Beth H. Harrison Wins 1st Place (Gold): Outstanding Book of the Year--Most Progressive Health Book
Submitted by: Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food
2008-06-04 23:03:59
In four-time award-winning Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food, Beth H. Harrison explains why and how you've been kept in the dark about GE food, the risks, why they continue to go unlabeled, what to do to avoid them, and how to take action.
Sacramento, CA (OPENPRESS) June 5, 2008 -- Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food by Beth H. Harrison, PhD (iUniverse 2007, ISBN 978-0-595-45180-7) is awarded 1st place (gold) IPPY winner 2008 of Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards "Outstanding Book of the Year—Most Progressive Health Book."
Outstanding Book of the Year awards exhibit "the courage and creativity necessary to take chances and bring about change, not only to the world of publishing, but to society…winners were chosen for exemplifying this daring spirit and this list represents the cutting edge of independent thinking and expression," says Jim Barnes, IPPY awards coordinator. This year's contest attracted 3,175 entries from 49 U.S. states, D.C., and U.S. Virgin Islands; nine Canadian provinces, and 16 countries around the world: Trinidad to Thailand, Croatia to Czech Republic, and France to Finland.
Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food was recognized and awarded as the gold-medal winner at a ceremony at Book Expo America 2008 in Los Angeles on May 30.
This year Harrison's book has also won The Eric Hoffer Award (in health), which honors freethinking writers and independent books of exceptional merit—a platform for and the champion of the independent voice, as well as two Next Generation Indie Awards (in health/wellness and in current events categories). The Next Generation Indie awards recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books each year.
Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food delves into how some of the top corporations that control your food have repeatedly done business at the expense of public health. These are some of the same companies that brought us Agent Orange, PCBs, and DDT. For more than a decade, these multinational corporations have been altering, patenting, and owning an increasing amount of the world's food supply—without public debate.
An estimated 70-75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves today—from soda to soup, snack food, cereals to microwave food, even baby food and infant formula—contain unlabeled genetically modified ingredients.
Biotechnology scientists are changing the most fundamental characteristics of the food we eat without knowing what it will do to people who eat it. Genetically modified foods have never been proven safe for human consumption. In fact, as far as US regulatory agencies are concerned, if a biotech company SAYS its products are safe, that is enough for approval.
However, nearly every independent laboratory animal feeding study on GE food shows adverse or unexplained effects, such as problems with their growth and organ development, damaged immune systems and damaged organs, bleeding stomachs, and increased death rates. According to independent scientists, human health effects of consuming GE food can include toxic and allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, immune suppression, and other serious illnesses.
"We just haven't seen outward physical effects of GE food yet," says Harrison. "It could well be that we've got a ticking time bomb in our systems."
When genetically engineered food was introduced over a decade ago, it was promoted as a solution to some of the world's food problems; however, the promised advantages have never been realized. This book explores why these crops do not benefit consumers, do not feed the world, and do not help the environment. You will also find out why and how the biotech industry has spent millions of dollars to fight proposed labeling laws—to prevent you from access to truthful information.
The good news is that you don't have to unknowingly eat GE food again. Read Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food to learn why and how you have been kept in the dark about it and the risks, why these foods continue to go unlabeled, what foods to avoid, and how to take action. As a consumer, your dollars wield the most influence—and you can make a difference.
"It is important to realize that unlabeled genetically altered food affects you every time you eat. It is personal," she says. "Become informed. Only then will you be empowered to make the right decisions for you and your family."
Book review excerpt:
"...Not only does the book provide the badly needed exposure, it ends with a good action plan to empower us on how to protect ourselves. Information contained in it will go a long way to build a much needed critical mass of knowledge before many will be able to demand accountability from their politicians, media, food and medical, and educational institutions...Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food is a worthy handbook for action."
Beth H. Harrison, PhD, has been in public relations, marketing, and consulting and involved in the health field for more than twenty years. She has spoken publicly about GE food, has been interviewed on numerous radio shows and for magazines and newspapers, and will appear in a documentary called The Beautiful Truth scheduled to be released in September.
