Chia Seed: Lots of Good Stuff in a Small Package

It is an ancient seed once prized by Aztec warriors who would never entertain a conquest without it and considered it a Superfood for endurance. It is a whole food source of pure Omega3, and just recently Dr. Oz featured this dynamic little seed on Oprah recommending it for dietary fiber and omega-3’s.

And you thought chia was only used to sprout “hair” on terra cotta likenesses of sheep, Uncle Charley and Homer Simpson.

Chia, known formally as salvia hispanica, is a remarkably nutritious seed that is power packed with omega-3’s, omega-6 and loaded with high-ORAC antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and many trace minerals.

While it is a staple among hikers and mountain climbers, chia seed taken everyday can easily become a dietary essential for anyone who suffers from PCOS by enhancing your energy, stamina and endurance.

Pound for pound, this tiny little seed – about 1 mm in diameter – is chocked full of proteins, oils and dietary fiber. About 34 percent of chia is oil, and 64 percent of that is omega-3, an essential fatty acid.

It’s important to know that our bodies do not produce omega-3. We can only ingest it by eating cold water fish like herring, salmon and sardines or spirulina, pumpkin or chia seeds.

The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of an omega-3 source weekly.

More importantly, chia absorbs more than 12 times its weight in water, prolonging hydration and helping the body regulate body fluids and the absorbtion of nutrients and also maintaining electrolyte balance.

Researchers also believe the gel that forms when chia begins to absorb moisture creates a barrier of sorts between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes, slowing the conversion of carbs to sugar. The decreased conversion rate is the primary factor in increased endurance without the highs and lows, peaks and valleys, normally associated with the process.

PCOS symptoms range broadly, and rarely will one find one “magic pill” for the condition. So it is vitally important to start at the beginning, where the rubber meets the road, with a well balanced, healthy diet.

Incorporating chia, with its abundance of protein, fiber and essential oils, is sound addition to anyone’s diet, no less for those that suffer from PCOS.

Now, go water Uncle Charley’s head.

Our Kids Are Not Eating Right

You’d think the H1N1 Swine Flu and ever-present threat of biological terror would be more than enough to keep all the gears humming at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but it seems they’ve got something else to worry about.

CDC now points to a 2007 survey of 100,000 high school students that shows fewer than 10 percent of our kids are eating the combined recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables.

With breath-taking lucidity, the CDC labeled these findings “poor” in a report just this week.

The report found that only 13 percent of U.S. high schoolers get at least three daily servings of vegetables (French fries don’t count) and just 32 percent get two servings of fruit.

Fewer than one in 10 get enough of both combined.

And we haven’t even covered the section on eating disorders.

OK. So tell me the kids don’t need something extra in the tank. Tell me a good multiple vitamin, quality protein powder and/or greens powder won’t help, and – in some cases – isn’t absolutely necessary.

There was also a recent article suggesting that supplements would not take the place of food, which apparently is something some fools in some corners are considering, and which we at The Organic Affair have never maintained.

What we do believe is that quality supplements from reputable manufacturers are an excellent source of nutrition to pick up the slack.

Kids move fast. Before they get out the door, consider Kids Multi, by Jarrow, either of the excellent one-daily vitamins by New Chapter, Pure Essence Life Essence multi and maybe even Greens + Wild Berry Burst, an excellent source of nutrient-rich green superfoods.

If your child isn’t eating right, and the fact is she’s probably not, give them a little something extra in the morning. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it will let the good folks at CDC rest a bit easier at night.