6 Friday, January 28, 2022brooklintowncrier.com The chill of an unseen heavy presence. Bathroom taps turning on by themselves. Cupboard doors opening and closing. Windows shaking on a calm day. The sounds of dragging footsteps in the attic. It's not uncommon in small communities to hear tales of paranormal activity in older houses. They may be passed down from the loss of loved ones or through violent or mysterious deaths. For the former residents of 5 Vipond Road, one of Brooklin's oldest historic landmarks, this house is indeed haunted. The single-storey wood framed building was built in 1850 by pioneer physician Dr. Jonathan Foote where he and his wife raised their six children after they moved from their Oshawa residence. He was born in Cornwall, Vermont, in 1804 and graduated from the Vermont Medical College in 1829, moving to Oshawa the next year. In 1835 he married Robina Dow, a daughter of one of the wealthiest pioneer farmers in Whitby Township. Dr. Foote had an extensive practice that covered the area from Scarborough in the west to Hope Township in the east. Family tragedies To lessen his workload, he partnered with Dr. Henry Warren in 1861. One of Foote's daughters, Margaret, married Dr. Warren in 1864. However, the marriage ended tragically on July 11, 1872, when he took his own life. He left three children, the last of whom was born two months before his death. As for Dr. Foote, the year 1884 was devastating. His son Henry died on August 14, his wife on September 2 and his daughter Helen on September 21. In November, 1885, one year after he sold the homestead to John Vipond, Dr. Foote himself passed away. Vipond made some changes to the property, adding a second storey in 1924 and dividing the house into two apartments. One was for himself and the other for his aunts Adelaide and Elsie. While John Vipond died in 1926, the Viponds continued to live in the house until it was sold in 1955 to Jack Gray, a Toronto Globe and Mail journalist. So then, what suggests the spooky nocturnal presence at the address? It was not until Gray sold the house in the 1970s that tales of haunting began to emerge. Renters attested to various unusual, seemingly impossible, phenomena, as described above. Is there a supernatural presence at 5 Vipond Road? Brooklin's haunted house By Jennifer Hudgins For as long as I can remember, people have claimed we need supplements as our soil quality is depleted and we're not getting the nutrients we need from food. Others say we should be okay if we eat a wide variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. While I am not a dietician - my certificate is in plant-based nutrition only - I do recommend that when switching to a plant-based diet, you investigate what you need and ensure you get it, either through diet or supplements. If you eat a standard North American diet, you get essential nutrients from animal-based products without much thought. For example, essential ones such as B12, iron, and protein come from meat, calcium from dairy and omegas from salmon. So when you eliminate these from your diet, you may worry and feel the need to supplement. Available nutrients Except for B12 which comes from the soil, these nutrients are naturally available in plant-based sources as they're ingested by animals and then passed on to us when we eat meat. For B12, you must find a good supplement or eat foods fortified with it. Some even go for B12 injections to keep their levels up. I've not experienced a drop in B12 and I do have my levels checked regularly. As a long time vegan, I look to my blood work to see what's happening in my body. My doctor and I discuss my plant-based lifestyle. If you decide to go plant-based, let your doctor know to ensure you get the proper blood work. I have an excellent relationship with mine, and together we pave a pathway to my future health. It's easy to think that you're tired and need to supplement, when all you need is some good sleep and downtime. There is certainly nothing wrong with taking supplements as, generally, the excess will pass through you as waste. Iron levels I'm a runner and need to be mindful of iron since long strenuous activities like running can affect iron levels. However, excess iron is not good for you. So I have my iron levels checked. High performance athletes, for instance, may need more protein than the average person and can add protein shakes to their diets. If adding protein shakes to your diet, find a healthy vegan brand of protein powder that is not overly processed. Or make one from a combination of hemp seeds, fruit and non-dairy milk. It's hard to have a protein deficiency if you eat enough calories. Protein deficiencies are rare in first world countries as we generally get more than enough calories. If you have a vegan teen, watch out for veganism as a mask for eating disorders. They still need to eat a wide variety of foods; they cannot exist on lettuce. Sheree's hack: To ensure you're getting a wide variety of foods, download the Daily Dozen PDF from the Veganuary website: https://veganuary.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/dailydoz- en-checklist-US.pdf To supplement or not Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson