Update: "Farm to School in The Classroom"

That's going to be the name of the program.  "Farm to School in the Classroom."  Right now things are slow but moving forward slowly.  We really can't implement much until the administrators are back in the schools in preparation for the school year to begin.  We have a ton of people to talk to, meetings to have, things to plan out and brainstorm, things that need to be written and created, etc.  I'll be starting on that in the next couple weeks.  I think I need to move to Jackson for a whole week, to really get some of this stuff going. 

Right now it feels like an extraordinary amount of work to do in just a little over a month's time.   But, we'll get there.  This weekend I'll be working on creating a survey to be sent out to the parents in Jackson.  It's a research project I wanted to conduct to get an idea of where families stand currently, as far as their own and their child's nutritional habits at home.  I'll be very eager to send that out and get some feedback to analyze.  I wrote an article last week for VegNews Magazine, a publication by the VegMichigan organization. In it I had the opportunity to discuss the Farm to School Program and ask for volunteers to help out.   Hopefully they approve and publish that soon. 

Baby Steps Toward Changing a School District

I sent an e-mail tonight to the director of the food service program at Birmingham Public Schools. I copied the e-mail below. It only took an hour of my time and I think it's little steps like this that could come back to make a huge impact.

"I had a meeting last week with with the Principal at Harlan Elementary, and she gave me your contact information. I wanted to write you and introduce myself. I'm a good friend of Eric Heim, a teacher at Harlan, and he asked me to help him reach out. To sum it up, I'm a pre-med student really just trying to make a difference in the community and to advocate for things I am passionate about. I volunteer extensively in our local communities and as a supplement to my academic goals, I started volunteering for an organization called the Food System Economic Partnership, based in Ann Arbor. This organization is allowing me the opportunity to work directly with students and parents, educating them about healthy eating and disease prevention. I was telling Eric a little bit about what this organization does for school districts and he became very interested in trying to incorporate some of these things at Harlan. The Principal thought it was a great idea but suggested that you would be the best person to contact.

As I'm sure you have noticed, a major revolution is starting to take shape in our country in terms of realizing the negative effects of our eating habits. Examples of this include movies such as Food Inc., Supersize Me, the new 'Forks over Knives' movie that comes out in the fall, and Jamie Oliver's TV show. This information is now becoming mainstream. Over the last 70 years, the food we consume has drastically changed from the simple 'farm fresh food' we ate a hundred years ago, to processed food filled with hormones and chemicals, fast foods, and sugary snacks, with little to no emphasis on promoting food that comes from the earth. We're feeding our kids fried food, chicken remains shaped into a nugget, and vegetables that have lost nearly all nutritional value in the processing, shipping, and preparatory process. We are teaching our future generations to consume the food that is killing our current generations. It doesn't have to be like this and it shouldn't be. As a result, the health statistics of our population have spiraled out of control, especially the statistics of childhood diseases such as obesity, Type II Diabetes, and even pediatric cancer. In my own family, I've lost every one of my loved ones over 60 years old, to cancer. That is my motivation for my career change and for my passion to make a difference. We must do what we can to turn this ship around, and it absolutely has to become a priority in our school districts.

I'm contacting you as a member of the community and as a friend to Eric, not on behalf of FSEP. But I will tell you what I know about the organization. FSEP is a nonprofit involved with promoting Michigan farms. Their 'Farm to School' program links local farmers with school districts, our colleges (and our hospitals). This organization is working to change the kind of food products being served in our institutions. They don't supply food, they just connect districts and their lunch program management companies (such as Sodexho) with local farmers to get fresh food at a reasonable price. Fifteen school districts in five of our local counties (such as Jackson, Ann Arbor, schools in Livingston and Wayne County, etc.) are currently working with FSEP to change their lunch programs. The city of Jackson, where 65% of the student population qualifies for free lunch, is currently implementing a healthy food program in their schools. This proves that change is possible in any district. Schools have implemented 'Local Food Fridays' and in some districts the kids are eating fresh food as much as 3 days a week. But any change is better than no change at all. As a result, the statistics in these schools are improving. The kids are eating and liking new vegetables, parents are on board and encouraging their kids to eat the school lunch, attendance rates are going up, and student performance is rising. They are also gaining a competitive edge over other neighboring districts because parents want to see that their kids are eating fresh, local food. Eric said he walked into the lunchroom recently and looked at his students lunches - chicken nuggets that were pink inside, french fries, fruit roll ups, candy, pop, etc., and it made him upset. The Birmingham school district can pioneer a health revolution too by working to change the products that are served to its students.

I am new to FSEP and I don't know the ins and outs and costs and numbers that you would want to know. I know it doesn't cost anything to work with FSEP. I'm just reaching out to you because it was important to Eric, and to let you know that there are excellent resources available to create an opportunity like this in the Birmingham School District. The majority of my volunteer work will be in the Jackson School District this summer. But I would be more than happy to help however I can in implementing a program like this in Birmingham and I know Eric is on board to help too. Maybe just a prototype program at Harlan to see how things go. I heard that Harlan won a 'green school' award this past year. Maybe it would be a good idea to supplement the award by pursuing sustainability as a whole entity, including helping Harlan's kids to be the healthiest they can be in all aspects of their lives. In addition to modifying the kinds of food ordered for the lunch program, there are so many things being done in schools that don't involve spending a lot of money. School gardens, where the kids help maintain and learn about the value of organic vegetables. Chefs are coming in and teaching kids how to cook, kids are cooking for their parents and getting them involved, activities are getting kids emotionally involved and excited about healthy food, teachers are eating with their kids once a week to set an example for what a healthy lunch consists of, schools are embracing foods from various cultures and introducing an appreciation for ethnic foods. And there is so much more."

The rest of the email just consisted of my contact information and a request for a formal meeting.  Hopefully the words I chose were impactful enough to start making the necessary steps toward change in this district.

My Food Program Begins

As a supplement to my educational goals, I am embarking on a volunteer program through the Food System Economic Partnership, a non profit organization based in Ann Arbor. FSEP's main goal is to promote the economic viability of Michigan farmers.  Part of how they accomplish this is by connecting farmers with institutions such as our schools, colleges, and hospitals. The Farm to School program is an extension of FSEP which focuses on direct partnerships with school districts to get fresh, locally grown farm foods into their lunch programs.

As an FSEP intern, I am being given the opportunity to create my own education pilot program in a school district currently working with FSEP to implement the Farm to School program.  My program will be aimed at educating the students and their parents about the benefits of the Farm to School Program and to teach them about good nutrition.  Not sure yet what district I will be working in but I'm really excited to get started.

Today was sort of Day #1 for me in this journey. I went to the FSEP Annual Conference in Jackson where I attended workshops and lectures about local farming, the current state of school lunch programs, and how 15 progressive, competitive school districts spanning across 5 counties are causing a lunch revolution in the State of Michigan. I'm reviewing my notes tonight and thinking about everything I learned, and later I'll post a blog about some of those things.

50 Ways to Help the Planet

50 Ways to Help the Planet

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Cancer - John's Hopkins Advice

Cancer - John's Hopkins Advice:

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE THAT CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY THING TO TRY (TRY BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN'S HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Updates from John's Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.

When doctors tell cancer patients there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, they are actually saying that the tests are unable to detect the cencer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between six to more than ten times in a person's lifetime.

3. When a person's immune system is strong, the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food, and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, etc., and can cause organ damage to liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars, and damages healthy cells, tissues, and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However, prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation, the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc., are made with Aspartame and it is HARMFUL. A better natural substitute would be Manuka Honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts.
Table Salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. A better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce musuc, especially in the gastro-intestional tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment. A meat based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains antibiotics, growth hormones, and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made up of 80% vegetebales and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and fruits will help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can come from cooked foods including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures above 104 degrees fahrenheit.

e. Avoid coffee, regular tea, and chocolate. Green tea is a great alternative and has cancer fighting properties. It's best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a touch protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat, it frees more enzymes to attack the protein and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-essence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFA's, etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like Vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness, and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing helps to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means to destroy cancer cells.

1. NO plastic containers in the microwave.
2. NO water bottles in the freezer.
3. NO plastic wrap in the microwave.

John's Hopkins has recently sent this out in their newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave in plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. The combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of our body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as corningware, pyrex, or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same result only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen, and soups, etc. should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isnt bad but you don't know what's in the paper. It's just safer to use tempored glass.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap such as Saran Wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is heated, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover the food with a paper towel instead.

My Chinese Horoscope for 2010 Couldn't Have Come at a Better Time...

Your sign is Water-Dog.

It doesn't get much better than this. The Year of the Tiger may as well be The Year of the Dog, as you're not likely to have a more fortunate one, even when your own sign is ruling. In fact, it is the Dog who can expect the most from 2010. Perhaps you are a typical, cautious, unassuming, nostalgic Dog sign person. Forget all that! This is a year to make your mark on the world. The biggest mistake you can make is to sit on the sidelines. There will be plenty of action, and you need to be right in the middle of it. Ride the Tiger to fame and glory. Do the most outrageous thing you have contemplated but could not bring yourself to initiate. There is not a better time in sight, especially if you require a little luck to succeed. Now is also when you want to plan that momentous occasion ushering in the next phase of your life.

Hot passion meets cold steel with the arrival of the year of the Metal Tiger. This combined sign signifies both the energy to begin activity and the determination to follow it through to the end. Forget about last year's slow plodding. Events set in motion now will pick up speed and continue until either the objective is attained or the whole endeavor crashes and burns.

Bold, cold Metal rules in contrast to last year's pragmatic, calculating Earth. This difference will be all the more dramatic as 2010 is a dynamic, Yang year. Metal's Yang aspect is extremely aggressive and does not tolerate opposition.

Unfortunately Metal has a destructive relationship with the Tiger's fixed element, Wood. In fact this is the fifth in a run of six years governed by an unlucky conflict of elements. This should come as no surprise given the recent history of US and world financial markets, massive numbers of foreclosures in the housing sector, and the terrible tragedy that is Iraq today.

The combination of Metal and Tiger is not, however, a totally negative one. Together they represent the kind of force necessary to accomplish the most difficult tasks. The impossible just might be possible during this exciting time.

Things that have needed to get done but were not due to some blockage will be done or at least see significant progress being made. On the other hand, some that probably should never even have been attempted will also go to completion. This is because the Metal Tiger is associated with a lemming mentality. The Norwegian story goes that, once a group of them starts moving across the fields, they will charge ahead and unthinkingly run straight off a cliff to their doom.

The point is now is the time to attack the most difficult issues you face. You have one of your best chances of achieving a breakthrough. On the other hand, if you still run into stiff opposition, you would do well to consider postponing your attempt to another time. You see, the same force that propels you forward is also with those opposing your efforts. Thinkers can prosper, but lemmings could experience serious setbacks.

Since this is a Metal year, those people born in an Earth one will generally fare better than others of their animal sign, while those born in a Wood one are likely to do worse. It's also slightly negative for those born in a Fire year and mildly positive for Water sign people. Finally, those born in a Metal year will be in their element and do well if their animal sign is compatible with the Tiger but could run into lots of confrontations if not.

The only thing we can say for sure is the year 2010 will be a tumultuous one. This is true for individuals, societies and the human race in general. It's perhaps a better time for knocking down walls than building them. People who thirst for adventure and can reign in their emotions could experience a thrilling and rewarding year. Those who seek peace and harmony might find themselves running for cover more than a few times.

The Story of My Little Babe.

This morning I'm sitting alone in my quiet house, watching my dog while she sleeps on the living room floor. I'm crying my eyes out because she has no idea that her life is going to end in a few short hours. But I know it, and it's the worst feeling ever. I thought rather than sit here and do nothing, I would take a few minutes to reflect on her life and tell her story.

We got Babe sixteen and a half years ago, and a few weeks after Dacquiri, our first American Eskimo, had to be put to sleep. My brother and I came home from school one day (I was ten years old, he was six) to find everyone sitting in the family room, and an eight week old, tiny white fluff moving around under the chair my Grandma Aiti was sitting in. My parents had gotten Babe from a breeder and surprised us with her.

Babe has been through a lot in her life. Because of my parents divorce and my dad working nights, and moving to a dog UNfriendly neighborhood, my dad ended up giving Babe to Betty Williams, a lady who lived across the street from my other Grandma in Taylor. I was devastated about it but we were able to visit her anytime we went to visit my grandma. Also, when my brother and I stayed with my mom on weekends, we would always stop by and pet her for a few minutes. I even got to live across the street from Babe for the year that I went to college at U of M Dearborn and lived with my Grandma. Betty adored Babe and treated her like a Queen and I was happy about that.

Unfortunately, Betty passed away of cancer about 6 or 7 years later. I was in college at Western at the time, and I found out that her children then took Babe, about ten years old then, up north to live. That was really hard for me and my mom - it was like losing her again, because this time we knew we probably wouldn't ever see her again.

In January of 2006, after I had graduated from Western and had been working at DTA for a year, I had decided to buy my house in Ferndale and would be closing on it in two weeks. My grandma, who had a gift for knowing what was going on with anyone at anytime, found out that the family who had Babe up north was looking to give her away again, because they had much larger dogs who were being too rough with her. I remember contemplating it for all of five minutes before I asked my grandma to help me get her back. So she did just that, while I closed on my house and moved in at the end of January, and three days before Valentines Day, the family drove Babe down to me so I could pick her up.

We all met at a house in Taylor and seeing Babe again was like overwhelming happiness. She remembered me too, and started jumping up and licking my face. I took her leash and we walked out to my car and she jumped right in, as if to say 'ok let's go home!' So we went home and she adjusted well to her new home in Ferndale and to her little brother, Calvin.

I did all this in secret and set up a whole secret plan to surprise my mom with Babe. My mom, being a flight attendant, was out of town while all this was going on, but came home the night of Valentines Day. I had been asking her for a few days prior to come over the night of Valentines Day, because I had a surprise for her. She was skeptical about coming over at 11:00 PM and kept making guesses as to what I had that was so important but had no idea how cool my surprise actually would be.

Finally my mom had finished with her trip and made it to my house. It was snowing, Leah was over, and I could barely stand how excited I was for my mom to arrive. She pulled in the driveway, walked up to my deck still in her uniform, and I was standing with Babe at the back door waiting for her. I'll never ever forget the next five minutes after that. My mom stared blankly at Babe sitting at the door, realized it was her, looked at me in shock, looked at Babe again while I let her outside and said "I got her back for us mom," and she dropped to her knees and cried while Babe jumped up and down and barked and licked her face. From that night on, Babe was back in our lives again.

I knew back then that today would be one of the hardest days of my life and I always dreaded it. It certainly is proving itself to be every bit as difficult as I imagined. But I also am so very thankful that after going to four different homes in her short life, Babe got to spend the remainder of her time with me. No dog should ever have to go to more than one family and it breaks my heart that she had to go through that. But I hope that what she remembers most is her time with me. If anyone reads this and has a dog of their own, give them an extra kiss on the head today in honor of my little Babe.