Food for Thought and Action

If only all bodegas looked like the one on the northwest corner of 96th & Lex...

2011-08-18T00:46:00.001-04:00

Promoting healthy items in corner stores is one of those hot topics in public health right now.

(Market Makeovers video)

Yet, this fad is only beginning to take off in places like the Bronx. I've been working at Bronx Health REACH for the past year, where several years ago the staff were involved in a campaign to promote healthy snacks in bodegas. Well, now it's time to actually encourage community members to advocate for changes to the bodegas themselves, such as through the city Department of Health's Adopt a Bodega initiative.

If community members in schools and churches are educated about the importance of consuming healthy foods, provided some instruction as to how to prepare said healthy foods, and empowered to work towards changing the food environment, would this be enough to actually create lasting change? I can't say for sure, but I'm excited to find out.

The city's Adopt a Bodega program encourages people to talk to their bodega owners about possible changes they could make to the bodega to promote consumption of healthier foods. They could work towards changing the store inventory, marketing / advertising practices, and/or do a store cleanup, improving the overall look and cleanliness of the store. Partnerships may be with local schools, churches, or other community-based organizations such as community centers. (More information available in the toolkit here.)
I think a particularly interesting Adopt a Bodega / community food assessment project could be worked through Citizen Schools, an expanded learning day program in some middle schools in low-income neighborhoods across the country. The students would get to work on the project 90 minutes per week for 10 weeks, and then present their work to peers and parents. Who knows how many ripple effects this could have.

In my quest to figure out how to get fresh, local produce from the Wholesale Market at Hunt's Point (the largest food distribution center in the country, located in the Bronx) into Bronx bodegas, I found out about a bodega on the border of Harlem & the Upper East Side that judging by its inventory, seems more like a health food store you would find in Brooklyn than a bodega. But I think if folks from the Bronx were exposed to the items sold in this healthy bodega, mixed with some nutrition education information about the foods sold at that store, they would be more engaged in looking to make some of those healthy changes to the bodegas in their own neighborhoods than if they hadn't seen the healthier version. First-hand experience in visually seeing / learning about alternatives to the status quo can speak volumes.

Here are some photos I snapped of the bodega at the northwest corner of 96th & Lexington:

Lots of produce

Unsalted, raw nuts that you package yourself!

Apples from New York State

Good, healthy staples available: almond milk, vegetable broth, organic tomato sauce...heck they even have the BPA-free Eden Foods canned beans

And some good, quality grains.

Aside from Bronx Health REACH, one of the NY Faith and Justice food justice working groups is also working on an outreach plan to encourage more churches to Adopt a Bodega. You can access the page here: http://nyc.changeby.us/project/451 or email the group at business.outreach@nyfaithjustice.org,

GROW!

2011-06-01T02:52:00.007-04:00

You’ve seen the numbers: more than 925 million hungry. But hunger is not about too many people and too little food. Our rich and bountiful planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child on earth. Hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources. The results are illiteracy, poverty, war, and the inability of families to grow or buy food.

Thus begins the October 2010 Oxfam Fact Sheet entitled Food for All, posted during Oxfam's Sow the Seed campaign.

Today marks the official launch of Oxfam's new campaign on food justice, GROW, which reminds us that by 2050 there will be 9 billion of us on the planet, and so we must find a way to feed everyone. The great international non-profit humanitarian organization Oxfam, 400+ scientists and researchers who contributed to the IAASTD report, and Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe from the Small Planet Institute agree: "more of the same" ways of growing food - vested interests, using up natural resources and increasing inequalities in access to healthy food - is not the answer. To meet the needs of a growing population, we must grow more fairly and sustainably.

But wait...there won't be enough food for all if we grow organically, you say. Industrial agriculture is more efficient than organic production. Sustainably, organically grown produce is elitist and cannot feed the world. If you are only talking about developed countries such as the US, which grows chemical-laden produce at the expense of environmental sustainability and then wastes vast quantities of it - then yes, a switch from conventional to organic production may either not affect or slightly decrease yields (the average yield ratio ranged from 0.891 to 1.060), according to a research study cited by Anna Lappe (Badgley, 2007). However, adopting sustainable farming practices in developed countries can increase ratios from 1.736 to 3.995 - nearly two to four times better than the farmers' previous practices. "Because most farming in these regions is currently low input and low yielding, shifting toward more climate-friendly organic agriculture with the help of capacity building and research would result in relatively higher yields and improve local food security," explains Anna.

All this and more you can learn by reading Oxfam's "Growing a Better Future" report by visiting the WHY Hunger Food Security Learning Center, or yes, by reading Diet for a Hot Planet, where Anna Lappe gives a ton of resources with useful information such as Food Routes, the Eat Local Challenge, and lists of some books such as the recipe books Grub and Vegan Soul Kitchen. I personally have been consuming less and less meat as my awareness and environmental consciousness raises, and vow to continue to learn more about vegetarian and vegan eating - especially after recently finishing Diet for a Hot Planet and watching the films Food Matters and PLANEAT.

If you're in NYC tomorrow, please come visit the Oxfam Action Corps NYC table at the southeast corner of Union Square between 12-8pm. If you're not, I hope you can tune in to the GROW launch where Frances Moore Lappe and some other panelists will speak about the campaign starting at 12:20pm.

Reference:

Badgley, Catherine et al, "Organic Agriculture and the Global Food Supply," Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 22 (2007):86-108.

Oxfam's Sow the Seed Campaign

2010-10-15T22:25:00.003-04:00

Now more than ever is the time to get keyed in to the good work Oxfam is doing. For the past few years (up until Congress dropped climate change legislation from the radar), Oxfam America's main focus was getting Congress to finance international adaptation to climate change. The next mini-campaign, up until the UN Millennium Development Goals summit, was around calling on President Obama to develop a US Global Development Strategy (victory!). Now Oxfam is expanding the conversation to include food, and as far as I know will continue to do so up until the 2012 Farm Bill is voted on.

Oxfam's current campaign, "Sow the Seed," is asking world leaders to support the world’s poorest food producers as they fight climate change. This campaign officially begins on World Food Day, which leads up to the climate summit in Cancun November 29.

Our two "asks" in the US are for our members of Congress to:

1. Pass the Global Food Security Act. Strengthen it to support communities in their efforts to build resistance to climate change - and combat the adverse effects of climate change on their crops.

2. Urge President Barack Obama to establish a fair, accessible and accountable global climate fund at the climate summit in Cancun later this year that will sow the seed for a binding global climate agreement by 2012.

People can get involved in advocating for these causes with Oxfam by

a) joining an Oxfam Action Corps if you live in one of the following cities:
Albuquerque, NM
Austin, TX
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA

Several of my fellow Oxfam Action Corps NYC volunteers have been in Iowa this week for the Norman Borlaug Dialogue / World Food Prize event, learning more about ending world hunger. You can find out more about OAC NYC at http://www.oxfamactioncorpsnyc.org/ (the other OAC pages are linked from here as well). Or alternatively, visit http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

b) Tomorrow (World Food Day), Oxfam Action Corps in these various cities will be holding events to get petition signatures and have people plant seeds through creative activities. If you do not live in one of these cities, you can still support the Sow the Seed campaign by growing a "virtual plant" by taking the actions listed on the website, sowtheseed.net - growing plants, uploading photos of plants grown at home for the "photo petition," and sharing and promoting the actions through your own social networks. The number of actions taken around the world will be shown as a rolling number on this virtual plant.

c) Get advocacy updates from Oxfam America by signing up at http://oxfamamerica.org/

Food Security and HIV/AIDS in Kenya

2010-05-09T19:52:00.008-04:00

Ellen Gustafson, the co-founder of FEED Projects, launched the "30 Project" on TEDxEast this past Friday. In light of reading the statistics on the new 30 Project website (namely, "The U.S. now spends 20 times more on food aid to Africa than it does helping Africans develop ways to feed themselves," I've decided to post a paper I wrote last semester for my International Nutrition class (where Ellen actually was a guest lecturer). Ellen is a fantastic speaker, but more on that later. For now here's my paper.

Food Security and HIV/AIDS in Kenya (by Kelly Moltzen)

In Kenya, as well as many other places around the world particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is still a huge epidemiological issue despite access to antiretroviral medications. One of the reasons for the high rates of HIV in Kenya is because people do not have access to adequate food, thereby compounding the effects of the disease on the immune system. Rates of food insecurity in Kenya are very high, particularly in rural areas.[1] There are many contributing factors to the problem of food insecurity, not excluding political corruption, which led the World Bank and the IMF to delay giving loans to the government in 2006.[2] In addition, Kenya suffers from severe droughts which reduce agricultural output, and low investment in the country’s economic growth.² There is still no funding specifically dedicated to food security for the HIV population.¹

In any country in which it occurs, the coexistence of HIV, poverty, and food insecurity has devastating impacts on people’s health.¹ HIV worsens nutritional status, further leading to the decline in health of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).[3] When HIV-infected people do not receive sufficient food to nourish them and help them recover, this leads to the perpetuation of the disease and increased numbers of PLWHA.[4] This happens through several mechanisms, occurring through biological as well as social and economic pathways.⁴ HIV can be transmitted horizontally when food insecure women – who are responsible for the health of their families – engage in transactional sex to make money to buy food for their families. It can also be transmitted vertically, as pregnant malnourished women with HIV have a greater chance of transmitting the disease to an unborn infant than well-nourished pregnant women. In particular, factors associated with higher mother-to-child transmission are low iron and Vitamin A stores, low BMI, and maternal weight loss.⁴

Food insecurity also impacts access to treatment and care services.⁴ While the Kenyan Ministry of Health has worked with Doctors Without Borders to provide free access to ARV treatments in the Nairobi slums of Kibera, a considerable number of eligible individuals have not accepted the offer for medications.[5] Oftentimes, even when receiving free ARV medications, parents need to choose between paying for transportation to attend health care appointments, and using the money to adequately feed themselves and their children.⁴ This problem seems like it would be even larger in rural areas than urban areas, where traveling is less convenient. Also, in the study of Kibera, one of the main reasons for not accepting the offer for medications was because of a fear of taking the medication on an empty stomach.⁵

Lack of food has shown to negatively impact the efficacy of antiretroviral (ARV) medications. Food insecurity has been associated with a decrease in the effectiveness of protease-inhibitor based regimens, and specifically a 30% decrease in drug plasma concentrations.⁴ Very high viral loads have been found among those receiving highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART).⁴ Taking ARV regimens with food has been shown to increase the bioavailability of medications by as much as 700%.⁴ The ability of the human body to suppress the virus has shown to be 70% lower in people reporting food insecurity, even after levels of adherence to the medication regimen were taken into account.⁴ Thus, it is of paramount importance that patients receive adequate nutrition, if there is any chance of halting the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

HIV prevalence in Kenya is more concentrated in the west of the country⁶ and where there are higher poverty rates, small plots of land, and poor soil quality.¹ There are over 1.5 million people in Kenya currently living with HIV, and there are approximately 100,000 deaths from AIDS per year in this country.[6] Up to 700 people reportedly die on a daily basis in Kenya from infections related to their HIV status.[7] One study found that PLWHA were more likely to be malnourished than people whose status was not established.⁷

The study found that the majority of foods eaten by PLWHA were low in nutrients that help build up the immune system and maintain adequate weight, and that there was not a lot of variety in the foods consumed.⁷ High protein foods such as meats and legumes were found to be consumed by less than a quarter of the sampled households.⁷ Interestingly, those surveyed showed a lack of nutrition knowledge in terms of which foods were appropriate for PLWHA to eat to support a healthy immune system.⁷ This is likely related to the literacy rates, as many people cannot understand educational brochures which are handed out if they are illiterate. The literacy rates in Kenya are approximately 80% for females and 90% for males, as estimated in 2003.²

Additionally, there are high numbers of widows, orphans, and falling school attendance rates in Kenya.¹ Many children must care for their ailing parents who have HIV/AIDS, and this adversely affects their ability to participate fully in obtaining their education. Mishra et al found that “orphans, fostered children, and children of HIV–infected parents are significantly less likely to attend school than non–orphaned/non-fostered children of HIV–negative parents.”[8]

The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) identified over 67,000 individuals from 17 clinics in Kenya as food insecure in 2007, which amounts to 33.5% of the total number of people assessed.¹ AMPATH began as a collaboration between a consortium of universities in Indiana and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Moi University School of Medicine. When the extent of the problem of HIV and food insecurity was realized, AMPATH established partnerships with the World Health Organization’s World Food Program (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and began producing food on farms in Kenya to complement food donations.¹

Essentially, these international aid organizations are working with clinical staff and community groups to provide resources and support to HIV patients and their families. Nutritionists assess all patients in the AMPATH clinics with the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale used by USAID.¹ The nutritionists were given criteria to use to decide who would qualify for the program, which included meeting one or more of the following: “a) having insufficient access to food to support patient recovery; b) Body Mass Index (BMI) below 19; c) Household income less than 3,000 Ksh per month; d) CD4 count less than 200.”³ In general, however, the nutritionists subjectively decide eligibility status, giving food insecurity the most weight.³ Those who qualify for the program are provided 6 months of nutrition support, as this is the amount of time thought necessary to recover and be able to carry out activities of daily living; however, there is some flexibility in the length of time a patient could receive the food support.^1,3

The amount of food allotted to patients is determined based on the number of people in the household.^1,3 Monthly follow-ups are used so that patients renew their “food prescription” on a regular basis¹; patients are also weighed and receive nutrition counseling during these monthly follow-ups.³ Patients are enrolled either through the WFP or through the “HAART and Harvest Initiative” (HHI), and fill their food prescriptions at distribution sites on a regular basis, depending on how far the site is from their residence.³ When patients are weaned off food support, they are enrolled in the “Family Preservation Initiative” which provides education on income generating activities or food production.^1,3 They could also choose to attend patient-led support group meetings.³

To provide necessary food to the patients, a combination of production, purchase, and donation of food is used; as stated, food production is “a key component of the AMPATH nutrition program.”¹ Six farms were started, 4 of which are used for high production of food (3 rural, 1 urban), and two of which are used for educating patients on how to increase the yield of small plots they may own.^1,3 A continuous source of water is provided, which allows the farms to produce a year-round supply of fresh vegetables.¹ Over 20 tons of vegetables are produced per month, and an expected 4 tons of fruits are also expected to be produced as the farms become more productive.¹

In addition to food production, the WFP provides food donations of legumes, corn, corn-soy blends, and cooking oil, for up to 30,000 recipients and 1500 orphans and vulnerable children; an additional 2,000 people receive corn-soy blends from USAID. AMPATH also coordinates the distribution of eggs and milk which are produced by patients within the program,¹ as well as local and exotic herbs.³

Industrial engineers from Purdue University worked with AMPATH to design a computerized nutritional information system that could be used to coordinate the distribution of food to patients throughout western Kenya. The foods available, as well as patients needing that food, are entered into the system, which then helps coordinate who will pick up, transport, and deliver the food to the proper places. Altogether, food and fixed costs of the program cost $0.27 per patient per day.¹

The AMPATH model and collaboration with the WFP and USAID provides a remarkable opportunity to improve the nutritional status of Kenyans, especially those living with HIV/AIDS. It uses an academic partnership, teaches native Kenyans how to farm the land and uses the crops they produce as part of the food support package given to the HIV/AIDS patients and their families. It also provides the patients with nutrition education, and an opportunity to learn skills on income-generating activities through the Family Preservation Initiative.

However, as noted by Mamlin et al, the current system still relies heavily on food donations and is unsustainable in the long run.¹ It is necessary to teach more Kenyans how to till the land and increase the number of farms and gardens producing crops. There should be more diversity of crops grown on these farms, as this would help not only decrease dependence on foreign food aid, but also to improve the nutritional status of Kenyans – both PLWHA and those currently without the disease. By improving the nutrition of all Kenyans, this will strengthen people’s immune systems and make them less susceptible to acquiring and transmitting HIV to others.

Currently the country is still receiving a significant amount of corn-soy blend through the WFP and USAID.¹ Alternatively, people could learn to grow a variety of crops that are diverse, have a high nutrient density, and are native to the land in Africa, such as amaranth, millet and sorghum[9]. Research is beginning to show a tendency towards increased food security in Kenya when traditional crops are grown.[10] In rural areas, people should be provided with support needed to start new farms with a variety of crops. This can provide a source of nutrition as well as become an income-generating activity if a sufficient number of crops are grown. If these farms aim to produce large numbers of crops on a scale which could feed the nation of Kenya (either directly or through increased trade), it may be necessary to invest in resources to help farmers cope with the effects of climate change. Climate change has a greater negative impact on developing countries such as those in Africa, and has led to droughts and desertification across the continent. Work should be done to expand Navdana, the program Dr. Vandana Shiva has started in India which is a women-centered movement focused on biodiversity and food sovereignty in the face of climate change.[11]

On a smaller scale, in both rural and urban areas, gardens can be built alongside hospitals to provide patients with both nutritious food and the educational and physical exercise of harvesting the crops. In urban areas, support should be provided to allow people to start their own gardens at home.

There are already non-profit organizations helping to start these types of gardens to support PLWHA in Kenya, such as Development in Gardening (DIG)[12]. DIG has a partnership with USAID, so this relationship should be fostered further in order to provide more individuals with the opportunity to garden.

For the multitude of reasons outlined above, ensuring the food security of HIV/AIDS patients and their families is critical in improving the health of the patients and helping to limit the spread of HIV. This should be done by training Kenyans to increase the food productivity of their land in a sustainable manner.

References

[1] Mamlin J, Kimaiyo S, Lewis S, et al. Integrating Nutrition Support for Food-Insecure Patients and Their Dependents Into an HIV Care and Treatment Program in Western Kenya. American Journal of Public Health. 2009;99(2):215-221.

[2] The World Factbook. Kenya. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html. Accessed December 14, 2009.

[3] Byron E, Gillespie S, Nangami M. Integrating nutrition security with treatment of people living with HIV: lessons from Kenya. Food Nutr Bull. 2008; 29:87–97. http://programs.ifpri.org/renewal/pdf/KenyaAMPATH.pdf. Accessed December 14, 2009.

[4] Anema A, Vogenthaler N, Frongillo EA, Kadiyala S, Weiser SD. Food Insecurity and HIV/AIDS: Current Knowledge, Gaps, and Research Priorities. Current HIV/AIDS Reports 2009;6:224–231.

[5] Unge C, Johansson A, Zachariah R, et al. Reasons for unsatisfactory acceptance of antiretroviral treatment in the urban Kibera slum, Kenya. AIDS Care 2008, 20:146–149.

[6] Kenya. Epidemiological Country Profile on HIV/AIDS. WHO. 2008. http://apps.who.int/globalatlas/predefinedReports/EFS2008/short/EFSCountryProfiles2008_KE.pdf. Accessed December 14, 2009.

[7] Kuria, EN. Food consumption and nutritional status of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA): a case of Thika and Bungoma Districts, Kenya. Public Health Nutrition. 15 June 2009; 1-5. Published online: doi:10.1017/S1368980009990826.

[8] Mishra V, Arnold F, Otieno F, Cross A, Hong R. Education and Nutritional Status of Orphans and Children of HIV-Infected Parents in Kenya. AIDS Education and Prevention. 2007;19(5):383–395.

[9] Board on Science and Technology for International Development. The Lost Crops of Africa. Volume I: Grains. National Research Council. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 1996.

[10] Figueroa Gomez de Salazar B, Tittonell P, Ohiokpehai O, Giller K. The Contribution of Traditional Vegetables to Household Food Security in Two Communities of Vihiga and Migori Districts, Kenya. Wageningen University. 2008. http://www.icuc-iwmi.org/Symposium2008/Theme%201/T1.3-Blanca%20Figuero.pdf. Accessed December 14, 2009.

[11] Navdana. Available at: http://navdanya.org/. Accessed December 14, 2009.

[12] Development in Gardening. Available at: http://www.developmentingardening.org/ . Accessed December 14, 2009.

Jumpstart Life-long Healthy Eating Habits with your Child in the Bronx: Get Involved!

2010-05-06T10:38:00.009-04:00

I recently wrote a newsletter on combating childhood obesity during a pediatric rotation of my dietetic internship at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. Here's the content...

Improving the school food environment through your child’s school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and your Community

Outline:

Healthy Fundraisers

School Breakfast Program

Child Nutrition Reauthorization & the School Lunch Program

Farmers Markets

Kids and Gardening

Supermarkets & Bodegas

Bronx Health REACH

Strategic Alliance for Health

What’s On Your Plate? Film

Let’s Move

People’s Garden NYC

More Resources

Online Videos

Farmers Markets in the Bronx

Healthy Fundraisers

Many school PTAs sell unhealthy foods such as candy or potato chips as fundraisers for their school, to fund after-school activities. Parents and teachers want the best for their children, but these unhealthy foods actually make children believe that these foods are acceptable snacks and can be consumed on a regular basis. As an alternative, the District Public Health Office has developed a Fundraiser Guide to help PTAs choose healthy food (or non-food!) options for school fundraisers. The toolkit can be found at this link: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dpho/dpho-fundraiser-guide.pdf

School Breakfast Program

Many children either do not eat breakfast in the morning or pick up an unhealthy option, such as a bacon, egg & cheese sandwich, for breakfast on their way to school. When children don’t start the day off right with a healthy breakfast, they’re more likely to have difficulty paying attention and focusing on classwork while at school. The Department of Education has approved all schools in New York City to have a school breakfast program, but many schools have not signed up yet or only offer the program to a few classes at the school. The school breakfast program means that every child in the classrooms to which it is provided will get the same, healthy breakfast – a great way to start off the day. If your child does not currently participate in the School Breakfast Program, speak with the principal at your school or your school’s PTA about the possibility of signing up or expanding the program to cover more students.

http://www.breakfasteveryday.org/

Child Nutrition Reauthorization and the School Lunch Program

The Department of Education’s Office of SchoolFood (OSF) works hard within its budget to make sure all children get a school lunch that meets certain nutritional standards while also tasting good to the children. However, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) only gives a certain amount of money to improve school food, and this amount of money is not enough for the OSF to make all the changes it would like to. There is currently a bill in Congress called Child Nutrition Reauthorization, which if passed will increase the amount of money spent on childhood nutrition programs – including school food – by $4.5 billion over 10 years. This would bring healthier foods into all schools, including vending machine items. However, the amount of money that is truly needed to improve school food is $4 billion per year. To find information on how to call your Congressman to ask for more money for child nutrition, see this link: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/basics/

Another thing you can do to improve the quality of school food is: together with your child’s principal and PTA, speak to Billy Doherty at the Office of School Food about connecting your child’s school to a local farmer to get fresh, local fruits and vegetables delivered to the school. Many farmers from local areas, such as Upstate New York and other nearby states, already sell their fruits and vegetables to people in NYC at farmers markets.

More on Farmers Markets…

There are many farmers markets located throughout the city, including some in the Bronx. These are hosted by Greenmarket and by Harvest Homes. Most farmers markets accept cash, WIC checks, EBT (food stamps), and Health Bucks ($2 coupons distributed by the NYC Department of Health). At farmers markets that accept food stamps, one Health Buck coupon is given to each customer for every $5 spent using food stamps. To find a farmers market in your neighborhood, see bottom of post.

Kids and Gardening

There are many success stories of children trying new fruits and vegetables if they are involved in growing the food themselves. As a matter of fact, First Lady Michelle Obama has planted a garden at the White House and has local schoolchildren harvest the vegetables to teach them the importance of gardening and eating healthy. Some children in NYC and the Bronx are involved in community gardens, oftentimes through the school curriculum. Every child should have this opportunity! Talk to others in your community and your child’s school to find out if there are any community gardens near you. Perhaps you could work with the school’s PTA, or your child’s principal and science teacher to see about involving students in vegetable gardening during the school day.

Supermarkets & Bodegas

In December 2009, the City Council approved bringing more supermarkets into low- and moderate-income areas of NYC, including sections of the Bronx, through the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) Initiative. The new FRESH supermarkets will offer a full line of grocery products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, dairy and other food and nonfood products, and will also be a source of new local jobs.

Until these new supermarkets are built, you can still change the food choices available in your neighborhood. Your local grocery or bodega owner generally sells what he thinks his customers want to buy. If you do not like the foods in your local store, ask to speak to the owner and let him know what options you would like to buy. If he is able to stock the healthier food items to sell to you, he will most likely do so because he knows people want it. Some ideas of things to ask for are low-fat milk and yogurt, apple chips, pita chips, pretzels, whole wheat bread, regular peanut butter, jelly, plain nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and fruits and vegetables that are either fresh, frozen, or canned in light syrup (note: many stores do not have the capacity to sell foods that need to be frozen or refrigerated).

There’s no need to ask for water, because you can get this for FREE from the sink or water fountain! NYC water is generally of very good quality and you can save a lot of money by buying a reusable BPA-free bottle and filling it with water on your own.

Bronx Health REACH

Bronx Health REACH, a part of the Institute for Family Health, is an organization that works on trying to improve the quality of food served in the Bronx. REACH also works to educate the community about how to live a healthy lifestyle through the food and exercise choices we make. One of the focuses of REACH is working with churches in the community to empower its members to lead a healthy lifestyle. REACH has developed a “God’s Health Squad” toolkit for church leaders to use with youth groups. More information can be found on the website, http://institute2000.org/bhr, the blog, http://bronxhealthreach.blogspot.com, or by contacting Kelly Moltzen (see bottom of post).

NYC Strategic Alliance for Health (SAfH)

The NYC Strategic Alliance for Health (SAfH) was founded in 2008 to combine the efforts of local organizations, Elected Officials, and other community based organizations in an effort to improve the environments, systems, and policies that affect physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco-use within schools and the broader community of the South Bronx and East & Central Harlem. The efforts that are found to work best will be shared with other NYC neighborhoods who are also working to decrease health inequities.

A brief overview SAfH’s Goals:

Physical Activity

· Require organizations that work in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) community centers to lead daily physical activity programs

· Improve the play street program in target areas by changing policy

Nutrition

· Include a new option in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Adopt a Bodega initiative that will offer Bodega owners resources for renovations that will allow fruits and vegetables to be sold and maintained on site

School Wellness

· Establish a policy at the NYC Department of Education that will provide elementary schools with a Physical Activity and Nutrition Award

· Establish a policy requiring elementary after-school programs to include daily time for physical activity

For more information, contact: Geysil Arroyo, Community Coordinator

646-672-2385 or nycsafh@gmail.com

What’s On Your Plate? Film

Want to watch a movie about healthy and not-so-healthy food in NYC, narrated from a kids’ perspective? The film “What’s On Your Plate?” is just that. It follows two curious girls who are on a mission to understand where their food comes from, and what’s in it. The girls interview many influential people in NYC, including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Chef Jorge Collazo from the NYC Department of Education’s Office of School Food, and Anna Lappé, author of the newly released book Diet for a Hot Planet, about the impact of our food system on climate change. You can find out more information about where and when “What’s On Your Plate?” is being screened in NYC at the website whatsonyourplateproject.org.

“Let’s Move!”

First Lady Michelle Obama is very involved in supporting a healthy lifestyle for children. She has started the “Let’s Move” initiative to fight childhood obesity, which aims to give “parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.” You can find out more here: http://letsmove.gov/

People’s Garden NYC Petition

There is currently a petition asking Mayor Bloomberg to plant a vegetable garden outside of City Hall as a symbol of the City’s dedication to healthy food. If this garden becomes reality, it would be managed by children and seniors from the nearby area, and the food grown would be donated to a local food pantry or soup kitchen. You can learn more about it and sign the petition here: http://peoplesgardennyc.org/

More Resources

NY Coalition for Healthy School Food

The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food is organization that works on improving food for all children in New York. Learn more here: http://www.healthyschoolfood.org/

Super Kids Nutrition

Find information on healthy eating for your kids from the experts! There are articles, activities, book suggestions and more at http://superkidsnutrition.com/

Dr. Dolgoff’s Weigh

Dr. Johanna Dolgoff is a pediatrician who focuses on weight management. She has many resources online that you can get for free at her website, http://drweigh.com/

SNAP-Ed Recipe Finder Database Search for low-cost recipes by ingredient, recipe name, cost, and more: http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/

Online Videos

Want to learn more about the food system by watching videos? Here are a few you can watch online:

· Urban Farming NYC http://tinyurl.com/urbanfarmingnyc

· The Meatrix http://www.themeatrix.com/

· The True Cost of Food http://www.sierraclub.org/truecostoffood/movie.asp

· The Story of Stuff http://www.storyofstuff.com/

This newsletter was written by Kelly Moltzen, a dietetic intern at the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, graduate student studying public health at New York University, and previous Nutrition Intern at Bronx Health REACH. She can be reached by email at kellym41122@yahoo.com. You can also follow her on twitter at twitter.com/kellymoltzen or visit her blog: food4thoughtandaction.blogspot.com/.

Thanks for reading!

Farmers Markets in the Bronx

Greenmarket Farmers Markets: EBT/Food Stamps and WIC & Senior FMNP Coupons Accepted. For every 5 EBT dollars spent, customers receive a $2 Health Buck coupon to purchase additional produce.

Bronx Borough Hall Greenmarket

Grand Concourse at 161 St, Bronx, 10451

Tuesdays, June 29 through November 23, 8am - 3pm

Lincoln Hospital Greenmarket
149th Street at Park Ave, Bronx, 10451
Tuesdays and Fridays, June 29 through November 23, 8am - 3pm

New York Botanical Garden Greenmarket
Dr Theodore Kazimiroff Blvd at Bronx Park Rd, New York, 10458
Wednesdays, June 16 through November 29, 9am - 6pm.

Poe Park Greenmarket
Grand Concourse at E 192 St, Bronx, 10468
Open Tuesdays, July 6 through November 23, 8am -3pm

Harvest Home Farmers Markets:

Jacobi Market
Jacobi Hospital
1400 Pelham Parkway
Tuesday, 8 am – 4 pm
June 16 - November 24

Forrest Ave. Market
Forrest Avenue Betw. 156th & Westchester
Wednesday, 8 am – 4 pm
July 8 - November 18

North Central Bronx
Mosholu Pkwy North & Jerome Ave
Wednesday, 8 am - 6 pm
July 8 - November 18

Mt. Eden Ave. Market
(Lebanon Hospital)
Thursday, 8 am - 4 pm
May 21 - November 19

Castle Hill Avenue
At Castle Hill & Hart St
Saturday, 8 am – 4 pm
July 11 - November 21

Coop City Market
Coop City Blvd.,Greenway #3
Saturday, 8 am - 6pm
July 11 - November 21

Morris Park Market
1734 Williamsbridge Road
Our Saviour Lutheran Church Parking Lot
Saturdays, 8 am - 4 pm
July 11 - Nov 21

Echo Park Market
On Tremont Avenue
Betw. Anthony &
Webster Ave.
Wednesday, 8 am – 6 pm
July - Nov 2

Sunday Market
165th Grand Concourse
Bronx Museum
Sunday, 8am - 4pm
July 12 - Nov 22

For more information:

Greenmarket http://cenyc.org/ourmarkets or call (212) 788-7476

Harvest Home Farmers Market http://www.harvesthomefm.org/Locations.html or (212) 828-3361

CLEAN Water for Life

2010-03-11T20:03:00.005-05:00

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
6:00-8:30pm
NYU School of Law
Vanderbilt Hall, Room 204
40 Washington Square South
RSVP: nyuworldwaterday@gmail.com

Co-sponsored by NYU Wagner’s International Public Service Association (IPSA), Environmental Policy Alliance (WEPA), Food Policy Alliance (WFPA), NYU Law Students for Human Rights (LSHR), NYU Steinhardt’s Public Health Student Group (PHSG) and Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education

According to the World Health Organization, 884 million people—roughly one in eight of the world's population—do not have access to safe water. With less than 1% of all fresh water on Earth fit for human consumption, scientists predict that two-thirds of the global population could face conditions of water scarcity by 2025.

As the most essential element to life, water issues are intimately linked to public health, human rights, female education, economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability. Please join us for a film screening and panel discussion on the impacts of the global water crisis and the importance of increasing access to safe and affordable water worldwide.

Film Screening: Water First, produced by Amy Hart

Synopsis: Through the inspiring story of Charles Banda, a local fireman turned waterman who has drilled over 800 wells for impoverished communities in Malawi, it becomes apparent why clean water should be first if we are genuinely committed to reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and reducing poverty and the suffering it causes in developing nations.

Panel Discussion: Exploring Perspectives on Water and Development

Natasha Iskander, NYU Wagner School of Public Service – Moderator
Elizabeth Sepper, NYU Law School Center for Human Rights and Global
Justice - Water rights and women in Haiti
Margaret Batty, WaterAid - Hygiene, sanitation and sustainability of
water projects
Amy Hart, Water First - Water and the Millennium Development Goals
Dave Andrews, Food and Water Watch - Water and food security
Sara Pesek, Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center – Water
in the U.S.

The End of Poverty?

2010-02-14T03:56:00.007-05:00

The End Of Poverty? from Philippe Diaz on Vimeo.

This Saturday I went to Radical Living for a New York Faith & Justice house gathering/film screening to watch The End of Poverty? This film doesn't just give us the sobering statistics about global poverty, but also tells us how economic disparities came about and many ideas for what needs to be done to fix the situation. I won't bore you with too many statistics, but just some overall things to think about. Poverty as the world knows it today comes from structural injustices that allow big, multinational corporations to exert an unfair influence on developing countries. As the film points out the Global South is actually financing the North "to the tune of about $200 billion every year." Crops and resources are grown and taken from developing countries (the growers being paid way under the cost of production for these goods), brought to developed countries like the US for processing, and then shipped back out to other countries. When the product gets back to developing countries that import goods from the US, it is still cheaper to buy than from growers who try to make a living off of selling crops directly to their countrymen. This is exactly what had led to developing countries becoming dependent on imports from places like the US, and is exactly what happened in Haiti with the rice crop (here's a video).

Why don't governments say no to these trade agreements? I've heard from several people who have worked and lived in Africa that there is no government accountability and regulations are not enforced. However, as I learned today representatives from large multinational corporations (of course, Monsanto comes to mind) insidiously make deals with politicians, promising them money and threatening them to not carry out their campaign platforms. This leads to poor accountability for everyone in the country and lets the big corporations privatize and monopolize the country and its resources.

Additionally, as pointed out in the film, many agricultural practices today are the same as slavery used to be – except today, the workers haven't rebelled, and their employers aren't responsible for them. "Back then, the boss was the slave's owner. He had to take care of the slave's health and food. He had to take care of shelter, even if it was the slave's quarters. Today the boss has no such concerns."

The End of Poverty? focused a lot on the history of colonialism and capitalism as a central cause of poverty, and explains how in order to have wealth in capitalist societies, we have to create poverty in the south. "There is no other way." And unfortunately in the past 25 years or so economic disparities have been getting wider. Not only that, but the countries with the biggest income disparities are also the ones with the highest rates of violence. We do not see this violence in the poorest of the poor countries.

The existence of the poor, underserved workers means that we can buy products for 10% of the cost of production – an issue which has far-reaching implications for the health of consumers and the environment. We are currently using 30% more than what the earth can regenerate; in order for everyone to live like we do in America, we would need six planets; while if everyone were living like people in Burkina Faso, we would only need 1/10 of the planet. As an example of what goes on with the food industry in America, watch The True Cost of Food.

Some other discussion which came about from watching the film included a discussion about the term "developing." Did the film glorify indigenous peoples? I thought this was similar to Avatar. How much should we really be encouraging "developing" countries to become more industrialized? What third world countries need is a means to have their needs met: clean water, public health measures, adaptation to climate change, and ownership of land so they can grow food for themselves. Yes, some countries need roads and education and sustainable technology, but we need to make sure we don't push the development of industrialization in the same way the "developed" countries of the Global North came about. Poor use of resources is exactly what has led to the social injustices and climate change issues we worry about today. Perhaps we need a new term to clarify meeting the needs of poor countries. And of course, these needs need to be identified by the community in question. Telling people what they need without understanding their situation doesn't help anyone and is disrespectful.

With that said, there are some changes to be made which can indeed help bring many people out of poverty. Some solutions for ending poverty pointed out in the film (listed out clearly in a space where you can sign a petition to mobilize support for change) include ending the monopoly over natural resources and at least 51% local communal ownership in corporations, redistribution of land to farmers, a cap on exports, a worldwide subsidy for organic agriculture, and cancellation of third world debt (such as that vowed by the G7 in cancelling Haiti's debt). Others include ending child labor under the age of 16 with a creation of a subsidy for scholarship, getting rid of the tax on basic consumption and labor and instead having a 2% worldwide tax on property ownership (except basic habitation for the poor), ensuring an equal voting system in international organizations such as IMF, World Bank, WTO, and of course a commitment by industrialized countries to decrease carbon emission by 50% over a ten-year period.

How can this all be funded? I vote for everyone chipping in to the first non-for-profit global lottery dedicated to sustainability – multinational corporations included.

I also vote for new accountability for multinational corporations – such as limiting the reach of Monsanto, the global fishing industry (which has overstepped its boundaries so much that many of the world's fish are in danger of extinction – no more fish by 2048), fast food and junk food companies (which have already contributed to the nutrition transition – obesity occurring in the hungry even in third world countries), and infant formula companies (the last thing third world countries need is to be told their breastmilk isn't good enough. Breastmilk has so many more benefits than infant formula it's unbelievable. In Ghana they have a saying that goes something like "bottle fed babies are stupid, breastfed babies are smart." Instead money could be given to mothers so they can grow and buy food for themselves – the only reason breastfed infants would be malnourished is because the mother is malnourished. And money could be given to mothers in the form of conditional cash transfers which would ensure children were educated and kept healthy, in exchange for money for food).

Oxfam Action Corps recruiting for 2010-2011

2010-01-22T20:10:00.006-05:00

On behalf of Oxfam Action Corps, the activist arm of Oxfam America, I am posting the following volunteer opportunity message. Oxfam is one of the leading non-profit organizations in the world and is a key player right now in Haiti as well.

---

Volunteer opportunity: Oxfam Action Corps organizer
Apply by February 15, 2010

Stand up to poverty and climate change – Join the Oxfam Action Corps!

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to join the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting effort to cultivate grassroots leaders working to enact solutions to poverty and climate change!

The Oxfam Action Corps is a group of dedicated volunteer organizers in more than a dozen US cities who campaign with Oxfam in their towns, engage their elected officials, and reach out to community members at events and concerts. Anyone can join, but those willing to make a time commitment of one-year become eligible for a free Oxfam training in advocacy and organizing in Washington DC.

This year, Oxfam Action Corps organizers will mobilize around one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on the world’s poorest communities.

Apply online at: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org
The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.

Oxfam Action Corps teams will be formed in the following cities:

• Albuquerque, NM
• Austin, TX
• Boston, MA
• Burlington, VT
• Chicago, IL
• Columbus, OH
• Des Moines, IA
• Indianapolis, IN

• Kansas City, MO
• Madison, WI
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
• New York City, NY
• Philadelphia, PA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA

As an Oxfam Action Corps organizer you will help convene activities and inspire action—from house parties and film screenings to visits with elected officials—all with ongoing training and coaching from dedicated Oxfam staff. You and your local team will gain practical skills and leadership experience. Corps organizers commit to one year of volunteer service, giving approximately 5-8 hours/week.

Oxfam Action Corps organizers are eligible for selection to attend a 4-day training and day of lobbying in Washington, DC from Saturday, April 18 to Tuesday, April 21 (spaces limited). Travel and accommodation are provided.

Here is what previous Oxfam Action Corps organizers said:

“As an activist, I had done fundraising. But the Oxfam Action Corps was about public education and raising awareness, and I found people really appreciated my work.” Khadija, Mechanical Engineer, Pennsylvania.

“My work with the Oxfam Action Corps has helped immensely in building organizing and mobilization skills. It was a great way for me to start reaching out and getting to know the people in the community.” Julie, Assistant Human Resources/Office Manager, Colorado.

To sign up go to: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.

What's On Your Plate? on the Discovery Planet Green Channel

2010-01-19T20:14:00.003-05:00

If you've read any of my earlier posts about "What's On Your Plate" you know how important a film it is. Fortunately, the film will be shown soon on Discovery's Planet Green Channel. I received a message from WOYP staff asking me to post some information about how to view it. So here it is!

Catch What's on Your Plate?, the documentary about kids and food politics, on national TV this February 7th, 2010!

Join families across the country for a Family Cook-In! on Sunday, February 7th and spend an afternoon learning with your kids about food - what it's made of, where it come from and how to enjoy every bite.

First, download our Screening Toolkit. It has all the stuff you need to have a fun and delicious Family Cook-In!
Second, watch What's on Your Plate? at 2:00 p.m. on Discovery's Planet Green. (Go to http://planetgreen.channelfinder.net/ to find your local channel).
Third, check out the games and activities in our Screening Toolkit.
Fourth, cook and eat together! Get everyone in the kitchen chopping, stirring, pouring and baking. Then sit down together for some fresh and yummy home-cooked food.

Think food justice is too tricky for kids? Think again.

What's On Your Plate? proves that not only can kids understand the issues, they can actually teach other kids about how they are what they eat.

The film follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah take a close look at food systems in New York City and its surrounding areas. With the camera as their companion, the girl guides talk to each other, food activists, farmers, new friends, storekeepers, their families, and the viewer, in their quest to understand what’s on all of our plates.

According to Michael Pollan: ""What's On Your Plate?" is exactly the film we need now."

And Alice Waters says: "It was an amazing experience to hear kids talking about these issues. This movie can have a real impact on the way we think about what we’re eating."

Don't miss this chance to see this witty and provocative film on national television!
Join in the conversation on how we can change what we eat, and in the process, change our world.

Visit our website for more information on the film and how you can get involved.
www.whatsonyourplateproject.com

Can't make the Family Cook-In! broadcast? No problem.
The film will be showing throughout the week, with additional broadcasts on:
Saturday February 6th, 2010 at 10 pm
Thursday February 11th at 11 pm
Friday February 12th at 7 am
Friday February 12th at 3 pm

Re-evaluating Obesity

2010-01-08T23:04:00.007-05:00

I saw an open heart surgery a few weeks ago. And I never want to see another one in my life.

What the food industry has done to us is very disturbing. It's messed with people's minds and mouths. It's made our country and much of the world obese. And we can't stand for it any more.

CBS gets this message: they aired Where Americans Stand on Obesity yesterday and pointed out that the American Dietetic Association is sponsored by companies such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo, and Mars.

But luckily, the Hunger & Environmental Nutrition (HEN) Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association also gets this message. We have an ADA Corporate Relations Sponsors Review Task Force and are developing a survey that will go out to HEN members (and other registered dietitians eventually) to obtain data we can present to ADA so that this organization can start to change its practices.

This is one of the things that has to happen if we are ever to solve the obesity crisis in this country. Another thing we have to do is reexamine our practices, see if they're aligned with our morals, and most importantly rethink the questions we're asking so that we can learn from our mistakes (as Jim Wallis argues in his new book Rediscovering Values on Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street : A Moral Compass for the New Economy). And don't ever forget, everything's related: the rise in obesity and chronic disease is related to the economy - it has drastically increased the amount of money being spent in our sickcare system...billions of dollars are being spent treating chronic diseases. What did centenarians do centuries ago?? Not spend billions of dollars on a sickcare system, that's for sure.

Let's start with a few new questions, then. First off: What guidelines should we be using to determine the food we put into our bodies? In Michael Pollan's new book Food Rules, he lays out 64 simply put guidelines for what foods to eat, such as "don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food," "avoid foods you see advertised on television," and "don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk." For the reader who wants a bit more detail, check out Marion Nestle's book What to Eat.

Here's another question: What's the root cause of the obesity epidemic? My answer: agricultural policy. Corn and soy subsidies and a Farm Bill limitation on growing fruits and vegetables, supported by no other than the specialty crop growers who don't want the prices of fruits and vegetables to go down because then they will lose money. That's why I wrote an independent study paper for Marion Nestle last semester on the corn and soy subsidies. (Which, by the way, I'm going to revise and revise until it's good enough to be taken seriously by people with power. So if you want to contribute to the conversation, by all means share your thoughts with me.)

Let's do this. Growing our own food is so much better than open heart surgeries.

some thoughts on Avatar

2010-01-03T22:23:00.006-05:00

It's funny I saw Avatar right in the middle of my VA Spinal Cord Injury rotation (since the main character is a veteran with a spinal cord injury). It must be Eywa (the Na'vi version of Mother Earth/God).

I'm glad James Cameron made this movie. It's got a lot of really important messages, none the least ranging from the dangers of conquest, harming the planet, and not understanding the spiritual connections between a people and their ecosystem. The Na'vi tell the story of an indigenous people who are completely in touch with their land, the animals, and their ancestors. They realize there is a spiritual connection between them all and do everything they can to try and preserve it. And then Man comes in and destroys much of it.

Then back to Earth and reality. This movie represents much of what is happening to our home, on this planet. The wars, disrupting the natural balance of the ecosystem, the failure to connect with God who keeps everything in balance. I really hope this movie moves mountains and gets people to change. Change has to come from within, but just maybe it takes films like this to nudge self-awareness along. The movie makes something that is inherent to spiritual people - an interconnectedness between all things living and nonliving on Earth - and makes it tangible, so everyone can understand it. The way the Na'vi literally form a bond with the animals they guide, with the Tree of Souls, the entire "bio-botanical neural network"... if applied to humans on Earth, that is something very abstract to most people, something they cannot easily relate to.

I hope people realize the depth of meaning in Avatar, in Lord of the Rings, in the Matrix. If not, there's another movie that is equally as powerful and makes the issues crystal clear, and you don't even need to go to the movies to see it. It's called Home and is available on youtube for free. I encourage everyone to watch Home.

It's sad that it takes multi-million dollar movies (or billion dollar ones such as Avatar) to get a point across, when you can learn the same story from watching Pocahontas.

Anyway, there's already a lot of people who care about the Earth and who know we need to take charge of the precious life God has given us. Maybe we just need the political will. And as Al Gore said on Saturday Night Live (when promoting his book "Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis"), if the politicians don't start listening, we may have to start planting trees in front of their houses with toy guns hanging from the branches so it looks like the trees have come to get their revenge.

NYC Food and Climate Summit

2009-12-05T01:45:00.022-05:00

In case you haven't heard yet, next Saturday, Dec. 12, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Just Food, and NYU will be hosting the NYC Food and Climate Summit. We are even lucky enough to be having HEN as a co-sponsor of the event, since HEN agreed to be a main contributor to making video messages possible from Vandana Shiva and Wangari Mathaai which will be shown at the plenary session and uploaded to websites afterward. The Food and Climate Summit will be happening smack in the middle of the Copenhagen (or "Hopenhagen") climate talks. It will even be held the day after 350 holds candlelit "Vigils for Survival" all across the world (these are on Dec. 11 - find one near you). In NYC, there will be one in Washington Square Park from 5-6 pm and one at Chelsea Piers from 6-8pm.

The Summit's registration was full within 36 hours of opening, which shows that it is guaranteed to be a successful event. Fortunately, as much information as possible from the conference will be posted to the conference website.

It is so important that NYC is making the connection between food and climate change, because food and climate change are so inextricably connected and it is not receiving enough attention on the global or even national scales in terms of climate change talk. Yes, Oxfam, tcktcktck, and 350, among other organizations, have been doing a great job of promoting the urgency of demanding action from our world leaders (such as limiting CO2 emissions to 350 ppm) - but as far as I can see there is not much talk here about agriculture. There are several main reasons to connect food and climate change. First of all, climate change is devastating developing countries' ability to produce crops on their own, leading to there being over a billion hungry people in the world. Climate change hits developing countries far greater than it impacts countries like the US (see some of my previous posts on Oxfam).

Second of all, producing "food" is a big contributor to climate change. If you've read Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma, seen Food, Inc., FRESH, King Corn, or know anything else about the sustainable, local, organic, and/or slow food movements - then you might have an idea about the gravity of unsustainable agriculture and how it is contributing to health problems, economic problems, climate change, etc. The fact that it takes 1,500 gallons of water to make one pound of beef...that is not good for the environment or our health. Monocultures are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals that make it really easy for resistant strains of bacteria to develop. Subsidies for corn and soy given to farmers are used to feed cattle and pigs with ground meat and corn. ...These are the things that contribute to the artificially low cost of unhealthy food (artificially because we do pay - later on, that is, in the form of healthcare costs).

All that stuff is unsustainable. As Michael Pollan & Joel Salatin put it, we are taking a solution - grass-fed cattle - and turning it into 2 problems: 1) unsustainable CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations, where animals standing in their own manure only leads to bacterial infections and other diseases), and 2) nutrient-deprived farmland that needs to be sprayed with chemicals and harmful fertilizers (because it doesn't have the beneficial nutrients from manure).

Sign the NYC Food Pledge & Charter

Below are the session topics for the Summit next week. Visit here for more details. (And don't forget to check out the wonderful Partnering Organizations!) Be sure to help spread the word using facebook and twitter (@nycfoodclimate) Please use the hashtags #nycfoodclimate, #cop15, and #tcktcktck on twitter. Thanks!

Informational
Session 1: Introduction to Food and Climate Issues

Skills Building
Session 2: Faith-Rooted Climate and Food Justice Organizing
Session 3: Best Practices in Institutional Purchasing
Session 4: Tackle Hunger, Health and Environment in Your Community
Session 5: Grow Food in the Big Apple
Session 6: Cool Food on a Budget: Good Diet for People, Pocketbooks and Planet.
Session 7: Cool Food Demonstration: Preservation Without Refrigeration
Session 8: Composting Your Food Waste
Session 9: What’s at Steak: Tips for Talking about Animal Food and Climate Change Connections
Session 10: How to Mobilize around Food and Climate Change Issues

Public Policy
Session 11: Urban Agriculture: Community Gardens, Urban Farms, and More
Session 12: The Food Shed: Promoting Sustainable Local Agriculture
Session 13: Greening Food Infrastructure
Session 14: Setting an Agenda for Child Nutrition, School Food and Food Education
Session 15: From Farm to Landfill: Reducing Food Waste in New York City

Informational
Session 16: Understanding Your Foodprint

Skills Builder

Session 17: Cooking Up Climate-Friendly Change: Youth Lead the Good Food Movement
Session 18: Tackle Hunger, Health and Environment in Your Community
Session 19: Grow Food in the Big Apple
Session 20: Cool Food on a Budget: Good Diet for People, Pocketbooks and Planet
Session 21: Cool Food Demonstration: Preservation Without Refrigeration
Session 22: Composting Your Food Waste
Session 23: What’s at Steak: Tips for Talking about Animal Food and Climate Change Connections
Session 24: How to Mobilize around Food and Climate Change Issues

Public Policy
Session 25: Urban Agriculture: Roofs, Walls, and Other Under-Utilized Spaces
Session 26: The Food Shed: Harnessing New Yorkers’ Buying Power
Session 27: Institutional Procurement: Buy Local and Sustainable
Session 28: The Food-Collar Economy
Session 29: Structural Discrimination Related to Food and Climate Change

Hello, world

2009-10-28T23:43:00.013-04:00

Apologies for not posting in quite a while, this semester hasn't allowed much time for blogging due to the time constraints of a dietetic internship and classes at NYU. I have, however, continued to post interesting links and events on my twitter page, twitter.com/kellymoltzen.

Aside from everyday clinical dietetics, other activities I am currently undertaking:
-Working on a green foodservice project for the national VA - we are surveying foodservice directors and providing resources for them to green their foodservice production systems
-Learning about the awesome cultural transformation program of the VA
-Attempting to write a paper on the commodity system as an independent study with Marion Nestle (corn and soy subsidies lead to increased production of unhealthy foods by the food industry which leads to obesity)
-Taking an International Nutrition course
-Taking a course on Assessing Community Health Needs. Our group is looking at the issue of tobacco smoking within the Mexican immigrant community of Jackson Heights, Queens
-Trying to stay updated on all the other sustainability and food happenings of NYC (including with Oxfam Action Corps NYC, the NYC Foodprint Alliance, etc)
-Planning the beginnings of a student group of the DIFM DPG (Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association) (twitter: @adadifm) (facebook: ADA Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM))
-Trying to keep up with emails including the HEN DPG list-serve
-Co-chairing a task force on the issue of ADA sponsorship with the HEN DPG (should've seen that one coming)
-Attempting to plan an event with charity:water at NYU for the spring through the NYU Steinhardt Public Health Student Group

So, sorry I have not had time to post more often. Just wanted to update this blog during the month of October :)

The Yes Men Have Done it Again!

2009-09-21T10:50:00.012-04:00

As ~1,000 "Earthlings" participated in Oxfam's Human Countdown event yesterday (guided by "tcktcktck" sounds being made by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan), the New York Post was getting ready to release an entire issue on climate change.

Or was it? This morning, The Yes Men and 2,000 volunteers distributed a New York Post look-alike newspaper about climate change entitled "We're Screwed". The paper contains all true facts - except for one: that nyc.gov released a report about climate change. Actually, all the facts in this report are true, too - but nyc.gov didn't write the it. The Yes Men wrote both the New York Post and the NYC.gov pdf report. They're geniuses!

This type of stunt isn't new to The Yes Men. In fact, they've pulled similar stunts on big corporations many times before - and lived to tell about it. You may have seen or heard about their previous move called The Yes Men, but they've recently made a new movie, called The Yes Men Fix the World. Its US release date is October 7. I encourage you to go see it - it's thought-provoking and hilarious! (I saw a pre-screening of it.)

All of this is part of a giant campaign to raise awareness about climate change, occurring in hundreds of cities across the globe from Sept. 20-26, 2009. You can see Climate Week NYC events here.

More about the Human Countdown:
In the Human Countdown, we formed a gigantic Earth inside an hourglass and fell through it like grains of sand, to tell President Obama and the UN that time is running out for us to save our precious Earth from catastrophic climate change. The people in green who represented the land funneled down to form the words "tck tck tck" while those of us in blue (the ocean) became panels on the sides in the bottom of the hourglass. At the end of the 1 min. 11 sec. video made exclusively for this event, we all became clocks counting down from 12:07 to 12:18, to represent the climate change talks in Copenhagen that will occur from December 7 through 18, 2009.

Here's a video by the producers of the Human Countdown describing the purpose of the event.

Here's a cut version of the filming, with interviews.

Here's a photo of what it looked like from above.

Be part of history: Stand up for the principles of No Impact Man, and join the Human Countdown!

2009-09-12T01:56:00.013-04:00

On Sunday, September 20, 2009, thousands of people will gather in Central Park to make a statement about climate change. The Human Countdown, as it is called, is a campaign being run by Oxfam America in collaboration with tck tck tck as a way to wake up humanity to the devastating effects that climate change is having on the world. In particular, climate change is seriously hurting many people in developing countries (even though developed countries such as the US do most of the damaging). From raising awareness, to on-the-ground fieldwork, to lobbying Congress for increased funding, international adaptation to climate change is one of the main issues Oxfam has decided to focus on. This means that "the US must invest now in adaptation projects, like elevated flood-proof houses and drought-resistant seeds, to help women and families build their resilience to these new and heightened risks." In case you don't know anything about Oxfam - Oxfam America is a part of Oxfam International, which is a "confederation of 13 like-minded organizations working together, and with partners and allies around the world, to bring about lasting change" and combat poverty and injustice. There is a climate change bill being worked on in Congress, and you can bet that Oxfam America is right there doing its lobbying. The US House of Representatives already has its version of the climate change bill written - which has some positive aspects - but we want the Senate to up it a notch when it comes to creating their version of the bill. Oxfam America and its partners are currently working to try and convince the Senate to include these goals in their version:

the House bill (HR 2454) has 1% of money allotted for international adaptation funding; we are asking for the Senate bill to include 3%.

1% in HR 2454 is dedicated to Clean Tech Transfer; we want the Senate bill to dedicate 2%.

We are also asking for the amounts of money for deforestation prevention (5%), domestic adaptation (1%), and CO2 reductions (17% by 2020 and 83% by 2050) to be maintained in the Senate bill.

This may not seem like a lot of money, but in the scheme of things they are reasonable "asks" - not so much that Congress will just laugh at us. So, tell your Senators you want to see these provisions in the climate change bill. And tell them to become a Sisters on the Planet Ambassador. Because once women like Shorbanu know that the devastation they are facing is man-made, they want us to do something about it.

To learn more about the NYC volunteer arm of Oxfam America and sign up, go to the Oxfam Action Corps NYC blog. (or find an Oxfam Action Corps in your city). Or if you're still in school, start an Oxfam America Club.

To participate in the Human Countdown, sign up here. You can also see the event on Facebook. And if you have access to bell-ringing in a church or other facility, ask for the bells to be rung on September 21 at 12:18 p.m. And if you're around NYC the morning of September 21, join The Yes Men for a stunt they plan on pulling. It's critical that we wake up the world to the effects of climate change, because already, results from the G-20 summit have not been satisfactory. Let's hope they are more satisfactory at the G-20 summit in Pittsburg September 24-25, 2009. It's a shame the United States never signed the Kyoto protocol; let's at least assure we contribute in substantial manner to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen Dec. 7-18, 2009.

We can make a big difference on an international scale when it comes to climate change by lobbying politicians to make changes that affect everyone. But we can also make an impact by decreasing our own individual carbon footprints. One family that has realized the importance of (and benefits of) decreasing their carbon footprint is the Beavans. Colin Beavan, aka "No Impact Man," spent a year of his life undergoing an experiment making as small an environmental impact as humanly possible while still living in mainstream society. Colin wrote a book about his experience and made a movie about it (using low impact filmmaking, of course) called No Impact Man. He successfully recruited his wife and daughter for the experiment and made it a family event, which will prove to make for an entertaining movie, I'm sure! I've only seen the trailer so far but essentially, they learned to eat locally grown food which helped him lose 20 pounds without going to the gym once and reversed his wife's pre-diabetic condition, did not use transportation that requires fossil fuels, and stopped using electricity (and therefore television), which helped strengthen family ties. It looks like a really good movie, and Colin Beavan is making an entire campaign around it, called the No Impact Project. I encourage everyone to check it out & see the movie, spread the word, and then apply as many principles to your own life as possible! I get upset when I see things in individually wrapped plastic, too.

Oh yeah and don't forget to contribute to Oxfam's international climate change awareness campaign by going out to Central Park next Sunday for the Human Countdown (that is, if you're already in the area! We wouldn't want you taking a plane to get here and waste all that fossil fuel in the process, now would we?).

Obama's speech - guest post by Abe Young

2009-09-10T07:46:00.007-04:00

Hey folks,

Here's a guest post by my friend Abe regarding Obama's speech last night. You can check out his blog here.

Obama did a good job in his speech making clear why we--as individuals & as a country--must succeed on health reform now. But since most people already understood that urgent need... even more importantly, his speech succeeded in eliciting exactly what this reform means for 3 categories of people--which together include all Americans:

people already w/ health insurance (majority),
Americans without health insurance (~30 million folks), and
(the following category overlaps onto category #1) those who currently pay the rising bills for the uninsured when they get sick.

Take a look at the speech yourself:
[jump ahead 5:00 min to skip the monotonous clapping]

As I was watched the speech together with a friend--and noticed that in one after another of Obama's statements, precisely 1/2 the chamber stood up and clapped, while the other 1/2 sat stoically across the aisle--she said, "OH that's why I hate politics!"

Agreed. It's as if these Representatives and Senators whom we all elected to act as leaders during this crucial time can't even think with their own brains once in awhile, instead they stick to "party lines" as if those lines were the only hardwired neuronal pathways they owned in their cortex.

Here is 1 suggestion I have to every single person in the health care profession, including myself as a student. The simple fact of our profession not only gives us & those we will serve a bigger stake, personally, in the outcome of health reform; but it also truly bestows upon us an added credence when we have something to say (I've seen the special attention paid by politicians to a doctor or nurse at a phone banking or rally for health care; also, see the YouTube below of the ER doc in the audience at a recent town hall). And what we can say, what we all can absolutely agree upon--but this still is in danger, not because of merit but merely because of political games--is that WE STAND BY THE NEED TO PASS HEALTH REFORM NOW, THIS YEAR. (Click here if you are willing to make this simple statement to your representatives, it will convince hesitant politicians that the will is there, and it will only take you 1 minute)

Aside from the 1 Senator who wants to block health reform because "it will break" Obama, every single leader and expert of all persuasions knows that achieving health reform is crucial for America's health, economy, and sustainability in the very near future. We are on an exponential downward path if we keep our current system and don't act now. And this is another thing Obama got right in emphasizing tonight: that 80% of the components within Health Reform already has bipartisan support (and these include drastic positive reforms such as outlawing insurance companies from denying care based on "pre-existing conditions"--see the last 2 paragraphs of my letter on "Where'd all the fear come from?" below). However, this crucial national effort is still on the verge of being sabatoged by people like that shameless Senator who wants to "break" Obama by breaking health reform.

What I respect about some of Obama's big speeches to date is that he (or his speechwriter) gets the precision to tweak out at the exact point of confusion, of our paralysis, the truer narrative of what has really been happening on a national landscape (he did this in his "Reverend Wright/Race" speech, and he did this to some extent here on health reform): "I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it."

Agreed. Whatever your political persuasions, whichever your thoughts on the remaining 20% of health reform still in debate, or even if you don't have opinions on either, let's get ALL OF OUR political leaders to work on improving the health care plan and get it passed, rather than kill it.

Click here it'll take you 1 min.

No more of this sick-care system; we need a public option plan

2009-08-30T01:05:00.007-04:00

The healthcare debates have gotten more intense since my last post. It seems as though most of the politicians want to pass a healthcare bill that doesn't have a public option; but as I've heard multiple times, if it doesn't include a public option, it's not healthcare reform.

Why do we need a public option in healthcare reform? Well, there are many issues with our healthcare system as it now stands. We spend more on healthcare than any other country yet don't rank nearly as high in terms of life expectancy and overall quality of life as some other countries which have more of a public option plan in their healthcare system. Maggie Mahar, author of the book Money-Driven Medicine that got made into a documentary, explains that three decades of research at Dartmouth University show that this is due to the fact that there is a great amount of waste in the system - nearly one third of the more than $2 trillion spent on healthcare is spent on "ineffective, often unproven procedures, overpriced drugs and devices, that are no better than the drugs and devices they are replacing... unnecessary hospitalizations, unnecessary tests." There is no limit on spending for healthcare in the US, and it has gotten out of control. Another point made in the documentary is that our system is based on physicians "doing" things (tests, procedures, appointments) instead of being focused on improving the health of the patient. We don't have a patient-centered model anymore, even though medical students take the Hippocratic Oath to put the patients first. Why is this? Because medicine and healthcare have become intertwined with the free market economy of the US. Hospitals took a corporate model when they began to hire MBA professionals as CEOs of hospitals instead of MDs. Doctors are influenced by the pharmaceutical industry and product makers who are trying to sell items to them, and the patient-centered model takes the back burner because doctors are getting paid based on the most expensive tests they can conduct, not on the most efficient way they can instill positive healthy change in their patients. This corporate model has its foundations in being legally bound to put its shareholders first (i.e. in front of the patients). Maggie Mahar says that in healthcare, this is akin to the Swahili saying that "'when the elephants fight, the grass is trampled'; - the patients are essentially the grass."

Concerned citizens and patients are not the only ones who have an issue with our sick-care system (as that's what it really is). Many physicians have expressed frustration with not having enough time to spend with patients, and feeling that they are being told what to do although that may not necessarily be the right thing to do. They fear that the quality of care they are providing for their patients is diminishing. There's not just one blameworthy party here - the failing system is a product of the clash between the free market economy and the need to provide healthcare. It's a shame we let it get this far, with nutrition-related healthcare issues spiraling out of control and doctors not even being taught sufficiently about nutrition during medical school. I often wonder why med students take the Hippocratic Oath to help their patients, and yet don't follow Hippocrates' mantra "let food by thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food." At least physicians are starting to band together for Physicians for a National Health Program and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Given the incredible debt most medical students find themselves in due to med school tuition and malpractice insurance costs, in addition to an institutional emphasis on "more, more, more" tests and procedures, many med students are taking the more lucrative path of specialties, instead of the much more needed, much less respected and underpaid primary care physicians - but not all of them. One medical student at SUNY Downstate Medical College who has not yet been discouraged from primary care has started a blog and Primary Healthcare Discussion Group. He understands that doctors need to focus more on preventive strategies such as nutritional interventions. In regards to our healthcare system, he says we must hope that "US health care gets some form of huge overhaul for the better in the next year(s), otherwise Healthcare itself may become the cause of morbidity and mortality not only on the growing uninsured, but also on all other sectors of American society." According to the Money-Driven Medicine documentary, the corporate healthcare model cannot be sustained because eventually, only the extremely well-to-do patients will have access to it.

We also need a more patient-centered model - and I believe we should use the model that Dr. Neil Calman, the President of the Institute for Family Health, has been using since 2002. He uses EPIC, a Health Information Technology (HIT) system that involves the patient in every step of treatment, from the physician going over charts with a patient and determining a present state of illness, to deciding what the plan of treatment will be and ensuring the information is easily understandable and accessible for the patient to take home after the appointment is over. Dr. Calman explains that the HIT he is such a proponent of (he's on President Obama's HIT advisory board) is that of a "myChart" system where the patient records are available to the patient, and the patient is able to access their medical records online from home as well as send secure emais to their provider. HIT does not refer to a network of information to be shared in between different healthcare institutions for the case of patients who move from one hospital to another - that he refers to as Health Information Exchange (HIE).

I had the opportunity to attend the healthcare rally in Times Square on Saturday Aug. 29, where three thousand people showed up to express their desire for a public option in healthcare reform. There's a lot of confusion as to what a single-payer healthcare system or public option would entail, and if it would cut benefits etc etc. But as discussed in my last post, there's no need to worry about what would happen if (God willing) we can pass a public option plan. There are several really good resources you can check out for more information - "Reality Check" put out by the White House, Tim Foley's change.org healthcare blog, and the House Committee on Education and Labor's website on America's Affordable Health Choices Act.

It doesn't end here, though. Corporations such as the pharmaceutical industry and medical product makers aren't the only ones influencing the healthcare industry. Corporate sponsorship is a huge issue for many organizations, and one I have struggled with as a member of the American Dietetic Association. ADA corporate sponsorship has led to many dubious nutrition recommendations and there are many people who do not respect dietitians and the ADA because of this influence. The ADA supports the use of the USDA's food guide pyramid recommendations, which is influenced to a large extent by lobbying from the dairy and beef industries, according to Marion Nestle's book Food Politics. This understandably has led to a lot of confusion among the general public as to what should be regarded as a healthy diet, which logically is a partial contributor to the upsurge of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease epidemics. (There are other issues, of course - such as corporate advertising of unhealthy food, as well as unsanitary and dangerous chemical treatment of foods - but you can read about these elsewhere on this blog.)

Fortunately, there is a progressive group of dietitians that belong to a subgroup called the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, which has some pretty strong advocates who are on the verge of making a taskforce to take on the corporate sponsorship issue within the ADA. The importance of changing to sponsors who are more concerned about public health should not be underestimated. It's embarrassing that I have a bag from an ADA conference that has a logo proudly announcing its sponsorship by PepsiCo.

Healthcare...now!

2009-07-26T22:49:00.004-04:00

Congress is abuzz with legislation for a healthcare reform bill right now, that would ideally provide a public option plan in addition to the traditional option of private health insurance. This would help ensure many more Americans would have access to healthcare than currently --namely the poor and people of color, who are already subject to institutional racism within the healthcare system. And as I've written before, healthcare is -- and should be -- a universal right.

This bill may not be perfect, but it's better than what we have now. And about the cost? As Tim Foley, healthcare blogger for change.org notes, "if we fix health care, it won’t bust the deficit; if we don’t, it will." For those worried about their own taxes going up to pay for this bill... if you make less than $350,000 per year you don't have anything to worry about. According to Tim, "if you make less than $350,000 a year, your taxes won't go up, and you can keep your employer health care as long as your employer decides to keep the plan (which is totally up to the employer, as it is now)". For more detailed information as to the cost of the bill he recommends this website.

To help this bill get passed, please sign this petition from Credo Action and help NYC for Change tell others to contact their representatives by helping out with their phonebanking work this week.

Reforming healthcare right now is very important. And it's also important to keep in mind that as Robert Kenner, Director of Food, Inc. said on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart [start at 15 min], "We're not going to be able to fix the healthcare system until we fix the food system."

Health Disparities (or "Medical Apartheid") and Bronx Health REACH

2009-07-23T16:10:00.009-04:00

I just read an article in the NY Times about Obama's comments regarding the arrest of the Harvard director of African American studies. It seems as though people are angry that Obama is speaking out about racism, because this may mean he is not speaking on behalf of all American people - just about his own people. But this is untrue. President Obama is speaking out about this instance of racism (even though he may not have known all of the facts about the situation) because he knows about the issue of institutional racism. Just because this episode happened with the arrest of a perfectly innocent man doesn't mean it's just a one-time occurrance. It just happened to gain publicity because Mr. Gates is the Harvard director of African American studies. Mr. Gates was mistaken for another "black man" breaking into his own house, and was not even shown the police officer's badge when Mr. Gates asked to see it.

No - I think this is what Peggy McIntosh was talking about when she wrote White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack 20 years ago. There is indeed institutional racism, and Blacks, Latinos, and other "minorities" suffer because of it. As a matter of fact, Bronx Health REACH filed a complaint with the Attorney General last year regarding the issue of separate but unequal care among teaching hospitals in NYC. CNN recently got wind of this story and decided to feature the issue on Anderson Cooper 360. Here is the clip.

Bronx Health REACH is a CDC-funded organization which functions under the auspices of the Institute for Family Health. I've been interning with Bronx Health REACH since February, working on the formative research for a social marketing campaign, in order to understand children's attitudes towards eating vegetables and fruits and change these attitudes to improve consumption of these healthy foods. The goal of the social marketing campaign is for children to be involved in developing a "brand" for vegetables and fruits that can be more easily "advertised" and promoted among peers, in order to change the culture of unhealthy eating habits in the South Bronx. It came about because our Nutrition & Fitness Workgroup realized traditional strategies for improving eating habits among children weren't working. I started a blog for Bronx Health REACH with many food and nutrition resources that I've come across and been using during my work with REACH.

Another thing - Bronx Health REACH is actually a nationally recognized Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities, and has the opportunity to fund other Coalitions that want to do similar work as us. The Request for Proposals for new Coalitions is now out, and can be found at the bottom of the page on the Bronx Health REACH website ("Legacy Project Funding Opportunity").

Foodprint NYC - Please help now!! Call your City Council member!

2009-07-20T11:10:00.016-04:00

Hi Friends,

It’s with great excitement for our possibility of addressing the current state of the environment and our food system that I’d like to tell you about the NYC Foodprint Resolution and ask for your help. The "FoodprintNYC" initiative, which was introduced to the City Council on June 30, 2009, would create greater access to local, fresh, healthy food, especially in low-income communities as well as city-run institutions. By increasing the availability of local, just and sustainably-produced food, New York City can decrease its ecological "Foodprint" - our food system's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change through the production, processing, packaging, shipping, storage and disposal of food. The resolution could help the city meet its goals of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing access to local, healthy food to NYC, particularly underserved communities.

The resolution was pushed for by the NYC Foodprint Alliance, which is made up of dozens of non-profit organizations such as Just Food, Oxfam Action Corps NYC, Slow Food USA and World Hunger Year. It proposes “FoodprintNYC,” a citywide initiative designed to lessen the impact the City’s food choices and production systems have on climate change through the launch of a public awareness campaign, greater access to local, fresh, healthy food, and the mobilization of the financial and technical support needed to sustain these efforts, especially in low-income communities as well as city-run institutions. It is meant to build on PlaNYC, which aims to reduce global warming and encourage environmental awareness, yet does not address food and farming as it stands now. The resolution also builds upon the environmentally-friendly policies and programs recommended in the Manhattan Borough President’s 2009 report “Food in the Public Interest.”

If you’ve seen movies like Food, Inc. or What’s On Your Plate?, or read books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma, then you understand the impact that decreasing food miles and supporting local, sustainable food can have on our health and the future of our planet.

I’m proud to have been involved with the NYC Foodprint Alliance and am glad our City is one of the first to take initiative at beginning a movement that I believe should occur in every city. However, in order for this resolution to become law, we need your help! So far, 16 Councilmembers have signed on as co-sponsors; the resolution needs 26 co-sponsors to even be considered for a vote. If you don’t currently live in NYC but know someone that does, please pass this message along to them. NYC residents: we need you to reach out to your City Council members and ask them to co-sponsor this resolution, which Councilmember Bill DeBlasio has been kind enough to enthusiastically introduce, with the support of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

Here is a video introducing FoodprintNYC and a message from Bill DeBlasio.

Here’s what you can do:

The NYC Foodprint Alliance is asking you to call your City Council member and ask them to support FoodprintNYC. Calling your representative is fast, easy and effective. Every call that you make in support of or against a policy issue gets recorded. Calls are usually short and you are rarely asked questions, as staffers are busy and want to take down your position and get you off the phone! To find your representative and voice your support for the FoodprintNYC resolution, follow these easy steps:

1. First, find your city council member and the phone number for his or her legislative office (not the district office).

2. Next, find out if your council member has already supported this resolution.

3. If your city council member has not yet signed on as a co-sponsor of the resolution, please call and urge him or her to support the resolution. Feel free to use the following simple script:

Hello, my name is ______________ and I am a constituent.
I live at/in ___________ (give street address or neighborhood so they know you are a constituent).
I'm calling to urge Council Member _______ to support Resolution 2049 calling for FoodprintNYC.
At this time you’ll likely get thanked for calling, and then the purpose of your call will be recorded. If they do ask for more detailed information, here are the key points:

• The resolution was introduced in the City Council by Bill de Blasio on June 30, 2009.
• It is the first NYC resolution to exclusively address climate change through our food system.
• It calls for a citywide initiative to create greater access to local, fresh, healthy plant-based food, especially in low-income communities as well as city-run institutions.
• Increasing availability and use of local, healthy food decreases significant pollution caused by the packing, preparing and shipping of food.

If your city council member has already signed on as a co-sponsor of the resolution, please call and thank him or her for their support. Feel free to use the following simple script:

Hello, my name is ______________ and I am a constituent.
I live at/in ___________ (give street address or neighborhood so they know you are a constituent).
I'm calling to thank Council Member _______ for their support of Resolution 2049 calling for FoodprintNYC! I am so glad to see the connection between food and climate change being taken seriously.

On behalf of the NYC Foodprint Alliance, thank you for your time! :) Kelly

The NYC Foodprint Alliance is a collaborative network of food justice, environmental, anti-hunger and human and animal rights organizations working for a more healthy, just and sustainable food system for New York City. To join the Alliance or for more information, contact Nadia Johnson at Just Food, nadia@justfood.org.

charity:water in NY Times!

2009-07-12T12:28:00.013-04:00

I am very happy to see international traveler and global health writer Nicholas Kristof has written an article about charity:water in the Sunday edition of the NY Times! I first heard about charity:water last year right before my birthday, when the Facebook Causes application asked me to fundraise by having family and friends donate $22 for my 22nd birthday, as charity:water's founder Scott Harrison had donors give $33 for his 33rd birthday. This organization is partnering with non-profits in developing countries to build wells with hand-pumps for thousands of communities in Haiti, Honduras, India, and many African countries. You can get involved with volunteering for charity:water by emailing nicky.yates@charitywater.org.

You can learn a lot more about Kristof's topics by reading the comments people post about his articles on his blog. In reading the comments on his charity:water article, I found articles and research on whether or not water projects in developing countries are sustainable, by the International Institute for Environment and Development and the World Bank (Comment 7) (lesson: don't abandon the wells after building them!). I also found people from other countries who would like to partner with charity:water (Comments 10, 15, 18) and information about a dangerous plan in place regarding the NYS Watershed and the Delaware River Basin Commission (Comment 13).

I really liked Comment 14, about how Mr. Kristof breezes right over the fact that it was the spiritual crisis Scott Harrison underwent and how he became a follower of Christ after his time volunteering with Mercy Ships. Also Comment 11, criticizing Nick Kristof for paying too much attention to the act of giving, and not highlighting the fact that self-sacrifice is what's important. Sacrificing one's time for others, and building community, so that the people you are helping are actually being empowered to make changes for themselves, not simply enabled by being given handouts.

Or put another way, having the moral courage to stand up for what's right, every day of your life. I've posted three comments on Irshad Manji's Moral Courage Project webpage so far, explaining how to stand up for our fellow global citizens and how to get others motivated, too. We can't expect to partake in activities once and that solve all the problems in the world. We need to keep at it, and dedicate our entire lives to the causes, making sure to follow up with those we help and not abandon them. There are plenty of people already taking up this cross, as Shane Claiborne shows with his movie "The Ordinary Radicals." We can do it too, and social media can help. Scott Harrison's successful marketing campaign demonstrates the power of social networking; I think this can be taken a step further if teachers would think outside the box, and incorporate blogs, twitter, and Facebook into everyday homework assignments. More and more non-profit organizations are creating these social networking accounts, and the sky's the limit with the charitable organizations one can find out about and get involved in, merely by spending some time on the Internet. Let's wake up and use the tools God has given us to use here in the 21st century.

What's On Your Plate?

2009-06-28T02:19:00.026-04:00

I just had the chance to watch What's On Your Plate? ("the documentary film about kids and food politics..."), a film narrated by 2 middle schoolers in NYC that puts the issue of our un-sustainable food system into simple language.

This movie takes you through the thought process of the two girls in their investigation of where their food comes from. They are befuddled by the fact that New York grows many, many varieties of food - yet much of the food that we eat is shipped here from the ends of the earth. Some of us call this our "foodprint" - the carbon footprint resulting from the process of getting food from where it grows, to the plates we eat it on. In a sustainable food system, this foodprint could be quite small - such as when you buy your produce from local farmers markets and the only energy that's used is the truck that brought it on a 2-hour drive. But much of the food that people eat comes by way of a long process of food manufacturing. The food gets shipped from far-away lands and goes to a processing facility, where it is sliced and diced (if grains, they oftentimes get refined, whereby all the good nutrients are taken out), and added into a complex of other food extracts. This new concoction has preservatives added to it, stored in individually wrapped disposable containers, and shipped yet again to warehouses and grocery stores. Think you're doing better by buying that apple from the neighborhood grocery store? But wait, my gut feeling is that it is either an organic apple shipped from the other side of the country, or it's one of those genetically modified versions and has also been doused in chemicals (in which case you should wash it with Veggie Wash).

Fortunately, the NYC Foodprint Alliance (spearheaded by a friend of mine at Just Food) is working hard to get the City Council to adopt a resolution for FoodprintNYC, which would incorporate the issue of sustainable food into the City's PlaNYC (which aims to reduce the City's greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030). (The original PlaNYC left out the topic of food! Even though livestock operations emit 18% of total greenhouse gases, but plant-based foods contribute significantly less to global warming.) Councilmember DeBlasio introduced the Resolution at a press conference outside City Hall, supported by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

And of course, the issue of place mattering - the existence of food deserts and redlining of neighborhoods so that fast food chains are incentivized to open up in low income neighborhoods - is addressed. Why is unhealthy food so much more accessible and so cheap? And why are people bombarded with advertisements for these unhealthy foods - sometimes even trying to market them as actually being healthy?? For the food industry to make money, of course. They don't care about your health. If they did, they would tell you to buy local, whole foods from your neighborhood farmers markets. That's the farthest thing from their agenda. And the public health community gets a measley 5% of all healthcare dollars to spend on advertising vegetables and fruits - a fraction of a fraction of what one food industry player spends on marketing its chips.

Going back to the social determinants of health - bodegas are a primary source of food for many people in low-income neighborhoods. But bodegas don't have the capacity to sell many vegetables and fruits. They don't have the right refrigeration - nor enough money to get it - and far too often are drawn by the monetary incentives offered by the junk food and cigarette industries to put unhealthy ads in the windows.

Fortunately, NYC is beginning to provide loans to people to open up supermarkets in underserved neighborhoods.
The girls in the film learned about it all, though. They even took a trip to go visit Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, a champion of healthy food in NYC (I've reposted some of the things he's done under the "Documents" section of the Bronx Health REACH blog). They also mapped out and visited farmers markets (such as Greenmarkets sponsored by the Council on the Environment of New York City, and Harvest Home Farmers Markets) and learned about CSA's or Community Supported Agriculture (such as one through East New York Farms).

In the process of learning about and trying all these healthy foods - derived straight from the ground - the girls' health improved! Something we can all learn a little more about...

What a wonderful story, you say, great. But no, this isn't enough. We need to get every child in the NYC school system to see this movie and start to think about where their food comes from. We need to get parents to see it, so they can support their children's desires for healthy eating habits. But most importantly, we need to get legislators to see it, if it means the possibility of allotting more money to school food so better school food can be served. Because right now, many kids aren't eating the hot lunch that's served at school. It's not as good as it can be, and as a result, kids wind up throwing it out, or buying junk from vending machines that shouldn't even be allowed on during the school day, or bringing junk in from their corner bodegas.

But in the meantime, parents can urge their school principals to partake in the in-class breakfast program, which is one way to ensure all children in a school get at least one healthy meal of the day. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve academic achievement and reduce nurse visits and absenteeism, too. Here is a note from the NYC Nutrition Education Network:

No one should start the day without a healthy breakfast. During these difficult economic times, it’s hard to serve your family 3 balanced meals a day. There is a NYC program to provide in NYC schools that can help. The school breakfast program is available to all students and a new component of the program even delivers meals to students right in their classrooms before they begin their day. It has been shown that children perform better academically and make fewer visits to the school nurse when they have breakfast. The NYC Department of Education and city officials, including City Council and borough presidents, fully support the “breakfast in the classroom” program and are urging more schools to participate in the program.. If you are a parent of a school-aged child, encourage the principal of your child’s school to start this program in September 2009. We are the New York City Nutrition Education Network, an organization of nutrition education professionals - Believe us; it will make a difference for your child!

Another thing you could do is support the NYC Alliance for Child Nutrition Reauthorization (HR 1324/S. 934). Congress will be voting on this legislation within the next few months, which is an opportunity that comes around once every five years. The last time this bill was voted on, money was allotted for the program, but it was never mandated and therefore never distributed. We ask now that you contact your legislators and let them know how important it is to make this a priority. Below are some facts compiled by the NYC Alliance for Child Nutrition Reauthorization:

The Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) is important to New York City

What is this Bill?
Later this year the federal government will reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act (CNA). This legislation sets rules and funding levels for the major school-based nutrition programs, including the School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Service Program, and other important federal food programs such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, infants and children (WIC).

Why is this bill important?
This is a once in five year opportunity. The 2009 Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act can help us accomplish the following goals: achieve the Obama Administration’s goal of ending child hunger and food insecurity; ensure a generation of healthy, productive, nutritionally-aware children; reduce energy use and pollution; create jobs; and stimulate economic activity.

What are we doing to influence this bill?
Groups in New York City representing varying interests have formed an alliance to advocate for changes to the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization. We’ve established a consensus statement of priorities for NYC in CNR, and a cohesive strategy to deliver our shared message reflected in this statement to policy makers, the public, and other relevant parties identified. This alliance brings together various groups that haven’t historically come together to advocate for changes and improvements to CNR.

Rationale
Nationwide, groups such as anti-hunger, nutrition and public health, food service and industry, community food security groups and others are advocating for specific priorities in the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization. These groups have long recognized the importance of this legislation to their constituencies and have a history of advocacy in this arena. Today, as we recognize the systemic nature of our social problems and realize that they can better be addressed working together, groups are coalescing across boundaries of interest to shape how this legislation will affect us all. Diverse groups in other cities – including Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and LA – are organizing now to develop their collective priorities for CNR. With the largest school district in the nation and large number WIC and CACFP participants, NYC can be a very strong and influential voice for positive change within the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Especially in this time of fiscal crisis, increased hunger, and concern for children’s health, we must take this opportunity to ask for increased federal funding and improvements to programs that benefit New Yorkers.

NYC Alliance for CNR: Priorities for the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Specific goals
Overall, the Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act must:
1) Make significant progress towards the goal of ending child hunger and food insecurity in America by 2015;
2) Ensure that all children have access to high quality, nutritious foods, local whenever possible, in their schools and through other child nutrition programs;
3) Reduce obesity and diet-related diseases and ensure productive, healthy generations; and
4) Support and expand regional farm and food economies, increasing jobs, enhancing infrastructure, and reducing unsustainable environmental impact .

Summary of the Three Key Strategies to Achieve Those Goals
1. Make federal child nutrition programs universal and more nutritious while reducing their administrative paperwork and bureaucracy.
2. Give programs more resources and technical assistance to serve all children with nutritious food, local whenever possible, produced in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner.
3. Make nutrition education available to all children and caregivers through child nutrition programs.

You can sign on to this bill as a supporter here. (Please only sign if you're a New York or NYC resident.)

I know that was a lot to swallow - I'll stop now. But please do what you can - tell your schools you want to see a healthy school environment, get involved in your school's Wellness Council (or start one if there isn't one!), make sure to give your kids healthy meals and teach them the importance of healthy foods. Talk to your principals and tell them to show "What's On Your Plate?" and implement the curriculum that's being put together in conjunction with the movie. Talk to your legislators to tell them how important it is to invest in school meals and vote for Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Another thing you could do is host an Eat-In through Slow Food USA's Time for Lunch campaign, and invite your legislators. Oh, and read The Jungle Effect by Daphne Miller, MD (here's a great article about it in Today's Dietitian).

This goes for everyone else that's not in NYC, too. Just adapt my suggestions to your own town or city. And visit FoodprintUSA to get your city involved.

Kelly Moltzen has invited you to join Kiva!

2009-06-15T20:52:00.004-04:00

Hello!

I just made a loan to someone in Nigeria using a revolutionary new website called Kiva (www.kiva.org).

You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Ogbonna Edith in Nigeria. They still need another $625.00 to complete their loan request of $975.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Ogbonna Edith too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=115592

It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.

Thanks!

---------------------------------------------------------

What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:

'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.'
-- BBC

'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.'
-- CNN Money

'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.'
-- The Wall Street Journal

'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.'
-- Entrepreneur Magazine

Check it out!
https://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=register&_isc=f218cb6c-5a0f-11de-911c-dc6669dc15d3&_te=inu

The state of the US Healthcare system

2009-06-13T21:01:00.006-04:00

Today I went to a town hall meeting at the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club with Northwest Bronx for Change, where there was a forum on health care reform. The key speaker was none other than Tim Foley, the healthcare blogger for change.org. His speech was practically clearer than my entire Health and Medical Care class last semester. Here's what he said:

There are two Senate committees that work on healthcare reform: the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee (HELP) (that Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd are on), and the Senate Finance Committee (chaired by Max Baucus, and Chuck Schumer is on this committee). In the House, there is the “tri” committee, which Rep. Rengel is on. The bills are making their way through Congress right now and they will be voting on healthcare reform in the next four weeks. Rep. Eliot Engel is on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and is also on the Energy & Commerce Committee, Healthcare Subcommittee. He is the senior one out of only two New Yorkers on the committee.

The US spends more than any other country in the world on healthcare – $2.4 trillion – which works out to $800,000/person. Yet our healthcare system is only ranked 37th in the world according to the World Health Organization (2002 report)! This is in comparison to the next highest spender on healthcare – Switzerland – which spends a mere $4500/person. Mind you, they cover all their citizens. People say the US shouldn’t ration its healthcare the way many more socially minded Europeans do, because they don’t want to wait on a line. But at least their citizens are on the line! In the US, healthcare is rationed too – people just don’t talk about it. There are people who unfairly aren’t even allowed onto the line, the way our system is now. The uninsured, the underinsured without jobs, the homeless. Those that have minimum wage jobs that cannot afford better healthcare, and the ones who get laid off from work and subsequently can't afford insurance anymore. They should at least be given the option to “get on the line,” right? If the ability to take care of your health is a universal right.

There are 50 million people without insurance in the US. This does not count the underinsured, which is another 25-30 million people. And 62% of personal bankruptcies involve personal debt. In many of these situations, the people had insurance at the time they spent the last of their life savings on medical costs.

Back in the fall, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton advocated for giving us a choice in healthcare insurance: if you like your current private insurance, you could keep it, but if you want to, you should be able to have an option for public insurance. The public plan would be better at controlling costs. Private insurance spends 20-30% of its money on administrative costs, while Medicare only spends 3%. This is because Medicare, being a public option, only wants to make people healthier and doesn’t get a profit. Medicare Advantage, on the other hand, uses 12-15% of its money on these costs, because it is privatized.

Private insurance is tied to your job. Therefore, private insurance companies don’t have a financial incentive to make sure you’re getting the care you need, because you could only be at that job for five years, and then the insurance company won’t care about you anymore. Meanwhile, the public plan presumes you’re a customer for life, so has more of a stake in making sure you stay healthy, because it knows it’ll have to pay for you later on down the road if you get sick. This new National Health Exchange would give a number of plans to choose from, all of which would have the same minimum standard of benefits. There would also be a subsidy based on income. Unfortunately, all of this is unlikely to be enough of an incentive for private insurance to change their business model, and they will still be competing with themselves. 94% of insurance companies in this country have been deemed noncompetitive.

The hope is that this whole plan will be able to compete with private insurance companies.

Hillary Clinton proposed a very good healthcare plan years ago, when she was the First Lady. However, this plan got shot down during the Clinton administration. Obama is still for giving us this option of keeping what we have or switching over to this National Health Exchange plan, but he is worried that there won’t be enough support for it when it gets voted on, and doesn’t want to turn healthcare over to the Republicans again. So, while we are asking for a single-payer system, public plan option, he may compromise on it, just to make sure we get some change and not be back to square one with no change.

Rep. Engel is all for adding coverage for people with HIV before they develop full-blown AIDS. He’s also for providing treatment at home (as I wrote about in my paper from last semester), and providing coverage for pre-existing conditions. He personally knows the perils of insurance companies not covering pre-existing conditions, as his daughter was almost denied insurance based on her childhood diagnosis of pulmonary stenosis. Ted Kennedy is advocating for the inclusion of immigrants, children, and pregnant women. Senator Gillibrand has signed onto the 10 principles of Health Care for America Now!, which is the organization fighting tirelessly for the public option plan.

At this town hall meeting, there were postcards available for us to sign to send to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand. This is what they said:

I want our country to be a place where everyone has access to quality health care, and I would prefer a single-payer approach to health care reform.
However, I also want President Obama to achieve his goal of healthcare reform this year, as a necessary step in his administration’s movement towards pro-people change.
Therefore, I strongly urge you to work for the inclusion of a public plan option at a minimum in the final health care legislation.

There were also postcards that on the front, read: “The citizens of NY demand comprehensive, affordable healthcare for all.” On the postcard, I wrote in some of the information I learned from Tim Foley, and some I already knew from my work on advocating for reform in coverage for nutrition services. It read:

The US has a “sick-care” system.
The US is ranked 37th in health, even though it spends $2.4 trillion on healthcare, more than any other country, by far. We need a choice, an option of a public plan. Private insurance companies have already proven they can’t solve the problem themselves. We need a single-payer approach, and significant dedication to prevention, including medical nutrition therapy and pre-diabetes coverage. Thank you. Kelly Moltzen, kmoltzen@nyu.edu

They need to hear from you too, because you can bet on the insurance companies being on their backs as well - and don't forget those companies have a lot of bargaining money. The National Healthcare Act in the House is HR676, which you can read more about on THOMAS and MedPAC. The bill would:

Provide $56 billion in uncompensated care for the uninsured
Preserve patient choice in healthcare and doctors
Allot $19.22 billion for Health Information Technology
Emphasize prevention and wellness

Call or write to your Congressmen today.

The Home Project

2009-06-07T22:57:00.006-04:00

This is by far the most clear, comprehensive, and easily accessible video on the state of our world and the impact that human beings are having on it. It's an hour and a half long; please watch it, and share it with everyone you know - not for my sake, but for your sake, everyone else's that lives on Planet Earth, and future generations. Oh yeah, and the sake of our Planet.

The Home Project

P.S. It's on YouTube, so it's free!

Safe water bottles

2009-06-04T23:16:00.008-04:00

Here are some non-BPA refillable water bottles - a good alternative to buying plastic water bottles. Positives: they are safe, you don't have to pay for each time, and you don't have to think about if your recyclables are actually being recycled or are going to fill up landfills...

Klean Kanteen
Sigg (though get the BPA-free kind)
GuyotDesigns
Platypus
As an alternative to the options listed above you can purchase a Thermos and help support charity:water build wells in Africa.

Wait, why shouldn't you use plastic water bottles again?? Here's why. And here's a short video on plastic in the Pacific (including inside the stomachs of birds and fish) by Captain Charles Moore who discovered it.

Thanks to the HEN list-serve for these (and for this article from Enviroblog).

Thoughts on "Eat This, Not That!"

2009-06-04T22:52:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine recently mentioned the book “Eat This Not That!” that Ellen Degeneres talked about on her show, and that appeared in "Men's Health" magazine. I read a book review on the kid version, “Eat This Not That! For Kids” in my American Dietetic Association – ADA Times magazine. This is what it said:

"While most of the nutrition information in this book is solid and science-based, what's less clear is how some foods made it onto the ‘Eat This’ list, while others are on the ‘Not That’ list. For example, the authors recommend a package of vanilla crème sandwich cookies (170 calories, 7 grams fat), but not a package of mini chocolate chip cookies (170 calories, 8 g fat). Other ‘Eat This’ items include a kid's fried shrimp and fries meal or a candy bar, while some puzzling ‘Not This’ items include canned corn (no salt added) or white rice. While this fun, photo-filled book could be a great tool to pique a kid's interest in nutrition or start a dialogue about food, it does little to educate readers about maintaining an overall balanced diet and it is certainly not the "complete nutrition and fitness guide for kids it claims to be.”

After speaking with Marion Nestle at NYU today, I can’t agree more. Marion is very much anti- food industry marketing its products, and for good reason. I do believe that it’s important to educate people on what a healthy diet consists of and the nutritional benefits of eating healthy foods (and why I created the blog http://whyeathealthy.blogspot.com/), but when the food industry does it solely to make their product look like a better choice than the next product, it’s gone too far. Better to stick with the whole foods – whole grains, fruits, vegetables – than to figure out the minute differences between the multitudes of processed foods on the market.

Read "Food Politics" by Marion Nestle and "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan…then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

You were blessed with a voice, so use it!

2009-05-23T01:56:00.012-04:00

For all the revolutionary things I come across in my experiences, I don’t blog nearly enough – which just makes the posts I do get around to writing that many times more heavy and laden with lots of information. Sorry about that.

It bothers me that all the really fascinating things I learn about – moral courage and social entrepreneurship, Paul Farmer and liberation theology, taking the core of your “religious” beliefs seriously and public service – I learn about outside the classroom, church, and mainstream media. That some of the best public health measures could actually be things like what Scott Harrison is doing with charity:water – gathering support and raising money to install wells in Africa so that people can have easily accessible, clean water. Development in Gardening, which helps people in developing countries start their own gardens so they can improve nutrition for AIDS patients and community members in general. Or Oxfam America, which not only works on international development projects, but also advocates for Congress to put money towards helping women in developing countries adapt to climate change. And the hospital and public health infrastructure Paul Farmer has built in Cange, Haiti, that I am reading about in the book Mountains Beyond Mountains. And then Irshad Manji, professor in the NYU Wagner School of Public Service and Director of the Moral Courage Project, who invited me to a private viewing of The Stoning of Soraya M.

The last time I cried as much as I did while watching The Stoning of Soraya M. was when I watched The Passion of the Christ. Except, it was worse this time, and not because my hands were tied with rope. The Passion…well, most people have heard about the story of Jesus…He died for our sins on a cross, He was ridiculed for calling Himself God. He was a great person. But Soraya was also a great person, and yet she was killed too, for no good reason. Not just by her community, but some of her own family members, as well. Leading up to the event, people in Soraya's community had uneasy feelings about the accusations and following through with the stoning. They knew that there was something wrong with the situation, and yet…the stoning still happened.

This story is about more than “stoning.” It’s not saying that the stoners should be punished, or the Islam faith rejected. Firstoff, the takeaway from tonight’s film screening and discussion is that we need to stand up for things that we find wrong in society, as Zahra did. She is the reason the book was written, and the reason this film exists. She used her moral courage to take advantage of a journalist in town to bring to light a horrible situation, that of suppressed women’s rights and an unconscionable practice that still exists today called stoning. Two thousand years ago, Jesus said “let him who is without sin throw the first stone.” Nobody could throw the stone because nobody was without sin. Too bad people still haven't learned this lesson.

Yet there is a moral fiber that runs through virtually every religion, and Islam is no exception. Irshad Manji has made that clear with her book The Trouble with Islam Today. What happened here (and that I believe has happened with many Catholics and other Christians) is that people strayed from the fundamental truths of their religion. Religion fosters groupthink, which is bad. Belief in God and spirituality should be a personal endeavor. Just as Muslims should know the truth about the Quran, Christians should know that the Nag Hammadi texts exist, and that there are gospels which may be just as valid as the four gospels that made it into the Bible (which only cover the Outer Mysteries).

In Mountains Beyond Mountains (a book that describes the work of Dr. Paul Farmer, who started the non-profit Partners in Health in Haiti and potentially may be in charge of USAID's Foreign Assistance Efforts), there are many memorable quotes by Farmer but one of my favorites is, “You want to talk crucifixion? I’ll show you crucifixion, you bastards.” The way I understand this is, we shouldn’t merely be worshiping Jesus for dying for us. Yeah, that’s great, we can give all our selfish thoughts over to him and know that we don’t have to be damned for eternity. But the main point we should get from Jesus’s life is how to treat others. The stories in the Bible aren’t one-time deals that we should just read over and over again. They are really happening, today and every day of our lives. The destitute – the people of Cange, Haiti, living in poverty and misery – that Paul Farmer found to be of great faith, they are the people we should be looking to help. Women all over the world who are considered to be of lesser importance than men, and innocent, righteous, loving women who are stoned to death for no reason – they are the ones we should be paying attention to. Not just living here in our comfortable lives, going to church every weekend and having fun with friends. How can you live with yourself in good conscience, knowing awful, horrible things are happening to people in this world because people have a skewed view of who God is?

I'd like to leave you with these lyrics, from a Follower-of-Christ perspective:

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
-Casting Crowns

"The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." -DC Talk

Sustainability in the School System

2009-05-10T23:13:00.011-04:00

In an email reply to @MCiscart re: bringing composting into the school system, I suggested these resources:

That's great you're planning on bringing composting into the school! Definitely check out what Brooklyn Academy of Science & the Environment has done - they have an entire high school class on sustainable agriculture, and even grow their own crops, pick them, and prepare them in meals. Their website is http://basehighschool.net/. They have a really excellent program, I encourage you to contact someone from that school and ask about their sustainable ag class, maybe you can get some ideas from them. Also you can get info on composting from East New York Farms (http://www.eastnewyorkfarms.org/).

And not to advertise or anything, but just to put it out there...Another thing you could do is look into The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education (http://sustainabilityed.org/) - they work with schools to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. They even have a workshop coming up for teachers, curriculum designers, administrators, grade level teams - Monday July 20 to Friday July 24 (9am-4pm), with Sunday July 19th being a pre-req introduction to sustainability (9am-3pm) at the Cloud Institute, 307 7th Ave, Suite 1201, NY NY 10001. The M-F fee is $750 and Sunday is $100. Questions can be directed to Program Manager, Marie-Claire Munnelly at marie-claire@cloudinstitute.org or (212) 645-9931 ext. 822.

I'd love to hear your ideas; if you need more help contacting anyone let me know; I'm pretty well connected in NYC ;)

Kelly

FYI - One other thought: there is a petition to bring back composting to NYC - yes, they have stopped funding for it! :( The petition is here.
--------------------------------------

Message from MCiscart:
...
I maybe looking for some help on bringing composting program to public schools and am looking for science teachers or any teacher who believe in going green and educating our future adults not to go green but to make informed decisions. Currently working with a head start program in Jersey that's going green with composting. If you like to hear more on my plans and thoughts let me know. I can use any and all constructive criticism.

Thanks,
MCiscart

--------------------------------------
6/3/09
Since this is a post on "sustainability in the food system" I thought I'd add some information I learned recently regarding the NYC Department of Education's Office of SchoolFood, in relation to farm-to-school initiatives. I spoke with Bill Doherty, williamd@schools.nyc.gov, 718-707-4478, and he said he is the go-to person if there are any schools interested in pursuing farm-to-school programs within the NYC school system, as all of the food has to come through SchoolFood. If any schools are interested, just let him know and he will find farms to partner with etc. and set it up.

Theologies of Sickness, Equality

2009-05-08T14:10:00.009-04:00

A Theology of Sickness by Robert Lewis Foley, Sr., D.Min., D.D. (pdf)
I. absolutely. love. this. document.

A Theology of Equality by Reverend Dr. J. Albert Bush, Sr. (pdf)
This. one. too.

Faith-based health initiatives such as the one at the Bronx Health REACH are the way to go. (Note: the Bronx Health REACH website will be updated soon to include an entire toolkit, similar to the form of the NHLBI Faith-Based Toolkit. I was just reading these documents now and had to share.)

Oh yeah, and this Community Gardens: Blessed be the Soil that Binds (pdf) looks like a good, quick resource on connecting spirit and soil. Thanks to Rose Hayden-Smith (@victorygrower) for posting this on Twitter!

GE foods

2009-05-02T23:01:00.002-04:00

I attended the Brooklyn Food Conference today and here is some information on GE foods that I learned:
The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology (IAASTD) has issued a report on GE foods (which has not been endorsed by the US...their reports can be found here).
Additionally, the Union of Concerned Scientists' document, "Failure to Yield" seems like a great report on GE crops.
There is a "National Organic Action Plan," which is a citizen-based group that defines "organic" and emphasizes crop diversity.
Kathy Lawrence from School Food Focus said that the primary purpose of introducing GE foods into the system was to solidify the market share for a few multinational corporations, not to feed the world. She says it's been proven that organic agriculture could indeed feed the world.
In addition, the National Family Farm Coalition is working on legislation to block the introduction of new crops into the food system.

NYC and Health

2009-04-24T13:51:00.009-04:00

This is your one-stop place for accessing information on programs and services offered through the City of New York: ACCESS NYC

Here's the NYC Department of Education SchoolFood and NYS Child Nutrition Knowledge Center - tons of links for grants that schools can apply to, etc etc.

Here are some resources on reducing obesity and diabetes in NYC that I learned about at a conference at the CUNY Graduate Center:

Publications by the Public Health Association of NYC
Of particular interest are these few:
Reversing Obesity in NYC - includes some great statistics on obesity and fast food, and advocacy strategies (and here's a shortened version)
Reversing the Diabetes and Obesity Epidemics in NYC

Here are resources from the District Public Health Offices. There are DPHO's for East & Central Harlem; North & Central Brooklyn; and the South Bronx. They have regular meetings that anyone can attend, if you are interested in voicing your opinions. You can check out the NYC Food and Fitness Partnership website and sign up for their mailing list here.

Also, here's a blog on healthy things going on in NY from New York Cares - http://blog.nycares.org/

Twitter

2009-04-22T23:56:00.002-04:00

Don't understand Twitter? This article in the NY Times explains why it's used; this webpage explains how to use it.

Healthy children

2009-04-22T14:17:00.006-04:00

Healthy Directions, an affiliate of Cornell, is leading the Healthy Children Healthy Futures campaign that came up with these "8 Habits of Healthy Kids." They are:

1. Spend at least 1 hour a day being physically active
2. Spend less than 2 hours a day watching TV and playing video and computer games
3. Eat at least a total of 5 fruits and vegetables a day
4. Snack on healthy foods and less junk food and sweets
5. Drink or eat at least 3 low-fat dairy foods a day
6. Drink at least 2 glasses or bottles of water a day instead of soda
7. Eat smaller amounts - bigger is not better
8. Eat less fast food (2 or less times per week) and make healthier fast food choices

In addition, here are some other interesting sites that I've come across:

"It's a Healthy Habit"
This is Public Health
Story of Stuff
Dr. Dolgoff's Weigh
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Bike paths in NYC and surrounding areas
Green Map

Healthy Fundraisers

2009-04-21T23:50:00.006-04:00

I know of a few great resources for alternatives to selling unhealthy foods in schools for fundraisers.

Developed by the NYC Department of Health's Strategic Alliance for Health: Yes You Can! A Fresh Look at Healthy Fundraisers for Schools

Another is by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI): http://www.cspinet.org/schoolfundraising.pdf

and another is by California Project LEAN: Creative School Fundraising Ideas

Additionally, one of the schools I work with in the Bronx (PS 218) has successfully been selling dried fruit as a fundraiser, instead of candy/junk food. The brand they've been using is Brothers All Natural.

Banning GMO taro in Hawai'i

2009-04-21T22:45:00.004-04:00

I didn't know about the possibility of GMO taro appearing in Hawai'i, but it's good news to hear that it's getting banned, at least for the next 5 years. I visited Hawai'i a few years ago for a month-long Transcultural Foods & Cuisine class (be jealous, I know), and the spiritual significance of letting the sacred plant grow unaltered, in its natural state, definitely rings true. Taro is used to make poi, a bland purplish paste that is used to balance out other flavors in the meal, such as salty pua'a (pork).

If you'd like to see some pictures of Hawaiian food that I took while I was there, see here. (Slide 44 has the taro & poi being prepared by a wondrous man named Butch at the Ka'ala Cultural Learning Center in the majestic mountains of O'ahu.)

Stomping on taro plants with your bare feet is quite a fun experience!

~Aloha,
Kelly

Food, Inc.

2009-04-21T01:13:00.009-04:00

I just had the opportunity to view a screening of Food, Inc. - what a well done documentary! I felt like I had seen it before - if only because Michael Pollan was very much apart of making the movie, and he did such a good job laying out all of the hot issues in The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan made Joel Salatin's Polyface Farm come to life in his book, but to pack it all into 1.5-2 hours that can be easily watched on a screen definitely has the potential to reach a lot more people than would bother reading such a heavy book. It didn't matter that I hadn't eaten dinner before watching the movie, because I didn't have an appetite after it anyway; after seeing the awfully unhygienic, graphic descriptions of how meat is made. The meat that you buy in the stores...to actually see footage of the slaughter and the processing that goes on - not to mention the terrible living conditions & corn diet that *ruminant* cows are fed. Come to think of it, it seems quite impossible to eat sustainably by shopping in a supermarket. The aisles of food are really just rows of corn and genetically-modified Monsanto soy re-packaged cleverly to look like thousands of different branded foods, and even the produce comes from all ends of the earth and is laden with pesticides and God knows what else. Oh yeah and by the way, Monsanto has produced herbicides, DDT, and Agent Orange for the US Military operations in Vietnam, which has led to birth defects, as well as various health complications for veterans.

The movie airs June 12, but in the meantime you can watch the trailer. When the movie comes out, go watch it and tell everyone you know to watch it too!

From Food, Inc.: 10 Things You Can Do to Change Our Food System

Drink fewer sodas and other sweetened beverages.

Fact: If you replace one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water), you could lose 25 lbs in a year.

Eat at home instead of eating out.

Fact: Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food made outside the home.

Support the passage of state and local laws to require chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.

Fact: Half of the large chain restaurants do not provide any nutrition information to their customers.

Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.

Fact: Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

Meatless Mondays…Go without meat one day a week.

Fact: An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

Buy organic or sustainable foods with little to no pesticide use.

Fact: According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.

Protect family farms, visit your local farmer’s market.

Fact: Farmers markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.

Make a point to know where your food comes from – READ LABELS.

Fact: The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.

Fact: Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the United States.

Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.

Fact: Poverty among farmworkers is more than double that of all wage and salary employees.

Service Dog for Norma!

2009-04-17T23:21:00.004-04:00

"Save one life, and you save the world entire"

Hey guys!

My mom's dear friend Norma's service dog Sasquatch died recently. Norma had a virus which spread to her brain and left her disabled. She lives in Manchester, NH and is a trained concert singer, but the virus has also left her without the lung capacity to sing.

If you are at all familiar with service dogs, these pups become like family/nurse for people with disabilities. So when Sasquatch lost his battle with cancer, it left Norma with the grief of losing a best friend plus the problem of needing a new service dog. Training raises the price for these canines, and Norma needs $9500 to achieve this.

I feel a lot of you probably have good networks to send this to, and this is a trustworthy cause. a) Norma's a dear family friend b) I loved Sasquatch. It is a true loss and also vital to help her.

But I think that together, dollar by dollar and the power of networking and the internet we can help her out. Let's see how fast we can get this done!

Read her story here.

You can immediately donate through PayPal & ChipIn

And lastly, could you pass this along to people who might be able to help?

Thanks for your help guys,

Mercy

(Here is a recording of her singing back in the Philippines for a hit record there )

Tweet What You Eat!

2009-04-15T20:43:00.002-04:00

Check it out! Tweet What You Eat...web-based food diary!

http://tweetwhatyoueat.com/

Changing the systems

2009-04-10T11:17:00.006-04:00

I found today's change.org topics to be great ones as usual, but at least today I have time to write about them. The first one is about justice in the prison system. A couple of excerpts I found particularly good:

"What significance did 20 years have? From my perspective, we need to reevaluate this misguided concept of justice that only recognizes time. Ours is a society that strives toward enlightenment, yet we incarcerate more people per capita than any other nation."

"I propose that we stop relying upon the turning of calendar pages to measure justice. A far more effective corrections system would measure justice by the efforts an offender makes to reconcile with society. Such a system would require a fundamental reform."

"Warehousing humanity doesn’t reduce crime. Education reduces crime."

And here's a video by Tony, a homeless veteran who describes why he panhandles and how he makes ends meet:

Tony from invisible people on Vimeo.

Thankfully, I can be proud of my Representative, John Hall, who yesterday got President Obama to approve the veterans programs he's been supporting since coming to Congress. Read more about it here.

This doesn't mean we should continue to ignore the people on the streets (as we're all guilty of doing more often than not, I'm sure), but it least the video of Tony gives us some insight into their lives so we can understand where they're coming from. Let's help prevent this from happening by improving the education system and the prison system, and help get these guys off the streets and into jobs, such as these green-collar jobs discussed by Van Jones.

Connect with legislators through social media

2009-04-06T22:43:00.006-04:00

I took this from an email from the American Heart Association. I think there are some great tips. Yay for social media connecting the world!

Congress Does Social Media

Have you heard? More and more legislators are using social networking tools to communicate and stay connected with constituents! An unofficial count had nearly 400 members of Congress using Facebook, and we know that many are twittering, and also using YouTube to communicate as well. Are yours?

We’re encouraging you to reach out to your legislators and see what they are up to in the social networking world. If you belong to Facebook, you can search for your legislator and send them a friend request or become a fan of their page. This will help you stay connected to them and will allow you to share the issues you care about. You can post things on their walls or share your story!

Twitter has also become very common for legislators to keep followers up to date on what they are working on and what’s happening in the halls of Congress. Maybe they are about to vote on a bill you care about or back in your district holding a town hall meeting. Find them on Twitter and follow their updates!

YouTube is another social medium that legislators are using. Again, by doing a search on their name you can watch, rate, and share the videos with family and friends to keep everyone informed on what your legislators’ positions are on issues you care about.

Epigenetics and Health Disparities

2009-04-06T00:09:00.007-04:00

Ever consider the connection between genetics and health disparities? Well, me being a science nerd and being fascinated by genetics ever since high school and all, I'd like to share this posting with you: Epigenetics and Health Disparities. I see this as an intersection of nutritional genomics and public health genomics. Looking at the food environment the fetus is exposed to before it's born, and how this shapes the new individual's later ability to metabolize food. In other words, how the "effects of discrimination on maternal stress physiology" ultimately contribute to health disparities (read: chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease). Fascinating, and a great cutting-edge topic for future exploration...

Here's a more lay-audience friendly description of epigenetics.

changetheworlditis

2009-03-20T19:12:00.003-04:00

Hello fellow foodies and activists alike! I inaugurate my participation with this blog (and oh so fabulous Kelly) with one single site:

This is Why You're Fat.

New blogger - welcome Mercy!

2009-03-14T21:55:00.003-04:00

I'd like to introduce Mercy Bell as my new co-author to this blog. I met Mercy through Oxfam Action Corps NYC, as we both attended the "End Poverty in My Name" campaign at the UN back in September 2008. She's an awesome friend, foodie, activist, musician, and a truly great person. I am excited for what this blog can be when we put our forces together! Welcome Mercy :)

In Honor of National Registered Dietitian Day

2009-03-11T01:21:00.004-04:00

On this second annual National Registered Dietitian Day, March 11, 2009, RD's on the blogosphere everywhere have come together for a "blogfest" to get the word out about the great work that RD's do. While I am not yet a Registered Dietitian, I plan to be within the next few years and definitely know and respect their work. I am a member of the American Dietetic Association's Hunger & Environmental Nutrition (HEN) Dietetic Practice Group and want to especially thank my HEN colleagues for always sharing their incredible, endless wealth of knowledge with others. The HEN-listserve has been and will continue to be a great window into the world of just, wholesome, sustainable food systems that I can only attempt to relay to the rest of blogging world. If you are a HEN member, thank you for all you do. If you are an RD or "RD2B," I encourage you to join HEN. It is a decision you will not regret. If you fit neither of these categories, please at least check out Ashley Colpaart's post on the US Food Policy blog: Dietitians Working in Food Policy, the New Frontier. She's not only described many of the great ways RD's are working to bring food back to its roots, but has also listed many other RD's blogs as part of the blogfest.

See into communities & give people a voice with Photovoice

2009-03-05T22:32:00.016-05:00

This is what it looks like when you give people in "bad neighborhoods" a voice. The culturally rich sense of community speaks for itself. Not what most people think of when you say "Harlem."

My East Harlem

Here's another great video:
Health Food Disparities in Upper Manhattan

Here's a video by teenagers in Philadelphia, entitled "It's a Healthy Habit":

While these videos give great insight into communities, just as big of an impact can be made by having participants take still photos and write captions to explain what the picture means to them. It's a sure way for anyone - even kids! - to feel empowered and feel that they have a voice to speak out to truth. Photovoice can be a very powerful tool in terms of advocacy and showing the final product to decisionmakers. In terms of public health nutrition, the idea is for children to take pictures of a health issue (such as food) and write about what this means to them. Photovoice was developed by Dr. Caroline Wang, working with women in a remote Chinese village. For a great example of the power of photovoice, see Photovoice: A Youth Empowering Program. . Rickie Brawer and the Philadelphia Urban Food and Fitness Alliance have also successfully used photovoice with adolescents. On another note, the technique has even been shown to improve dietary recall data from kids, who are more willing to cooperate when given technology such as cameras. Here are a few more articles about photovoice:
Goodhart FW, Hsu J, Baek JH, Coleman, Maresca FM, Miller MB. (2006). A view through a different lens: photovoice as a tool for student advocacy. J Am Coll Health. 55(1):53-6.
Strack RW, Magill C, McDonagh K. (2004). Engaging Youth Through Photovoice. Health Promotion Practice. 5(1):49-58.
Wang C., Yi WK, Tao ZW, Carovano K. (1998). Photovoice as a participatory health promotion strategy. Health Promotion International. 13(1):75-86.
Wang C., Burris MA. (1997). Photovoice: Concept, Methodology, and Use for Participatory Needs Assessment. Health Education & Behavior. 24(3):369-387.

The American Public Health Association is currently accepting applications for its Photo Journal Demonstration Project. Additionally, FamilyCook Productions has created a School Community Food Assessment toolkit that outlines how to use photovoice in schools to change the school food environment - it's pretty cool.

California farms lose main water source to drought

2009-02-22T21:17:00.006-05:00

California farms lose main water source to drought

Too bad it takes devastation in the US before our country MIGHT wake up and smell the climate change (that I might add, is disproportionately affecting developing countries - see here and here and here). This is yet another reason why it's a bad, bad thing for the rest of the country to be so dependent on produce from California. I hate buying strawberries from the other side of the country - but that's the only thing that's ever sold in the grocery store!

If you haven't done so already, please sign the Food Democracy Now petition. They do good work.

Food Politics, Social Marketing, the Art of Persuasion and People's Values

2009-02-22T11:27:00.011-05:00

Food politics. Ever heard of it? Well this video should give you a good idea: The Food Lobby Goes to School.

Here's a recent NY Times story by Alice Waters.
And if that's not enough, read Food Politics by Marion Nestle. And Food Marketing to Children and Youth by the Institute of Medicine.

This is why we need to do something! Children today are expected to be the first generation to die at a younger age than their parents, and obese teenagers are as likely to die prematurely as smokers. THIS IS NOT OKAY. And it seems like conventional public health interventions aren't working. So why don't we give the industry a taste of their own medicine, by using social marketing? Basically, social marketing is taking the strategies of the corporate industry - the one that has successfully brainwashed society into thinking fast food is "in" and that has even brainwashed people in developing countries into seeing fast food as a sign of prosperity (more on that later) - and using their marketing strategies to positively influence public health. It's all about the art of persuasion and knowing how to get to people's core value systems. If you know what people value, you can get them to do what you want. This is particularly helpful if the thing you want them to do is a habit which is good for them, such as successfully getting a village in Ghana to wash their hands with soap with the "Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing With Soap." So as you can see, the art of persuasion and social marketing can be adapted for a variety of public health interventions - understanding people and their value systems doesn't always have to be used for worsening society :)

Why you should question authority

2009-02-15T21:27:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear Irshad Manji [see great bio on her Facebook page] speak at NYU, during a conference on social entrepreneurship through Wagner's Bridge group. She is the author of "The Trouble with Islam Today" and has been described as "Osama bin Laden's worst nightmare." How did she become the person she is today? She knows the importance of questioning authority. As a little girl in Canada, where her family escaped as refugees from Uganda, she attended the madressa, where she was taught that women should be subservient to men and not to ask too many questions about her faith. Well, she was expelled, to say the least. Since, she's critically analyzed the Quran and been a strong proponent of ijtihad - Islam's word for the concept of critical thinking. Ever since learning about her, she's become one of my favorite role models. I truly find many parallels between her and Shane Claiborne, author of "The Irresistible Revolution." I've gone through a similar journey of questioning in my own religious upbringing in the Catholic Church, especially after reading Shane's book. As a little girl in the madressa, Irshad Manji had this question: "What if I'm not being educated? What if I'm being indoctrinated?" So, I challenge you to question your own educators.

Barack Obama understands the dangers of not questioning authority. He specifically appointed strong-minded people to his Cabinet to avoid groupthink.

I question the definition of “conservative." What is being conserved? A way of life particular to the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries? With all due respect, in the long history of the world I would not pick this particular time period to conserve. I would conserve the way God made the planet. He gave us food that grows from the ground to eat - food that is whole and protects us from chronic diseases, not chemically modified artificial food in packages. He provided grass for the cows to eat. Water from springs to drink - not from plastic bottles. He gave us an ozone layer to protect us from the sun. Legs to get from place to place instead of burning fossil fuels and letting our muscles waste away and our waists get bigger. He gave us sunlight as solar energy. THOSE are things I would choose to conserve.

My Research Methods textbook agrees with the idea of questioning what you are taught. I've always wondered whether or not I wanted to get a PhD and "do research for the rest of my life." Well, what if the traditional, keeping-your-distance-from-your-subjects way of doing research wasn't the only way to do research? Perhaps community-based participatory research is an even more effective method. When researchers come to the conclusion that the IRB is more than often a bureaucratic barrier than a way to protect people, and the Belmont Report concludes that its guidelines may not be sufficient in dealing with studies of social programs (versus biomedical research), we should indeed question what we are taught. Community-based participatory research allows the researchers to interact with community members. The success of grassroots organizing has always come from involving the stakeholders in the decision process. Why should the research process be any different? If you want to design a program to help the community, for God's sake, involve the community in the program planning!

During Irshad Manji's speech, she mentioned a conversation between Oprah and Will Smith right after Obama one the election. Oprah asked Will Smith his thoughts on Obama. Will Smith replied, "all of our excuses are gone now, Oprah. GONE."

So now I ask, what do you question in your life? Will you be bold enough to be a "social entrepreneur" and do something about it? It only takes one person to make a difference.

US Plan to Tolerate Unapproved GMOs in Crops Draws Concern

2009-02-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

US Plan to Tolerate Unapproved GMOs in Crops Draws Concern

musings

2009-02-12T00:35:00.003-05:00

Whether or not it was meant to be, the application process is quite a time of truly defining who you are. Lately I've been struggling with a way to adequately describe to people who I am - my interests, my motivations, my passion. There are so many different ways I can try to frame it, but when it comes down to it, there's really only one explanation: I've given my life to God. You may laugh at this, if you don't know me very well, but it's true. It's the only thing that fully describes why I work so hard at what I do and why I love it so much. God blessed me in so many ways, and he made me somewhat intelligent, and so what else could I do but give my life over to God? It makes so much sense...everything I learn, everything I see in life, can be described through faith. But it just so happens that at some point along the way, "career development counselors" told me to leave religiously-affiliated "stuff" off my resume. And it also just so happens that I began to grow a faith that was more spiritual than bound by the narrow-mindedness of the church. And for these reasons, most of the time, I really don't talk about my faith. "Preach the Gospel at all times...if necessary, use words" was the maxim ingrained in me by the Franciscans. But upon reading my friend David's blogpost, and upon reaching this point in my life where I'm on a quest to make sense of my life for people who can't see inside my mind, this is the only logical explanation I can come up with. Public health teaches me there are disparities in this world. Terrible inequities. That the only way to truly make change is by paying attention to grassroots, bottom-up approaches (in addition to influencing policy through top-down approaches, of course). Through honesty. And dialogue. And integrity. And then, Shane Claiborne preaches of being an "ordinary radical" (keep in mind the root of "radical" means root...no pun intended...ha). Of loving our neighbors. Of having this passion, this fire, that cannot be quenched:

"There is a movement bubbling up that goes beyond cynicism and celebrates a new way of living, a generation that stops complaining about the church it sees and becomes the church it dreams of. And this little revolution is irresistible. It is a contagious revolution that dances, laughs, and loves." ~Shane Claiborne, Irresistible Revolution

Every day I live and learn on this journey is a humbling experience. It makes me feel like my life is purposeful, and that makes me come alive. I am reminded every day of just how much parallel there is between the stuff that works in public health, and Shane Claiborne's irresistible revolution. So next time I'm about to go jogging with my professor on the streets of Puebla in the early hours of a chilly, Mexican morning (theoretically) and she asks me to explain myself, to explain the passion she sees in me, that's all I have to say - I've given my life to God. Screw the political correctness of it all.

"How I went healthy...and then veg" by Jill Richardson

2009-01-30T11:46:00.002-05:00

"How I went healthy...and then veg" by Jill Richardson

My own experience with food has been somewhat similar to Jill's. Although I am not yet 100% vegetarian, I am definitely a "flexitarian," and maybe someday when I apply my nutrition education to my own life and make sure I am complementing my proteins correctly, I will be moreso a vegetarian. I envision that diet to be similar to the macrobiotic diet (fruit, vegetables, and whole grains), with such grains like quinoa incorporated regularly into my diet.

Bill Gates' First Annual Letter

2009-01-29T11:54:00.003-05:00

One of Bill Gates' resolutions for 2009 was to begin the tradition of writing an annual letter. His 2009 letter includes his thoughts on his Foundation's work on reducing childhood deaths, increasing agriculture productivity in developing countries, improving education in the US, and reducing the occurrence of polio, AIDS, and malaria. He believes in the promise of technology and explains how he supports researching technological breakthroughs to solve many of these problems (ie. vaccinations, agricultural breakthroughs) at the same time he supports providing means for people to effectively use these technological breakthroughs.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/annual-letter/Pages/2009-annual-letter-introduction.aspx

The Neediest Cases

2009-01-28T11:55:00.005-05:00

Questions and answers about getting food aid in NYC

On the same token, check out the NYC Coalition Against Hunger. They have some great resources including Free Food Assistance in NYC by area. The group is run by Joel Berg, author of All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America?

At House Party on Health Care, the Diagnosis Is It’s Broken

2008-12-23T21:10:00.003-05:00

Here's an excellent follow-up to my paper on "Healthcare, Culture, & The American Economy" from the NY Times.

“Instead of being able to focus on my health, I focused on insurance to cover the tests and treatments.”

The Organic Green Revolution

2008-12-22T20:48:00.005-05:00

Christopher Bedford from the Center for Economic Security has given one of the best descriptions of our current state of affairs that I've seen in recent times. The Rodale Institute's "Organic Green Revolution" document, seems like a great resource. Here's his message:

Comfoodies and HENs,

What do next? Hank suggests that the change we seek has to rise up from thousands of local food system (let 10,000 flowers bloom) developments that inform, push, demand action from elected officials. I agree with that prescription for change with these substantive additions.

Those of you who have heard me speak know that I am enamored with the Bill McDonough lines, “If you want to go to Canada, but are driving towards Mexico at 100 miles an hour. Slowing down to 30 won’t help. You are still going the wrong direction.”

Many of the suggestions made in these last commentary strings around the appointment of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture are the good intentioned equivalent of “slowing down to 30”.

Sure, it is important to have Obama appoint Under Secretaries of several federal departments who understand our concerns, who share parts or all of our agenda. But absent real change in corporate dominated agriculture and food power relationships in Washington politics, these “friendly appointments” may help us secure some grants for our institutions or some other helpful, marginal actions…but little more. (Not marginal if it is your institution, I know)

The change we are facing is real, profound, and potentially overwhelming because of…

…climate change and its impact on food production,

…the emerging ecological and economic limitations of the global industrial paradigm in agriculture and food production, (want a little melamine with that milk?)

…the growing health crisis produced by poor nutritional policies, (let them eat cheap food so we continue to increase the cost of health care)

…the economic and food security consequences of the rapid decline in petroleum availability for the US food system, (Peak Oil)

…a growing planet population with unequal access to food, energy, capital and information resources, (why would someone become a terrorist, anyway?)

…our continued reliance on new technological practices like GMOs and cloning to solve problems caused our lack of harmony with nature’s systems, (if brute force isn’t working, you aren’t using enough of it!)

…the relentless logic of greed by many in power when faced with future defined by new ecological limitations and scarcity, (the corporate patenting of genes, seeds and, indeed, now whole animals like pigs.)

…the growing use of corporate funded disinformation campaigns to slow the coalescence of voters and consumers around the need for fundamental change in our food and farming systems, (the Corn Processors’ HFCS campaign is just the latest example of a strategy that was first developed by the tobacco industry to slow the regulation of cigarettes.)

…the use of governmental actions and regulations to slow and stop the development of “local food systems and regenerative agriculture in every food shed in the United States” that kind Hank referred to in his earlier emails. (The Monsanto seed laws)

Does anyone on these lists seriously think I have exaggerated the scope and depth of the challenges that I have listed above? If, not, then we have to ask ourselves the question
”what do we really need to do to affect the change we seek?”

If you answer, “lobby Tom Vilsack”, then you should stop reading here. Tom Vilsack is a decent person. His wife, a more aware person, understands the importance of good food to our future. But Tom Vilsack won’t and can’t save us.

We must actually imagine what it means for us to “turn around and go in a new direction.”

Hank suggests that the “ten thousand flowers” of the local food revolution will create this change. I totally agree with him as far as he goes. Urgency is the question on my mind.

We don’t have time to fight a guerrilla war against the global industrial food system. Nature’s and history’s clock is ticking. Although, the local food revolution ultimately will be successful in replacing the global corporate industrial systems now in place, it could be a Pyrrhic victory if we have passed one or more of Nature’s tipping points (when decline is unstoppable) in the process.

I believe we need to demand fundamental change – the change presented in the Rodale Institute document “The Organic Green Revolution”. www.rodaleinstitute.org/files/GreenRevUP.pdf

In this new organic Green Revolution, industrial, petroleum based agriculture will become the niche (like arsenic sniffers of the 19th Century, a doomed and dying niche) and ecologically intelligent food and farming systems based on organic and permaculture growing principles will be the way we farm.

Now, anyone who speaks regularly to conventional farmers knows that such a suggestion is tantamount to treason. If you want to really make conventional farmers really angry just raise the issues surrounding “organic farming”.

But why such anger? If organic food production is just a niche, why does it arouse such powerful emotions?

The answer is, most farmers know deep in their hearts, that industrial agriculture is dying as an operational, viable paradigm. “Anger” is just one of the five Kubler-Ross stages in acceptance of this death. It is followed by “bargaining” (perhaps IPM and GMOs can be seen in this light) and “depression” (something working farmers are all too familiar with).

The final stage is acceptance, in this case, of a new way to farm, one that has the power to regenerate not just the health of the earth, but farmers’ economic, physical, and emotional health as well.

We must help conventional farmers through this transition and not let their “grieving” dictate the food policy for an entire nation.

Luckily, we have an example, a role model, for what we need to do. The WE Campaign, a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection, seeks “repower America with 100% of its electricity from clean energy sources within 10 years.”

That means no more carbon-based energy to produce electricity within a decade. A remarkable goal. A fundamental change of the same scale we seek.

The WE Campaign makes effective use of media to allow us to visualize this change. Their latest TV commercial depicts a working class guy recharging his pickup truck’s batteries from a wind-powered plug-in station. This is a brilliant commercial at many political levels.

The French anthropologist, Clause Levi-Strauss, says, in most cultures men must dream their children before they can conceive them. I believe this is true of the local food revolution as well.

Michael Pollan’s NY Times “Letter to the Farmer-in-Chief” is an example of creating a clear frame for our dream of regenerative, healthy food future. Every time a local TV station does a story about a chef using local food or a farm operating a CSA, our collective dream, necessary to imagine this change, is enriched.

But I believe we need to do more. We need to use the arguments and principles presented in “The Organic Green Revolution” to develop an effective national media effort to promote the ecologically intelligent values and community-based processes of the local food revolution that Hank wrote about.

In effect, we need our own “We” campaign to change the debate in the public square. In doing so, we will empower those ten thousand flowers of transformation, regeneration, and hope.

Does anyone want to join together to make this happen?

Peace and good food and Merry Christmas,

Chris Bedford

Op-Ed: Vision of a Grassroots, Grass-Fed Revolution

2008-12-21T14:53:00.007-05:00

Here's an article I wrote for the NYU Steinhardt Public Health Student Group Fall 2008 Newsletter:

Op-Ed: Vision of a Grassroots, Grass-Fed Revolution
by Kelly Moltzen

Growing up, we were taught by the USDA that “all foods can fit,” that everything in moderation is good for us. We were taught that we needed dairy products in our diet in order to get calcium, otherwise we would develop osteoporosis. We were taught that we needed to get our protein from meat. But what if this were not the whole picture? Would the USDA actually hide information from us?

Unfortunately, yes. It seems as though Congress is more concerned about taking food industry lobbyists’ money than about giving the public scientifically sound advice, as Marion Nestle tells us in her book Food Politics. However disturbing this may sound, we cannot allow the food industry to dominate us, not when 63% of Americans are overweight or obese and children born in the year 2000 or after may be the first generation to die before their parents; not when animals are subjected to living on claustrophobic, unsanitary Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), force-fed corn and artificial substances that make them sick, necessitating the use of administering antibiotics before we buy and eat the omega-6 laden meat which makes us sick. Not when 25% of the foods we buy in the grocery store has some form of corn in them, and the ammonium nitrate left over from the production of explosives during World War II is used to fertilize crops – facts Michael Pollan shares with us in The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

This country needs a complete change of mindset, where we raise humanely treated omega-3 rich grass-fed animals and stop using additives and pesticides on our food. We need to craft a world that is not dominated by the need of the food industry to keep money in its wallet, but one that is driven by the need to keep real food on the table. A world where our children don’t need to learn how to read labels, but instead learn how to grow vegetables. A world where we get energy from the sun and wind, not coal and oil, and where we eat our food, not burn it as biofuel.

Fortunately there is a revolution starting, as people have banned together for such programs as the Real Food Challenge and Slow Food Nation. Californians had an initiative on their ballot this November called “Proposition 2,” which was a huge breakthrough for humane farm animal treatment. It prohibits cruel and inhumane ways of confining animals in their cages. The USDA recently passed more rigorous regulations for organic food, prohibiting the existence of organic CAFOs. The list of 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee appointees looks promising as well. Yet we need to continue supporting CSA communities, creating farm to school programs, and weakening the connection between food industry lobbyists and Washington, D.C. If we don’t do it, then who will?

Twitter

2008-12-21T00:28:00.003-05:00

FYI. When I don't have enough time to do a full blog post, I sometimes post things on Twitter instead because it's easier. So go there sometimes :)

http://twitter.com/kellymoltzen

Healthcare, Culture, and the American Economy

2008-12-20T01:25:00.003-05:00

And here's another paper. Only God knows how I managed to write all these in the past 2 weeks...

Kelly Moltzen
Community Health & Medical Care P.11.1830.002
Professor Soffel
December 18, 2008

Healthcare, Culture, and the American Economy

The United States spends 16% of its Gross Domestic Product on healthcare – more than any other developed country in the world – yet ranks poorly in comparison to other developed countries in terms of life expectancy. There are many contributors to this paradox, most of which have to do with the fundamental structure and culture of the US healthcare system. Money funneled into the healthcare system currently overemphasizes spending on long-term care for the elderly while inadequately funding public health programs and failing to account for behavioral determinants of health. It should be noted that “virtually no one in Canada or Western Europe views the U.S. health care system as a model to emulate” (Rodwin).

The first inefficiency of the US healthcare system is that it overemphasizes spending on long-term care for the elderly. Medicare and Medicaid together account for 19% of total US government spending, but the majority of this money goes towards a small number of beneficiaries. With the number of Americans over age 65 growing due to the aging of the baby boomer generation, the United States cannot afford to continue spending excessively on this population. In 2006, ten percent of Medicare beneficiaries accounted for more than two thirds of Medicare’s $374 billion budget, while 52% of beneficiaries accounted for only two percent of expenditures (Medicare: A Primer, 2007). And while the elderly and disabled comprise 25% of total Medicaid enrollees, they account for 70% of Medicaid’s $316 billion in expenditures, leaving only 30% of the funds for the other 75% – children, parents, and pregnant women (Medicaid: A Primer, 2007).

The majority of spending on healthcare for the elderly is on nursing home care, with 44% of Medicaid spending going towards nursing homes (Medicaid: A Primer, 2007). Yet nursing homes are not the most efficient way for the elderly to be cared for, as nursing homes are a very expensive business. In addition, they are generally understaffed, do not provide optimal care, and “many elders say they would rather die than live permanently in a nursing home” (Feldman, Nadash, & Gursen). Elderly people deserve to be treated with respect, and taking away their autonomy by forcing them to live in institutionalized settings denies their “right to take risks in order to lead a preferred lifestyle” (Feldman, Nadash, & Gursen). This “medicalization of everyday life” is not only draining the US budget, but is unfair to the elderly who normally prefer to live on their own as much as they can. Therefore, less costly ways to care for the elderly should be considered, such as in continuing care retirement communities and other residential alternatives (Feldman, Nadash, & Gursen). Consumers – no matter what their age – should have a say in what type of services they will receive through personally directed care. Many elders would prefer informal care while living at home or with family members, although this can be exhaustive and financially draining to their caregivers. By providing elders a specific allotment of funds for personally directed care, they could choose to hire who they saw fit. In any case, a primary goal should be ensuring that people die with dignity (Nuland, 1995).

A more humane future for America’s elderly can be expected to encounter various barriers, principally high costs of care, no matter what options are considered. The services Medicaid purchases for the elderly (i.e. nursing homes) are primarily provided by the private sector (Medicaid: A Primer, 2007), but if money were spent instead on purchasing care in public, non-for-profit institutions, or home-based care, it might cost less. However, many people may be concerned about quality assessment in home health care and assisted living facility settings (Feldman, Nadash, & Gursen). There needs to be a shift in the mindset of Americans and the culture of the healthcare system which currently seems to be more concerned with keeping people alive than ensuring the elderly can enjoy their life and maintain social relationships, which not surprisingly seem to have beneficial effects on health (House, Landis & Umberson, 1988). Yet getting Americans to change the way they conceptualize caring for the elderly will continue to be very challenging.

Another reason for the inordinate costs of healthcare in the United States is an inadequate funding of public health programs, with less than four percent of healthcare funds going towards public health (Hunt & Knickman). Although improvements in health have historically come from public health – not medical – interventions (Conrad & Schneider, 1992), the US healthcare system has become very focused on downstream interventions, which do not get to the root of the problem (McKinlay, 1974). These are extremely cost ineffective, and there are a “large number of unnecessary procedures” with “unexplained variations in practice patterns” and “unclear answers to rudimentary questions about which treatments [are] most cost-effective” (Light). Insurance providers and Medicare will pay for expensive end-stage medical procedures such as kidney transplants, dialysis, and amputations for diabetes patients, but will not pay for primary, population-based interventions that can prevent health problems, such as health education, public service announcements, and accessible healthy food. As McKinlay observes, “we long ago surrendered control of food…to private corporations…[which] have shaped the kinds of food we eat for their greater profits,” so much that “most people now eat more processed and synthetic foods than the real thing” (McKinlay, 1974).

The government needs to be much more stringent in enforcing restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy food products, as the food industry has a very influential voice in Congress due to the revolving door between Congressmen and lobbyists (Nestle, 2007). While a substantial amount of money has supposedly been set aside for public health interventions in the 2008 Farm Bill (Rush, 2008), the government needs to be sure this money goes towards interventions for those with the highest risk of disease (Leviton, Rhodes & Chang). More consideration should be given to efforts such as those that took place in post-war East Germany, where decentralization and prevention were emphasized, medical stations were put in places of work, and an extensive health education program was started in public schools (Light).

While it has historically been an American tradition to rely on non-profit organizations for public health interventions (Leviton, Rhodes & Chang), they can no longer support the country’s needs by themselves. The private sector’s contribution to health expenditures has unfortunately been declining since the 1960’s (Hunt & Knickman). Overall, the private sector needs to contribute more of its resources to public health interventions – particularly the food industry and the tobacco industry, as their products cause the most harm to human health.

Public health does not get the attention it deserves because it is largely invisible, avoiding problems rather than fixing them (Knickman & Kovner). Unfortunately, American culture and Western medicine in particular tend to err towards the side of wanting to see “something being done,” even if that “something” is inefficient and unproductive. In addition, the general public often may not understand what public health comprises, “often supposing it refers to programs for the poor” (Leviton, Rhodes & Chang). It is difficult to change the mindset of the American population, to whom health advertisements appear “boring” and “largely misdirected” (McKinlay, 1974). Very often people follow “quasi-health” fads that they believe are meant to improve their health, and “to request people to change or alter these behaviors is more or less to request abandonment of dominant culture” (McKinlay, 1974). Another challenge is trying to convince education officials of the value of investing time in teaching children more health and nutrition information during the school day, as school curricula already face difficult time constraints.

A third failure of the US healthcare system is the inadequate attention that has been paid to the behavioral determinants of health. While a growing number of Americans do not have health insurance, even those who are insured still experience barriers to accessing healthcare (Billings & Cantor). Families that are eligible for services such as Medicaid may not even know what they are eligible for or how to go about using the services. This could be because of language barriers, cultural barriers, a failure of health professionals to properly explain to them the necessary procedures and paperwork, or a combination of these factors. Many immigrants may be unfamiliar and skeptical of Western medicine and may not seek it out, even when ill. Immigrants may also have fears about immigration status. Individuals who have Medicaid may not use it because of a stigma attached to it or having to wait long periods of time.

Further, research shows that ethnic minority groups use healthcare services more, but the service they are provided is of lower quality (Gabe). This is particularly true for investor-owned hospitals that evidence shows spend less of their resources on uninsured patients than do voluntary hospitals (Relman, 1991). Individuals without private health insurance – such as the uninsured or those with Medicaid – may receive sub-par treatment from physicians who do not benefit from low reimbursement rates, or may even be outright rejected by some physicians and hospitals that avoid certain types of patients in order to maximize revenues (Relman, 1991; Billings & Cantor). The uninsured may be more likely to seek care in an emergency room, either because they waited until a late stage of disease progression, or thought they would eventually be noticed there. And even once they receive attention, limitations to functional health literacy may impede proper use of prescribed medication (Billings & Cantor).

Solutions to improving access to healthcare necessitate culturally sensitive interventions. By modeling Great Britain’s National Health System, walk-in clinics that are “accessible, convenient, and customer-focused” and address social issues of underprivileged populations could be put in place, such as a nurse-led phone help line and walk-in centers with accommodating evening and weekend hours (Gabe). Special outreach by non-profits and local governments may also be needed “to take preventive and therapeutic measures out of the hospitals, clinics, and emergency rooms and deliver them to the population at highest risk” (McCord & Freeman, 1990).

Other solutions may include setting up commonwealth funds for easier access to insurance, requiring employers to contribute to their employees’ insurance, subsidizing insurance through increased taxes on health-damaging products such as tobacco and junk food, and starting programs that teach people how to manage chronic diseases effectively (Billings & Cantor). Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont – three states where these interventions were successful – started out with comparatively low rates of uninsured individuals. Barriers exist for other states, where employer mandates and taxes may work “against states’ economic development efforts to recruit and retain jobs within their boundaries” (Billings & Cantor). Mandating employer-sponsored insurance would likely meet fierce resistance from the business community. Capitated payments and publicly funded managed care can also be considered, although Medicaid managed care could create yet more barriers for low-income patients, as the enrollment process may be too confusing, the new site may be too far away, and continuity of care may be disrupted (Billings & Cantor).

Clearly, on many levels, today’s US healthcare system developed together with American culture, bringing the capitalistic mindset along with it. Resources are limited, however, and the United States must make much wiser choices with regard to how it utilizes those resources. At the same time, bringing some humanity into the information-dominant, depersonalized domain of medicine could go a long way in improving the health of all patients. It is possible for the US to simultaneously solve its health crisis and its economic crisis, but it may be that the underlying problem is American culture: “values shape financing. They have to change before financing can change” (Light).

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