which leads to shortages in critical neurotransmitters and folate; chelates (removes) important minerals like iron, cobalt and manganese; and much more.<\/p>\n