Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

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Iodized newspaper ink cures Iodine deficiency disease
newspapers throughout the developing world have an item printed with Iodized ink; just eat the article to cure a disease that affected 2 billion during the 20th century
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wikipedia says Iodine deficiency disease has affected two billion people simultaneously; a third of earths 20th century population

Newspapers are ubiquitous trash available as new used or trash to almost all humans

printing a nutrition Item brings Iodine sufficiency to giant numbers of people

Iodine sufficiency can be achieved with near 70 micrograms of Iodine

There is also an opportunity here to put microgram micronutrients like V Sn B12 as well as birth defect reducing folate with the material

wikipedia microgram supplements

Iodine 150 µg

B12 2.4 µg

Folate 400 µg

Molybdenum 45 µg

Se 55 µg

with soybean ink

NB: I have the idea that the most potent allergens known are active at ug amounts; perhaps these potent immune activators could be linked to disease dna fragments to create edible print vaccines

IMPROVABLE youtube video of this idea at link


beanangel, Dec 17 2007

wikipedia Iodine opportunity http://en.wikipedia...i/Iodine_deficiency
[beanangel, Dec 17 2007]

wikipedia microgram active nutrients http://en.wikipedia...erence_Daily_Intake
[beanangel, Dec 17 2007]

The Video version http://youtube.com/watch?v=RXKNxvz6X10
Kristi n Tiffy are cleverer than they appear, but I'm gonna make a better video [beanangel, Dec 18 2007, last modified Dec 19 2007]

[link]






       You can also absorb iodine through your skin, so if the newsprint came off on your fingers it would be absorbed. Also, it only gets absorbed if you are iodine deficient, so it would also be a diagnostic technique.   

       Excellent!

nineteenthly, Dec 17 2007
  

       This really is a good idea. I'm not so sure about eating the paper, as it may have been bleached.

phoenix, Dec 17 2007
  

       Print a prescription on rice paper: "Don't bother with the pharmacy - just eat the prescription"   

       {+]

8th of 7, Dec 17 2007
  

       I'd like to pretend that if just a person per 2k cured of IDD lives rather than dies that represents a million people from 2 billion   

       Ideas about a youtube video welcome

beanangel, Dec 17 2007
  

       How did I know that, when I scrolled down, this would turn out to have [Treon]'s name at the bottom? [+]

MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 17 2007
  

       // How did I know //   

       We presume the voices in your head told you.

8th of 7, Dec 17 2007
  

       Your "NB", though, is probably a non- starter. DNA of disease-causing agents is not usually a good thing to vaccinate with. There are some reports of viral DNA being used as a vaccine, but presumably because it get expressed at low levels in some way in the host, and raises an immune response against the viral proteins. DNA in newsprint is unlikely to be intact enough, and in any case will not enter the body intact. Plus, indiscriminate use of adjuvants to raise immune responses to DNA may run the risk of triggering undesirable autoimmunity (eg, lupus). Better to put viral antigens (proteins) in the newsprint, if you can afford it.

MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 17 2007
  

       //We presume the voices in your head told you.// No, the voices were talking about pasta and decapitation as usual.

MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 17 2007
  

       // pasta and decapitation //   

       Come..... join us..... don't be afraid .....

8th of 7, Dec 17 2007
  

       I would, but He would be angry.

MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 17 2007
  

       I guess this is the "Reader's Digest" version?

lurch, Dec 17 2007
  

       [Treon], this is a first rate idea. One could boil the newspapers and make a broth.   

       I wonder, though, about the application. What circumstances prevent treatment with iodine now? As you say, tiny amounts are needed and the shelf life is long. I suspect the problem is ignorance and isolation. It does not matter if eating the newspaper would help if the person in question does not ever see a newspaper, or is not aware (or is skeptical) of how it could help.   

       Just playing devils advocate. I still think it is very slick.

bungston, Dec 17 2007
  

       I wouldn't mind seeing some research as to whether biodegradable plastic bags could be used for this purpose. Making them edible and nutritious can't be that hard, when it's all said and done. Adding folate and iodine would be a worthy addition to what seems to be an intractable problem.   

       There are a number of Australian charities that distribute iodised salt in Nepal and Tibet, preventing thousands of cases of brain damage each year. This has led to a government program in Nepal, to ensure IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorder) does not occur in the population.   

       In fact, it has been made illegal to sell non-iodised salt in Nepal, since 2001.   

       We used to use only iodised salt for cooking and on the table when I was a kid, as all of our drinking water (the most common source of dietary iodine) was rainwater and therefore deficient in iodine.

UnaBubba, Dec 18 2007
  

       Is this really the "Big Issue"?

4whom, Dec 18 2007
  

       If it cured sad syndrome (S.A.D.) could it be called: "Eat Ink and be Merry"?

xenzag, Dec 18 2007
  

       I can see the writing is on the wall for this idea ...

8th of 7, Dec 18 2007
  

       There is a video up at youtube [link] I'm thinking its rude n I might change it

beanangel, Dec 18 2007
  

       I work for a newspaper. But I'm not involved in the printing process, so I have no expertise to pretend to add.

Noexit, Dec 19 2007
  

       This is amazingly cool, bun(+), but aren't stamps also common and easier to dope? Would people lick/eat a newspaper if you told them to?

MisterQED, Dec 19 2007
  

       Iodine + sugar creates a very black inky colour. So if you printed with iodine on rice paper it should make the ink black without any special ingredients.

DanDaMan, Dec 20 2007
  

       This would have the added advantage of being an reasonable antiseptic wound dressing in an emergency.

8th of 7, Dec 20 2007
  

       The infected fish was miraculously found alive, wrapped in newspaper.

UnaBubba, Dec 20 2007
  

       //Iodine + sugar creates a very black inky colour.// I think it's iodine + starch, no?

MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 20 2007
  

       Use starch as the pulp bonding agent in the newsprint and print with straight iodine.

rcarty, Dec 21 2007
  

       Perhaps you could add iodine to the label of salt boxes. And then good health is just a lick away.

ldischler, Dec 21 2007
  

       Iodine deficient people may not have access to clean newspapers. Suggest iodine injected into the water table as both a good way to reduce waterborne disease and to supply iodine to the population.

vincevincevince, Dec 21 2007
  

       // iodine injected into the water table //   

       Iodine injected into the population, directly ? Cut out the middleman ?

8th of 7, Dec 21 2007
  

       I thought Id suggest printing flavor drink recipes with sucroic acid which is 200 or 300k times as sweet as sugar along with the nutrients; rather than just good for you the newspaper becomes a delicious drink   

       developed world: numerous people take vitamins as they are beneficial yet huge numbers seek out n share flavored drinks

beanangel, Jun 18 2008
  

       Beanie, that is a neat idea also. Just out of curiosity, why the hangup with sucroic acid? Aren't there other sweeter things?   

       [EDIT - apparently not.]

MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 18 2008
  
      
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