Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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JULY 16-22, 2014 UCW 19 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Iodine, a trace element, is one of the most important — and most overlooked — minerals your body needs. In the early 1900s, iodine deficiency was a big problem in the United States, but the issue receded after iodine was added to most table salts and used to make dairy and baking products. Today, most Americans still get enough, but some experts fear iodine deficiency is on the rise again, especially among women, and it too often goes undiagnosed. What Iodine Does When you don't get enough iodine from foods such as fish, sea vegetables, and even iodized table salt, you can become iodine deficient. If you're low in iodine, your body can't make enough thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolism, body temperature, muscle building and more. This may lead to hypothyroidism or thyroid gland enlargement, also known as goiter, and can cause fatigue, weight gain and constipation. Iodine deficiency is especially dangerous for pregnant and breastfeeding women. A mom's inadequate iodine levels can lead to lower IQ, mental retardation and even irreversible brain damage in a developing child. The problem is, [iodine deficiency] is really tough to detect. There's no direct test for it, and often symptoms aren't noticeable. Or if they are, it's usually low energy, brain fog, or dry mouth or skin, which can also be caused by so many other issues. Why You May Be Low The recent push to reduce salt intake may be contributing to iodine deficiency among women. They are less likely to add salt to their food or use it when cooking. And even though 75 percent of Americans' salt intake comes from processed foods, those aren't made with iodized salt. Women today also eat a lot less dairy, which contains iodine. Plus, iodine content in fruits and vegetables is hugely variable, depending on the region and soil in which they are grown. Seafood is generally a good source of iodine, but amounts are difficult to quantify. Generally, saltwater seafood contains more iodine than freshwater; iodine also varies by where the fish were caught and in what season. Common chemicals may also cheat you out of iodine. Constant exposure to fluoride from tap water, chlorine from swimming pools, and bromide from plastic food containers, pesticide-sprayed produce and flame retardant–coated furniture all compete with iodine in the body. The cells that need it the most— thyroid, breast, brain and skin cells—soak up these chemicals instead of iodine. Address Your Intake If you suspect you're low in iodine, first have your doctor check you for thyroid problems. Next, discuss diet. Eating iodine-rich seaweed and sea vegetables such as nori, dulse, kelp and spirulina are commonly recommended. If you're a woman in your childbearing years, nutrition guidelines suggest supplementing your diet with 150 mcg potassium iodide (in a prenatal supplement) to achieve 220 mcg total daily intake during pregnancy and 290 mcg during breastfeeding. You can also get iodine through kelp supplements. Be sure to talk over your options with your doctor. Top iodine foods Sea vegetables: 16 mcg to 2,984 mcg per serving Yogurt: 75 mcg per serving Iodized salt: 71 mcg per serving Dairy milk: 56 mcg per serving Enriched bread: 45 mcg per serving Eggs: 24 mcg per serving Recommended daily iodine Birth to 1 year: 110–130 mcg Ages 1 to 8: 90 mcg Ages 9 to 13: 120 mcg Ages 14+: 150 mcg During pregnancy or lactation: 220–290 mcg Source: National Institutes of Health Why You Need Iodine and How to Get Enough by BRENDA HARRIS Stoney Point Elementary School teacher Shaunee Howard turned a normal writing exercise in her second grade class into something extraordinary for her students and some children they'd never met. Thanks to a conversation with a friend about Falcon Children's Home, Howard decided that the class would use a book-writing exercise to create donations for children at the orphanage. She saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness in her students, give them an authentic audience for their work and create a community relationship between the two groups of children. Working in groups, the class created nine books with the goal that they would be donated to children at the home. "Making books gives the young authors an authentic purpose for writing," Howard said. "They acquire skills much sooner and put them into applicable practice. The students' reaction to the project of donating books to the children's home was very positive. They were eager to take part in something bigger than themselves." Eight-year olds Levanna Cotto and Paige Perkins were two of Howard's students who worked on the project. Cotto wrote about a cat who found a new friend, and Perkins wrote about sharks. "It really made us feel good, because we got to do something for kids who can't get it for themselves," Cotto said. "I felt great because, at the orphanage, they didn't have a lot of books, so I liked making books for the orphanage," Perkins added. Howard, who has worked at Stoney Point for nine years, graduated from Methodist University in 2005 with her bachelor's degree in education, and again this past spring as one of the first graduates of MU's Master of Education Program. "If it had not been for my experiences going through the Master of Education program at Methodist, I probably would not have even realized the value in authentic writing to teach writing in school," Howard said. "The classes, structure, and support of the program really changed the way I approach teaching writing and reading. My students and I are realizing the benefits of my educational training as we all continue to grow and learn." "I applaud Shaunee for what she has done with her students and her involvement in the community," said Dr. Sue Godwin-Baker, Director of the Master of Education Program at MU. " What a great project she did and how wonderful that she is not only teaching her students about writing for an audience, she is teaching them about the importance of giving to the community." For more information on the Master of Education Program at Methodist University, visit methodist.edu/med or call Dr. Sue Godwin-Baker at (910) 630-7060. M.Ed Graduate Has Students Writing for an Audience and a Cause a STAFF REPORT BRENDA HARRIS, Owner of The Apple Crate Natural Market. Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. Iodized salt is just one source of iodine. Children at Falcon Children's home look forward to events that involve the community, including the annual Harvest Train and the Stoney Point books.