What has food got to do with it? Part 3

OMEGA-3/ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS/ FISH OIL: The Health Benefits in children.

Diet and eating habits from early childhood impact our lives in every aspect. In this section, I will discuss the importance of Essential fatty acids in young children .
We want our children to be little healthy geniuses to the best of our abilities. All these can be achieved with discipline and commitment and many diseases can be kept at bay. To develop healthy eating habits takes a lot of discipline , but once the habit is formed, it usually sticks. Longevity and sharp mental capacity have been linked to healthy eating habits and diet.

Omega -3 fatty acids, also called Fish oil or Essential fatty acids are found in fish. Salmon is an excellent source of it which is also easily available, although expensive. I will discuss the controversy over farm raised Salmon and Salmon caught in the wild, later in this write up.

Essential fatty acids play a role in reducing levels of bad cholesterol and increasing levels of good cholesterol.

The benefits of these essential fatty acids cannot be over emphasized. In children, they are shown to be essential for the following;

* Brain Development

*Eye Development

*Healthy Joints

*Mental Clarity

*General Health, Growth, Development

* Heart Health

The above are all VERY IMPORTANT health benefits for your children. It is imperative you make sure that your children get these benefits through supplementation or diet. With the controversy over farm grown Salmon and wild Salmon, many people shy away from buying Salmon, but Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained in soft capsule forms, chewable soft gel and even liquid forms. Directions for use are clearly displayed on these products.

During childhood days, I remember being made to take Seven seas Cod Liver oil which I seriously hated. It did not taste very good at all and then having it mixed in food was one way of making sure it was consumed. Our ancestors, in their great wisdom gave children chunks of smoked fish for snacks and treats. Those were loaded with essential fatty acids,protein and fiber versus the SUGAR BULLETS called candy people feed their children today coupled with fast food and junk food and artificial drinks loaded with sugar, which set them up for obesity, Dental decay, metabolic syndrome and the busload of problems associated with these conditions.

The Cod Liver oil of childhood days was viscous and had a lousy taste. Nowadays, they have good tasting fish oil products made by Seven seas and other companies like Nordic naturals. These products are available in health food stores and vitamin shops.

Children's nutritional needs change as they grow. It is essential that they get the right amount of Omega- 3 fatty acids for proper development, physically and mentally, especially in this day and age when fast food and other junk food are thrown at children around the clock on television, radio and on Billboards. Supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acids is of utmost importance for children.

Next, I will discuss the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids in adults and their role in healthy aging.

TO BE CONTINUED.

BETTY, CATCH AM.

Air Raid Betty------Continued.


Betty did her job as Air Raid Marshall with class. She always felt great when the crisis was over. We took her vigilance and dedication for granted at the time but looking back now, I realize how Betty gave us ample time to hide and take cover before the jets came on their killing and maiming spree. How much that helped, I will never know, but from what I have learned from watching deputy sheriffs chase criminals by air in rural Lake County Florida where I live, those bomber and fighter jets had bird's eye views of the ground as they came down so low. They must have seen their targets scurrying around trying to hide.
We always were able to hide before the planes came within view. When the air raids were over, Betty was usually her happy self again.

Betty enjoyed other odd jobs around the house. She was very energetic and did everything with gusto.
She was a farm hand too.The goats, sheep, chickens, sometimes got in trouble with Betty. Then, there were the wild life who always turned up to help themselves to the crops and livestock, especially the fowls, in the backyard outside the compound. Hawks and other predatory birds were sometimes bold enough to swoop down to grab chicks inside the compound. Betty would dash out barking as the hen screamed at the hawk in protest.
Betty soon mastered how to keep everybody in line. Face offs with wild critters in the backyard were always brought to our attention by Betty's wild barking from the backyard.

Our home stead was on the outskirts of a dry virgin scrubland covered with saw grass (ata), which were so sharp they slashed whatever came in contact with the blade-like leaves. There were Chaleku/icheku tress which made delicious fruit snacks, and araba/ahaba, which had stems which were were popular as support for yam crops. These were called alulu. In these bushes lived a wide variety of wild life. Patridges (Okwa), large rodents like (Nchi), and smaller (Ogini and Nkakwu) were abundant back there. So also were snakes, venomous and non-venomous. Betty loved to chase whatever showed up too close to the back gate. We always worried about Betty being bitten by a venomous snake back there. Years later, Betty died from a snake bite when she was much older and probably couldn't get out of the way fast enough as a snake lounged at her.

The domesticated animals learned two words of pigin English from their experience with Betty. "Catch-Am" which means Catch him, Catch her or Catch it was understood by humans and animals alike. When that command was yelled, things happened and happened quickly, too quickly to an unsuspecting observer who had never witnessed it before.
If some of the goats or sheep broke out and were attacking the crops, and they heard the command, they would stop in their tracks, do a double take,and bolt off back to their pens. If the gate was closed, they would break in from where they broke out in the first place. Even the chickens understoood the command. They would get excited and clack loudly and then run and fly at the same time to get away. To these animals, Catch-Am meant a black and white dog, chasing them, barking excitedly. Betty really enjoyed giving the chase and would sometimes leap in the air to bring down a rooster or hen as they tried to get briefly airborne to get away.

Betty would equally grab a goat or sheeep by the hind legs to bring them down following a furious chase. The animal would be panting and crying out with fear as Betty held them down.That was all Betty did though, she would hold the animal down, wagging her tail and breathless, until the animal was retrieved from her. She was usually very proud of the catch.

Sometimes when the command was yelled, Betty might be asleep in the house and would not have heard it. If Betty heard the command, she would shoot out of the house like a bullet and give chase, sometimes in the wrong direction, only to suddenly make a ground scratching halt, turn around to locate whatever she was supposed to chase and catch. She would then take off after it barking. The chase and catch game were routine entertainment.

Betty would stop an unknown visitor in their tracks with her barking and then run around in circles waiting for the command. No humans were ever chased although Betty would bare her teeth and raise the hair on her back and tail, if an unfriendly looking visitor showed up or if a family member seemed to be challenged by a person unknown to the dog. At times like that, Betty really had to be restrained or taken inside to calm down.

It was a different ball game with wild life which had their encounters in the back yard with Betty who would slip back there through the hole in the compound wall made for the chickens to come and go. Betty's adventures in the backyard were different. She knew she was not supposed to be back there. The only time she would really let anybody know she was back there was when she got in trouble or faced danger. Her furious barking would draw attention and we would call for her to come in. If she refused, that meant that she had encountered something she wanted us to see.
On some occasions, Betty was back there in a face off with a snake with head puffed and raised in a striking position. Betty would back off when called. Occasionally the snake would be killed. Once, a viper was killed that way, only to watch as small baby vipers ate through her and came wiggling out. It was so overwhelming and scarry that the snake had to be set on fire to kill all the venomous critter emerging from her. I was not present but learned that those present counted about fifty baby snakes when it was over. I also learned that vipers and some other species and also scorpions hatch their eggs inside the mother which then dies as the babies eat or bite their way out of her. I have not witnessed this myself.
A cobra was once spotted on a palm tree close to the compound in the backyard, following one of Betty's furious barking in the backyard. The snake had a bright red growth on its head, similar to a rooster's crest and it made a scarry noise. My father was not home and my mother sent for a neighbor, Ezeugonna who had a double barrel gun to come and shoot the snake. I don't remember if the snake was shot or if it got away. All I recall is being petrified with fear and staying away from the backyard for a while. We used to be back there collecting chaleku, Utu,
Uni, ( sweet wild berries and fruits), and even Elo/Ero (mushrooms).

To be continued.

Talking about scorpions, there were scorpions everywhere in those days and people occassionally got stung. Betty never got stung because she always smelled them and would start barking at the spot where the scorpion was waiting with stinger up.

AIR RAID BETTY----DOWN MEMORY LANE.

Betty, short for Elizabeth, was the name we picked for our new puppy during the war. Many dogs in those days were named after the enemies of the Republic. It was very satisfying to call those names and see a dog come running, tail wagging furiously.
Betty was the best dog we ever had. We always had pets, cats, dogs pigeons and other domestic animals. From what I know now, Betty must have been a Cocker Spaniel mix, black and white with floppy ears and a brown spot over each eye. Her hair was not too long like a typical spaniel. Betty behaved almost like a human maybe because she was alwyas around humans especially children. Many years later after I had left home and received news of Betty's death I had shed tears for her because she was almost like a little sister.
I remember clearly when my Aunt Ifeoma brought the puppy to our house at Christmas. We, my siblings and I were very happy. The baby at the time was too big to be carried around or tied to the back with a wrapper. Schools were out because of the war and we didn't really have too much to do after doing farm work and chores. Playing with Betty was an excellent outlet. We carried her around like a baby,sometimes dressed in clothes. My younger siblings would tie her ears together with pieces of rags for ribbons. They tied her to the back with a wrapper like a baby and she would sit there, paws in the air patiently bearing it. If she was occupied on a back or laps, and somebody else wanted to get her down for another event, she would look as if to say-------"Can I finish with this assignment first?" and she would quietly go to the next rotation which could be doing a dance routine, twist or atilogwu. One of Betty's dance songs went like this ------- a-betty nwa m ---o hmm, nwa m-o hmm, and she would start doing the twist.
Betty did it all gracefully. She never complained. I think she really enjoyed being the center of attention. She got rewarded for her patience in a way because she always received food favours from people who tried to be her favourite human, and Betty played along very well.

Visitors who came to the house would exclaim----"Nkita Oyibo--" the name for foreign breeds of dogs, usually characterized by floppy ears, bushy tails and longer hair than the local pedigree which were looked down on and referred to as "Eke Uke" simply because they were local and easily available in markets like eke Uke. Those Eke uke would fetch a handsome sum of money where people know the value of pedigree dogs like Chihuahuas. Betty was a beautiful dog and she got spoiled quickly. She must have believed she was human. She took naps in all the beds in the house. If it rained and the brush was wet, she eased herself in the middle of the yard where she would not get wet and when it was noticed, she would take off with her head lowered and her tail between her hind legs, admitting her shame for what she did. Next time it rained, Betty did it again. It became well known that Betty hated getting wet. Getting to give her a bath was a chore which had to be done from time to time since she was indoors a lot and got in beds.
Being around humans so much, Betty picked up on many human habits. She was very smart and picked up on things quickly. She quickly learned that the big monsters in the air which occasionally came roaring out of nowhere caused a lot of anxiety and distress in humans. These bomber and fighter jets would come unannounced and drop bombs or spray bullets at houses, churches, market places, killing or hurting people from time to time.
The sound of them always sent people scurrying for cover in bushes, against trees, under beds, tables or in bunkers. Very few families had bunkers. We usually ran inside and took cover under the big dining table or under the beds until the air raid was over. Betty always picked up the sound a good minute or so before anybody heard it. She would sit up straight, move her ears like radars and once the sound was confirmed, she would start whimpering aloud to get attention. While doing this, she may wet herself or be trembling with fear, her tail between her legs. Once she got the attention she needed, she would wait for reaction which was usually dramatic. Whoever noticed that Bettywas trying to warn about an air raid usually raised an alarm, shouting and calling out for everybody to take cover. There would be desperate scrambling to get into the house and take cover. Those too far from the house would usually dive into the bushes or flatten themselves on a tree trunk if they were out in the open. Betty would then join the mad dash for safety.She loved to be closest to the wall under the bed or under the table.
For some reason everybody felt safer inside the house which really did not make any sense because if the house was hit, it would have been over but who had time to think that way. Betty would hang on when anyone tried to push her aside. Those were the only times I saw Betty get angry at family members and snap or growl with a desperate look in her eyes. Then all went quiet when the airplanes zoom back and forth doing their grizzly jobs. Desperate whispered prayers filled the air as explosion after explosion was heard sometimes alternated with the sound of sprayed bullets ----kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa--- followed by loud booms of explosives. Sometimes, the attacks went on for a while and they always sounded so close but they were usually miles away. Sometimes, the attackers would leave, reload and come back within minutes.Those were very stressful days.
Betty would remain calm as long as everybody was calm. If anybody got overwhelmed and started crying or praying out loud, Betty would start howling and increase the volume to match the crying or prayer.
The reaction was always----- " Betty, mechie onu, osiso or Betty, com'on shut up." That would stress her even more and she would whimper really loud and look around from face to face as if looking for comfort. Her eyes would turn red. I learned later that dogs did not shed tears but the eyes would turn red when they would actually be crying. After the air raid, and the coast was clear, Betty would be very happy and go around from person to person wagging her tail vigorously almost as if to congratulate everybody for having survived the ordeal.---
To continued