Big push on banning plastic bags - Environment California

Big push on banning plastic bags - Environment California

As the unrelenting thick black oil smothers the Gulf of Mexico, we can sit back and watch the devastation with grieving hearts, or take action to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse -yes REFUSE!- the use of plastic products that are produced for entertainment or ease of use, such as the one time use plastic bag. We might also consider pushing forward the use of the bicycles and electric or alternatively fueled vehicles to ease our oil addiction to gasoline.

We've got until June 4 to pass a ban on plastic grocery bags out of the California Assembly.

A ban on plastic bags is one of the biggest single cuts we can make to the plastic pollution that's filling the ocean and marring our beaches. But the bill is under attack by bag manufacturers and others.

Consider the alternatives, make cloth bags a regular part of going to the market, clothing store or hardware store. Think before buying plastics. Think before taking the extra car trip. Think of the Gulf, of the life that we are watching suffocate from this toxic oil spill.

You can make a difference.

Please contact your California Assembly member to pass AB 1998.

Cancer as a Chronic Disease

I just returned from the Institute for Functional Medicine’s 17th International Conference, Cancer as a Chronic Disease. Close to one thousand oncologist, family practitioners, nurses, registered dietitians, nutritionists and cancer thrivers attended the intensely scientific Conference which looked at cancer as a disease more people are living with.

I want to share the major points made at the conference and the implications these points have for the choices we make each day.

1. “Cancers, not Cancer.” (Dr. Jeffrey Bland)
Cancer is not a single disease that occurs in different areas of the body, but rather there are many bio-individual types of cancers specific to the individuals experiencing them.

2. Hence cancer treatments need to move away from the “one type of treatment fits all” to targeting treatments specific for an individual’s personal biochemical make up. Testing for the viability of chemotherapy treatments and supporting individual nutritional and lifestyle changes may improve outcomes by as much as 40 percent.

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A note on testing:
Genetic testing, though a young science, may help to determine which treatments may work for you. There are tests that determine if the cancer will respond to a chosen chemotherapy. There are tests to see if you have genes that might not accept the chosen chemotherapy.

Testing for nutritional and biological markers may help to target some of your diet and supplement choices. If nutritional markers were found to be depleted in zinc, a registered dietitian, nutritional consultant or physician could come up with a plan of supplementation and foods to help you get back in the normal zone.
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3. Some cancers may have hereditary predisposition but our physical environment, emotional health and lifestyle choices play a major role in whether those genes are expressed. The physical environment includes the place where we live and work as well as our internal physical terrain. Internal terrain describes our body’s individual biochemical makeup.

4. With more people thriving after treatment, General Medical Practitioners need to know how to advise their patients on the emotional, nutritional and lifestyle changes that will best sustain optimal health. It was repeatedly stated that an integrative approach supports the reduction of the reoccurrence of cancer.

5. “Illness versus Wellness.” (Dr. Dean Ornish quoting his teacher Sachtenanda)
The difference in the two words is simply “I” as contrasted to “We.” Together, in a supportive and active community, we are healthier than alone.


What simple steps can you implement to improve your health during and after cancer?

There are many practices that we can embrace to support our health and increase our well being. These diet and lifestyle recommendations discussed at the Conference give each of us an important role to play in our healing process. Dr. Jeffrey Bland pointedly stated, “Knowledge of the truth consists not in proclaiming it but in living it.”

Remember these three things: 1) Optimize eating, 2) increase physical exercise, and 3) reduce stress. Here are the key details.

Let’s start with food.
Most experts now feel that eating the Mediterranean Diet can reduce your risk of a cancer diagnosis and/or recurrence by as much as 30 percent. What drug could do that?

For all of us, this diet sustains your health by providing a phyto-pharmacy of nutrients, optimizing proteins, and supplying nourishing fats that help create an environment conducive to healthy cell metabolism.

The recommended diet includes:
• 5-11 servings of vegetables and fruits (predominantly vegetables), with a serving size being ½ cup for vegetables other than leafy greens which are one cup in size
• Whole grains and legumes – 2-3 ½-cup servings of whole grains and legumes
• Healthy fats – olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, walnut oil and rapeseed
• Animal protein that is lower in fat, organic and preferably free-range and grass fed – fresh water fish, organic poultry, lean meats
• Low-fat dairy which is rich in the protein cysteine so necessary for health.
• Mushrooms and herbs
• Healthy sweeteners such as Stevia, whole fruits, occasional honey and maple syrup

It eliminates:
White flour or any refined or processed grains or prepared foods
White processed sugar, including organic sugar.
All Trans or Hydrogenated fats found in fast and processed foods
Overeating saturated fats
Fast Food
Alcohol and Smoking


Physical Exercise
Doctors Dean Ornish from the UCSF Medical Center, and Keith Block, of Chicago’s Block Integrative Cancer Medical Center, both agree that: 30 minutes of exercise a day can improve the outcomes of cancer therapy and decrease your side affects from chemotherapy and radiation.

Of course you need to start where you are and work up to 30 minutes a day if you have not been exercising. But the studies were there and I was surprised to learn that you can reduce your risk of cancer and cancer reoccurrence by 40 percent simply by exercising for half an hour a day, 5 to 6 times a week!

It can be as simple as taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood or joining a dance class. Regular exercise changes your metabolism so that you are circulating more oxygen and nutrients, de-stresses your system, and stabilizes your weight – helping to optimize your health.

Dr Block even has his patients exercise while doing their chemotherapy. No cushy chairs or beds for them, they are on tread mills or rollerblading around Lake Michigan!


Relaxation or Stress Management
Bringing awareness to stressful situations and relaxing with meditation, music, walking, good sleep, prayer, or artistic expression is vital to your health.

We are not simply a physical expression of our genes. We can change our genes with our lifestyle choices, including relaxation and stress management.

Dr. Ornish cited his studies which demonstrated that gene expression in over 500 genes were beneficially affected by diet and lifestyle changes including stress reduction through meditation.

Thinking positive thoughts, bringing awareness to your daily actions, creating a nourishing, loving and safe place to be – either alone or with others, taking three breaths before, during and after meals, learning to meditate, and practicing yoga or Qigong, are just some of the many ways to reduce stress and increase your health.


This is just a taste of the information shared at the Cancer as a Chronic Disease Conference. Studies, ideas, philosophies and arguments filled our four days. But it is the simple changes I’ve shared above – through diet, exercise and stress management – that I most wanted to share with you. These are the steps that each of us can take right now in our daily lives. Taken together, they have a significant ability to reduce our chances of a cancer diagnosis or recurrence and improve our treatment outcomes. I encourage you to see what steps you can take today to improve your own health!

Many Blessings!

Fermenting Health

Today is the Freestone Fermentation Festival, a local annual event to promote healthy eating and all things fermented.

In honor of the festival I want to share a few simple recipes, Cucumber Salad with a Kefir dressing and Tahini-Miso Dip. Let me know if you like them.


Cucumber Salad

This recipe is nice in the summer months when cucumbers are abundant.
The sweet and sour flavors are cooling and easy on the digestive system.


3 medium Cucumbers, sliced
2 Scallions, sliced
1 cup Yogurt or Kefir
1 Tbsp Minced sweet red peppers or shredded carrots
1 Tbsp Minced parsley
2 tsp Minced fresh dill
½ tsp Dry mustard

Peel and cut cucumbers lengthwise, seed and slice.
Place cucumbers in a medium-size serving bowl.
Add scallions, yogurt, peppers or carrots, parsley, dill and mustard and toss to combine.

Refrigerate until serving time.
The salad can stay for about 4 days in the refrigerator.



Tahini Miso Dip

An easy dip that makes the gut smile and nourishes the soul.



1 Shallot
1 Garlic clove
¼ cup Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tablespoons red Miso or any other great miso
Pinch red pepper
Salt to taste
Parsley or Cilantro


Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Decorate with Cilantro and Parsley.
This dip can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.

Enjoy with vegetables or pita.

Are Canned Goods Safe?

According to the recent SF Chronicle, BPA lined canned goods contain chemicals that leach into the food and may cause cancer, neurological problems, hormonal problems and may even interfere with chemotherapy.

This is true for health food canned goods as well as commercial canned goods. So look carefully when you peel back the lid to you canned goods,is it white in there? If so that plastic lining may just be BPA lined and your health food may not be so healthy.

What about the other cans?

I say all canned food comes with risks. If it is aluminum, well we know that can be toxic. If it is coated with a lining that easily peels off, like the one a class participant brought in the other day, it is possible for it be leaching into your food.


What can you do to protect yourself and your family?

1. Buy fresh produce! Freeze your leftovers. Dehydrate any other vegetables that are not used or better yet put them into a broth.

2. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh. Frozen fruits are often flash frozen and are quite full of nutrients. The same is true for many vegetables.

3. Read labels and call the company that is producing and packaging the food that is in question. Ask them what is in their cans. How do they freeze their foods.

350 GARDEN CHALLENGE

The 350 Garden Challenge is on!

May 15th and 16th Health Action, a Sonoma County coalition of Health oriented community organizations, invites our community to plant a 350 new water wise gardens either by planting a brand new garden, expanding existing gardens, or helping out on a work crew to help plant a neighbors garden. The 350 water wise gardens celebrates community and local food efforts to create healthy food for everyone at a reasonable cost.

I put our garden up for you to view. It is named the DeNicola Family Garden and you can see a picture of the garden after last fall's harvest. This garden feeds our family and also gives produce to the Ceres Project for cooking classes. We come pick our herbs, flowers and veggies for our class from the garden. We also check in on the worm compost and feed it our scraps.

To check out the effort and find our garden go to
http://igrowsonoma.org/content/350-garden-challenge

I hope you will join the 350 Garden Challenge!



Today we had a Spanikopita with freshly picked spinach and onions from the garden. It was the new Joy of Cookings recipe. I added a fresh garden salad and some leftover Black Bean soup to complete the meal.

The recipe was easy:
2 pounds of spinach cooked down and drained
1 large onion sauted until translucent

4 eggs
8 ounces of feta cheese
2 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 stick of butter (I used homemade ghee)
1 box of Filo dough

You prepare the spinach, drain well. Add the sauteed onions and cool.
In a large bowl beat the eggs and add them to the spinach and onions.
Add the crumbled feta and Parmesan cheese.
Add the salt and pepper.

Melt the stick of unsalted butter.

Open your defrosted Filo dough and lay a few sheets in a 9x13 glass baking dish. It will hang over the sides. Brush melted butter over the Filo dough. Do this 6 or 7 times, adding a few fresh sheets of Filo dough and butter.

Put the spinach filling on the dough, spreading it out over the whole dish.

Top with 8-10 more Filo sheets and melted butter. When I have placed all the filo dough on the spinach filling, I clip the side to about 1 inch tall and fold the edged towards the center of the dish. Then I score the top for the slices that will be made later on.

Refrigerate the Spanikopita for half an hour. You can preheat your oven to 350 degrees while it cools.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy,
Many Blessings!