The Island Vegetarian Vegetarian Society of Hawaii Quarterly Publication supporting human health, animal rights, and ecology Volume 11, Issue 3, Oct - Dec 2000 Inside Jay Dinshah’s Gift by Michael Klaper, M.D. ? President’s Message eventeenth-century physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham said, “You are as old ? Go Cruelty Free Sas your arteries.” A person in his or her twenties whose blood vessels have become stiffened and clogged is aged and at risk for heart attack, stroke, ? There’s A Reason to and sudden death. If your arteries are flexible and open, bringing life- Season sustaining blood to your brain and vital organs, you are youthful, no matter what birth date appears on your driver’s license. The recent death of H. Jay ? Science Corner Dinshah, Founding President of the American Vegan Society, of an apparent heart attack at age ? November is Diabetes 66 brings to light the reality that consuming a Month plant-based diet may not be all that is required to protect our arteries as the years go by. ? Restaurant Review Scientists have recently discovered that there are factors beyond the consumption of saturated ? Calendar of Events & animal fat that may contribute to atherosclerotic Bookstore plaque accumulating in, and ultimately clogging, vital arteries in the heart and throughout the ? Culinary Conversation body. Minimizing these risks should be a goal H. Jay Dinshah 1933-2000 for all modern-day vegetarians and vegans as ? Palate-Pleasers well as for our omnivore brethren (and sistren): ? Meet the Members Assure adequate reserves of Vitamin B-12. ? VSH Election Results In Elevated blood levels of homocysteine, a byproduct of the metabolism of ? A Meat-Free Home the essential amino acid methionine, can contribute to damage of the artery walls, which is viewed as an early step in the build-up of atherosclrotic plaque in the arteries. Cobalamin (vitamin B-12) is essential for the metabolism and Public Lectures elimination of homocysteine, and if vitamin B-12 in the blood is not adequate, homocysteine may rise to artery-damaging levels. Modern day vegans and vegetarians do not consume vitamin B-12 from the environment as did our Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. ancestors (on the surface of root vegetables, drinking water from free-flowing Video “The Witness” streams and wells, etc.). These people therefore would be wise to consume October 11 vitamin B-12-enriched foods or some food or supplement containing at least 5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin B-12 one to two times weekly. This can be Michael Klaper, M.D. conveniently done via vitamin B-12-fortified foods (nutritional yeast, soy and November 8 rice-based beverages) or via supplemental cobalamin in tablet, nasal gel, vitamin spray, or sublingual “microdot” form. Larger doses (50 to 1000 mcg. Gary Francione several times weekly) are proving to be efficient at helping vegans maintain December 13 adequate B-12 stores in their body. (See Jay Dinshah’s Gift on page 12) The Island Vegetarian • Oct - Dec 2000 Page 1 tive of those of you who have not 7. Do you prefer a standardized for- President’s Message (yet) returned your surveys. Here is mat for the newsletter, or would you By Alida Rutchick, M.Ed. a summary of the responses: prefer a more "whatever-is-current" format? n our last issue of the Island Vege- 1. Do you read the VSH newsletter? [56] Yes [1] Some of it [0] No [16] Current [6] Standardized I tarian we enclosed a survey that [18] Whatever works best /doesn’t solicited your opinions of and sug- 2. How valuable to you overall is the matter gestions for our newsletter. Of the information in the newsletter (1-10, approximately 500 surveys sent out, 10 being high)? Average Score: 7.5 8. Suggestions for Improving the Newsletter: to date 57 have been returned. As 3. Do you consider the newsletter a mentioned on the survey form, be- Add some color, more pictures of major benefit of VSH membership? people, traveling as a vegetarian, cause producing the newsletter is la- [48] Yes [6] No bor intensive and one of our largest short member autobiographies, vary- expense items, we want to assure that 4. How valuable to you are the fol- ing the night of the monthly lecture, it is of value to its audience. We were lowing regular features (1-10, 10 review the lectures, report on Board delighted to learn that at least 10% of being high)? Average Scores: decisions, provide a forum for John our membership had positive feelings a. Ask Dr. Klaper: 8.1 Robbins to respond to criticism, in- about the newsletter! We hope that b. Calendar of Events: 8.4 volve the members, a singles section, these folks are somewhat representa- c. President’s Message: 7.4 staple, more relevant articles, and d. Recipes: 7.7 send by email on request. e. Restaurant Reviews 8.6 9. Do you regularly access the VSH The Island Vegetarian f. Science Corner 7.9 website? [5] Yes [49] No The Island Vegetarian is published 5. Which of the following topics 10. If the hardcopy newsletter were quarterly for the members of the would you like to see more of in the discontinued, would you access the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii newsletter? website more often? P.O. Box 23208 a. animal rights [11] Honolulu, HI 96823-3208 [22] Yes [28] No b. environment [18] 808-944-VEGI (8344) 11. Do you recommend that VSH E-mail: [email protected] c. gardening [14] d. legislation [9] continue to publish this newsletter in Call, write, or email for a free back hard copy? [47] Yes [7] No e. recipes [22] issue. Visit the web site at f. other: ongoing VSH projects, 12. Website only? [7] Yes [25] No www.vsh.org for newsletter archives and more. grown foods (how to use, where to 13. If the newsletter were discontin- buy), nutrition, what’s in ued, what would you suggest replace Newsletter Committee "vegetarian" food/sauces, micro- it? Alida Rutchick, M.Ed. biographies of our members, a simple Eileen Towata, Ph.D. An on-line newsletter, web ac- Donovan Watts explanation of vegetarianism cess, email, press releases, automatic Helen Wells to offer to non-vegetarians, local in- telephone info system, larger member Jim Brown formation of cooking classes, discounts at stores and restaurants, dine outs, etc., testimonials, book re- Contributors video production, flyers for members William Harris, M.D. views, global human food supply, at health food stores, more social Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. current research, education initia- events, special events flyers. Elaine Johnson, M.B.A tives, veganism, raw foodism. Michael Klaper, M.D. 14. Additional Comments: Alida Rutchick, M.Ed. 6. What would you like to see less Eliminating the newsletter may Eileen Towata, Ph.D. of? decrease membership; newsletter is Helen Wells Animal rights, recipes, spending too wordy; use money for something Mahalo to all our volunteers… so much $ on the newsletter, general more useful; save trees; have an an- vegetarian information available else- The opinions expressed in this nual or semi-annual event; have more where, science and nutrition values, cooking demonstrations; have shorter newsletter are those of the writers legislative. and do not necessarily reflect those of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii. (See President’s Message on page 7) Page 2 The Island Vegetarian • Oct - Dec 2000 Gamble, according to People for the consumer products, visit the PETA Go Cruelty-Free for Ethical Treatment of Animals web site at: www.peta-online.org. (PETA) stubbornly continue animal Holiday gift giving can become the Holidays testing . simple and also promote humane eth- The move toward major cosmet- ics. While you are there, why not by Elaine Johnson, MBA ics companies going cruelty-free be- check out your favorite charity to see Animal Rights Hawaii gan almost 10 years ago. PETA be- if it supports tests on animals? gan a massive campaign against For humane holiday gift giving in t is important to many of us as Avon products, which was at the time other areas, you can select high qual- I vegetarians that our household the largest cosmetics company in the ity synthetics in the place of leather, goods, cosmetics, and gifts be animal world. Avon gave up all animal test- fur, wool, and silk. A number of and cruelty-free. The label of ing after a year of “encouragement” companies that specialize in these "cruelty-free," especially in the cos- by PETA to do so. products can be found by using your metics and personal care area, can be search engine. High quality synthetic confusing. While it means that no articles are also plentiful now in all animal testing was used in conjunc- major department stores. Or, think tion with the product, it does not about giving gourmet vegan cookies, mean that none of the ingredients are candies, and baked goods. And don't animal products. forget your four-legged friends when Reading the labels thoroughly making your shopping list! and having an idea of what to look Please join us in helping to make out for are essential if you want to the holidays peaceful and happy for avoid using slaughterhouse byprod- all creatures, great and small. ucts and other animal ingredients. Animal testing is required by law VSH Member in the development of new pharma- ceutical products but is not required Discounts Clarified for cosmetics and household prod- ucts. And in fact, the tests that are One of the many benefits of VSH now being performed in lieu of ani- membership, as we all know, is the mal tests are considerably more accu- Next PETA focused its sights on discounts that various merchants rate than the animal tests that were Revlon, who almost immediately around town have graciously ex- previously done.