The Island Vegetarian of Quarterly Newsletter

SUPPORTING HUMAN HEALTH, , AND THE ENVIRONMENT VOL. 17, ISSUE 1, JAN – MAR 2006

Inside Ask Dr. Bill • President’s Message • John McDougall, M.D. by William Harris, M.D. VSH founding Board member • Michael Klaper, M.D. www.vegsource.com/harris/ • , M.D. • Animal Rights Corner • Calendar of Events • Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. “Low” WBC • Reviews counts in vegans

Public Lectures* “I’m a long-term vegan with a consistently low white blood cell count — Q: below the ‘normal’ range. I’ve heard that this is common among vegans. DAVID WOLFE Is this true? What are the causes and implications? I’m rarely sick, so it seems Jan. 7th & 8th that my immune system is functioning well.”

See page 13 for details. A search at Pub Med turned up this reference: Haddad EH et al., A: Dietary intake and biochemical, hematologic, and immune status of ve- GENE BAUSTON gans compared with nonvegetarians. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “HOW VIOLENT Vol. 70, No. 3, 586S-593S, September 1999. Twenty-five vegans (10 men, 15 women) and 20 nonvegetarians (10 men, 10 women) were studied, and table 5 FOOD CHOICES shows a white blood cell (WBC ) mean of 5.83 ± 1.51 (nonvegetarians) and FUEL A VIOLENT WORLD” 4.96 ± 0.912 (vegans), which is 85% of the nonvegetarian mean. This article Sat., Jan. 14, 7 p.m. also indicates slightly higher natural killer cell cytotoxic activity in vegetarians McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Park v. nonvegetarians, a beneficial effect. A previous study, Malter M, et al. Natural killer cells, vitamins, and other TERRY SHINTANI, M.D. blood components of vegetarian and omnivorous men. Nutr Cancer. 1989;12 “HOW TO PREVENT OR (3):271-8 concluded that “Cytotoxic activity...was significantly higher in vege- tarians than in their omnivorous controls by a factor of 2. The enhanced natural REVERSE HEART DISEASE” cytotoxicity may be one of the factors contributing to the lower cancer risk Sat., Feb. 11, 7 p.m. shown by vegetarians.” McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Park I phoned Agatha Thrash, M.D., our September 2000 VSH meeting speaker, and visited her informative websites. Dr. Thrash has no tabular data, but she es- WILLIAM HARRIS, M.D. timates that over many years she has seen 2500 vegans, all with low WBCs. She “ASK DR. BILL” feels the low WBC in vegans is normal and that it reflects a lower dietary expo- Sat., Mar. 11, 7 p.m. sure to viral and bacterial pathogens. McCoy Pavilion, I also phoned Michael Klaper, M.D. He, too, sees frequent WBCs below Ala Moana Beach Park 3000 in vegans and agrees that there is less immunogenic stimulation on raw and vegan diets. *See page 10 Lastly, there is the record of my own WBCs. In August 1966, three years for more information (See Ask Dr. Bill on page 5) The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 1 and for Maui meeting dates.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Alida Rutchick, M.Ed.

‘Tis the season for resolutions

reetings. ‘Tis again the season for resolutions. The most common New The Island Vegetarian G Year’s resolutions made by people in this country, we’re told, relate to diet, exercise, and other health-oriented activities. If you have already made The Island Vegetarian is published your resolutions, chances are that some of them are in those categories as well. quarterly by and for the members of the It seems that regardless of how conscientious we try to be, the pace and pres- Vegetarian Society of Hawaii sures of our lives interfere with our best intentions; that certainly is my own ex- P.O. Box 23208 perience. How many times in 2005 did I not drink eight glasses of water a day, Honolulu, HI 96823-3208 not sleep eight hours, or skip exercise for something that seemed at the moment 808-944-VEGI (8344) [email protected] to be more pressing? Later, of course, I regretfully acknowledge that nothing VSH.org really is more pressing if it can be done at any other time, as a missed exercise VegHawaii.org session (or proper sleep or adequate hydration) is lost forever. I’m thinking that if we put our personal well being higher on our priority list, we will begin to feel better and stronger and thus be able to contribute to other worthy causes. It Visit our website for has recently been concluded, in fact, that being involved in a cause larger than restaurant guide, TV and meeting oneself results in numerous positive changes, including a more optimistic atti- schedules, newsletter archives, tude toward our own health and selves, lowered depression, having meaning in and more. our lives, and possibly even enjoying longer lives. Talk about a win-win! In the case of VSH we welcome Kristine Roberts and Nikki Campbell to our volunteer Board of Directors ranks. We wish you all a healthy and fulfilling 2006. President: Alida Rutchick, M.Ed. Vice Pres: Jim Brown Secretary: Mary Arakaki, R.D. Treasurer: Mel Hertz Directors: Laurelee Blanchard William Harris, M.D. Karl Seff, Ph.D. (1910-2005)

Newsletter Committee onald Watson, co-founder of Jim Brown D in 1944 and William Harris, M.D. inventor of the word “vegan,” passed Alida Rutchick, M.Ed. away on Nov. 16 at the age of 95. Watson had not eaten meat for 80 years and had been vegan for over 60 years. He celebrated his birthday last Mahalo year by climbing a mountain. lacto- is but a half-way to all our volunteers! Among his duties with The Ve- house between flesh-eating and a gan Society, Mr. Watson edited a truly humane, civilized diet, and we quarterly magazine entitled The Ve- think, therefore, that during our life gan News. In its first edition in 1944, The opinions expressed in this on earth we should try to evolve suf- he wrote, “The unquestionable cru- newsletter are those of the writers ficiently to make the full journey.” and do not necessarily reflect those elty associated with the production of of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii. dairy produce has made it clear that Source: BBC News

Page 2 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ Academy of Family Physicians, has Learn About the health/sickintro.html refused to rent exhibition space to No

Criminal Behavior of Free Lunch, a group that says that 2) Overdo$ed America— pharmaceutical industry the Pharmaceutical The broken promise of promotions are harming Industry—Save Your- American medicine, by patients. However, this John Abramson, M.D. group has agreed to rent self and Your Family Read more about the book. space at its annual sci- Read sample chapters. Buy entific assembly to be by John McDougall, M.D. from Amazon.com held in San Francisco from 28 September to 2 eople who believe that there is a http://www.amazon.com/ October, to the fast food P “pill for every ill” and the next gp/reader/0060568526/ giant, McDonald’s, as miracle is going to save them from a ref=sib_dp_pt/002- well as the Distilled miserable life and an early death are 5912873-6495229 Spirits Council of the U. wrong. You must resolve this misun- S., Abbott Laboratories, derstanding so that you can begin to 3) Selling Sickness—How Coca-Cola, Astra- focus on what will make a difference; the world’s biggest phar- Zeneca, Boehringer and that is no-cost, side-effect-free maceutical companies are Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Glaxo- changes in the way you eat and live. turning us all into patients, by Ray SmithKline, Merck, and Pfizer, among Moynihan and Alan Cassels. others. Read more about the book. Buy from No Free Lunch is an organization Amazon.com Coming Soon that tries to encourage doctors and

http://www.amazon.com/gp/ other healthcareprofessionals to pro- r. John McDougall will product/1560256974/qid=1134887475/ vide high quality care based upon unbi-

Db e the VSH meeting sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104- ased scientific evidence rather than on speaker in April. 2087701-2887154? biased pharmaceutical promotion. The

s=books&v=glance&n=283155 group, based in New York, urges doc- tors to not accept gifts—from pens and The pharmaceutical industry has BTW: Don’t expect your doctor to help prescription pads to all-expense paid no morals — they will lie and cheat to you defend yourself against the drug “vacations” or free food—provided at make a profit no matter how much it industry—many are in bed with these noon-time advertising conferences held hurts the ones you love. That is a fact crooks and here is some recent evi- at every hospital in the USA and free- you can verify with a little reading. dence to sup- doughnuts brought in by provocatively port that dressed drug reps. Here are three very valuable recom- mendations from me. These two books claim from Lenzer J. Doctors refuse space to group are among the best summaries I have the Septem- fighting drug company influence. BMJ. read about this subject — they are en- ber 24, 2005 2005 Sep 24;33:653. tertaining and easy to understand for issue of the http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/ British Medi- full/331/7518/653-a?etoc the non-professional reader: cal Journal: Source: The McDougall Newsletter - 1) Free and online: One of the September 2005, Vol. 4, No. 9 The hidden big business behind your largest doc- doctor’s diagnosis, A special report, tors’ groups You may subscribe to this free by Susan Kelleher and Duff Wilson in in the United McDougall Newsletter at http://www. the Seattle Times: States, the drmcdougall.com. American The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 3 elevate blood as nuts and seeds and products made Vegan Health sugar levels, from them. adversely af- Study update fect blood lip- 5. Assure an adequate supply of

ids (particu- trace minerals. larly triglyc- he following is an excerpt Consume ample helpings of dark erides), and T from the ongoing Vegan green leafy , , nuts, increase risk Health Study being conducted by seeds, root vegetables, and . It is for type 2 Maui physician Michael Klaper., not enough to eat the minerals — you (adult-onset) M.D. must absorb them. So, break up the diabetes, as Michael Klaper, M.D. fibers by chewing your foods well as cardio- well and/or using food preparation Nutrition and vascular diseases and gastro-intestinal methods that help to break up plant fi- disorders. bers by cooking (e.g. soups or stews), Lifestyle grinding, juicing, grating, or puréeing. 3. Include a healthful intake and bal-

Recommendations ance of essential fatty acids. 6. Insure a reliable source of Vita- 1. Make whole plant foods the foun- Aim for 3 to 5 grams of alpha- min B12. linolenic acid per day for most adults. dation of your diet. Reliable sources of Vitamin B This can be achieved by consuming 2 12 include fortified foods and supple- Emphasize (non-genetically modi- T. freshly ground flax seeds or 2 tsp. of ments. Fortified foods such as non- fied, organically grown) whole foods fresh flaxseed oil dairy beverages (rice-based and soy- (“foods as grown”). daily (add to gra- based drinks), Red Star® nutritional Include a variety of vies, , ake yeast (Vegetarian Support Formula), fresh, colorful vege- smoothies, salads, and some cereals are good choices. Se- tables, including whole etc.), or an equal green leafy vegeta- “M lect at least two servings of these foods amount of alpha- each day with a total of at least 3 mcg. bles on a daily basis, plant foods the linolenic acid from of B . fruits, legumes, nuts, a combination of 12 If there is any doubt that your in- seeds, and whole foundation of your foods such as take of B may not be sufficient (as is *. hempseed oil, 12 common with many long-term vegans), diet.” hempseeds, wal- *If there is any then a Vitamin B supplement is ad- nuts, and organic 12 question of gluten vised. Take a sublingual “microdot” of canola oil. If taking omega-3 fats in the intolerance — e.g., abdominal cramps, approximately 2000 mcg. Vitamin B above forms is impractical or undesir- 12 bloating, diarrhea, or hives after eating at least once a week. When using large able, consider taking an algae-derived wheat, barley, oats, and rye, consider amounts of B , only 0.5 to 1.0% will DHA supplement (300 mg./day, in 12 eliminating products made from these be absorbed — thus high intakes are “vegi-cap”), available at natural food grains and emphasize low-gluten required to insure sufficient absorption. stores. This is particularly important grains such as quinoa, millet, and for those who may have increased buckwheat. 7. Keep sodium intake to not more needs (e.g., pregnant or lactating than 2400 mg. per day, and prefera- women), or reduced ability to convert 2. Minimize refined carbohydrates— bly around 1800 mg. per day. both sugars and starches. alpha-linolenic acid to EPA and DHA (e.g., people with diabetes or hyperten- About 75% of the sodium in most Refined sugars such as white sion). diets comes from processed foods, and sugar, brown sugar, syrups, candy, and about 20% is added at the table. This is sodas, as well as refined starches, such 4. Assure an adequate protein in- one more reason to limit processed as white flour products and white rice take — approximately 60 to 90 foods (meat analogs, canned soups, products, crowd out foods that nourish grams per day for vegan adults. etc.). Use flavored vinegars, lemon and protect us and contribute to a vari- juice, and other low-sodium taste en- Liberally ingest protein-rich ety of health problems. These foods cause oxidative damage to tissues and foods — lentils, chickpeas, beans, tem- (Continued on page 5) contribute to premature aging. They peh, , and other legumes — as well

Page 4 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 (continued from page 4) well as 300 mg. of algae-derived DHA The Vegan Health Study research pro-

and 10 mcg. Vitamin B12 daily or 2000 gram continues. In the near future we will be focusing on the dietary patterns and hancers rather than soy sauce and other mcg. Vitamin B12 weekly. salty . supplement programs of those long term vegans who are experiencing exceptionally 10. Be sure to get a consistent, reli- Note: Athletes, especially those living good health, as well as those who are fail- able source of Vitamin D. in warm climates, may require higher ing to thrive on purely vegan diets. Vegan amounts of sodium in their diets. The best place to get your Vitamin athletes and people who have been vegan D is from sunshine. Aim for about 20- since birth are of special interest. We will distill out patterns of foods and supple- 8. Eliminate trans fatty acids. 30 minutes on your face and forearms ments that seem to promote optimal health each day, and more if you have dark Commonly found in processed and communicate them to all participants skin. (Such brief exposure times will foods containing as they become available. not damage your “hydrogenated skin or increase Please feel free to complete the ques- oil,” ake cancer risk and will tionnaire at www.veganhealthstudy.org if “partially hydrogen- you have not already done so — and in- produce substantial ated vegetable oil” your form others of our research efforts and “M benefits for your or shortening (read encourage their participation. immune system.) If the labels!), trans life a reflection of you live in a cooler Tax-deductible contributions to sup- fatty acids distort climate, sunshine port our research efforts are greatly ap- the shape, flexibil- your hopes, will not be intense preciated. ity, and permeabil- enough to produce Michael Klaper, M.D., Director ity of cell mem- dreams, and joys.” Vitamin D during Institute of Nutrition Education branes, thus com- the winter months and Research promising their and you will need to rely on fortified 1601 N. Sepulveda Avenue, #342 function and increasing risk for artery foods such as fortified non-dairy bev- Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 disease, type 2 diabetes, and possibly erages or Vitamin D supplements. some cancers. Again, minimize proc- (Vitamin D3 is generally derived from essed foods and emphasize fresh, from page 1) animal sources, while Vitamin D is (Ask Dr. Bill whole foods. 2 plant-based.) after I went vegan, it was 7000 (normal

9. Consider taking a multi-vitamin/ range 5000-10000/mm3). However, by 11. Try to get 20 to 30 minutes of ac- mineral supplement. December 1969 it had dropped to tive, weight-bearing exercise at least 4700, and in 33 subsequent studies be- every other day. If there is any question of adequate tween then and August 2004, done pri- intake of any given vitamin, mineral or Include a balance of cardiovascu- marily because of my concern that my essential fat, consider taking a high- lar, flexibility, and strength exercises. low WBCs might be a harbinger of potency (vegetarian) multivitamin- some serious problem such as aleuke- mineral preparation (tablet, liquid, or 12. For optimal health, a positive mic leukemia, the mean value was powder) daily, or approximately 2-3 mental and emotional state is essen- 4433 with a low of 3000 in January times per week. This supplement tial — and possibly more important 2001. There were no associated clini- should contain the following nutrients than nutritional intake. Life is about cal symptoms, with the arguable ex- in approximately these amounts: more than avoiding disease and ception of “laboratory hypochondria- Iodine - 150 mcg. death. Get as much love, laughter, sis.” Zinc - 15 mg. and meaningful service into your So, we have one peer reviewed Copper - 1-2 mg. daily life as possible. Make your life study and the somewhat anecdotal re- Boron - 2 mg. a reflection of your hopes, dreams, ports of three M.D.s that vegans run Vitamin K - .5 mg. and joys. low but efficient WBCs. In the absence

Vitamin D2 - 5 mcg. ______of more definitive studies it’s reason-

able to assume that a low WBC count Other possibly helpful supple- (Acknowledgment and appreciation is ex- in a vegan should not be a cause of ments to consider would be a calcium/ pressed to Brenda Davis, R.D. and concern and may be a sign of lower magnesium supplement Vesanto Melina, R.D. for their valuable exposure to hazardous pathogens contribution to these recommendations for (approximately 1000 mg. of calcium found in typical non-vegan diets. and 800-1000 mg. of magnesium), as creating health-enhancing vegan diets.)

The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 5

ANIMAL RIGHTS CORNER

is a permanent slaughter rack at the THE TRIPLE BYPASS Horse, the other ranch; cattle are regularly slaugh- SANDWICH tered there and sold in violation of red meat the federal Humane Slaughter Act his billboard in Los Angeles (HSA), which requires that livestock by Cathy Goeggel T pokes fun at vegans while pro- to be sold as meat in Hawaii be killed VSH member and ARH founder moting BKs latest artery clogger. at a federally inspected facility. Someone evidently didn’t see the hu- ARH has filed a complaint about ven the most enthusiastic mor, though, and made minor edits to this with U.S. Secretary of Agricul- American carnivore would de- the copy. E ture Mike Johanns and has contacted plore the idea of barbecuing Trigger While the ad is not an endorse- Representative Ed Case, one of the or Silver or Scout... ment of , it’s good to see the sponsors of federal leg- and yet the traffic in word “vegan” in a fast food ad, if islation to prohibit the horse flesh flourishes orse flesh only in a playful way. It might just slaughter of horses for in the United States, give readers the little extra push flourishes human consumption needed to try a more healthful diet. including in Hawaii. “H and the export of live There are three in the United horses for slaughter Source: laist.com abattoirs licensed to abroad. Congress re- slaughter horses in States, including cently passed, and sentatives and ask them to keep the U.S., all on the in Hawaii. President Bush signed fighting for a complete ban on horse mainland. Live horses into law, a ban on slaughter for human consumption. are also sent to horse slaughter for the period of Also contact Johanns and demand Europe and Asia for slaughter and March through December 2006. We that Smith be prosecuted for his bla- then to be sold as meat in Italy, Bel- hope that a permanent ban will be tant and cruel contravention of fed- gium, and Japan (the “pet food” in- passed in the next session. eral law. dustry no longer uses horse flesh be- cause consumers choose not to buy Representative Ed Case: it). Horses suffer horribly while be- Who should know better? [email protected] ing transported by truck and ship: the Max Smith, who leases the land Representative Neil Abercrombie: containers are meant for cattle, and under Gunstock Ranch from the [email protected] many arrive with broken legs and Mormon Church, is a former state Senator Daniel Akaka: other injuries. veterinarian and a former state meat [email protected] inspector. While violating the HSA, Senator Daniel Inouye: The Hawaii nexus he was not shy about bellying up to [email protected] the taxpayer-funded trough. From Secretary of Agriculture Mike Animal Rights Hawaii (ARH) 2000 to 2003 he received $27,892 Johanns: [email protected] received a tip that horses were being from the federal government for sold and slaughtered at Gunstock Animal Rights “disaster subsidies” (source: http:// Ranch in Kahaluu, owned by Max www.ewg.org/farm/persondetail. Hawaii Smith. The whistle blower witnessed php?custnumber=011190374). P.O. Box 10845 the slaughter of two horses and a cow Honolulu, HI 96816 whose corpses were then sold to a (808) 941-9476 couple who were catering a funeral. What you can do AnimalRightsHawaii.org The horse was named “Ehu.” There Contact your senators and repre- [email protected]

Page 6 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 After weeks of such torture, the birds’ Foie gras ban diseased livers, which swell up to ten times their normal size, are sold as foie Joaquin walks proposed for gras. Throughout the U.S. and around the walk Hawaii the world conscientious restaurants and other businesses are taking a stand e may be the “Man in Black,” by Laurelee Blanchard, against the cruelty of foie gras produc- but he’s not the man in leather. VSH Board member H tion. In Hawaii 55 restaurants have Actor , who stars in

pledged not to serve foie gras, Califor- the Johnny t is widely recognized that foie gras nia passed a bill last year, and legisla- Cash biopic production is extremely cruel, and Walk the I tion is now pending to ban foie gras in soon the practice may be illegal in Ha- Line, in- New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, waii. Representative Chris Halford is sisted that and Illinois. In other countries the pro- sponsoring a bill that would ban the his entire duction of foie gras has been illegal for force feeding of birds for foie gras as wardrobe be years. well as the sale of any product pro- cruelty-free This legislation needs your sup- from head to duced in this manner. port! The foie gras industry and certain toe, even To produce foie gras, ducks and restaurants are prepared to fight this Johnny geese are confined in small pens and bill. Let your legislators know that Cash’s signature cowboy boots. force fed enormous quantities of food force-feeding is an extremely inhu- A vegan since childhood, Joaquin multiple times each day. The birds be- always makes sure that no animals mane farming practice and should not come extremely obese and have diffi- were harmed in the making of any of be permitted in the great state of Ha- culty walking and breathing. Many die his costumes. While filming Gladia- waii. in the force feeding process from rup- tor, he belied his character’s ruthless Hawaii citizens are asked to: image by wearing non-leather cloth- tured throats, proliferation of bacteria ing. In Quills he clomped around the in their digestive tracts, or suffocation • Contact the chair and vice chair of insane asylum in synthetic clogs. when they choke on their own vomit. the House of Representatives Agri- culture Committee to urge them to Why is Joaquin so adamant about keeping skins off the set? Each year, support and co-sponsor Represen- millions of animals who are slaugh- tative Halford’s bill to ban foie tered for their skins suffer castration, gras production. branding, dehorning, and tail-

Chair – Rep. Felipe P. Abinsay, Jr., docking—all without painkillers. A recent investigation into one of the 808-586-6010. nation’s largest slaughterhouses re- [email protected]. vealed that cows were being trampled, gov dragged, jabbed in the head and mouth Vice Chair – Rep. Clift Tsuji, with electric prods, and dismembered 808-586-8480. while they were still conscious. Tan- [email protected] neries are notorious water polluters, and tannery workers have rates of can- • Contact the chair and vice chair of cer many times higher than the na- the Senate Water, Land, and Agri- tional average. The skins of dogs culture Committee to urge them to killed for meat in Korea, China, and introduce a bill in the Senate. the Philippines are often marked “cow hide” before they are exported to the Chair – Senator Russell S. West. Voilà! Foie gras Kokubun, 808-586-6760. [email protected].

To produce foie gras (fat liver), large gov amounts of food are pumped through a Vice Chair - Senator Gary Hooser, tube shoved down the throat of ducks 808-586-6030. and geese. Over time this results in [email protected] Wear shoes that don’t “hurt.” grossly enlarged and diseased livers. More information about foie gras (Source: PETA.com) (Photo: ) is available at NoFoieGras.org. The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 7 mal Rights and Human Morality. In emerging possibilities of what we Animal ethics the last text and in the minds of the could do.” faculty members involved, concern Courses like this one are an im- course offered at for animals falls under the category portant step in mainstreaming an is- of (exploit animals sue that has long been central to the to UH Manoa humanely), rather than animal rights mission of the VSH. It is heartwarm- (don’t exploit animals). ing to see issues that we embrace be- by Karl Seff, Ph.D. This course is the result of a ing recognized, presented, and dis- VSH Board member three-year process in which all of the cussed in the classroom by faculty in

faculty of HNFAS partici- the food and animal sciences depart- ince about 1990 the Hu- pated, rather evenly from ments of universities. man Nutrition, Food, S the Human Nutrition and and Animal Sciences De- the Animal Sciences sides partment at the University of of the department. After Hawaii at Manoa has been much collaboration and dis- devoting a week or so to eth- More ethics cussion, Prof. Dooley vol- ics and related issues in a unteered to develop a sylla- by Bill Harris, M.D. senior-level course, but last bus drawn from those of VSH Founding Board member semester for the first time several past courses and to teach this the department offered a full three- course with five cooperating instruc- s a result of the new rule dis- credit course entitled, “Humans, tors, four from animal science and A cussed in Karl’s article above Food, and Animals: Ethics, Issues, one from food science. For those requiring that each University of Ha- and Controversies.” The course was readers who are looking for conflict waii department offer an ethics taught by Prof. Dian Dooley and co- and tension, look elsewhere; this course, on October 21, 2005 I was listed as FSHN 350E and ANSC course is supported by all parts of the invited to participate as the sole 350E. Twenty-four students en- HNFAS department. vegetarian in a student discussion rolled. Prof. Gary Comstock, formerly group organized by Travis Idol, Ph. In response to a new campus- at the University of Wisconsin and D., Assistant Professor of Tropical wide policy and following a nation- now at North Carolina State Univer- Forestry and Agroforestry (http:// wide trend, all univer- sity, is not a scien- www2.hawaii.edu/~idol/). The ques- sity undergraduates e scientists tist, but an ethi- tions assigned to the students and my are now required, as a cist. In his Bioethics answers (in italics) are given below: condition for gradua- “W are beginning Institute, he teaches tion, to take a course 1) Is eating meat a “natural” part of to think hard about what faculty nationwide in their home depart- the human diet and/or essential for we should do. Before how to integrate eth- ments about the ethi- good nutrition? ics into their courses. cal issues in their now, we were mostly Indicative of the Natural is difficult to define, but eat- field. All sides of the driven by the emerging time and concern ing meat is certainly not essential to current issues are pre- possibilities of what we that the HNFAS fac- good nutrition. All of the essential sented within a solid ulty have for this organic nutrients in the human diet framework of knowl- could do.” subject, five of are synthesized by plants and micro- edge. As a result, the them, about ten altogether in the Col- organisms; none are synthesized by students are better able to develop lege of Tropical Agriculture and Hu- animals. their own personal ethical systems man Resources, had chosen to attend and to understand those of oth- 2) In deciding whether or not to eat his week-long workshops in recent ers. They are then ready to develop meat, does it matter how the animals years. From this solid basis, 350E them even further as they learn more were raised and slaughtered, e.g., was born. and encounter new situations wild game v. free range and organic Why this great interest in ethics throughout their careers. v. confined feeding operations? all of a sudden? Prof. Dooley sug- Three textbooks are used in gests, “Science is growing up. We Not in my opinion, because the fun- 350E: Taking Sides: Clashing Views scientists are beginning to think hard damental ethical error lies in killing on Controversial Issues in Food and about what we should do. Before Nutrition, The Ethics of Food, a (Continued on page 9) now, we were mostly driven by the Reader for the 21st Century, and Ani-

Page 8 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 (Continued from page 8) analogous to our own. a conscious creature, not in how it’s 4) Is there an ethical difference be- treated and killed. tween an ovo-lacto vegetarian and a strict vegan lifestyle (thinking beyond 3) Does the mental the use of animals capacity (especially lthough an ovo- for food)? TV self-conscious lacto vegetarian diet awareness) of the “A Although an ovo- GUIDE animal have any provides the easiest transi- lacto vegetarian ethical bearing on tion to a vegan diet, I see no diet provides the easiest transition to the decision to kill ethical, health, or ecological “Vegetarian” and eat it? a vegan diet, I see advantages to the ovo-lacto no ethical, health, broadcast on I’m less concerned over an omnivorous diet.” or ecological ad- about the ethical vantages to the ovo- four islands problems as we de- lacto over an om- scend through the phyla. Eating a clam nivorous diet. ounding Board member is probably less of a violation than kill- F and VSH TV coordinator ing a cow since the cow has a brain 5) Is it ethically permissible to raise Dr. Bill Harris reports that the livestock, given the water, food, and “Vegetarian” TV series has other resources they require and the reached all four main Hawaiian resulting environmental impact? islands. More than 400 thou- No. sand Hawaii cable TV subscrib- ers can now view the lectures 6) Which of these issues is or is not applicable to poor people in develop- given by the guest speakers at ing countries? the monthly VSH meetings. Show times are below. Pro- All of them are applicable. gramming schedules are avail-

Other participants were Alan able on the VSH.org website Titchenal and Joannie Dobbs, both Ph. and by e-mail. To subscribe, D.s in the UH nutrition department send a message to:

who described themselves as former VSH-News-Group-Subscribe vegetarians and expressed their con- Source: CNNSI.com @yahoo.groups.com. cerns about iron, protein, and DHA de- ficiency in vegetarians. I suggested that Dr. Harris recommends set- these problems, if real, were the result ting your VCR to record each Golf whiz hits of a generation of vegetarians follow- week’s show. Keep the ones ing the advice of several starch and you like and tape over the oth- the greens , high-carb low-fat vegetarian diet ers. gurus who erroneously — in my opin- ion — devalue higher fat plant foods Oahu—Oceanic Cable Ch. 52 onolulu resident and golf such as avocados, nuts, and seeds. Thurs. 6-7 p.m. H phenomenon Michelle Wie Also in attendance was Douglas was recently spotted shopping at Vincent, Ph.D. of the UH Animal Sci- Maui—Calabash Cable Ch. 52 the King St. Down To Earth Natu- ences department. None of the partici- Tues. 8-9 p.m. ral Foods store. The 16-year-old pants or students were greatly suppor- Weds. 6:30-7:30 a.m. Punahou student, who recently tive of vegetarian diets, but the hour signed multi-million dollar en- was, as suggested in Professor Idol’s Big Island—Na Leo 'O Hawaii dorsement deals with Nike and original invitation, entirely collegial in Cable Ch. 54, Sat. 2-3 p.m. Sony, evidently knows that a spite of the divergent opinions. As I Kauai—Hoike Cable Ch. 52 healthful diet can help her achieve was leaving, several students expressed Mons. 7-8 p.m. her goals. appreciation for my being there.

The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 9

Vegetarian Society of Hawaii Calendar of Events: January—March 2006 GENE BAUSTON TERRY SHINTANI, M.D.

“HOW VIOLENT “HOW TO PREVENT FOOD CHOICES AND REVERSE FUEL A VIOLENT WORLD” HEART DISEASE”

Sat., Jan. 14, 7 p.m. Sat., Feb. 11, 7 p.m. McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park

henever we sit down to eat, we make choices that have a Fact: The major cause of death in America is cardiovascular W wide ranging impact on ourselves and others. Eating disease. with conscience promotes compassion, justice, and good health. Fact: Nearly all cardiovascular disease is preventable. Failing to do so contributes to disease, degradation of the envi- ronment, and an indifference to suffering and death. t is no longer necessary to suffer from a progressively dete- This presentation discusses how violence associated with I riorating vascular system characterized by angina, heart at- animal food production contributes to the overall violence found tacks, heart failure, and premature death. In this presentation pre- in our society and throughout the world. ventive medicine physician Terry Shintani will show you how to Gene Bauston holds a master’s degree in agricultural eco- not only prevent heart disease but to actually reverse it. nomics from Cornell University and is co-founder and president Terry Shintani, M.D., M.P.H., J.D. is the author of the Eat of Farm Sanctuary, America’s leading farm animal protection More, Weigh Less Diet, The Hawaii Diet, and The Good Carbo- organization. He has initiated groundbreaking legal enforcement hydrate Revolution. He’s been featured in Newsweek, on CNN and legislative action to prevent farm animal abuse and has and CBS News, on ABC national radio, and on Dateline NBC. played an important role in passing laws in the U.S. that prohibit He received his master’s degree in nutrition from Harvard cruel farming practices. His efforts have been covered by leading University and his medical and law degrees from the University news organizations, including The New York Times, Los Ange- of Hawaii. He is Board certified in preventative medicine and is les Times, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Washington the Associate Chair of Alternative & Complementary Medicine Post, National Public Radio, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN. For at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Ha- more information, visit: FarmSanctuary.org. waii at Manoa.

Mr. Bauston will also be speaking on Maui: Wed., Jan. Dr. Shintani will also be speaking on Maui: Tues., Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Cameron Center, 95 Mahalani St, Wailuku, Maui. 14, 7 p.m., Cameron Center, 95 Mahalani St, Wailuku, Maui. WILLIAM HARRIS, M.D.

“ASK DR. BILL”

Sat., Mar. 11, 7 p.m., McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park

n this well-illustrated PowerPoint show Dr. Bill will answer the most frequently asked questions received I through his VegSource website (www.vegsource.com/harris). He will also provide a brief explanation of why anyone can successfully follow a vegetarian diet and will describe some of the fatal flaws in establishment nutritional theory, such as the preferencing of foods by nutrient/weight ratio. He will also point out some of our own misconceptions and take additional questions from the audience. A vegan for more than 40 years, William Harris, M.D., is a founding and current director of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii. Prior to his retirement he was an emergency physician and the director of the Kaiser Permanente Vegetarian Lifestyle Clinic. He re- ceived his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco and is the author of The Scientific Basis of Vegetarian- ism. Retirement has allowed Dr. Harris to maintain and even increase his physical activity. He swims and does other aerobic exercise daily and continues to hone his trampoline skills. He’s been an active pilot for many years and recently took up skydiving. He com- pleted his 500th jump last August.

Dr. Harris will also be speaking on Maui: Tues., Mar. 14, 7 p.m., Cameron Center, 95 Mahalani St., Wailuku, Maui.

Lectures are FREE and open to the public. Donations are appreciated and tax-free. Visit VSH.org or call-944-8344 for more info.

Page 10 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Please post on your bulletin board!

Well over two hundred VSH members and Becoming Vegan author others interested in a meat-free holiday feast Brenda Davis, R.D. gave attended the annual VSH Thanksgiving Eve four talks on three different Dinner at Govinda’s restaurant in the Nuuanu topics on Oahu and Maui in area of Honolulu. October. In November, Physicians Com- A vegan diet rich in mittee for Responsible Medi-

omega-3 fatty acids found

s cine (PCRM) advisor Milton

t in foods such as flax seeds

Mills, M.D. answered the ques-

n and walnuts can have a 5 tion: “Are humans designed to e

0 profound effect, not just eat meat?” at VSH meetings v 0 on physical health, but on on Maui and Oahu. He also E 2

mental health. This was gave a talk on preventing and S Q one of the major tenets curing diabetes at Castle

4 discussed by Neil Nedley, Medical Center. H M.D. at the December V meetings on Oahu and Maui.

Donate, Join, or Renew today! Vegetarian Society of Hawaii Membership Application/Renewal Form

Please Print Yes, please enroll me as a member. SAVE My dues are enclosed (add $4 per year Name(s): for a foreign address): on Multi-Year

1 yr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. Memberships/ Street: Regular Renewals! $20 $38 $54 $68 $80 City: Full-time student $12 $24 $36 $48 $60 Couple or Family State, Zip: $30 $57 $81 $102 $120 embers receive a

Life membership $400 Mq uarterly news- Home Phone: ( ) $______additional tax deductible donation letter and discounts on

products and services Work Phone: ( ) Please check one: at many vegetarian-

Vegan (no animal products at all) friendly restaurants E-Mail: Vegetarian (no flesh, fish, or fowl) and health food stores. # D Ex Associate (not yet a vegetarian)

The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 11 touched because I suspected it had cause of the risk of contamination, but Eat & run — cheese in it. The next stop, Kyoto, was if I’d followed that rule, I’d have much more to my liking. The breakfast starved. And ironically, the only ones around the world buffet had a great spread of all varie- who got sick were those eating meat! ties of fruits and veggies, including sea The site of Siem Reap is one of the by Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. vegetables, soup, and mixed baby seven wonders of the ancient world. VSH founding Board member greens. The meals there were buffets served in and past president Hong Kong was also more veg- the hotel with selections for both West-

friendly, and we had memorable meals ern and Asian tastes. For that one meal ound the World in 30 at a “jumbo” floating restaurant in of “elephant ear fish,” an elegant coco- Days!” The itinerary “'R Hong Kong harbor and at the top of nut dish was served. Running there sounded perfect: From the Yukon to Victoria Peak after a thrilling ride up a was especially challenging because of Kyoto, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, very rough “sidewalks.” Siem Reap (Angkor People stared at me in Wat), New Delhi and disbelief, so I just smiled Agra (Taj Mahal), Du- and kept my eyes on the bai, Nairobi (Masai rough terrain. Mara safari), Cairo, Pra- Next stop was India, gue, and Reykjavik. where the food was pri- Considering the possi- marily vegetarian, so bilities — running in dishes such as dahl were twelve different coun- always available. tries, experiencing how Then Dubai. From twelve different cultures the moment we landed, I eat, and fulfilling a life- was aware of being in long dream — in the the Middle East — words of the goddess women were covered up Nike, I was going to and men were in sheik’s “Just do it!” I told the clothing. Dubai is a city tour leader that we in motion, as its skyline would require vegan is a continuous maze of foods all the way, which cranes. There were buf- at first seemed to present fets in our five-star ho- a problem in three coun- Yup, this is Dr. Ruth striking a pose with the Sphinx as a backdrop. tel, so, again, lots of tries: the main entrée at a Walk like an Egyptian. fruits and veggies in- dinner in Siem Reap was cluding dragon , “elephant ear fish” and in Dubai steak very steep hill on the tram. The view passion fruit, dates, lychee, and mango. shish kabob. In Nairobi dinner was to was breathtaking and not for the faint I got to do a beach run in the Arabian be at a restaurant called “The Carni- of heart, as the restaurant seemed Sea topped off with a refreshing swim. vore,” famous for serving the flesh of perched right on the edge. Dinner was One of the dinners was out in the de- the very animals we came to the pre- a seemingly endless buffet with dozens sert in a setting imaginable only in a serve to see. These challenges were of different salads and a variety of veg- movie. We were escorted to a large resolved easily, however, by just ask- gies such as snow peas, eggplant, and tent, the walls of which were covered ing the servers to serve us veggies in- jicima as well as the standard fare. The with Persian rugs and the floors all stead of the fish and to put veggies on dessert spread, well, let’s not even go thick cushions. It was a scene out of the shish kabob; we would just skip the there. Arabian Nights. meal at The Carnivore. Ho Chi Minh City is an amazing In Nairobi we were put in four- Our first night the entrée was rein- place; millions are crammed into a wheel drive vehicles and driven nearly deer! It was hard for me to understand very small area, and everyone rides a six hours to our lodge. Lots of bumps how people could kill and eat these motor scooter. The meals were buffet, on the road, but beautiful scenery as beautiful animals, but then I thought, so it wasn’t a problem getting ample we looked out on the Rift Valley where how is it different from cows, pigs, fruits and veggies. We were warned chicken, and fish. My “vegan” meal never to eat raw fruit or vegetables be- (see Eat & Run on page 13) was some kind of pasta that I hardly

Page 12 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 • How to achieve

The Raw Facts exceptionally vi-

brant health and

David Wolfe to give vitality.

two Oahu lectures Mr. Wolfe will On also be giving a own To Earth Natural Foods, lecture at Castle TV… D Castle Medical Center, and Medical Center on VSH have teamed up to bring raw Sunday, January 8th foods guru David Wolfe to Oahu. at 7 p.m. describing A leading authority on the raw food the health benefits of phytochemicals “Vegetarian” philosophy, Mr. Wolfe will be giving and nutrients found in cocoa beans Oceanic Cable Channel 52 two presentations in early January. and goji berries. Call Castle at 263- Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. “The Raw Facts” presentation at 5400 to register. View recent VSH lectures. McCoy Pavilion will answer these David Wolfe is the author of Na- See VSH.org for program sched- questions: ked Chocolate, Eating for Beauty, ules for all four major islands. • Which foods are best for your body The Sunfood

• Why eating raw foods help you live Diet Success “Tasty & Meatless” longer System, and Na- Oceanic Cable Channel 16 ture’s First • How raw foods boost immunity Sat. 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m. • Where to find the best mineralized Law: The Raw- Sun. 11:30 a.m. foods possible Food Diet. He Mon. 10 a.m. conducts over Tues. 8 a.m. 100 health lec- Wed. 11:30 a.m. “The Raw Facts” tures and semi- Thurs. 11:30 a.m. nars and hosts Sat., Jan. 7, 7 p.m. five raw adven- McCoy Pavilion “McDougall, M.D.” ture retreats each year in the United Ala Moana Beach Park States, Canada, Europe, and the Tuesdays 8:30-9 a.m. South Pacific. Oceanic Cable Channel 26

meals. And Iceland! Just the name in- (Eat & Run from page 12) spires scenes of fire and ice, and there were plenty of both, including shoot- …and not only did elephants, lions, zebra, ing geysers and thundering waterfalls, and giraffe roam, but where archeolo- active volcanoes, and great miles-long Radio gists uncovered bones of the first rifts in the earth. One of my most

hominids! memorable runs was running from 8-9

Then came the Pyramids and the a.m. in complete darkness — the sun “Nutrition & You” Sphinx at Cairo — another of the won- didn’t rise until ten, and it went down Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. ders of the ancient world. Running again at four. Then a swim in the Blue Terry Shintani, M.D. alongside of and then crossing the Nile Lagoon — warm-to-hot, truly blue John Westerdahl, Ph.D. River was one of my peak running thermal waters amid recent lava flows Sundays: 8-9 p.m. moments. Thank goodness for egg- with below-freezing temps — topped K108 — AM 1080 plant, as that seemed to be one of the off the visit to a surprisingly veg- Call-in line: 524-1080 staple foods there. friendly country — in fact, our tour From there we headed to Prague. guide was vegetarian! “Health Talk” Running on cobblestone streets there It was indeed a dream come Hosted by Hesh presented a challenge; I sure didn’t true — to see so many cultures and Saturdays: 8-9 a.m. want to trip and fall, so I ran very countries, to eat so many different K108 — AM 1080 carefully. Food choices again were foods, and to run in so many different Call-in line: 524-1080 primarily buffet, so we had lots of places — truly eating and running choices of fruits and veggies at all ‘round the world.

The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 13 of EPA, The Meating Place, and USDA documents thrown in. Some of How it All Vegan! Book the citations are accompanied by URLs, but not all, and for the benefit Irresistible of readers too lazy to dig in a library, Reviews of which your humble correspondent is Recipes for an a splendid example, more would have

been welcome. Animal-Free Diet Not that the book itself is a dry 101 Reasons Why by Tanya Barnard & Sarah read. Pamela writes cogently and with Kramer, Arsenal Pulp Press, an underlying passion for her subject, I’m a Vegetarian Vancouver, BC, 1999 and while she admits it’s a negative (Tenth printing, 2005) by Pamela Rice one, her personal attitude is positive

http://www.vivavegie.org/ with a hope that things will get better. Reviewed by Eva Uran Paperback: 253 pages She has always been good at tracking VSH member Publisher: Lantern Books the spoor of the USDA and its finan-

(October 30, 2004) cial bailouts for the meat and dairy in- his cheerful looking book with ISBN: 1590560752 dustries, and in Chapter 44 she details the smiling faces of two women 10 separate and flagrant categories, T Reviewed by Bill Harris, M.D. holding an egg-free cake above a table wryly suggesting we need “separation VSH founding Board member full of fruits and appetizing dishes al- of meat and state. It is high time that ready looks inviting. Turn the pages those who choose meat am Rice is the chief and you’ll see how it all began with pay the true cost of their cook and bottle these two ladies. One was a born vege- P predilection” (i.e., cut washer for the Vegetarian tarian who dabbled with meat in her out the subsidies, al- Society of New York early adulthood and then converted ready). However, the City, which has an actual back after developing a kinship with shell game going on at physical office where cats; the other was an avid meat eater the USDA and its finan- veggies can comfortably who’d never even heard the term cial arm, the Commodi- hang out by appointment. “vegan,” becoming one herself later ties Credit Corporation The mailing address is P. on. (CCC) changes so rap- O. Box 294 Prince Street The authors describe themselves as idly that it’s hard to keep Station, New York, NY “lazy vegetarians.” This fact has in- up with anything but the 10012-0005 and the spired them to concoct quick and easy human, animal, and en- phone number is 212- recipes from different sources, books, vironmental wreckage 242-0011, just in case and friends and relatives as well as to left in its wake. That she you’re going there any- try out some of their own original ones. has done very well. time soon. Little by little they compiled them into This is an important book for those Pam founded the group in 1991. a sourcebook to help others make the in need of factual By day she’s a writer, but her true avo- big transformation. backup. For those cation is the assembly of an accurate They’ve exhibited empathy just getting into and exhaustive list of references sup- for the beginner who still vegetarianism, a porting vegetarianism, for which she likes her meat, milk, very user-friendly gets paid—guess what—nothing. The cheese, and eggs but is resource is her 101 Reasons, plus a lot more, are ac- striving to make the transi- vivavegie.org (now cessible for free at her Viva Veggie tion not only in the food linked from our site website vivavegie.org, but this book department but also in gen- at VSH.org), where puts it all in a portable format. The eral lifestyle such as you’ll find just book gives solid documentation with choices of clothing and about all you need 28 pages of references, about 50 to a household items. The au- to know, particu- page, so something like 1400 in all. thors offer judicious advice larly if you’re Mostly the articles are from reliable headed in the direc- media sources like AP, The New York (Continued on next page) tion of NYC. Times, and Guardian with a sprinkling

Page 14 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 (Continued from page 14) ian diet is one of the keys to creating a Vegan World peaceful world. By starting with our- on how to maintain good relationships selves, by cultivating and exemplifying with conventional family and friends, Fusion Cuisine the principles of wisdom and nonvio- exhorting the reader to be diplomatic lence within our own lives, we can by Mark Reinfeild & Bo Rinaldi and nonjudgmental. help make this dream of a better world Hardcover $24.95, 245 pages The next section details a list of a living reality. Thousand Petals Publishing, substitutes for milk, , eggs, and The authors operate the Blossom- (2004), ISBN: 0-9752837-1-5 cheese, mostly based on soy products. ing Lotus Café on Kauai. For more (I must comment that they forgot to Foreword by Jane Goodall information call 808-822-7678 or mention one excellent substitute for visit blossominglotus.com. milk that helped me more than any- very once in a while a book so thing — carrot juice. Not just any car- “E completely transcends its (Source: blossominglotus.com) rots, for some are stale and bitter. If genre that it becomes one unto itself.” you can ever obtain or plant Shantanay So begins the VegNews review in carrots, those big, fat ones, they make which it named Vegan World Fusion the very best juice, sweeter than milk! Cuisine the “Cookbook of the In my opinion fresh carrot juice is far year.” (VegNews, Nov-Dec 2005) superior to any soy product.) While it has over 200 international Back to the gourmet vegan and book. The bulk of it live food cuisine is a collection of recipes, it has a sim- recipes, written in a ple and easy to fol- style as zesty as the low format. It intro- dishes themselves. duces the ingredients There are delectable and techniques gen- recipes of every tly guiding the category — entrées, reader towards a soups, sauces, lighter, more health- breads, salads, des- ful diet. The Maui Vegetarian: serts, and beverages, Much more than vegan versions of ice a cookbook, it is de- Cooking with Aloha cream, mayonnaise, signed as a manual by Brian Igarta and Sloppy Joes. for nonviolent living, There are also chap- with a comprehen- Recommendation ters on kids’ foods sive resource guide by Laurelee Blanchard, and vegan recipes for cosmetics, hair that lists over 50 groups and organiza- VSH Maui meeting coordinator products, pet treats, and household tions working for peace and a sustain- cleaners. Some of the titles of recipes able future. he vegan entrées, appetizers, are really eye- (or mouth-) catching A moving foreword by Dr. Jane T soups, salads, and desserts are such as: “Easy, Breezy ,” Goodall highlights its aim to inspire absolutely delicious! As someone who “Scrambled Eggless Eggs,” “Racy Rai- peace, unity, and understanding among advocates the protection of animals, I sin Rice Pudding,” “Heavenly Mush- individuals, cultures, and all who care greatly appreciate a cookbook that rooms,” “Fabulous French Toast,” about our planet. provides readers with so many simple “Rise ‘N’ Shine Granola,” “Nice ‘N’ Featuring anthropologist and pho- ways to cook wonderful-tasting, cru- Spicy Avocado Dressing,” “Rustic To- tographer Martin Gray’s breathtaking elty-free food. Anyone who tries these mato Lentil Soup,” “Mighty Miso sacred site images from around the recipes will surely be convinced that Soup,” “Hearty Winter Potato Soup,” world, beautiful photographs from Tim animal flesh, eggs, and dairy products “Perfect Pesto,” and “Zesty Tomato O’Reilly, stunning food photography, aren’t needed in the kitchen. Pesto,” to name a few. The idea is to and countless wise sayings, this book The cookbook is available for get happy and . One of the is sure to be a cherished keepsake and $17.05 at the author’s website: most light-hearted and cheerful cook- reminder of the beauty and hope that http://www.themauivegetarian.com/ books I’ve encountered. life on our planet has to offer. vegetarianbook.html. The authors believe that a vegetar- The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 15 ing more than tion of aquatic birds such as ducks. Bird flu coming 50% of its The duck doesn’t get sick because human vic- the virus doesn’t need to make the home to roost tims. duck sick in order to spread. In fact, We now it’s in the virus’s best interest for the by Michael Greger, M.D. know that bird not to get sick so that it can

bird flu is the spread farther. After all, dead ducks he deadliest plague in human original cause don’t fly. The virus silently multi- history was the influenza pan- T of all of these plies in the duck’s intestinal lining, is demic of 1918, which killed up to so-called hu- excreted into the pond water, swal- 100 million people around the world. man influ- lowed by another duck who alights Annual flu strains tend to spare enza “type for a drink, and then continues the young healthy adults, but every few A” viruses. Although the viruses can cycle. decades a strain arises that can kill affect a wide range of animals, in- While the virus is in total evolu- people in the prime of life. In 1918, cluding pigs, horses, and wild birds, tionary stasis in aquatic birds, if more than a quarter of all Americans the initial source seems to be domes- infected ducks are dragged to a live fell ill. What started for millions ticated fowl such as chickens and tur- poultry market and crammed into around the globe as a runny nose and keys. cages stacked high enough to splatter a sore throat ended days later with Cramming tens of thousands of virus-laden droppings over many dif- people often bleeding from their ears chickens bred to be almost geneti- ferent species of land-based birds, and nostrils and into their lungs. cally identical into filthy sheds the the virus has a problem. It must mu- Many victims drowned in their own size of a football field to stand and tate or die. Fortunately for the virus, blood. Their corpses — tinged blue lie beak-to-beak in their own feces is mutate is what it does best, and in a from suffocation — were said to a recipe for increasing the virulence new environment it quickly starts do- have been “stacked like cordwood” and transmission of H5N1. “You ing this to adapt to the new host. In outside the morgues as cities ran out have to say,” concluded University the open air it must resist dehydra- of coffins. No war, no plague, no of Ottawa virologist Earl Brown, a tion, for example, and must spread to famine has ever killed so many in so specialist in the evolution of influ- other organs to find a new way to short a time as the 1918 pandemic. enza viruses, “that high intensity travel. Where did this disease come chicken rearing is a perfect environ- So it finds the lungs. from? Just this year, brilliant medical ment for generating virulent avian flu To hitch rides in respiratory detective work, which included dig- virus.” droplets, the virus has to start attack- ging up corpses discovered frozen in In October 2005 the United Na- ing cells to trigger a hacking cough the Alaskan permafrost for tissue tions issued a press release: “Govern- in its new host. It doesn’t want to samples, recently pieced together the ments, local authorities, and interna- start killing cells, lest it tip off the genetic makeup of the virus. The dis- tional agencies need to take a greatly immune system to its presence. So ease came straight from bird flu. increased role in combating the role it’s forced to find new ways to

of factory-farming, commerce in live spread. The more virulent the virus Factory Farming and Bird Flu poultry, and wildlife markets, which becomes, the more violent the cough Over the past few decades, meat provide ideal conditions for the virus and the faster it can overwhelm the and egg consumption has exploded in to spread and mutate into a more immune system. It can’t become too the developing world, leading to in- dangerous form.…” The World deadly, though. If the virus kills the dustrial-scale commercial chicken Health Organization’s flu expert in host too quickly, there may not be farming and mass animal transport Asia also blames the emergence of enough of a chance to infect another. and creating the “perfect storm” en- killer viruses like H5N1 in part on vironment for the emergence of new intensive animal agriculture and what Enter intensive poultry superstrains of influenza. Though the he called the “[o]ver-consumption of production 1918 virus managed to kill more peo- animal products.” ple in 25 weeks than AIDS has killed When the next beak is only in 25 years, it killed less than 3% of The Making of a Killer Virus inches away, there’s no limit to how those infected. The current mutant nasty the virus can get. Scientists In nature the influenza virus has H5N1 bird flu virus strain is unprece- existed for millions of years as a (Continued on page 17) dented in its ferocity, officially kill- harmless intestinal waterborne infec-

Page 16 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 (Continued from page 16) you that there will be.” The Director was organized by a group of dedicated General of the World Health Organiza- volunteers who have started Fluwikie. have even done this in the lab. They tion agreed: “[T]here is no disagree- com, an unprecedented collaborative start out with some harmless swan vi- ment that this is just a matter of time.” approach to problem-solving in public rus that wouldn’t even hurt a fly. But “The world is now,” he said, “in the health that has the express purpose of pass the virus through enough chickens gravest possible danger of a pan- “help[ing] local communities prepare and you end up with one so deadly that demic.” for and perhaps cope with a possible it kills every chicken it comes in con- Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of Co- influenza pandemic.” We need to pre- tact with. Unfortunately for us, through lumbia University’s National Center pare within our families, our neighbor- some quirk of nature the respiratory for Disaster Preparedness, predicts that hoods, our communities, our cities, tract of a chicken seems to bear strik- up to one billion people could die. states, and businesses. First, though, ing resemblance (on a cell receptor “What we are talking about is not just we need to educate ourselves. Here is a level) to our own. another health is- list of resources to get started:

So as the virus gets or humanity’s sue,” Dr. Tara • Department of Homeland Security better at infecting O’Toole, director of associate director article in Foreign and killing chickens “Fs ake we hope University of Pitts- Affairs: http://www.foreignaffairs. overcrowded and the direction world his- burgh’s Center for org/20050701faessay84402/michael- intensively confined Biosecurity, told a t-osterholm/preparing-for-pandemic. in filthy warehouses, tory will take is away Congressional brief- html the virus is getting ing, “it is a nation- • Watch Dr. Osterholm on video at the better at infecting from raising birds by busting issue.” In- Woodrow Wilson Center for Interna- and killing us. deed, our Senate the billions under in- tional Scholars: http://wilsoncenter. The world is Majority leader re- org/index.cfm?fuseaction=news. now facing just such tensive confinement.” cently called the item&news_id=145329 a virus that has gone bird flu virus an full circle. It has escaped from the “immense potential threat to American • How a pandemic might realistically chicken farms and seems to have rein- civilization.” unfold: http://www.nature.com/ fected its original hosts—migratory Dr. Michael Osterholm is the di- nature/journal/v435/n7041/ pdf/435400a.pdf aquatic and shore birds—who can fly rector of the U.S. Center for Infectious this factory-farmed virus to every con- Disease Research and Policy and an • ABC News Primetime Investigation tinent in the world. The more birds the associate director within the U.S. De- transcript: http://abcnews.go.com/ virus infects, the more people who are partment of Homeland Security. “An Primetime/Investigation/story? exposed, the greater likelihood that the influenza pandemic of even moderate id=1130392&page=1 virus will acquire the means to spread impact,” he wrote, “will result in the • Trust for America’s Health report: easily from person to person via a biggest single human disaster ever— http://healthyamericans.org/reports/ sneeze or a handshake and the next far greater than AIDS, 9/11, all wars in flu/Flu2005.pdf pandemic is triggered — a pandemic the 20th century, and the recent tsu- • Senate majority leader’s Harvard that is predicted to kill between two nami combined. It has the potential to Medical School Health Care Policy million and a 1000 million people redirect world history as the Black Seidman Lecture: http://frist.senate. around the globe. Death redirected European history in th gov/_files/060105manhattan.pdf the 14 century.” Not “if,” but “when” For humanity’s sake we hope the Michael Greger, M.D. is the Director direction world history will take is of Public Health and Animal Agricul- What are the odds of this actually away from raising birds by the billions ture for The Humane Society of the happening, though? What are the odds under intensive confinement. United States (HSUS). For more infor- that a killer flu virus will spread Humanity’s lust for cheap meat not mation visit his website DrGreger.org. around the world like a tidal wave kill- only leads directly to the suffering and or HSUS.org. To subscribe to his free ing millions? deaths of billions of animals every quarterly e-mail newsletter, send a The U.S. Secretary of Health and year, but also threatens the health of blank e-mail to:

Human Services has answered that our planet and may threaten our health question: “The burning question is, drgregersnewsletter-subscribe@lists. in more ways than we know. riseup.net. will there be a human influenza pan- So what can we do? Pandemic Flu demic,” he recently said to reporters. Awareness Week, held last October, “On behalf of the W.H.O., I can tell

The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 17 tests, having surgery, and taking drugs. servatives, including MSG, stabilizers, Who can you We are losing the war on cancer even artificial colors or flavors, don’t buy it. though we spend over $2 trillion a year If produce is not organically grown, trust? on health care, and we are the sickest don’t buy it. nation on the planet. We are losers! Now that I have ruined shopping in by Hesh Goldstein So who are the winners? The drug supermarkets for you, what do you do? VSH member companies and the healthcare Shop in natural food stores where the

companies. The profits of the bulk of the food is chemical-free and oday we have more drug companies are at an all- the produce is organic. Delete from information and “T time high. More people are your thinking the concept of “fast knowledge about the cure and on diets and more people food.” Slow down and take the time to prevention of disease than take diet products than ever prepare your food fresh, making ever before in the history of before, yet more are fatter enough for the next day. Start your day mankind. The advancements than ever before. Again we with a glass of water to get your me- that have been made in just are the losers, and again tabolism and cleansing going. Eat a the past few years make it there are winners — the cor- hearty breakfast free of chemicals, pre- safe to reach two major con- porations that sell diet food, diet pills, servatives, and sugars, such as oatmeal clusions: 1) Even though just ten years and other weight-loss aids. The phar- with organically grown fruit, brown or ago we thought we knew the proper maceutical companies and the big food red rice with organically grown vegeta- treatments of illness, we now know companies are publicly traded corpora- bles, or last night’s leftovers. Find time just how little we knew back then and tions and as such each day to take a long 2) With these revolutionary break- have one objective: walk. Eat no diet foods throughs in technology, virtually all f there’s any- to increase profits and drink no diet sodas. illness and disease should be wiped out by selling more thing on the Eat no refined foods in America within the next ten years. “I product. So, the such as white flour or We are on the verge of entering a drug companies label that you can’t white rice; eat only phase where a person will never be have a vested inter- whole foods. Eliminate sick. And if you do get sick, your doc- pronounce, don’t est in keeping you dairy products from your tor will be able to cure you of your ill- sick and the food buy it.” diet. Eat a large salad ness in a matter of days. We have vir- companies’ must every day and keep your tually reached the pinnacle of medical sell more food. The food companies’ salad dressings simple. When you have knowledge.” This calls for a drum roll, goal is to produce food less expen- that “uncontrollable” urge to eat when blaring trumpets, and people dancing sively and sell it at the highest possible you’re not hungry, drink water or take in the streets. Unbelievable! We have price in massive quantities. This is ac- a bite of a carrot or apple. Find support reached the pinnacle of medical knowl- complished by a) genetic engineering, groups like the Vegetarian Society, and edge — we know all there is about the b) spraying chemical poisons so that listen to bona fide heath talk radio cure and prevention of disease! Whoa, crops won’t be damaged by disease or shows like “Nutrition and You” with baby. Not so fast. That speech was bugs, and c) loading them with chemi- Dr. Terry Shintani, Dr. John Wester- given in 1902. cals to make them grow faster. The dahl, and Dr. Ruth Heidrich and When we look back at earlier food industry is so profit-driven that “Health Talk” with yours truly. times, we are amazed at how little was it’s lobbying against the national cam- These simple things may seem ex- known. And down the road people will paign to “eat less, exercise more!” Re- treme to you at first, but once you do look back and laugh and think the member, it’s all about money. Your them, you’ll look better, feel better, same of us. The point is that there welfare is not the issue. and be healthier. Put your health back really are no actual medical facts, only So, who can you trust? The only in your hands and out of the hands of opinions and speculations, and that person you can trust is you. You must those who only want your money. medical science has thus far failed in reclaim your health and take it out of There are people out there without the the curing and prevention of disease. the hands of the people who want you profit motivation who truly care about More people than ever before get colds to eat more and stay sick. You must you and have a sincere desire to help. and flus, diabetes, heart disease, consti- make changes. Read labels. If there’s pation, chronic fatigue, asthma, insom- Hesh Goldstein is the host of Health Talk anything on the label that you can’t nia, acne, depression, infertility, aller- on K108 radio (AM 1080) on Saturdays, 8- pronounce, don’t buy it. If the label has gies, etc. More people are visiting doc- 9 a.m. (808) 258-1177; fax: (808) 377- sugar, aspartame, or high fructose corn tors, getting X-rays and diagnostic 1986, [email protected] syrup on it, don’t buy it. If it lists pre- Page 18 The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Lily, a pig who bailed out of a made, “The Emotional World of Farm Emptying the slaughter truck at 300 pounds, now Animals,” featuring Kim and psycho- weighs 850 pounds and doesn’t walk analyst Jeffrey Masson, Ph.D. who ocean with a much but likes to have her belly contends that animals share most of the rubbed. behaviors of people and hence deserve teaspoon Dudley, a former stud goat with our protection, not our predation. stuff growing out of the top of his head Kim’s favorites are the pigs (don’t by Bill Harris, M.D. that would blend with the French horn ask). I had always found them smelly VSH founding Board member section of the Honolulu Symphony, and stupid, but those were the ones on

ambles over and leans against my up- the Minnesota farms of my youth n early December Georgie and I per thigh. Since being butted by a goat crowded together by farmers only in- rented a car in Seattle and dropped I on Maui last year, i couldn’t help but terested in the bottom line, thus gener- in on a raw vegan potluck a few miles think that Dudley could seriously dam- ating a stench that made driving North of SEATAC where we met hosts through the countryside Orion and Jeff Rogers, an olfactory nightmare. a former Oahu raw Kim’s pigs are clean fooder (www. and keep their pens neat soystache.com), plus a and tidy with all the dozen members of a poop outside. AP also thousand-member raw has 2000 New Orleans food community. We chickens rescued in the shared a pleasant eve- wake of Katrina. You ning with them and en- can visit her animals by joyed some delicious calling 707-449-4814. raw vegan recipes. So how about the The next day we ocean and the tea- drove south and I got spoon? FS and AP res- two refreshers on why I cue a few hundred became a vegetarian in lucky animals while the first place back in McDonald’s, KFC, 1950. Wendy’s, and their ilk Farm Sanctuary kill several billion (farmsanctuary.org) is every year with the full located a few miles approval of the USDA southwest of Orland, and the liberal use of California (530-865- our tax monies. 4617). It was founded Georgie, Bill, and Nellie at Farm Sanctuary. Animal sanctuaries by Gene Bauston, one age parts of me that I would prefer in- used to seem like a waste of time and of our upcoming speakers (see page tact. However, he was not only friendly resources to me, but at both of these 10), back in the ‘80s and has 300 do- but considerate. When people are places there were many volunteers and nated acres for its 400 rescued cows, around, he doesn’t swing his head an there’s a steady stream of visitors, chickens, ducks, pigs, turkeys, and inch. some of whom go in as carnivores and people. We were escorted around the A hundred miles south, near Vaca- leave as vegetarians. Seems that people premises by Rebekah Taylor, a charm- ville, is Kim Sturla’s Animal Place have trouble eating a dinner that can ing young woman who went vegetarian (animalplace.org), where one of our look you in the eye and rub up against at the age of five, when she decided best “Vegetarian” TV shows was your leg. So maybe it works after all. that animals were too cute to eat, and who now devotes her days to helping out the ravaged survivors of animal ag- ribiz. Placid but friendly “spent cows,” some with frantic escape stories, came up and nuzzled our fingers in an obvi- ous gesture of interest and friendship. March 20th! 1-800-MEATOUT The Island Vegetarian • Jan - Mar 2006 Page 19 eet Mr.

KENNETH WILLIAMS M I DA, AMERICA’S FIRST VEGAN BODYBUILDER Kenneth Williams, vegan body- builder champion and vegan campaign co- ordinator for In Defense of Animals (IDAUSA. org). Kenneth is living proof that compas- sion is power and that one doesn’t need meat or dairy products to attain super- VegHawaii.org strength and exceptional health.

NONPROFIT Vegetarian Society of Hawaii U.S. POSTAGE PAID P.O. Box 23208 HONOLULU, HI Honolulu, Hawaii USA PERMIT NO. 645 96823-3208

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