Archive for July, 2008

Farmer’s market hits Howard

July 29, 2008 at 8:24 pm · Filed under General, Local Foods ·Tagged , , ,

Chalk one up for local food production in Howard, SD.  Yesterday, the Howard Farmer’s Market opened with raving success. 

On her way home from work, Teresa Poppen picked up some peppers, zuchini, and nue potatoes.  “I’m so excited about the market because I love fresh vegetables, ,” said Teresa Poppen, “but I’m not a gardener.”  She cooked up much of her purchase for dinner and made some zuchini bread to take to work today.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local logo

Buy Fresh, Buy Local logo

Organized by the youth group called Teens Talk Tomorrow, the farmers market opened with four vendors. 

I couldn’t make it down to Howard to buy anything (driving 140 miles to buy local foods runs contrary to the local foods concept), so I called a friend to buy some produce that I could pick up today when I’ll be in Howard.  Two vendors had already sold out by the time I phone in my order, but I did get some potatoes and beats.

There is a movement afoot for local food production, and I definetely want to learn more.  I’m planning on attending a Buy Fresh, Buy Local organizational meeting tonight in Sioux Falls.  I’ll try to report back.

Note:  The SD Specialty Producers Association is sponsoring an organization meeting for a SD “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” chapter.  The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. July 29 in Sioux Falls at the Minnehaha County Extension Center, 220 W. Sixth St.

 

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Vote – Should kids take statins?

July 15, 2008 at 1:49 am · Filed under General ·Tagged , , ,

MedPage Today is currently running a poll on the question “Should children as young as eight with elevated lipids be started on statins?”  I couldn’t resist voting, if for no other reason than I wanted to see what other people thought.  Apparently, the American Association of Pediatrics is not in step with public opinion with their recommendation.  At the time of my vote, almost 80% of the voters felt that statins should not be recommended (No – 79, Yes – 21). This really doesn’t surprise me, and I hope that someone shows the AAP the survey’s results. 

And I hope you will follow this link to vote yourself.

Note:  It looks like voting has ended.  If you want to see the final vote, check out the Past Surveys tab on the survey site. 

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Word of mouth education–our goal

July 14, 2008 at 4:56 pm · Filed under Flax, Health Benefits, omega-3, omega-3 to omega-6 ratio ·Tagged , , , ,

It seems like every week we receive articles from customers or periodicals that really have encouraging comments on the health benefits of making flax a part of our everyday diet. The really disturbing fact is that they are seldom in the media most folks are privy to.

The big news of high cholesterol in children, once again sends the kids to the Dr. instead of getting on the Internet and just looking up natural remedies for some help in turning this trend around.  That is the reason for the title of this blog. Folks who are interested in their own health, will inform those who don’t have–or take the time to search.   If you have followed our trend, it has been to help show the many health benefits that little flax seed has to offer everyone who uses it on a regular basis. There are many studies done with flax in the diet of young children, so far as I can tell there isn’t one negative response. Cholesterol in children is the same in adults, lack of exercise, high omega 6 diet–how many kids are going to eat enough salmon every week, to even the 3 to 6 ratio?  The easy way to do it is to add a little ground flax in anything that enters the mouth.  1 teaspoon would not change the taste of any breakfast food, but it could change the whole physical and mental attitude of any child.

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Docs respond to AAP recommendation to give children statins

July 12, 2008 at 6:19 pm · Filed under General, omega-3 ·Tagged , , , , ,

Common sense may yet win out in the battle against the epidemic of kids with high cholesterol. 

A few days ago, the NY Times reported that some doctors are speaking out against the American Academy for Pediatrian’s recommendation that kids as young as age eight take drugs to lower high cholesterol levels.  The article reads:

While some doctors applauded the idea, others were incredulous. In particular, these doctors called attention to a lack of evidence that the use of the cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, in children would prevent heart attacks later in life.

“What are the data that show this is helpful preventing heart attacks?” asked Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, a pediatric cardiologist and assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “How many heart attacks do we hope to prevent this way? There’s no data regarding that.”

Nor, Dr. Sanghavi added, are there data on the possible side effects of taking statins for 40 or 50 years.

Other doctors said the recommendation would distract from common-sense changes in diet and exercise, which are also part of the new guidelines.

Initially, I was pretty upset at the AAP’s recommendations:  How could they be so blind to the need to consider diet (more whole foods high in omega-3s) in the fight against cholesterol in our kids? 

But maybe the report is a good thing; it has certainly elevated the discussion in blogosphere about our children’s health.  Hopefully it causes more parents to take responsibility for their children’s health and to look to what they are feeding their kids.  And the NY Times article give me hope that all doctors are not blind followers of the drug industry.

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Cholesterol Problems in Kids

July 8, 2008 at 6:57 pm · Filed under Flax, General, omega-3 ·Tagged , , , , ,

 
Should a child this young be treated with cholesterol lowering drugs?

Should a child this young be treated with cholesterol lowering drugs?

CBS News reported last night that doctors are now recommending that some children, beginning at age 2, should be tested for cholesterol and that kids as young as age 8 with cholesterol problems should be considered as candidates for cholesterol lower drugs.  Is that crazy or what!

The recommendation comes from the Academy of Pediatricians, and is the result of growing obesity, heart, and cholesterol problems in children.  As one doctor noted, he has seen kids as young as 5 and 6 with cholesterol problems.  (Did your heart sink like mine?)

I’m all for treating health risks like high cholesterol in kids, but giving them drugs (called statins) seems to be a little excessive.  Making sure kids have a good diet, high in omega-3’s, and making sure that they get lots of exercise seems more appropriate.  This is especially true when one considers that these drugs, as reported by CBS, are known to have some harmful side effects.

In defense of the Academy of Pediatricians, the report does recommend better diets including lowering saturated fats; but I saw no mention of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  Surely this should be included in their recommendations. 

At the end of the day, I hope that parents who believe their children are at risk of high cholesterol will take their kids to the doctor for a check-up and that they will have a discussion with their physician to find the appropriate “treatment” for their child.  Paramount to that discussion, however, should be good nutrition.  

 

 

 

 

 

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