I guess I was distracted a couple of weeks ago when Chris Masterjohn posted his most recent article, because when i started rereading it this morning, it was all new to me. It's no secret that i'm an enthusiastic promoter of getting pre-formed vitamin A, and that it really chaps my hide that it's acceptable to say vegetables contain any -- CUZ THEY DON'T. CM gets extra credit from me for pointing this out, and also that there are a lot of people who CANNOT adequately convert the carotenes to the retinoids they need.
When i first began to concentrate on getting retinol into my diet-and-supplement regimen, i felt significant improvement in energy. This influenced me to make liver a regular part of my diet, because that seems to be the single most reliable source (for those of us who don't raise our own chickens/eggs, cuz GOK what even free-range commercial chickens eat).
But there were more interesting things to be read in this article, and he promises us EVEN more in the next. For one, he describes how a deficiency contributes to circadian disruption. For another -- and this prompts a great big toothy evil grin from me -- DRY EYES.
Dry eyes: the reason why a certain blogger claimed that a VLC diet made one "mucin-deficient"....
We've long known that THAT was hogwash, but here is a tidy little explanation of what he MIGHT have actually been suffering -- vitamin A deficiency.
The writer who annoyed me so much the other day claimed that we amateurs couldn't possibly know if we're dosing ourselves correctly because we can't "see inside" but again, if we have any insight concerning OUR OWN BODIES we can see an awful lot. I can long-distance diagnose my own mother's malnutrition in A and Mg simply from knowing her and her health history, not that she'd believe it as a "moderation with healthyfruitsandvegetables" kind of person. But "dry eyes," poor night-vision ... guess what?
Masterjohn also postulated another interesting thought -- since blue/bright artificial light degrades vitamin A in the eyes, perhaps those with light-colored eyes are particularly susceptible to depletion in the presence of lots of sunlight. He, with light-colored eyes, thinks that may explain why he seems to need more than average amounts of vitamin A. Coincidence that people evolving nearer the equator are more inclined to have brown or black eyes? I doubt it. My only excuse can be my genetics and the fact that my eyes are a rather LIGHT brown.
I've been getting chicken livers from Whole Foods,and sautéing them with garlic and onions and salt. Very good. I'm a paid blood donor so this seems to help me with both vitamins and iron.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need a slew of lab tests (although it is FUN) to n=1 and know what is better-IMO. I chickened out of getting one of those SAD bright lights due to some risk of wet/dry MCAD- which I do have some genetic risk for. Living in San Deigo county has it's privileges, though, even with El Nino.
I've never played with different ways of cooking chicken livers -- i've only ever used them to make pate, but not having a really stellar recipe, it's always a little disappointing....
DeleteDo you suffer much from SAD? I've never known anyone "in real life" who suffers from it, but of course Wooo has written how much a light box helps her.
I visited San Diego when our son graduated from Marine boot-camp -- it was beautiful! And the fisherman's chowder we got at a famous restaurant close to the water -- OH MY GOD was that good....
I have two genes that cause vitamin A deficiency, and one has to do with converting betacarotine to vitamin A.
ReplyDeleteThe best pate recipe I've tried is in Freakin' Fabulous by Clinton Kelly.
Yes, i believe every woman of northern-European ancestry should make sure they get preformed vitamin A! I don't know how widespread our "shortcoming" is, but it's obviously significant.
DeleteI tried Kelly's recipe (terrific book hint, thank you!), but it still isn't as good as some restaurant pates i've enjoyed.... I'm on the hunt for the "ultimate" beef tartare recipe, too! :-)
I'm 96% northern European...you know me too well!
DeleteWhere can I find that recipe? I actually just fry the liver in a pan and eat it cause I cannot tolerate onions or garlic....which I guess means I should be dead, right?
ReplyDeleteHmm just like that gluten thing. ;)
CHICKEN LIVER PÂTE: YOU NEED: 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 1 / 2 CUP FINELY CHOPPED YELLOW ONION 1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED 1 CUP CHICKEN LIVERS, FINELY CHOPPED 6 ANCHOVY FILLETS 2 TEASPOONS CHOPPED SAGE 1 / 4 CUP SHERRY 1 / 2 TEASPOON SALT 1 / 2 TEASPOON PEPPER Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium-size skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic, chicken livers, anchovies, and sage. Stir until the liver is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the sherry, and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and pulse in a food processor until blended. The final mixture should be a little chunky. Refrigerate and serve with crostini or crackers. Hint: If your final mixture is too watery even after refrigerating, you can add a finely chopped hard-boiled egg to thicken it up.
DeleteI hope i didn't do something reprehensible by copying.... ;-)
You can get a decent pate but mixing gently cooked liver with enough soft butter and adding some black pepper and salt.
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