change magazine - August 2012 by Publication Printer

Back-to-School Books • Farmer Crawl Series Continues • Best Diet for Health Summer Read • Teen Financial Success • Truth About Milk • Immune Boosters for Kids

August

R S’ E D A RE CE les I O H ic C ne Art

2012

agazi ! Best M he Bay Area in t

Got Knowledge? READ ONLINE! ChangeMediaOnline.com

Plan to attend our

A Women’s Leadership Skills Seminar “How Body Language Can Help or Hurt & How You Lead” Featuring Carol Kinsey Goman, PhD Business Coach, Author, International Speaker

Don’t miss this exciting, informational seminar! Tuesday, August 21 • 6:30 pm—8:30 pm Bay Oaks Country Club This is an informational event and there is no cost or obligation.

RSVP to Andrea Nieto at 281.212.2711 or andrea.l.nieto@ampf.com by Monday, August 13.

Family Fun Day at Clear Lake Park Change magazine recently stopped by “Family Fun Day” at Clear Lake Park, hosted by Escayg & Associates. Water play, family games, hamburgers and hot dogs, snow cones and good old fashioned fun were plentiful. Kerwyn says that events like these help to bring his family of clients together, which is like his extended family. “I have enjoyed relationship building with my clients throughout all of my professional life,” Kerwyn says. “They invite me to their celebrations—weddings, retirement parties, graduations and other milestones. This is one way I can say thank you.” August 2012

CROSSFIT UNITY: Fitness for Everyone THINK CROSSFIT IS ONLY FOR ELITE ATHLETES AND ADVANCED EXERCISE ENTHUSIASTS? THINK AGAIN! PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WITH AN INTEREST IN BECOMING MORE FIT AND HEALTHY, ARE TURNING TO CROSSFIT UNITY IN SEABROOK TO GET IN SHAPE. No matter what your current fitness level, there is a workout routine for you. CrossFit Unity’s trainers make daily workouts individualized and effective. “We specialize in taking the ‘scary’ out of CrossFit,” says Shaun McCrary, general manager at CrossFit Unity. “We can help people make the transition from the couch to effective individualized strength and flexibility training.”

FITNESS FOR EVERYONE

CrossFit Unity’s programming is based on constantly varied functional movements designed to improve the strength, conditioning and overall fitness for everyone. Workouts

THE BEAST WARS

Sept. 22 at CrossFit Unity Join us for a CrossFit team competition to raise money for local animal rescue groups and shelters. Fun for everyone! Animals will be on-site for adoption, food will be available, complimentary chiropractic care (stretching and injury evaluations) and much more!

consist of a 15-minute warm up and a “Workout of the Day” or “WOD” which is typically short—20 minutes or less—and combines the modalities of gymnastics, metabolic conditioning and weightlifting. Movements such as rowing, box jumps, kettlebell swings, sandbag carries and pull ups are among the many used to help keep you moving and challenged each workout. At CrossFit Unity each WOD can be modified and personalized for everyone, including beginners, in order to develop skills and accelerate their fitness goals.

CrossFit Unity offers its members a team of highly qualified trainers with advanced training in a variety of modalities and multiple certifications.

TRY 3 CLASSES FREE

At CrossFit Unity there is no obligation or pressure to sign up. The first three classes are free for everyone. Memberships are monthto-month, so there’s no long-term financial commitment. CrossFit Unity offers the bestequipped CrossFit facility in the Bay Area—with air conditioning, locker rooms and the most available classes and hours of operation. There’s a CrossFit class waiting for you MonFri at one of these times (Sat morning classes and Sun open gym offered as well): Morning 5:00 5:45 6:30 7:15 8:00 8:45 11:15

Afternoon 12:00 12:45 3:15 4:00 4:45

Evening 5:30 6:15 7:00 7:45

CROSSFIT UNITY…PERSONALIZED PAMELA KRAMER—MOM, WIFE, SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT, CROSSFIT UNITY ENTHUSIAST

CROSSFIT UNITY SEABROOK www.CrossFitUnity.net info@crossfitunity.net 281.291.7929 2100 Nasa Rd. 1, Suite 101B Seabrook, TX 77586

Crossfit Unity Seabrook Crossfit Unity or Cross Fit Unity

“I started CrossFit for two reasons. The first is because of CrossFit Unity’s general manager, Shaun McCrary. I started training with Shaun at YMCA’s bootcamp classes, so I had a level of trust with him. Second, I was looking for more varied training to complete a 5K obstacle course, The Spartan Race. I stuck with CrossFit training because I was amazed at the results. I wasn’t just experiencing weight loss; I was getting faster and stronger. My stress level was down and I was sleeping better. My overall health improved dramatically. I was hooked! Because workouts change daily and you never know what to expect, there is no boredom at our gym. It’s a lot like being a parent; you have to be prepared for anything! CrossFit has given me an additional family—a fitness family. The community is so supportive and encouraging and we hold each other accountable. When I’m not at the gym, I’m consulting with a variety of small businesses on social media and optimizing their business. CrossFit helps keep me energized and able to keep up with my three little ones at home, ages 11, 5, and 3.”

Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

CHAIRSIDE WITH Dr. Tracie DeVault and Dr. Stacie Holt

Brushing and Flossing Dos and Don’ts Part II in our Oral Health and Disease Prevention Series

Plaque is a dense, tooth colored material that accumulates on your teeth and fillings. It is the primary cause of tooth decay and periodontal disease. The bacteria in plaque use the carbohydrates in sugary foods to form acid, which attacks the teeth and irritates the gums. Plaque is sticky, and can only be removed by brushing, flossing, and mechanical cleaning.

Replace your toothbrush about every three months or, when the bristles begin to look splayed or worn. Most electric toothbrushes have replacement brush heads. For areas that a toothbrush can’t easily reach, such as under the gumline and between the teeth, flossing is necessary. Waxed and unwaxed flosses are available so use whatever you’re comfortable with. Break off a piece of floss about 12 to 18 inches long. Wrap most of it around one middle finger, then wind the rest around the middle finger of the other hand. Using your thumbs and forefingers, slide about an inch of taut floss between your teeth. Curve the floss around the tooth in a C-shape at the gumline. Gently (and we do Brushing is very effective for removing plaque from most mean GENTLY) slide the floss up and down between the tooth surfaces of your teeth. You should brush in the morning, beand gums in a sweeping motion, making sure you go below the fore bedtime, and after meals if possible. Use a brush with soft, gumline. You may slide the floss back and forth to make it easier rounded bristles. (Hard bristles can damage your teeth and to drop through each contact, but, once you gums). Use a fluoride toothpaste with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of These simple techniques are near the gumline, DO NOT SAW back acceptance. Clean your teeth by tilting the are your most important and forth with the floss. Flossing does not brush 45 degrees to angle the bristles toward weapons against decay need to be harsh or painful to be effective. The purpose of flossing is to clean the entire the gumline. Brush gently back and forth in and gum disease. “in between” surfaces of your teeth (which a circular motion, moving from one tooth to is why the C-shape is particularly effective). Repeat the sweepthe next. Brush the inside and outside surfaces of your teeth, ing technique in every contact area and behind your very back then move to the chewing surfaces. To brush the inner surfaces teeth—your toothbrush cannot reach below the gumline here. of your front teeth, it is easier to turn the brush vertically. You These simple techniques are your most important weapons should also brush your tongue, to remove bacteria and freshen against decay and gum disease, so take advantage of them. Most your breath. Brushing has been made easier today with the aid of ADA toothbrushes, toothpastes, and flosses are very effective, so electric toothbrushes. Some use a spin motion and some a wavechoose what you like. The important thing is to choose the types like vibration. You should use whichever you prefer, as the best that you will use—every day! brush is the one you will use faithfully.

About Dr. Holt, Dr. DeVault and Your Perfect Smile Twin sisters, Dr. Stacie Holt and Dr. Tracie DeVault named their practice to best reflect their philosophy for patient care. Your Perfect Smile is about just that! “We truly believe that everyone can have a healthy, happy smile” that is perfect for just that person. It isn’t about everyone else’s idea of a perfect smile. It’s about yours, the one you see for yourself. Whether you are looking for the smile you have always dreamed of, or you already have it and are looking for a dental home to help you keep that smile healthy for a lifetime, we look forward to meeting you and helping you to have your perfect smile.”

YOUR PERFECT SMILE COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY Tracie L. DeVault D.D.S. Stacie L. Holt D.D.S.

281.538.9300

www.yourperfectsmiledentistry.com 1939 Lawrence Road, Kemah, TX 77565

PUBLISHER’S M E S S AG E

Got Knowledge?

Dear Friends and Readers, What did you learn today? It’s a question we commonly ask our kids, but do we ever remind ourselves to learn new things daily? We are constantly blasted with so much information, it’s almost impossible not to get smarter by the hour! In each issue of Change, I like to make every page count by offering new information—most of it composed by our local, talented writers about people, organizations and events close to home—that can enlighten readers. Life is changing so quickly that, what was once considered smart advice is replaced by new ﬁndings. Take food, for example. And health. The two are inseparable and that old saying—you are what you eat— means more today than ever as research continues to prove it’s so. I learned so much about this connection after reading about milk and the dairy industry (p. 7), the China Study (p. 26), immune-boosting nutrients for kids (p. 28), the oil in our food (we mean the stuff that comes up from the ground—p. 34), safety and our food supply (p. 40), and our Houston area neighbors’ pasture-raised beef (it was selected by Dave Matthews to feed his band on their 2012 summer tour—p. 38). If it seems like your kids are devouring money, teach them about ﬁnancial responsibility (p. 22), and check out our backto-school reading selections for all ages (p. 19). Bay Area local celeb, Dayna Steele, has published a new book to help you realize personal success (p. 43). And when you just want to relax and let your imagination take over, we offer the dramatic conclusion of our Summer Read, “A Fine Day for a Divorce” (p. 44). It’s got a surprise ending that will make you smile. The author, Harry Lazerus, is also our “Contrarian” writing opinionated editorial contrary to recent Change articles and giving you plenty of food for thought (p.12). Thanks for reading,

CarlaM@ChangeMediaOnline.com

There’s lots more at www.ChangeMediaOnline.com. www.Facebook.com/ChangeMagazine 4

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Awakening People to Become a Catalyst for Change

Join our Digital Community at www.ChangeMediaOnline.com www.Facebook.com/ChangeMagazine Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Carla Medlenka Managing Editor Celia Johnson Contributing Writers Debra Atlas Jennifer Babisak Holly Beretto Isaac Eliaz, MD Patricia Gras Mark Hansen Donna Gable Hatch Harry Steven Lazerus Doug Moss Dorothy Merritt, MD Dr. Farid Noie Roddy Scheer Rob Williams Advertising Sales Bobbi Wald Advertising and Administrative Assistant Tiffany Rachann McMiller Art/Production Manager Mary Bradshaw Houston Desktop Graphics Photography Trish Taylor Adam Taylor Imaging Studios

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MONTHLY DIGITAL MAGAZINE FREE at www.ChangeMediaOnline.com. SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS Change magazine considers all submissions for publication. For submission guidelines or to submit: editor@ChangeMediaOnline.com ADVERTISE YOUR MESSAGE IN CHANGE! To inquire about advertising or to obtain our media kit: 281.333.0003 marketing@ChangeMediaOnline.com CONTACT US 281.333.0003 editor@ChangeMediaOnline.com www.ChangeMediaOnline.com 1110 Nasa Pkwy., Ste. 440, Houston, TX 77058 P.O. Box 891362, Houston, TX 77289-1362

Printed with eco-friendly soy ink. Printed on paper sourced from a sustainably managed forest.

Copyright ©2012 by Change Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Change magazine is published monthly by Change Publications, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Change magazine is not responsible for advertising claims. The opinions and views expressed in the articles contained herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Change magazine.

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CONTENTS August 2012

D E PA R T M E N T S ON THE HORIZON

Milk…Does it Do a Body More Harm than Good?

Calcium, pH, bone loss, lobbyists, federal funding, health

The Contrarian: To Be, or Not to Be…Free

Musings and historical evidence contrary to a recent Change article

ACTIVISM

16 Write On

“Writers in Schools” helps children share thoughts about the world

Favorite back-to-school reads

19 Hit These Books BUSINESS

22 Teen Financial Success

Turning adolescents into fiscally smart adults

Tune in to learn what successful executives know

24 Living Smart with Patricia Gras

22 16 26 38

WELL BEING

26 The Best Diet for Your Health

Chronic disease can be healed with food choices

Healthy Transition Back to School Helpful advice on common children’s issues

ENVIRONMENT

34 Adopting a “Low Carb” Diet

Steps to wean us off corporate agriculture

CULTURE

38 Farmer Crawl Feature III:

THE COVER

Knowledge is not just learned in school—it’s a lifetime adventure. Learn…Grow…Succeed!

IN EVERY ISSUE

4 Publisher’s Message Got Knowledge?

10 Fresh Finds

Nifty things you may need 6

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Law Ranch in Crosby, Texas

Happy cows and healthier beef for over 60 years

Your World

Find success with Dayna Steele’s guidance

Part III—the final chapter is full of surprises

43 Open Book: 101 Ways to Rock 44 A Fine Day for a Divorce

ON THE HORIZON | Exploring Ideas

Milk…

DOES IT DO A BODY MORE HARM THAN GOOD? Calcium, pH, bone loss, lobbyists, federal funding, and health “When you hear the word osteoporosis, what’s the first word that comes to your mind? If you said “Milk” then the American Dairy Association has done its job.”

- Dina Fitzsimons (Cornell ‘94)

By Dr. Farid Noie

As it turns out, daily consumption of milk and other dairy products (even low- or non-fat) does not prevent bone loss. I know what you are thinking. No, I haven’t lost my marbles. I simply questioned the common wisdom and decided to do my own independent research. It all started when I discovered that countries where people consume large amounts of dairy products are also countries where people eat large amounts of animal protein—places such as the United States, Australia, and northern Europe. These countries are also among nations that suffer the highest rate of fractures due to osteoporosis, the disease characterized by weak, porous bones. I asked myself, How could that be? It didn’t make any sense. So, I set out to ﬁnd out why. The

answer was a total paradigm shift for me. Why do we drink milk? If you ask 100 people why they drink milk, the overwhelming answer usually is: Because it is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D. That is true, but calcium is only a small fraction of milk’s composition. For example, cow’s whole milk contains about 88 percent water, followed by 4.8 percent sugar, 4.8 percent carbohydrates, 4-5.2 percent saturated animal fat, 3.2 percent protein, and only 0.12 percent calcium. More importantly, cow’s milk has a pH ranging from 6.4 to 6.8. The human body is designed to maintain a pH level of roughly 7.3 (slightly alkaline) in order to properly absorb nutrients and fend

off disease. When we consume milk, the acidity in it affects our pH balance and forces the body to compensate by leaching calcium from our bones. It’s all about pH About 99 percent of our body’s calcium is deposited in the bones and teeth. Our long bones are also primary storage sites for calcium phosphate, which has a pH value of 9.4 and is also an excellent alkaline source. When our body’s blood pH becomes acidic (i.e. due to consumption of animal products), it uses the stored calcium to re-establish its pH balance. While the calcium in the milk adds to our body’s calcium level slightly, the acidity of the milk forces our body to withdraw a larger amount of calcium from our bones to maintain pH balance. You get the ➜ August 2012

picture? That indisputable fact demonstrates that, not only does calcium from dairy products not prevent osteoporosis, but leads to an increased migration of calcium to neutralize the acidity of pH in our system. Why our government promotes milk consumption The FDA normally assigns a panel of 11 experts to make dietary guidelines in the form of the food pyramid. This panel recommends the type of foods Americans are supposed to eat to be healthy. The USDA is heavily lobbied and influenced by the corn, wheat, meat, and dairy industries. It is also in charge of subsidizing their operations. The USDA’s Milk Income Loss Contract program (MILC) is a federally funded program that compensates the dairy industry with our tax dollars when domestic milk prices and consumption fall below a specified level (www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA). Basically, we pay for our dairy, processed grains, and meat in more ways than one. We pay by consuming them—we then pay by suffering from an assortment of health-related issues. If we, for whatever reason, wise up and decide to consume less of these animal products, our government steps in to compensate the meat and dairy industry for the loss of projected revenue with our tax money in the form of subsidies, or with direct compensation through MILC (ironically pronounced milk). That’s what I call the second best deal ever executed, the first being the purchase of Manhattan Island from the Native Americans for $24. “The USDA is basically a farmers and ranchers advocacy group. One agency cannot advocate for these groups, subsidize their operations, manage the consumption and prices of these food commodities, and be put in charge of telling the people what to eat,” Pam Popper, N.D. Conclusion and recommendations We must encourage our government, and its food regulating agencies, to reconsider their guidelines on what constitutes a “Healthy Daily Diet” and to promote a diet that is beneficial to public health as opposed to special interests and powerful food industries. Adopting a diet consisting of a majority of plant-foods, with only small amounts of grass fed animal meat, not only improves our well being, it also reinstates our deep connection to animals, which have become nothing more than a product and have to endure tragic conditions until they become slaughtered. With or without governmental help we can and must take control of our health simply by adopting the right diet and eating to live, as opposed to living to eat. Dr. Noie has been in private practice in the Bay Area since 1996. He is a diplomate of the Int’l Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and Assoc. Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has completed his surgical training at New York University as well as the Medical University of South Carolina, Temple University and Wright State University School of Medicine. He completed his oral Anesthesiology training from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. 8

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Get a Healthy Start with a Healthy Heart! Dr. Shalaby and his team of medical professionals have created state-of-the-art systems for early detection, prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiac Screening Packages Start at $99!

OUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM

Call today for your HEALTHY START and HEALTHY HEART!

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cares for your heart health with early detection, prevention and exemplary heart and vascular health care. Dr. Shalaby gives patients the very best quality of preventive and therapeutic cardiovascular care by utilizing the finest clinical experience, state-of-the-art technology and by incorporating education and lifestyle changes to enhance well-being while maintaining a compassionate and caring relationship with patients and their families.

Mohamed Shalaby, MD, FACC Dr. Mohamed Shalaby is a dedicated professional offering a wealth of knowledge, expertise and compassionate care to patients seeking exemplary heart and vascular health care in the Bay Area and Southeast Houston. Dr. Shalaby is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac Echocardiography. He is a member of most cardiology and scientific associations, and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Shalaby is seeing patients in his office at 290 East Medical Center Blvd. in Webster, Texas. Call 281.956.7070 for information and appointment.

Fresh FINDS

Nifty Things Yo u M ay N e e d

By Debra Atlas

Locally Baked Biscotti Anna-Marie’s Specialties is a home-based, local bakery specializing in ﬂavorful biscotti—great with coffee, tea or wine. Anna-Marie’s has been providing guilt-free treats to individuals and businesses in the Galveston-Houston metro area since the Food Cottage Law (legalizing home bakeries) went into effect last September. Her biscotti is naturally low in sugar and fat and comes in unusual yummy ﬂavors—including cranberry-pecan, double chocolate (with four types of chocolate) and cinnamon-pecan. Anna-Marie’s features gift bags and boxes and ships around the country. Not available in stores, so spread the word!

PURE and Healthy Water On the Go

Enjoy the crisp, clean, taste of water without the contamination of chemicals with a PURE Glass Bottle. PURE is BPA-free, recyclable and tougher than regular glass. Its clear, protective outer coating makes it slip-resistant and it’s FDAapproved for hot or cold beverages and food. PURE opens large enough for ice cubes, powered drinks and lemon wedges and comes in two sizes—the 17.5 oz. Traveler, which ﬁts most car cup holders, and the 20 oz. Explorer. Both are dishwasher-safe and shatter-resistant.

PRICE: $19.95 PRICE: $6 AND UP PURCHASE AT: www.annamariesbakery.com

Save Water…Instantly

Install Instant-Off® and save up to 15,000 gallons of water per year! Instant-Off automatically shuts off your water the instant you don’t need it running—while brushing your teeth, shaving, washing hands, or washing dishes. This simple, award-winning device installs easily in less than a minute on indoor faucets—for bathrooms, kitchens, even RV’s and boats. And, once it’s installed, you never have to touch germ-contaminated faucet handles again. Instant-Off is available for both home and commercial use. PRICE: $9.95—$19.95 PURCHASE AT: www.instant-off.com 10

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PURCHASE AT: www.PUREGlassBottle.com

Handcrafted Hope and Beauty

Ssubi means “hope” in Ugandan. Ssubi handcrafted necklaces and bracelets—made from recycled paper and glue—bring hope to “beaders” in a small Uganda village where there is no employment, no education, no health care and no clean water. The Ssubi Foundation helps these artisans create sustainable incomes, offers empowerment programs, healthcare, nutrition, and scholarship programs—all through the purchase of these unique and colorful pieces. Their beautiful merchandise also includes tote bags and note cards made by Ugandan students. PRICE: $6—$20 PURCHASE AT: www.ssubihut.com

ON THE HORIZON | The Contrarian

TO BE OR NOT TO BE…

FREE Musings and historical evidence contrary to “The Land of the Free,” an article from the May issue of Change By Harry Steven Lazerus In your own home, if you want to walk around naked, have sex, grow pot in your bathtub and smoke it, ain’t nobody’s business but your own. On the other hand, if you want to do any of these things outside on the street corner, the government or society has the right to sanction you, if it deems necessary. There is a difference between private and public. It’s not always easy to distinguish the two. In the May 2012 issue of Change magazine Dr. Farid Noie, in “The Land of the Free,” says: “Our homosexual citizens are denied marital status and beneﬁts because of their private sexual orientation.” Love is a private emotion. Even when it is shared between two people, it is still private. The people who share it can announce their love to the world or they can keep it to themselves. They do not need society’s or the government’s permission to love each other. There is no law stopping two, or more, people from ﬁlling out their own marriage contract in front of witnesses and promising that they will abide by the terms of that contract. But if they want that contract to be legally enforceable and not 12

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merely rest on the word of the people entering into the contract, then the government has to recognize that contract and be willing to enforce it. At that point, it is no longer private and it is a ﬁt subject for public discussion and government decision as to what kinds of marriage contracts are recognized. The argument is made that we should respect the rights and dignity of homosexuals by allowing them to marry each other. This is certainly a reasonable argument. Why stop there? Why limit the expansion of marriage to homosexuals? Depending on who is counting, Islam has the most (or second most) adherents in the world. Islam allows polygamy. There are many polygamous families, some of whom now reside in the U.S. through immigration. Their families are not given legal recognition. A major American religion, (adherents would say a major world religion,) Mormonism, has polygamous roots that go back as recently as the 19th century. That religion has breakaway factions that still practice plural marriage. There are many polygamous families in some of the western states. Their families are not given legal recognition. Shouldn’t we respect the religious beliefs of all our fellow citizens? Aren’t their families also worthy of respect and consideration? The laws limiting marriage to people of the opposite sex are often compared to the The laws limiting American laws against interracial marriage. Looked marriage to people of at historically, however, the the opposite sex are comparison is not valid. often compared to the Romantic relationships between people of different American laws against races have a long history. interracial marriage. The bible’s “Song of Songs” Looked at historically, celebrates one. (“Shekhorah however, the comparison ani venavah;” “I am black and beautiful.”) Even is not valid. earlier, Moses married a black woman. Forget different races. Humans apparently mated with another species. People who are descended from those humans who migrated out of Africa have a small percentage of their DNA from Neanderthals. On the other hand, there has never been a case of any society in history recognizing marriage between people of the same sex, and that includes societies where homosexual activity and pederasty were accepted. The American experience was unique. After all, what the hell is an octoroon? In any sane society, someone of seven-eighths Caucasian descent and one-eighth African descent would be considered Caucasian. Not in America. Indeed, in the famous Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson, a case that established the legality of segregation for more than half a century, the man in question, Homer Plessy, a so-called octoroon, was, by any normal deﬁnition, a white man. For some reason—perhaps psycho-sexual, to keep white women away from black men; perhaps economic, to keep black women away from white men and thereby keep property in the white community; perhaps some combination—the racism in this ➜ August 2012

country danced to the beat of a different drummer. Once upon a time—and not so long ago at that—marriage entailed more than companionship; people were expected to start a family by having children. These general mores influenced the decisions of individual couples. Yes, there were outliers, couples that could not have children and a small number who decided never to have children, but these exceptions did not change the general pattern. Indeed, one of the miracles of modern medicine is the techniques that allow couples who were previously considered infertile to conceive. By allowing marriage to include couples who biologically cannot procreate, we are driving the final nail in the coffin of the connection between marriage and procreation. This is a radical change for society. Its implications should at least be discussed. To quote the English writer G. K. Chesterton: There exists . . . a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.”. . . The truth is that nobody has any business to destroy a social institution until he has really seen it as an historical institution. If he knows how it arose, and what purposes it was supposed to serve, he may really be able to say that they were bad purposes, that they have since become bad purposes, or that they are purposes which are no longer served. But if he simply stares at the thing as a senseless monstrosity that has

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somehow sprung up in his path, it is he and not the traditionalist who is suffering from an illusion. On the other hand, there are some good reasons to allow people of the same sex to get married. Among them: It would be fairer. It would allow more people the many benefits of pair-bonding. If it had been allowed 30 or 40 years ago, the lives of male homosexuals may have been regularized, allowing patterns of courtship and marriage similar to that of heterosexuals, thereby avoiding the spread of a terrible disease that killed more than a half million people. An open, free and rational discussion of same-sex marriage would be good for society. It could serve as a pattern for other issues that need resolution. But there will be no such debate. Both sides talk past each other. One side proclaims, against the preponderance of evidence, that homosexuality is a choice, a life-style. They quote scripture, a dicey proposition in a secular society. The other side—the elites of the media, the entertainment industry, and the university—declare that you are a bigot if you oppose same-sex marriage. There is no rational discussion; only name-calling. And thus the closing of the American mind continues. If you have any thoughts on this current and controversial issue—and I know that you do!—please leave a comment below if you’re reading this online. If you’re reading this in Change magazine’s print version, please visit the magazine’s website (www.ChangeMediaOnine.com) and leave a comment. Thanks. Harry

WriteOn ACTIVISM | Change in Action

“Writers in the Schools” helps children share thoughts about the world

By Holly Beretto

“I love my job,” says Carmen Erma Jacobson, a Bay Area pre-kindergarten teacher who is also a writer. Five years ago, she began working with Writers in the Schools (WITS), a Houston educational non-profit that places professional writers in classrooms across the region, where they collaborate with teachers on curriculum and projects designed to enhance students understanding of the written word. “We help students think outside the box and writing allows them to look at things from another perspective.” Founded in 1983, WITS has always operated on the idea that reading and writing wake the imagination and can engage children in that powerful process. While the group traditionally

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sends its writers to inner-city locales, it also operates camps and workshops at museums, churches and college campuses. “We want our students to analyze what they see and what it makes them feel,” says WITS Executive Director Robin Reagler. “We’re showing them how to solve problems, and our emphasis is on the bigger picture.” Some in education feel that bigger picture is being lost because of the current climate of emphasizing scholastic aptitude test scores and putting a premium on tangible results, as opposed to the less-tangible goals gained by creative problem solving. Add to that climate one of punishing budget cuts to school districts, affecting everything from the number of

teachers in the classroom to the number of extracurricular activities offered, and it can paint a grim picture of public education. WITS is working to change that by creating, what Reagler calls, a win-win situation. Many writers work as freelancers, and writing doesn’t always pay well. WITS contracts writers on a project-to-project basis, depending on the needs of a school or classroom teacher, pays them a competitive hourly rate and lets them bring their real-world know-how into the classroom. Each writer works with a teacher to determine what lessons should be taught and how they should be approached. “One day, the teacher and I built a tent in the classroom,” says Jacobson. “And every day for a week, we made the space something different. One day it was a museum. The next day, it was a time machine. And we asked the kids to think about what they’d find in a museum, where they would go if they went back in time. They wrote about those experiences.” Writers in the Schools is based, in part, on a New York City program called the Teachers/Writers Collaborative, where working writers also collaborate with school teachers to share the joy of writing. In Houston, WITS reaches nearly 20,000 students a year with its programs, across 150 schools. “Teachers are in a tough spot,” concedes Reagler. “They’re working so hard to do more with less. Our goal is to support them in their classroom efforts to teach language arts.” WITS also offers professional development sessions for teachers and provides its writers with materials for developing lesson plans and finding new ways to engage students. Its summer camps take students on trips to art museums and other locales, where the writers encourage participants to

take notes on what they see and how they’re feeling. During one camp session on the campus of Rice University, a teacher walked students through the Rice Gallery, where they walked in awe through Yasuaki Onishi’s reverse of volume RG exhibit, a diaphanous, Some in education feel that hovering installation of bigger picture is being lost silver and white. because of the current climate The teacher gave of emphasizing scholastic the campers aptitude test scores and putting prompts, asking them what they a premium on tangible results, felt like as they as opposed to the less-tangible explored the goals gained by creative space. “Does it feel problem solving. like you’re on a moonscape, maybe on another planet?” she asked. “What would the air feel like there, what would it taste like?” The campers looked and pondered…and wrote. “Writing is a way to process the world around us,” says van Garrett, a Houston writer and teacher. He spends his summers working with WITS camps, and says that writing is an important way for students to think about themselves ➜ Embracing the written word, then sharing their creative thoughts with others helps children develop skills that will assist them throughout life. WITS volunteers create opportunities for children to experience what may otherwise be missed in today’s test-score driven scholastic environment. Pictured left to right: Discovery Green Workshop Series with WITS writer Emily Koehn; readings at Discovery Green, May 2012; WITS writer Ryan Dilbert works with young students.

August 2012

and their lives. “For a lot of my students, writing helps them deal with the things in their lives in positive ways. Writing gives them a place where they can just be themselves and learn about who they are.” Jacobson agrees. “Some kids may not be great about verbalizing how they feel, but when they write, they find they’re able to communicate better,” she says. “There’s such a freedom in being able to put things on paper, then to go in and fix it and really make it into what you want it to be.” That process of finding a germ of an idea, writing it down and working to perfect it is another important component to WITS’ programming. “We teach revision,” says For some of our Reagler. “Not just editing.” students, English is a In the classroom, kids are encouraged not only to write, second, sometimes a but to share their work with third language. And classmates by reading aloud. writing is an invitation “It’s the opportunity to to use that language to tell your story in front of people and to have them ask tell their story. you questions,” says Reagler. “And that level of engagement, having someone take an interest in your work, is so gratifying.” And the participants in WITS programs get a tangible take-away from working with WITS writers. Nearly every

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programming session—some may last a semester, some six weeks; each is customized for the needs of a particular teacher or school—ends with a spoken performance, where students share the work they’ve created. They’re also presented with literary journals of their work to keep, and family and friends are invited to the performance. More than that, Reagler says that students who participate in WITS programming often become better students, more engaged in the classroom, even doing better on those standardized tests. “For some of our students, English is a second, sometimes a third language,” she says. “And writing is an invitation to use that language to tell their story.” “Writing has the power to influence others,” says Jacobson. “And it’s permanent. It’s a way you can make your mark on something that won’t be lost to time. It’s a lesson in selfdiscovery, in leadership and in self-esteem.” WITS understands that writing and language help students broaden their intellectual reach and offers a way to channel curiosity into discovery. But Reagler says it does something else, too. “One of the things we hear over and over again from our writers is, books and writing saved my life. Now, they want to share that with students.” For more information on Writers in the Schools classroom programs or to apply as a writing teacher, visit www.witshouston.org.

HitBooks ACTIVISM | Change in Action

e s e th

Favorite back-to-school reading recommendations

By Holly Beretto

“In August swallows southward fly, summer’s waning, fall is nigh,” reads a line from one of my favorite children’s books ever, Tasha Tudor’s Around the Year, a delightfully rhyming poem celebrating seasonal delights of a simpler time. August in Houston, though, is about back to school and weekends spent in sunny splendor. Summer vacation is coming to a close and it’s time to head back to class. So, we offer up a selection of books designed for kids and adults to make the most of the transition from summer to school.

Hunt is also a fan of Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin. On the first day of school, Pete the Cat visits the library, the lunchroom, the playground and more. And he does it walking along and singing his favorite song. She recommends Jane Yolen’s How do Dinosaurs Go To School? about “Charismatic and sometimes naughty dinosaurs who learn how to behave and make friends at school.” Speaking of making friends, I love Miriam Cohen’s Will I Have a Friend?, a classic story about a boy’s first day of kindergarten and his quest to meet new people and find new pals.

Readers ages 7–11:

“Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary contains possibly the funniest first day of kindergarten story ever!” raves Hunt. She says middle-schoolers should check out Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg. “Griff has been a member of the school safety patrol since he was 6-years-old,” she explains. “And when he starts middle school, he is convinced there is something illegal happening at his new school.”

Readers ages 12–15:

Readers ages 3–6:

“I love Richard Neubecker’s Wow! School!” says Elizabeth Hunt, children’s librarian at the Harris County Public Library’s Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library. “It’s a cheerful and bright introduction to different parts of the classroom.”

Young adult librarian Meredith Layton is recommending The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk. “I love this story because it’s a funny mystery featuring a unique take on being the new kid at school. Before this year, Will ‘Hamburger’ Halpin has always attended a school for the deaf. Being the new kid and being the only hearing-impaired kid at his new school, Will eventually finds his place…and solves a murder.” Keeping with the school thriller genre, Layton August 2012

says kids will get a kick out of I’d Tell You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, Sherman Brown’s story of the students at prestigious Gallagher Academy, where heroine Cammie Morgan and her friends learn to become serious spies.

Readers 15 and up:

Layton says The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie “reads like a journal, with fantastic drawings throughout, chronicling Arnold’s experience of often feeling pulled between two places, commuting from his home on the Spokane Indian Reservation to a school in a more afﬂuent and mostly white farming community.” Calling E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is “funny, smart and fast paced” and Layton says readers will enjoy Frankie’s antics to critique the politics of her elite boarding school, after her boyfriend joins a secret society and refuses to include her.

Parents and teens:

Big Future, published by the College Board (www.collegeboard.org) is a website dedicated to helping kids get the most out of high school, both in and out of the classroom. “It helps with the process of exploring colleges and careers, financial planning and financial aid, and the college application process,” says Layton. She says kids who are heading to college might want to take a look at the Young Adult Library Services Association (YASLA)’s list of “Outstanding Books for the College Bound,” including suggested readings across multiple disciplines, including arts and humanities, history, literature, science and technology and social sciences. The current list of books is from 2009; the list is updated every five years. 20

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August 2012

BUSINESS | Strategies for Success

Teen FINANCIAL SUCCESS Turning Adolescents into Fiscally Smart Adults By Mark Hansen As children blossom into young men and women, most insist on planning and running their own lives. Parents worry about all the basic essentials for their kids’ independent living, like housing, eating properly, staying warm, being careful at night and more. But most parents forget to teach their youngsters one of the most important lessons of all—financial responsibility. The resulting turmoil can spell disaster for a child’s future. Consider this: The average young adult amasses $45,000 in debt by the time they turn 29, according to a recent PNC Bank report. “This generation of 20-somethings was raised during an economically-thriving period,” says financial expert Mark Hansen, author of Success 101 for Teens (www.success101forteens.com). “Undisciplined spending habits, student and car loans, and a tough job market have stymied their financial growth. Perhaps the worst culprit is financial ignorance, but we can count this as a lesson for future 20-somethings.” For young people, organizing finances can be intimidating to the point of prohibitive, he says. “We need to have a curriculum in schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade, that ensures our kids graduate with financially literacy,” he says. “From balancing a checkbook to understanding what it means to pay—and earn—interest, kids need basic money management skills to survive in the world, and most aren’t getting them.” Hansen says all teens should know and practice the following so they can control their financial destinies: • Save for dreams—the three-envelope method: Use the first envelope for your day-to-day expenses: gas or lunch money. Pause before blowing this money at the movie 22

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•

theater or a fast-food restaurant! Envelope number two is for short-term goals, which might be clothing or a new laptop. The third envelope is for long-term goals such as a car, college or a “future millionaire club” fund. Create a budget: A budget lets us know what’s possible, and not possible, with money. There are six steps to creating a budget. 1. List all of your expenses. 2. List all income. 3. List monthly expenses. 4. Add up these lists separately. 5. Tweak your budget so you can meet your expenses with money left over for savings. 6. Review your budget every week. Set goals and follow through on them: First, ﬁgure out what your current ﬁnances are, then determine what they will be in the future—one year out, then two years out, then four years later, etc. How will you get to your one- or two-year goal? You need a plan, and most of the time that means earning more money, spending less, or a combination of the two. Finally, you have to stick to your plan in order for it to work. Understand interest rates, such as credit cards: Interest is a fee paid for using someone else’s money. Simple interest is straightforward: 5 percent accrued in your bank account with $100 yields $5 in interest at the end of the year. Compound interest, however, means ever-increasing

amounts. This is crucial to understanding debt you may take on from lenders. Know what you are borrowing, and the terms thereof. Just as your money can work for you in a bank account, money borrowed can work against you if it is not paid back in a timely manner. • Learn to write checks and balance a checkbook: These days, it’s easier than ever to review accounts online, which automatically tracks exchanges. However, banks do make mistakes, which is why it’s wise to track your accounts independently. Ask. Don’t be embarrassed. Banks are putting a premium on service and want to establish a positive relationship with young customers. If you have a question, speak to someone at the bank. As you take control of your money, you’ll also take control of your life. About Mark Hansen A successful businessman, elected school board member and motivational speaker, Hansen has dedicated his life to helping young people overcome obstacles and deal with the challenges of daily living. Struck by a car and nearly killed as a child, Mark fought back through positive actions and reactions to all that he had to overcome. As a result, he relates to teens in a very special way. Through books such as, Success 101 for Teens: Dollars and Sense for a Winning Financial Life, and seminars, Mark Hansen is driven to make an impact on teens and young adults and to empower them to rise above and triumph over life’s obstacles.

August 2012

BUSINESS | Strategies for Success

AN EXPERT ON CAREER AND LEADERSHIP Tune in to “Living Smart” to learn what successful executives know By Patricia Gras

ow do we make smart decisions at work to get ahead in our careers? Karen Otazo, PhD, international business coach/author, and managing director of Global Leadership Network, Inc. is a global executive coach and thinking partner for multinational companies worldwide. With more than 25 years of experience working with clients in the United States, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Singapore, Otazo is uniquely equipped to work with executives in global corporations, national subsidiaries, joint ventures, and strategic alliances. Dr. Otazo is also the author of the Truth About Managing your Career...and Nothing But The Truth and The Truth About Being A Leader...And Nothing But The Truth, along with numerous articles. Karen Otazo is an agent of change! LS: How does your work inspire positive change? KO: Executives learn to handle tough politics and overcome career setbacks. LS: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? KO: No one would go hungry. LS: Do you embrace change or fear it. Why? KO: I love change and ﬁnd it exciting! LS: What’s the greatest change you’ve personally experienced in your life? KO: Moving to and from ﬁve different countries. LS: Do you have any advice on how to direct the course of change in our lives? KO: Find supporters in your work, your friends, and your family. Know what matters most to you and make sure we have some of it in our lives.

Patricia Gras is the host and producer of the Emmy nominated series Living Smart, which airs Sundays at 3pm and Fridays at 10pm on HoustonPBS Channel 8 and Latina Voices, which airs Sundays at 2:30pm. More information is available at www.houstonpbs.org/livingsmart and www.latinavoices.com. 24

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WELL BEING | Whole Person Health

THE BEST DIET for your HEALTH Rising chronic diseases, linked to our Western diet, can be healed with different food choices

By Dorothy Merritt, MD

In September 2005, the American Journal of Medicine released a study of participants showing that a low-fat, plant-based diet is more effective at helping people lose weight and improve insulinsensitivity than an omnivorous (both plant and meat) diet.

were getting as much protein as possible. He discovered that Experts disagree on the right diet for optimum many Filipino children were being diagnosed with liver cancer, health and vitality. Low carb? Low fat? High protein? Or, predominately an adult disease. none of the above? “In this project, I uncovered a dark secret,” Dr. Campbell While diet advice is plentiful, Americans remain the says. “Children who ate the highest protein diets were the most obese people in the world with 34 percent of our adult ones most likely to get liver cancer.” He began to review other population classified as obese. In addition, chronic diseases like reports from around the world that reflected the findings of his diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are thriving. More than 133 million Americans, or 45 percent of the population, research in the Philippines, and started an in-depth study into have at least one chronic condition, and 26 percent have the role of nutrition, especially protein, in the cause of cancer. multiple chronic conditions. Chronic disease is the leading The research became the China Study, the most comprehensive cause of death and disability in the U.S. study of nutrition ever conducted. By 2023, the picture is predicted to The China Study book examines the The China Study produced worsen, with more than a 50 percent relationship between the consumption of more than 8000 statistically animal products and illnesses such as breast, increase projected in cases of cancer, mental significant associations disorders, and diabetes, and more than a 40 prostate, colon and other cancers, diabetes, percent growth in heart disease. heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disease, between various dietary Could it be that the typical Western diet osteoporosis, and degenerative brain factors and disease. is killing us? That is the conclusion of the disease. It has sold over 500,000 copies China Study, a research project that culminated in a 20-year since January 2011, making it one of America’s best-selling partnership between Cornell University, Oxford University, and books about nutrition. the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The authors’ findings reveal that people who eat the most animal-based foods get the most chronic disease. People who The Research eat the most plant-based foods are the healthiest and tend T. Colin Campbell, PhD, was one of the lead scientists on the to avoid chronic disease. These findings, published in highly China Study project. He grew up on a dairy farm and believed reputable scientific journals, show that: that the American diet was the best in the world. Then, his • Dietary change can enable diabetic patients to go off their career as a biochemist and research scientist lead him to a medication. project in the Philippines working with malnourished children. • Heart disease can be reversed with diet alone. The primary goal of the project was to ensure that the children 26

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• Breast cancer is related to levels of female hormones in the blood, which are determined by the foods we eat. • Antioxidants, found in fruits and vegetables, are linked to better mental performance in old age. • Type 1 diabetes, one of the most devastating diseases for children, is convincingly linked to infant feeding practices. The China Study also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. Dr. Campbell says. “As a taxpayer who foots the bill for research and health policy in America, you deserve to know that many of the common notions you have been told about food, health and disease are wrong.” The Western Diet Our food is processed, refined, concentrated, sugared, salted, and chemically engineered to produce taste sensations high in calories and low in nutrients. Our cattle are fattened in feedlots without exercise and with antibiotics and growth enhancers, producing juicier steaks containing nearly twice as much fat as range-fed cattle. Despite the fact that they are important for maintaining overall good health and preventing diseases, most Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Eating a diet that contains at least 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day lowers the risk for chronic diseases. And we eat too much. On average, the amount of food consumed per person has increased by nearly 20 percent between the mid 1960s and late 1990s. As overall food consumption is increasing, the fat content of our diet is changing. We are eating more unhealthy saturated fatty acids and hydrogenated oils. Taking multivitamins doesn’t solve our problems either—it is impossible to capture all of the vitamins, minerals, diseasefighting phytochemicals, and fiber found in fruits and vegetables, in a pill. Villains of the Western diet, like low fiber, high fat, and cholesterol, take their toll by damaging the body’s vital oxygen-carrying arteries and by upsetting important metabolic functions. Because of thickened, narrowed and hardened arteries, 4,000 Americans succumb to heart disease and have heart attacks every day. Because of disordered metabolisms from unbalanced lifestyles, obesity is an epidemic and a new diabetic is diagnosed every 50 seconds. The Plant-Based Diet Western ideas of nutrition are quickly changing as an abundance of scientific evidence proves that a lifestyle based on quality plant-based foods can prevent, treat and reverse many major diseases, and greatly improve overall health. Also, public awareness and concern is growing over the impact of modern factory-style animal farming methods on our health and the environment. The antioxidants in plants protect the body from free radical damage, which leads to disease. Animal protein increases the acidity of blood and tissues and, to neutralize this acid, calcium is pulled from the bones. Higher concentrations of calcium

The China Study’s eight principles of food and health: 1. Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 2. Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health. 3. There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants. 4. Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed. 5. Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals. 6. The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages can also halt or reverse it in its later stages. 7. Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board. 8. Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

in the blood inhibit the process by which the body activates vitamin D in the kidneys to calcitriol, a form that helps regulate the immune system. Transitioning toward a plant-based diet is much easier than most people expect. As with changing any other lifetime habit, many people do it in small steps. Start by eating more of the plant-based meals you already eat, like whole grain cereal, pasta, rice and salads. Add more plant foods to the mixed meals you are eating. Shift the balance of plant and animal foods toward more plants—the ones you already eat and enjoy. Eliminate the animal foods you don’t eat often. Today there is increased social acceptance and respect for people choosing plant-based diets. There are more restaurant options, an abundance of incredible recipes online, cookbooks, and ingredients available at most major supermarkets. Discover a new world of flavors and variety, as well as many options similar or nearly identical to “traditional” foods and desserts. Within no time you will begin feeling and looking better. And the best news of all: you will avoid becoming Visit www.ChangeMediaOnline.com another chronic disease for our favorite vegan recipes and statistic. book recommendations!

Dr. Dorothy Merritt Mainland Primary Care Physicians

Learn more about your diet deficiencies and how you can improve your health. Call for your consultation today!

6807 E F Lowry Expwy, #103, Texas City, TX 77591

409.938.1770 • www.mpcptexas.com Follow Us for wellness tips, events and more! August 2012

WELL BEING | Wise Wellness

Back to School

A Healthy Transition

Helpful advice for parents on common children’s issues By Dr. Isaac Eliaz Fall can be a chaotic season, filled with back-toschool shopping, meetings and the start of a new academic year. These transitions can be stressful and, especially for children, increase the risks of cold and flu. The best solution is to bolster our immune systems through healthy diet, lifestyle and the right botanical and nutritional supplements. Keeping your family healthy during this seasonal shift is a challenge, but it is achievable with the right health promoting habits.

Minimize Stress

Stress can suppress the immune system, and today, children encounter more stress than in the past. One of the consequences of being part of the “wired generation” is that 28

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there is less time for quiet relaxation and unwinding. Allow your children to be children. Encourage playtime, especially non-electronic playtime. They should also be active at least 30 minutes each day. Not only will exercise enhance their overall fitness and boost brain power, but it will also help them control stress and support their immunity. It’s best if they can play outside, in fresh air and nature. Help your children adapt to stress. Stress is a part of life, so finding healthy ways to deal with it is an essential skill. Take time to communicate with them. The simple act of asking about their day can open a door into their lives and allow you to help them navigate any challenges they may be experiencing. With any stressful event, and returning to school is

certainly one of them, it’s important for you to help them prepare. You may want to role play certain scenarios: meeting new teachers, responding to bullying, or having to speak in front of the class. You can also help by introducing your children to relaxation techniques. Mindful meditation and gentle yoga are two mind-body relaxation practices which have also demonstrated great benefits for children of all ages.

Sleep

Good sleep is fundamental to immune health and our body’s ability to repair itself, while lack of consistent, quality sleep can be detrimental—physically, mentally and emotionally. Though it’s never enjoyable to do battle with your children, this is one instance where it definitely pays to stick to the rules.

Nutrition

If kids ate exactly what they wanted, sugar would be more valuable than diamonds. The real value however, is in good nutrition which boosts energy, immunity, and overall health. We are fortunate to live in a time when we can obtain healthy, nutrient-rich and good tasting foods. We may have to go off the beaten track to get what we need, but believe me; the extra effort is well worth it. I recommend buying organic whenever possible. Yes, it will be more expensive, but the payoffs are enormous. Organic foods have fewer toxins and more vitamins and minerals than conventionally grown foods. When buying animal products, like chicken or milk, organic brands will help you avoid hormones and antibiotics that have become an unfortunate staple of factory farming. Avoid partially hydrogenated fats, corn syrup, white flour, white sugar, chemical preservatives and additives. These highly processed ingredients challenge health in numerous ways. Be sure to include a protein source for each meal to help maintain blood sugar balance between meals, reduce cravings and keep your kids away from vending machines. And definitely make sure your children have a good breakfast. It’s a cliché, perhaps, but breakfast sets the nutritional tone for the day.

Hydration

Make sure your children drink plenty of filtered water. Proper hydration supports the immune system, and every other beneficial mechanism in our bodies. Hydration also works to eliminate health robbing toxins and pathogens. ➜ August 2012

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Immune-boosting nutrients for children

In an ideal world, all of our nutritional needs would be met with a diverse array of nutrient-dense, natural foods. Today, it’s simply not the case. Stress can suppress the While supplement recommendations for immune system, and today, children are much children encounter more more limited than for stress than in the past. adults, there are still a One of the consequences handful of products that can be used safely and of being part of the “wired effectively to support generation” is that there is immunity and less time for quiet relaxation overall health: • Vitamin C and unwinding. Allow your Natural vitamin C children to be children. (ascorbic acid) is a critical nutrient needed by humans. Vitamin C supports numerous biological functions, including healthy growth and development. It helps to combat the psychological and physical effects of stress and is vitally important for a strong and healthy immune system. • Probiotics Probiotics, aka beneficial bacteria, are important health boosting supplements. Specifically, the two strains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis have demonstrated a wide range of benefits, including immune

support. While commonly used to help regulate digestion, it turns out that daily supplementation with these friendly gut bacteria can fight colds and flu, too. This is, in part, due to their unique ability to stimulate dendritic cells, which play a critical role in immune function. • Medicinal Mushrooms Organic medicinal mushrooms of various species can offer support for the whole family during the fall and winter seasons. Medicinal mushrooms, especially Reishi, Cordyceps, Maitake and Shitake, boost immunity and overall health, while helping the body adapt to stress during the seasonal transitions. • Multi-nutrients A high quality children’s multi-nutrient that includes vitamins, minerals, and trace elements is important for healthy development and immune support. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to support your child’s health is to create regular family time. Sitting down together for dinner each night offers numerous benefits and allows everyone in the family to slow down, relax and reconnect. Laughter stimulates the immune system, as does overall happiness and a positive outlook. By building quality family time into your schedule, you can directly support your children’s health and simply enjoy life. For more practical information on children’s health, download a copy of my free wellness guide, “Integrative Solutions for Our Children’s Health,” or visit www.dreliaz.org.

August 2012

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August 2012

ENVIRONMENT | Living Green

Adopting a

“Low Carb ” Diet Simple steps can wean us off of corporate agriculture

By Rob Williams We know there is oil in our cars, plastics, and household chemicals. But do we know how much oil is in our hamburgers and fries? It all starts at the well, where oil is pumped out, then makes its way through the refinery and specialty chemical plant, where it is processed into the fertilizers and pesticides that maintain the corn fields, which produce the unnatural feed at the cattle confined animal feeding operation (CAFO). This beef becomes the “thousand cow burger” we hear about these days (and consume often). Along this food journey, diesel pumps through multitudes of giant tractors and combines, airplanes dust crops, plastics are used for packaging, and semi-trucks and rail engines shift things from one place on the continent to another inside refrigerated containers. Combine this gas-guzzling carbonspewing food machine with the displacement of natural ecosystems that would have otherwise naturally absorbed carbon outputs, and the problem becomes compounded exponentially. This is the story of how we get our food to the grocery store. Big agriculture equals big problems and, on an industrial scale, affects the entire planet and our potential to thrive as a species indefinitely. “Worldwide food production could account for as much as 35 percent of greenhouse gas emissions,” says Eugene Cordero, climate scientist and coauthor of Cool Cuisine: Taking a Bite Out of Global Warming. 34

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The negative impacts of factory food is externalized, which makes cheap food an illusion of shady accounting— society is responsible for picking up the tab on the effects of environmental degradation (such as giant dead zones in the Gulf) and climate change (i.e.: the increase in quantity and strength of storms, desertiﬁcation, etc.) caused by the industrial food system. We are paying cash out-of-pocket to support the degradation of our own habitat. CAFO’s are producing extreme levels of methane, made worse by unnatural feed to cattle that have evolved to eat grass. Land used for intensive agriculture—such as mono-crops and CAFO’s—are displacing forests and native prairie lands, effectively eliminating valuable carbon “sinks” and sources of fresh oxygen, contaminating public waters, and destroying ecosystems. How can we change? “Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple,” says Bill Mollison, co-founder of Permaculture. Healthy farms equal healthy people and planet. By utilizing farming practices and land use management techniques that conserve the natural ecosystem and replenish the soils, the operation itself becomes a carbon sink while simultaneously producing food. This is where we vote with our dollars. By choosing to purchase food that is organic, sustainably grown, local, in

season, and appropriate to This is where we the local geography, we can vote with our dollars. curb many of these issues. By choosing to cut back on By choosing to meat products, which take a purchase food that is far larger amount of energy to organic, sustainably produce than plant products, grown, local, in season, we can do even more. Albert Einstein noted and appropriate to decades ago that, “Nothing the local geography, will benefit human health we can curb many of and increase chances for survival on earth as much these issues. as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” While full time vegetarianism may not be for everyone, incorporating vegetarian principles into your diet has huge benefits to our environment. Practicing part-time vegetarianism, such as “Meatless Mondays,” increases the consciousness of what you are putting in your body and what the current food system is putting into the air and water. Only in the last 50 years have we grown accustomed to eating meat at every meal (thank you KFC and McDonalds!). Meat was typically a “special event” in the human diet.

Growing your own food and purchasing food grown locally is healthy for everyone—people and the planet.

One step further, growing your own organic food eliminates almost all of the carbon associated with food production. Of course, not everyone has the space or time to grow everything they need, but even an apartment balcony with a few potted tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants provides some of the food consumed in your household. A suburban backyard can supply most, if not all, of a typical family’s diet for much of the year. Local food activist and writer Michael Pollan reminds us, “The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world.” August 2012

CULTURE | Community Connection

LAW RANCH Cattle Company Crosby, Texas

Happy cows and healthy beef for over 60 years Third installment in our “Farmer Crawl” series, introducing you to local food producers and the benefits of choosing locally grown food.

By Donna Gable Hatch When you own a cattle ranch, there are certain intangibles that come with the territory, like passing on a family legacy of treating animals— even animals that are destined to be slaughtered—with respect and care. For Amy and Ray Law, who own Law Ranch Cattle Company in Crosby, Texas, that legacy is deeply rooted in their children, Katherine, 7, and William, 5. “I love watching them gather the eggs and bottle feed the baby calf,” says Amy, who also is a realtor with Alliance Properties in Crosby. “This brings the kids very close to their father. They know so much about our farm business already.” Law Ranch Cattle Company, which is comprised of Unlike industrial livestock facilities, where as many as 115,000 cattle are crammed into feedlots with no access to pasture or grass, Law Ranch cattle are treated as part of the family. (Top to bottom): Betsy is a 3-year-old Jersey cow that can produce five gallons of milk daily; Betsy with her baby; Brangus (shown here), Beefmaster and other cross-breeds graze on the food nature intended for them to eat—the result is tastier, healthier beef.

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“People need to get

roughly 1,300 acres near the San Jacinto River, has been familybenefit from a health educated about how owned and operated since 1952, when Ray’s parents, Buddy standpoint. modern agriculture works and Ann Law, purchased the property. Ray, who grew up with “(Cattle) are four sisters (Patsy, Peggy, Jean, and Kay), learned the ropes by part of the natural so that they can make working alongside his father. cycle of life,” she informed choices about For decades, the beef from their pasture-raised cattle was says. “They turn the food on their plates.” limited to family and friends, but in 2007, Ray decided to offer grass, which is Marilyn Noble of the meat to consumers, and the “moo-ve” earned rave reviews. not digestible by “One bite of the (Law Ranch Cattle Company beef) Denver-based American humans, into protein hamburger, and I knew Grassfed Association I’d never go back to the supermarket for meat,” says Linda McGowen, who lives near Sugar Land. “It’s hard to explain why meat from a cow that eats grass instead of grain tastes better and is more tender, but it does.” Law’s beef—which ranges from $6 a pound for hamburger to $14 a pound for tenderloin steak—is available at Erma’s Nutrition Center & Natural Market, 18045 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay; Debbie’s Garden & Farmers Market, 20806 Hempstead Road in Cypress; Kingwood Farmer’s Market, 8 N. Main St. in Kingwood; Nassau Bay Farmers’ Market, located outside Erma’s Nutrition Center & Natural Market; and Farmers Market at Imperial, Highway 90 at Brooks Street in Sugar Land. The ranch’s reputation for quality recently led to a meeting with the chef for the Dave 7-year-old Katherine Law lives a life that is quite different than suburban kids. Her family owns 1,300 acres near Matthews Band’s summer tour, the San Jacinto River, where they have lived and worked since 1952. and a subsequent order for approximately 250 pounds of meat, Ray says. So, what’s the secret to Law’s success? that is (digestible). The meat tastes better because the flavor is “It’s simple,” he says. “Cattle should eat what they are influenced by what the cattle were eating.” genetically designed to eat. Feeding the animal grains, like Grass-fed and pasture-raised beef is leaner; lower in omega-6 corn, disturbs its natural digestive system, and that can lead to fats that are linked to heart disease; and higher in beneficial a variety of health issues.” omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acids, which reduce the Marilyn Noble of the Denver-based American Grassfed risk of heart disease, Noble says. Association (www.americangrassfed.org) agrees. “When Because Law’s herd is pasture-raised and humanely managed, animals are allowed to live the way nature intended—free from there is no need to introduce antibiotics to stave off illness, or confinement and eating their natural diet—they lead healthier hormones to promote growth. lives and require much less intervention to keep them that Law’s herd, which includes Brangus and Beefmaster, and way,” she says. Noble adds that when cattle graze and live other cross-breeds, graze on a blend of Bermuda and the as nature intended, the people who consume the beef also Bahia grasses, and a little range meal, which is a salt and ➜ August 2012

vitamin and mineral supplement. When it’s time to slaughter the animals, they are humanely transported to a state-inspected facility where each is examined. “One of the advantages to my meat is that every one of my animals has a state inspector do a pre-mortem and postmortem inspection,” Law says. “If you think about the typical slaughterhouse where they do 5,000 plus animals a day, there is no way an inspector could inspect each one of those carcasses.” Law’s meat also is single-source, which means all the beef in a package of hamburger is from one animal. “If you go to the grocery store and buy hamburger meat, there’s no telling how

Law’s meat also is single-source, which means all the beef in a package of hamburger is from one animal. “If you go to the grocery store and buy hamburger meat, there’s no telling how many animals are in that pound of hamburger meat; maybe even hundreds of animals.” many animals are in that pound of hamburger meat; maybe even hundreds of animals.” Once the beef is taken to the state-inspected slaughterhouse,

Safety and Our Food Supply New York Times best-selling author and healthy food Chris Hunt, senior policy advisor, GRACE activist Michael Pollan’s mantra is “You are what you eat Communications Foundation (www.gracelinks.org), eats, too.” agrees. The nonprofit organization provides information “The diet of the animals we consume has a direct to consumers about sustainable agriculture and the bearing on the nutritional quality of the food itself—and problems caused by industrial agriculture through its that has a direct impact on a person’s health,” Pollan says. Sustainable Table program (www.sustainabletable.org). For example, if you purchase beef at a supermarket, Hunt says that pesticides sprayed on crops to feed the its site of origin is, most likely, an industrial livestock thousands of cattle raised on industrial farms are stored facility—a place where as many in the animals’ fat, and then as 115,000 beef cattle are are passed on to people who crammed into feedlots with no consume the meat. access to pasture or grass. The According to Sustainable animals can barely move, stand Table, as many as 400 cows in manure and mud all day, and per hour are slaughtered at breathe air that is thick with industrial slaughterhouses harmful bacteria. each day, “which can result Hungry yet? in grossly high levels of fecal These same animals are given contamination,” Hunt says. low daily doses of antibiotics to “When you have high levels prevent the spread of disease, of contamination, you have and are injected with synthetic higher levels of E. coli, and growth hormones to produce that ultimately presents food faster-maturing animals for to consumers that is meat. less safe.” Gets your mouth watering, True, but Noble says it’s doesn’t it? also unfair to round up every “Conveyer belt cattle farming cattle baron operation and exists because of its ability to put them in the same pen. produce massive quantities “While some parts of of beef at the lowest possible the industry may employ price,” says Marilyn Noble of inhumane practices and the Denver-based American include antibiotics and Grassfed Association hormones as part of their (www.americangrassfed.org). feeding protocols, this is a But, beyond saving a few dimes gross generalization and Not all beef is created equal. Compare locally raised beef vs at the cash register, what price over-simplification of a very beef produced at corporate livestock facilities and you will find does the consumer pay? complex issue that affects great differences. Get educated, make healthier food choices. “The residues (antibiotics people who are trying to raise and hormones) may or may not remain in the meat, but animals and still make a living, and consumers who are the wholesale use of antibiotics in meat production is seeking healthy foods to eat,” she says. “People need to contributing to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria get educated about how modern agriculture works so in the general population,” Noble says. “This is a big that they can make informed choices about the food on problem for the safety of the food supply.” their plates.” 40

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Mark Luedtke of Dayton, Texas, eats grass-fed, pastureraised beef as part of his Paleolithic diet lifestyle. Also known as the “caveman diet,” the dietary template calls for consumers to replace feedlotproduced meats with pasture or grass-fed meats, and forgo supermarket produce for organic fruits and vegetables, and eggs from free-range chickens from farmers markets. Numerous studies of the “hunter-gatherer” diet, including those conducted at the National Center for Home on the range. Law Ranch provides fresh air, fresh water, and fresh grass—all the ingredients necessary to raise healthy cattle, which in turn produce healthy meat. Biotechnology Information, and the University of California the meat is dry-aged in a cooler just above freezing for at least Health Clinical Research Center, show positive results. two weeks. Doing so “allows some of the water to evaporate, “Since I stopped eating grains and grain-fed beef, I no longer which leaves a richer, beefier flavor, and it also allows time for pay for hypertension or cholesterol medicine,” Luedtke says. the enzymes to break down and make the meat more tender “I no longer see the doctor every few months. I’m happier. I’m and juicy.” Once dry-aged, the meat is packaged and is ready for healthier. I’m saving money.” the consumer. For more information, visit www.lawranch.com.

August 2012

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CULTURE | Open Book

NEW BOOK GUIDES READERS TO FIND SUCCESS Author, speaker, and entrepreneur Dayna Steele pens 101 Ways to Rock Your World

n her new book 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities for Success Every Day (published by iUniverse), Dayna Steele offers readers an inspiring and easy-to-follow guide to personal success. Steele suggests that a success story begins with setting a strong foundation— through daily habits, consistency, reliability and creativity—and creating a personal brand. In 101 Ways to Rock Your World Steele provides readers with the tools to help them become their vision of success.

She provides readers with an experience close to having Steele—a successful entrepreneur, author, and speaker—act as their personal success coach, guiding them through their daily activities to ﬁnd success and stay successful.

About the Author Dayna Steele is a successful serial entrepreneur, Texas Radio Hall of Fame rock radio personality and the author of Rock to the Top. She is married to author and pilot Charles Justiz, has three sons, and lives in Seabrook, Texas. Steele writes, speaks about success, consults, and plays golf.

August 2012

CULTURE | Summer Read

A Fine Day for a Divorce The final chapter of our three-part “Summer Read” mini-novel series. Read Parts I and II of “A Fine Day for a Divorce” in the July and August issues of Change magazine, in print or online at www.ChangeMediaOnline.com.

Story by Harry Steven Lazerus Illustrations by Thaddeus Lavalais

he night sparkled beyond the windows of their hotel suite. The houses across the bay, the lamps strung over the marina walkways, and the few boats that moved slowly far below gave off light that counterpointed the blackness of the sky and water. Near the hotel, tall streetlights glowed bright yellow. Cars traveling along the highway lit the road with moving beams of white. Liz sighed at its beauty. Then she turned to look at Peter, who stood by the desk in the sitting room with his laptop open, and wondered how she was going to get through the weekend. “Do you mind if I go out and sit on the balcony?” Peter asked, seeing the expression on her face. His voice sounded distant, as if he was mentally far away. “I’ll be out there for a while. I won’t bother

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you.” Without waiting for an answer, he stepped out of the room and disappeared into the darkness. As soon as the glass door closed, Liz grabbed her own laptop. As if he knew she needed him, Andrei was waiting online for her. It was almost always thus. Liz felt a burst of relief. Liz told him about the evening. Andrei did not respond. Instead, he pulled her into his own magical world, describing a walk he had taken in the park late that afternoon. The sunlight had streamed through the trees, making the leaves glitter, blending the colors of a hidden patch of woods into a perfect palette of green, red, orange and black, the patterns changing with each step he took. As the afternoon deepened the birds began singing as the sun approached the horizon. He dreamed of sharing such moments with her; they would be together always once she was divorced. Liz’s heart “I’m afraid to leave you, raced as she read his words. And then Andrei’s conversation drifted into an area he had never gone Peter. I might meet a before. His words became erotic, and the swift beating of Liz’s heart was man someday, fall in love, not the only physical reaction Liz began to have. and suddenly find you Andrei’s words became specific, as if he was writing the script that Peter followed during those times when her pleasure was most intense, popping out of his skin.” and Liz became filled with hope that when she finally could be together with Andrei their love would be perfect. And all the while, Liz grew more and more aroused, feeling as if she would faint if she were not allowed a release. And then, without warning, Andrei broke the spell. The battery on his laptop was dying, he said, and he had to move from where he was and go plug it in. It would only take a few moments, and they would return to the magical place he had taken them. She nodded, as if he could see her gesture. Andrei’s chat icon went to off-line status, and Liz caught her breath anxiously as she prepared to wait. The glass door to the balcony opened, and Liz groaned inside. Peter walked in and strode purposefully toward her. She wanted to scream and tell him to go away, but she quickly closed her laptop instead, so that he would not see the words that had been on the screen. “I want you, Liz. One last time,” he pleaded. “Give me one last time.” Peter came closer. “No!” she said firmly, but her heart was still beating, and the unsatisfied desire for Andrei roiled her thoughts into a whirlwind she could not grasp or control. “It will be months before our divorce is final, months,” Peter insisted. “It will be a new life for you and the beginning of no life for me. Please, Liz, one last time. Just close your eyes and make believe it is Andrei. Just close your eyes.” But Liz didn’t close her eyes. She stared helplessly at the beautiful face that came closer and closer, while she thought of a man whose face she did not know, and dissociated the image before her eyes from the husband she no longer loved. Liz took a deep breath, and surrendered to the desire that beat inside her head so loudly she could no longer hear her own thoughts. Liz lay back in the hotel bed, her breathing gradually returning to normal. She had been taken—no, she had taken herself—to a place she had never been before. But now, in what should have been a happy afterglow, she felt dirty, as if she had defiled something beautiful. She had betrayed Andrei. Peter still lay in bed beside her, not moving. “I love you, Liz,” he whispered. “Get away from me, Peter,” she hissed, without looking at him. “I made a mistake.” Peter did not reply. He got out of bed and went out to the balcony. Liz stared up at the ceiling, frozen, afraid to touch her computer. What now? she wondered. How could she possibly tell Andrei? How could she not? What kind of ➜

August 2012

foundation had she created for their future? She covered her face with her hands and cried. A voice inside her head said: You’ve never even met Andrei, your relationship with him isn’t real, and you owe him no loyalty… She quickly stiﬂed that thought and hesitantly reached for her laptop. Perhaps she would be lucky; he would no longer be there. If for some reason they didn’t communicate for a few days, she could pretend tonight never happened, and never tell Andrei. But Liz still had to see if Andrei was online. If she disappeared from the Internet for a few days, while she was away with her husband, Andrei would become suspicious. Gingerly, she tapped the keys to get into her chat program. Andrei was waiting for her. Where were you? Andrei asked. Peter came in and demanded to talk to me, she replied. Are you sure? You were gone so long. I was starting to worry about you, my love. I’m here now, she reassured him. Today, Andrei wrote, I wanted you to see what I was seeing. I ached with the desire to share it with you. I want you to look out the hotel window. Can you? Liz slid out of bed and walked to the Jacuzzi by the window. She sat on its edge and looked out onto the dark water below. Two boats moved slowly north, a third moved more quickly to the south. To her left, a car made its way along the highway in the direction of the hotel. Yes, she typed. Liz watched the letters from Andrei’s typing move across her screen. There are a few boats on the water, moving slowly across its blackness, he wrote. Liz smiled as she thought of him trying to imagine what she was seeing, and how well he had guessed. To the left, Andrei went on, a car is about to pass the hotel. Liz jerked her head to the left and shivered as that lone car whizzed past her window’s view and out of sight. It’s gone now, Andrei continued, but the boats are still there. Two are moving north, and the one moving south is just passing the marina, its light moving along the water, dancing with the lights of the docks. He’s not imagining this, Liz thought, her throat tightening with fear, as the southward moving boat glided past the marina. He’s actually seeing it, through my eyes. Then she glanced at the glass door out into the

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Peter walked in and strode purposefully toward her. She wanted to scream and tell him to go away, but she quickly closed her laptop instead, so that he would not see the words that had been on the screen.

patio. Peter was leaning over his laptop, typing. Liz’s computer slipped from her lap and fell to the thick rug. She jumped up, ran to the balcony door, pushed it open and stepped outside. Peter, oblivious to her presence, continued typing furiously. “What are you doing?” she demanded harshly. Peter was so startled that his laptop almost fell from him, also. “You didn’t read my description of the water,” he said weakly. “What are you doing?” she demanded again, still not understanding what was happening. “I can’t be the man you want, Liz, so I created him.” Peter took a deep breath. “Maybe no one ever wanted to pay me for the characters I could create in my head, but at least I was able to create one that my wife fell in love with. Rather gratifying, I would say.” “How long would you have kept this up?” “Forever, if you had taken my suggestion this afternoon, and continued your online relationship and stayed married to me. You didn’t, so I had to bring things to a head.” Liz swallowed deeply. “So you were Andrei all along,” she said, “No,” Peter corrected. “I’m not Andrei. I created Andrei. There’s a difference. I could never be him because I’m not him. I’m a guy who goes to work everyday, comes home, eats dinner, and watches sports on TV.” “You’re a lot more than that, Peter,” Liz said, shuddering. “Are you still going to leave me, Liz?” “I’m afraid to leave you, Peter. I might meet a man someday, fall in love, and suddenly ﬁnd you popping out of his skin.” She laughed crazily, an unbalanced laugh. She leaned over the balcony railing and looked out into the distance. “You look beautiful tonite, framed by the night,” Peter said. Liz Harmon looked over the railing, down 15 stories to the dark ground below. I’ll never escape him, she thought. He’ll always ﬁnd a way to burrow deep into my soul. Unless…She imagined the ground rushing up to meet her, felt dizzy, and allowed that dizziness to wash over and engulf her, giving her a sense of satisfaction. Then she stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Peter rose from his chair. “I’m cold, Peter, so cold.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Keep me warm, Peter, keep me warm.” “Always,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her hair and gently kissing her head.

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August 2012