Bodycomp News & Views Issue#15 May 2011

In this issue:

  1. Destination: Lighthouse Park
  2. Sumas Organic Beef
Sumas Organic Beef:

http://www.sumasmountainfarms.ca/

One of the contentious issues regarding meat consumption for protein is the fat content. Conventional beef is few a variety of grains including corn, soy and other grains. Ruminants have a digestive system that evolved eating grass and other leafy plant material, not starchy grains.

The dense calories found within grains result in a cow that grows much faster ( and fatter) than grass fed animals, but this comes at a price. The fat found in these animals contains much more omega-6 fatty acids and less of the omega-3 that is associated with inflammation and disease in humans. Besides, an organic, grass-fed cow tends to have better care with less emphasis on meat production.

This beef is more expensive than the meat from feedlot cattle, but it tastes much better, has a better nutritional profile, and supports farming techniques that is better for both the farmers and the cattle.

If you have a chance, try some organic beef from Sumas Mountain Farms or another ethical grower - you will likely find it a worthwhile purchase and might have trouble going back to conventional beef after tasting it.

Lighthouse Park

http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/lighthouse-park/

After living in Vancouver for nearly a dozen years I finally made my way to Lighthouse Park for a sunny afternoon. It's only a 30 minute drive or a 45 minute transit ride from downtown and offers kilometers of forest trails and rocky landscapes for climbing and exploring.

lighthouse park

It reminds me of the terrain I grew up in on Southern Vancouver Island, with lonely arbutus trees somehow growing out of barren granite cliffs.

Bring a lunch and lots of water as you can work up a good sweat following the trails over the interesting boulders and nooks.

map

It's also a great spot to bring a small grill for dinner after a day of exploring and climbing. My favourite is to prepare chicken or beef kebabs with additional skewers of cherry tomato, sweet onion, bell peppers and pineapple chunks. Make sure to keep the meat well chilled in a cooler to prevent food bourne illness, but a little preparation will make your group the envy of the park, and if you're willing to share, you might even make some new friends.