The US Food and Drug Administration announced their will be a ban on trans-fats by 2016 because they are consider unsafe and cause fatal heart attacks. Doctors say trans-fats are the worst type of fat you can eat. Trans-fat raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (good or healthy) cholesterol. When a high LDL cholesterol is combined with a low HDL, your risk of heart disease increases and is the leading killer of men and women, according to the Mayo Clinic. What is a trans fat? Some meat and dairy products contain small amounts of naturally occurring trans fat. But most trans fat is formed through an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature. This partially hydrogenated oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Some restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (PHOs) in their deep fryers, because it doesn't have to be changed as often as do other oils. A 2016 ban would save lives by preventing fatal heart attacks, according to the FDA. Food suppliers have been required to show trans-fats information on food labels since 2006 but health experts say Americans still consume too much. "The FDA's action on this major source of artificial trans-fat demonstrates the agency's commitment to the heart health of all Americans," said FDA's Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff. "This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year." Trans-fats facts
Since the FDA started labeling trans-fats, the agency estimates that consumption of them decreased by 78% in the US. The UK has been calling for a ban on trans-fats for several years. In Denmark, almost all trans-fats have been banned since 2003. The Mayo Clinic defines trans-fat in your food as follows: · Baked goods. Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat. · Snacks. Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavor the popcorn. · Fried food. Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process. · Refrigerator dough. Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts. · Creamer and margarine. Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. The list of foods to be affected by the ban is significant, but home cooking and baking is going to be affected as the use of PHOs in baking has been used in many recipes, particularly those requiring the use of shortening. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of recipe books include the use of PHOs. Home cooks will need to begin making adjustments in recipes to replace shortening. Resources http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33154168 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114
4 Comments
For those who follow politics, you probably remember when former presidential candidate John Edwards spoke in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention. He expressed passionately the economic disparity in the United States as being “two Americas.” Clinton’s speech had a similar tone at Roosevelt Island, as she energized the crowd. And her presence definitely electrified the supporters present and those who viewed the speech on television. There was another rally the next day not publicized as much, but no less eager to support the former First Lady, with only a cardboard figure of Hillary Clinton flanked by volunteer legions epitomizing the heart and soul of political campaigning: grassroots. One group of grassroots folk are super organizers, as they proudly call themselves, are not affiliated formally with the Clinton campaign. “They're the "HRC Super Volunteers" -- a group of near obsessive Hillary Clinton supporters who travel, on their own dime, to volunteer at the Democratic presidential candidate's campaign events,” according to a report by ABC News. Super volunteers knock on doors, canvas, make phone calls, and conduct online rapid response and the myriad of other activities that grassroots organizers do best. They pay all their own expenses and are as exuberant and committed as those enjoying formal recognition; however, the Clinton campaign related they were unaware of the group attending the rally. One of the life-long Hillary Clinton supporters noted the “Super Volunteers” are the most energized and excited supporters saying, “We are here to fight for Hillary, and we are here to not only have her win the Iowa Caucus, but also New Hampshire and the first four primaries and get to 270 [electoral votes], so we can have the first woman president. One of the organizers told of personal experience. “I had a personal problem the first time I met her. And she saw I was pretty emotional about it. And she grabbed my hand and said I was standing strong. And my response was ‘I am standing strong next to the next President of the United States.’ She smiled and winked at me and said she was going to give me a hug. I told her ‘no.’ But it was wonderful,” they said. Winning elections depends on winning local victories, and the website “Local Victory” clearly outlines the systematic process for local, state and national elections. In the election of 2014, the Republican victories were monumental, and theories cited by some in the media accredited the use of grassroots organizers at all levels as one of the most valuable and effective. Successful grassroots organizations are easy to spot: they have a lot of members / volunteers, get on the news, and create a recognizable brand. These organizations use a specific formula for success as follows: 1. Plan for Success Successful grassroots organizations have a well thought out, and well-written plan. Many people think groups like this simply sprout up organically, without much forethought, but nothing could be further from the truth. Most uber-groups started with a written plan. 2. Have a Hierarchy Grassroots groups without a hierarchy usually devolve into anarchy. Again, this may seem counterintuitive for a grassroots organization, but the group will need a leadership structure with defined responsibilities if it is going to succeed at a very high level. 3. Build a Brand The most successful grassroots organizations out there are recognizable by their brand (including their logo, their message, and their spokespeople). This is true for campaign-run grassroots operations as well (just think about the Obama campaign’s grassroots army in 2008 or the Bush/RNC 72-hour Election Day corps in 2004). Your group needs a consistent look and feel for its marketing materials, one or more well-versed press spokespeople, a logo, and a defined and consistent message (just like a standard political campaign). For more information on building a political brand, read Political Slogans and How to Craft Your Campaign’s Message. 4. Use Every Tool Well-run grassroots organization use every tool at their disposal to get their message out: press releases, press conferences, a political website, volunteer activity, direct mail, door to door, rallies, etc. Write a plan that uses lots of different grassroots techniques to make your voice heard. 5. Ask for Members One of the biggest reasons why small grassroots organizations stay that way is because they become insular “cliques,” where members are jealous of their role in the club and don’t really want outsiders coming in to ruin their good time. Your group will never get big enough to have clout using this mentality. One of the primary functions of your organization should be to grow… and that means going out and actually asking for new members… all the time, everywhere you go. Grassroots organizations are a great tool in the arsenal of successful issue advocates, political campaigns, party organizations, and more… use these five secrets to help you build a strong and sustainable grassroots organization. Super volunteers for Hillary Clinton are a great example of setting goals, capturing the imagination of the electorate, and making their presence known. One of the most outstanding characteristics of this kind of organizing is the absence of negative ads as a strategy. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate so far to say he will not resort to negative campaign ads. If all of the candidates could make a similar pledge, voters can focus on the issues rather than trying to sort out the fact from the fiction. Resources http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/hillary-clinton-delivers-presidential-campaign-speech-article-1.2257264 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-hillary-clintons-super-volunteers-campaign/story?id=31765497 http://www.localvictory.com/grassroots/grassroots-organizations.html The 21st century has its own form of “alchemy” in 3-D printing, which also includes improving quality of life and prolonging life. This miraculous device is capable of making everything from artificial human hearts to a pair of pliers--all out of plastic. But now the science is going farther to include using metals exploding the field into endless possibilities. Alchemy was the medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy claiming to achieve the transmutation of base metals into gold, discover a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life. The alchemist was sought after as the magician whose powers were mysterious and alluring. The 21st century has its own form of “alchemy” in 3-D printing, which also includes improving quality of life and prolonging life. This miraculous device is capable of making everything from artificial human hearts to a pair of pliers--all out of plastic. But now the science is going farther to include using metals exploding the field into endless possibilities. 3D print structures can be constructed of copper and gold according to new research. The process involves stacking microscopically small metal droplets. These droplets are made by melting a thin metal film using a pulsed laser. The field is advancing and occasionally referred to as the “new cornerstone of the manufacturing industry,” according to Science Daily. If metals could be used for 3D printing , this would broaden the range of applications. Metals conduct electricity and heat efficiently and are very robust. Therefore, 3D printing in metals opens the field to manufacturing of entirely new devices and components, such as small cooling elements or connections between stacked chips in smart phones, as a few examples. Reported in 3Dprint.com, one area of research outlined progress in ‘Toward 3D Printing of Pure Metals by Laser-Induced Forward Transfer,’ and published in Advanced Materials, an entirely new approach to printing with metals. The new process, which relies on a technique called Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT), requires no metal powders and functions like nothing seen before. The Laser-Induced Forward Transfer process utilizes a high powder pulse laser and a metal film suspended from a clear substrate. The laser pulse is then focused onto the film, which liquefies upon being struck by the laser. When the heat of the laser makes contact with the metal film, the metal rapidly heats up and a phase change occurs. This phase change provides the propulsion necessary to rapidly propel the liquefied metal towards a receiving substrate or build a platform, they noted. 3D Printing at the international space station 3D Printing in a Zero-G Technology experiment demonstrates that a 3D printer works normally in space. In general, a 3D printer extrudes streams of heated plastic, metal or other material, building layer on top of layer to create 3 dimensional objects. Testing a 3D printer using relatively low-temperature plastic feedstock on the International Space Station is the first step towards establishing an on-demand machine shop in space, a critical enabling component for deep-space crewed missions and in-space manufacturing, according to the NASA website. Watch the YouTube video about the 3D printer here that is going to be the first ever used in space. 3D printing in the future of manufacturing The technology has developed to the point of rethinking industry. The next industrial revolution will be opening up manufacturing to the whole world – where everyone can participate in the process. Industrial democratization will be similar to the journey computers had – from a few, big, centralized mainframes to the versatility of a smart phone, reported by the Christian Science Monitor Desktop 3D printing manufacturing technology can be done at home, the office, a hospital or a school, bringing manufacturing to non-manufacturers the way PCs brought computing to non-traditional environments. I shopped around to investigate availability and how much a 3D printer costs. The internet is awash with resources to buy them in almost every price range imaginable. Best Buy, a large warehouse-style company in the US, had them for as much as $6,499.99 for the MakerBot Replicator to $977.99 for the Flashforge-Creator. Amazon.co.uk had a desk top 3D printer for 329.00 and a Flashforge Creator for 825.00—both prices are British pounds, not US. Soon 3D printers will be standard home computing equipment—waiting for the next generation of inventions. Buying a standard computer printer 15 years ago positioned the home user among the avant garde, but now one must own a 3D printer to at least compete in the changing technological world which seems to be advancing faster than my yearly birthdays. Resources Science Daily CSC
In a heartbreaking report seemingly out of the 19th century, the death of an Indian woman is described: Halappanavar, a 31-year-old Indian dentist who was 17 weeks pregnant, went to Galway University Hospital in 2012 with severe back pain. That same day, she and her husband were informed that she was miscarrying. But because a fetal heartbeat was still present, she was denied an abortion. Savita’s pain and condition got worse over the course of days, and still, her request for an abortion was denied. She died of septic shock, in pain and in a hospital that was fully equipped and able to save her life. Women are forced to travel to Britain to obtain a legal abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy governed by certain conditions. It is estimated that 5,000 Irish women travel abroad to access legal and safe abortion services. According to the website Irish Family Planning Association, women have the right to request information about abortion services in other countries from an Irish health care provider or crisis pregnancy counselor. Free pregnancy counseling and post abortion counseling, as well as post-abortion medical checks are government funded in Ireland, but not the actual procedure. Mara Clarke of the Abortion Support Network wrote in Reproductive and Sexual Heath and Justice in 2014 about the realities of the lack of legal abortion services in Ireland. The numbers show that the abortion rate in Ireland fell slightly in 2013, to 15.9 per 1,000 women, which was the lowest rate in 16 years. An analysis of the report was done by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service. The statistics, however, do not tell the entire story. It does not include the women who went to England and gave the address of a local friend or family member, the women who travel to other countries to access abortions, or the hundreds, if not thousands, of women who obtain early medical abortion pills online from Women on Web. “These numbers also do not capture the women who cannot travel—women who need but can’t get passports or visas to travel, women who can’t escape from violent partners, women who don’t have anyone who can watch their children while they travel, and women who do not have the £400 to £2,000 ($675 to $3,350) it costs to travel to England and pay privately for an abortion. If these women cannot access Women on Web, they are forced to choose between continuing the pregnancy anyway, or attempting to self-abort in much more dangerous ways,” Clarke reported. It is worth noting that abortion is free and provided by the National Health Service (NHS) in England, Scotland and Wales. She further emphasized the dividing line between rich and poor women. Women who are faced with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy in Ireland do not have equal access. Women with money have options, and women without money have babies—or, in some cases, do dangerous and desperate things. But the divisions go beyond economic access to punitive political diffusiveness. Northern Ireland denied abortion services Northern Ireland residents are taxpaying citizens of the United Kingdom, but women in Northern Ireland are treated unfairly by their government and by the NHS. The 1967 Abortion Act was passed in the UK, but it was not extended to Northern Ireland. Women there have three options: have a baby, try to abort it yourself, or raise the £400-£2,000 cost to travel and pay privately for an abortion in England. Discrepancies in reporting Two reporting agencies cite conflicting statistics. The Department of Health in Ireland reports a decline in women traveling out of the country for an abortion, but the Abortion Support Network (ASN) reports an increase. The network is a grassroots charity that provides financial assistance, practical information on how to organize the least expensive abortion, and accommodation in volunteer homes for women traveling from Ireland to England. They have experienced a steep increase in calls from women in Ireland and Northern Ireland. For example in 2013, “ASN was contacted by 446 women and couples seeking support in order to access a safe and legal abortion; this is up from 363 in 2012 and 253 in 2011. We have heard from more than 250 in the first six months of 2014. Every day, ASN receives calls, texts, and emails from women and couples in Ireland and Northern Ireland,” they said. In addition to making the difficult and arduous decision on whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, women must also find the money to pay for the procedure, which can range from £330 to £1,350 ($550 to $2,250) depending on the stage of pregnancy, in addition to a mandatory consultation fee, a bus to the airport, plane tickets, a passport, child care, and other costs. It can be daunting to any women, let alone a woman living paycheck to paycheck or on limited income. Maintaining the right to choose and have control of her body is a woman’s basic right and should not be denied. Women’s rights groups are fighting for women’s social justice. Ireland’s Abortion Rights Campaign and Northern Ireland’s Alliance for Choice are fighting for law reform, while groups like Speaking of I.M.E.L.D.A (Ireland Making England the Legal Destination for Abortion) and Dublin Nights for Choice take less traditional approaches to raising public awareness and helping women access abortions. No matter what kind of approach is taken, the time is now to lift the ban on abortion for women in Ireland. Resources https://www.ifpa.ie/Pregnancy-Counselling/Abortion-Irish-Law http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2014/06/13/irelands-abortion-laws-continue-harm-women/
The most ostentatious and infamous building project was the Pyramid of Giza in Egypt built as a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu. New information about the pyramids reveals thousands of crafts people as well as their families were housed as Egyptians were put to work and paid for the 20-year duration. European emperors, however, gave the pharaohs a run for their money in terms of ostentatious shows of wealth. One of the most notorious, or forward thinking depending on one’s point of view, was Catherine the Great of Russia. Among her many architectural projects including the City of St. Petersburg, was the Prussian built Amber Room as a symbol of artistic achievement—or was it a pretentious affectation of wealth and Russian preeminence by preserving great art? Catherine the Great Yekaterina Alexeyevna or Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning for 34 years from 1762 until her death in 1796. Accounts of her reign are replete with rumor, gossip and stories—many true, but many false—of her life as wife of Peter the Great and later her solitary rule that included a collection of lovers to whom she was loyal and generous—even when they parted. But for the purposes of this discussion, the focus is on her achievements as Empress of Russia and a woman of the Enlightenment. She delighted in correspondence with the French philosopher Voltaire. She was a patron of the arts; the world famous Hermitage Museum opened during her reign, which initially contained her personal art collection. Successful as well as a military ruler, her forces conquered much of the territory we know as Russia today. Her singular failure was keeping the system of serfdom, which would ultimately end in a revolt. Under her influence, Russian aristocracy adopted western European philosophies and culture emerging as a global power, which Jay Winik chronicled in “The Great Upheaval.” World-altering 18th century events were occurring simultaneously in America, France and especially in Catherine the Great’s Russia, Winik writes. Poland was an absolute monarch first and less of an enlightened state. Catherine defined the era under the influence of philosophers like Montesquieu and Voltaire who called her reign “benevolent despotism.” When revolution in Poland threatened, she suppressed it mercilessly. As a result Poland was obliterated by its neighbors, as Russia, Austria and Prussia apportioned the country among themselves. Russia’s greatest female ruler won territory, but not the heart of mother Russia. She was a patron of science, the arts and trade, all of which flourished. New buildings not only contained great art, but also were establishments for education and research. The Russian Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Fine Arts and the first Public Library (now the Russian National Library) were constructed and the large Gostiny Dvor trading complex was opened on Nevsky Prospekt. All of her accomplishments were geared to present Russian culture, governance and cities as modern and enlightened. Even though Catherine enjoyed a luxurious, and by some definitions, a decadent court life, she is credited with bringing Russia out of the shadows of other European countries as a major power and is considered one of Europe’s most progressive, enlightened monarchs. The Empress’ power and reach seemed to be limitless, but like so many dictators, she had a fatal flaw. Catherine either underestimated or turned a blind eye to what was happening to Russian citizens. At the end of the 16th century, serfs or indebted peasants were prohibited from leaving their land, and set the country on a path to eventual revolution. Rich landowners were given a free reign to treat their workers as they wished, and Catherine ignored the needs of citizens, as she focused or foreign policy and rebuilding select Russian infrastructure. Peasants had little choice but to carry on in their employ, or leave and suffer a potentially worse fate. The long history of the amber room For centuries, the Amber Room was a symbol of Tsarist prestige and even survived the Bolshevik revolution. Nazis looted the Russian treasure during World War II called “the Eighth Wonder of the World.” In the final months of the WWII, the amber panels, which had been packed away in crates, disappeared. A replica was completed in 2003, but the contents of the original have been lost for decades until recent murmurs of a new discovery. Construction of the Amber Room first took place around 1701 in Prussia by King Fredrick William I to be given to Tsar Peter the Great long before Catherine—then called Sofia—would be married off to Peter the Great in 1745 at the age of 14. The room was designed by sculptor Andreas Schlüter and Danish amber craftsman Gottfried Wolfram. Schlüter and Wolfram worked on the room until 1707, when work was continued by amber masters Gottfried Turau and Ernst Schacht from Danzig. The amber cabinet was given to the Russian Tsar 1716. In Russia, the room was later expanded and after several renovations, it covered more than 590 sq ft and contained over 6 tons of amber for the tsar’s young wife. What can we learn from the Amber Room and the WPA? Unlike Catherine the Greats greatest mistake, Franklin D. Roosevelt surveyed the United States through the prism of the country’s worker—or the ravages of the Great Depression as millions of unemployed workers needed executive action to escape poverty. To his credit Roosevelt saw degradation and turned it into opportunity to focus on the best Americans could offer in addition to building dams, bridges and roads. Music, building theaters, theater actors, playwrights, writers, and artists were included in the WPA leaving a legacy of incomparable treasures created by the people of the era. The Amber Room, like all international monuments and architectural sites, are coveted as the remains of past civilizations--even as excessive as the room of amber appears. Indeed, the Amber Room is a conspicuous show of wealth, but it is also a reminder of what happens when leaders focus on serving themselves through the acquisition and maintenance of symbols, rather than the tribulations of people. Imperial Russia in all its greatness fell because it failed to listen to its people. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” The United States is at a similar intersection in time. Will leaders recognize the road “less traveled” by confronting income inequality and a disappearing Middle Class and follow the lead of Roosevelt? Or choose focusing on preeminence internationally as the country weakens internally from the “undergrowth”? Resources http://www.livescience.com/42006-catherine-the-great.html http://www.saint-petersburg.com/history/grandcity.asp http://jaywinik.com/index.php/about/q_a_with_jay/ http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken.” 1920
“I would consider assisted suicide only if I were in great pain or felt I had nothing more to contribute but was just a burden to those around me,” they said in the report. Assisted suicide is illegal in Britain, but there are four countries in Europe that allow the procedure. Legalized euthanasia or assisted suicide, or both are available in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and Switzerland. Euthanasia is when a doctor intentionally ends the life of a patient and assisted suicide is where the doctor prescribes lethal drugs for the patient to take under their own steam. While it is a criminal offence in the UK to assist someone in taking their own life, in 2010 under the guidance of the Department of Public Prosecutions it is unlikely that friends and family would be prosecuted. There are indications that assisted suicide might become legal at some time in the future. The shadow justice secretary, Lord Falconer, plans to reintroduce a private member’s bill on the issue, which provides assistance for patients who have formed a “clear and settled intention” to end their life. It is highly unlikely to become law, however, without some kind of government support, which could take years. The arguments for and against the controversial procedure are basically the same in most countries internationally. Ethical and legal considerations in the United States In the Journal of Public Health at George Washington University the changing policies in how institutions view assisted suicide are discussed. The report concluded with many questions still unanswered, which speaks to the fact that many are not willing to accept physician assisted suicide or in general the idea of taking one’s own life. In summary the report left some questions. Should physicians join with patients and aid them in dying through active means? Is it reasonable to ask physicians to become purveyors of death? Do patients who cannot perform the act itself—like Stephen Hawking—have a legal right to voluntary active euthanasia? Do health services organizations have a role to aid in dying? Will the courts eventually define the right to die as a privacy issue? If this happens, health services will have to address assisted suicide from the perspective of its ethical implications and obeying the law. While there are proposals in a few countries to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia, the ethical and legal considerations are numerous involving societal/cultural acceptances and a redefined delivery of care by physicians and health service organizations. The full interview will be broadcast as part of one-off programme, Dara O’Briain meets Stephen Hawking, on BBC1 on 16 June. Resources http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/03/stephen-hawking-i-would-consider-assisted-suicide?CMP=ema_565 http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/Euthanasia_And_Assisted_Suicide_In_Europe/51684/p1/ https://www.healthlawyers.org/Publications/Journal/Documents/Vol%2040%20Issue%201/Physician-Assisted%20Suicide-%20Legal%20and%20Ethical%20Considerations.pdf
Women in the 21st Century are on the cusp of breaking new barriers in sports and fitness again, and one of the most stunning is conquering the stereotypes associated with age, which they are discovering in advanced age. Two women are outstanding examples of what is possible as they inspire a generation of both women and men. Marathon runner 92 year-old Harriette Thompson and 78 year-old Ernestine Shepherd professional body builder were introduced to their sport as older women.
Thompson’s new marathon record breaks one set by Gladys Burrill, who ran the Honolulu Marathon at 92 years and 19 days old. Thompson is nearly three months her senior. Ernestine Shepherd Ms. Shepherd did not start working out until she was 56 years of age after not being comfortable wearing a bathing suit in a slightly pudgy middle-age body. Today her diet consists of six meals per day and a rigorous workout/exercise routine. Shepherd begins her day at 2:30 AM, runs 10 miles, works out at the gym for over an hour, teaches a number of fitness classes and then conducts personal training sessions. Building muscles takes a long time, and she started out slowly that included simple aerobics classes in her routine. Once she began to see the effects of lifting weights, she decided to be the oldest fitness competitor. Like Thompson, she also began running marathons to increase fitness. Shepherd is adamant that eating smart is the best way, and she has several small meals a day as part of a diet plan she formulated with her trainers. She consumes 1,700 calories a day, mostly comprised of boiled egg whites, chicken, vegetables and a liquid egg white drink. Additionally, she does not use performance-enhancing drugs or even supplements beyond vitamin D. Her diet might not be for everyone, but her focus on healthy foods is a lesson in discipline, consistency and restraint. Follow a day in the life of Ms. Shepherd here on a YouTube video. She is amazing. Senior women redefining age Women hear the phrase “age-appropriate” many times during discussions of clothes, behaviors and hair styles. Likewise in past years, visualizing a woman in her 90s running a marathon or body building with the best at a local gym at 78 would have been unseemly, not age appropriate and even discouraged as outside acceptable decorum for a woman. Not any longer. Women are challenging stereotypes and ageism. It’s time to retire the entrenched social dimensions associated with age. Traits that characterized all old people as sedentary, gray haired, hard of hearing, balding with poor eyesight don’t have to apply. If we can learn anything from Thompson and Shepherd it’s that one is never too old to choose fitness and a healthy lifestyle—even, like for Thompson, when life throws you a curve like cancer. Resources http://time.com/3902968/marathon-oldest-woman-harriette-thompson-cancer/ http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/woman-92-becomes-oldest-marathon-finisher http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womeninsportstimeline.html http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthyLiving/ernestine-shepherd-find-grandma-flab-fab/story?id=11149879 |
Dava Castillo
is retired and lives in Clearlake, California. She has three grown
children and one grandson and a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services
Administration from St. Mary’s College in Moraga California. On the
home front Dava enjoys time with her family, reading, gardening, cooking
and sewing. Archives
November 2015
|