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Never let an illness change your desire.  Without desire you are lost.

 

Lecture Upcoming

Keep your calenders open for October 13th.  At Davidson College at 7PM, my friends and I are hosting a maternal and child health symposium.

 

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Please reply with feedback or questions to [email protected].  I will try to answer as many questions via the newsletter as possible.  As always be well and love your children!

 

Dr. Magryta
Chris
Go to www.salisburypediatrics.com  if you would like to read any old newsletters, learn about Integrative Medicine or our practice

 

Issue: #37September 5, 2011
lilly

Volume 1, Letter 37

 

September 5, 2011 


Happy Labor Day!  The emphasis of today should be on work ethic and work ethics.  Teach your children the value of a hard days work and how to do it honorably.  Especially poignant in these times.  

Minerals again - 

Zinc - What is it? Why should we care so much about it?  

Zinc is a metallic mineral found in the earth in abundance.  It is on our wonderful periodic table of elements at #30.  It turns out that it is immensely important to our human health.

Over the past 4 years we have been assessing children's metabolic states and other than iron, zinc is the most deficient mineral.  Zinc is a major cofactor in more than 100 enzyme reactions throughout our bodies. We are especially reliant on zinc for our immune function, gut function, brain function, gene expression and skin integrity.  

For years, we assumed that if you were not severely deficient in zinc, that you were ok.  Wrong.  We now know that like vitamin D and many other minerals and vitamins we are in trouble at previously perceived normal levels. Insufficiency is currently the rule for when to worry.

For Zinc - here are the symptoms to worry about:

1) Recurrent infections including bacterial infections and viral illnesses.  My red flag goes up when I hear a parent say, "my son is sick all the time".  

2) Unexplained chronic diaper or other skin rashes.

3) Chronic intermittent diarrhea and irritable bowel symptoms.

4) Macular degeneration

People at risk for insufficiency: vegetarians, pregnant women, junk food diet children, people who take Iron supplementation and people with gut malabsorption issues.

See the link for dietary sources of zinc. 

 

 

My take home point today:  Find that extra zinc.

 

Heavy metal is good,

 

Dr. Magryta

 

Tidbits

 

Here is some new research on SIDS:

 

1)  In a study by Hauck et al.  the authors conclude in a meta-analysis that breastfeeding is protective against sudden infant death in infants.  The analysis also noted that exclusive breastfeeding was even more protective.  This study only sheds light on one of many causes or associations with SIDS.  Yet, the free and beneficial feeding method for infants strikes again.

 

Pediatrics 2011 July;128:103-110

 

2)  In a study by Wegienka et al. the authors found that exposure to indoor cats and dogs in the first year of life leads to a reduction in allergy sensitization in the child.  Pets were considered "indoors" if they spent 50% of the time inside.  This effect is primarily due to the increased microbial (bacterial) exposure in a critical immune tolerance development window.  I never stopped our dog, Nala, from licking my children on the face when they were babies.  So far so good.  They are allergy free despite a gene pool that says otherwise.  

 

Also, animals offer (and need/receive) love and affection that we all need on a frequent basis.  WIN/WIN!

 

Clinical Experimental Allergy 2011;doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03747.x.

 

Recipe of the Week


 

THE NOURISHMENT NOOK

By Nicole Magryta RD, MBA

 

BAKED KALE CHIPS


Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places

 

1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (experiment with different kinds such as Curly, Lacinato or "Dinosaur" Kale)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste (or seasoned salt)

 

Preheat oven to 350�F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until edges are brown but not burnt for approximately 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

 

Variations - Here's the fun part!

 

Cinnamon Sugar Kale Chips: Follow recipe above and also sprinkle a little cinnamon and superfine sugar on chips before baking. (You can also rub with agave, maple syrup or honey in place of sugar.) This version won the highest votes with my crew. Be adventurous and think of your own flavor combination. The skies the limit!

 

Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you're making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I'd use less oil - perhaps half - so they grind without the "powder" clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (your hands can probably do the trick as well) and sprinkled it over homemade popcorn. I seasoned the popcorn with salt. Enjoy

 

Afiyet Olsun

 

 

Copyright � 2010-2011 Christopher J. Magryta, MD. Readers, please note: The information provided in this newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for advice and treatment provided by your physician or other healthcare professional and is not to be used to diagnose or treat a health issue.


 


Chris Magryta
Salisbury Pediatric Associates
Touchstone Pediatrics