Can It Be ...

The road continued to wind left then right, then left and right again, as we climbed further and further up the long hill near Blantyre, Malawi.  

After each rotation of the wiper, a new pattern of small raindrops appeared on the thick, foggy, windshield glass before me.

We were returning from a day of clinical work in a rural area in the far south.

I turned to Dr. Mark Manary, the founder of Project Peanut Butter and an international nutritional expert, and started through a series of my questions about the state of global nutrition and the efficacy of the scientific tools we have to measure vitamin and other deficiencies in our bodies.

There are many expensive tests available to assess our blood and tissue.  I wondered out loud: Are these tests accurate?  What should we all be conscious about with regard to our diet and the support of our immune system?  What is most needed to support doctors and patients with our allopathic (western) medicine practices in the United States and the rest of the world?  What are the most pressing issues for international nutrition?  Are there simple solutions?

A colorful conversation evolved.

I sensed Mark's perspective on many of these issues is deep and broadly informed.  I tried to grab highlights, a portion of his rich response.  

Mark will likely write a series of books at some point!

One of the many ideas Mark shared fascinated me.

Apparently, one third to one half of all the people on our planet are deficient in iron at this time.  Wow.  

How might we solve this issue?  

Clearly, the foods required to address this are typically expensive and often scarce in poor and remote parts of the world.  

Mark said there is a simple and elegant solution.  

Here's his recipe ...

Each person in need of iron might acquire or be given one common iron nail.  

Then, this nail might be placed in a cup of clean, drinkable water and allowed to sit for a few weeks to initiate rust.  

After the nail is exhibiting a full state of rust, the proud owner can drink the iron fortified water and refill the cup with new water. 

Once the cycle is in process, the water may be consumed and refilled each day.

Mark said, in this way, appropriate levels of iron at a remarkably low price and accessible form may be achieved.  

As long as we avoid drinking the rusty nail with the water, all should be well!