Coenzyme Q10: Natures Revitalizer

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

By Robert M. Oliva CSW

It is of vital importance that we all get sufficient amounts of Coenzyme Q10. High levels of this enzyme can prevent or help treat such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, periodontal disease, high blood pressure, obesity, cancer and many neurological diseases. It can even slow down the aging process. This incredible, naturally occurring nutrient needs to be considered in everyones health regimen.
What is Coenzyme Q10?

According to James Balch in Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing, Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin like substance produced in the body whose actions closely resemble that of vitamin E. Q10 is a powerful anti-oxidant that is found in every cell of the body. For this reason it is also called ubiquinone. Q10 is essential for the production of energy at the cellular level and increases tissue oxygenation throughout the body. Although Q10 is produced in the body deficiencies seem to be widespread. Since food contains only trace amounts of this nutrient, supplementation is necessary.
Coenzyme Q10 and Disease

There have been hundreds of studies attesting to the safety and efficacy of Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment and prevention of the many diseases that afflict those of us living in Western society. According to the Life Extension Foundation, Q10 is a safe and effective therapy for heart disease, cancer, immune depression, low energy and aging. Q10 is a mighty force in the natural treatment of serious disease as well as a natural boost to both daily and athletic performance.

Lets take a look at how Coenzyme Q10 can make an important contribution to the treatment of specific diseases and to enhancing the quality of your life.
Heart Disease

Coenzyme Q10 is found most abundantly in the human heart muscle. The heart contains about twice the amount of this vital enzyme as any other organ in the body. Patients suffering from heart disease have been found to have about 25 percent less Q10 than the healthy population.

Robert Atkins, MD states in his book Vita Nutrient Solution that “All organs with high energy demands need a lot of CoQ10, and the most important is the heart.” As early as 1990, Greenburg and Frishman in the Journal of Clincal Pharmacology indicated that over fifty studies worldwide attested to Q10s positive impact on numerous cardiovascular conditions including hypertension. In a study by Landsjoein, et al in the International Journal of Tissue Research, 87 percent of cardiomyopathy sufferers displayed significant improvement in heart function without adverse side effects while using CoQ10. Additionally, other studies have shown that when Q10 is administered to patients recovering from heart failure 75 percent show marked improvement.

Another important point about Q10 is that it helps the body deal with the causes of atherosclerotic plague buildup in our arteries. Coenzyme Q10 is such a powerful antioxidant that it prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that is thought to be the form of cholesterol implicated in the arterial clogging process that leads to advanced heart disease.
Hypertension

As a major risk factor for heart disease, hypertension must be controlled and should be mentioned separately from other heart conditions. Hypertension affects the lives of millions of Americans and those living in industrial societies. Q10 may be a potent antidote to this plague. CoQ10 in numerous studies has been found to effectively lower high blood pressure. Additionally, in about 85 percent of those tested, CoQ10 was able to end their dependence on anti-hypertension medications. These facts can save the lives of thousands suffering from heart disease each year. Dont overlook Coenzyme Q10 if you have high blood pressure. Consult your physician prior to taking Coenzyme Q10.
Diabetes

Diabetes is at epidemic proportions in the Western world. Each year millions are diagnosed with this chronic, metabolic disease. CoQ10 has a role to play in assisting sufferers in managing this potentially fatal illness. Japanese researchers have found that a dose of CoQ10 as low as 60 mg a day reduces high blood sugar in about six months. This is a critical finding for the treatment of diabetes but also has implications for the treatment of heart disease. Since cardiovascular disease is a major complication of diabetes itself this makes CoQ10 of vital importance in maintaining proper heart health for diabetics. Diabetes very often leads to hardening of the arteries. By helping people maintain healthy sugar levels the likelihood of developing heart disease is lowered.
Cancer

The Life Extension Foundation states that although scientists have not yet determined the exact mechanism by which CoQ10 benefits cancer patients. it is believed that the enzyme may suppress the proliferation of cancer cells and boost immune functions. In other words, CoQ10 does not attack cancer directly but increases the potency of the immune system that has a protective affect against cancer. Danish researchers have specifically found the nutrient effective in the treatment of breast cancer. Although the research is not yet conclusive, it seems apparent that CoQ10 can play an important role in the prevention and treatment of cancer. If you suffer from cancer, discuss the use of Coenzyme Q10 with your physician and oncologist.
Fatigue

CoQ10 has many every day applications. It is one of the best fatigue fighters known. It does this because it helps turn the food we eat into energy. Endurance athletes may especially benefit from looking into this nutrient to bolster their ability to use energy efficiently and to recover from prolonged endurance training. CoQ10, being an antioxidant that acts directly on the mithochondria of the cell, is able to stop the damage to that part of the cell caused by the intense oxidation resulting from exercise.

Bedsides athletes, people who are ill also benefit from taking CoQ10. Dr. Atkins reports on a study by J.H.P Vanfracchi in which two groups were studied for their reaction to Coenzyme Q10 supplementation. The first group was suffering from chronic lung disease and was administered 90 mg of CoQ10 for about eight weeks. The second group was made up of healthy but sedentary young men. Group two was also given 90mgs per day. The results were that the group suffering disease showed a much more dramatic increase in pulmonary capacity. So if you are healthy you will notice less improvement from Co Q10 than if you are suffering from illness.
Periodontal Disease

At this point there are only a few clinical trials that have indicated that Coenzyme Q10 is effective in treating gum disease. More work needs to be done before definitive answers or recommendation can be made. But I can suggest that you experiment with using this enzyme to create stronger and healthier gums. I can only offer a personal anecdote. I suffered with bleeding, swollen and sore gums for years. It was necessary for me to have gum treatments every three months just to keep my gums status quo. I then read an article about the potential of Coenzyme Q10 in dealing with gum disease. I decided to take the plunge. That was two years ago. My gums are now in perfect condition. I now go to the dentist once a year. My hygienist was originally shocked at the improvement. I have heard many anecdotes similar to my own. Im also aware that anecdotes dont make science. In this case, however, I believe that science will soon catch up with what we know from our experience. Try it; see if it works for you.
Supplementing with Coenzyme Q10

Recommendations vary as to the optimal dosage to take of this vital nutrient. The bodys production of CoQ10 peaks around the age of 20. There is a steep decline after this. Another complication for many of us is that with the popularity of high-carbohydrate diets many people are not getting enough Q10. Why? Because the main source of this nutrient comes from organ meats, red meat and nuts, the very foods people avoid. Many experts recommend 60 to 100 mgs a day for the basically healthy and up to 200 mgs for those seeking therapeutic effects for degenerative diseases.

If you are suffering from any disease at present and taking prescribed medication, please consult with your physician or naturopath before taking Q10. Drug interactions can occur.

Since Coenzyme is fat soluble, it is best to take it with fat containing foods.
Summary

Think seriously about adding Coenzyme Q10 supplements to your diet. Since food contains only race amounts, supplementation should seriously be considered. Although it is rather expensive you may find it worthwhile. Q10 has many applications. You can expect improvements in blood pressure, respiration, energy levels, blood sugar levels, lipid peroxidation, heart function and gum health. There is over forty years of scientific research clearly demonstrating that Coenzyme Q10 is safe and effective. Dont turn a blind eye to natures revitalizer.

You can learn more about natural living at http://www.healingaction.com.

Robert M. Oliva, CSW is a certified New York State social worker with over twenty years experience in psychotherapy, stress management and wellness. Bob is an internationally known health writer and is the founder and editor-in-chief of the health site HealingAction.com. Presently, Bob is a doctoral candidate in naturopathy at Clayton College. He lives with his wife Mary and his two sons David and Chris on Long Island, New York. Bob also spends a few hours a week playing with his grandson Jonathan.

How Not To Be Understood

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

By Shawn Lomax

Speaking Spanish has its disadvantages, as well as its dangers. Having a grip on the language, you get too confident. You lose your wariness and your ability to insist through gestures. You tend to think that people understand you, and, worse still, they come to the conclusion that you understand them. And you end up with a mop and bucket, looking like a half-shaved hearthrug. Or at least I did. You see this week my humble adequacy with the language has left me washing the entrance and between floors of my building, and with the worst haircut of my life.

Recently paid, I found myself deep in the conviction that a haircut was to be had before it was too late and the money got spent on other, sweeter things. Having decided, and properly launched into the act, I was frustrated to find the stairs blocked by two wizened neighbors in full flood. Not even seeming to notice, they simply absorbed me into the tide of their complaint.

With pinched suspicion spilling over into suspicious hostility, my elderly distressed housecoat of a downstairs neighbor directed her crumpled stocking complexion at me in a burst of “Were not gypsies, you know. We all have to clean the stairs.” Taken aback several meters, I flailed for an adequate response. Something superior but sharp, along the lines of “Well you can mention it at the next meeting of the Comunidad, which would incidentally be my first, thank you ladies. Goodbye and pleased to meet you,” would have been good. Something subtle in defense of gypsies would have been better. But instead I was an immediately sullen seven year old, angry to be told that he hadnt cleaned his room properly, when he had cleaned it. He had. He had. But really he hadnt, and hated to be told it, so he just jammed his fists in his pockets and sulked his way through the harangue without looking at them.

The fact that the stairway of the building is, strictly speaking, unclean able, doesnt really come into it. The decrepit seediness of the place was one of the things that first attracted me to it, with its banisters a fragile wrought iron memory of better, nineteenth century times, walls bulging south and flaking paint like a shabby but distinguished bachelor whose dandruff is somehow an acceptable part of his condition.

Were this not enough, next door is a building site and the windows of the stairwell lack glass, so keeping the cracked raw meat colored floor tiles clean would be a permanent occupation, as well as a waste of time. But try explaining that to two old marujas who have dedicated their lives to the extinction of the stain, whose human pride consists in the inhuman perfection of an interior living space X meters squared, who not only scrub and polish every imaginable surface daily, but consider it an aberration from the norm and a disgusting slippage into decadence should others fail to follow suit. You think Im exaggerating? Try living here. Cleaning is more than a profession for those without employment; its a passion that suffers no competition, except perhaps complaining. Particularly complaining about how filthy their neighbors are. Particularly me, because Im here and I give signs of understanding them. They cant complain to my landlord because hes never there. And my blond, eight foot, unfortunately male Dutch flat mate would just shrug in that blond good natured Dutch way, effectively explaining that he didnt understand a word. Which left muggins, who understood without being able to retaliate, blushing his way down the stairs, furiously exercising his esprit descalier all the way to the hairdressers.

My state of frustration-enhanced ineptitude may have made me forget the one thing Ive learnt about getting your hair cut: If you dont like the hairstyle of the person proposing to adjust yours, better go somewhere else. In this case it was so obvious as to be laughable in retrospect. And, given the rate my hair grows, that will be in a month or two.

There was a thunderstorm going on at the time, and that might have distracted or excited him. Come to think of it, there was something of the Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein about him, and more of the Igor. His hair rose up in tufts around his head like dust thrown up by the impact of an explosion. His eyes followed me remotely through glasses unfashionable before there were fashions in such things. But he nodded at the end of my explanation so I thought he understood.

Even in English I never feel like Im asking for something normal in a hairdressers. And this sense of insecurity, compounded by the uncertainty of the translation “just give it shape”, and together with what little I know of Spanish grooming tendencies “not classical” , “more modern”, conspired to leave me somewhere between Hitler youth and the chorus from Grease.

I should have known better. I should have left when I could. But I was suffering that strange inertia of the barbers chair, when youve already surrendered to stronger opinions about how you are going to look. Anyway, he had seemed to accept that I didnt want to look very different. And then he took a razor and shaved the hair off the back of my head. Then he did the same to the sides. And, after fussing merrily at the top with a scissors for some minutes, he slapped down the rough edges with gel, smiled, and handed me a clothes brush. And that was it.

Back on the street the rain washed a sticky itchy mixture of gel and hair ends down the back of my neck. Shop windows reflected a derangement of ominous spiky bits. Once home the brutal honesty of the bathroom mirror confirmed that my head was now host to an irregular and inexpert wigwam. All of which made washing dust off the stairs seem like not such a bad idea, or at least a release for an accumulation of frustrations that may have brought me closer to my neighbors without persuading me that its a good place to be. I doubt theyve noticed the stairs have been cleaned, but at least my new look gives them something else to criticize.

Shawn Lomax is a writer of sketch pieces and reviews. He lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.

Eat Your Way To Better Health

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

By Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc.

Making the right dietary choices can have a profound impact on our health and longevity. As a society, we have the largest assortments of foods in the world, both good and bad. However, this availability can tempt us to eat unhealthy foods. Fortunately, overcoming these temptations is easier than you think. A few simple changes in your diet can make the difference between being healthy and unhealthy.

So, you may ask, what kind of diet do researchers recommend for promoting and maintaining good health? According to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR), the smartest strategy to promoting good overall health is to eat a balanced, predominantly plant-based and nutritionally dense diet. Most of your daily calories should come from vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Take advantage of our highly developed food distribution system, which allows a vast array of fruits, vegetables and other plant foods to be available throughout the year. Eat less fat and more fiber. Make plant-based foods the largest part of every meal. Limit the amount of animal-based foods, such as meat and dairy products, which are loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol. Use olive oil or canola oil instead of butter or margarine to reduce your intake of saturated fat and hydrogenated fat (trans fat).

Moderate your consumption of fried, salted and smoked foods. Eat portions to satisfy hunger, not to clean the plate. The AICR recommends these steps to help protect against several cancers, lower the risk of heart disease and promote good health.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) links one-third of all cancer deaths to diet. They state that we can reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases through dietary means. Both the AICR and the NCI believe in the benefits of eating a plant-based diet. They feel it is reasonable for most of us to include products like tofu, soymilk, tempeh and textured soy protein as part of a healthy diet. If nothing else, these foods can be excellent and complete alternative protein sources when decreasing your consumption of meat and dairy products.

However, researchers do not want people to consider plant-based foods as a magic bullet to counteract bad eating habits. They don’t want people to rely on adding just one or two plant-based products to their diets while continuing to eat foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Nor do they advise people to consume large quantities of supplements to try to achieve health benefits. Balance, moderation, and variety are the keys to a healthy diet. Nothing should be excessively consumed. Loading up on any one food or nutrient is never wise. Each food item provides a different chemical composition.

The best way to take advantage of the various beneficial nutrients and compounds, is to adopt good eating habits which include a wide assortment of nutritionally dense foods. Many researchers advise looking at the typical Asian diet and method of cooking for inspiration, which is high in fruits, vegetables, rice, green tea and soy. They mainly derive protein from plant-based sources such as beans, tofu, miso, soymilk, tempeh and other plant-based products. This type of diet is low in meat, fat and dairy products, with a moderate amount of fish.

Meat is mainly used as a condiment than the main course. The quick method of cooking, characteristic of Asian cuisine, also plays an important role in the Asian diet. Steaming and stir-frying reduces the amount of fat needed to prepare foods, and allows foods to retain much of their nutrients. In contrast, the average American or Western diet is high in meat, dairy, starches, sugars, sodas, fast foods and junk foods. Beef, pork, fish and poultry are the main sources of protein. This type of diet is generally low in fiber and high in saturated fats and cholesterol.

Deep-fried foods, such as french fries, potato chips and onion rings, are popular but very unhealthy. It causes foods to absorb a high amount of fat, and the oils used to deep-fry are not always the best. Often vegetables are overcooked, causing them to lose many of their nutrients.

Fast foods and quick eating, characteristic of American dinning, also play a detrimental role to our health. The convenience of ready made and processed foods often provides a diet high in calories but low in nutritional value.

Altering our way of cooking and eating is one of the easiest ways to improve our health and increase our vitality. Making choices based upon nutritional content is the best guide. Choose to eat foods that have bright colors and are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates; moderate in protein, and low in saturated fat, hydrogenated (trans) fat and cholesterol.

Adopting this way of eating will promote good health and offer you protection against heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and kidney disease.

Looking for a great cholesterol-free recipe to start your day off on the right foot? Then try this hearty nutritious and delicious breakfast item. It’s high in fiber, iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, thiamin and niacin, low in saturated fat with a moderate amount of protein.

Potato Tofu Hash

* 5.3 ounces tofu – diced (1/3 of a 16-ounce block firm tofu)
* 3 cups potatoes – diced (3 medium or 4 small potatoes)
* 1 cup onion – diced (1 large onion)
* 1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper

1. Dice tofu into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes. Peel and dice potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil, add diced tofu, turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper. Stir until all cubes are thoroughly coated and get a nice yellow color. Saute tofu until golden brown and firm. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil, add diced potatoes, black ground pepper and 1/ teaspoon salt. Stir to coat all the potato cubes with oil, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and allow to steam for 3-5 minutes. Uncover for a minute before flipping potatoes over, this will prevent any sticking. Then flip potatoes, cover and steam another 3-5 minutes. Uncover and flip potatoes again. Keep flipping until all potatoes are golden brown.
4. When potatoes are golden brown, mix in tofu cubes and push to one side of the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon canola oil and diced onions to empty side of pan. Stir and cook onions until translucent, then mix thoroughly with potatoes and tofu. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with juice and toast.

Makes 2-4 servings

This recipe is from Monique N. Gilbert’s book “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” (Universal Publishers, 2001, pp. 86-87).

References: National Cancer Institute; American Institure of Cancer Research

Copyright (c) Monique N. Gilbert – All Rights Reserved.

About this writer: Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc., is a Health Advocate, Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor, Recipe Developer, Freelance Writer and Author. Visit her site at http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/

Monique N. Gilbert, Soy Food Connoisseur, Recipe Developer and Author of… “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” (Universal Publishers, 2001).

Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc., has received international recognition for helping people get healthier, feel better, look younger and live longer. Through her coaching program and writings, Monique motivates, inspires and teaches how to naturally enhancing your health, happiness, energy and longevity with balanced nutrition, physical activity and tranquil living environments. Monique believes it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about the benefits of healthy eating and a vibrant stress-free lifestyle. For more information, visit her website – http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com

Get Fabulously Fit with Fiber

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

By Monique N. Gilbert

Want to increase your vitality and improve your overall well-being? Then try eating more fiber every day. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), fiber is important for the health of our digestive system as well as for lowering cholesterol.

Dietary fiber is a transparent solid carbohydrate that is the main part of the cell walls of plants. It has two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Insoluble fiber provides the bulk needed for proper functioning of the stomach and intestines.

It promotes healthy intestinal action and prevents constipation by moving bodily waste through the digestive tract faster, so harmful substances don’t have as much contact with the intestinal walls. Both the AHA and the National Cancer Institute recommend that we consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.

Unfortunately, many people are not eating this much fiber. The reason is the conventional animal-based Western diet, which is high in saturated fat and low in fiber. This type of diet is causing serious concerns. Heart disease and stroke have become major health problems in most developed countries, and are rapidly increasing in prevalence in many lesser developed countries.

This is mainly due to the global influence of the typical Western diet. Recently the AHA and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) confirmed that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more people than any other disease. It causes heart attack and angina (chest pain). A blood clot that goes to the heart is considered a heart attack, but if it goes to the brain it is a stroke.

The AHA ranks stoke as the third most fatal disease in America, causing paralysis and brain damage. Eating a high-fiber diet can significantly lower our risk of heart attack, stroke and colon cancer. A 19-year follow-up study reported in the November 2001 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that increasing bean and legume intakes may be an important part of a dietary approach to preventing coronary heart disease. Soybeans and legumes are high in protein and soluble fiber.

Another study reported in the January 2002 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology also suggests that increasing our consumption of fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, can significantly lower the risk of heart disease. Additionally, results from recent studies at the American Institute of Cancer Research indicate high-fiber protein-rich soy-based products, such as textured soy protein and tempeh, help in preventing and treating colon cancer. Soybeans and other legumes are excellent sources of fiber.

An average serving of cooked dry beans contains about 10 grams of fiber. Whole soybeans and foods made from them, such as soy flour, textured soy protein (also known as TVP) and tempeh, are extremely rich in fiber. However, some soy foods, like tofu and soymilk, contain very little fiber due to the way they are processed. Tofu, for example, leaves most of its fiber behind in processing when the milk is squeezed from the soybean.

Reading the Nutrition Facts label to find out the amount of, and the type of, fiber contained in any particular food is always wise.

Examples of Dietary Fiber:

1 cup of cooked dry beans = 9-14 grams of fiber

1 cup of raisin bran cereal = 8 grams of fiber

1/2 cup of soy tempeh = 7 grams of fiber

1/2 cup of soy flour = 6 grams of fiber

1/2 cup of edamame (whole green soybeans) = 5 grams of fiber

6 Brussels sprouts = 5 grams of fiber

1 medium apple = 4 grams of fiber

1 cup of carrot strips = 4 grams of fiber

5 dried plums (prunes) = 3 grams of fiber

1/4 cup of whole wheat flour = 3 grams of fiber

1 cup pineapple juice = 2 grams of fiber

1/2 cup of tofu = 1 gram of fiber

Recipe:

Try this wonderfully delicious heart-healthy high-fiber dip recipe, which can also be used as a sandwich spread.
Hummus (Dairy-Free)

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans or white beans

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1/3 cup soymilk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Place beans, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor. Blend for a full 1-2 minutes, until a paste is formed.
2. Add soymilk and salt. Blend until it’s smooth and creamy.
3. Transfer to a container and refrigerate to chill.
4. Serve as a dip with crackers, pita bread wedges or fresh cut up vegetables; or as a spread with pita bread or tortillas.

Makes 2-2/3 cups (4-6 servings)

This recipe is from Monique N. Gilbert’s book “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” (Universal Publishers, 2001, pp. 86-87).

References: ** “Legume consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in US men and women: NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study.” Bazzano, L. A., He, J., Ogden, L. G., Loria, C., Vupputuri, S., Myers, L., Whelton, P. K., Archives of Internal Medicine 2001 Nov 26;161(21):2573-2578. ** “A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women.” Liu, S., Buring, J. E., Sesso, H. D., Rimm, E. B., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2002 Jan 2;39(1):49-56. ** “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” by Monique N. Gilbert, Universal Publishers, 2001, pp. 11, 18, 24.

Copyright (c) Monique N. Gilbert – All Rights Reserved.

About this writer: Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc., is a Health Advocate, Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor, Recipe Developer, Freelance Writer and Author. Visit her site at http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/

Monique N. Gilbert, Soy Food Connoisseur, Recipe Developer and Author of… “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” (Universal Publishers, 2001).

An American Diary from Mexico – Episode 6

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

The Monarch Milagro
By Cherie Magnus

Dear Ones Back Home,

Well you know me, a real Type A. Hopefully I will eventually learn to take it easy and be on Mexican Time. Thats one of the benefits of living here and one of my goals.

But in the meantime, I like to accomplish things, quickly and easily, just like I always did back home. I love seeing and learning about new things here in Colonial Mexico, and I hate driving, another reason Im here and my car is in L.A.

I hate those big bus tours, doesnt everybody? Yet often an experienced guide and driver allows you to see and do more in less time. What got my attention last February was the sidewalk sign under the colonial arcade next to the Jardin: BUTTERFLIES. Curiosity made me climb the stairs to Tours Mexico Colonial, where Jaime, the handsome young Mexican owner of the company, was sitting behind his desk. Hola, Jaime! Whats with the sign about butterflies? Its freezing and the middle of winter.

Si, si, thats why we have the Monarch Butterfly Tour, to see them in their winter home before their migration back north. We can only visit them from November to March.

I had heard about the Monarchs resting in a particular tree the same time every year in Monterrey, California, but I hadnt ever seen them. OK, sign me up, I said. No matter where, I always loved Jaimes tours so personal, professional, informative and fun.

Because it was a three hour drive to the 10,400 foot high alpine forest where the butterflies hibernate in the state of Michoacan, Jaime came by to pick me up at 7 Sunday morning. It was bucketing rain, a gigantic storm, and even at that early hour, the fireplace was burning high and I had almost set my slippers ablaze while sipping my coffee.

When I hear the toot of Jaimes horn, I grab all the winter clothes I had brought with me (darn, left my parka in L.A.) and a mug of coffee for Jaime, and jump into the car. And so we zoom off in the deluge to the local trailer park to pick up a couple from Canada who had also reserved the butterfly tour. But when we get there, they come out in the pouring rain and say, Are you crazy?

And so we postpone the trip. A few days later the morning dawns cold but bright, and so the four of us set off for the state of Michoacan. As we climb high in the Sierra Cinqua mountains, we pass through the old silver mining town of Angangeo, hung copiously with festive flags of laundry, since today is the first dry day in a long time.

No one really knows exactly why the Monarchs come to this part of the world every year to hibernate, but some people think that the butterflies are drawn to Sierra Cinqua because of genetics, and others believe they come drawn by a kind of magnetism due to the minerals still in the earth there even after centuries of mining.

Finally we arrive at the El Rosario Sanctuary, owned and operated by indigenous groups with the mandate to protect and preserve. The biggest problem facing the conservation of the winter home of the Monarchs here in Mexico is the prevention of clandestine logging and deforestation.

Jaime pays to park in what I suppose is a parking lot, but today it is just our one car in a field of mud. As soon as we get out of the car and look around, just like in the old western movies, a posse of horses and riders crests the hill. Not needing to circle the wagons, these horses (and their owners) are for rent in case we dont feel up to the long trek to the Monarchs sanctuary way up in the pines.

But instead, we set off on foot with our guide, Marie Elena Mondragon Chavez, a tiny indigenous woman of 68, who leads us up the hill, through the piney woods, and over the snow for hours. A guide is necessary because the butterflies refuge changes according to the sun and winds, and it takes a specialist to find them. The insects have their favorite trees and foods (milkweed) and are carried from area to area in the forests by warm thermals.

Marie Elena Mondragon

Long before we see a glint of their orange wings, we hear them, hundreds of millions of them. What appear to be acres of trees in brilliant autumn foliage is instead the multitudes of butterflies roosting so thickly as to entirely hide the trees. Because it is warm and sunny at that moment, they are beginning to move and fly and fill the air, thousands mating as they are mysteriously drawn here to do every year.

But millions are dead in the snow at our feet, creating a sad frozen carpet of orange and black. Sundays storm three days ago had caused such extreme weather conditions of snow and cold and tree limbs breaking that havoc had been wrecked, only at that moment I dont know that. I only see the butterflies everywhere, surrounding me below and above me and filling the sky, and the world is a magical orange and black of movement.

Guides are there to insure that visitors dont damage either the insects or any part of their haven. But our silence and awe and the quiet sound of millions and millions of wings beating turns the forest into a church, a holy mystic place of wonder, with tiny living fragments of stained glass which know something that we dont. Here was something no one really understands, a mystery taking place each year for millennia that even scientists cant figure out.

In another couple of months, the Monarchs will begin their annual 3,000 mile return flight north to their summer homes in Canada and the United States.

But for now they hang like clusters of Spanish moss from the fir trees high up in the mountains of Mexico, and then, when warmed by the sun, mate in the snow. The males die, the females live to lay the eggs in the milkweed that sustains the Monarchs, and the caterpillars hatch to begin the cycle again with the flight north.

The ancient peoples of Mexico believed, and many still do, that each Monarch butterfly is the soul of a dead child, and the butterfly is also a common Christian symbol for the Resurrection. Theres no doubt that their yearly 6,000 mile roundtrip migration to the same forests in highest Mexico are a mysteryand a milagro.

And the vaceros with the horses miraculously appear through the trees just as we, drained and weary, begin our descent. Jaime hikes down on foot with Maria Elena, but the Canadians and I mount our horses and set off through the snow, surrounded and serenaded by beating wings.

About this author: With degrees in English, Dance, and Library Science from UCLA, Cherie has published many articles in professional journals and magazines. Her solo travels to Europe and Latin America have inspired several pieces published in Skirt!, PassionFruit, Moxie, JourneyWoman, Dancing USA, GoNomad, Open Spaces, Porthole, The Cusco Weekly, the-vu, and various online magazines. She was the dance critic for the Cerritos News in Orange County, California before moving to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She is currently at work on a novel situated in France, when she’s not out dancing. Follow her blog at http://tangocherie.blogspot.com/

Check Your Panties At The Door

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

Assistant Vice Principal conducts ‘panty check’ of girls at local high school prom (Opinion)
By Betty Pine

May 2002

An assistant vice principal of Rancho Bernardo High School located in Southern California, conducted a ‘panty check’ on some of the girls the night of the their prom at the high school. A panty check?

Seems she wanted to make sure none of them were wearing thong underwear, or no underwear at all. So, she exposed them by having them lift their dresses up over their heads in front of the throng of onlookers, which of course included many of the young male teens attending.

Let’s see if I understand this; the assistant vice principal exposed the young ladies to make sure with her own eyes they were not going to expose themselves later sans underwear, by doing what exactly? Did she think ( I’m pretty sure she wasn’t doing much ‘thinking’ at the time ) cartwheels on the dance floor? Hand stands?

What gets me is the girls that were asked seemed to have complied with the request. Humiliation, and embarrassment aside, they were probably in shock that they would be asked to do such a senseless act that they were like sheep, just following orders. Who wants to get all dressed up, play princess for the night of their prom and then just go home before getting in the door because some loony woman wants to see under their dress?

This whole thing has so many things wrong with it, I’m afraid I might miss a few. Let’s go through the list:

1. An adult is asking teens to expose themselves to her.

2. This adult is conducting this ‘panty check’ in public view.

3. This adult is in a position of power over the teens, by being their assistant vice principal.

4. This adult upon discovering anyone wearing thong underwear sends them home. I’m sure if anyone was bare naked underneath they too were sent packing. I haven’t heard of any of the girls being without underwear. I wonder if pantyhose with no underwear was ok with the adult?

5. That the girls that were asked to lift their dresses complied. There is something just not right about that. I would have hoped if not all the girls asked, at least one girl would have said, ” Are you nuts? I don’t think so!”, when the adult came to her turn. Then she would have walked right past the loony woman and gone in to the prom. I wonder if she would have been arrested for not exposing herself to the adult? Maybe her parents would have been called to pick her up. That would have been a good thing. Yeah, a dad getting called by a loony woman saying “pick up your daughter, because she wouldn’t comply with a public ‘panty check’, would have been just what was needed in the mix.

6. There were boys at the prom, some of them getting an eyeful of the ‘panty check’. Where was prince charming? Buried under a few hundred milligrams of testosterone, and thinking “They do ‘panty checks’ at the prom? If I’d known that, I’d have gone to all the proms since being a Freshman!” These girls needed rescuing. It’s said that besides the boys and girls, teachers, and other miscellaneous persons attending the prom, (many of those getting a birds-eye view of the proceedings) that there were police there also. Really? Did they know what was going on? I guess they had gone to public high school at one time too, and just thought…”comply with the assistant vice principal, she’s in charge.”

What’s happening now with this loony woman? She is on paid administrative leave after outraged parents, and their teen daughters filed complaints to the school board. There will be an investigation into the allegations. They say that if she did do this, that she overstepped the appropriate boundaries of her position. Ya think? The parents want her fired, or to resign.

In my opinion the parents should file a complaint against the loony woman with the police. Take their complaints outside of the school system. And get a lawyer, if no one else came to these girls rescue, we all know a lawyer will. I love a good rescue.

Betty Pine is publisher of Whimsical Review, an online magazine showcasing some of the best writers, and web sites on the Internet. http://www.whimsicalreview.com

Vichy Carrots

Posted on July 1, 2002 by admin

By Raymond J G Wells

Vegetables such as carrots form a critically important part of our diet and numerous attractive and appetising dishes utilizing carrots can be made. Carrot and Coriander soup is one such offering, another is Carrots in Lemon Cream Sauce and one of my great favorites, Vichy Carrots.

Carrots were once regarded in Europe as being as exotic as avocados and artichokes but they have not been used medicinally except in Vichy. In the Spa they were featured on the menu of many of the hotels and restaurants on a daily basis as an element in the cure of overloaded digestive systems.

I find that Vichy Carrots (also called carrots a la Vichy) are extremely easy to prepare and constitute an appealing and appetising way to serve this root vegetable. To be fully authentic you should use Vichy water but realistically if that is not available, add bicarbonate of soda to tap water. Most decidedly my culinary offerings are by no means particularly outstanding but two dishes I prepare do seem to get the critical acclaim of my wife, viz, Chicken Kiev and Vichy Carrots. She, believe you me, is a hard taskmaster and rarely gives out praise for my efforts in the kitchen. Anyway here is my recipe for this dish:

Vichy Carrots

Ingredients

1 lb carrots thinly sliced

2 oz butter

3 tbsps water

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of bicarbonate of soda (added to the water)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Finely minced Fresh Parsley

Method

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and boil steadily until the carrots are cooked and tender and the liquid has been reduced to a small amount of shiny glaze. Serve the Vichy Carrots garnished with the minced parsley.

The end result is an attractive, colorful, vegetable dish which even has the added bonus of aiding your digestion.

Bon Appetite!

Writer: Raymond Wells is a British born economist and writer currently living and working in Malaysia. He has writing credits in print magazines such as Frequent Traveller, Home & Country,Townswoman and International Living and in on line publications such as Mad Dogs Breakfast, the-vu, Zinos.com, Word Archive.com and Scribe and Quill.

the-vu

An Original Internet Magazine – Online Every Day Since July 1st ,2000, at the-vu.com

Monthly Archives: July 2002

Coenzyme Q10: Natures Revitalizer

How Not To Be Understood

Eat Your Way To Better Health

Get Fabulously Fit with Fiber

An American Diary from Mexico – Episode 6

Check Your Panties At The Door

Vichy Carrots