Salmon Oil or Flax Oil?

There is a difference in the way the body can use fish oils, compared to flax seed oil. The body converts the original type of omega-3 fat, known as (alpha) linolenic acid, which is the principle fat in flax seeds, into EPA and DHA which are both found in fish oils, but not in flax. So by eating fish or taking fish oils, you are saving your body from having to do the conversion.

What’s more, the efficacy of the conversion is dubious in many people. The enzymes that convert linolenic acid into EPA and DHA are very underdeveloped in babies, which is why breast feeding is so important and why supplying children with a direct source of EPA and DHA is essential.

Another problem with relying on taking flax seed oil is that, for an unknown reason, the linolenic acid appears to convert more readily to EPA than DHA. On average 15% of linolenic acid converts to EPA, while only 5% converts to DHA, thus causing an imbalance. Indeed, vegetarians have been shown to have lower levels of DHA, even if their EPA levels are adequate. Since DHA is literally a building component of the brain it is most vital in pregnancy, infancy and early childhood.

It is also important to ensure a good supply of the nutrients on which the conversion enzymes depend, i.e. Vitamins B3, B6 and C, biotin, zinc and magnesium, which is easily achieved by giving your child a good multivitamin and mineral supplement.

Image source=MD Idea
Keyword=n_d

How to banish a cold

OTC cold remedies don’t work. Masking one lot of symptoms just to suffer a bunch of others which make you feel worse doesn’t make any sense. To top it, your cold still lasts either 2 weeks or fourteen days. Why not set about preventing them for a change? If you get more than two colds a year, here’s how:

From today on, take 1-2 grams of vitamin C three times a day

Next time you get that scratchy feeling in your throat, don’t hang around waiting to see how it develops, and try this:

• Immediately eat 2 cloves of raw garlic, either chopped up with some other food, or in a glass of juiced vegetables, or just swallow the cloves whole. Do this 4 times a day for four days, or take 2 good quality garlic tablets, sourced from raw Alpine garlic leaves
• Four times a day for four days, take 2g vitamin C, 2 Olive Leaf tablets and 2 Golden Seal tablets
• After 4 days. stop the Golden Seal and Olive Leaf and continue with the vitamin C and garlic for another four days
• Suck some zinc gluconate or zinc acetate lozenges

Image source=Strange invensions from Japenese Research Labs
Keyword=h_l

What are vitamins?

Two groups of vitamins are present in the body – water soluble (C and all B vitamins), which are found in all watery components of cells; and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, found in the fatty cell compartments such as membranes.

There are more than 20 vitamins, each having different chemical structures and roles within the body, which are used in many unique ways. For example, Vitamin C is used to form collagen, which is produced by ribosomes and exported from the cells to form collagen systems. During this process a substance called hydroxylproline from an amino acid, is formed, but if there is no Vitamin C available, the process cannot be completed. The first sign of this process breaking down is found in weak blood vessels and loose teeth. Collagen holds teeth in their sockets, so this simple deduction was first discovered when scurvy became rife amongst sailors who lacked fresh vegetables and fruit for months on end. Hence limes and lemons became an important part of their diet.

However, nowadays there is minimal Vitamin C found in citrus fruit, due to deficient soils and lack of sunshine at ripening, hence the necessity to supplement with good doses of Vitamin C on a daily basis. We are able to store some vitamins, and whilst Vitamin C is not one of them, Vitamin A is well stored in the liver, so be careful of over dosing!

In 1912, Polish scientist Casimir Funk described natural food substances that are essential for life when working on symptoms of beriberi. Funk suggested that these four precise diseases were caused by a lack of ‘amines’ in the diet:

Rickets – lack of Vitamin D caused ‘softening’ of the bones

Scurvy – lack of Vitamin C caused blood loss from leaking blood vessels

Pellagra –lack of Vitamin B3 caused skin changes, constant diarrhea and dementia

Beriberi – lack of Vitamin B1 caused pain in the limbs, weak muscles and enlarged and weak heart

Most vitamins are not produced in our bodies, and so we need to find them in our food. Common thinking is often that if we eat a ‘healthy’ diet of lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and good protein.

We can get all of the vitamins we need in our food

Sorry about this, but the answer is no. Unless, of course you are growing all of your own food under perfect organic conditions, with soils that are rich in ALL the nutrients we need. As we’ve said before – organic is great, but the soil the food came from has to be very nutrient rich.

Independent studies conducted in the United States, and the United Kingdom amongst other countries reveal that the nutrient content of our food has fallen substantially over the past few decades. The table below gives examples of potatoes sold in Canada between 1951 and 1999.

Potatoes, one potato, peeled before boiling, 136g. 100/136=.74

	Calcium (mg)	Iron (mg)	Vitamin A (I.U.)	Vitamin C (mg)	Thiamine (mg)	Riboflavin (mg)	Niacin (mg)
1951	11.00	0.70	20.00	17.00	0.11	0.04	1.20
1972	5.74	0.49	0.00	16.39	0.09	0.03	1.15
1999	7.97	0.30	0.00	7.25	0.09	0.02	1.74
% Change	-27.55	-57.14	-100	-57.35	-18.18	-50.00	-45.00

See also:United Kingdom - Meat and diary: where have all the minerals gone? Food Magazine 72, pub. by The Food Commission, UK. Jan/Mar 2006.

Image source=3D Chem
Keyword=n_d

In the Toddler Organic Vegetable Garden

In a month of glorious weather the vegetables at Squirrel’s Landing have had to be almost tied down, to stop them growing so fast! These beets have only been in the ground for two months and are now ready for a full harvest, so if you visit Creeds towards the end of the week, you may just be lucky enough to nab a bunch.

The leaves are simply beautiful and are almost pretty enough for a flower arrangement, but we’ve been enjoying them in salads and as a lightly steamed green vegetable for weeks. Full of good nutrition and bursting with flavour they are truly a wonder food, stacked with beta-carotene, iron and calcium.

Beetroot have higher sugar content than most vegetables but are also rich in vitamin C (we all need more), fibre, potassium, folic acid, magnesium and manganese. Enjoy them roasted or grated raw, and if you’re brave, find a recipe for borscht! In fact, why not ask us for one?

We’ve also been having fun with the rest of the garden and have at last laid down our plans for an Edible Garden. I’m very excited about this, as I can now indulge in a passion for a flower garden as well as passion #1 - organic vegetables. Of course the flower garden will also be organic, which is just as well, because I’m inclined to put marigolds, borage, nasturtiums and more into salads. But not foxgloves! Sometimes I forget which are vegetables and which are flowers – so many plants are worth experimenting with in the kitchen

The idea for the Edible Garden came from a book I picked up whilst book browsing the other day – and what a find it’s turned out to be! By Rosalind Creasy, it’s called The Edible French Garden. Of course! She has wonderful ideas and the photographs are outstanding. Why not find a copy and sit back in a cozy chair by the fire with a cup of something hot, and indulge!

If you like the idea of starting a similar garden, look on page 19 for a sneak preview of how The Edible French Garden at Squirrel’s Landing is going to look... and keep up with the Real Food section of Cabbages And Cream for updates.

More articles on Squirrel's Landing Organic Vegetable Garden:

Organic Vegetable Garden Progress

Birth of an Organic Vegetable Garden

keyword=v_g