One meal for man, one cultivation for mankind

> The significance of rice within Western and Eastern society

Jason GokHo Ing
Contributor

 

t seems like rice has been around

forever. This small crop has done
wonders for our species, from advancing
ancient civilizations to providing
adequate nutrition to almost half
the world’s population. One cannot
underestimate the significance of this
basic commodity. This single grain can
be grown almost everywhere. Neither
the arid deserts of Saudi Arabia nor the
slopes of Nepalese mountains can stop
the advancement of this carbohydrate.

One culture that relies greatly on

rice is Japan. This dependence stems
from the isolated landscape of this
island nation. Many Japanese citizens
had to depend on their own farming
land to survive before the use of rapid
transportation. Due to its low production
cost, versatility, and ability to be grown
year-round, the Japanese quickly
embraced the cultivation of this crop.
The grain is used in a plethora of dishes
such as cakes and breads, and even is

a key ingredient in Japanese vinegar.
Rice vinegar was used as a means of
preserving fish before the invention of
modern refrigeration. However, this
product is now used as a key ingredient
for the world-renowned dish, sushi.

With such a large impact on the
lives of everyday citizens, one must
ask themselves if rice is beneficial or a
detriment to our overall health. Many
criticize the carbohydrate saying that it
is nothing more than an empty starch.
However, research has shown that even
white rice is good for human digestion
due to its lack of phytic acid. This is
due to the fact that rice is milled, which
removes any bran that is harmful to the
human gut. Additionally, rice contains
higher levels of magnesium than bread.
One cup of brown rice contains 83.9
milligrams of magnesium in comparison
to bread, which only contains 52.5
milligrams of magnesium per cup.

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Jacey Gibb
Distribution Manager

Great Inclinations is your go-to source for diving into
the world of casual hiking in and around the Lower

Mainland. Because hiking’s not just for assholes anymore.

fter the winter we just had, this recent burst

of high single-digit temperatures might have
you thinking that summer’s just around the corner.
The unfortunate reality is that we still have a
few months of mildness before it’s full-on beach
season—or true hiking season, for that matter.

Our local mountains were pounded with snow
this winter, which is great for our water reservoirs,
but it also means that some mountains will have
snow until late April or May. In the interim,
might I suggest giving snowshoeing a try?

Purists of either activity will disagree, but hiking
and snowshoeing are basically the same thing, but
occur during different seasons. They're both done in
the mountains or wilderness, both are a moderate-
to-low impact workout, and both are incredibly
accessible to everyone. One of my favourite lines is
when someone says, “I don’t know how to snowshoe.”
Can you walk? If so, then you can snowshoe.

Snowshoeing is also a relatively cheap endeavour.
Most mountains have snowshoe rentals for around
$15 to $18, but off-mountain business like MEC have
day rentals for less. You should also keep in mind that
unless you have a vehicle with snow tires, you'll have to
take a mountain shuttle to reach most of these trails.

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at whilst you wait for hiking season to start.

Always make sure you are prepared before heading
out into the wilderness. Important information about
hiking (and snowshoeing) safety can be found at
northshorerescue.com and adventuresmart.ca.

Mount Seymour Ski Resort

If youre a snowshoeing virgin, Mount Seymour Ski
Resort is the ideal introduction. Their trails are mostly
flat and fairly wide, so they can accommodate more
groups of snowshoers traveling in either direction.

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' Great Inclinations: Prepare for
hiking season by snowshoeing

> The perfect pre-season activity while you're
Waiting for the snowpacks to melt

You can also cover the majority of their trails in under
a few hours, depending on what paths are closed.

Cypress Mountain Resort

Similar to Mount Seymour Ski Resort, the paths at
Cypress Mountain Resort are well-maintained and
plentiful, but there are more intermediate and advanced
trails you can challenge yourself on. My biggest gripe
with Cypress Mountain Resort is their cross-country
ski trails and snowshoeing trails often intersect, so

you regularly have to stop and give the right of way to
skiers and any maintenance machinery going past.

Dog Mountain

Located adjacent to Mount Seymour Ski Resort,
Dog Mountain is a free snowshoeing trail perfect
for those wanting more of a challenge. You have
the same inclinations of a regular hike—since
that’s exactly what Dog Mountain is during the
summer—complete with several outlooks along the
way. Dog Mountain is quite popular though, and
the trails are narrow, so be prepared to stop and let
people who are descending the mountain go by.

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Hollyburn Peak

Another free snowshoe trail, this one is accessible
from the Cypress Mountain Resort parking lot.
Hollyburn Peak is definitely the most challenging
trail on this list, but also the most rewarding. There
are three “summits” along the way, each one preceded
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the perfect spot to plop down and eat some snacks,
but the top offers the only 360-degree view—and

it really is quite the view. If you're going all the way
to the top, allot about four hours round-trip.

Lightning Lake

This one’s more of a day trip, but Manning Park’s
Lightning Lake offers a beautiful, expansive set of trails
perfect for the casual snowshoe enthusiast. The terrain
is mostly flat and there are several shortcuts throughout,
so you can tailor travel time to however long you want.
The full loop is about nine kilometres, or three hours.
This trail’s also free, whereas the trails located inside
Manning Park Resort require a snowshoeing pass.

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These differences are significant, as
magnesium helps produce DNA and
lipids. Furthermore, magnesium is
essential to the human body because
it assists in balancing hormones and
aids the communication of cells.
With over 4,000 years of
storied history, rice has seemingly
ingrained itself within human
culture. Its absorption within
numerous nations coupled by its
stellar health benefits prove that
without out a doubt that the art of
rice cultivation is one of the greatest
discoveries ever made by humans.

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