IRON (fe) DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN RESOLVED BY BIOFORTIFIED PEARL MILLET

Anemia affects more than 1.6 billion people worldwide, and iron deficiency is the leading cause of the condition. Pearl millet bred with 2 to 4 times more iron than conventional varieties could offer a novel solution, according to a Cornell-led study testing the new grain’s efficacy.

Published recently in theJournal of Nutrition, the study describes how the iron biofortified pearl millet resolved iron deficiency in a group of school-aged children in India within four to six months, compared to a control group fed conventional pearl millet over the same time period. The iron-rich grain used in the study was developed by the HarvestPlus program, in partnership with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India.

For the past year, companies have been selling and distributing seeds of the new high-iron pearl millet crossed with local varieties to western Indian farmers. In India, pearl millet is typically ground into flour to make bhakri, a staple flat bread.

The study tested the efficacy of the bio-fortified pearl millet on iron status in children, and examined how long the increased iron took to accumulate in the body.

“We estimated it would take somewhere between four and six months,” said Jere Haas, professor emeritus of maternal and child nutrition in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, the paper’s senior author. Julia Finkelstein, assistant professor of epidemiology and nutrition and the Follett Sesquicentennial Faculty Fellow in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, is the paper’s first author.

“After four months we could see a significant difference in accumulated body iron for the high iron bio-fortified pearl millet group versus the control group,” Haas said.

The randomized controlled feeding trial – no one knew which participants were fed high-iron pearl millet flat bread and which were fed conventional pearl millet bread – was conducted in 246 low-income, boarding-school children between 12 and 16 years old in Maharashtra, India. 

Conventional pearl millet contains 21 parts per million (ppm) of iron, while the new iron-rich variety has 83 ppm – almost four times more. It also contains more zinc. In addition, the new crops have higher yields and are disease and drought tolerant.

“ICRISAT was able to substantially increase iron content for pearl millet, but there is a limit” to how much iron the plant can store, Haas said. “This is less than one sees in diet supplements, which is why it takes longer to see an effect.”

Haas conducted a previous trial to test efficacy of rice bio-fortified with iron. Rice has a low iron content to start with, and studies revealed that people needed to consume a significant amount, about 4 to 5 cups of cooked rice, over nine months to achieve small effects, Haas said.           

At the start of the pearl millet study, 41 percent of the children were iron deficient, and 28 percent were anemic. Among children who were iron deficient, those who ate the high-iron pearl millet bread were more than one and a half times more likely to have normal iron levels after six months, compared to children in the control group who ate conventional pearl millet bread.

The researchers noted that it was much harder to discern the impact of bio-fortified millet on anemia, since many factors can play a role in anemia. Also, the new millet can replenish low body iron in apparently healthy people, since excess dietary iron is well regulated in the body.

Future studies will examine the effects of introducing such seeds across a population, to see how widely the iron-rich grain integrates into the food system, and what effect it has on overall iron deficiency over many years.

The study was funded by HarvestPlus.

References

Iron Deficiency in Children Resolved by Biofortified Pearl Millet. Cornell Chronicle.Cornell University; 2015 Available at: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2015.... 

TIPS TO SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE BY MARTHA DE PURENEZ (MRS)

*THIS WAS ESTABLISHED BY MRS MARTHA DE PURENEZ, WHO DIED AT THE AGE OF 104, AND SHE SPENT 82 YEARS IN MARRIAGE, AND SHE SAID THIS:*

"I know that young ladies will never agree with me, but whoever will implement this shall be the happiest of all and shall make a nice home; unless otherwise."

ITEMS

1.  The husband is always right

2.  The husband is always the master of the family even if he has no job and NO MONEY

3.  The wife must ask for permission from the husband before going to bed if the husband isn't yet in bed, as well as before turning her face away from him on the bed. The husband is still the master and has full control on all the operations even in bed

4.  If there is a quarrel with the husband and then a visitor comes, the wife should smile as if nothing happened

5. Anytime the wife thinks she is right in a matter, she should refer herself to Article number 1

6.   A good wife must go to bed in her nightdress with no panties or bra, (except during your monthly flow, which he must know about) to allow the husband access to her at any time he feels like (NOTE: *All women should note that this is a man's greatest desire in marriage* - especially if he loves the woman)

7. A woman MUST NEVER refuse her husband's romance expect on the grounds of health and prayers. *Even in such cases she must POLITELY and LOVINGLY explain to him*

8. When the husband is shouting, the wife keeps quiet and that is the time to apologize for whatever has upset him. (NOTE: *Apologizing to him after you have shouted back and insulted him DOES NOT WORK!)*

10. The wife should always seek the husband's permission before making any decision except where he has previously granted you the permission on that particular issue

10. A wife should always excuse the husband to the children if he comes home late.

11. Even on a personal matter a wife waits for her husband with her ideas but must take those of her husband when he is back home

12. The wife must never use work in the day as excuse to deny him at night. Let him be the one to say, "Oh, you must be tired after all the stress of the day!" It is best that way.

13. The wife never goes to sit down in her husband's office unless in an urgent case or an emergency. A good husband too will not come and sit in your office.

14. A good wife does not embark on any kind of expenses without consulting the husband *even if it is your own money*. A good husband too will not control your money.

15. The best way to settle  misunderstandings is in the bedroom. If a misunderstanding lingers and he does not make a move in bed, *a good wife should make the move*

16. The wife never refuses to prepare his meals, even if he is refusing to eat due to annoyance. *When he has refused 2 meals, prepare his favorite, with tempting treats*

17. The wife has no orders to give to her husband, but she receives orders from him 

18. *The wife must always  respect the husband*. Next to freedom of access to his wife's body, this is a man's most important concern

19. The wife has to control her jealousy and never show it in public

20. The good wife pays visits to her parents as well as to her in-laws *only* with the permission of the husband. And under normal circumstances, accompanied by the husband

21. A good wife never entertains guests in her home without the husband's knowledge and consent. *Not even your own relations*.

22. NEVER ENTERTAIN *ANY MALE GUEST* WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE. *Not even his own blood brother* He may not talk or complain about some, but be sure he has counted it against you.

23. The wife *never* goes out anywhere without permission from her husband

*NB:*    My dear fellow woman, I want you to know that *THE POWER OF A GOOD WIFE IS IN HER WEAKNESS*. Please,  as stupid as this may sound to you, use it and watch your husband become your lover once again.  This is my secret recipe for a happy marriage and full control of my home. *I did all the above and I was the one running the home; NOT MY HUSBAND!* His love and respect for me was second to none. And I know that's why God has also granted us long life to enjoy each other the more.

Note : this rule have healed over 5 million plus marriages and restored over 10 million marriages that were heading for divorce.

Also share this to all your female friends, cousin's, aunties and sisters etc, *especially the married ones*,  this would help those families.. .