Monday, April 25, 2011

Upcoming Rip Road Show with Whole Foods Market and Forks Over Knives

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 

via The Engine 2 Diet by The Engine 2 Diet on 4/25/11

The knife referred to in the ground-breaking film Forks Over Knives cuts in two ways. The movie argues that when we choose to remove or greatly reduce the amount of food we consume that requires knives to eat (like meat) and reconfigure our plates to be plant-strong, we can avoid going under the knife for things like by-pass surgery.

Dr. Oz, who will feature the makers and key contributors to Forks Over Knives on his April 27th show, touts the film's message that we can avoid heart disease, cancer and Type II diabetes simply by changing what we eat as "the Hail-Mary of medicine."

The movie features Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., M.D., author of Reversing Heart Disease and member of the Whole Foods Market scientific medical advisory board and T. Colin Campbell, PhD, author of The China Study. Healthy Eating partner Rip Esselstyn, founder and author of the Engine 2 Diet, makes an appearance as well, and asserts why real men eat plants. This film is a powerful companion to Whole Foods Market's Health Starts Here education programs and supports our Engine 2 message of eating plant-strong™.

Whole Foods Market and Engine 2 teamed up to host several advanced "sneak peak" screening events of Forks Over Knives around the country over the last nine months. The movie officially opens in select U.S. theaters throughout the month of May, giving us the opportunity to sponsor a series of special premiere screening events.

These events include receptions where you'll have the opportunity to taste delicious plant-strong, no-oil-added foods prepared by Whole Foods Market chefs. You'll also be able to engage in panel discussions following the film with Rip and others.

Please check with your local Whole Foods Market store in each of the cities listed below for more information on how to purchase tickets or reserve your seat.

April 26, New York City, NY, Sunshine Theater, 143 East Houston Street

Reception (5:00 – 6:30 pm)
Meet & Greet Event Panelists, Cocktails/Light hors d'oeuvres
Whole Foods Market Bowery Store, 95 East Houston St., New York, NY 10002

Screening & Panel Discussion (7:00 – 9:00 pm)
Panel will include Rip together wth Brian Wendel, creator and executive producer of Forks Over Knives and Gene Baur, President and founder of Farm Sanctuary.

Tickets:
$10, proceeds to benefit the Fallen Firefighter's Fund.

Tickets available now for purchase at the following Whole Foods Market stores:  Tribeca, Upper West Side, Columbus Circle, Union Square, Bowery and Chelsea;

OR reserve tickets by sending an email to steven.marion@wholefoods.com.  You will receive a confirmation email in return, with which you will be able to purchase tickets prior to the film event at Whole Foods Market Bowery store, 95 East Houston St, New York, NY — one block from the Sunshine Theater.

Seats based on no-shows may be available for purchase at the Bowery store after 6:50 on the night of the event.

May 3, San Jose, CA, Santana Row Cinemark, 3088 Olsen Drive

May 4, Seattle, WA, Varsity Theater Landmark, 4329 University Way, N.E.

May 5, Phoenix, AZ, Camelview 5, 7001 E. Highland Ave., Scottsdale

Free Event. Reception at 5:30 pm; Screening at 7:30 pm. Reserve a seat by emailing: AZSpecialEvent@wholefoods.com

May 10, Chicago, IL, Webster Place 11 Regal, 1471 W. Webster Ave.

May 11, Washington DC, AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring Maryland,

May 16, San Diego, CA, La Jolla Village theater, 8879 Villa La Jolla Drive, La Jolla, CA

May 18, Minneapolis, MN, Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave

May 19, Philadelphia, PA, AMC Plymouth Meeting 494 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA

If you've seen Forks Over Knives, did it inspire you to put down your knife?


 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Mike Tyson Loves Being Vegan: It's Changed His Life

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 

via TreeHugger on 4/16/11

mike-tyson photo Mike Tyson attends the 2011 TCA Winter Press Tour Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic It was undoubtedly a big surprise when Mike Tyson announced he was going vegan. I mean when I was younger I watched on TV as he bit his opponent's ear off. But it seems in fact that the diet stuck. Today Iron Mike claims to be happier and saner than ever thanks to his diet....Read the full story on TreeHugger

 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Vegetarians at a Lower Risk for Heart Disease, Stroke

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 

via TreeHugger on 4/13/11

heart-shaped potato photo Photo: Nisha A / cc It turns out that vegetarians might not just be sparing the lives of countless animals by cutting meat from their diets, they could actually be helping to save their own lives as well. According to a new study, research suggests that vegetarians may be at significantly less risk of developing a condition associated with heart disease and stroke than their animal-eating counterparts. ...Read the full story on TreeHugger

 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, April 1, 2011

Genetically Modified Showdown: Monsanto Sued By Organic Farmers

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 

via Fast Company by Ariel Schwartz on 3/31/11

Imagine if Apple tried to charge you every time you accidentally glanced at an iPhone on the street. That's basically the policy that Monsanto, an agriculture giant whose patented genes are in 95% of all soybeans and 80% of all corn grown in the U.S, enforces. The company is notorious for suing farmers that the company suspects of violating patents in even inadvertent manners. Monsanto has sued hundreds of farmers and received over $15 million from these patent-violation cases (PDF), which have included incidences of farmers being sued because pollen from nearby farmers' genetically Monsanto-brand genetically modified crops blew over the fence onto their field. Now, finally, organic farmers are fighting back.

The lawsuit, Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association, et al. v. Monsanto, was filed this week on behalf of 12 seed businesses, 26 farms and farmers, and 22 agricultural associations, all of whom question whether Monsanto should have the right to sue farmers for patent infringement if GM seeds inadvertently end up on their property. 

The suit, filed by the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), explains:

In the case, PUBPAT is asking Judge Buchwald to declare that if organic farmers are ever contaminated by Monsanto's genetically modified seed, they need not fear also being accused of patent infringement.  One reason justifying this result is that Monsanto's patents on genetically modified seed are invalid because they don't meet the "usefulness" requirement of patent law, according to PUBPAT's Ravicher, plaintiffs' lead attorney in the case.  Evidence cited by PUBPAT in its opening filing today proves that genetically modified seed has negative economic and health effects, while the promised benefits of genetically modified seed --increased production and decreased herbicide use--are false.

Translation: According to the farmers, not only is Monsanto's patent policy out of control, but its patents aren't even useful in the first place--they're harmful. The lawsuit couldn't come at a better time for the organic farming industry; GM alfalfa, a crop whose pollen can travel via wind up to five miles, has been approved by the U.S government. And GM sugar beets, which can easily cross-contaminate with non-GM sugar beets, were also recently approved. Having protection against Monsanto's lawsuits will be a necessity for these farms in the coming years.

Reach Ariel Schwartz via Twitter or email.

[Homepage photo by Flickr user Mahalie]



 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Very low levels of radiation found in Wash. milk

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 


Very low levels of radiation turned up in a sample of milk from Washington state, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday, but federal officials assured consumers not to worry.

 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 18, 2011

Running from good health?

As an Adventist, I have said for years about our lifestyle issues - "We're running fast from our inspired view of health, while everyone else is running to it." This clip from N. T. Wright, Rob Bell, Jamie Oliver: A Disappointment for Adventism? (you can read the whole thing, but it doesn't all pertain to good health....) Of course I've said the same thing about the Sabbath principle, also addressed in this blog link above.

Read on: (the rest of this entry is from the Spectrum blog)

Jamie Oliver
The BBC defined Jamie Oliver as one of the most influential chefs in the western world. The TED conference has also invited him to present a world changing wish to its membership. Jamie is a celebrity chef famous for bringing healthy food to schools both in Britain and parts of America. Again, much like Ellen White, Jamie believes that people's eating patterns define their quality of life. Also like Ellen White and most Adventists since, he has worked tirelessly to educate children and parents how to eat and develop healthy lifestyles. Although he is not known the world over, Jamie is widely recognized in Britain and America as someone who promotes healthy eating.

This demonstrates a third disappointment for Adventism. Since 1863 Adventists have been proclaiming that what humans eat connects body to spirituality. At a time when doctors recommended smoking to clear the lungs, Adventist hospitals prohibited tobacco and defended, even without solid evidence, that tobacco severally damaged users. Over a hundred years later there is now solid scientific evidence for most of Ellen White's claims about tobacco and heathly living. Beyond this, the western world is constantly emphasizing a holistic view to health that sounds remarkably Adventist. Meanwhile, there is a wave of Adventist youth who reject these principles whilst their parents stop reading Ellen White altogether!

Beyond this, the disappointment is that Jamie Oliver is a single chef who has captured the attention of governments and the media. The Adventist Church has multiple health institutions and nutrition degrees taught in various universities around the world. Despite this structure, Adventists have only been slightly influential due a National Geographic report on Loma Linda and the independent documentary The Adventists, by Martin Doblmeier. It is indeed disappointing that Seventh-day Adventists could have been the mainstream voice calling proclaiming health in the last few decades. Instead, we struggle to inspire our own membership to lead healthier lifestyles. To add insult to injury, when Jamie Oliver was called by ABC to produce a series of documentaries in the United States, he called for Christian pastors to join his cause for healthier living. This would have given a great voice to any Adventist who stepped forward. However, the main Christian to join him is a Baptist pastor from Virginia.

Posted by at No comments:

Ask the Readers: How to Talk to Friends and Family?

Okay, I know the below isn't about food and forks over support kinds of things. But this RSS feed I get has the same basic advice I seek to follow when talking with people about money, about food, about parenting and even about God. Read it through to the end, even if you don't need to hear about money, at least see the key points:

* Lead by Example
* Tell your Story
* Use the soft sell

These all come together to make a better evangelist for food, for money, for parenting or even for God. Despite the reputation of the term "evangelist" notice that Jesus never chased anyone.... Think about it!

 
 

Sent to you by rog via Google Reader:

 
 


Last spring, Andy submitted a question he hoped readers could help him with. I promised I'd post it…and then went to Alaska for ten days and forgot. Well, Andy's a patient man. And persistent. Last week, he dropped me a line again because he's still wondering: How do you give advice about money to your family (and friends)?

Here's Andy's story:

My family had plenty of money when I was growing up, but we never talked about the subject.

My father was always very frugal (a trait I inherited, for better or for worse). I had an allowance, which I would sometimes spend on baseball cards, or other times save up for something big in the future. I guess I kind of followed my parents lead and never really bought overly expensive stuff, or much Stuff in general.

My brother is quite a bit different than me. Throughout college (and even post college) he made some common financial decisions for someone that age and ended up with a lot of debt. Even now that he's older and has a family, I still feel like he struggles with money. I really, really, REALLY want to approach him and offer him some advice, but I just don't know how. A similar situation exists with my wife's father and step-mom. Maybe my apprehension is because these family members are older than me? Maybe it's easier to talk to people about money who I know manage their money well versus people who don't?

I feel like I've done a damn good job at managing my money during my college and first few post-college years. I feel like I have a lot of good knowledge to share, and I could really help my family members, but money seems to be an awkward and touchy subject in our society. I'm not sure if it's a personal thing or if it's this way with everyone — talking about personal finance with (most) friends and family is kind of taboo.

What's a concerned family member to do? Become a professional financial planner? Bite the bullet, take the bull by the horns (insert your cliche of choice here) and just approach my family members honestly and directly?

In his most recent e-mail, Andy told me it's not just family members he wishes he could talk to, but friends, too.

"I've noticed it's a pretty big issue among friends as well," he wrote. "I feel like most of my peers lack financial skills and responsibility. (That said, the flip-side of that viewpoint is that I'm just being a cheapskate, saving too much, and people can spend their money however they want!)"

Outside Looking In
This is actually a situation I wrestle with from time to time. I think we all do. I see friends (and family members) who are struggling, and see some obvious things they could do, but I don't know how to help.

For instance, I have one friend who refuses to accept responsibility for her income. She's a smart woman, but she lives in squalor. She blames her state on everything and everybody else. She doesn't see that she could help herself by being willing to work two (or more) jobs, by avoiding the bars, by giving up cigarettes and pot. In her mind, her lousy income just shows how unlucky she is. It's not her fault. Any practical advice falls on deaf ears.

I have another friend for whom only the best will do. Though his family is pinched financially (they often complain about money), he constantly talks about the new things he wants — and they're always the most expensive possible examples. He buys (or wants to buy) the most expensive computers, clothes, and kitchen supplies. He eats at the most expensive restaurants. And so on. I've tried to offer casual advice — "Maybe you can find a good deal at a thrift store.", "Let's eat at the corner cafe." — but it's never well received. Instead, I just don't say anything.

I wonder if that's how people used to feel about me back when I struggled with debt? Most people never said anything. Maybe they didn't see the problem, or maybe they didn't feel it was their place to share.

Talking with Friends and Family About Money
Why is money a taboo topic? Why aren't more people willing to talk about their finances? I think it's because nobody likes to be judged. Everyone thinks they're doing the best they can possibly do — and even if they don't think that, they don't like to be called out.

Often, your friends don't actually think they're doing the wrong thing. As Andy suggests, they might think you're a cheapskate. Each person is in a different place. Though you may have friends and family members who could profit from what you've learned, if they're not ready to listen, you run the risk of doing more harm than good when you offer advice.

In the past, I've recommended the following as subtle ways you can help someone who's struggling:

  • Lead by example. Suggest cutting back on the family gift exchange this year. When you go out to dinner with a friend, choose cheaper alternatives. Bring home books and CDs and DVDs from the library. Don't make a big deal out of things — just do them. Rather than goad your friends and family into saving, be an example of what can happen through smart money choices. (I talk excitedly about how cutting back on other stuff has allowed me travel, for instance.)

  • Be willing to answer questions. When I was struggling with debt and poor choices, I could see that certain people in my life (such as my wife) had their finances under control. Sometimes I would ask questions. I asked my cousin about mutual funds, and he explained them to me. For a time, I even put money into them. (Then I pulled it out to buy a computer.) Be available as a resource.

  • Use the soft sell. When my friend Michael listened to my complaints about money in 2003, he didn't make a big deal out of it. He told me his financial story, and then mentioned a book he liked called Your Money or Your Life. He didn't lecture. He didn't try to convert me. He simply spent a few minutes explaining how he'd solved his problems, and then he let it go. A few days later, a copy of Your Money or Your Life appeared in my mailbox, and I knew it was from him. That was enough.

I'm curious how other Get Rich Slowly readers have handled this kind of situation. How do you encourage your family and friends to make smart choices with money without making them defensive or angry? What mistakes have you made in the past? What techniques have you found that work? Does a person have to hit rock bottom before they're ready to listen?

---
Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly - Personal Finance That Makes Sense.:



 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)