In this issue:
Meow!
World Health Day 2006: "Working Together For Health"
is celebrated every year on April 7th, under the sponsorship of the
World Health
Organization (WHO). The World Health Day highlights the World
Health Organization’s priorities for the year. The theme this year was: “Working
together for health.” Here’s an excerpt from a
WHO
statement on the importance of working together to address a growing
health worker crisis:
“Around the world, the health
workforce is in crisis - a crisis to which no country is entirely immune. The
results are evident: clinics with no health workers, hospitals that cannot
recruit or keep key staff. There is a chronic global shortage of health workers,
as a result of decades of underinvestment in their education, training,
salaries, working environment and management.”
What’s a fair member to do?
One could start by supporting folks going into health care as a career. Did
you know that in the U.S., the shortfall of registered nurses alone was 6% in
2000 and is projected to grow to 29% in 2020?
Let us know your favorite way of supporting healthcare workers – whether here
or abroad! I’ll share all good stories (my opinion trumps yours on whether your
story is good, of course). ^..^
Nutritionally Speaking: Eat Your Veggies!
You’ve heard it since you were sneaking them under the table to the dog: eat
your vegetables!
And these days, unless you’re living under a rock, you can’t escape the
growing body of information supporting a plant-rich diet.
Even carnivorous felines are being presented with wheatgrass to munch on,
which is much healthier and safer than potentially-poisonous grasses or plants
that curious cats might find on their own!
But, back to you, fair members. Veggies have long been acknowledged as
valuable sources of health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Modern
nutritional science underscores the importance of phytonutrients (e.g.,
nutrients founds in plants, such as flavanoids and phytosterols).
Phytonutrients influence good health in literally hundreds of different ways.
In 1994, one author estimated that 600 food factors in vegetables were
considered to influence human health (Huang, Ferraro, and Ho).
Alas, it’s getting harder to get these essential phytonutrients naturally.
For starters, crop testing reveals that only 30 years ago, fruits and veggies
were much more nutrient-dense. Today, plants grown on depleted soils,
preservatives, longer transportation times, and long shelf-life times all
negatively affect nutrient quality. To add insult, cooking and preparation
methods can leach or destroy nutrients in fruits and veggies as well.
Check out this link for some
tips and tricks
on getting the most from your foods.
Greens Plus: Supplementing vs. Replacing Dietary
Sources
Composed of a variety of phytonutrient-rich grasses, algae, and vegetables,
this is a worthy supplement even for our grazers’ diets (and especially for
those of you less inclined to spend time in the produce department!).
Here’s some of the latest snippets on some of the ingredients.
THE GRASSES
Barley grass is a potent alkalizer, which means it helps to balance high
acidity in the body, which is a common problem in a Western diet. It also helps
encourage healthy intestinal flora and is high in vitamin C.
Wheatgrass, in addition to being a good source of nutrients and fiber for
your feline friends, is rich in Vitamins A, C, E, K and B, including B12 and
B17. It also contains every single known mineral, and every known trace mineral.
Fast fact: Wheatgrass is not wheat, and it does not contain gluten, so those
of you with sensitivities have no excuses to avoid this little powerhouse!
THE ALGAE
Moving right along to algae…did ya know spirulina puts the pink in flamingos’
plumage? Yep, it’s those colorful carotenoids that do the trick. I know, who
cares, right? But, if I didn’t tell you these things, who would? ^..^
More important is spirulina’s growing reputation for immune-system support.
This little blue algae is nutrient-packed with vitamins, colloidal minerals,
plant pigments, antioxidants, unique phytonutrients, and essential amino acids.
Spirulina has been shown to be helpful in boosting energy levels and stamina
due to its 62% amino acid (protein) content and store of vitamin B-12.
Fast fact: Spirulina is one of the few plant sources of vitamin
B12, usually found only in animal tissues.
Check out some of the latest research on spirulina and its green algae
sidekick, chlorella, which is also found in Greens Plus:
THE VEGGIES
The next time you stick your nose up at beets, remember this: since Roman
times, beetroot juice has been considered an aphrodisiac. It is a rich source of
the mineral boron, which plays an important role in the production of human sex
hormones.
Who knew, besides the Romans? From the middle ages, beetroot has been was
used to support health, especially relating to digestion and the blood. Beets
contain significant amounts of vitamin C in the roots, and the tops are an
excellent source of vitamin A. They are also high in folate, as well as soluble
and insoluble dietary fiber and several antioxidants.
And, chew on this: broccoli and watercress are both members of the
cruciferous vegetable tribe, which receives ever more attention these days from
cancer researchers. Read on:
If you still want to learn more, check out our
Greens Plus page
for more details.
Health in the News
Favorite Pets' Mugshots Needed!
Pickins have been mighty slim in the
Favorite Pet
department! This kat can’t believe there are no Kodak moments happening,
so break out those cameras and do some justice to your pets’ attempts to be
cute! Here are
some shots I happened to snag to get you inspired.
Good grief, another long newsletter. Tell me the truth. Do you want ‘em
shorter and more frequent or are you a fan of the longer form. Inquiring minds
want to know.
Still purringly yours,
Guido
Guido Housemouser
Chief Kat and Community Manager
Our Health Co-op
931 Village Blvd
Suite 905-480
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
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