Canadian’s lucky iron fish saves lives in Cambodia

[iverglas]

Just a little happy story I thought might be of interest.

http://www.thestar.com/article/1085741--canadian-s-lucky-iron-fish-saves-lives-in-cambodia

I remember reading a long time ago how the Iron Age wasn't just about implements and weapons ... it was about women surviving childbirth and living longer because of the iron the cooking pots added to their diets. And how we should all cook tomatoes (which are acidic) in iron pots to get ours. ;)

It was an enticing challenge in a country where iron deficiency is so rampant, 60 per cent of women face premature labour, hemorrhaging during childbirth and poor brain development among their babies.

A disease of poverty, iron deficiency affects 3.5 billion people in the world. ...

The people they worked with — “the poorest of the poor” — can’t afford red meat or pricey iron pills, and the women won’t switch to iron cooking pots because they find them heavy and costly. Yet a small chunk of iron could release life-saving iron into the water and food. But what shape would the women be willing to place in their cooking pots?

<the women rejected object after object, apparently for esthetic reasons>

But when Charles’ team came up with a piece of iron shaped like a local river fish believed to be lucky? Bingo. Women were happy to place it in their cooking pots and in the months that followed, the iron levels in the village began to climb. ... “We’re getting fantastic results; there seems to be a huge decrease in anemia and the village women say they feel good, no dizziness, fewer headaches. The iron fish is incredibly powerful.

And University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) researcher Christopher Charles has got his M.A. and nearly his Ph.D. (and got dengue fever) out of it.

He has presented his findings in Asia, Europe and North America to acclaim, and there is a serious possibility that this simple discovery will have a profound influence on the health status of women in Asia.

editing to add the pic because it's such a cute fish

[msongs]

1. that's good news,,,ummm but how long do they keep using the fish? nt

[iverglas]

2. I figure forever ;)

It's solid iron, and the bits it gives off wouldn't be enough to wear it out for a looong time, I imagine!

[Confusious]

3. Well, if they don't take supplements

or have any other way, which is what it sounds like, until it's a lucky nugget instead of a fish.

But that'll probably be a while.

[pansypoo53219]

4. so, i am getting iron when i cook w/ my ANTIQUE/VINTAGE

cast iron? cool. i just baked a very good chicken breast in my chicken pot.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[iverglas]

16. well you'd think it could at least have rec'ed the thread ...

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redqueen]

17. Hah, that's cool, thanks for posting it. :)

I wish I'd known about this iron pot business when I was pregnant. Those iron supplements are disgusting.