VIM's News For Life
This newsletter is designed to keep you aware of the many relationships our life choices have on personal health, a sustainable planet and respect for other species. By simply shifting towards a plant-based lifestyle you can realize many truly wondrous things!
April 2006
1) The Great American Meatout Revisited
2) Signed Copies of The China Study Still Available!
3) Michigan Healthy Living Earth Day Expo - VIM Involved!
4) Who Are Vegans, and What Makes Their Diet So Healthy?
5) Flaxseed Can Help Fight Breast Cancer
6) Dairy Products and Ovarian Cancer
7) Phytoestrogens May Reduce Risk of Lung Cancer
8) Broccoli, Cabbage, Soy Found to Cut Cancer Risk
9) Couple Fight Cancer with Vegan Diet
10) Mental Health Link To Diet Change
11) Red Cabbage Could Cut Alzehimer's Risk
12) FDA Is Urged to Ban Carbon-Monoxide-Treated Meat
13) Meat and Fat Intake Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
14) Pepper Hot Enough To Trigger Suicide In Prostate Cancer Cells
15) Brain Damage from Bypass Surgery - The Untold Story
16) Cardiologists Aware of Life-Saving Diet, Yet Fail To Recommend It
17) Cholesterol-Lowering Foods Most Effective When Combined
18) Whole Grains Cut Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk - Study
19) Soy Benefits Heart Health in Healthy Young Men
20) Try These 11 Super Foods for Better Health
21) Child Obesity Expected To Soar Worldwide - Study
22) Switching To Vegetarian Keeps Weight Down
23) More Problems with McDonald's French Fries
24) Globalizing Health
25) The Dark Secrets of the Organic-Food Movement
26) Chickens, Eggs and the "Free-Range" Fallacy
27) The Price of Cheap Chicken Is Bird Flu
28) Worldwatch Slams Meat Factory Concept
29) Factory Farming: A Moral Issue
30) Overfishing Seen As More Damaging To Reefs Than Tsunami
31) Shoppers 'Threat to Orangutans'
32) Creatures Like Us
33) 'Man the Hunter' Theory Is Debunked in New Book
34) Wines To Make Vegetarians Happy
35) UPC Hosts 6th Annual Forum in 2006
36) Group Honors Home of U of M for Great 'Green' Eating
37) Howard Lyman will speak on "Eating the Earth, One Bite at a Time"
38) Take Easy Action
39) SusanKay's Vegan Kitchen
40) VIM's Public Outreach
1) The Great American Meatout (GAM) Revisited
What an amazing event GAM turned out to be! Almost 800 people jammed into Ferndale's Gerry Kulick Community Center to experience a meat free day. The number of attendees was significantly more than previous years and our 100 volunteers worked hard to make it enjoyable for everyone. T. Colin Campbell had standing room only for both of his talks (as did other lecturers). The food preparation demos were packed, and the children, in their roles as chefs, were too cute and charismatic. Local restaurant food, national food samples and donated baked goods were delicious and in high demand. Many people received valuable health screening information and others learn more about a compassionate lifestyle.
At the end of the day, it would have been difficult for anyone to leave without a different mindset about the way the world should and could be. To me it was magical, truly a collective rise in consciousness!
All told, everything went quite smoothly, despite the lines and crowded rooms. We have learned some lessons this year and will adopt new stratagies in the future. We will also seriously consider a new venue, since we want to attract thousands in 2007! We look forward to working with ALL of you to make next year's Great American Meatout even better!
Jim Corcoran, President
P.S. I would like to thank all of the sponsors and especially Natural Awakenings Magazine and the Royal Oak Medical Center, VIM volunteers, food demonstrators, exhibitors, medical screeners, AR staff, restaurant staff, speakers, GAM committee members and VIM board members for all their hard work in putting on this huge event. A special thank you goes to Wendy Jones for chairing GAM, because without her, it wouldn't have happened!
2) Signed Copies of The China Study Still Available!
If you couldn't come to the Meatout or the lines were too long, T. Colin Campbell has signed several copies of The China Study for Veggies In Motion. Anyone wishing to buy this life-changing book should contact us to make arrangements for payment and pickup. Only $25!
3) VIM Tabling Event and Speaking Engagement
Michigan Healthy Living Earth Day Expo:
A Celebration for the Earth and Everyone On It!
On Saturday, April 22, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., visitors from around the state will be treated to an exciting event with something special for everyone. Produced by Oakland University, Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center of Oxford, Natural Awakenings Magazine of Oakland/Macomb, and major event sponsors such as Whole Foods Market, this 10 hour celebration promises to treat attendees to a full day of entertainment, education and information. The theme of the expo is a celebration of the connection between healthy living and a healthy planet.
The expo will feature upwards of 100 exhibitors from around Michigan, presenting healthy and eco-friendly products and services, including alternative and integrative medicine, nutrition, fitness and natural therapies, ecology, sustainability, organic food, renewable energy, green home and lawn, natural clothing and personal care, and much more. In addition, there will be four venues with a variety of presentations and activities throughout the day.
Veggies In Motion will be tabling the event and Jim Corcoran will be speaking on "Saving the Planet One Bite at a Time" at 5:30 p.m. Come on out and enjoy the festivities. Be sure to stop by our table and say "hi" or better yet, schedule an hour or two with us and learn how easy it is to table events!
http://www.michiganhealthylivingexpo.com
4) Who Are Vegans, and What Makes Their Diet So Healthy?
Vegans are typically motivated by deeply felt convictions about ecology, world hunger and animal rights. They believe it's wrong to kill or misuse animals... perhaps the most important lesson we could all learn from vegans is their thoughtfulness toward food. Vegans mindfully consider everything they eat.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/living/food/13986848.htm?source=rss&channel=charlotte_food
5) Flaxseed Can Help Fight Breast Cancer
Flaxseed may slow breast cancer, according to a recent study at the University Health Network in Toronto. In addition to their regular diet, 32 postmenopausal women with breast cancer were asked to have a flaxseed muffin or a muffin with similar nutrient content but without flaxseed. Women in the flaxseed group showed a 34.2 percent reduction in tumor cell growth and a 71 percent decrease in __expression of an aggressive type of cancer cell known as C-erbB2.
http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm06winter/nyn.html
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/02/22/features/lifestyles/doc43fc94a279437030101404.txt
6) Dairy Products and Ovarian Cancer
A new report from the Harvard School of Public Health shows a higher risk of ovarian cancer among women with increased intakes of lactose, the primary sugar in dairy milk.
http://www.pcrm.org/news/archive060222.html
7) Phytoestrogens May Reduce Risk of Lung Cancer
A new study at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center shows that natural compounds in beans and vegetables may reduce the risk of lung cancer. Phytoestrogens (phyto means plant) are structurally similar to estrogen hormones, but are much weaker. They occur naturally in many plants and, because they compete with the body’s natural estrogens to attach to estrogen receptors, they tend to reduce estrogen’s effects, thus reducing cancer risk. Researchers compared 1,674 lung cancer patients with 1,735 healthy individuals and concluded that those who consumed the most phytoestrogens had a 46 percent less chance of getting lung cancer. Previous studies have shown that phytoestrogens may also reduce the risk of cancers of the breast, uterus, and prostate.
http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm06winter/nyn.html
8) Broccoli, Cabbage, Soy Found to Cut Cancer Risk
Some vegetables contain chemicals that appear to enhance DNA repair in cells, which could lead to protection against cancer development, say Georgetown University Medical Center researchers.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/cancer021206.cfm
9) Couple Fight Cancer with Vegan Diet
Chris Brown asks her husband, Barry Brown, to try a spoonful of a culinary creation. The couple adopted a vegetarian diet following Mr.Brown's cancer diagnosis. In 1992, Barry Brown, 58, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and given five years to live. Fourteen years later, he's still around, and credits much of his successful cancer story with a radically changed diet. He has been in clinical remission for the past five years... Both he and his wife Chris, 61, have become vegans, and believe it is a healthy diet choice.
http://www.eastbayri.com/story/294701154883949.php
10) Mental Health Link To Diet Change
Changes to diets over the last 50 years may be playing a key role in the rise of mental illness, a study says... Researchers said the proliferation of industrialised farming had introduced pesticides and altered the body fat composition of animals due to the diet they are now fed... For example, the report said chickens reach their slaughter weight twice as fast as they did 30 years ago, increasing the fat content from 2% to 22%... "The good news is that the diet for a healthy mind is the same as the diet for a healthy body. The bad news is that, unless there is a radical overhaul of food and farming policies, there won't be healthy and nutritious foods available in the future for people to eat."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4610070.stm
11) Red Cabbage Could Cut Alzehimer's Risk
In a new study, red cabbage was seen to reduce the build-up of certain plaques in the brain that could cause Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia...
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=66357&m=2FSN314&idP=2&c=gnuihkhnrtcxmni
12) FDA Is Urged to Ban Carbon-Monoxide-Treated Meat
Shoppers who judge the freshness of meat by its color may be deceived by a relatively new industry practice of treating meat with carbon monoxide, critics say.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/19/AR2006021901101.html
13) Meat and Fat Intake Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
A new study shows that meat consumption increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, one the most serious forms of the disease. Researchers with the Multiethnic Cohort Study in Hawaii and Los Angeles followed 190,545 participants for seven years, finding that those who regularly consumed red meat (beef, pork, lamb) showed a 50 percent increase in cancer risk; and those who consumed the most processed meat (sausage, salami, bologna) showed a 70 percent increase in risk. The researchers speculate that carcinogens formed during the preparation of the beef, pork, and lamb products may be to blame.
http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm06winter/nyn.html
14) Pepper Hot Enough To Trigger Suicide In Prostate Cancer Cells
Capsaicin, the stuff that turns up the heat in jalapeños, not only causes the tongue to burn, it also drives prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, according to studies published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060319150754.htm
15) Brain Damage from Bypass Surgery - The Untold Story
During the typical coronary artery bypass operation, the patient's heart must be stopped in order to sew the new vessels around the large, "rock-hard" blockages... After surgery, employing the heart-lung machine, nearly all patients show evidence of brain damage based on the release of products of brain tissue injury into the patient's spinal fluid and bloodstream, and other changes in brain physiology. Decline in mental function is most severe right after surgery. At the time of discharge from the hospital, between 50% and 80% of patients are having troubles. Five years after surgery a 20% decline in mental function has been found in 42% of patients. Most of the difficulty perceived by the patient is with subtle tasks, like remembering names and numbers. Family members commonly notice personality changes.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/january/bypass.htm
16) Cardiologists Aware of Life-Saving Diet, Yet Fail To Recommend It
Wider use of vegetarian diet would result in fewer surgeries and deaths from heart disease; Studies show patients transition easily to new diet.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/pcfr-nss022106.php
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060221-030043-8914r
17) Cholesterol-Lowering Foods Most Effective When Combined
Cholesterol-lowering foods such as soy protein, almonds, plant sterol enriched margarines, oats and barley may reduce cholesterol levels more effectively when eaten in combination, says a new University of Toronto study by Professor David Jenkins... in similar ways as a first generation statin.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=39118&nfid=rssfeeds
18) Whole Grains Cut Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk - Study
"Results suggest a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease in persons who consume diets high in whole grains," said the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition... Such diets would include bran, whole wheat, fruit and vegetables.
http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Feb06/090206/wn03.htm
19) Soy Benefits Heart Health in Healthy Young Men
Soy proteins modulate the ratio of different lipids in the blood in a way that should reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in healthy subjects, according Canadian researchers...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_30361.html
20) Try These 11 Super Foods for Better Health
The following 11 "super foods" are among the world's healthiest and they all can be found at your local supermarket.
1. Berries...
2. Beans...
3. Broccoli and other green/white vegetables...
4. Oats and other whole grains...
5. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes...
6. Sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, apricots, winter squash, pumpkin and orange bell peppers...
7. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamias...
8. Tea - green, black and white...
9. Soy foods....
10. Spinach, bok choy and other dark leafy greens...
11. Papaya, pineapple and kiwi...
http://www.star-gazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060119/LIFE/601190310/1035
21) Study: Child Obesity Expected To Soar Worldwide:
Nearly half of kids in North and South America could be overweight by 2010
The number of overweight children worldwide will increase significantly by the end of the decade, and scientists expect profound impacts on everything from public health care to economies...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11694799/
22) Switching To Vegetarian Keeps Weight Down
Researchers, who studied the eating habits of 22,000 people over five years, including meat eaters and vegetarians, found they all put on a few kilos, but meat eaters who changed to a vegetarian or vegan diet gained the least. "Contrary to current popular views that a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein keeps weight down, we found that the lowest weight gain came in people with high intake of carbohydrates and low intake of protein."
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/March/theworld_March318.xml§ion=theworld&col=
23) More Problems with McDonald's French Fries
McDonald's Corp. is facing at least three lawsuits related to its disclosure last week that its french fries contain wheat and dairy products.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11459132/
McDonald's says fries have more trans fats than thought
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20060208-1420-mcdonalds-fries.html
24) Globalizing Health
Other countries are beginning to eat like us, live like us, and die like us. It's time to start exporting healthier ways of living.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11702323/site/newsweek/from/ET/
25) The Dark Secrets of the Organic-Food Movement
... "Almost all the organic food in this country comes out of California. And five or six big California farms dominate the whole industry." There's a widespread misperception in this country - one that organic growers, no matter how giant, happily encourage - that "organic" means "small family farmer." That hasn't been the case for years, certainly not since 1990, when the Department of Agriculture drew up its official guidelines for organic food...
http://www.slate.com/id/2138176/nav/tap1/?GT1=7932
26) Chickens, Eggs and the "Free-Range" Fallacy
Every year, billions of chickens are raised and killed for human consumption. The conditions on today's high-production farms are appalling. Animals are crammed into tiny cages or crowded pens, unable to express natural behaviors, and can't even see sunlight or breathe fresh air. Chickens also undergo painful mutilations such as debeaking and toe-clipping without benefit of anesthesia... "free-range," "cage-free," and "organic" labeling programs fail to address many of the cruelties inherent in chicken meat and egg production.
http://www.satyamag.com/feb06/engebretson.html
27) The Price of Cheap Chicken Is Bird Flu
Chicken has never been cheaper. A whole one can be bought for little more than the price of a Starbucks cup of coffee. But the industrial farming methods that make ever-cheaper chicken possible may also have created the lethal strain of bird flu virus, H5N1, that threatens to set off a global pandemic...
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-op-orent12mar12,0,5665165.story?track=mostemailedlink
28) Worldwatch Slams Meat Factory Concept
Since the latest outbreak of avian flu in Southeast Asia in 2003, public health officials, farmers, veterinarians, government officials and the media have referred to the threat as a 'natural' disaster. However, avian flu, mad cow disease, and other emerging diseases that affect humans from animals are symptoms of a larger change taking place in agriculture - the spread of factory farming...
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=216073
29) Factory Farming: A Moral Issue
For low meat prices, the animals, the environment and rural neighborhoods pay steeply.
There is a growing consensus that factory farming of animals - also known as CAFOs, or concentrated animal feeding operations - is morally wrong... The overwhelming majority of these animals have spent their entire lives confined inside sheds, never going outdoors for a single hour. Their suffering isn't just for a few hours or days, but for all their lives...
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/03/22/67620/
30) Overfishing Seen As More Damaging To Reefs Than Tsunami
Minutes before the tsunami struck in December 2004, reefs off Indonesia and India were thrust three meters above the ocean surface as the earth's tectonic plates buckled in an earthquake that ripped like a broken zipper along a fault line 1,300 kilometers long... none of this will have as lasting and as devastating an impact on the Indian Ocean coral reefs as damage stemming from the hand of man, according to a study by 60 researchers in 12 countries on the state of the reefs in the wake of the worst tsunami ever recorded... Instead, far greater danger stems from fishing practices that are destroying the reefs and decimating the fish that serve as the reefs' immune system...
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/14/news/reefs.php
31) Shoppers 'Threat to Orangutans'
Demand for crisps, bread, lipstick and soap could drive orangutans to extinction, research suggests... palm oil plantations have now become the primary cause of the orangutans' decline in Malaysia and Indonesia, which could result in the apes becoming extinct within 12 years.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4273774.stm
32) Creatures Like Us
For non-philosophers, it is very hard to discuss our relationship to animals without appearing anthropomorphic or sentimental. A new book by Lynne Sharpe does just that. Read a lengthy excerpt:
http://www.animalsentience.com/features/creatures_like_us.html
33) 'Man the Hunter' Theory Is Debunked in New Book
The idea of "Man the Hunter" is the generally accepted paradigm of human evolution... when you really examine the fossil and living non-human primate evidence, that is just not the case."... "These early humans simply couldn't eat meat. If they couldn't eat meat, why would they hunt?"
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-02/wuis-th020305.php
34) Wines To Make Vegetarians Happy
MORE of my friends and loved ones are leaning toward a vegetarian lifestyle. Some have gone completely vegan. Whether prompted by a heart attack, cancer, diabetes or other malady, they have all seen the benefits that come with this major change in diet. But one thing that has not changed is their love of wine, so they ask me what wines pair best with vegetarian menus.
http://starbulletin.com/2006/02/22/features/wine.html
35) UPC Hosts 6th Annual Forum in 2006
“Using the Media Effectively to Promote Farmed Animal and Vegetarian Issues” Register Now! UPC’s 6th Annual Forum, April 8-9, 2006, University Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. Forum Registration: $100 includes breakfast and two vegan luncheons. Seniors and Students: $75. Registration due by April 10, 2006 payable to United Poultry Concerns. University Plaza Hotel Rooms: $89 each. Call toll-free 877-677-5292
Speakers:
Janice Blue, Go Vegan Texas
Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns
Karen Dawn, Dawn Watch
Bruce Friedrich, PETA
Fran Henry, Agricultural Reporter with the Cleveland Plain Dealer
Debra Probert, Vancouver Humane Society
Nathan Runkle, Mercy for Animals
Paul Shapiro, Humane Society of the United States
Jeff Sharp, Rural Sociology Program, Ohio State University
Kim Sturla, Animal Place
(Agricultural Journalist to be Announced)
Special Film Presentation: The Emotional World of Farm Animals Produced by Animal Place. Led by Jeffrey Masson, author of The Pig Who Sang to the Moon
http://www.upc-online.org/Fall05/forum.html
36) Group Honors Home of U of M for Great 'Green' Eating
Seva Restaurant, Chia Shiang Chinese, and Amer's Deli -these popular, vegetarian-friendly Ann Arbor-area eateries have helped to establish Ann Arbor as one of the most vegetarian-friendly cities in the United States. PETA's national survey of vegetarian-friendly cities took into account the number of vegetarian restaurants, nonvegetarian restaurants with vegetarian selections, top vegetarian and vegan product sales, and extensive retail selections. Ann Arbor got high scores in each category.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=8005
Thanks to Maida G!
37) Howard Lyman Will Speak on "Eating the Earth, One Bite at a Time"
Thursday, April 6, 2006, 7:30 pm
Michigan Union — Kuenzel Room (1st floor)
FREE and open to the public.
Mr. Lyman is a fourth generation cattle rancher turned vegan activist. His comment on Oprah's show prompted her to stop eating hamburgers, and they were both sued under a Texas food disparagement law. He is the author of Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat and No More Bull! After the talk, copies of his books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information about Mr. Lyman, visit http://www.madcowboy.com
Sponsored by: M.A.R.S. (http://www.umich.edu/~humanity/)
38) Take Easy Action:
Make Baseball Better (and Get Free Tickets)!
In just a few short weeks, baseball stadiums around the country will be filling up with fans who are eager to cheer for the home team, maybe catch a foul ball or two, and line up for snacks at concession stands. Sign our petition and let your favorite team know that, although you love watching it play, you hope that the stadium will be stocking up on delicious veggie options so that you can heckle the visiting third baseman on a full stomach.
http://www.peta2.com/takecharge/t-vegballparks.asp?int=weekly_enews
Leave No Species Behind
Join the Virtual March to stop an unprecedented attack by members of Congress on all species in America, including us!
http://earthday.care2.com/campaigns/edvm/accept/017b581784fa315d00fa2cfaae5ba1dd/
39) SusanKay's Vegan Kitchen
Asparagus is one of Michigan's first crops to appear in the spring. Its growing season is brief, beginning in late April and ending in June.
The larger the diameter, the better the quality!
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which is high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamine. Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.
Pasta con Asparagi (this recipe was adapted from The Best in the World, edited by Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.)
1 Tab. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 28 oz. can tomatoes, chopped
2 pounds fresh asparagus
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. ground sage
8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti noodles
The first thing to do is rinse off the asparagus spears and snap them. Snapping them simply means breaking them where they naturally break with a light bend. This will leave only the tender, flavorful part of the stalk.
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, asparagus, basil and sage. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Cook spaghetti, drain and place in a serving bowl. Add the asparagus mixture and toss. Serve immediately.
40) VIM's Public Outreach
Sunday ~ April 23, 2006
1:00 pm ~ VIM Vegan Potluck followed by an EarthDay presentation by Jim Corcoran. Find out what's happening to the planet and how easily you can help! Unity of Livonia, 28660 5 Mile Rd, Livonia, MI, between Middlebelt and Inkster Road. Bring your favorite VEGAN dish sized for 8 servings or a $7.50 donation. For further information, call Flo or Jerry at (313) 541-0162.
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VEGGIES IN MOTION
PO Box 71311
Madison Heights, MI 48071
Veggies In Motion (VIM) is a Southeast Michigan nonprofit organization promoting the awareness of the health, ecological and ethical consequences of our food choices. We provide support to our members while reaching out to educate the public about the many benefits of shifting towards a plant-based lifestyle.