Wednesday, April 22 is Earth Day. This year’s theme is Our Power, Our Planet with an emphasis on the daily actions that support our planet, an orb that floats in the darkness of space.

The Earth Day Revolution

On December 7, 1972 Apollo 17 astronauts on their way to the moon captured an image of earth that became the symbol Earth Day. Now called the Blue Marble, the iconic photo taken 28,000 miles away from planet Earth depicts a fragile planet surrounded by the darkness of space.

Two years before, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force environmental issues into public discourse. The Blue Marble demonstrated what was at stake. There is only one planet Earth.

“My primary objective,” Nelson remembered, “was to show the political leadership of the nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement.” [EPA Journal]

On that first Earth Day, 20 million Americans, demonstrated against the impact of 150 years of industrial development. Those demonstrations were a response to environmental factors that could no longer be ignored.

In 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring to raise awareness of the link between pollution and public health. Specifically, Carson stressed the hazards posed by pesticides, particularly DDT, which could kill hundreds of different species – insects, birds, and mammals, including humans. 

Scientists developed DDT in 1939. Its first major application was to clear South Pacific islands of insects that could cause malaria. It was also used as delousing powder. In 1945, the war was over, and DDT was available for civilian use.

Carson’s book described how DDT entered the food chain, how it remained toxic in the environment, how it harmed animals and the world food supply. Silent Spring became an unlikely bestseller. As a child, I remember watching crop-duster biplanes fly over agricultural fields next to the highway. In middle school, I read Silent Spring and wondered about the air I breathed that day.

Years later, as if to stress the environment’s fragile balance, two major events captivated public attention.

On January 28, 1969, Union Oil’s Platform A near the Santa Barbara coast had a blow-out. Within 10 days 80-100,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the Santa Barbara Channel and onto the beaches of Santa Barbara County. At the time, it was the largest oil spill inAmerican history. Approximately 3500 sea birds as well as dolphins, elephant seals and sea lions were killed. Public response resulted in numerous pieces of environmental legislation.

That summer the surface of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire at a time when the public was watching. The Cuyahoga River was the site of various industries. The economy was booming though the river was polluted, and its surface was usually covered in oil slicks.

On June 26 an oil slick on the river caught fire and burned for half an hour. The fires were so common, no one thought much about it until Time magazine and National Geographic both published articles. The Cuyahoga River became a symbol of industrial pollution.

Earth Day & Environmental Legislation

The publicity surrounding these incidents and public outrage led to legislation to protect the environment, continuing public interest in the issue, and that first Earth Day in 1970. 

In 1969 Congress passed a National Environmental Policy Act requiring all federal agencies planning projects that would impact the environment to submit Environmental Impact Statements.

By 1980 Congress had passed the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Resource Conservation & Recovery Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and established the Environmental Protection Agency. Congress also banned the use of DDT and leaded gasoline.

In 1990 President Clinton awarded Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his leadership in founding Earth Day.

Environmental research and a better understanding of climate change and its effects led to the Paris Climate Agreement signed by 196 nations in 2016. The signatory nations pledge to reduce the rise of the global surface temperature. The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2020, returned to it in 2021, and withdrew a second time in 2026.

Fifty-four years after Apollo 17 astronauts shared the photo that became known as the Blue Marble, an astronaut on Artemis II took this photograph of earth appearing behind the moon. In 1972 the Blue Marble inspired people to see our earth as a fragile planet surrounded by the darkness of space. If we don’t stand together fighting for the environment of our vulnerable earth, this photo may come to represent mankind’s greed as darkness covers our planet.

Care for our environment is everyone’s responsibility. Our Power, Our Planet.

Illustrations & A Few Sources

The Blue Marble taken Dec 7, 1972 by an Apollo 17 astronaut; First Edition Cover of Silent Spring; Crop Duster Bi-Plane over Imperial Valley Farms, 1972; Union Oil Platform A; The Manitowoc Sailing up the Cuyahoga River, 2025; Environmental Protection Agency poster: Environment + Economy = A Win-Win, 2014; Photo by Artemis II astronaut of Earth from the dark side of the Moon. The Story of Silent Spring. NRDC. Aug. 13, 2015. Lorraine Boissoneault. The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times. Smithsonian Magazine. June 19, 2019. Gaylord Nelson. “Earth Day ’70: What it Meant.” EPA Journal.

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The post Earth Day: A Revolution for the Environment first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

As I write this, I am sitting on green grass I don’t have to mow, gazing at gently swaying palm trees, and listening to the sound of surf & chirping birds at a location less than 50 miles from home. In short, I’m having a a stay-cation experience. As it happens, my staycation is at a resort with generous summer rates. But staycations often happen at home. The point is to take a relaxing break in the daily routines and tasks of life. It can happen in your back garden, if you can refrain from picking up weeds. Unless, of course, picking up weeds is an activity you enjoy.

People who work more than 55 hours per week, regardless of where the worksite is located have a 35 per cent higher risk of stroke and 17 per cent higher risk of heart attack than those who work 35-40 hours per week.

According to the Center for Economic & Policy Management, America is a “No Vacation Nation.” Quinn Phillips also notes that one in four American workers have no paid vacation. Of those that do, in 2018 the average American earned 23.9 days of paid time off, but only took 17.4 of those days. The total value of those unused days gifted employers with $65.5 billion. The problem is that the American dedication to work, whether from commitment or necessity, is destroying our health.

In actual fact, our brains cannot maintain focus for more than 90 minutes before the mind begins to wander. We need to take breaks for a short walk to get our blood flowing or gaze out the window to rest our eyes. Short breaks can be done during the day. Evenings and weekends provide opportunities for longer activities — a walk in nature, a swim, watching your kids play soccer without thinking of the grocery run after the game. These seemingly passive activities relieve stress.

The luxury of an actual vacation/staycation gives us a chance to declutter our minds and reset our sleep patterns. Watching the ocean while our mind wanders boosts our immune system. Paying attention to our bodies, whether through physical activities or an overdue spa visit or both, enhances our well-being.

Time spent relaxing, no matter how short, whether in solitude or with friends & family is an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and others. And when I return to my regular programming, the tasks I left behind will still be there if I choose to complete them.

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Sandra’s Books: Sea Tigers & Merchants. Ambition, Arrogance & Pride. Saxon Heroines. Two Coins. Rama’s Labyrinth.

Illustrations & A Few Sources

Palm Trees by Author; Woman Suffering Occupational Burnout by CIPHR Connect; Woman with Work Related Stress by CIPHR Connect; Walking in Woods by Ross; Swimming at Beach, Public Domain; Yogis in Warrior Pose by Dave Rosenbaum. Quinn Phillips. “Why Time Off Is So Good For Your Health.” Everyday Health. Oct. 4, 2023. Rebecca Zucker. “How Taking a Vacation Improves Your Well-Being.” Harvard Business Review. July 18, 2023.

The post STAYCATION, VACATION & WALKING IN THE WOODS first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Recently I found myself practicing breathing exercises while my dentist injected numbing medication into my gums. Somehow I had managed to acquire a cavity at the back edge of an existing crown. The crown had to be removed, the cavity treated, and a new crown acquired. And, of course, the afflicted tooth was a the very back of my mouth. Ouch!

Attempting to distract myself, I thought about the characters in my Salem Stories series. Eighteenth century America did not have medication to numb gums, or the ability to save a tooth by creating a crown. So what, I wondered, did Americans do in the 1790s? Was it a case of strong liquor, pliers, and missing teeth?

A few days after completing my treatment, my calendar informed me that February 22 was George Washington’s birthday. Washington is famous for many things, among them his false teeth which were not, in fact, made of wood. Gilbert Stuart’s 1796 portrait of Washington on the one dollar bill portrays a man who, in my opinion, clearly did not enjoy moving his mouth. Washington’s stature as commander of the American revolutionary army and the first president of the new United States has made his dental struggles a matter of surprising interest. Washington’s dentures were not unique, but they were well-documented.

The “Gentility” of Straight White Teeth

During the 1720s a group of French practitioners created a profession of dentistry, elevating treatment from simply pulling teeth to one that treated diseases of the teeth and gums, and also created false teeth. As the century progressed, dentists established themselves in North America. False teeth were too expensive for most people, but for George Washington and others of his status, false teeth were important to preserve their social standing.

Among genteel social circles, the ideal was clean well-arranged white teeth the color of ivory surrounded by pink gums. Tooth loss was considered an indication of immorality. Tooth decay leading to tooth loss was associated with a lack of personal discipline. The afflicted individual might have lost his teeth due to gluttony, poor dental hygiene, excessive smoking or use of chewing tobacco, or even a case of syphilis. The latter was treated with mercury which caused teeth to decay.

Tooth loss also made eating and speaking difficult, problems false teeth did not solve. Though George Washington wore his dentures through meals and for the toasts following the meals, many sets of false teeth were designed to be removed while eating — discreetly, of course. In President Washington’s case, by the time he became president, he only had one remaining tooth in his head.

Washington’s Dentures

As a young man, Washington suffered from illnesses, including small pox and malaria. Both could be treated with various forms of mercury which could cause excessive salivation, gum inflammation, and loosening teeth.

At the age of 24, Washington recorded that he had paid 5 shillings to a Doctor Watson who removed one of his teeth. Washington kept several of his pulled teeth for use in his dentures. On at least one occasion, according to Washington’s accounts, he purchased teeth from his slaves. At a time when a Dr. Le Mayeur advertised good front teeth for two guineas each, Washington paid one or more slaves 122 shillings for a total of nine teeth.

When Washington became president in 1789, Dr. John Greenwood, a New York dentist, created state of the art dentures for the new national leader. The “teeth” were carved out of hippopotamus ivory and used gold wire springs and brass screws that held human teeth. Hippopotamus ivory teeth were heavier than other dental substitutes and required braces on the upper portion to compensate for the weight. They were also expensive.

In 1795 Washington paid Greenwood $60 for a pair of dentures. [$1468.65 in today’s dollars]. In comparison, he paid $25 dollars for a pair of silver-plated candlesticks [$611 today].

Washington’s first set of dentures used hippopotamus ivory on the base and upper row with eight human teeth on the bottom. The teeth were fastened with gold pivots and secured in the mouth with springs. Hippopotamus ivory is hard and doesn’t yellow with age which makes it a good substitute for teeth, however, the hardness of the teeth makes it very uncomfortable.

In addition to hippopotamus ivory, dentures could also be made elephant ivory, cow and horse teeth, lead tin alloy, copper alloy, silver alloy, and human teeth. Ivory dentures stained easily and needed sealing with wax and chalk. 

As it happens, ivory and bone have thin hairline cracks. Washington had a particular fondness for Madeira wine, a dark red liquid. Over time, the wine darkened the teeth; the cracks became darker than the rest of the teeth replacements, and the fine lines made the teeth look wood. Thus, a myth was born.

False teeth were better than no teeth, but they caused pain and facial disfigurement. Washington complained that even Greenwood’s expertly crafted dentures were uncomfortable and made his lips bulge out. They also made speaking difficult which may be why Washington was not a man who indulged in small talk.

There’s nothing like researching 18th century dentistry to make me appreciate the dental care I’ve received over the years. I’m not ecstatic about going to the dentist, but (technically) I do have my own teeth. ?

If you’re interested in how dentures were made, this video illustrates the process. Clearly, there wasn’t much done to insure a good fit.

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Illustrations & A Few Sources

George Washington Lithograph; George Washington by John Trumbull, 1780; George Washington by Gilbert Stuart Williamson; Dentist John Greenwood. Larry E. Davis. “Unregulated potions still cause mercury poisoning.” Western Journal of Medicine. 2000 Jul. 173(1):19; Jennifer Van Horn. “George Washington’s Dentures.” Early American Studies. Vol. 14, No. 1. Winter 2016 2-47. Colin Schultz. “George Washington Didn’t Have Wooden Teeth.” Smithsonian Magazine. Nov. 7, 2014. False Teeth. Mount Vernon Library. The Trouble With Teeth. Mount Vernon Library.

Sandra’s Books: Ambition, Arrogance & Pride. Saxon Heroines. Two Coins. Rama’s Labyrinth.

The post George Washington’s Teeth first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

It may seem a bit late to write about New Year Resolutions, unless I resolved to write about them last week, but failed to do so, so now I’m starting my resolution again. Or perhaps my resolution was not to start writing my blog again until the middle of January, in which case I’m right on target. That’s the thing about resolutions. Only the “Resolver” really knows what’s going on.

As the Harlequin Joker on the left muses,

Each resolution that I make

My conscience sorely troubles

Because I find they always break

As easy as soap bubbles.

Common Resolutions

A recent article in Forbes indicated that 62 percent of American adults feel pressured to make a New Year resolution. A resolution made under pressure isn’t apt to last very long, because the Resolver isn’t really interested in achieving the stated goal.

The most common resolutions are about what you might expect:

Are Resolutions Doable?

The goals above are worthy goals – but whose goals are they? Let’s take the well-known example of fitness. During the first two weeks of January, gym attendance increases about 4 per cent. And then returns to the usual rate of participation. The drop-off has two effects. Regular patrons are happy because they don’t have to stand in line for their fitness machines behind the newbies . The gym owners are happy because they get to keep the membership fees whether the new member participates or not.

Exercise, by the way, does not have to happen in a class or at a gym. Walking, for example, can be done anytime and almost anywhere. But I digress from the topic of resolutions. See how that works? Many resolutions fail because once regular routines return, sincere people are distracted, over-scheduled, or just plain tired. In fact, 80 percent of all New Year Resolutions fail by the end of January.

Quitters’ Day

As the illustration on the left notes, Your New Year’s Resolution: Resolve to renew all your old resolves and add a few that are new. Resolve to keep them as long as you can. What more can a poor man do?

Quitters’ Day occurs the second Friday in January. This year that day fell on January 12, which you will note is several days ago. So it seems that not only am I late to the topic of resolutions, I’m also late in quitting them.

Not so. Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day is January 17^th which is tomorrow. Whew! I made a deadline.

The point is If you change your mind about resolutions, it’s okay to let them go.

Rewards & Penalties

Resolutions are culturally tricky. We often make them to meet some requirement outside ourselves which makes success less likely. Then if we slip, we act as if we have failed at something important.

For example if on January 1, I resolve to eat kale because I know it is good for me, even though I hate the texture and the taste,

Then, each day I manage to swallow kale, my brain applauds and releases the endorphins dopamine & serotonin. I still don’t like kale, but at least I get a reward. And for the first week, I fulfill my resolution.

However, if on January 8, I can’t choke down another bite of the wretched vegetable, I give up. I don’t get any endorphins, but I do get a lot of cortisol, the stress hormone. I also feel like a failure, a person who can’t do something as simple as drowning the kale in ranch dressing and swallowing it. Obviously I don’t care about my health. Well, you can see where this sort of self-talk will go.

But then it’s Quitters’ Day. [I must have a lot of company if there’s a day devoted to quitting New Year Resolutions.] My slate is clear again. I can set a new goal. And this time, I’m going to be SMART.

Setting SMART Goals

According to the SMART system of setting goals, also known as making resolutions, a successful goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Based

How does my failed goal measure up?

The goal to eat kale was Specific. It was Measurable. It was Not Attainable, because I don’t like kale. It was Relevant in a generalized way. It wasn’t Time Based, because there was no end date.

How can I make a better goal for the same general purpose? Let’s change the goal to “I am going to increase the amount of fresh vegetables in my diet over the next six months from one to four servings daily and keep a photographic record of my intake, because I think a plant-based diet is healthier.”

Is my new goal SMARTer?

The goal is Specific and Measurable. It is Attainable, because I like most vegetables. It is Relevant to increasing my vegetable servings, and it is Time Based because this goal is set for six months. Also, the use of the word goal rather than resolution makes the entire process less dramatic. Let the endorphins roll.

Bottom Line Considerations

Resolutions & Goals are NOT Required.

If you choose to set goals, set them for yourself, not because the goal is something you should do.

Make SMART goals, not random aspirations.

Wishing you a Happy New Year of Good Health & Joy!

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Illustrations & A Few Sources

New Year Postcard, 1909; FRIYAY Roux Fitness, Jefferson LA 2022 by Colin Van Dervort; Diet Picture; Stressball by Andreas Schikora; Piggy Bank by free pick.com; Young Man on Treadmill by Nina Stojikovic; New Year Resolution Postcard, 1915; Advertisement for Comedy: Are You a Failure?; SMART Goals by Dungdm93. Kat Boogaard. How To Write Smart Goals. Atlassian. Dec. 26, 2021. Sarah Davis. “New Years Resolutions Statistics 2024.” Forbes. Dec 18 2023. “What Happens in Your Brain When you Fail?” Heartmanity’s Blog. 

Sandra’s Books: Ambition, Arrogance & Pride. Saxon Heroines. Two Coins. Rama’s Labyrinth.

The post Successful Resolutions Require SMART Goals first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

In Jane Austin’s Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet decides to visit her sister who fell ill while calling on the Bingleys. When Elizabeth’s father reluctantly offers her the use of a horse, Elizabeth declines.“I do not wish to avoid the walk,” she says. “The distance is nothing when one has a motive: only three miles. I shall be back by dinner.” 

Let’s take a moment to unpack Elizabeth’s declaration. The distance from her house to the Bingleys is “only” three miles. That’s a six mile roundtrip, and no one says the distance is too far to walk. One sister mentions that she prefers not to exert herself so much, while two others join Elizabeth for part of the journey, before turning their own steps towards town.

Long walks in all kinds of weather, expected or sudden, are a frequent activity in Austin novels. Walks to neighbors; walks to town; walks across meadows or down to lakes for a picnic. Walking was the only way to get out of the house, whether for social interactions or solitary contemplation. Walking in public spaces was also one way couples became acquainted away from matchmakers.

But walking in Regency England was only appropriate if one didn’t need to do it. One walked the moors or strolled on the promenade in Bath through choice rather than necessity. 

The “Running Craze”

In 1960, Americans didn’t think a normal person would walk, jog, or run unless the individual was trying out for the college track team. But change was in the wind. Bill Bowerman, a running coach at the University of Oregon went to New Zealand and met with a jogging coach. Bowerman was so impressed he co-wrote a book, Jogging, to prove jogging led to better health.

Slowly the new exercise caught on, but solitary individuals jogging around a neighborhood were viewed with suspicion. In 1968, police issued a ticket to a runner in Hartford, Conn. for the “illegal use of a highway by a pedestrian.” Soon no one noticed fitness disciples running and jogging their way through life.

In 1977, Jim Fixx published The Complete Book of Running, and not long after, running was “in.” Fixx generously indicated joggers could call themselves runners. But he didn’t discuss walking. The activity was running, not walking, leaving the impression that walkers lacked … something. Walkers often outpaced joggers, but how could something people did every day be a form of exercise?

Walkers kept walking anyway

As runners wore out their joints, walkers kept walking. They walked for miles on all terrains, and researchers finally started to pay them some attention. 

There is a significant difference between walking and running. In running, both feet are off the ground at the same time. The runner pushes up and then lands. Thud.  In walking, only one foot at a time leaves contact with the ground. 

How we walk

We don’t normally think about the mechanics of walking, but in case you ever wondered … in the forward motion, the leg leaving the ground swings forward from the hip, before striking the ground with the heel and rolling forward through the toe.

It turns out walking is a stellar form of exercise. Other than a good pair of shoes, walkers don’t need any special equipment for their daily activity.

Walking at a brisk pace is a low impact exercise that is weight bearing for better bone health, contributes to weight loss, lowers blood pressure and stress levels, and improves cardiovascular health. It’s also a good chance to get outside and take a break.

While playing Elinor in the movie Sense & Sensibility, Emma Thompson observed that standing like an Austin heroine was a strenuous activity that required keeping the pelvis firmly beneath the rib cage. The same could be said for walking like an Austin heroine.*

There is, of course, a healthful way of walking that we might not be aware of, one that doesn’t include looking at our phones. We all have our walking idiosyncrasies, but Margaret Martin’s approach may give you some new ideas.

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*Quoted in “Incandescently Healthy.” Willow & Thatch.

Illustrations

Morning Walking Dress, 1810

A Garden Stroll by George Goodwin Kilburne

2010 USA Track & Field Championships by Phil Roeder

Man Walking Icon

Stance & swing phase of a gait cycle. By Rlawson9

People Walking in Caleta de las Monjas by Ian D Keating

Phil Edwards. “When Running for Exercise was for Weirdos.” Vox. Aug. 9, 2015.

Oliver Jones. “Walking & Gaits.” Teach Me Anatomy. Nov. 13, 2020.

James Roland. “How to Walk Properly with Good Posture.” Healthline. Jan. 16, 2020.

The post Walking: A Beneficial Activity first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Summer is here —Time to

SLIP-SLOP-SLAP-WRAP

SLIP on a shirt before you slide into the shade; SLOP on sunscreen; SLAP on a hat; and WRAP Sunglasses around your eyes. 

Eye protection is important, not just to reduce glare and shade your view, but to prevent photokeratitis, or sunburn on your eyes from exposure to Ultraviolet rays from the sun. The American Optometric Association recommends wearing sunglasses that block UV rays and blue light.

Sunglasses, as we know them today, developed during the 20^th century. In 1913, while working on a lens to protect glass workers from cataracts, William Crookes, a chemist and physicist, developed a lens that could block 100 percent of ultraviolet rays and 90 percent of infrared rays by using lightly tinted glass containing cerium.

During the 1920s movie stars began wearing sunglasses on and off the set, to provide relief from harsh lights on the set and photographers’ flashbulbs. The association gave sunglasses a glamorous touch, but didn’t overcome the general view that people wearing any kind of glasses had something wrong with their eyes.

Sam Foster introduced mass market sunglasses in 1929, but sunglasses weren’t his original product. In 1919, Foster and his partner William Grant established a company to produce women’s hair accessories by using a technology for plastic molding. The same technology could be used for plastic glasses frames.

Foster’s partnership with Grant dissolved, but Foster didn’t have enough money to change the company name.

In 1929 Sam Foster began mass-producing sunglasses made of celluloid. He found a ready market for his Foster Grants in a Woolworth store on the boardwalk of Atlantic City N.J. It was the first time anyone could purchase glasses over-the-counter. Retail price for the new product was ten cents. Foster also sold sunglasses and hair accessories in other stores, promising store managers that if the glasses didn’t sell, he would take them back.

In 1938 Life Magazine pronounced sunglasses a “new fad for wear on city streets” and “a favorite affectation of thousands of women.” The previous year, 20 million pairs of sunglasses were sold, but only about 25 percent of Americans needed them to protect their eyes. Since the danger from UV rays was almost unknown, most sunglasses didn’t have UV protection.

In 1937 the U. S. Army partnered with Bausch & Lomb to develop anti-glare sunglasses designed for pilots. The result was the Ray-Ban Aviator premiering in 1939. The styling became popular with the general public, especially after Ray-Bans became part of General MacArthur’s signature look, along with his corncob pipe.

Ray Ban introduced the Wayfarer for the general public in 1952. It was and continues to be a popular style.

Polarized sunglasses first became available in 1936, when Edwin H. Land began making inexpensive lenses with his patented Polaroid filter to filter out glare and increase visibility.

Sunglasses became increasingly popular as fashion accessories. In 1961 actress Audrey Hepburn wore sunglasses in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The very popular Who’s Behind Those Foster Grant’s? ad campaign launched in 1965. The campaign featured popular celebrities, among them Peter Sellers, Raquel Welch, Claudia Cardinale, and Robert Goulet. Sunglasses, especially Foster Grants, became a required fashion accessory. But they didn’t always have UV protection.

The primary reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes from UVB and UVA rays. Naturally, style is also important. The best lenses completely cover the eye area, including the sides. Wraparound sunglasses are the best way to protect the entire eye area while still looking good. By the way, UV protection can either be a coating on the surface of the lens which will wear off over time, or have the film embedded within the lens itself. Embedded protection won’t wear off over time.

Sunglasses Fun

In 1965 Skeeter Davis released Sunglasses, written by John Loudemilk. In 1984 Tracy Ullman released a new version for her album You Caught Me Out. For a little ’80s nostalgia, check it out.

Illustrations

Sunglass emoji from Streamline Emoji Project by Vincenzo Le Moign.

Cariacture of William Crookes, 1902.

Tortoise Shell Hair Comb by Auckland Museum.

Boardwalk in Atlantic City postcard.

Tom Cruise in Ray Ban Sunglasses by Eva Rinaldi.

Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Oakley Wraparound Sunglasses.

Kyle Osbrink. “9 Surprising Moments in the History of Sunglasses.” Science Museum. May 29, 2018.

Keeping Your Eyes Healthy. MedExpress. July 8, 2019.

“Choosing Eyeglass Lenses: Is UV Coating Important?” Vision by Design.

The post Don’t Forget Your Sunglasses first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

I’m doing research for my next novel set in Anglo-Saxon England. One of my nuggets of discovery is the historical importance of honey, and its many uses as an antibacterial agent. Anglo-Saxons didn’t know anything about bacteria, but they did observe honey’s beneficial effects in wound care.

Early humans discovered honey as nothing short of a miracle. It’s intensely sweet and doesn’t spoil. Honey’s sweetness comes from fructose and glucose. Archeologists have found traces of honey on artifacts thousands of years old — which is a significant testimony for honey’s shelf-life.

About 4,000 BCE Egyptians began keeping bees in cylinders of unbaked hardened mud pots that could be stacked in rows, and used smoke to calm the bees before harvesting their honey. Egyptians used honey as a sweetener, and an ingredient in embalming fluid. They baked honey cakes as offerings to their gods. Honey was even used as currency. In Lower Egypt, the bee was one of the symbols for Pharaoh.

The Greeks kept their hives in terra cotta pots, dubbed honey as ‘nectar from the gods,’ and made their own honey cake offerings. The bee is a symbol for the goddess Artemis, and Eros (more commonly known as Cupid) who dipped his arrows in honey before shooting their love potents into unsuspecting couples.

Romans introduced beekeeping throughout their empire which may be how honey came to England. The word ‘honey’ derives from the Old English hunig. The most famous Anglo-Saxon use of honey is the brewing of mead, a drink composed primarily of honey and water with some yeast thrown in for fermentation. The libation was famously consumed in Mead Halls, such as the one visited by Beowulf.

At that time, there were three types of mead. The most common mixture used empty honey combs which were steeped in water, strained, and set aside in earthen vessels until the mixture transformed into mead. The longer the mixture was left, the more potent the drink.

The wealthier classes drank a type of mead called morat. This was made from actual honey, water, and mulberry juice for flavoring. A third type called pigment was made from pure honey, flavored with spices to which wine was added. This was possibly the type served to Beowulf.

[Mead as a home brew is presently enjoying great popularity. The process is significantly more sanitary and precise than during the medieval age.]

Medicinally, Anglo-Saxons used honey to make salves, mix into soothing drinks, and cleanse wounds. It was also a mild laxative. The Anglo-Saxons had no way of knowing honey’s qualities as an antibacterial and anti-fungal remedy, or that it naturally contains hydrogen peroxide. They only knew the results when they applied mixtures containing honey.

One remedy for stomach disorders stipulated: Dig up a beet and shake off the dirt. Do not wash it. Boil in a kettle until it is cooked and thick. Add a little salt, 5 spoonfuls of honey, and 1 spoonful of oil. Have the patient drink a bowl of the mixture.

The recipe gives me a new appreciation for Mary Poppins’ advice that a spoonful of sugar [or in this case, honey] makes the medicine go down.

In 12th century Europe, the average person consumed four and a half pounds of honey annually. Beeswax was also in high demand for the production of candles. Beeswax has a cleaner burn than candles made from animal fat, and drops little or no ash.

And did you know the origin of the term honeymoon is actually a reference to honey itself. During the Middle Ages, newlyweds drank honey wine for a full cycle of the moon to insure a fruitful union. The bride’s father supplied the wine. No doubt, after a month of drinking honey wine with her new husband, the bride found herself pregnant.

After granulated white sugar became available, honey lost its premier position. By the early twentieth century, honey consumption dropped to just a half pound per person annually.

Honey may not be the curative it once was, or the only source of sweetness in what was once a bland diet, but raw honey is still a good source of anti-oxidants, soothing on a sore throat, and very tasty on bread. And, as long as the lid is tightly sealed, it can be left in the cupboard indefinitely.

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Illustrations:

Bee on Flower by Author.

Honeycomb by Merdal at Turkish Wikipedia.

Mesolithic rock painting of honey hunter. Public Domain.

Egyptians Gathering Honey, Tomb of Rekhmire. Public Domain.

Cupid in a Tarot trump card design. Public Domain.

Sickbed of Louis le Gros. Public Domain.

Honey on Biscuits. Public Domain.

Peggy Trowbridge Filippone. “Fun Facts You Probably Don’t Know About the History of Honey. The Spruce Eats. Jan. 28, 2018.

Rena Goldman. “Top 6 Raw Honey Benefits.” Healthline

Katherine Martinko. “The Remarkable History and Healing Power of Honey.” Treehugger. Nov. 18, 2016.

Joseph Nordqvist.”Everything You Need to Know About Honey.” Medical News Today. Feb. 14, 2018.

The post Honey – Nectar of the Gods first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

We now know that over 200 viruses are able to cause a cold, with the most common one being the rhinovirus, first identified in 1956 by the Common Cold Unit that operated in Salisbury UK from 1946-1986. And we know a cold will run its course in one or two weeks, with or without medication to alleviate symptoms.

But it wasn’t until the 16th century the disease even had a name, when it became known as a cold because it people “caught” cold more frequently in the colder months of the year.

Here is a short history of various remedies desperate people have used to cure colds. Some alleviate symptoms; others not so much. But remember there is no cure.

In the Ancient World . . .

The Egyptian Ebers Papyrus written about 1550 BCE advised sufferers to recite an incantation, and ingest the milk of someone who had given birth to a son. Fragrant gum was also recommended.

An ancient Chinese remedy is the use of ma huang, an herb  brewed as a tea. Ma huang contains pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in modern over-the-counter cold medications.

Hippocrates thought colds were caused by a build up of waste matter in the brain. Presumably because of the liquids patients expelled through the nose, eyes, and mouth.

Pliny the Elder recommended a wolf’s liver administered with mulled wine to cure a cough. If that failed, he prescribed eating frog’s legs or drinking horse saliva for three days. He also mentioned honey to sooth the throat.

About the year 60, a Roman surgeon suggested chicken soup as a remedy for cold sufferers. The soup is still used to alleviate symptoms and is scientifically proven to have a good affect, because chicken has cysteine, an amino acid with decongestant properties.

Moving on to the Dark Ages . . .

People in medieval times thought the body had four humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. And since people suffering from colds ejected mucous, it only made sense to remove as much liquid as possible from the body so the humors could be restored to their natural balance. Bloodletting, often through the use of leeches, and induced vomiting were considered helpful.

Many people also thought that if someone sneezed, his or her soul could leave the body, and told patients to cover their mouths to save their souls. The fact that the action helped reduced the spread of the disease was an unknown benefit.

Modern Times at Last . . .

In the Early Modern Period, from about 1500 or so, people thought getting wet could cause a cold. Likewise, getting a chill or being outside in cold weather. People with colds were discouraged from bathing – not that people did much of that anyway. But there was a concern that bathing would soften the skin and weaken the body further. Suggested treatment for a cough was a paste using celery or parsley seeds mixed with honey, anise, pepper and a little wine to be applied to the chest every morning and evening.

Ever heard the saying “Feed a Cold; Starve a Fever”? That suggestion dates to the 1500s when people thought fasting could remedy a fever, but eating would warm the body and help it overcome a cold.

In the 18th century, William Buchan explained that catching a cold was due to obstructed perspiration, and that the secret to remaining well was to avoid extremes in temperature. If afflicted, Buchan advised rest, fluids, and light foods. He also admonished that “Many attempt to cure a cold by getting drunk. But this, to say no worse of it, is a very hazardous and fool-hardy experiment.”

There were other suggested cures. Emily Jane Sneyd advised a mixture of sweet almond oil and a syrup of violets, and a topical stomach application of plaster of candle wax, saffron, and nutmeg.

As the 18th century drew to a close, patent medicines became available for purchase. Sir John Hill introduced Pectoral Balsam of Honey for coughs, colds, asthmas, and consumptions. Besides honey, the mixture contained opium. Dr. Agnew’s Catarrh Powder, also for coughs, was 5.32% cocaine. The good doctor assured customers that “a single trial will delight you.”

I’m not sure if it’s the sugar, the cherry flavor, or what, but these children seem delighted to take more of Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral to Cure Colds, Coughs, and All Diseases of the Throat and Lungs.

Victorian Suggestions . . .

Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Home Management (1861) included a chapter on “Invalid Cookery.” Mrs. Beeton swore by her hot toddy which would cure a cold in 2-3 days. [And if it didn’t, I’m sure the patient was happy anyway.] The Recipe directed the cook to put a large teacup full of linseeds, a quarter pound of raisins and a two ounce stick of licorice into two quarts of water simmered over a low fire, until the liquid reduced to one quart. At bedtime the patient should be given half a pint to which sugar, rum and lemon juice were added, presumably to improve the taste.

For chest colds, Mrs. Beeton recommended a flannel dipped in boiling water, sprinkled with turpentine to be laid on the patient’s chest as soon as possible. Yikes!

Other curatives and preventatives were still in use in the 20th century . . .

To avoid a cold, do one or more of the following:
Put sliced onions in your socks or shoes.
Wear nutmeg around your neck.

To treat a cold:
Eat a raw onion, or put a slice of onion in a glass of milk.
Rub camphorated oil on your chest to encourage coughing.
Rub your chest with fresh, warm goose grease. Place brown paper or flannel on top of it.
For a sore throat, wear unwashed lamb’s hair that’s been dunked in brandy around your neck.

I prefer the advice from the Mayo Clinic which recommends, as needed

• Water, juice, clear broth, chicken soup, tea or warm lemon water with honey to stay hydrated
• Rest
• A salt water gargle, or ice chips, or throat lozenges for a sore throat
• Over the counter cold and cough medications

And be patient, no matter what you do, it takes one or two weeks to get over a cold.

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Illustrations:

By a Sickbed by Michael Peter Ancher. Public Domain.

Egyptian Papyrus. Public Domain.

The Four Humors by Tom Lemmens. Public Domain

The Drunk by Charles de Groux. Public Domain.

Children Reaching for more Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral. Public Domain.

Streamline Emoji Project.

Cold Remedies. Mayo Clinic.

Hilarious Cures for the Common Cold. CBC Kids.

7 Old-Fashioned Remedies for the Common Cold. Mental Floss. Mar. 13, 2017.

Katherine Allen. “Curing Coughs and the Common Cold in the Eighteenth Century.” The Recipes Project. Nov. 19, 2013.

Nicola Davidson. “Why Can’t We Cure the Common Cold.” The Guardian. Oct. 6, 2017.

Jon Kelly. “Common Cold: The Centuries Old Battle.” BBC News Magazine. Oct. 4, 2011.

Carolyn Rance. “Sick Tricks: 10 Victorian Ways to Cure a Cold. Whizzpast. Oct. 30, 2014.

JR Thorpe. “9 Old Fashioned Cold Cures.” Bustle. Oct. 1, 2018.

The post SELDOM EFFECTIVE COLD REMEDIES THROUGH THE AGES first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Since ancient times women and men have altered their physical appearance to become more attractive to themselves and others. “How ancient?” you ask. Cleopatra used a lip color that got its reddish tint from ground carmine beetles. Before you wrinkle your nose in disgust, consider that modern lipstick formulas contain cochineal or carmine.

Cochineal are scale insects and the source of a natural dye called carmine. Producers harvest female cochineal in Peru and the Canary Islands on plantations of prickly pear cacti. The insects are then sun-dried, crushed, and processed so the resulting carmine can be used in various dyes, including those in lipstick. Because some people are allergic to carmine or cochineal extract, its presence must be listed as an ingredient. This is also handy if you don’t want to put crushed bugs on your lips.

Ancient Egyptians also used kohl, a mixture of metal, lead, copper, ash, and burnt almonds. This was applied around the eye to ward off the Evil Eye. It also had the then unknown benefit of killing bacteria. The lead could cause death, if an individual didn’t expire from other causes first.

In the Middle Ages, color for lips and eyes was out. Painting faces, necks, and chests with ceruse was in. Ceruse was a mixture of lead and vinegar, so it had several side effects. It could cause hair to fall out, which might explain Elizabeth I’s high forehead. Lead could also cause muscle paralysis. And death, if another malady didn’t occur first.

In the Nineteenth Century, Queen Victoria denounced cosmetics for the face as vulgar. But this didn’t stop women’s efforts to enhance their complexions. Pale was the fashionable non-color. Women wore hats and gloves, and used parasols to keep the sun off their skin. This may have protected them from skin cancer, but the habit of using arsenic to lighten the skin was far more dangerous. A package for Arsencial Lotion declared the product to be ”safe and absolutely harmless.” Arsenic wafers could be eaten for a more immediate result.

Large eyes were an asset. Eye shadows with mercury and lead ingredients were used to enhance the eye area and many women used eyedrops made from deadly nightshade to dilate their pupils. The practice often resulted in blindness.

Nail care changed in the 1920s when Henry Ford discovered benefit of using of black lacquer on his Model T cars. Black lacquer dried more quickly than other colors. Competitors developed fast drying lacquer in a variety of colors, and cosmetic companies applied the same principle to nail polish. The primary ingredient was nitrocellulose, a substance also used in smokeless gunpowder and false teeth.

What Cosmetics did Women Use in the 1920s? Here’s a sampling.

The cosmetics used in the video are fairly innocuous. Note the use of carmine tint, still in use today.

If you compare ancient or Victorian beauty treatments with current practice, you may feel a bit smug. You may think luxury cosmetics, and even the ones at the local drug store or supermarket don’t use lead or mercury. But are you sure? How would you know?

The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act passed in 1938. It’s been amended over the years, but still doesn’t regulate the cosmetics industry. Anyone can make a batch of homemade moisturizer and sell the product on line. No paperwork or testing required. The same is true for cosmetic companies. With certain exceptions, they don’t have to list their ingredients. There are no standards for cosmetics branded as organic or hypoallergenic.

So, what’s in our cosmetics? Here’s a sampling.

Lead acetate is used in hair color kits, most often the slow acting ones marketed to men. The European Union has banned the substance, and the National Library of Medicine lists it as a possible carcinogen.

Formaldehyde compounds are used in hair straitening products and can cause headaches and shortness of breath. Long term exposure could increase the risk of cancer.

Sometimes the problem isn’t a single chemical, but two chemicals mixed together. For example, 1,4-Dioxane is formed by two ingredients most often used to create those lovely suds and bubbles in shampoo and bubble baths. The chemicals are banned in Canada.

The Feinstein-Collins Personal Care Products Safety Act, first introduced in 2015, still awaits action. The bill requires the Food and Drug Administration to review five chemicals used in personal care products each year. Personal care products contain over 50,000 chemicals, so even if the bill becomes law, it will take years to vet the chemicals currently in use.

The average woman who buys makeup spends $43 in one shopping trip and $15,000 on makeup during her lifetime. The entire beauty industry is worth $382 billion, globally.

Disclosure: I use makeup. I like how it looks. Like thousands of women, I purchase products that should be safe to use. But I don’t know for sure. It’s time to revisit regulations for food products, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.

In 1939 the Delahaye 165 Cabriolet was a popular upscale automobile, but times have changed since the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act became law. We don’t drive the same cars, and women don’t wear the same makeup.

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Illustrations

Nefertiti by Nina Aldin Thune. Creative Commons Attribution.

Cochineal Extract by H. Zell. Creative Commons Attribution.

Elizabeth I. Public Domain.

Woman and Parasol by Albert Edelfelt. Public Domain.

A Rare Beauty by Gustave Jean Jacquet. Public Domain.

Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer by Artbeauty. Creative Commons Attribution.

1939 Delahaye Type 165 Cabriolet by Edvcc. Creative Commons Attribution.

“Dangerous Beauty.” Global Founders.

“Feinstein, Collins Introduce Bill.” Dianne Feinstein Press Release. 2017.

Laura Entis. “That Moisturizer You’re Slathering on Your Face Isn’t Regulated.” Fortune. June 27, 2017.

Molly Edmonds. “How Makeup Works.” How Stuff Works.

Sheila Kaplan. “Cosmetics May Face New Safety Regulation.” STAT. Sept. 27, 2016.

Colleen Kratofil. “Can you Guess How Much a Woman Spends on Makeup?” People. Mar. 20, 2017

The post INGREDIENTS OF AN ALTERED APPEARANCE first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Above the earth in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. What could be more magical? No stress. No sense of routine. Heightened senses in an unfamiliar reality. It’s a perfect vacation activity, but not something you can do on a four day break from work.

Vacation travel raises suspicions. Once upon a time, the average American vacation was two weeks. Now, even if one has vacation time, the average vacation is four days. In 2014 only 25 percent of American workers took all the time they were allowed, and 15 percent of Americans didn’t take any time off. Sixty-one percent of people who did take vacation worked remotely.

We are a nation of workaholics. We don’t dare take time off, or our employers will think we’re not serious about our work. Yet our lack of leisure contributes to stress, anxiety, depression, and bad eating habits.

So let’s think about good reasons to take time for a true vacation, one where we leave our environment and unplug at least part of the time.

There are plenty of good reasons to take vacation time and travel somewhere different where we may not know the language or culture, where normal routine doesn’t exist, and where our minds are free to recharge. Actual scientific studies prove that travel is beneficial for our mental, physical, and emotional health — despite the hassle involved in reaching our destination. If it’s science rather than personal preference, perhaps vacation can be justified.

Here are the scientific benefits that caught my attention:

TRAVEL MAKES US HEALTHIER

Studies indicate that women who vacation at last twice a year have a lower risk of heart attack than those who travel only once every six years. Men who don’t take an annual vacation have a 30 percent higher risk of heart disease.

Responding to different bacteria, viruses and other foreign bodies strengthens our immune system.

Sightseeing gets us outside walking, enjoying sunshine,

TRAVEL RELIEVES STRESS

Three days after taking a vacation, people reported feeling less anxious, more rested, and in a better mood.

TRAVEL ENHANCES CREATIVITY

Being in a strange place, especially if you don’t speak the language, increases cognitive flexibility

“Travel, for me, is a little bit like being in love because suddenly all your senses are at the setting marked ‘on’. Suddenly, you’re alert to the secret patterns of the world.”    —Pico Iyer, Essayist and Novelist

TRAVEL INCREASES EMPATHY FOR OTHERS

When we see something familiar, like a flower stall, and interact with vendors, we see something mundane with new eyes and understand that people have the same basic needs and relationships. People are not foreign. They are human.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

           —Marcel Proust 1871-1922, French novelist

TRAVEL HELPS YOU APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS OF HOME

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”   —Lin Yutang 1895-1976, Chinese writer

Or as Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz:

“There’s no place like home.”

This is especially true when you return with new insights, renewed creativity, and memories to last a lifetime. So next time you think you don’t have time to take a two week vacation, think again. Do you have time not to? There are many variables in the answer, and even staycations provide refreshment. But once in awhile . . .

Photos by Author from a vacation to Turkey.

“By the Numbers: The American Vacation.” CBS News. Aug. 3, 2014.

Larry Alton. “5 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Traveling Abroad.” NBC News. May 19, 2017.

Helen Nichols. “25 Science Backed Benefits of Travel.” Well-Being Secrets.

Greg Rodgers. “Why Travel?” Trip Savvy. Feb. 11, 2018.

The post THE BENEFITS OF TRAVEL first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Once polio ranked as one of the most feared diseases in the United States. Today most Americans don’t give the disease a second thought.

The first recorded polio outbreak in the United States was in 1894 when Vermont reported 132 cases. In 1916, 27,000 cases in New York City resulted in 6,000 deaths. Researchers began looking for the cause of the incurable disease and for ways to treat it.

Polio is a wild virus that spreads through contaminated food and water, and can only reproduce inside humans. Polio affects a type of cell in the spinal column. When the cells die, the brain can’t send messages to affected muscles which wither from disuse. If the affected area is the chest or diaphragm, the patient can’t breathe.

In 1927 the first Tank Respirators, generally called Iron Lungs, appeared to maintain respiration until the patient could breathe independently. Hospitals had Tank Respirator wards for those affected. In 1959, 1,200 Americans relied on Iron Lungs.

In 1938 President Franklin Roosevelt, himself a polio victim, founded the National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis, which led to the March of Dimes campaign to raise money for research. HIs successor, Harry Truman, declared the war on polio must be nation wide. “It must be total war in every city, town and village throughout the land.”

In 1952, 60,000 children contracted the disease. More than 3,000 died with thousands more paralyzed.

VACCINES ERADICATE POLIO IN U. S.

Researchers Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin conducted separate research projects to develop a vaccine. The Salk Vaccine, released in 1955, is injectable using an inactivated virus. The Sabine Vaccine, introduced in 1961, uses a live, weakened virus given orally.

I’m old enough to remember when my elementary school nurse inoculated every student in every class. While most of us calmly waited our turn, one boy flat-out refused to participate. We stood transfixed as he threw an amazing tantrum. Eventually, a teacher removed him from the line.

I also remember the Sabin Vaccine administered at what I believe was the local public park. The pink vaccine was administered in a sugar cube. No one seemed distressed by the process.

In the early 1950s, the U.S. had approximately 20,000 reported cases per year. In 1960, the figure fell to 2,525, and in 1965 only 61 cases were reported. The last outbreak in the U.S. was among Amish communities in several midwestern states. In 1979 polio was eradicated in the United States.

Such dramatic results led to discussions of how to eradicate polio worldwide. In 1988 the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate polio by the Year 2000, giving birth to Global Polio Eradication Initiative. It was the largest public health initiative in history, but the goal wasn’t reached. In 2012 the GPEI declared polio eradication a public health emergency.

Rotary International has participated in the fight against polio since 1985. Rotary raises funds, but more than that, Rotarians throughout the world provide the facilities and public health workers to distribute the Sabin vaccine. Two drops in a child’s mouth provides immunity.

In 2012 Rotary International began an on-going partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fund global polio eradication. At the 2017 Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Rotary International and the Gates Foundation announced a combined pledge of US$ 450 million over three years. Rotarians will raise US$ 50 million annually for three years with a two to one match by the Gates Foundation.

“WE’RE THIS CLOSE”

In 1988, there were 350,000 reported cases of polio world wide. The disease paralyzed over 1,000 children. Since then 2.5 billion children have been immunized with the cooperation of over two hundred countries, 20 million volunteers, and international contributions of over US$ 11 billion.

In July 2017 the number of polio cases worldwide was eight. The global incidence of polio is down 99 percent. The disease remains endemic in three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Polio’s continued existence anywhere is a threat everywhere.

Rotary International likes to say, “We’re This Close.” That’s the point. We’re close, but until polio is eradicated world wide for three years, the goal isn’t met.

Rotary International established World Polio Day on Jonas Salk’s birthday to honor the man who developed the first polio vaccine and remind everyone that polio still exists.

This year the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hosts the annual World Polio Day event at their Seattle campus. You can watch the event live on October 24th at 2:30 Pacific Daylight Time. [21:30 GMT]

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Illustrations from Wikimedia Commons and in the public domain.

Physical Therapy for two children with polio, 1930s.

Iron Lung.

President’s Birthday Ball – So We May Dance Again, 1939.

Pediatric Polio Vaccination, India, 2002.

?Rotary’s 5th Annual World Polio Day Live-Streamed.

Gates Foundation to Host 2017 World Polio Day.

Iron Lung and Other Equipment.

Polio. Gates Foundation.

Polio Global Eradication Initiative

World Polio Day. World Health Organization.

Jason Beaubien. “Wiping Out Polio: How the U.S. Snuffed Out A Killer.” NPR. Oct. 15, 2012.

Frank Belote. “Rotary Celebrates World Polio Day.” Washington Daily News. Oct. 20, 2017.

Eric E Mast & Stephen L. Coach. “For the Record: A History of Polio Eradication Efforts.” Center for Disease Control.

Jay Wenger with Steve Almond. Our Goal: A World Without Polio. The Rotarian. Oct. 2017. 46-51.

The post “We’re This Close” – World Polio Day, October 24th, 2017 first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Kale is what some people call a Super Food, and others call a member of the cabbage family. For hundreds of years, kale dwelt in obscurity. At the end of the middle ages (probably around the sixteenth century) kale was one of the most common green leafy vegetables in Europe. Settlers brought it to America. But no one really cared. It was food. It was easy to grow. Did I mention it has a bitter taste? So why all the fuss?

Apparently kale took off as a Super Food after the government published the 2010 edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Researchers discovered that along with our many nutritional failings, Americans don’t eat enough dark leafy vegetables. Nutritionists identified kale as one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, an interesting fact for a leaf that is 34 percent water, 9 percent carbohydrates, 4 percent protein, and 1 percent of omega-3 fatty acid. It  also has vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and beta carotene. Sounds like a produce section in a leaf.

I personally don’t like kale. I like other forms of cabbage. I really enjoy broccoli and brussels sprouts. But kale? Meh. And I have an excuse. Apparently some of us have a genetic sensitivity to bitter flavors.

OUT WITH THE BITTER FLAVOR

But wait. There are ways to get the bitterness out.

You can cook kale until the kitchen stinks. Um, no

If you massage the kale, preferably with an acidic dressing, you might end up with a kale and chick pea salad like the one above. Sorry, after I wash, spin, and dry my greens, I’m not into giving them a massage as well.

I do have one idea, maybe instead of celery, kale could become the garnish for Bloody Marys.

Jim Gaffigan’s 2014 comedy riff on kale says what even some foodies may think.

For those of you who want to know what’s in those leaves, here’s the list. One cup of kale contains the following vitamins: A, K, C, B6, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), and K. It also has manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorous.

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llustrations from Wikimedia Commons

Curly kale by Rasbak. Creative Commons Attribution.

Kale & Chick Pea Salad by Cajsa Lilliehook. Creative Commons Attribution.

Large & Meaty Bloody Mary by thalling55. Creative Commons Attribution.

National Kale Day

10 Health Benefits of Kale. Healthline.

“Why Some People Love Kale & Other People Hate It.” Men’s Health. April 14, 2016

Emily Leaman. “Confession: I Really, Really, (Really) Hate Kale.” Be Well Philly. Jan. 8, 2015.

Liz. “4 Reasons Why You (Think You) Don’t Like Kale.” I Heart Vegetables. May 10, 2017.

Dina Rose. “You Don’t Have to Eat Kale.” It’s Not About Nutrition. Mar. 7 2017.

The post Kale – The Queen of Greens first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Once upon a time, people thought that somewhere in the New World there existed a Fountain of Youth. They thought anyone who drank from it would be restored to youthful vitality which was the next best thing to immortality. It’s unclear whether the lucky finder would have to camp nearby and drink from it every day, or if one swallow would return a lifetime of vitality.

The myth had legs. I remember learning in about the Fourth Grade that the reason Ponce de Leon was in Florida in the 16th Century was because he was searching for the Fountain of Youth. He didn’t find it, but he still claimed the real estate for Spain. Now this anecdote is an official myth – though one might wonder whether the myth is due to the non-existent fountain or Ponce’s lack of belief. Either way, we have been disabused of the concept. There is no Fountain of Youth.

There is only diet, exercise, and the avoidance of disease.

In many ways the last century could be called a century of longevity in the developed world. Better sanitation, access to medical care, penicillin, and sterilizing medical and dental instruments contributed to longer lifespans in the early 20th Century.

Since 1950 other factors have increased longevity — better medical technology, cleaner water and air, better housing, access to food, pharmaceutical breakthroughs, and more understanding of behavioral effects. Smoking, for example, not only has a negative effect on the individual smoker’s health, but also on the health of non-smoking bystanders.

And yet . . . .

Though people are living longer, the quality of life isn’t necessarily better. Youthful attributes of moving and digesting freely are affected by increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and a great many other conditions, all of which are expensive to treat as well as unpleasant to have.

Now we’re looking for a recipe for a long and healthy life. We want to look young, feel young, and live without discomfort. Research funding  from insurance, health foundations and government sources seeks solutions with the same enthusiasm Ponce de Leon may have looked for the Fountain of Youth.

BLUE ZONES COME TO HILO

One result is the discovery of what Dan Buettner calls Blue Zones. The concept came to my attention when the official Blue Zones Hawaii Community Program Manager spoke at my Rotary Club. East Hawai`i, which includes my home town of Hilo, is an official Blue Zone Project Demonstration Community. HMSA, a major health care insurance company, brought Blue Zones to Hawai`i, starting with the island of Kaua`i in 2013.

Buettner coined the term Blue Zones for the five communities where he found people living long, healthy lives: Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Ogliastra Region, Sardinia; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. I note that with the exception of Loma Linda these were places without many temptations for easy rides or fast food. And the Blue Zoned folks in Loma Linda have religious reasons for their healthy lifestyle.

BLUE ZONES POWER 9

From the experiences of people in the five Blue Zones, Buittoner distilled what he calls Power Nine. – Nine behaviors to improve the quality and quantity of life. None of these is a new idea, but all of them are good for us. Whether we choose to follow this health advice or not is up to us.

1. Move Naturally

The good news is moving naturally doesn’t require sweaty gym workouts or Triathlons. It means ambient physical activity as mundane as getting up to change the television channel instead of using the remote control. Of course, you’d have to change channels frequently to get the benefit.

2. Have a Sense of Purpose — Get up ready to face the day with focussed activity. It might be nurturing your tomato plants, volunteering to coach your kid’s soccer team, or joining the community chorus. The point is not to get up with a negative attitude.

3. Downshift & Destress. Pray, nap, sit by the sea, or contemplate a zen garden.
4. Follow the 80% Rule — Eat until you’re 80% full. We’ve been told for years that our stomachs are full before the brain tells us to stop eating.

5. Plant SlantDo what the USDA advises. Put more beans, vegetables and fruits on our plates. Reduce meat intake.

6. Wine @ 5 — or tea, or lemonade. The point is to share a glass with food and friends. It’s not about the wine or even the time. It’s hanging out with your Tribe and talking story.

7. Join the Right Tribe

Hang out with friends that support you & healthy behaviors. People you can cook with, walk with, laugh with. People with a positive attitude.

8. Community

Seems redundant, but this refers to a faith based group – could be your tribe. Don’t try and do everything yourself.

9. Family First

Take time to eat together, chat, shoot hoops in the driveway –  that sort of thing.

So What’s New?

What Buettner contributes to the discussion is a community aspect. We know we should reduce our fat intake, but if all our friends are eating jumbo fries, we probably will too. So the trick is to have friends with good behaviors and everyone mutually reinforces each other. That sort of thing.

Buettner’s most recent book is The Blue Zones Solution. He lays out the changes that have happened in demonstration communities. Which brings us back to Hilo.

Blue Zones in Hawai`i

HMSA has been urging us to walk with a friend for some time. The organization believes small changes can result in longer, healthier, happier lives. And HMSA hopes Blue Zones can make this happen.

Here’s what’s supposed to happen.

The goal for Blue Zone Communities is lower healthcare costs, increased productivity, and a measurably improved quality of life. Citizens, schools, employers, restaurants, grocery stores, and community leaders are supposed to join together to improve community environment so it’s easier to make healthy choices. Sounds good.

So, what’s been happening since Hilo became a demonstration project earlier this year?
– Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School met requirements to become the first Blue Zone School in Hawai`i
– Sweet Cane Cafe is the first Blue Zones Project Approved Restaurant
– Three other food outlets and one other school are involved in the project
– Cooking and gardening demonstrations have taken place

And the first time I heard about the project was at my Rotary meeting last month. – That’s not the way it sounds in the book. In the book, the whole town gets excited. I feel like I’m in the wrong reality TV show.

So what am I saying? 

Would I like the Blue Zones Project to take off?

Absolutely. Then maybe we could move forward more quickly on the Hilo Bayfront Trails project, and maybe we could get bike lanes somewhere besides the street that runs by the university.

Do I think Hilo will make the grade as a Blue Zone Community?

Hard to say. I found no data on how successful Kaua`i has been since being designated three years ago. I don’t see even our most community-minded grocery store touting Blue Zone foods. I don’t see publicity about other schools taking the challenge.

Word-of-Mouth is the one way to get things rolling. Hence this blog.

How did I do on the Power 9? — Pretty well.

Could I do better? — Absolutely.

What do you think about Blue Zones? 

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Featured Image: Liliuokalani Park, Hilo. Author’s favorite place to walk. Photo by Author.

Pictures:

Ponce de Leon. Public Domain.Wikimedia Commons.

Vanderbilt Tenements. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Pauline Betz Smoking. An advertisement by R.J. Reynolds. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Blue Zones Power 9. Blue Zones. bluezones.com

Toddler by nathanmac87. Creative Commons Attribution. Wikimedia Commons.

Balboa Park Japanese Garden by Lhimec. Creative Commons Attribution. Wikimedia Commons.

USDA Food Pyramid. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Glass of Port Wine by Jon Sullivan. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Soldiers and civilians of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, with their spouses and children, came together for a great family event in the spirit of the season at Patton Hall for the Family Readiness Group holiday party Dec. 14. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Tim Meyer, U.S. Army Central Public Affairs.)Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

“Big Island ‘Blue Zones Project’ Demonstration Communities.” Big Island Now. Feb. 17, 2016.

“First Blue Zones Approved School in Hilo.” Big Island Now. May 26, 2016.

Blue Zones. Live Longer, Better. Webpage.

“HMSA and Healthways Launch Blue Zones Project to Improve Well-being of Hawaii Residents.” HMSA Media. Sept 9, 2014.

“HMSA designated as Hawaii’s first Blue Zones Project Demonstration Worksite.HMSA Media. Dec 19, 2014.

“Hawaii Blue Zones Project. Blue Zone Project by Healthways.” Hawaii Blue Zone Project.

Hilo Bayfront Trails

Eliza Barclay. “Eating to Break 100.” NPR: The Salt. April 11, 2015.

Dan Buettner. The Blue Zones Solution. Washington D. C. 2015.

Bill Gifford. Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or die trying). NY: Grand Central Publishing. 2015.

Kirsten Johnson. “School first in state to earn Blue Zones Approval.” Hawaii Tribune Herald. May 30, 2016.

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