Corn Cough

It's the season of Corn Cough. Throughout the reproductive stage to harvest, Corn Cough has many other explanations. Vog is the most common, flu-season, a bug, a cold, asthma are symptoms of an "emergency" (1). Closest to correct would be an allergy. Bioengineered crops may cause an "exaggerated reaction by our immune system" during certain stages of growth (2). Air-borne or ingested, symptoms include labored breathing, itchy eyes, lethargy, deep dry cough, chest pain, dizziness, arrhythmia. When reviewing the health impacts of GMO crops there is much variability in severity and specificity of symptom. Recently in GMO corn and soy "the discovery of an electron microscopic pathogen that appears to significantly impact the health of plants, animals, and probably human beings", may be the allergen (3).

"The founders and members of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine founded in 1965, are recognized as the first to describe ... many previously unknown syndromes and illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents encountered in air, food and water." Gulf War Syndrome is but one (4). Their recommendations in relation to GMO's are:

• Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.
• Physicians to consider the possible role of GM foods in the disease processes of the patients they treat and to document any changes in patient health when changing from GM food to non-GM food.
• Our members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on human health.
• For a moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term independent safety testing, and labeling of GM foods, which is necessary for the health and safety of consumers (5).

1, 3. Researchers: Roundup or Roundup-Ready Crops May Be Causing Animal Miscarriages and Infertility
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/gmo-miscarriages
2. Air Pollution and Allergies: A Connection?
http://www.medicinenet.com/allergy/article.htm#toc1at
4,5. American Academy of Environmental Medicine
http://www.aaemonline.org/AboutUS.html
http://www.aaemonline.org/gmopost.html