PRACTICALLY ACTIVE: Charity helps families afford transplants

This time of year, hearts and minds turn to giving, sharing and helping. It's the whole "hearts all aglow" thing. There are many ways to we can be good to our fellow men, women and children.

I received an email that caught my eye for a very sad reason. It's from the Children's Organ Transplant Association (cota.org), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that gives free fundraising assistance to transplant families for a lifetime. The money raised is to help meet transplant expenses for organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplants and are not considered income for families. The nonprofit also works with people of any age with a single-gene disorder such as polycystic kidney disease, cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease.

People in White Hall are working to raise money for toddler Jacob Trucks, the son of Holly Reed and Chris Trucks. Born in 2018, Jacob was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. The transplant team at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock has recommended a kidney transplant. The community is working to raise $50,000 to assist with transplant-related expenses.

Individuals or groups who want to help should contact community coordinator Allison Gill at [email protected]. Contributions can be sent to Children's Organ Transplant Association, 2501 W. COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403. Checks can be made payable to COTA with "In honor of Jacob's battle" in the memo line.

Secure credit card gifts can be made at COTAforJacobsbattle.com. There is a photo of Jacob on the page.

The nonprofit has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.

THE POWERFUL PEANUT

As a diabetic, I'm always on the lookout for nutrient-packed proteins that don't negatively affect my blood sugar. A favorite go-to is the peanut, a food that shows big things can come in small packages.

Although peanuts are legumes and not officially "nuts," they have benefits that go far beyond just tasting good on a sandwich with jelly.

According to Samara Starling, Ph.D., director of research for The Peanut Institute in Albany, Ga. — which exists to promote the sale of peanuts — "Peanuts qualify as a superfood because they are nutrient-dense and deliver health benefits in a very small serving." For instance, compared to raw kale, a serving of peanuts contains six times as much protein and eight times as much niacin.

Peanuts come in forms that include butter, oil and flour. In the U.S., they account for 67% of all "nuts" eaten. One ounce, about a handful, is close to 170 calories, has 7 grams of protein, 19 vitamins and minerals, polyphenols, phytosterols and antioxidants, healthful fats and fiber.

Interesting studies have found an association between eating nuts and peanuts daily and reduced risk for a type of breast cancer that is hard to treat. Association is not causation, but still, I like thinking about that.

A 2016 study from Harvard University found that substituting a serving of plant protein for animal protein can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Peanut protein was among the commonly used plant proteins. And, a 2018 study in Current Atherosclerosis Reports found that those who ate nuts regularly had a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts have also been found to fight malnutrition in the form of ready-to-use therapeutic foods. They offer a peanut paste that also contains skimmed milk, vitamins and minerals that can help malnourished children around the world.

Research in the LEAP Study (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) indicates that early introduction of peanuts to children can possibly prevent allergies later in life. It showed that children exposed to peanut foods between 4-11 months of age had an 86% reduced risk of a peanut allergy at the end of five years.

For more information on peanuts, resources and recipes, go to peanut-institute.com.

Email me at:

[email protected]

Style on 12/09/2019

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