Education Show, Kids in College, Alumni Reunion

What I learned this week: As media outlets attempt to make profits by providing entertainment programs, People are becoming increasingly confused with entertainers who pass as journalists and tend to appeal to emotions without sticking to fact based evidence.Example: "Republicans don't care about poor people or Obama is a Muslim, or most immigrants who are here illegally are criminals."

What I am grateful for: There are so many people in the world, who work against the odds and make this world a better place. Michelle Montas, Columbia Journalism class of 69 has been working in Haiti for years for Human Rights. In the process, her husband was assassinated and she was exiled for years. She is now back, still making a difference.


EDUCATION CRISIS: A TOWN FORUM

www.houstonpbs.org/haveyoursay/education/index.html

This is the link to the Education Crisis town forum. We felt once we do these programs which generally take 4 months to produce, we hope we have done our job which I read somewhere is best described as follows.

"OUR JOB IS NOT TO MAKE UP ANYONE'S MIND BUT TO MAKE THE AGONY OF INDECISION SO INTENSE THAT THOUGHT IS THE ONLY ESCAPE"



Whether you think public education needs reform or not, the fact is nations who don't focus enough resources in education, eventually pay an economic and social price. Although there is apparently a link to how much rich countries spend per capita and student outcomes, no one can deny as a nation we have to learn to do more with less, become more innovative and begin looking at what schools are working and why. After we finished our live one hour show, we taped an extra half hour to talk about solutions to the educational crisis. (We call it a crisis based on the drop out rate and the challenge high school students face once they graduate because they are not prepared for college coursework.)



We began the half hour with three things international Educational Consultant Bill Daggett said he would do about Texas Public Schools.



1. Our standards in Texas are too low compared to higher standards in the rest of the country.

2. Find best practices out there and share them with the rest of the state.

3. You need sustained professional development of your teachers and staff across the state.



Here are some other solutions shared in the program



1. Todd Litton of Citizen schools "KIPP and YES charter schools are having a great impact on education and HISD increasing the number of days (15 days) to several schools in the district. "One of the things we do at Citizen schools is work on expaninding the time that our children have to really learn throughout the day."



2. Scott Van Beck A challenge "Relationships and Relevance matter to our kids." I think we all know what we need to do. We have to have the will power to do it.

3. Barbara Paige Management Leadership who works with public schools kids who do well in school, recognizes the imporance of connecting them with corporate partners and teaching them leadership skills.

4. Dr. Archie Blanson Deputy Superintendent for Aldine School District which won the 2009 Broad Foundation Award for their innovative work in education said "We look at every individual child in the campus and tailor their educational need and our curriculum and instruction. We don't have a cooke cutter, canned program for all children. "

5. Richard Farias Raul Izabuirre Charter School. Charter schools have helped the public education system. "The charter schools are smaller and and are able to provide much closer attention to each and every child." That's what these kids need. "It is a myth that parents don't care about their child's education. Parents do care.

These are just some of the solutions suggested. I will have a complete list of solutions in our website soon. Check www.houstonpbs.org/haveyoursay/education.html

Beth Dennard is the guest of our upcoming Living Smart show This coming sunday at 3pm. Since my niece is going to college soon and I saw how very stressed she is about it. I felt Dr. Dennard could walk so many parents and student through the college admissions process. It is much more complicated than it was when I graduated from high school. This Thursday night at 10pm John Bradshaw, the PBS personal growth expert talks about moral intelligence. If interested in Living Smart shows, please go to You Tube and type Living Smart. See what comes up.

This past week. I went to my Columbia journalism school reunion. All I can say is that I loved meeting my classmates and walking the streets of New York. The presentations I enjoyed the most were what will happen to our industry (nobody really knows), digital and social media and how certain beats have been covered. We all recognized how lucky were were to spend one intensive year in New York with the best journalism professors in the country. If you are interested in this school, let me know.

Public Education and You on PBS and KUHF

Next Tuesday night, we host 40 Town Hall participants to discuss a subject that can be as complicated as health care. We invited a cross section of the community: teachers, administrators, principals, dropouts, state representatives, business leaders, non profits who work to improve public education, parents and those who are passionate about the subject.

I have been studying urban education for quite a while, attending seminars, talking to students, experts, teachers, parents, administrators. Many don't see the drop out rate as a crisis, because they say kids move so we really call them dropouts. Others say it is not that bad and others get mad at the media for only reporting what is negative. I can only say there is no way I can totally understand this subject unless I spend time inside many schools and live with the students and the teachers on a daily basis for more than a few months. Schools are microcosms of society. For many students they are the only safe haven they have. They may only be the only place they get a meal. Teachers, I believe mostly do a great job and it is a difficult one. Education has to be looked at in the social context it operates. This is a great challenge for though we spend more money per capita every year per students, there are also social issues that affect how we are educating. The divorce rate has quadrupled since 1960. The single parent homes have doubled. Poverty rate has gone up and many children have no health insurance or parents who really care about them. There is no doubt we need a highly effective teacher in every classroom, but can they do it alone? The one question I would ask myself and I hope you do too. What can I do? How do I contribute to make things better. I hope you join the conversation. Here are the airdates. and the first night April 20th at 7pm you can also hear us on KUHF 88.7 FM
4/20/2010 7:00 pm
4/22/2010 1:00 am
4/23/2010 8:00 pm
4/25/2010 4:00 pm

Public Education in crisis or not? Living Smart launches, Latina Voices facebook page

What I learned this week: We may know a lot of people well, but that does not mean they are our friends. As I get older, I want to spend more time with people who know me well, accept me as I am and hold me accountable as a human being.

I am grateful for: My true friends who have been with me through thick and thin and truly want what is best for me

THE EDUCATION CRISIS April 20th 7pm on HoustonPBS Live Call in show

Do you care what happens to our public schools even if your kids are not going there?

We are not getting closer to the date of our town forum on Public Education. My goal is to hear as many voices as possible on the subject. There are those who do not believe we have a crisis in public education and that the media does not spend enough time talking about the great students, the ones who beat the odds, the teachers who work way beyond what they are responsible for, the principals who go out of their way to educate their kids, the parents who are involved and engaged. I agree we tend to focus more time generally on our problems than in our solutions. That is what I hope we can do with this town forum. At least become more aware of what we need to do to improve our education system. Here are some facts that we can't deny.
The US workforce is becoming more diverse. The fastest growing groups in our city, Hispanics and Blacks are the least educated. If current trends continue, and I believe they will and we don't improve the education for all groups in our city, the skills and incomes of our city residents will decline in the next decades. Please write us to let us know what you think. haveyoursay@Houstonpbs.org

Living Smart launches its 6th season with a great lineup. This Sunday find out how a school principal took over her school lunches and improved health, academics and self esteem. If you think you know what your kids are getting for lunch, ask again!

Sunday at 3pm and repeats friday night at 10pm.

Latina Voices, please sign up as a fan on our facebook page. www.facebook.com/latinavoices
We need your support to continue producing great programs on every day issues and concerns and bring a bit of joy into our lives.

Living Smart launches April 18th, Public Education on town forum

What I learned this week: I need to spend time in nature at least once a week. There is nothing like a great oxygen fix!
What I am grateful for: Sugar Free Chocolate and having access to at least three meals a day.

Season 6 of Living Smart launches this week. I am truly excited about this season. Some of the guests are already very well known, such as Don Miguel Ruiz, the author of the Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love, the award winning novelist Chitra Divakaruni PhD., John Bradshaw, a PBS icon. Others, should and will be better known in no time. They are truly agents of change. Dr. Yvonne Butler who founded the first sugar free school in the nation, Robyn O'Brien, whose campaign against bad processed foods has led to her new nickname, the "Erin Brogevich" of the Food industry, and Dr. John Demartini whose ideas on spirituality and money are not only interesting but empowering as well. Others include Beth Dennard EdD an expert on finding the right college for your child, Herb Again EdD who prepares us for unexpected change, John Byrn PhD a Brain scientist on brain fitness, Consumer Advocate Myron Bernstein, Michelle Lees on intimacy, and Colleen Campbell Root on the legal documents you need for a hassle free retirement. I am also excited about the Living Smart shows that we now have on You Tube.
I am in the process of writing a book on what I have learned from Living Smart. I am far from perfect but I credit everything I didn't learn in Kindergarden to Living Smart!
Back to the PUBLIC EDUCATION CRISIS on April 20th at 7pm.

I would love to hear what you have to say about public education. Your thoughts on the challenges we face and your solutions. Write to us at houstonhaveyoursay@houstonpbs.org

I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Bill Daggett on preparing kids for the future at HCC. He really made a point very clear. We adults, are not teaching kids the way they learn today. Now I understand why I can't figure out the ipod, ipad, iphone etc. as quickly as they can. Technology is moving so much faster than what we are used to. He insists we have to figure out how kids learning and focus on that. We are basically outdated in our thought pattern with regards to public education.

I also listened to Dr. Pedro Noguera at an A Challenge event. I really liked what he said. He insists if we don't change the social context in which children learn, we will not improve public education. For example he said, "Poverty is an educational issue." the best thing that recently happened to public education is the passagage of health care reform because so many children did not have basic healthcare. He says too many basic needs are not met today so that children can learn. He shared many examples of schools that work but he also felt we need a paradigm shift. We need to find the underlying causes for the lack of excellence and work on that. If we remain apathetic we will pay in the long term with higher crime, bigger prisons, less economic opportunity.

Both men were hopeful if we quit being so apathetic about public education and poverty in our community. What do you think?

"The American People" Public Education and Living Smart on You Tube

What I have learned this week:
I have learned the politicians from both parties love saying "The American people" this and the "American People" that. I can't stand it when they speak for me. I am an American and I am no where close to being represented by either party. They should say "I think the American people this and that." Then they would be right. The fact is, neither party really knows how the "American" people really feel. That's impossible.

What I am grateful for: I am still alive. I am healthy. I can see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears.


Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Terri Grier the new school superintendent for the Houston Independent School District. He gave a speech at the Gulen Institute and shared some of his views on what he wants to do. I asked him what he thought were the greatest challenges he was facing. He answered with what I thought were his solutions. "I want a quality teacher in each classroom and I also want a quality principal in every school." Some other "wishes" were that he hopes all students can learn another language and that he can find a way to get parents more involved. He does have the reputation as a reformer and admits people don't like change.
For one, he has met with the three universities that provide most of the teachers for HISD to make sure their education programs are up to par. Unfortunately Dr. Grier who can not make it to our town forum on April 20th because he has a prior engagement, will send some of his representatives who share his vision of HISD and what we need to do to reform the system. I do hope many of you will share YOUR IDEAS and CONCERNS with us before and during the show. We can not solve the public education crisis alone. Everyone has to see a stake in this issue. Even though only 23% of parents have children in HISD, the outcome of his reforms will have an impact on all Houstonians. Please watch The Education Crisis on HoustonPBS Ch. 8 April 20th at 7pm.

It has taken 5 years, but we are now getting Living Smart on You Tube. Over time we hope to have all seasons, so you can watch anytime.

LATINA VOICES: SMART TALK will be airing weekly on Sundays at 2:30pm The last weekend of March. The topic. Genesys works and Juan Sepulveda. Both discuss the President's plans for public education and what business can do to improve the situation. Marilyn Logan discusses what you need to know about money before you get married!

This Sunday Living Smart features sustainability Consultant Mark Robinson on Living Green.

Saving Public Education and Living Smart on You Tube

What I learned this week: Propaganda has a way of convincing people of certain untruths, to the point that they will vote against their own interests if they believe the lies they have been fed. If you repeat something long enough, people tend to believe it.

What I am grateful for: The power of prayer!

I admit I am on a bandwagon about public education. I will be producing and hosting a show you will be able watch on our website after April 20th. We are doing the live show at 7pm on April 20th, here on Ch. 8 HoustonPBS and you will be able to call or email us with questions, ideas and concerns. The topic is timely and no, this is not a fad. It is not going away with political winds why? Because it is a serious problem. If we don't deal with it. It will be difficult for us to thrive as the most powerful nation that we are. Both Republicans and Democrats are beginning to care about this. Those of us who are independent would have prefered that they would have thought about it a long time ago, but the media did not help by not holding them accountable and our own apathy didn't either. Here we are, the most powerful nation in the world, unable to educate most of our public school students. This in turn will create little hope for us to develop technology, innovation, maintain a middle class and tackle the permanent underclass this challenge is creating. I have hope however. We are Americans and we can solve anything if we put our minds to it and realize its importance for the future of our country.

Here are some interesting facts I read in Newsweek. In 2000, a comparative study of Western countries shows US students performing at or below average in math, reading and science. In the 1970's Teaching becomes less desirable as work opportunities increased for women. By 2000, 37 percent of teachers will come from colleges with SAT scores in the lowest 5%. Does that sound dissappointing? Well, Here is where we can find some hope. Wendy Kopp the Princeton senior whose thesis proposed graduates from elite schools into teaching poor kids led to Teach For America. Today 61 percent of those who did participate (about 17,000 alumni) are STILL TEACHING AFTER THEIR TWO YEAR TOURS. What does this say to me? Young people care. They are also at the core of the reform movement that seems to be having an impact. Here Yes and Kipp, two public charter schools are tackling serious problems. They may be able to choose their students, although it is open enrollment, but HISD is watching what they are doing. This does not mean by any means that the teachers that have taught for years or are quite experienced do not count. They have a lot to say and contribute. But let's face it. I don't know or think like my 20 year old nephew. He was raised with different technology, demands, global challenges and what we are asking of teachers today required a tremendous amount of stanima. Is that fair? Probably not. Is it necessary? Do we need to start all over? Can we keep teaching at risk kids (many in the public system are at risk) the same way we did 30 years ago? The Newsweek article points out "New Orleans has made more educational progress than any other city, largely because the public-school system was wiped out. " Do we need to wipe out our system and start all over? Let's forget who we have to blame. What would you do?

LIVING SMART IS NOW ON YOU TUBE. At least 2 seasons are so go there and start watching!

Education town forum, Earthquake in Chile

What I learned this week: To be truly happy we need to set boundaries with others, otherwise, many take advantage of you and you won't get what you need.

What I am grateful for: As I watched the earthquake damage in Haiti and now in Chile, I realize how lucky we are in Houston to have missed major damage in comparison after IKE. For that I am grateful. My heart and soul go out to the people of Chile as well as Haiti.

Last week I worked on two stories, one on Yes Academy, considered one of the best public highschools in the nation and Madison highschool, the most improved highschool according to the organization Children at Risk. One of the underlying similarities I found on both schools is very simple but possibly very hard to do. They try doing it on a daily basis. They care about the students as people who have all kinds of needs that may or may not be related to education and they give each other constant feedback on how they are doing.
Both schools face challenges but their focus is clear and they have a capacity to discipline their students and demand the best from them. They also have very high expectations. I hope you will watch on April 20th at 7pm on Ch. 8 I also hope you will e mail us or call us with your comments and questions. haveyoursay@houstonpbs.org 713 743 8513 a viewer response line.
We have a an educational crisis and we can't just blame it on the economy. Our mindset has to change. If we really want to be most powerful nation in the world, we have to improve our public education systems all around the country. I quote from the book "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman The American labor force is to be weaker in science than peer countries. Another study showed American fifteen year olds are below the international average when it comes to applying math skills to real life tasks. For years America could count on the fact that we still have the best higher education system it he world and we made up for our deficiencies in our public education system by being able to get all those good students from abroad but now fewer are coming and staying.
My question is. Why are we not investing in our own students? The greatest commodity we have is our IQ. We should be improving it for everyone here.
What do you think?

The Education Crisis and what's in it for you?

What I learned this week:
I spent 20 dollars on very bad films. The more I go to the movies or watch TV the more I realize how much better off I would be spending time doing something else, unless what I watch is on PBS. Okay I admit I am biased!

What I am grateful for:
When I got sick with a sore throat and a headache, I realized what herbs I needed to take to tackle it quickly. I am grateful I quickly healed!]

EDUCATION CRISIS. April 20th 2010 7pm Live on HoustonPBS
I really want to hear from you. Even if you don't live in Houston Texas, our whole nation is attempting to reform our urban public education system. Our society has changed drastically in the past 3 decades. Most educators, community and business leaders admit, we have to transform the system to better educate our youth for future needs. What are your suggestions?
According to a report from Children at Risk, in 2007 53.5% of children in Harris County public scho0ls were considered at risk of dropping out. Texas ranked 41st out of 50 states and the District of Columbia (the worse district in the country) in expenditure per students. Texas also has a higher average class size and average student to teacher ration than the national average.
The approach in Texas recently has been based on standardized, high stakes test based accountability. A recent study on the Education Policy Analysis Archives titled High Stakes Accountabilty and the Dropout Crisis states. "Disagreagtion of student scores by race does not lead to greater equity, but in fact puts our most vulnearble youth, the poor, the English lanuage leaners and African American and Latino children, at risk of being pushed out of their schools so the school rating can show "measurable improvement" High stakes, test based accountability leads not to equitable educational possibilities for youth, but to avoidable losses of these students from our schools. Each year, Texas public highschools lose at least 135,000 youth prior to graduation.
But what are the best accountability measures for our children? Should we have national standards of education? Can we just hold teachers accountable for what happens in the classroom, despite the fact, children are suffering from abuse, poverty, hunger, violence at home? Let us know what you think for the upcoming town forum on education on April 20th 2010 on HoustonPBS.

Education and the Future of our city

What I learned this week: There are still way too many people who think that by taking care of themselves only, they will be okay. This seldom happens since we are all interconnected. A perfect example is public education. If we don't fund it and support it, the long term consequences will affects us socially, economically and even spiritually. The question is how do we do that?

What I am grateful for. I received a great formal education and I realize that I have to keep learning more on a daily basis. Life is so much more interesting that way.

The next few weeks I plan to write about public education which is the topic of our next town forum on April 20th at 7pm at HoustonPBS. I would love to hear from people all over the country about this issue. We are failing our kids and pointing fingers does not seem to get us anywhere. In Houston for the past 22 years I have been reporting about the drop out problem and frankly, it does not seem to get much better over time. I would say if has gotten worse. According to HISD statistics, the drop out rate is 18 percent. Children at Risk reports 51.3 percent graduation rate or a 48 percent 6 year drop out rate. I am sure they have different parameters but everyone here can agree. Houston has a problem. We live in one of the richest cities in the world. Most of us who live here don't realize that because we don't travel enough to know. Yet our public urban school system struggles to educate students for higher education or other options. We are now holding teachers accountable through particular tests we feel will tell us if our kids know their math, science or reading and writing. If the teachers' students don't pass the test, that teacher may lose his or her job. Of course they will be given courses to get better teaching skills. My question is. Is this the best way to hold anyone accountable? Isn't this putting the responsability only on the teacher? What role should parents play? Are there particular interests such as testing entities that gain from this new sort of accountability? Isn't this an effective way to get rid of bad teachers? Shouldn't the community be more involved in public education? Most kids in our public school system come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most are minorities with a high percentage participating in the free school lunch program. How are we tackling poverty in our city? I want to hear your concerns, solutions and observations Let's begin to work together to look at this problem, because it is not going to go away and our children are our future.

Education Reform, Living Smart, A Concert

What I learned this week: The more I read about self righteous people, the more I realize they like pointing fingers at others so they don't have to look at themselves and their own inner demons.

What I am grateful for: This week the sun came out after a few cold and grey days. I am grateful I live in a city which sees more sun than clouds!

We began to work on Education Reform. We will be hosting a town forum on Education Reform and the Educational Crisis on April 20th at 7pm. To me education is one of the most powerful solutions to so many social problems we face. The statistics for our local public school system are alarming. Whether the statistics are wrong or not. We will probably never really know, but if the drop out rate ranges from 20 to 60 percent, officially it may be less than that, it should concern us. What we do know is this. In the most industrilized nation in the world, and one of the richest cities in the world, we shouldn't have a drop out rate higher than 5 to 10 percent. This is not the time to point fingers. It is a time for our nation to tackle the fact that we are not educating the work force for this century. That we have to hire people from all over the world because we can't access our own pool of unprepared students right here. Too many of our kids are dropping out and what impact will that have in a few years in our society, our economy and our culture?
Please comment and give us feedback on this blog and let us know your thoughts. We want to focus on solutions. As always we hope our town forums move us out of complacency and into action for a better system. What would you do to fix the system? What works? What Does not?

Please also put on your calendar, in october this year, I will be performing a musical concert of Latin American Music (tribute to Mercedes Sosa) with my former band Barandua to raise funds for Breast Cancer. As soon as I can I will let you know.

On Living Smart, a former Iraq War Veteran, a young woman who recently received her Masters in business from the University of Houston will share why she thinks microfinance is one of the many ways to tackle poverty. She will air on February 9th at 11:30pm and February 12th at 10pm.
Please write on your calendar April 20th for our town forum on Education Reform. We will need your feedback now and then.

Living Smart and Children

What I learned this week: Sometimes when we are down about something, we have to realize we may not perceive things the same way on the next day, so I take time to pause, swallow and begin again!

What I am grateful for: I have so many friends who are much smarter than me. I am very lucky that way!

Living Smart will air Dr. Bruce Perry friday February 5th at 10pm. Dr. Perry is the go to psychiatrist for dealing with children and trauma, so he just got back from Haiti. In Living Smart we tried to find ways to make sure children grow up with as little trauma as possible. He is really concerned about how technology and our way of life is keeping children from enjoying adult company, long in depth conversations, a better attention span and most importantly meaningful relationships. Kids are now so used to texting and being connected with everything but real people, he is afraid we will slowly lose our human connections. I would love to hear from you. What do you do to keep your children more connected to you and other humans?



Latina Voices present Juan Sepulveda, Genesys works and Marilyn Logan on Feb. 28th at 2:30pm

Living Smart and helping those in need

What I learned this week:
Many Americans are generous and compassionate, which is something I have always known. As a nation we have raised more than 400 million dollars for Haiti. It is amazing what a ten dollar
donation can do. Technology is helping us make smaller donations. This time it is through text messaging.

What I am grateful for: I love my work and I know it makes a difference.

I am asking a question many who gave to Haiti are asking. What happens next. Will the money be used properly or will it be stolen by corrupt government officials or businesses? We can just hope that the NGO's and the Media will be on top of this, following the money. Haiti will need to be rebuilt. This is a new opportunity for a very poor nation and this is why I want to spend some time explaining why I give to microfinance organizations. I like to donate to those in need but I want to make sure we can lift them out of poverty with economic programs that work. This will eventually apply to Haiti too. Poverty is often created by economic, social and political structures that don't allow people to reach their highest potential. Finding a microlending organization you can trust requires research. I have my favorite but there are many out there worth investigating.

I just finished reading the book, "the Boy who Harnessed the Wind by 14 year old William Kamkwamba from Malawi, one of the poorest nations in the world. Famine stricken and unable to go to school because his family coulnd't afford it, William spends hours in the local library reading physics and engineering books and eventually builds a windmill (creating electric wind) that will change the life of his village, family, and eventually his country. Today, William is attending a school in South Africa on scholarship. He is a respected inventor and is building schools and clinics in his country. There are thousands if not millions of Williams in the world, (including America which by the way has 13 to 17 percent of its population living below the poverty line). If we can figure out how to help them effectively, then we can really change the structures that keep people poor.
This Sunday Living with Ethics on Living Smart at 10pm.

Helping Haiti, What I learned and NO man is an island

What I learned: One of the hardest things to do in life is to walk in other people's shoes, but if we did, we would be more compassionate, less judgemental and I believe, much happier.

In Gratitude. I am grateful that I live in a country that functions well. I will never take that for granted. We have electrical power, water and food available if we have a catastrophe. I am thinking of Haiti right now.

As I am taping My next season of Living Smart, a destructive earthquake hit Haiti the poorest country in the western Hemisphere. I could not help but think about the devastation and despair, those people who already have nothing are facing. In one of our shows, Dr. Chitra Divakaruni, a novelist and poet discussed the poem, No man is an Island by John Donne. In the poem, we learn something many know and that is. We are all interconnected. We are human and we depend on each other. The challenge is some people believe that we should only help Americans, or those who look like us or those who profess our religion, have our same color or belong to the same social class. Here is what I say. Close your eyes. You are at home with two children and your husband. The next moment the house you have lived in all your life falls on your head. You can barely move from the pain. Your kids are under rubble. They are crying. You call your husband and he is dead. You desperately try to get out of the house to get help, but you see, every school, every hospital, every police station is in rubbles too. Now. My question to you is. What would you do to help this woman?
When people tell me, so called religious people. We can't afford to help those people. We don't have any money. We are in debt. My answer is. Walk in that woman's shoes, if you can and if you can't, I hope you never ever face an earthquake in your life.
Pray for Haiti if you can't give and if you can give. You'll know what to do.

Go to Consumer reports.org to know how to best donate to Haiti.

Cold Weather, Global Warming and What I learned

What I learned: When you accept people exactly where they are, you avoid a lot of drama and trauma in your life. I do my best to practice this, though I often fail.

What I am grateful for: At a time when temperatures are below 0 in so many unlikely places like Texas and Florida, I am grateful I have indoor heating and that I can pay for it.

Global Warming has become the new subject again because of our cold weather. Whether you believe global warming is caused by humans or historic climatic changes, the fact is that it is a problem. Here are some examples of what I have found recently.

The poor at the most at risk. 26 million people have had to move from where they live because of climate change.
4.5 children will die if rich countries do not provide for poor countries to face climate change. (Intermon Oxfam)
375 million people will be affected by 2015 due to climate change and the consequent humanitarian crisis it will cause.
In the Amazon we will lose about 30 species of trees by the end of the century.
Warmer waters will also affect the coral reefs around the world.
Glaciers have lost 2/3 of their ice mass since 1850. If temperature rises another 3 degrees, 80 of the ice cover that glaciers had between 1970 and 1990 will be lost.

What can you do? Our new Living Smart series will introduce a series of Green tips that will demonstrate ideas on food sustainability, new green dorms, cars and pet products. We'll also talk about community gardening, green architecture and rain water gardens. Stay tuned.
We are airing on Sundays at 3pm and Friday nights at 10pm. Latina Voices also continues the third Sunday of the month at 2:30pm. Season six of Living Smart will launch in April.

Good Bye to Cancer, Hello New Life!

What I have Learned this week:

I want to prevent cancer and other diseases, so this is what I have learned. I will stop eating as much animal protein as possible and will completely cut out dairy. (I will get my calcium from veggies) I will try to eat a more plant based diet because that is what I believe will prevent thecancer from coming back, not radiotherapy, not chemotherapy not any drugs. I will also haveto excercise daily to keep the cancer at bay. Finally I will survive and thrive with a new diet, excercise regimen and MEDITATION and PRAYER. (More about that later)



What I am grateful for:

I am open minded enough to research and study certain truths I may not want to hear, such as what is really in our food supply and why it may be killing us. (I will be doing a Living Smart show on this topic in the upcoming season)

I am back at the Optimum Health Institute in Bastrop Texas. To learn more about what they do you can check their website http://www.optimumhealth.org/

My goal was to detox my body from all the medication and radiation. The fact is there are many institutes such as this one that help you do this, a detox of the mind, body and spirit from the lifestyle and stress we live with on a daily basis. I realize not everyone is ready to hear this but in my view, in America, sometimes more profits are made when people are sick than when they are healthy, therefore few voices are rising up to tell people what we are eating is KILLING US. Ask yourself the following question. Do your kids suffer from obesity, allergies, asthma, diabetes and other ailments that 50 years ago we hardly saw in our children? If the answer is yes, please become CONSCIOUS AND AWARE! Soon I will be taping a show with Robyn O'Brien who wrote the Unhealthy Truth: How our food supply is making us sick and what we can do about it. We as americans need to become more responsible for what we are putting in our mouths. Do we need to trust the government to protect us or the food companies? It is not going to happen. We have to take the bull by the horns. The bull is our diet. We have got to become aware of what we are truly eating, stand up for prevention, not new drugs or surgeries to deal with our obesity epidemic. It can be done. Start by cutting out sugars, flours and processed foods. It does not mean you can NEVER eat a great piece of chocolate cake, or doughnuts, but you just can't do it every day and as for soft drinks. Nuk' em!

Lesson of the week, Christmas and Climate Change and Alberto Gonzalez

The Lesson I learned this week. No matter how much you may love someone, they may or may not love you back, but when you die, what will matter is just how much you loved, not how much you were loved, so practice loving others. By the way, love is an action verb! Just do it.

Christmas and the holidays. For many Christmas is a time of joy, for others it is a time of sadness, loneliness, and dread. I am grateful this year in particular. I am still alive and ready to take on the next projects. However, as years go by, I realize not everyone enjoys the holidays. Many have lost a loved one, a job, a relationship. They are grieving and the holidays has a way of making emotions more raw. It can make us more vulnerable, so when you are around people who are grieving, instead of a present you might want to give them a hug and a smile. Pray for them for life goes on and maybe next year will be better.

The Coppenhagen Climate Change Conference did not reach the goals many of the key players may have wanted. We, as humans of this planet have not reacted in time to transform a coal and fossil fuel driven economy into a cleaner one and frankly, we all know this will be difficult and it will take time. Whether you still think Climate Change is a hoax and are still wondering why scientists may have changed the wording to fit their agenda in some e mails or whether people are actually causing global warming or not, the challenge is real. The climate is warming and there is no doubt this will create serious problems, so serious some island nations may dissappear. My only hope is that we the people can become more involved in policy change and "smart" change. We can not destroy industries which have created millions of jobs overnight, but we can not stand idle with a crisis of this magnitude either. This is a time for new technologies, for thinking out of the box and for people to begin demanding change that works. We should all do our bit to change our lifestyles but if big industries do not, nothing will change.

In Latina Voices, we recently interviewed former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. Check our website for the upcoming show. www.latinavoices.com
Mr. Gonzalez says he is still proud of his service, no matter what his detractors say. He has gone from the halls of power in the White House to the Texas Tech campus. This transition was probably not an easy one. He is not one to apoligize for the past, but he did admit he would have done one thing differently. You'll have to watch to find out what that is.

Happy Marriages, Lesson of the week, Living Smart tips, and

The lesson I learned this week. For me, making lists is essential every week and if I can, I do it every day. When I write what I have to do, I tend to do it. If I don't, I most likely will forget.

Gratitude: I saw the move Blind Side last night. I am grateful to have parents who loved me when they decided to "procreate" ME.

Living Smart tips: I suggest you check http://www.groupon.com/ for interesting discounts in different areas of life. This is a new movement to offer amazing discounts.

As I prepare for Living Smart tapings of season 6, I was reading John Bradshaw's book on Reclaiming Virtue. My best reading happens at 4 in the morning and I am really enjoying the book, but I have never seen a simpler explanation on how to keep a happy long term marriage.

He quoted John Gottman, a psychologist at the University of Washington, who researches long term love. He was interviewed by Milton Erickson Foundation Newsletter and this is what he said.

The answer is not complicated...what I cal the "masters of marriage" are individuals who are being kind to one another. They may raise difficult issues, but they also soften them in a very considerate way. They frequently express appreciation./ They comunicate respect and love every day in numerous small ways..they communicate greater interest. .and scan the environment looking for opportunities to say "thank you."


LIVING SMART AIRS ON SUNDAYS AT 3PM AND FRIDAY NIGHTS AT 10PM www.houstonpbs.org/livingsmart
LATINA VOICES AIRS THE LAST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 2:30PM. http://www.latinavoices.com/

In Gratitude, What I learned and Next Year

This week I am grateful for having enough layers of warm clothing for the winter and the fact that I got to see snow in Houston!

What I learned this week is that no matter how much I may want to understand something like the war in Afghanistan, the coverage of the Tiger Woods scandal, health reform etc, I will never know enough to know the truth but I must always ask why and how things happen and be very humble in my search for the truth.

Next Year we will be producing more programs and taking on more projects
Living Smart will enter season 6 with in depth interviews about what it means to be alive, how to overcome the challenge of change and how to make better decisions with regards to college, taking care of our bodies and our soul. We have also added green tips segments. They are short how to segments to improve how to care for the environment.

Latina Voices will continue to cover universal and current topics of the day and interview newsmakers and outstanding Latinos. Next year expect and interview with the former attorney general Alberto Gonzalez, the new star soprano Barbara Padilla and many new up and coming Latinos making news.

Houston Have Your Say will continue its series of programs with our partners the Center for Houston's Future and Sterling Bank, The Examiner Papers and KUHF radio. Our first topic will be Education Reform in Texas and how it will change the future of our children.

We'll be working on a five part special on Children at Risk and how we can improve their lot.

ON OTHER NEWS

My old bands will get together with me to peform one musical concert in honor of Mercedes Sosa, one of the greatest Latin American folk and pop singers of all times who died this year. Date to be Announced.

We have a lot on our plate but what is life without a great succulent meal?

Grateful for, what I learned and Europe

What I am most grateful for this week is that I have eyes to see so much beauty in the world. This became much more evident after I found out my aunt lost her site at age 74 to macular degeneration. What I learned this week is cultivating friendships is a state of mind.

My trip to Spain was was one of the most personally rewarding. I saw friends and family and was able to visit with them one on one. For the next few weeks, I will need their positive energy and love to continue the necessary research for our next Living Smart season!

What I learned this week

At 4am in the morning, when I get my best ideas! I decided I wanted to share what I learned every week and what I am grateful for. I feel this is such an important aspect of Living Smart! I will try to do this every week. Next year, I will be producing and hosting a lot more shows. I will have to get more organized and simplify my life to get things done, but I realize I must never forget what I am grateful for and what I learn on a daily basis.
This week I am grateful I have seen friends I have not seen in 11 years! and what I learned is that I better excercise every day so I can age gracefully!
The topics of the next season of Living Smart are very close to my heart. I will be covering what is in our food supply and what we need to be aware of when we choose what we eat. I will also be talking to a Harvard professor about the wisdom of our bodies and what it can teach us about life and movement. This is very important for those who love to dance! John Bradshaw will discuss moral intelligence and why it can make our lives more meaningful and purposeful. The popular Toltec author Don Miguel Ruiz will walk us through love relationships and what helps them fail or thrive. A "principled" principal explains how she took over her school and made sure the children excercised and ate correctly. She is now establishing her sugar free school idea in several school districts of Mississipi. A sociology professor will share the opportunities we can find in change and crisis. The award winning author, Chitra Divakaruni will share her knowledge of some of the world´s greatest poems and what each can teach us about life, love and every day challenges. A professional counselor will explain what parents need to know about choosing the right college for their children. This is essential for their success in life and academically. A retirement expert will prepare us for just that! an effective retirement. A jungian analyst will explain the true meaning of intimacy and why it is important to live a fuller life. A brain research scientist will explain how to keep our brains fit for life! A lecturer and author will share how to value and attract abundance and wealth and finally a consumer advocate will coach us on protecting our rights.

I have had a great time meeting all these Living Smart guests and I can assure you, they are passionate, wise and smart!

Breast Cancer and 10 lessons I have learned

I have not written in a while. As I go through radiation, I struggle with deadlines, conflicts and life in general but I am back, stronger than ever!

I don't like having Cancer at all. Is that an understatement? I caught it early. I am cured. I will never get it again so help me God, but did I learn anything about life after this? Here is what I came up with.

1. Whatever comes your way, cancer, death, donflicts, life challenges, I am glad I have faith in a higher being, in the power of love, and the value of a smile.

2. I am glad I have insurance and that thanks to health care reform, I will not have to worry in the future about living with a pre existing condition!

3. My family and my friends have saved me. I must have done something right to still have them around when I am not so pleasant to be around. Cultivate them all your life.

4. God works in mysterious ways.

5. Prayer is the necessary conversation I have with God, the blessed mother, angels and saints on a daily basis.

6. I start every day with gratitude, even cancer may be a blessing in disguise. God did not give me cancer, but I am grateful for the lessons I have learned.

7. Those who want to insult me, undermine me, or hurt me are taking on more than me. They may win battles but they will never win the war.

8. As long as I live, I will work. I love it and it keeps me sane.

9. When times are tough, your true friends show up.

10. Miracles Happen!

Komen Run for Breast Cancer

Tomorrow I will walk with a thousand women, men and their families with a very important purpose to raise more money for research that could save the lives of women afflicted with this disease. My book club was kind enough to organize a team for me and another member who had lost her mom to breast cancer. As a survivor (now undergoing radiation) I can not wait to join thousands of other who are going or have gone through the same journey. I recognize it is women and men who walked for the cause in the past 20 years that may have saved my life. I caught my cancer early. I will survive thanks to them. I now have a responsibility to them and to all those who have died of the disease. I will always that I can walk for them. There is still time to sign up. You can show up there tomorrow or you can still donate. Unfortunately this disease is way too common. Too many women are getting it and I plan to share what I will be doing to stay alive and cancer free. I know there is a lot we still don't know. If you would like to walk or donate. Go to this link.
http://www.komen-houston.org/site/TR/Race/General?px=1476564&pg=personal&fr_id=1060

On October 20th at 7pm we are doing a live town forum on health care. I just want to say this. I plan to cover the issues as best as we can with more facts and less politics. I can assure you as someone who has insurance, I am glad there will be reform. I would hate to lose my insurance tomorrow, for it would bankrupt me with a disease such as the one I have. PLEASE CALL IN AND SHARE YOUR VIEWS NOW. I promise to do the best I can to cover what concerns you.


We are working on Season 6 of Living Smart and have wonderful local guests as well as national ones. We will talk about relationships and how to make them work, how to prepare yourself for retirement without going broke, the greatest poems of all times and what they can teach us, what is in the food supply that may be making your children sick and allergic, and many more.

In Latina Voices we will interview the Vice President of Guatemala, who happens to be a heart surgeon who usually live in Houston and a full special on breast cancer.

Due to my illness I am unable to write as often as I would like, but my next entry will cover what I learned from the Cancer Issues Conference I attended at the National Press Foundation in Washington DC.

Komen Run for Breast Cancer, Lies and Health Care, Living Smart and Latina Voices

Today I was talking on the phone to a friend about health care reform. I was getting bent out of shape because I was so mad at all the lies that have been created to prevent reform. Whatever your thoughts are about reform, whether you are for or against it for whatever reason, I feel you must base your decisions on the truth. Why on earth we allow these liars to speak on every program on television they can get on is news to me. My friend rightly suggested that I stop worrying about the world and focus on getting well from my health condition. I am now living the post op challenges one has after breast cancer surgery. I am tired, worried, in a bit of pain and have slowed down quite a bit. I will undergo radiation in a few weeks and I hope and I am working towards having no pain while I go through that. I am working with my pain specialist on that so I can do whatever it takes. I am also going to acupuncture and will probably start physical therapy next week. I have already been doing some on my own with a friend who is a physical therapy genius. I am no longer worried about cancer. It has been removed, all we do from now on is prevention. I plan to change my life in many ways and I will share how on my next blog based on the book the Anti Cancer Life. I feel this cancer diagnosis led to a very important question for me. Do I want to live or do I want to die and if I choose life, how do I want to live from now on. I AM SO LUCKY AND SO THANKFUL to all those women before me WHO FOUGHT for research, better treatment and diagnosis. Do you think I would be here writing this blog 30 years ago with this diagnosis and know that I may or may not die from it? They also saved my life and I plan to work as hard as I can to save other women's lives. I have always tried to do that but sure I have to focus on this more so. I am being selfish that way. It touched me just as heart disease did so I will try to inform women to get their mammograms, keep their weight down, excercise, eat healthy and please get help if they need it. We don't need to suffer or die from this. That is why really would love it if you would join me on my walk (I don't know if I will finish it but I will be there), and if you can’t donate what you can to the Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer. Here is the link to join the team or donate

http://www.komen-houston.org/site/TR/Race/General?px=1476564&pg=personal&fr_id=1060

I will be producing a Latina Voices show on Breast Cancer in October. I will be talking to I think the best breast cancer surgeon, oncologist, pain management specialist and nutritionist. You can catch past shows on our new facebook page. Just type Latina Voices: Smart Talk once you get into facebook. www.facebook.com. It is timely so I suggest you watch the show we did a while back on health care reform. Both guests Dr. Malinow and Dr. Zerwas had very different points of view they defended intelligently. Watch us at 2:30pm every 4th Sunday on Ch. 8 and also on the HTV channel 16 on Wednesday mornings 8 am and 8pm.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DONT' FORGET TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS ON HEALTH CARE HERE. I want to hear from you! I will take all the comments into consideration when we do the show on October 20th at 7pm.

Living Smart is inviting guests from all over the country for season 6. We will be covering very exciting topics. You will meet at woman, Principal Dr. Yvonne Butler Phd. who took on the world to make sure the kids in her school became healthy and thus teachable. John Bradshaw will discuss virtues. Robyn OBrien, author of the Unhealthy Truth will show us how our food is making us sick and what we can do about it and many more. I will keep you posted

Living Smart will not be airing the next few weeks on Ch. 8 because of membership drive. I will be asking you for donations on Sept 11th for the Brain in Love show. I can't wait!!!!

Past Living Smart shows are now airing on Sundays 5:30 am and 5:30pm on the HTV Houston channel 16 if you have comcast cable.

Okay I am going to go rest now!

Health Care Myths, your thoughts and the 3 Bills

There are many lies and myths about health care reform so one of the best articles I read on Health Care Reform was by Karen Cheney on the AARP magazine so here it is. Please Read it!

Americans spend more on health care every year than we do educating our children, building roads, even feeding ourselves—an estimated $2.6 trillion in 2009, or around $8,300 per person. Forty-five million Americans have no health insurance whatsoever. These staggering figures are at the heart of the current debate over health care reform: the need to control costs while providing coverage for all. As John Lumpkin, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Health Care Group for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, says, "There is enough evidence that it is now time to do something and to do the right thing." The key is to focus on the facts—and to dispel, once and for all, the myths that block our progress.
Myth 1: "Health reform won't benefit people like me, who have insurance." Just because you have health insurance today doesn't mean you'll have it tomorrow. According to the National Coalition on Healthcare, nearly 266,000 companies dropped their employees' health care coverage from 2000 to 2005. "People with insurance have a tremendous stake, because their insurance is at risk," says Judy Feder, a professor of public policy at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. What's more, in recent years the average employee health insurance premium rose nearly eight times faster than income. "Everyone is paying for health increases in some way, and it's unsustainable for everyone," says Stephanie Cathcart, spokesperson for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). "Reform will benefit everyone as long as it addresses costs."
“There are many ways to tackle our health care problem, but we will come up with a uniquely American solution.”
Myth 2: "The boomers will bankrupt Medicare." If you're looking to blame the rise in health care costs on an aging population, you'll have to look elsewhere. The growing ranks of the elderly are projected to account for just 0.4 percent of the future growth in health care costs, says Paul Ginsburg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change. So why are health care costs skyrocketing? Ginsburg and others point to all those fancy medical technologies we now rely on (think MRIs and CT scans), as well as our fee-for-service payment system, in which doctors are paid by how many patients they see and how many treatments they prescribe, rather than by the quality of care they provide. Some experts say this fee-for-service payment system encourages overtreatment (see "Why Does Health Care Cost So Much?" from the July-August 2008 issue of AARP The Magazine).
Myth 3: "Reforming our health care system will cost us more." Think of health care reform as if it's an Energy Star appliance. Yes, it costs more to replace your old energy-guzzling refrigerator with a new one, but over time the savings can be substantial. The Commonwealth Fund, a New York City-based foundation that supports research on health care practice and policy, estimates that health care reform will cost roughly $600 billion to implement but by 2020 could save us approximately $3 trillion.
Myth 4: "My access to quality health care will decline." Just because you have access to lots of doctors who prescribe lots of treatments doesn't mean you're getting good care. In fact, researchers at Dartmouth College have found that patients who receive more care actually fare worse than those who receive less care. In one particularly egregious example, heart attack patients in Los Angeles spent more days in the hospital and underwent more tests and procedures than heart attack patients in Salt Lake City, yet the patients in L.A. died at a higher rate than those in Salt Lake City. (Medicare also paid $30,000 for the L.A. patients' care, versus $23,000 for the care of the patients with better outcomes in Salt Lake City.)
Myth 5: "I won't be able to visit my favorite doctor." Mention health reform and immediately people worry that they will have fewer options—in doctors, treatments, and diagnostic testing. The concern comes largely during discussions of comparative effectiveness research (CER): research on which treatments work and which don't. But 18 organizations in a broad coalition, including AARP, NFIB, Consumers Union, and Families USA, support CER—and believe that far from limiting choices, it will instead prevent errors and give physicians the information they need to practice better medicine. A good example: Doctors routinely prescribe newer and more expensive medications for high blood pressure when studies show that older medications work just as well, if not better. "There is a tremendous value in new technology, but in our health care system we don't weigh whether these treatments work," says Feder. "Expensive treatments replace less expensive ones for no reason."
Myth 6: "The uninsured actually do have access to good care—in the emergency room." It's true that the United States has an open-door policy for those who seek emergency care, but "emergency room care doesn't help you get the right information to prevent a condition or give you help managing it," says Maria Ghazal, director of public policy for Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs at major U.S. companies. Forty-one percent of the uninsured have no access to preventive care, so when they do go to the ER, "they are most likely going in at a time when their illness has progressed significantly and costs more to treat," says Lumpkin. Hospitals have no way to recoup the costs of treating the uninsured, so they naturally pass on some of those costs to their insured patients.
Myth 7: "We can't afford to tackle this problem now." We may be in the middle of a recession, but as Robert Zirkelbach, spokesperson for America's Health Insurance Plans, says, "the most expensive thing we can do is nothing at all." If we do nothing, the Congressional Budget Office projects that our annual health costs will soar to about $13,000 per person in 2017, while the number of uninsured will climb to 54 million by 2019. Already more than half of Americans say they have cut back on health care in the past year due to cost concerns. Roughly one in four of us say we put off care we needed, and one in five of us didn't fill a prescription. Clearly, the urgency is greater now than ever before.
Myth 8: "We'll end up with socialized medicine." Some experts favor a single-payer system similar to Medicare or the health program offered to federal-government employees. Yet all the proposals being discussed today would build on our current system, Feder says—which means that private insurers and the government are both likely to play roles. Says Lumpkin: "There are many ways to solve our health care problem, but we will come up with a uniquely American solution, and that solution will be a mixed public and private solution."
Karen Cheney is a Philadelphia-based writer who specializes in money and health care issues.
For black-and-white reprints of this article call 866-888-3723


HEALHCARE REFORM BILLS COMPARE

Lawmakers are working on three versions of proposals to overhaul the US Healthcare system.
Click on this link

www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/.../102872.htm

Here is a quick summary based on what I have read on what they are planning to do if the bills pass.

1. You will have to have health insurance.
You will be required on all bills to have health insurance or pay a penalty.

2. The Federal Government might help you pay for it
Both House and Senate bills have subsidy provisions if you can't afford to buy it.

3. Your employer might have to help out.
Employers might have to help you get coverage.

4. The most contentious part of these bills for health care reform is that the Government
might get into the insurance business.
Might is the big word here, because the public health insurance plan to provide competition to private insurance has lots of enemies. What is being considered as an option to replace it is the consumer run insurance cooperative.


PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, VIEWS, IDEAS WITH US. OUR TOWN FORUM WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 20TH AT 7PM.

Living Smart with Dr. Perry and Pain Management

This Sunday August 30th at 3pm, Dr. Bruce Perry shares the importance of human connections for children. Dr. Perry is one of the most nationally reknowned child psychiatrists. He is often called by the federal government to treat kids traumatized by such events as 9/11, the Branch Davidian standoff, the Columbine shootings and many of the cult movements in America. He is concerned as I am of what technology and our way of life is doing to our children, where they spend hours playing video games, watching TV or texting on their cell phones will little real human interaction. Kids need safe adult relationships and the more the merrier! As I heal from my breast cancer surgery, and even not being a child, I can say the adult relationships helped me more than I can say. I can't help but share that if it wasn't for the many, many friends and family who prayed for me, sent me cards, flowers, gifts, kind words, smiles and most importantly the greatest energy on the planet (LOVE), the darkest part of my journey would have never seen the light. I believe in angels, something good in everyone I meet as the ABBA song says and I have felt it. I feel I can now cope with anything.
I made the decision to share what is going on with me believe it or not from a place of empowerment, not my ego. It was not an easy decision to share something so personal but I felt that by sharing my information I could help other women. Here is what I would like to share this time around. If you have pain GET HELP! There are great pain specialists at MD Anderson and any hospital you may be undergoing treatment. I was diagnosed a few days after surgery with a neuropathic pain that could not be treated with simple drugs. I am so much better now but I did suffer needlessly for days. I also had a needle localization procedure that was quite painful for me and it did not need to be. Had I know what I learned from the pain specialist I would have demanded better pain management. I ask you to do the sam if you are going through it. Ask and you shall receive! Because of the pain meds, I can now start physical therapy. Before I could not move my arm because of the pain. I am lucky the medication worked finally. It took a while but I can tell you. It works. Stay positive and Believe things will get better. Miracles Happen.

Living Smart and Going Green

This season brings creativity and new ideas. Look for our going green segments on Living Smart. We have been very busy meeting many Houstonians who share a passion for doing good things for our planet. Our planet is being stripped of all of its natural resources and we cannot simply continue to take without giving something back. I am eager and excited to spread the word and share so many creative and innovative ways you can go green!

Going Green Tip of The Day:

Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators to save resources without sacrificing water pressure. An efficient shower head will save a family of four up to $285 per year. They can cost less than $15, and installing them couldn't be easier: they just screw on.

The Breast Cancer journey, My Dog and Health Care

I had my surgery. It lasted 5 hours, but when I woke up, I could handle the pain and the nausea and that was of most importance to me. I also learned they didn't find cancer in the lymph nodes which is extremely important since that is how the cancer spreads. As I wait for the pathology reports, I look back at whas was most difficult in the first part of the journey. I can honestly say the "not knowning" was the worst part. The second worst part was the waiting and finally some of the tests I had to undergo before surgery. Have I said that I am a very lucky woman time and time again? They found my cancer early, so I most likely won't die from it. I also have said, the breast cancer journey is a very personal lonely one at least for me. Don't get me wrong. I have so many dear friends and family members who have held my hand, my soul and my heart for weeks, but no one takes away that each time you have a test, a mammogram, a surgery, you are alone with your God or whatever you believe in.

I don't want to scare anyone because frankly, the experience is unique for every person. It so happens that I have a low threshold for pain. The day before my surgery I had to be injected with a local anesthetic so they could locate two needles where the surgeon was to operate. This is called a needle localization procedure. It was not fun. I cussed which is not like me and didn't do so well when they injected the dye but I must say this. The doctors and nurses at MD Anderson are amazing. Thanks to me they learned a few bad words in Spanish (When I cuss I do it in my first language) and they were patient and understanding and caring. I was embarrassed but never felt they didn't understand or made me feel like a fool. They held my hand and kept saying they were sorry. I would answer under my breath. You are saving my life so do what you must. I can take it but please humor me, let me scream!

The surgery results could not have been better. I had asked friends and family to pray for I believe in the power of prayer to heal. I know hundreds were praying for me. The cancer had not spread which makes my prognosis a wonderful one. I will never be able to thank enough those who did pray for me. These are the people who make my life worth living.

I was told before I went into surgery that my life would change forever. I didn't really understand what that meant. I still don't but I find that I am much more aware of what is really important to me. I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in miracles. The night before my surgery, my brother's dog which I considered my dog Athena decided that she was going to have a heart attack and die. I so loved that dog I can't tell you. I feel she waited for me to go through this and I was able to say goodbye to her at 8pm when I went home to bed (I said I loved her and that I would see her soon because I had to have major surgery) and she died at 11pm that night. I didn't find out until after surgery. I cried so hard because this dog had shown me the lessons of unconditional love and I had the priviledge to have her in my life 9 years. I feel she held off until I could handle it. Dogs and animals have so much to teach us. WE can be in a bad mood, or depressed or feel defeated but they never change around us. They continue to love us and accept us unconditionally. In her honor, I will try to be more like her. I will attempt to stop reacting to negative emotions brought on by others. I will wiggle my tail with happiness every day I see those I love and even those I don't like.

As I recover at home. I am reading all I can about health care, since we will have a town forum on October 13th on the topic. I am very dismayed at the misinformation that exists regarding reform. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, make sure you are getting accurate information. Health care will be one of the biggest challenges we face as a nation. Unfortunately, we seem to live in a time that few in government tend to have the ethics and integrity to face up to big interests. Get informed and let us know what you think. I am very lucky to have insurance but do I feel comfortable that 50 million Americans don't? No, because I could be one of them tomorrow. We are all interconnected. Next I will share what I have learned about diets and cancer. There is a lot we can do to prevent cancer in our lives. Knowledge is power.

MD Anderson Cancer Center, insurance and surgery

As I approach my surgical date, I would like to share some interesting lessons I have learned. First of all, yes, you need to know all about your insurance plan, because if you don't you will be facing unpleasant surprises. As I began to get bills every day from just the diagnostic tests I had, I realized I better get informed and empowered or else I would lose a lot of my savings. I got to talk to a woman who deals with insurance companies and hospitals so that the patient does not have to worry about it. I thought her services were useful and helpful in times like these. Her name is Jane P. Lehto, CSA, MRR Medical Reimbursement Resource. 713 526 0955. I had no idea services like these existed and I must say, it makes sense. There is too much pressure and tension in our lives when going through this and the last thing we want to think or should think about is insurance coverage. (Reminder our town forum on health care reform will be on October 13th so put it on your calendar.)
MD Anderson has a great patient advocacy office. These folks, who are hard working and very busy, preety much handle all your questions and try to help you with everything or anything you need. I suggest you make use of them and if you are in another hospital, assign someone to be your advocate. Someone you can talk to about everything that is happening to you. This has been an essential part of this journey.

I also suggest you get reading material that eases your anxiety. Read on your condition but also buy funny books and watch funny films. Laugh. It is great therapy. Remember, cancer is no longer a death sentence. It is a chronic disease. For most, if caught early, it is treatable and if it is not caught early, it is still treatable. It just takes longer and yes sometimes it can kill you but so can stress, heart disease and diabetes so don't lose faith. You do have to arm yourself with patience. That you will need in abundant doses.

I am very lucky. My surgeon is the chief of breast cancer surgery and she posesses a zen like quality. When she walks in the room, you feel a certain peace (sort of like the pope!) and then she has a sense of humor which really helps. I really liked her when she told me she operates while listening to Coldplay!

Her nurse is a hoot and highly knowledgable. I did ask if she believed in miracles and what would they do if they found nothing. She said, "we would worry" Well, by golly, I hope they will just have to worry!!!!

I have found that if I go to the hospital in a great mood, and I can lift the spirits of those around me it will make this journey so much more pleasant and worthwhile. I have learned that some personnel at Anderson are just plain tired, but when you smile at them and show them some compassion too, they appreciate it. Remember, they see people who are scared, sick and sad every day. They need some TLC too (tender loving care!) Finally, not everyone is as lucky as I am. I have an incredible family, awesome friends and the best medicine has to offer. It is my responsability to help those around me who don't. That may be one of the reasons I have to go through this. Keep me in your prayers!

Facing the Mortgage Crisis August 4th and Health Care Town Forum

On Tuesday August 4th at 7pm at HoustonPBS, we will do everything we can to help people facing foreclosure an opportunity to save their homes if they can or leave them with dignity if they can't. There are so many free services that can help people make better choices. We noticed in our research and through the production process that many people have a lot of fear and shame and that keeps them from getting help. There are also a lot of people who are apathetic or feel hopeless to do anything about the problem. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of SCAMS. It is unbelievable that to this day, there are many companies charging for services that homeowners can get for free from HUD (Housing and Urban Development) approved housing counselors. You can check our website for all sorts of resources to help you if you are facing this challenge. www.houstonpbs.org/mortgage
If you are interested in being part of our audience, we have limited seating but let me know. You would need to be here at 6:15pm.

Now moving on to Health Care. On October 13th we'll produce a town forum on health care reform. A lot could change from now until then, but the debate is essential for Americans. There are too many players that could be affected and there is no doubt our economy can't handle the continuation of the system we have. We have had a status quo for at least 20 years and we just can't afford it. Out of a lot of the material I have read. I really liked the simplicity of this article in the AARP website.

The Issue: Create a government-sponsored health insurance plan
Why do it: About 47 million Americans don’t have insurance, mostly because it’s unaffordable or unavailable. A “public plan” would compete with private insurance plans, and President Obama contends it would help reduce costs. After all, it could be offered more cheaply because of the government’s buying power and the fact that it wouldn’t need to turn a profit or spend millions on advertising.
Why not: A government plan with those advantages might draw so many customers away from private insurance that those companies fail. And if a public plan underpaid doctors—as health care providers claim Medicare and Medicaid do—health care providers might drop out of the program and then patients would have fewer physicians and fewer choices.
Who likes it: Consumer groups and many Democratic lawmakers, such as Charles Rangel of New York, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, who says it will be part of the legislation the House passes. The White House says Obama backs the idea but is keeping an open mind.
Who doesn’t: Many Republican lawmakers, private insurance companies and their trade group, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and businesses, which say a public plan would undermine the market. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents big drug companies, says the Medicare prescription drug benefit is proof that a new government plan isn’t needed to lower costs and improve health care access. It contends that the Medicare drug benefit has been successful using only private insurance companies.

The Issue: Require individuals to have health insurance and employers to provide help getting it
Why do it: Many uninsured people end up in the emergency room with expensive medical problems because they didn’t get treated earlier. This causes unnecessary costs and health problems. Most parties agree that a major overhaul of health care won’t work until everyone has insurance coverage. Moreover, expanding the pool of people buying health insurance adds younger people who do not need expensive care and will help keep insurance prices lower. An employer mandate with a “pay or play” option would force businesses to provide insurance for workers or pay into a system that would cover the uninsured.
Why not: Healthy younger workers without a lot of income, who often choose not to be covered, might not want to bear the cost. And businesses complain that their health care costs are already so high they can’t compete globally. Some states have considered an individual mandate, though most have balked at the expense of subsidizing those whom it requires to have coverage, but who can’t afford it.
Who likes it: Insurance companies and AHIP support the idea of everyone being required to have coverage and have offered to make care more accessible if that happens. They say they would stop refusing to insure people with preexisting medical conditions and also wouldn’t charge patients higher premiums based on gender or current health status. Most proposals still would allow insurance companies to charge more for older people but just how much more is in question.
The American Medical Association believes wealthier individuals should be required to have coverage and people who can’t afford insurance should get government subsidies.
Who doesn’t: Labor unions and consumer groups are likely to oppose a mandate on individuals if employers aren’t required to ante up as well. Small businesses oppose an employer mandate, contending that it would be so costly they would have to lay people off. (Because it's so expensive for them, many small businesses don’t offer their workers health coverage now.) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes a mandate on employers.

The Issue: Help workers ages 50 to 64 get health insurance
Why do it: Insurance premiums are expensive and often unavailable for this age group because they tend to have more medical problems. But the faltering economy has triggered widespread layoffs, forcing many Americans ages 50 to 64 to lose their jobs and thus their employee health insurance. In the most recent figures, 7.1 million adults in this age group had no coverage.
Why not: It’s expensive. Allowing those 50 to 64 years old to buy into the Medicare system could bankrupt that program if they were allowed the same subsidies as Medicare beneficiaries. Without any subsidies, most in this age group could not afford to buy into the program. And asking insurance companies not to charge them so much more, based on their age, could mean that younger workers have to pay more.
Who likes it: AARP. And Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., who has proposed letting people ages 55 to 64 buy into Medicare.
Who doesn’t: Some health care insurers say they must continue to charge older patients more for coverage or they will have to charge younger people too much.

The Issue: Spending more than $1 trillion for a major overhaul of health care that improves access to coverage and quality of care.
Why do it: Health care costs are climbing so fast they are consuming more than 17 percent of the total economy. These costs are hurting businesses that offer coverage to their employees. And more and more Americans are without basic medical treatment because they don’t have access to affordable health care.
Why not: Almost everyone involved agrees that health care reform is important—and expensive. Where will the money to fund it come from?
Who likes it: To come up with $634 billion of the $1 trillion-plus needed for major reform, President Obama proposed cutting Medicare payment rates to medical providers and raising taxes on the wealthy. Lawmakers will spend the next month or two hashing out other ways to pay for reform. Some Republicans like Sen. John McCain of Arizona have proposed capping or eliminating the tax deduction for health care coverage that employers get for providing insurance. Others want to require employees to pay taxes on the value of their employer-financed health coverage.
Who doesn’t: Republicans, including Ohio's John Boehner, the House minority leader, have criticized Obama’s proposal for raising taxes (on the wealthy) during a recession. Medical interests are concerned about cuts to their reimbursements.

At least this article has a list of all the players and what they are interested in. Here is what is missing in my own mind. What is missing is what we can do ourselves and what WE are responsible for. Let's face it. We Americans are too fat, too lazy, too stressed and many times unwilling to change our lifestyles to have healthier lives. A lot of the healthcare expenses have to do with obesity, heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic diseases caused by the terrible way we eat, play and deal with every day stress!
Do you want to spend less on health care? This is what my doctor tells me. Get moving, quit eating sugars and flours and start meditating!

A wake up call: Curable Breast Cancer

I never thought I would ever be writing a columm about breast cancer. For some reason I have lived in denial about cancer all my life. It is perhaps because I know so many people I love who have survived it, died from it or suffered through it. My mother had it when she was 75, so did my father when he was 76. They are both well, but others in my family have not fared so well.

I was diagnosed recently and it came as a shock to me. Although I produce and host a show called Living Smart, I must admit I chose to live dumbly several years by not having a regular mammogram. I guess it is "smart" to admit that I make silly mistakes every now and then. I have always known I was not perfect or smart in many occasions but I had not had a mammogram for 5 years. That was surely not a "smart" decision in my part. I am not to panic. I am blessed and lucky as always. We found this cancer threat on time and my stage is curable. In fact I believe so many more breast cancers now are curable and I am so lucky to live in a time which treats this type of cancer so well. This of course is due to what I call "women´s sacred power" to scare the heck out of politicians in Washington and demand more research. Too many women still die of breast cancer and other diseases such as heart disease. Perhaps one of the reasons I never thougth I would get breast cancer is that heart disease is a much bigger killer of women so I just decided to concentrate on my heart...for instance not to get it broken! which more than once I have failed to do, or to remain a good body weight and excercise and deal with stress etc. Oh well. It took me a while to decide to write about this, but after a while I felt it would be irresponsible to do a show on Living Smart and not admit how dumb I was about my own breast cancer. I am not afraid at all. I believe I am responsible for my own health and if I do everything right, especially under the wonderful care of the best doctors in the world and complimenting this with alternative therapies, I will be just fine. HOWEVER, I do feel this is a wake up call to look into my soul and figure out what role I played in all of this. This is why I choose to share a bit about this disease. Cancer is no longer the death sentence it used to be, but no matter how you look at it. It is a wake up call. Was I stressed before this diagnosis? Was I dealing with my personal and professional issues effectively? Am I angry at anyone or anything? Do I still hold resentments? How is my spiritual life? Do I excercise on a regular level? What do I gain from being sick? Is this how I want to get attention? As you can see I have a lot of work to do, inner work, soul work and professional work. I accept prayers for I believe in the power of prayer. In the mean time, I am now going to continue to try to live SMARTER! I have to walk the talk right?

Health Care Reform and the Mortgage Crisis

Lately we are being bombarded with news on health care reform and the mortgage crisis. HoustonPBS is now partnering with different local organizations to cover both these topics in future television shows. On August 4th at 7pm I will be hosting a show on the mortgage crisis and what you need to do if you are at risk of facing foreclosure. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. I am also very excited about a town meeting we plan to do in a couple of months with the Center for Houston's future on health care reform.

I have lived in Europe and South America and had to use the medical system in several countries. The USA has the best medical system with a big "BUT" and that is... it is the best for those with insurance or those who can pay for it. For the rest of the 50 million people who are uninsured or those with low medical coverage insurance, health care can be a nightmare. In the US it is too expensive and with very little incentive to focus on prevention. There are also a lot of players in the game who benefit from the way the system works right now. In Houston, health care is one of the largest industries with a very important role in our local economy. Whatever reform happens at the national level will affect us tremendously, so if you have something to say about it. Please feel free to let me know on this blog.

On the show we plan to cover the different policy initiative and how they would affect us. I look forward to hearing from you.

A commencement Speech and the secret of success

The other day I was asked to give the commencement speech to highschool graduates of the Raul Izaguirre Charter School here in Houston. I was honored to say the least. These children have achieved in their short lifetime more than most teens in America. They come from low socio economic backgrounds, yet they have excelled academically and all 38 of them are going to college! Most of them are the first to do so in their families which must sign a contract of commitment to excellence to get into the school.
I have given many speeches in my lifetime but when I talk to adolescents I am afraid they won't listen, so I start out with music to get their attention. I told them I didn't expect them to remember anything I said. I certainly don't remember who spoke in my graduation in 1979! but I did tell them I hope they remembered one thing. Thoughts and words have power and "What you believe and conceive you will achieve!" I don't claim to be the creator of that phrase or thought, but I do defend its veracity. Our thoughts are full of power and so are our words so we must watch what we say and do on daily basis.
There is one poem I did not have time to share with the students and their families because I promised I would only talk for 10 minutes (that may be long for anyone's atention span) so I didn't get to share the following poem by Lindsay Pankey. If you are a dentist you probably know who this man is. My brother is a dentist. He was voted one of the best in America last year by the way and I think it is because my brother is constantly studying and cares so much about his patients and Pankey's philosophy of life and how to provide the best treatment for them. He learned this from the dentist philosopher. I leave you with these thoughts and then with Ralph Walso Emerson whose description of what success is all about is right in line with what I believe. Enjoy!


PROMISE YOURSELF


To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something great in them to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are of your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large to worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Lindsay Pankey



RALPH WALDO EMERSON SAID SUCCESS IS THE FOLLOWING

To laugh often and much
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends
To appreciate beauty
To find the best in others
To leave the world a little better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition. To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

Houston's Economy, The good news!

On May 7th I moderated and produced a special on Houston's Economy along with other producers and the Center for Houston's Future. My production assistant took notes and shares some highlights that you may want to read on Houston's problems and Solutions. The good news is that we are better off than everyone else. The lesser good news, it will take a bit longer to get back to normal. To watch the show go to www.houstonpbs.org/haveyoursay


Evening highlights Houston’s problems and solutions

By Elias Jabbe

HOUSTON- Houston PBS hosted a special program focused on Houston’s economy for the latest version of ‘Houston Have Your Say’ on May 7th, 2009. Hosted and moderated by Patricia Gras, the one-hour program aired live from Houston PBS’s studio and featured an audience that reflected the cultural and professional diversity of the city: representatives from sectors such as education, energy, real estate, and aviation all were present and contributed their opinions on Houston’s economic development.

The program involved the guests answering questions posed by Gras, yet the questions weren’t solely presented by the host. Houstonians blogged on PBS’s website and had the opportunity to call in and voice their concerns to the expert audience, and they took advantage of the opportunity by calling in several times. The audience also was able to listen to the opinion of the public while watching the short interviews with Houstonians discussing the local and global job market that were shown intermittently.

Though the sentiment concerning the job market for most people has been one of doom, the audience stated that the negativity was overstated in the media, and that the city of Houston actually is much better off than many cities in the United States.

The current economic recession has helped teach the world a lesson about being more efficient and less wasteful, according to some of the experts in the audience. “This recession reminds me of the one that took place between 1984 and 1990 in Houston as a result of ‘overbuilding’ by real estate companies,” said Giorgio Borlenghi, president of real estate company Interfin. Despite the hard times that many are experiencing now, Borlenghi has faith that the future will be bright. “Houston is a city of growth: millions of people are arriving here. Real estate is a great service to the community, and the sector needs to stop using methods like prospecting and instead needs to create demand first before building new property,” said Borlenghi.
Patrick Neal Jankowski, vice president of the research department of Opportunity Houston had a notably optimistic attitude regarding the future of Houston. “The Greater Houston Partnerships predicts that Houston will lose between 40,000 and 45,000 jobs in 2009. We have a lot to be thankful for: Phoenix has lost 137,000 jobs in one year, and it is two-thirds the size of Houston, “said Jankowski. Houston’s growth as a world-class city will be the key to its success. “Houston is a global city: 3,000 companies here do international business, and the future for Houston has to include more global trade. Houston is the best place to ride out the recession at. Oil and gas will continue to be important resources because so many key derivatives come from them,” said Jankowski.

Representing Houston’s education sector was Dr. Adolfo Santos, Chair of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Houston. Dr. Santos noted that Houston has the potential to produce people who can make an impact worldwide. “Many young people in Houston of Mexican descent have the advantage of knowing both Spanish and English, which means that jobs in foreign Spanish-speaking countries in regions such as Latin America are there for the taking,” said Santos.

Do you want to be healthy, release weight, and become smarter? Listen up

Recently, I attended a summit Food Addiction: The Obesity Epidemic Connection in IslandWood, Bainbridge Island, WA. For more info go to www.foodaddictionsummit.org



Scientists came from all over the country and parts of the world. They were from Yale, Princeton, UCLA, Rockeffeler, University of Florida, France etc. They were joined by therapists, writers, journalists, philanthropists who wanted to know more. Why? There is now a growing concern, refined foods and sugars may be addictive and playing a major role in our obesity epidemic.



Here are some stats on that. Let's start with children. One in five children in the US is overweight. In the last 30 years, childhood obesity has doubled and is increasing among younger children. The question asked in the summit. Are we exposing our children to substances, refined sugars and processed foods that cannot help but create a generation of young addicts? As for adults, you know the answer, 39 million Americans are obese, a lot more are overweight. Are we doing much about it? Let's start with the science. Here are some of the presenters and what they said. Please understand the presentations were complex and comprehensive this is a very simplistic summary. I suggest you check the website. www.foodaddictionsummit.org for more complete info.



Kelly Brownwell PhD from Yale. He is the director at Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.


In his popular book "Food Fight: this Inside Story of the Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis and What We Can Do ABout It" he and co author Katherin Battle suggest public policy iniatives for reversing the obesity epidemic. He questions what if the focus is on food and what it does to the body and the brain, in a way we can posssilby project the public health impact. Information on food addiction Dr. Brownwell feels could help remove the stigma tied to obesity.





Dr. Gene Jack Wang MD is the Chairman of Brookhaven National Laboratory Medical Department. He uses medical imaging techniques to study brain disorders. He found morbidly obese subjects had reductions in DA D2 receptors (brain dopamine receptor levels) which are similar to that observed in drug addicted subjects. This means, these people just as those addicted to drugs are predisposed to search for strongly rewarding reinforcers except in this case it was food (insntead of a drug) to temporarily compensate for decreased sensitivity of their DA regulated reward circuits.

NOTE: In neuroscience, the reward system (studied to understand addiction) is a collection of brain structures which attemp to to control and regulate behavior, cognitive and reward mechanisms by introducing pleasure effects. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter studied in addiction because it has many functions in the brain including important roles in reward, cognition and behavior.

Ernest Noble PhD and MD is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavorial Sciences and Director of Alcohol Research Center Semel Institute for Neuroscince and Human Behavior at UCLA School of Medicine. "It is well established that food (particularly carbohydrates) like alcohol, when consumed, increases brain dopamine levels. He found with his colleagues the DRD 2 A1 allele (the minor form of the D2 dopamine receptor gene to be associated with) alcohol addiction is also associated with obesity.





Serge Ahmed PhD Scientist at the Univeristy of Bordeaux France. In his research he found intense sweetness can surpass coaciane reward, even in drug sensitized and addicted individuals. "Sociologists, economists and epidemiologists have accumulated strong evidence linking increased accessibility and consumption of refined sugar with obesity in vulnerable populations, such as, for instance, chidlren and adults from poor communities. His findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward.





Bert Hoebel PhD Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Princeton University


Sugar Addiction: Bingeing, Withdrawal and Craving. "Evidence from animal models suggests sugar can act on the brain in ways similar to drugs of abuse. Eating large amounts of sugar when hungry, also known as sugar-bingeing, can cause behavioral and neurochemical changes in the brain that resemble those produced when someone takes substances of abuse including morphine, cocaine and nicotine. "





Eric Stice phD Senior Research scientist at teh Oregon Research Institute


"His program of research has primarily focused on the elucidating genetic and environmental factors that increase the risk for onset of eating overeating disorders and obesity, as well as the development and evalution of prevention programs for these conditions. He states "It has been theorized that elevated reward from food intake or anticipated food intake increases risk for overeating. However it has also been theorized that individuals who experience weaker activation of dopamine based reward circuitry in response to food intake may overeat to compensate for this reward deficit.





Irene Yaroslavsky PhD of the Leibowitz Laboratory, Rockefeller University


Mechanisms of Food Cravings


Dr. Sarah Leibowitz PhD has led animal studies exploring metabolic and neural antecedents for the overconsumption of fat and alcohol. " A major reoccuring theme in our research is the existence of a positive feedback loop, whereby a meal rich in fat activates certain brain systems that further stimulate fat intake. More specifically we have shown that brain systems involved in a palatability and reward can both stinulate and be stimulated by the intake of preferred diets rich in fat."

Kay Sheppard, Ma LMHC, CEDS

is the pioneer in food addiction treatment. She wrote the first best selling book on the subject. "Food Addiction: The Body Knows: From the First Bite and Food Addiction: Healing Day by Day. A licensed mental health counselor she conducts workshops and food adicts worldwide. " I came to appreciate that the brain and body of a food addict reacts differently to addictive foods due to the inherited predisposition to the disease of addiction. Addictive foods stimulate and increase the transmission of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. When the brain is flooded with these neurotransmiters, euphoria results leading to the compulsive pursuit of mood change by engaging repeatedly in episodes of binge eating despite adverse consequences."

There were other presenters who shared their research, programs and ideas.

Dr. Mark Gold MD Food as an Addiction College of Medicine Brain institute at University of Florida

Elissa Epel PhD Co Director of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment and Treatment

Cravings and Chronic Stres: Why the Candy Industry thrives when the economy declines

Jefrey Grim PhD Co Director of the Northwest Center for Research on Eating Behaviors.

Abstinence make sthe Heart Grow Fonder: Incubation of Sucrose Craving.

Yvonne Sanders Butler Ed PhD who as the principal of Browns Mil Elementary banned all fods high in refined sugars, high fat, and processed foods and drinks from the cafeteria. The results, immediate drop in absenteeism, improvements in attention, and general increase in energy levels and grades.

Connie Benett, Author of Sugar Shock

Joan Ifland PhD, MBA Founder and Chair of Refined Food Addiction (REFA) Research

Foundation.

Ellot Blass PhD University of Massachusetts. Evolutionary and Devleopmental bases of Eating Addictions.

To get all the presentations in full go to

www.foodaddictionsummit.org

What next?

This is an epidemic and what concerns me the most is our children. Find out what your children's schools are offering. Get involved, contact Dr. Yvonne Sanders Butler. Get documentation to back your claims. Kids need to start eating better and moving more. Our schools are feeding them sugars and processed foods and yet we expect them to be healthy and smart.

We have to start somewhere. Knowledge is power. Don't expect the government or food companies to make the changes. We the people are ultimately responsible for what we and our children eat. Get armed with adequate information.