Help Ban TRANS FATS in RI restaurants

I've been very interested in helping stop the use of trans-fats in restaurants here in RI. As you are likely well aware these play into a host of serious and life threatening medical conditions, including but not limited to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, arterial damage, and many more listed below.

Why I am concerned is that as a health conscious individual while I can moniter how I prepare foods at home and which foods I choose to purchase, restaurants can put these transfats in foods which we the customer are unaware.

I would like to mobilize our elected officials and state government to follow NYC and the discussions in MA re banning trans fat use from restaurants. Please help me do so by contacting your elected officials, and the RI Dept of Health. There is also the RI Dietetic Association at www.eatrightri.org

Below is an email re this from Rep Kennedy...

You can find your elected official at http://www.ri.gov/government/index.php?subcategory=29&linkgroup=3


This is the top 10 list of where you're most likely to get your trans fats:

1. Margarine. Try to choose tub margarine, which will have the least amount of both trans and saturated fats.
2. Packaged foods. Things like cake mixes, Bisquick, they tend to add fat into the mix. Do-it-yourself baking allows you to reduce the fat.
3. Soups. Both dried and liquid soups can contain very high levels of trans fats. Try making your own.
4. Fast food. Primarily I mean those foods deep-fat fried, even when some chains indicate they use liquid oil instead of partially hydrogenated oil sometimes trans fats are sprayed on products in the food manufacturing. Order grilled chicken or skip the fries.
5. Frozen food. This included products from frozen dinners to frozen chicken, frozen breaded fish or chicken, pizzas. Check the label. Even if it says low fat, it can still have trans fat. Choose frozen food with the lowest grams of total fat.
6. Baked goods. Donuts, cookies, cakes, frostings, all have plenty of trans fats. Make them at home or eat them less often or in smaller quantities.
7. Candy and cookies. Lots of trans fats lurking in this area. If it contains chocolate or coconut or other high-fat items, satisfy your sweet tooth with things like hard candies or jelly beans, which don't have any fat.
8. Chips and crackers. Go for baked if you must have your chips. Choose low-fat crackers. Think pretzels and other alternatives that have no fat.
9. Breakfast food. From cereals to breakfast bars, trans fats can be found in this category. You need to read the label and choose cereals that have no fat and breakfast and granola bars that are low in fat.
10. Toppings, dips, and condiments. These would be things like salad dressing, mayonnaise, gravy, whipped toppings, nondairy creamers, hot fudge. Wherever you can, try to substitute a lower-fat alternative. For example, use oil and vinegar instead of a creamy salad dressing; low-fat milk instead of nondairy creamers.

Definition of Trans fat

Trans fat: An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fatty acid, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods.

Trans fats are also found in abundance in "french fries." To make vegetable oils suitable for deep frying, the oils are subjected to hydrogenation, which creates trans fats. Among the hazards of fast food, "fries" are prime in purveying trans fats.

Trans fats wreak havoc with the body's ability to regulate cholesterol. In the hierarchy of fats, the polyunsaturated fats which are found in vegetables are the good kind; they lower your cholesterol. Saturated fats have been condemned as the bad kind. But trans fats are far worse. They drive up the LDL ("bad") cholesterol. which markedly increases the risk of coronary artery heart disease and stroke. According to a recent study of some 80,000 women, for every 5% increase in the amount of saturated fat a woman consumes, her risk of heart disease increases by 17%. But only a 2% increase in trans fats will increase her risk of heart disease by 93%!

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Forwarded Message:
Subj: Re: Question re RI Govt..
Date: 12/27/2006 12:47:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: rep_kennedy_rilin_state_ri_us@yahoo.com
To: TJFronczak@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)

Dear Tom,
I've been following with interest the recent New York City transfat ban and the discussions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a possible statewide ban on transfats in prepared foods. I would expect that a couple of similar bills will be introduced in Rhode Island during the 2007 session.

Within Rhode Island State Government, the best place to inquire about healthy eating issues, is the Department of Health. I don't know if they're focused on the transfat issue at this point in time, but I'd say that would be the first avenue to pursue.


Department of Health
Office of Food Protection
Room 203
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI
02908-5097
(401) 222-2749
FAX:(401) 222-4775
Ernest Julian, Ph.D., Chief

Sincerely,
Brian Patrick Kennedy
District 38-State Representative
Chairman-House Committee on Corporations

TJFronczak@aol.com wrote:
Dear Rep. Kennedy

Quick question.. Just talking with family and friends about the trans fat ban in restaurants in NYC... Its a great idea we all thought having just found out that one of our favorite pizza places uses trans fat in their pizza dough and to grease their pizza pans! Trans fat! And we never knew.

Who or what is the best branch of RI Govt to send letters, email to to try to get a similar ban here in RI?

Thanks for your help and attention to this matter.

Discussion Group Beginning in January: A Course In Miracles

A Course In Miracles is "a unique, universal, self-study spiritual thought system that teaches the way to Love and Inner Peace is through forgiveness".

This discussion group which will meet twice a month for one hour is open to participants interested in studying more about A Course In Miracles. Day and time are yet to be determined. We could meet in my office or perhaps and more comfortably, rotate meeting locations at members homes. Again, this is an informal discussion group and the details will be determined by the interested members. Limited to 10 participants. If you are interested respond in the comment section below or be in touch with me by email only.

I am looking forward as a peer participant to join in the learning with you all.

So what is A Course In Miracles? Here is a summary from the above website.

A Course in Miracles is a complete self-study spiritual thought system. It teaches that the way to universal love and peace—or remembering God—is by undoing guilt through forgiving others. The Course thus focuses on the healing of relationships and making them holy. A Course in Miracles also emphasizes that it is but one version of the universal curriculum, of which there are "many thousands." Consequently, even though the language of the Course is that of traditional Christianity, it expresses a non-sectarian, non-denominational spirituality. A Course in Miracles therefore is a universal spiritual teaching, not a religion.

A Course in Miracles was "scribed" by Dr. Helen Schucman through a process of inner dictation she identified as coming from Jesus. A clinical and research psychologist and tenured Associate Professor of Medical Psychology, she was assisted by Dr. William Thetford, her department head, who was also a tenured Professor of Medical Psychology at the Medical Center where they both worked.

What exactly, then, is A Course in Miracles? The summary introduction, which appears in its Text, is quite succinct and brief. It reads:

"This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite.

This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:

Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.

Herein lies the peace of God.

Laughter Yoga

I am in the process of registering to become a trained Laughter Yoga Teacher. CNN recently did a story about the healing power of laughter which caught my attention. I am also very aware of the relationship between laughter and a sense of interpersonal connection. Since so much of my work is relationally influenced, I thought this would be a fantastic modality of transformation toward emotional health and wellness.

Keep your eye open for Laughter Yoga experiences in 2007. Just put your name on my email list and I will keep you updated.

hahahahahahahha
LOL!
hee hee hee.... hahah..

Did you know it takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown?!

The True Meaning of the Season!

Click here to view my festive holiday expression.

Life tends to be so full this time of year. I'm feeling it just like you are. As opposed to becoming overwhelmed by it, I'm actually enjoying just NOTICING and BEING WITH it all. (This yoga does pay off!)

In the end it's all about making room for the full range of our human experience and maybe even laughing at the intensity we can all bring to our lives sometimes. My greatest wish for you all is for a very happy, blessed and peaceful holiday season.

Holiday season 2006 only comes once. Don't miss it. Life follows our thoughts. What are your thoughts regarding the holiday? Better yet, what kind of holiday do YOU want to take responsibility for creating?

Namaste!

Charity Yoga Class - The true meaning of GIVING

Hey everyone. I am thrilled to let you know that as of today, the money still keeps coming in for Keep A Child Alive.

It was very well attended and what a great group of people. Men and women alike who all really took time out of busy lives during holiday shopping season, on a Sunday no less from 3-5pm and used their lives to make a difference in the lives of children and families living with HIV in South Africa. The theme was one of using our lives to make a difference, what Seane Corn coined as "Spiritual Activism", getting off our mats and moving out into the world. Well let me tell you, these folks did it. We went thru bottles of water, sweat flying and I dont even want to know what these folks hip flexors are gonna feel like tomorrow!! haha.. but it was fun. I enjoyed presenting it and for those of you who were able to show your support and attend I appreciate that very much.

** If you were not able to attend but would still like to contribute, its not too late. You can certainly do that and its most appreciated at www.keepachildalive.org. And its time to call in some favors, For all of you I have sponsored in marathons and 5K runs -- Its YOUR TURN!!! In one of the cutest donations ever, Henrys 14 yo daughter took $10 of her baby sitting money and gave it to me for "the kids". People who could not even attend the class left off or sent in donations. This really hit a nerve with folks. (you can even have KCA debit a cc or debit card monthly to keep one child alive for $30 a month..... How much are you spending on junk food, snacks, coffee per day???

In our yoga, when we say Namaste we realize that that child in S Africa is US! And as long as anyone is living with HIV, we all are! Thanks for whatever help and support you can offer.

I am very pleased to say that we raised $1420.00 all of which goes directly to KCA. This is what a group of yogis did while on their mats for 2 hours! I thank all of those who contributed so generously and gave of themselves so completely for this event. Based on the turnout and outcome - look for the 2nd annual Keep A Child Alive yoga event around World AIDS Day 2007.

In a way to give back to those who supported us we had a raffle and raffled off 3- 60 massage sessions. (Thank you Raffa Neuromuscular Treatment Center, Henry Przybylowicz LMT, Phil Matos LMT, and 2 personal training sessions with my trainer Matt Fontaine ACE CPT and yoga accessories). Thank you to everyone who donated their time and services to make this successful. Thank you of course to Christine Raffa for donating the space and developing signs to promote the event and to all the Raffa yoga instructors for letting folks know about the class.

Gifting: As an act of appreciation and celebration

Birthdays. Holidays. Mother's Day. Father's Day. Bosses Day. "The calendar says December 25th, gotta get him/her something". Are they going to get me something? How much should I spend? Last year he spent $25.00 on my gift; maybe I should stay in that price range? What is appropriate? Is it too soon in the relationship to buy a gift for someone? What does Miss Manners say about all this? It can be all so confusing.

Sound familiar? It's all meaningless! People are driving themselves crazy. Of course its confusing because people (not necessarily you, but maybe people you know or have read about!!!!!!), are allowing external influences to impact the desire and wisdom of their hearts.

Society says this. Our cultural traditions say that. "But my parents always did it this way". "My teacher used to always tell me.......", its utter and literal nonsense and crazy-making.

Whenever we live a life driven and controlled by the expectations of others or influences outside of us we have just given control over to "them". We no longer live a life that is authentic and genuine, but we respond as robots in empty habitual empty ways. So the calendar says his birthday is November 2. "I better buy a gift". Flip the page and the calendar says December 25th. "I better buy a gift".

WHO SAYS?

Do you want to live a life designed and scripted by someone else, even if that someone else is the society or culture at large? Take your life and hang it up "in the closet" because let me suggest you are NOT living your life, but a life dictated by others.

As a gay man I can tell you the first 26 years of my life were about pleasing others. Doing what others expected, what they needed, and not living in a way that was true to myself. It was all about filling that role that I inadvertently took on and/or others expected or needed of me. I may as well just handed the keys to my life over to someone and let them sit in the drivers seat.

It was at the point of "coming out" that I truly began stepping into the experience of living fully and honestly with myself and others. No longer was I consumed with what or who others needed me to be, but I became my own man and began moving to the beat of my own heart.

For me, to give a gift because the calendar says I should, or someone expects I should is such a non-starter these days. More important to me is that I am in ownership of my thoughts, feelings and actions. My friends and family will let you know I am a fairly generous guy. I don't give out of expectation, but from a sense of desire. I have chosen to step into the role of chief choreographer of my own life. What this means is that frankly, I don't care to give a gift because it' s someones birthday or a holiday. I choose to give a gift because I am thinking about someone and want to share my appreciation, love and care to them. For me its about becoming aware of what I am feeling and finding a symbolic way to express that outside of simply verbally sharing it with someone. Now mind you it may throw some people off. "But it's not my birthday, why did you buy me this?"

I challenge you this holiday season to look at your giving pattern and style. It is one that is internally or externally motivated and influenced. Are you in ownership of your desire to give? Do you need validation or praise for your giving or do you do it because it feels natural and right for you?

The older I get the more I frankly care less about giving based on the calendars mandate. I prefer to give today because who you are touched me today. Maybe this is also the influence of my yoga practice - to be IN THIS MOMENT. To pay attention and with great awareness move in a way that is truthful and congruent to what I may be feeling inside.

Honor yourself and live in your truth. Buy the gift today, because today is all we have. Tomorrow while expected, is not promised.

I'm reminded of the story of a wonderful but very frugal woman who bought a red dress that she saw in a dress store window and fell in love with. She saved her money, got the dress and took it home (keeping it in its plastic wrap) and awaiting that special day where she would wear it and feel like the belle of the ball. Her husband offered to take her out to dinner so she could wear her dress, but she chose not to since she did not want to soil it. At their son's wedding he encouraged her to wear the dress which she admired so, but she told him she was afraid she may step on it and rip it while dancing. Well years went by and the perfect and safe time to wear the dress never seemed to materialize.

As the woman became older and more frail, one day she was rushed to the hospital and never made it out alive. Many mourned for her. The funeral director, while very gentle, asked some important questions to prepare for the wake and funeral. When asked about what he should bury her in, her widowed husband turned to his son and said "do you think it would be ok to bury mom in the red dress she loved so much?".

Don't wait till your death bed to wear the red dress. The time is NOW.
Don't wait till the holiday to buy someone a gift to show your love and appreciation. The time is NOW.
Don't wait for the birthday to buy the card. Do it NOW.

In fact do it often. When you go to Starbucks, leave an extra $5.00 with the server at the counter and have her put it toward the woman behind you in lines tab. Give the bus boy a few dollars on the side to keep for himself for refilling that water glass. We've all be 15 and 16 and a few bucks can feel like $100.00 sometimes. Offer to pay for dessert for the couple at the table next to you, in fact tell their server on the side, that you insist. Rake the elderly woman's leaves next door for no reason other than to help and let her know you are thinking about her. Can you imagine how long she will tell that story at subsequent bridge games. The list goes on and on. How do we give? When should we give?

Throw those questions out. Breathe. Listen to your heart. Come from a place of ownership in your life and how you express yourself in the world.

LIVE LIFE NOW and share your love today. Tomorrow, while expected, is not promised!

Namaste!