Join the Revolution!

I am completely obsessed with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and his campaign for healthy eating. He is trying to change the way America eats, one person, one school, one town at a time. The message is simple: eat fresh, homemade, non-processed food. In other words, get back in the kitchen and cook! If you haven't seen the show yet, it shows Friday nights on ABC. Past episodes are available to watch on Hulu, so you have plenty of time to catch up before next Friday.

Sign Jamie's petition to improve school food, which will help children learn better eating habits, focus better in school (without all that added sugar and preservatives to mess with their growing brains), and have healthier futures. I think an important part of this whole program is to teach kids what is healthy and how to make good choices when it comes to food. If kids knew that processed, chemical, sugar, and fat-laden foods weren't good for them, they wouldn't eat them. Parents can start at home, teaching their children about fresh foods and how to cook simple meals. Grow a garden in the backyard or even in a window box. Learn where food comes from and what it looks like in its natural state.

Here's a clip of 5 Things You Need to Know about The Food Revolution.

Go Green, Indiana!

Here I go, slacking on my posts again. It's been over a month since my last entry, so I'm borrowing from the INANP (Indiana Association of Naturopathic Physicians) website some info I compiled on living green and sustainable in Indiana.

1. Earth Eats a weekly podcast, public radio program and blog based in Bloomington, Indiana that features news and recipes inspired by local food and sustainable agriculture

2. Indiana Living Green an online magazine that is a fount of information, including calendars of events and farmer's markets and lists of CSAs (community supported agriculture) and local food resources.

3. Going Local includes guides to local farms and seasonal eating, food festivals, CSAs, and delicious, easy (and healthy) recipes.

4. Sustainable Indiana 2016 a Wiki that anyone can edit, listing green and sustainable businesses, job opportunities, and ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

5. Indiana Department of Environmental Management , since 1986, IDEM provides environmental oversight and technical assistance in communities and throughout the state

6. Michiana Green Pages a directory of socially and environmentally responsible efforts in the area that provide green products and services, and resources for community building, recreation, health, and healthy eating.

Don't forget Earth Day is just one month away!

Mammogram 01/07/10

I don't typically get on my soapbox here at holisticanaturopathic. There are so many sites that do just that; I prefer to keep things light with the occasional recipe, recycling tip, medical-related news or link. But something has been happening on Facebook that has caught my attention, but not for the reason intended.

A meme has been going around encouraging women to post their bra color as their status update, all in the name of breast cancer awareness. Even before I found this article, I thought the whole thing was a bit odd, somewhat voyeuristic, and unsure how bra color posting would make anyone more knowledgeable about breast cancer. One thing the Facebook meme did do was make me incredibly aware that I am in dire need of new support undergarments. But as far as activism? Education? Not so much.

I decided to start my own meme. It's off to a very slow start, perhaps because I only sent it to a few friends, maybe because it's REALLY kind of a personal thing, or folks are getting sick and tired of Facebook memes. Here goes: post as your status update the date of your last mammogram, self breast exam (SBE), or clinical breast exam (CBE). Easy enough, right? What? You don't remember the last time you did a self breast exam? When is the best time to do one? Haven't had a CBE in how many years? Maybe you're not quite old enough to get a mammogram, or maybe you are...wait...what IS the age to start screening?

See? Made you think. Or at least do a Google search. You notice your friend got a mammo two days ago (that friend would be me, thank you very much) or did a SBE last Tuesday. So you make an appointment with your doctor or check your breasts in the shower.

These are the American Cancer Society's current guidelines for screening:

• Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.
• Clinical breast exam (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.
• Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
• Women at high risk (greater than 20% lifetime risk) should get an MRI and a mammogram every year. Women at moderately increased risk (15% to 20% lifetime risk) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram. Yearly MRI screening is not recommended for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15%.

The newest meme encourages women to breastfeed because breastfeeding and being breastfed reduces breast cancer risk. I'm in a bit of a pickle because I was mostly bottle fed and chances are I won't be breastfeeding any time soon. And I have old bras.

Now, where is that Victoria's Secret catalog?

More info from komen.org:
Self breast exam
Clinical breast exam
Early detection and screening

Holistica Open House

Wow. Last night's open house was a huge success! The gathering was a wonderful, eclectic mix of people, some friends, some family, some residents from the neighborhood, some strangers off the street. We even had a visit from Portland, Oregon's esteemed mayor, Sam Adams. I must admit I was positively star struck, and if you know me, that isn't typical. I've met my share of celebs and rock stars and some may consider me a bit jaded, but last night, I was positively gushing over our surprise guest.

Leah Sherman, ND and Anya Chang, ND LMT, and Portland Mayor Sam Adams at the Holistica Healthcare open house, May 1, 2009.

It was such a fun evening, Holistica Healthcare will definitely be participating in future First Friday events!

Have I mentioned that Anya Chang, ND, LMT, of True Health Medicine in Tualatin, will be seeing massage patients at the Holistica Healthcare Portland office?

Leah Sherman, ND and Anya Chang, ND LMT outside the Holistica Healthcare office, May 1, 2009.

So, what's a doctor do the day after her clinic's open house? Help out at the Rosa Parks Community Health Fair at the Mt Olivet Baptist Church in North Portland. The church's women's ministry helped organize the fair and students from the National College of Natural Medicine volunteered their time with hearing and vision tests for the kids and blood pressure screenings for the adults. There also was a bike helmet clinic courtesy of Legacy Emanuel, Northwest Medical Team provided services through their dental van, and Multnomah County conducted testing for lead poisoning.

Richard Barrett, ND supervises students conducting vision screening tests on children at the Rosa Parks Community Health Fair, May 2, 2009.