Nutrient of the Month:
Iodine
Involved in
- information processing, fine motor skills, visual problem solving
- assists in production of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4)
- assists in production of acetic acid
- regulate basal metabolic rate during gene transcription
Deficiency Risks
- hypothyroidism (fatigue, depression, weight gain, goitre, mental slowing, low body tempteratures)
- connections to autism
- connections to breast and stomache cancer
Natural Sources
- fish and seafood, dairy, eggs, plants grown in iodine-rich soil, iodized salt
Articles related to iodine featured below!
Also, check out the page on Pregnancy and Childcare for why iodine is especially important for pregnant women:
Articles
About Iodine:
For Vegans/Vegetarians:
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
For the mother:
For the infant:
Infants and Children:
Any comments or questions feel free to email duchessinternational@gmail.com
Eating Green
Organic v. Conventional
(Some tips from KGI - Kitchen Gardners International)
KGI calls it the Plant Positive Approach
Organics mimic nature,
recycling nutrients and waste while minimizing the external inputs.
This preserves and enhances soil biological activity,
conserving the soil as a whole as well as the moisture within it
These practices eliminate the need for toxic chemicals,
promoting the health of humans and the ecosystems.
This enables the system to remain balanced.
"Feed the soil and the soil will take care of the things living in it"
VS
"Pest Negative Approach" or Conventional
Conventional practices make use of toxic agricultural chemicals,
pesticides killing more than their intended targets,
with negative implications for human health and environmental well-being.
Synthetic fertilizers, manufactured from oil,
further worsen the environment,
causing a need to "feed the plant"
using more chemicals.
"Feed the Soil"
Organic matter, ususally meaning compost or other organic soil blends, are turned with rock powders to enhance minerals and to build the organic component level of the soil being utilized to grow.
This improves the structure of the soil and supplies the plant adequately with nutrients so that chemicals enhancers and external intervention is not necessary.
Soil structure is what determines how much water, air, and nutrients are retained and then fed to the plant.
This is a ground-up approach.
If you have seen the movie American Hustle, think of Christian Bale's infamous line "From the feet up."
This also nourishes microorganisms and bacterias living in the soil which affixate nitrogen and other components necessary for healthy, happy plants.
Also, because the nutrients thus are "tied up in complex molecules," pollution is less likely to reach them and harm the plant or be drawn into the plant.
As the nutrients are recycled and continue to enhance the garden soil, this replenishes the earth and creates less environmental impact.
And, most importantly, you feel better about what you are eating!
There will be more to come in articles to follow! Any input, questions, requests or advice: email duchessinternational@gmail.com! We love hearing from you!
(Disclaimer: All photos is this article are not property of me or Duchess International. All were taken as pure visual examples to help flesh out the article, and were sourced from Google Images. If anyone knows the source more indepthly of these images, please feel free to contact me and I will post it. Also, if you are the owner/photographer of any of these photos and you wish for it to be removed please email me and I