Living In My Sanguinity

The Meaning of Scent

2011-10-20T23:07:00.003-06:00

This post references the radio broadcast "Scratch and Sniff", that can be heard by clicking on the link in the post previous to this one on this blog.

Listening to the radio interview with Chandler Burr, author of The Emporer of Scent, I felt a feeling of likeness, of comfort of being understood. Smell means a lot to me. I am one of those sensitive people. When someone is smoking a cigarette in another car with the window down, two lanes away, at a stoplight, or even in slow traffic, I can easily become nauseated and get a headache. I have a relative that has worn a perfume for as long as I can remember that caused me such olfactory discomfort , that I am convinced that it is one reason why we never had a close relationship. I haven't seen her in years, but I can still smell it clearly when I think about her. When I was a child, my mother drove a woman to church as an act of charity each week, who perpetually needed to shower. I will never forget the torture of sharing that small, enclosed space with her. There is an upside to this sensitivity. I have the most delightful smell experiences. When someone or something smells good to me, it nearly brings ecstacy.

The topic of conversation in this radio broadcast covered the idea of how each of us has our own set of experiences that dictate an emotional reaction to the vibrational input that smell is to our senses. What is stinky or offensive to one person is another's greatest creature comfort, because reaction to scent is not universal, it is subjective. Further, Americans have a problem with smell. It is part of (an unfortunate part of in my opinion) our culture of over-sanitation as well as fear of individuality and being naturally unique. The example of the French was given to us as a way to understand how in some cultures, a certain level of potency is considered an attribute- something attractive and intriguing. Think of the cheeses, the wines and the more distinctive (because they are less obsessively scrubbed and deodorized) natural body musk. With awareness of this American fear of odor, I will not be surprised if when I reveal some of my most comforting smell loves, I am met with great distaste and disgust.

I love the smell of a newborn baby. It is not the bathed in Johnson and Johnson shampoo and fed-from-a-sanitary-bottle-smell that I love. Rather, I love the smell of babies who have been born at home, who still wear the protective layer of white vernix from before birth on their skin, and who have been nursing at my engorged, newly filled breasts and have that smell of warm, spilled, slightly soured Mama milk all over them. I could drink it in. Additionally, I love the odor of my body when I have just given birth days before, and do not want to leave my precious one for even a moment to shower, so my sweat glands are ripe with the hormones emitted from birth and new motherhood. These smells are the ones that have been with me when I have done my best work, have created and nurtured something/someone amazing, and have been absolutely satisfied, happy and living in the present moment.

In case those descriptions rubbed anyone the wrong way, I will list a few more "conventional" favorites: the mineral smell in the atmosphere with a new rain; warm beeswax from candles; whole grain yeasted bread rising and then baking; the sulpher after lighting and blowing out a matchstick; jasmine flowers bottled with oil and diffused in glycerine soap; Autumn in the Western United States; hot spiced apple cider on the stove with cinnamon sticks, oranges and cloves, pine tree sap; my hands after touching a fragrant rosemary shrub, popcorn from my air popper... the list is endless, and when I look at it, I see that even those are all wrapped up in experience. My art museum of pleasure is smelled entirely through my mental and emotional filters. These include my memories, accomplishments, joys, hurts, sorrows and loves. I cannot imagine experiencing something visually that is nearly as satisfying as a good smell. Art? YES!

I am talking about art not only as something that brings sensual pleasure and gratification, which I think is a very simplified but nonetheless acceptable definition of art, but also as something that has gone through an artistic process. What artistic process has a scent gone through? Well, I have two answers for that. Oddly, in recent years, I have rarely liked manufactured perfume. I find it to be overwhelming and like cigarette smoke, it can give me a headache. I have long held slight judgment for those who choose to pollute my air with it's odor, think of it as artificial, and generally disrespect the whole idea of it. When I listened to the radio interview, I heard something that surprised me. I heard it defined as art. Someone smelled two scents, one that was a natural extract from a live flower, and one that was a chemical rendition of a combination of scents. The person sniffing and comparing the two, said they liked the perfume better than the the natural flower scent. The person presenting the two was not remotely surprised. He stated that it is because the perfume is art. It was conceived of, labored over, created and perfected as a perfectly blended combination of ingredients to express a certain scent that conjured up the sensual experience desired by the maker. I felt shocked by this idea. Perfume made as art is just as natural or respectable as an acrylic painting or a mixed media presentation. I may not prefer it for my own sense experience, but now I must see it with renewed respect. So what is scent as art? It could be defined as something that was created carefully by the maker to be art, as in a perfume, or it could be something naturally occurring like the sap of a tree, that when experienced by a person who values it, art happens for them in their mind and body. Art is the creativity- the creation of feelings and expression- art is a mental and emotional process. Smell is art and with it we go through an artistic process seen, heard and experienced by no other.

Scratch and Sniff - Studio 360

2011-10-18T09:35:00.000-06:00

Scratch and Sniff - Studio 360

This is such a fascinating radio show! The art and science of scent. As someone who has always been very sensitive to smell, who can be easily turned off, but just as easily turned on, or warmed, or comforted...this talk was right up my alley. Enjoy.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

2011-10-13T01:00:00.000-06:00

Ellen Dissanayake had some interesting thoughts to share in What is Art? She listed in one portion of her lecture, some historical events and ideas that she thinks have changed and influenced the way that people create art, look at art, and define art. The following quote was written in reference to changes that happened in the 18th century when new “social and intellectual trends” came about and interacted together to create an intense “moderninity” of art.

“Among these trends I will mention—and I hope you will forgive the rather breathtaking oversimplification—five important and unprecedented changes. 1. A gradual secularization of society, whose aim became life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for individuals rather than acquiescence to a humanly unknowable divine plan. 2. The rise of science which not only fostered questioning and dissent but made possible the development of technology and industrialization. 3. The social or interpersonal changes that resulted as the emotional and effective ties of fuedal and kin loyalty were replaced by instrumental relationships based on the exchange of money…”

As I read this, the importance of the statement dawned on me. I have never really thought about the gravity of what it is we say that we are living for, here in America—“life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”?! While each of those items is deeply important to me as an individual, seeing the phrase typed in the context of the lecture, I rethought about those values. After reading about the history of art being more connected in the past with spirituality and the church, until the rise of a more scientific and individualistic age, suddenly my own personal life, my liberty and the pursuit of my own happiness appeared to be rather shallow and selfish purposes. In this context, I see that we have come far in progress, but for the sake of progress, we as a culture have forsaken community and connection. Instead of living with and for each other as a larger unit, we are pursing life for individuals, in a way that makes each of us happy regardless of or even despite the effects on our neighbor, brother or entire village. Naturally, this would make for a less thematic or universally understandable expression of art, and result in a disjointed, subjective and highly varied new artistic jumble. I do not mean to criticize uniqueness in art, doing something different and never before seen, and expressing the absolutely least understood parts of oneself in a way that cannot be easily grasped by an audience. I have respect and appreciation for all of these things when I make and view art. Still, knowing that the gamut of art out in the world is a direct product of this disconnected, lack of a community that the largely unchurched population live in, I see much of the creativity that flows forth from the people of our times as lonely, selfish, and lacking in the substance that used to bind us as a people.

The author went on to say something that reinforces these nostalgic and disappointed sentiments that have come up for me around the realities of recent artistic expression. What we saw even many years ago showed the experience of solitude that artists and people in general began to live with in the past as all of us live with increasingly today.

“What we now call ‘the Romantic Rebellion’ was a reaction to the goods and evils inherent in these great changes. For example, while individualism became possible and people could be freed from tradition, custom and authority, they also became more alienated from their work and from other people. New possibilities for thought and experience were accompanied by an unprecedented loss of certainty and security about one’s place in the world.”

I wonder how we can keep our unique viewpoints, our newfound independence and individuality and our freedom of expression, while reconnecting with other humans, re-forming traditions with sacred shared beliefs and elevating art with an infusion of enlightened purpose- individuality, unification and community?

Dissanayake, E. (1991). What is art for? In K. C. Caroll (Ed.). Keynote adresses 1991 (NAEA Convention), (pp.15-26). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

What Really Matters

2011-10-09T09:41:00.003-06:00

An interesting assignment for my Art and Human Values class. We were given this list of twenty values to order as we think they are prioritized in our lives. I put them in the order that made sense for me...

20 Ordered Values

1)Family

2)Friendship

3)Creativity

4)Health

5)Security

6)Wisdom

7)Integrity

8)Location

9)Loyalty

10)Community

11)Enjoyment

12)Service

13)Personal Development

14)Personal Accomplishment

15)Expertness

16)Power

17)Independence

18)Leadership

19)Wealth

20)Prestige

...then I listed things that I did that day and how they correspond to my values. I discovered some unexpected correspondences....

How I spent my day and the values that correspond to these activities

-Made breakfast for kids and dressed them (family, health, service)

-Showered (enjoyment, personal accomplishment)

-Packed kids school lunches (family, health, service)

-Took kids to school (family, service)

-Drank tea and juice at coffee shop (health, community, enjoyment)

-Responded to emails (friendship, security, integrity, location, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Worked on charter school paperwork (family, security, wisdom, integrity, location, loyalty, community, power)

-Did school work (security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth, prestige)

-Picked up kids from school (family, service)-Made food and fed us (family, health, service)

-Took lots of supplements (health, security)

-Put child down for nap (family, health, service)

-Cleaned up kitchen (service, expertness)

-Read stories to daughter (family, integrity, enjoyment, service)

-attempted to work on school work more, but daughter wouldn’t let me (family, security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth, prestige)

-Put away folded laundry (service, expertness)

-Attempted to work on homework some more

-Took son to dance class (family, creativity, service)

-Did some grocery shopping (family, health, service)

-Bought more herbal medicines and consumed some (health, security)

-Bought dinner to go from natural food store deli (health, service)

-Did errand for supplies for school science project (security, wisdom, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealthy, prestige)

-Stopped home to get laundry off clothesline (family, service, expertness)

-Went to son’s choir concert (family, creativity, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Uploaded photos and videos of concert to computer for children to see (family, loyalty, enjoyment, service)

-Bathed children and put to bed (family, service)-Called cousin (family, integrity, loyalty)

-Watered houseplants (enjoyment, service)-Spent time comforting emotional son (family, loyalty, service)

-Made medicinal tea for our colds (family, health, security, service)

-Returned more emails (friends, security, integrity, location, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Began schoolwork again and worked until I could not keep my eyes open any longer (security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth prestige)

...housework is for expertness? Yes, for me it is, because I'm working on the image that I present for myself and others...

...school work is security? Yes, it keeps the student loans coming, makes me feel like a responsible person, and keeps me headed toward future security...

I thought I was not serving others enough lately, but I see that as a mother, that is what I do all day and night. My service is within my own family at this time...

...but where is my focus on friendship in all of this? Email is the only way I am in contact with friends, and even that is minimal. I am not surprised. I am overwhelmed with school and children, yet, this is a goal to work toward. I love my friends, and must find time for them before long. And, if I am ever to pursue a partnership, ever, ever again, friendship must be in there. It is withing the deepest friendships that we begin to create family. Number 1 and 2 on my list are essentially interchangeable and that is the missing part of the expression of my value system.

Mrs. Spider at my door

2011-09-30T07:48:00.002-06:00

Look who came to hang out on my front porch this morning. Mrs. Spider with a very cool web. I am graced by her gorgeous presence, as well as just a tad bit intimidated. Anyone know anything about this kind of spider? I'd love info.

Final Project for Holistic Health Class- Study of Anthroposophic Medicine

2011-09-02T15:34:00.001-06:00

Introduction

I chose the subject of anthroposophic medicine as my topic. Anthroposophic Medicine is allopathic medicine taken to a further degree, in which the use of natural remedies and spiritual understanding of the body enhance the scientific knowledge and practice. It is closely tied to Waldorf Education, as both are born from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner 1861-1925, an Austrian scientist and philosopher. (Who Was Rudolf Steiner, 2009) I interviewed Dr. Adam Blanning, in Denver, Colorado. I sent him the following list of questions by email, but he only answered a small handful of them, and explained to me that my questions would take a lot of time to answer, stating, “This is the stuff that books are made of.” He emailed me links to web sites that I could look at and find answers to the others, and said that he would be happy to be quoted as saying anything found on those sites. The following answers are a combination of statements from my interview with him and information that I was able to find from sites that he recommended.

The Interview

1)Would you please define the term anthroposophic?

“Anthropo” is Greek for the human being, “-sophy” for wisdom

2)What can you tell me about the philosophy that underlies anthroposophic medical practice? Is there a spiritual path associated with this philosophy of medical treatment?

It is explained on the Physician’s Association For Anthroposophic Medicine, “An individual is not simply a body, there is also the psyche and personality to take into account as well. Anthroposophic doctors regard physical and mental existence together with personality as a unit, each element having the capacity to influence the others. One of the fundamental aspects of anthroposophic medicine is to take this into account during diagnosis and therapy.

Nevertheless, it is not an “alternative medicine”– it doesn't aim to replace conventional medicine. On the contrary – it is based on accepted medical science; it just takes things a step further. Or in other words, anthroposophic medicine makes use of everything that scientific research has revealed to be of benefit to the human being. Moreover it supplements “material science” with aspects of spiritual science in order to assess the individual as a whole entity. For instance, this may include body language, personal history, breathing, and many other aspects besides– all of which determine an individual's personality. Anthroposophic medicine therefore attempts to include the individuality of the patient, as well as the accepted features of an illness, in the treatment process. For just as each person is unique, so is each treatment – even though some may appear to apply to many people.” (Anthroposophic Medicine in Practice, no date of publishing listed)

3)How does one become an anthroposophical doctor?

Taken from the Physician’s Association for Anthroposophic Medicine web site,

“What are the certification criteria for medical doctors?

1. Licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. or Canada

2. High moral and ethical standing

3. Engaged in developing his/her soul and spiritual faculties and continuing to broaden his or her knowledge.

4. One year’s full-time or three years’ part-time study of the basics of anthroposophy and anthroposophic medicine, or the five-year IPMT course. This criterion is individualized.

5. Two years’ practical further training at an anthroposophic clinic or hospital, an anthroposophic medical practice, or in the applicant’s own practice under a recognized mentor.

6. Final exam consisting of submission and discussion of two cases, showing ability to handle the basics of anthroposophic medicine independently.” (PAAM, no year of publication listed)

4)What range of conditions and illnesses are addressed by your practice?

Dr. Blanning said, “This list of therapies is from the web site of my practice, http://www.denvertherapies.com/ which is The Denver Center for Anthroposophic Therapies:

Working with a wide variety of challenges in childhood, such as:

Developmental, behavioral, and learning difficulties

Enuresis (bedwetting), Encopresis

Inattention and Hyperactivity

Sensory Integration Problems

Disordered Sleep, Nightmares

Colic, Food Sensitivities

Separation Anxiety

Recurrent and chronic inflammatory illness such as:

Asthma and seasonal allergies

Eczema

Ear Infections

Recurrent Bronchitis or Pneumonia

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Autoimmune diseases

Migraines

Digestive imbalances, such as:

Irritable Bowel

Constipation, Chronic Diarrhea

Poor Appetite, Sugar Cravings

Multiple food allergies

Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's disease

Mood and emotional imbalances, such as:

Depression

Anxiety

Fear

with a special recognition of the role of Biographical Rhythms

in cycles of change and crisis

Neurologic disease, such as:

Supportive treatment in Epilepsy

Supportive treatment in Multiple sclerosis and

other kinds of progressive Neuropathy

Adjuvant (supportive) treatments for Cancer, including:

Mistletoe Therapy

Art Therapy

Movement Therapy

Rhythmical massage

Dietary and lifestyle recommendations

Home Care Recommendations:

for helping families work through common acute illnesses at home

5)What is the main difference between allopathic and anthroposophic medicine

The main difference between anthroposophic medicine and conventional medicine is that is doesn’t only look for the illness in the person, but rather the person in the illness. The diagnostic procedures and the symptoms observed therein may be identical, but a holistic interpretation can lead to different treatments being recommended or conventional therapies being supplemented by additional measures.” (Anthroposophic Medicine, no date listed)

6)What should a new patient expect from a typical appointment with you? How long does it last? What do you do? What would be an average cost?

Dr. Blanning wrote, “A first visit is typically an hour. It includes taking a full medical history, appropriate physical exam, and a discussion of ways to work with an illness, both in terms of medicines and in terms of life rhythms, consciousness of patterns of behavior, adequate rest and nutrition. A first visit is typically $150 (other anthroposophic doctors charge considerably more).

A lot of the visit is devoted to conversation, asking also about sleep, digestion, diet. The goal really is to develop a "constitutional" understanding of a person, which brings certain strengths and potential weaknesses, and then trying to see how a particular illness or problem can be helped by balancing and supporting an overall shift in those weaknesses. As an example, someone who tends to be tight and cramped may have problems with stomach cramps, tight muscles, anxiety and asthma. All are cramping processes on different levels (physical, functional, emotional, etc.) Treating that constitutional tendency would likely help all of those problems.”

7) I know that the remedies used are similar to homeopathy? Are there ways in which they differ? Also, how are they regulated?

Quoted from the article, Anthroposophic Medicines , “Anthroposophic medicine uses mineral, vegetable, metal, and animal-based raw materials in the production of medicines. For instance quartz, sulpher, and lime are typical mineral substances, while anrnica, yellow gentian, and chamomile are well-known medicinal herbs. Of the metals, gold, silver, iron and tin are frequently used, while animal-based substances include insect venom…Anthroposophic medicines, on the other hand, are multi-faceted in orientation. Their spectrum includes homeopathic potencies, vegetable concentrates, not to mention compounds of a more complex nature. In addition there are several substances that typify anthroposophic medicines, such as metal mirrors or tinctures derived from plants fertilized with metallic salts (vegetabilised metals). An anthroposophic pharmacopoeia is currently being created with the aim of providing a published summary of all substances used in the production of anthroposophic medicines and the forms of processing approved.” (Anthroposophic Medicines, 2003)

8)What can you tell me about curative education and the ways in which anthroposophical medicine parallels or overlaps with education? Do you help people/children with disabilities?

Dr. Blanning wrote, “Anthroposophic medicine is a close cousin to both Waldorf education, and curative education. I actively observe in the classroom and work with the faculty for two Waldorf schools, looking at problematic behaviors and trying to see what the child is trying to accomplish through a behavior. Sometimes it is a very physical need (desire for strong touch, movement, vestibular stimulation) and sometimes it is wanting social acknowledgment or attention.

Curative education is usually centered in communities called Camphills, with work with both children and adults with developmental disabilities. The "villagers" (those with disabilities) live in group homes, receive education and are engaged in practical work, like cooking, spinning, gardening. Great focus is placed on making life as rich and productive as is possible. Most communities work close with an anthroposophic doctor as well.”

9) Do you know of any scientific research that has been done on anthroposophic medicine? Have any of the treatments been scientifically proven? How do you feel about scientific studies, and do you do any yourself?

Dr. Blanning answered, “My research is only working to try to fully understand each person as a completely individual being, and to really address them as a human being, not just a disease or an organ system.

There is a great deal of research work done on therapies for cancer using mistletoe preparations. You might check those out on anthromed.org.”

I went ahead and checked the site that Dr. Blanning recommended above, and found this example to share. It is one of many study summaries that I saw, many of which are related to anthroposophic cancer therapy:

“Mistletoe Complementary Treatment in Patients with Primary Non-metastatic Breast Cancer. By Paul R. Bock et al.

Category: Cancer and Iscador

Published by `Arzneim.-Forsch./Drug Research' on 10/1/2004

Summary: The results of the present study confirmed the safety of the complementary therapy for patients with primary, non-metastatic mammary carcinoma with Iscador ® and showed considerably fewer ADRs attributed to concurrent conventional therapy, as well as reduced disease and treatment-associated symptoms, and suggested a prolonged overall survival in the Iscador ® group as compared with controls.” (2009, AnthroMed Library)

10) Please share a success story that stands out for you, with a patient in your practice.

Dr. Blanning replied, “I was called last week by the parents of a child who had come to see me for problems with tics and repetitive behaviors, as well as problems with constipation and a sensitive digestion. He had been taking natural medicines (in this case homeopathic and herbal preparations) for almost two months, and virtually all the issues were gone. The call was short, because the parents really had nothing to complain about, no concerns. It is reassuring and gratifying to see that kind of change.”

References

1.Who was Rudolf Steiner. Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association. Retrieved from: http://www.biodynamics.com/steiner.html

The following references are arranged in order and are for questions that were not answered by direct quote from Dr. Blanning.

Question #2. Anthroposophic Medicine in Practice. Physicians Association for Anthroposophic Medicine. Retrieved from: http://www.paam.net/anthroposophic-medicine.html

Question #3. Training. Physicians Association for Anthroposophic Medicine. Retrieved from: http://www.paam.net/training.html

Question #5. Publisher’s Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science, Geotharium. Anthroposophic Medicines. Retrieved from: http://www.paam.net/fileadmin/pdf/Anthroposophic-Medicine.pdf.

Question #7. Publisher’s Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science, Geotharium. Anthroposophic Medicines. Retrieved from: http://www.paam.net/fileadmin/pdf/Anthroposophic-Medicines.pdf.

Question #9. AnthroMed Library. 2009. Retrieved from: http://www.anthromed.org/Issue.aspx?isspk=16

Summary

To summarize what I learned, anthroposophic medical doctors are highly educated, having earned not only a doctorate and license to practice medicine, but more than three years of additional training in anthroposophical medicine and anthroposophy. Included in this medical practice are healing through nutritional therapy, drugs, homeopathy with specific formulas not common to other homeopathic practice, movement therapies (eurythmy), behavioral therapies, and much more. Issues that can be treated range from disease to disability, and many, many issues in between. Anthroposophic doctors operate similarly to naturopaths in the following ways. They offer long appointments, taking time getting to ask patients about stress, diet, activity, pain and any other influential factor, and know the full picture of the patient; treat with mostly gentle, plant based medicines, and look at the body from a holistic perspective. The idea is to look at the person, not the illness, and find out what can be done in the larger picture to balance the person, and consequently eliminate the cause of illness and the condition that brought illness forth. There has been research done on the anthroposophic medical model, on a limited variety of treatments, mostly in Germany. The findings have been promising. Anthroposophic physicians treat adults, children, and people with disabilities. Waldorf schools (based in anthroposophy, which essentially means “man wisdom” and refers to a spiritual science perspective introduced by Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1800’s) employ anthroposophic doctors to observe and help certain children. There are also entire communities based on this approach, where disabled people live, work, learn and are treated by anthroposophical doctors.

Video Link

I chose a video to share with you from the Rudolf Steiner Health Center web site at http://www.steinerhealth.org/about/anthroposophical-medicine/ . Scroll down a bit on the page, to find the vimeo video and click on it to play. This video has a great deal of information and addresses a broad spectrum of history, explanation of therapies, and variety of therapies. I enjoyed the fact that it is mostly in German (with English subtitles) for authenticity! This video is not short- my apologies. This medical model has great depth and complexity, so a longer, more informative video seemed appropriate.

Organizations that support Anthroposophic Medicine

Two organizations that support this healing modality with their associated web sites are:

1)The Physician’s Association for Anthroposophic Medicine

http://www.paam.net/home.html

2)The IVAA (International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations)

http://ivaa.info/?p=1

Where to Find the Research

I could not find anthroposophic medicine addressed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, but Pub Med had several articles about it. One article can be found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21717821 . The article is titled Anthroposophic medicine in pediatric primary care: a prospective, multicenter observational study on prescribing patterns. It describes a study on everyday anthroposophic medical practice for children. The main conclusions were that anthroposophic doctors are very balanced in their approach, using a combination of both conventional and anthroposophic medicines in their prescriptions. I am primarily interested in working with children, as a holistic practitioner, so this article was of interest to me, although many varied articles on other Anthroposophic medical subjects exist on the pub med site.

Faerie house built by my kids!

2011-09-02T15:04:00.004-06:00

The children have been industrious for weeks. I am so excited about what I see! The details of this faerie house inspire awe and pride from one Mama who loves it when they play in nature in such a magical way.

This is the what it looked like in progress.

And then the addition of a sweet fence.Here mom, where I am pointing is the slide for the faeries to play. Notice the ladder of moss and sticks leading up to it on the tree trunk?

Lanscaped paths and a sand-pit for faeries that dig.
A swing of course, and finally the roof!

Beautiful!

Three Perspectives: Can you tell which one is the one I actually support? (this was for school if that's not obvious- oh, and APA formatting sucks))

2011-07-25T23:56:00.002-06:00

Essay Against Natural Products Being Made Illegal

Nine years ago, congress unanimously passed DSHEA, a legal act allowing natural medicinal products to be sold over the counter, without requiring or allowing the food and drug administration to regulate safety and quality before it is sold. This law reflected the desires of consumers in America. In the PBS Frontline video, The Alternative Fix (2003), it was explained that One hundred million people who take or support the availability of dietary supplements wrote letters to Congress to support this act. This is a huge show of support, and exceeded the number of letters that came in during the Vietnam War. Much of the motivation to support DSHEA came from people’s desire to keep supplements affordable, as well as a fear that many supplements that people need would be outlawed. (Section “How Safe are Your Vitamins?”). Recently, the issue has arisen that the FDA should have control, and that natural products and therapies should be tested before becoming available to the public, because of concerns about possible drug interactions and lack of consumer knowledge. This worries David Eisenberg MD of Harvard Medical School (2003). He thinks that many consumers don’t realize that the herbal remedies at drugstores, displayed near over-the-counter drugs, are not scientifically tested or proven to be safe and effective, and that their interactions with other medications could be dangerous and possibly life threatening (Section “Where is the Evidence?”). While safety is important, this line of thinking takes decision-making power about people’s own bodies and medical care, away from them. Also, testing natural remedies is not always possible because of the prohibitive expense of the tests and the problem of a lack of interest in alternative products on the part of those who hold the money and power to decide what is tested. Patients respond to natural therapies in a wide variety of ways, and these responses are sometimes subjective and difficult to measure scientifically. Dr. Andrew Weil says (2003), “We don't have the resources to test everything that's out there in the world of alternative medicine using randomized controlled trials. And practitioners are always going to be guessing and operating in the midst of great uncertainty.” (Weil. Section “Where is the Evidence?”) If an individual feels supported by a therapy and is experiencing increased wellness, but a positive result cannot be scientifically be detected, there is little sense in denying the person’s subjective experience and/or taking away the therapy for lack of knowledge about it. This is well stated in a quote from Frontline’s The Alternative Fix, in chapter 5 (2003): “good progress with illness cannot always be documented. Sometimes you have to trust the patient who is sure that they are doing better.” (Section “The Alternative Doctor) A similar idea was expressed with conviction by a cancer patient who is convinced that an untested therapy has worked for her (2003). “I’m getting results and I’m feeling well. It would be ridiculous for me to not trust what is happening. Nothing that anybody could say would make me feel differently.” (Section “The Mainstreaming of CAM”)

To require that all natural medicines be proven safe, could be called extreme, considering that patients choose natural medicine in part because of it’s gentle nature and the lack of side effects (2011). “One of the expressed reasons for the popularity of homeopathy among patients at the RLHH is that it does not have the side effects associated with many conventional drugs.” (2011, Safety and Cost Effectiveness) Additionally, consumers are probably capable of making good decisions about products if they take the time to read labels carefully.

According to the FDA (2011), manufacturers must make sure that product

label information is truthful and not misleading. Under the FDA Final Rule 21 CFR 111, all domestic and foreign companies that manufacture, package, label or hold dietary supplement, including those involved with testing, quality control, and dietary supplement distribution in the U.S., must comply with the Dietary Supplement Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPS) for quality control. (2011, Dietary Supplements)

Also, the FDA (2011) is already monitoring new ingredients more carefully than some people think, which

could be enough to suffice for safety. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) requires that manufacturers and distributors who wish to market dietary supplements that contain "new dietary ingredients" notify the Food and Drug Administration about these ingredients. (See Section 413b of the act (21 U.S.C. 350b).) Generally, the notification must include information that is the basis on which manufacturers/distributors have concluded that a dietary supplement containing a new dietary ingredient will reasonably be expected to be safe under the conditions of use recommended or suggested in the labeling. (2011, Dietary Supplements)

Finally, it seems possible that the argument about regulation and the threat to force scientific testing on all products and therapies, is a way for mainstream medicine and drug companies to remain in control of all things medical or health related. If they are feeling at all threatened by the increasing popularity of complimentary and alternative medicine, then they would have sufficient motivation to propose an extreme change in regulation. “The 500-patient survey at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital showed that many patients were able to reduce or stop conventional medication following homeopathic treatment. (2011, Clinical Outcomes Studies) “Another research group in Germany compared homeopathic and conventional GPs’ outcomes in chronic diagnoses commonly treated in general practice (adults – headache, low back pain, depression, insomnia, sinusitis; children – atopic asthma, dermatitis, rhinitis). They collected data at 6 and 12 months regarding symptom severity, quality of life, and costs of consultations, medication, physiotherapy, hospitalisation, sick pay and medical devices. 493 patients were treated by 101 homeopathic GPs and 59 conventional GPs. The findings suggested that patients who received homeopathic treatment had better outcomes for similar cost.” (2011, Clinical Outcomes Studies)

Studies and surveys such as this show the increased popularity of replacing traditional medical care with holistic care, which could make doctors and drug companies mighty uncomfortable. It is unfortunate though, that their desire to remain in control and profitable could influence them to make decisions about changing regulation that will decrease freedom of medical choice and ultimately reduce the availability of viable care options and ultimate healing for citizens. Ideally, the current policy set up by DSHEA, which calls for minimal regulation until reports of harm show a need for intervention by the FDA, will remain intact. This policy seems to best facilitate a path toward motivating people to take responsibility for their own health and achieve maximum wellness.

References:

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 4. “How safe are your vitamins?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/4_hi.html

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 3. “Where is the Evidence?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/3_hi.html?wm

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. “Where is the Evidence?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/snake/evidence.html

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. “The Outlaw Doctor” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/5_hi.html

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. “The Mainstreaming of CAM” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/6_hi.html?wm

Sharples F, van Haselen R. Patients’ perspectives on using a complementary medicine approach to their health. A survey at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital NHS Trust. London, 1998, as cited in Faculty of Homeopathy (2011). Safety and Cost Effectiveness. Retrieved from http://www.facultyofhomeopathy.org/research/safety_cost_effectiveness.html

US Department of Human Services. FDA US Food and Drug Administration (2011). Food. Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/default.htm

US Department of Human Services. FDA US Food and Drug Administration (2011). Food. Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from

http://www.fda.gov/Food/DeitarySupplements/uc109764.htm

Sharples F, van Haselen R, Fisher P. NHS patients’ perspective on complementary medicine. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2003; 11: 243–248., as cited in Faculty of Homeopathy (2011). Research. Safety and cost Benefit. Retrieved from http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/research/safety_cost_benefit.html

Witt C, Keil T, Selim D, et al. Outcome and costs of homeopathic and conventional treatment strategies: a comparative cohort study in patients with chronic disorders. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2005; 13: 79–86), as cited in Faculty of Homeopathy (2011). Research. Safety and Cost Benefit. Retrieved from http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/research/safety_cost_benefit.html

Compromise Essay

There is great controversy between the greater American public, who continue choose complimentary and alternative medicine, and those who seek to outlaw products and services that have not been or cannot easily be scientifically tested. The former group wants a wide range of options and good faith to exercise appropriate caution, and latter group wants to put the control in the hands of the food and drug administration, regarding what is and is not safe to sell. With both interests in mind, there are surely solutions that allow freedom of medical choice while prioritizing safety and minimizing risk.

One thing to bring to light in this controversy is that it is possible that products do not need to be tested as much as consumers need to be educated about products and choices. This could be achieved though a focus on good labeling practices. Bottles of herbs should have clear statements about whether or not they have been tested, and that they can not be guaranteed to be safe with prescription drugs or for certain health conditions. This is not necessarily the responsibility of the FDA, but rather the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (2011). “The FTC is the Federal agency charged with protecting the public against unfair and deceptive business practices. A key area of its work is the regulation of advertising (except for prescription and medical devices)”. (2011, “Are You Considering Complimentary and Alternative Medicine?”)

As far as scientific testing is concerned, it must be noted that the apparent safety of drugs and therapies that have been scientifically tested and approved is questionable, mostly because the studies themselves are questionable. These studies tend to be biased and misleading, as is suggested by the following questions asked in Richard Smith’s article about medical journals (2011): “Why are pharmaceutical companies getting the results they want? Why are the peer-review systems of journals not noticing what seem to be biased results?” (2011, “Audio File About the NCCAM Health Care Provider Portal”) His proposed answer is that “the companies seem to get the results they want not by fiddling the results, which would be far too crude and possibly detectable by peer review, but rather by asking the “right” questions—and there are many ways to do this.” (2011, “Audio File About the NCCAM Health Care Provider Portal”) In looking at the results of studies created by or funded by the companies that own what is being tested, the findings were concerning. “Overall, studies funded by a company were four times more likely to have results favourable to the company than studies funded from other sources. In the case of the five studies that looked at economic evaluations, the results were favourable to the sponsoring company in every case.” (2005, “Medical Journals Are an Extension of the Marketing Arm of Pharmaceutical Companies”). So, to prove safety, we need to make sure that both the testing and the journal reporting is accurate.

Richard Smith of the Medical Society of London stated his opinion in the article, “Medical Journals Are an

Extension of the Marketing Arm of Pharmaceutical Companies” (2005), Firstly, we need more public funding of trials, particularly of large head-to-head trials of all the treatments available for treating a condition. Secondly, journals should perhaps stop publishing trials. Instead, the protocols and results should be made available on regulated Web sites. Only such a radical step, I think, will stop journals from being beholden to companies. Instead of publishing trials, journals could concentrate on critically describing them. (2005)

Once the accuracy of the scientific process and subsequent reporting is improved, a workable compromise could be established about what alternative products and therapies truly need to be tested, and which are passable as benign and not worth the investment of science. This evaluation would be fundamental to solving one funding problem for testing natural medicinal products.

Dr. Andrew Weil presented this solution in his interview with Frontline’s The Alternative Fix (2003).

One concept that I'd like to get across is that I think it would be very useful if people, instead of just calling for evidence based medicine, if we conceived of a sliding scale of evidence that would work this way: that the greater the potential a treatment has to cause harm, the stricter the standards of evidence it should be held to [in terms of] efficacy. … That kind of sliding scale of evidence would simplify things because we don't have the resources to test everything that's out there in the world of alternative medicine using randomized controlled trials. And practitioners are always going to be guessing and operating in the midst of great uncertainty. (Weil, Section “Where is the Evidence?”)

Dr. Weil’s point is important, because it seeks to have the two sides meet at a halfway point, testing when necessary, but trusting nature and people’s free choice when appropriate. In this way we can remember that in all things we must seek balance. If we live in a world completely run by science and devoid of intuitive influence, we may lose our sense of spirit, and of humanity. Matt Fink of Beth Israel Medical Center says (2003), “There will always be a certain art to the practice of medicine. Part of it is art, and part of it is beyond science.” (2003, “The Mainstreaming of CAM”)

References:

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011). Health Info. “Are You Considering Complimentary and Alternative Medicine?” Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions/consideringcam.htm#effectiveness

Lexchin J, Bero LA, Djulbegovic B, Clark O (2003) Pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and research outcome and quality. BMJ 326: 1167–1170. F., as cited in National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011). News and Events. Audio File About the NCCAM Health Care Provider Portal. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/news/multimedia/audio/HCPportal.htm

Sackett DL, Oxman AD (2003) HARLOT plc: An amalgamation of the world's two oldest professions. BMJ 327: 1442–1445., as cited in National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011). News and Events. Audio File About the NCCAM Health Care Provider Portal. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/news/multimedia/audio/HCPportal.htm

PLOS Medicine (2005). Article. Medical Journals Are an Extension of the Marketing Arm of Pharmaceutical Companies. Retrieved from http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020138

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 3. “Where is the Evidence?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/snake/evidence.html

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 6. “The Mainstreaming of CAM” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/6_hi.html?wm

Essay For Making Alternative Products and Therapies Illegal

For the safety of the American public, consumers must be able to trust that the products sold at retail stores and medical establishments have been scientifically tested, and that their side effects and interactions are fully tested and widely known. This is also true of any services, therapies and procedures offered by health care professionals. Currently, untested herbal and natural products are widely available for purchase and use. This is of concern to David Eisenberg MD of Harvard Medical School (2003). He worries that many consumers probably don’t realize that the herbal remedies at drugstores, displayed near over-the-counter drugs, are not scientifically tested or proven to be safe and effective, and that their interactions with other medications could be dangerous and possibly life threatening (2003, “Where is the Evidence?”). Frontline’s The Alternative Fix (2003) stated that there have been more than 700 adverse reports linked to increase blood pressure, heart palpitations and in some cases death, received by the FDA regarding dietary supplements in recent years.” (2003, “How safe are your vitamins?”) This history raises a red flag to the FDA, and they are working on legislation that would allow them to pull all supplements from the shelves and illegalize all therapies and treatments that have not been scientifically tested and proven to be safe and effective. Opponents of the requirement of scientific testing argue for historical proof and validity, which supposedly replaces the need for further testing.

Dr. Bratman makes the following statement about the subject (2004):

Most alternative medicine methods are grounded in tradition, common sense, anecdote, and testimonial. On the surface, these seem like perfectly good sources of information. However, double-blind studies have shown us otherwise. We now know that a host of “confounding factors” can easily create a kind of optical illusion, causing the appearance of efficacy where none in fact exists. The double-blind study is thus much more than a requirement for absolute proof of efficacy (as is commonly supposed) — it is a necessity for knowing almost anything about whether a treatment really works….

…Think of the practice of “bleeding,” slitting a vein to drain blood. Some of the most intelligent people in our history were sure that bleeding was a necessity, and the medical literature of past centuries is full of testimonials to the marvelous effect of this “medical necessity.

Today, though, it’s clear that bleeding is not helpful, and no doubt was responsible for killing a great many people. (2004, “Double Blind Studies: A Major Scientific Advance of the 20th Century”)

Clearly, modern scientists have gained understanding over years of research, and the practice of medicine is not as simple as it once was. Frontline’s The Alternative Fix pointed out (2003): “The content of these herbal drugs is far more concentrated than how they were used historically, and many people are on other medications these days. (2003. “How Safe are Your Vitamins?”)

This awareness is echoed and reinforced by the words of Steven Strauss MD, Director of National Center

of Complimentary Health and Medicine, National Institute of Health (2003). We know today that dietary supplements are chemically active. They must be, of course, if they're going to be beneficial to one's health. [But] those activities can interfere with the body's handling of life saving drugs. When people ate herbs 100,000 years ago, they didn't have to worry about whether it was going to interfere with their AIDS drug, but today we have that concern and some do interfere with AIDS drugs (2003. Steven Strauss).

With the knowledge and warnings that come with many years of advancement and cultural change, as well as recent history of dangerous drug interactions, many believe that it would be irresponsible to continue to allow unproven products and therapies to be condoned and easily accessed by the general public.

References:

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 3. “Where is the Evidence?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/3_hi.html?wm

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Chapter 4. “How safe are your vitamins?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/view/4_hi.html

Mendosa.com. (2004). Steven Bratman M.D. “Double-Blind Studies: A Major Scientific Advance of the 20th Century”. Retrieved from http://www.mendosa.com/bratman.htm

PBS Frontline (2003). The Alternative Fix. Steven Strauss. “How safe are your vitamins?” Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/consumers/vitamins.html

An amusing anecdote

2011-07-08T20:39:00.004-06:00

At dinner time we often light a beeswax candle, and as we strike the match, we sing,

Fire faeries come to us,
bringing golden light from the sun.

Then we join hands and sing a blessing of gratitude for our food. Lately Reya and Galen are really into the blessing, and sometimes they want to do it again, and again.

The other night we failed to light a candle.

Halfway through dinner Galen grabbed a box of matches, picked one up and held it out toward the candle in the center of the table. He has this two-year-old way of speaking lately, where every word is somewhat separated with an extra space that makes him sound just a teeny bit robotic. He also repeats every statement umpteen times. Holding his match, he requested, "I--burn--faeries--mama--I burn--faeries--I burn--faeries--mama--I burn." We all busted up laughing, which of course made him want to say it all through dinner, and at breakfast the next morning, and every day since. Little ham.

Sprouts

2011-07-01T19:35:00.003-06:00

I have been focused lately, on getting as many raw fruits and veggies as possible into my diet. Mind you, I'm not going completely raw or anything, but I am just trying for an increase. I'd love to be at least half raw, and eat mostly produce. I have sprouted off and on for years, and have always known it was a good thing, but all of a sudden it occurred to me in a new way, as if it was a totally novel thought, that my kitchen is never completely without produce. Even if I don't have fresh greens in the fridge on a particularly frugal week, I almost never am without my stockpile of bulk grains, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, etc. Sooooooo, all I have to do to have veggies, is continually have one of those items soaking and sprouting. Wala. Live food for my body. I love sprouts, and so do my kids. At this current moment I am sprouting, quinoa, almonds, clover seeds, wheat berries and sunflower seeds. I just ate the last of the pea sprouts. Feeling so good.

2011-06-30T03:03:00.002-06:00

I have to just say, that after taking such a long time to purposely not blog here this spring moving into summer, I have come to the conclusion that no matter how newly private and careful I am needing to be in my current life adventure, there is something about this blog that I miss terribly. I had planned to leave it out there, floating, unfinished, possibly leaving all who stop by to wonder what ever happened with that sanguine Mama who used to just say it all on this deceptively unsafe place. There will now likely be less pictures, and less revealing info, as I have in a sense gone underground and am figuring out life and mothering from a new, more discreet perspective. Still, this blog will not be left. There will be occasional thoughts and tidbits, and for me, it will bring the comfort of knowing that my little writing place is still alive, waiting when I need it. I don't know what it might do for others, but I am open to however it brings goodness into cyberspace and the world of people who are connected to this space.

Quote of the day that I must share:
"I do not sing because I am happy. I am happy because I sing!"

If you desire to find evidence of this principle in nature, just look at/listen to the birds. Are they not the most happy and inspired beings that you have ever encountered. Just sayin'. I now wake up regularly and sing this song to my children ( I have likely changed the words somehow from the original as is in the folk tradition, but really as it is, it is serving me).

Good morning new day, so glad I have a chance to say, "Thank you, thank you.
Good morning dark clouds. Good morning to my fears and my doubts.
Thank you. Thank you.
Good morning to the sun peeking through, shining light for me and for you.
Thank you. Thank you.

Awesome Scissor Giveaway

2011-04-21T01:05:00.004-06:00

http://patchworkunderground.com/blog/2011/04/gingher-spring-action-dressmakers-scissors-giveaway-a-52-value#comment-5618

Click on the link above to win some amazing Gingher scissors (spring loaded and everything). I am really hoping to be the lucky winner, but every crafter out there deserves a fair chance, right?

Love of Teaching

2011-04-02T23:18:00.003-06:00

I came upon this photo today. It is of my first class, my first year of being a teacher in a Waldorf school. It started out small and then grew to something like 20 kids. My assistant was a beautifully sweet, eternally wise and patient woman with the gentleness of a butterfly. I miss working with her. I learned so much in this first year. I remember how much time and attention I took, creating my classroom space, and gradually gathering small items for play, decor or the nature table throughout the year. It started out sparse, but as time went on, treasures were to be found in every cove and niche! I am ready to begin working with children in a classroom soon again, I think. I hope to be someone's assistant in the fall, while I continue my college classes part-time. Putting it on my blog may help to manifest this seedling idea, if the time is truly right.

Fun at the The Mothertree

2011-04-01T23:58:00.004-06:00

Here are some pictures, compliments of Ms. Carolina Allen of Eugene's "Mothertree Haven for Early Childhood", a Waldorf home-based program. My daughter loves being with her in this world of wonder, more than anywhere else imaginable. Here is my little character at play with her friends on Tuesday, the day that they made a "new river" in the play yard. Such fun!

Painting with Reya

2011-03-30T12:59:00.006-06:00

I just got the cranky toddler down for a nap (nice and early today). I set up paints for Reya at the table, envisioning a few moments of preoccupation for her, as I tackled the dishes and laundry that are waiting, no looming, around my home. I haven't cracked my math book once, and it is day three of the school term, but the children weren't sleeping well last night so I couldn't get any work done. Heading for the kitchen, I stopped at a small, sweet voice and turned to see her pure look of wanting me. "Paint with me, Mama", she said. I held my sigh, not wanting her to know my dilemma. "Of course I should paint with her", I thought. "That's how it is done." In a Waldorf school the children wouldn't be left to paint alone, yet here I am, a Waldorf teacher trying to prioritize housework and school work over my own child. "Yes", I said. Let me get some paper cut and wet for myself, and another tray." I sat down with Reya, and begin to sing our painting song- a ritual that I had nearly neglected. As yellow and blue flowed together and made green on my page, like the vivid springtime starting to emerge outside my window, I noticed the breath entering my body for the first time in this day. Maybe I needed it more than she did.

Rainbow faeries come to me.
Dance upon my paper, please.
Bring to me you colors bright,
filled with warmth and love and light.

Ants and Rant

2011-03-12T17:12:00.006-07:00

Hello blog. I really missed you. This school term has been so thick with essays that I just couldn't bring myself to type another word that wasn't required as per syllabi. Also, the event of a broken elbow made the usage of my right hand a real pain in the behind. Here I am again, with so much to write that I don't have fast enough fingers.
I will begin with the simple and mundane:

I just bit into a Chocolove dark chocolate with candied ginger bar that has been hiding in my purse for over a week, waiting for a secret moment of quiet and indulgence. Here I am alone at home, compiling my journal and samples for my fibre art class, in preparation for Tuesday's final review. I took out the wrapped piece of sweetness, deftly removed the wrapper and broke off a piece of chocolate without looking. Practiced fingers knew just what to do without hesitation or mistake. A moment later, my mouth was filled with ants. I looked down, they were scrambling down my arms as well. I will have you know that the very reason that I broke my elbow was in a crazed attempt to eradicate ants from my bathroom in high places where I had to climb precariously on the tub faucet and soap dish to reach (I'm short). I fell. The ants won. Yesterday I found them climbing up the towel rack, and all over our hanging bath towels. Dead skin cells for dinner? Now they are taking over my purse to find my sacred stash of hidden chocolate. I am outraged. I am moving. I don't know where or how soon I can make it happen, but it is without question. Read on and hear why, if the ants aren't enough.
Bell Real Estate is the crappiest property management company that I have ever dealt with. They don't care. When I ask them to fix something, they don't. They then charge me for the hourly rate that the maintenance person who "looks at", but doesn't fix the problem charges them. My basement was flooding the other night, and I called to inform the landlord that water was pouring in near a main pipe that goes up to my kitchen sink. They made me sign a disclaimer when I moved in, that it was a "wet basement" and not for storage, so I was sure to let the guy on call know that I wasn't sure if it was coming from the pipe, or if it was just rain water coming from the hole around the pipe. When he offered to send the plumber out to check it out, I told him I didn't necessarily want that, because I was afraid of being charged, and was just wanting to notify them of a possible pipe leak that they should examine themselves before calling the plumber. They decided to send the plumber. He declared that it was indeed rain water pouring in at the rate of a gallon per minute. The landlord decided that this is something that they should not fix, because it is a "wet basement" of course. This is a little more extreme than I expected when signing the wet basement disclaimer. I was picturing dampness and mild leakage.A few days later I got a $162.oo bill in the mail from the landlord, for the plumber who came out to check the situation. They did that when I asked for someone to unplug my repeatedly clogging toilet. They said it was my fault because they had to remove "hard stool". Never mind their admittance that the main sewage line is clogged with years of roots that they refuse to clean out because they don't want the cost. Hard stool? Who cares what the texture is? It's a toilet. It's for poop. My debt with them is growing, and I have to wade in the basement in rubber boots in order to do laundry. I must mention that this place has no weatherization and my current electric bills are running nearly $400 monthly. I am careful with my power usage, and this place is only 900 or so square feet. The windows are not sealed and cold air flows in, while warm air flows out. It's only slightly more efficient than heating a screened in porch. It just isn't right, and I am racking up bills that I can't pay, between the utilities and the charges for plumbing and other repair people. Renters seem unprotected by the laws, and I have no recourse. I don't know where I am moving or how I will afford to do so, but I have decided. I am giving a thirty day notice and bailing on this hell hole ASAP.
Enough ranting. More pleasant blogging soon to come!

Verbal

2011-01-09T23:15:00.005-07:00

The little cutie is starting to talk. His big sister spoke really early, and has always been verbal. He is so different. He is a master at body language. He doesn't really sign (I never followed through with teaching him), but has the most clear ways of telling us what he wants us to know. Still, it is very thrilling to finally hear words coming from his sweet, plump, pink lips. He loves to say "bye", and says it with utmost expressiveness, and repeatedly. Watch him in this video. He was playing peek-a-boo. We were saying, "where's baby?", and he started repeating his now 2'nd favorite word, "baby". So sweet. Try not to look at the background of the video. Our house was really, uncharacteristically dirty that day, needing vacuumed, and popcorn dropped everywhere. What a mess! So look at cute Galen with the shawl crocheted by my Nana, and not at the house, Kay?

2010-12-15T22:30:00.005-07:00

My daughter has an imaginary friend that she calls Nic-nac-no. Nic-nac-no has a mother named something like "Mendolin". Nic-nac-no is sometimes referred to as "she", and sometimes as "them". They apparently look like huge purple raccoons, but are not actually racoons. It is not clear what they are, but they drive down the street beside us in a "huge little, tiny red car", they teach her how to jump high and run fast, go on walks with us and sleep with her in her bed. Sometimes they come into our car and sit with her as well. I love that Reya has an imaginary friend. When I was a young adult, I used to love to watch the movie, "Drop Dead Fred". I had hoped that one of my children would have such a friend. I think it such a healthy, good thing in a developing child, and it's really fun.
Related or not, she spoke of a dream the other night about a big raccoon stuffed with string cheese that she ate. It seems that this was completely unrelated to the embodiment of Nic-nac-no, but it is an interesting possible correlation.

Smoochy Sisters

2010-12-11T22:45:00.003-07:00

This is a hilarious picture from Thanksgiving day. My sister Nichole and I figured out that we share similar family prominent noses and protruding chins that make a head on kiss virtually impossible.
Pic taken by her husband Rick.

The final following the final- OBITUARY

2010-12-09T02:24:00.003-07:00

I am donE, doNE, dONE, DONE!!! Took my last exam today, and posted my last two assignments tonight. I am officially on holiday break, now. Thank goddess! So here is my last Psychology assignment post. I had to write a fake obituary for myself. It was limited to 200 words, so I couldn't fit all of the important details that I wanted to, but here it is, for what it's worth( I cheated and added several words back in when I put it on the blog). I am sure that by the time I am ready to die, that I will want to add a few more things, and I hope I will have done all that I set out to!
OBITUARY
78 year old Danielle Susanne Glaser, of Portland, Oregon, passed over on Nov. 17, 2051. Known as Ani, she left the world smiling. Remaining, are her life partner, four adult children, eight chickens, two goats, two angora rabbits, two French lop rabbits, a cat, a peacock, and an affectionate, long eared Rottweiler. All will miss her nurturing care, love and companionship. She died on the fifty-fourth anniversary of her infant daughter, Luca Seaghul’s death, and some say that her smile was in expectancy of their reunion in the spirit realm. Ani enjoyed singing, playing bass and acoustic guitar, dancing, fiber arts, gardening, hobby farming, cooking, writing, learning, and mothering. She held a certificate in Waldorf Education from the Micha-el Institute, a BS in Developmental Psychology and a minor in fiber arts from the University of Oregon, and a MS in Occupational Therapy from Pacific University. Her greatest accomplishments were successfully raising happy, talented and inspired children; sustaining a fabulously thriving love relationship; and lead singing, touring and recording with her popular indie rock band, “Nymphalidae”.

A public gathering of remembrance will be held on Saturday, at the Hobbit Beach, near Florence Oregon, at 2PM. Seagulls will be caught and released holding bundles of her ashes to be dropped over “Grandmother Ocean”, and there will be singing in her honor. Some of her ashes will remain in a silver and moonstone urn, for keeping by her family.

The cause of death was painless heart failure naturally occurring with old age.

Umm- can't think of a title. Too tired.

2010-12-04T00:09:00.002-07:00

Holy hell week leading into finals! This is the hardest school term I have ever had, other than the one that my preemie was born in the middle of, 10 years ago. I almost can't take it anymore. I am seriously falling apart. Too much to do to do anything well, and not enough time to sleep. I think I am about to screw up all of my hard work at the last minute. I'm not sure if I can pull through this time. What was I thinking? My children are not letting me get away with this school bologna with any grace, any longer. They are making my life hell until I find a way to get us into a healthier routine. What the he_ _ am I supposed to do now?

To Teach Rather Than Restrict

2010-12-01T00:45:00.004-07:00

As a followup on my post about screening people for permission to parent and reproduce, here are some thoughts about the ethics of it all, and how it could work within people's basic rights:

The idea of disallowing people to be parents without a license or permission slip seems to me to be a violation of personal, reproductive and other rights. The desire to reproduce, to nurture a child, and to continue one’s family line is a basic desire, bordering on a need, that exists across cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Enforcing such a policy would be difficult at best, and maybe impossible or cruel. I do think that many people are doing a terrible job at parenting, and even at growing healthy babies in utero, much to the distress of the greater society. My hypothetical parental screening form was stringent. It included high standards for prenatal nutrition to ensure healthy birth weight, healthy placenta and the establishment of good cardiovascular health, glucose processing and metabolism for life. I required the mother to remain abstinent from harmful substances that could cross the placenta, inhibit proper growth, manifest in abnormalities and defects, and create fetal and infant dependencies. Included, was a requirement for abstinence from tobacco use and exposure, to ensure healthy birth weight, brain development, lung development, breathing and a reduction of the likelihood of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. I also included some rather unconventional standards for healthy and conscious birth scenario choices. Natural birthing methods (especially home birthing when possible) are becoming increasingly known to aid mother and baby. These methods insure that medications will not get in the way of healthy hormone production, which is helpful to the comfort and productivity of the labor process. Also, natural birth often helps the baby develop better sensory integration later in childhood. Finally, and very importantly, the baby is allowed to stay with the mother during the crucial first moments and hours after birth for (again) good sharing of needed hormones, production of milk, bonding, and too many other benefits to name here. Additionally, I created standards for the immediate and near future after birth.
After healthy birth choices, I included a mother’s commitment to breast feed for good health and bonding if at all physically possible (barring circumstances such as adoption, physical limitations that cause insufficient milk production, same-sex male parental situation, etc.). The last requirement was a commitment to creating an emotionally healthy home environment for the baby, that would include secure parent-baby attachment and prompt meeting of needs, learning baby’s cues for better responsiveness, and a patient, non-yelling way of interaction.
While I think that all of these are incredibly important and needed implementations and cautions for baby development, I think that rather than impose restrictions on parenting when the criteria are not met, a more caring and fair approach would be to implement a parental training program. When parents failed to match the set standard for child rearing, they would be offered and encouraged (required?) to take up a mentoring relationship with accomplished and excellent parents. These mentors would be well versed in all of the most healthy and effective, known ways to grow and raise a happy, healthy, well-adjusted child. They would offer information, support, good modeling, and crisis assistance. They would not be government officials, but just people who could offer a helping hand. They would also uphold a mandatory reporting status just in case there were instances of abuse, neglect or serious, bad, parenting that could cause damage to the child.
One issue that I am uncomfortable with in this scenario, is how the program would be run and enforced. I don’t like the idea of governmental control for reproduction and parenting rights. I wonder if it would be possible for a separate, non-profit organization to take on this role, in cooperation with doctors and midwives, so that it would be just another feature that came along with health/prenatal care and pediatric health care?

Comments about parenting screening, for perspective.

2010-11-30T14:50:00.002-07:00

Some conversation about my last post, that I thought should be on here to follow up and round out the subject from more perspectives. These comments came when I shared the post on a social networking site and got some feedback.

Ivana Deletis i have to play devils advocate: what about same-sex couples that want to be parents? they cannot meet some of your qualifications (gay dad's breastfeeding adopted infant?) so should they be denied the experience of parenting?

Ani Glaser

Oh my gosh, Ivana. You are right. The Psychology chapter that this was based on is mostly about prenatal development, so I was totally thinking of people getting screened who are trying to get pregnant. Of course adoptive parents of any g...ender and sexual orientation would have to have a different screening criteria. For one thing, the birth scenario would be non-applicable to the adoptive parents, and although men are actually able to stimulate milk production, and do in some cases (usually in other cultures), it is clearly not the norm. Also, I am aware that some women attempt to breastfeed, but cannot for various medical reasons. I guess in these cases that a good idea is to either have a wet nurse, or some access to a milk bank,so that all babies, even adopted ones can have the health benefits of breast milk, which are superior to formula. It would be helpful if there was more of a market for the sales and donations of expressed milk, for use by others who need it. I think that the FDA might get all worried about this, and go crazy with regulations, but I have always thought that with some of us producing so dang much milk (and needing a source of cash flow by the way), that we could spread the wealth of our baby juice, and get some reimbursement for it...for the good of all.

Evelyn Van Maren how about screening them before they ever have intercourse? i'm mostly talking about the pubescent males here. most mothers, when not under duress, can parent beautifully without any cues

Nico Swan

Personally I've never seen or heard of a parent parenting beautifully w/o becoming familiar with the cues from baby.
I am a parent (was a teen parent), I am a step parent, I've been a nanny. In every age & situation that I've experienced wit...h children it has required reading cues.

Elise McGiverin

I have typed and erased, typed an erased trying not to sound rude in my response. I think you can be a wonderful parent and raise wonderful kids without any of these things. I was induced... With drugs... Twice... In a hospital (gasp). I ha...ve nursed all 3 of my children and still am my almost 2 year old. My children are healthy and happy and not too screwed up;)
I think you can make it work with your circumstances, whatever they are! To say someone should be screened and not qualify to be a great parents if they don't nurse, don't have a natural birth etc is pretty harsh.
There is so much pressure on mothers today, some people arnt able to do all the things listed an have very haelthy happy children!!
My two cents! :D
Sorry for grammer punctuation errors, using my phone to post.

Ani Glaser

Sister Elise,
I think you are a wonderful parent. I really believe that. This assignment was completely hypothetical for my class, asking if there was a law to screen people, what would my choice for the criteria be?- I would never actuall...y take away a person's rights to parent, even if it was my choice to make a law. If I were to screen, I would rather screen in order to see in what ways people need education and/or support to be the best parents they can be. My opinion on the screening process and it's ethics or appropriateness is a whole separate assignment that I have to complete and turn in today. Maybe I should post it as follow up, since I probably made a lot of people mad with this one. I am very sorry if you are offended. I do have strong beliefs about negative effects that common hospital practices have on the births of babies, and on mothers. Some of the things they do can really mess with a mother's ability to attach as easily, as well as lead to some sensory issues in children, later. Not all people who undergo these procedures suffer from the problems, but many do. I am so happy that you were able to easily bond with your babies and breastfeed. I was scared when you got induced, because I wanted your babies to be fully ripe and ready, and I am so happy that your children are healthy and well adjusted. I love you and them. My main point in writing from the stance that I did on this paper, is because in my teaching position, I have seen some fairy poor situations, and unhealthy kids/families, stemming from some or all of these issues. Because of this, I have pretty serious opinions on it.

To qualify to be a parent

2010-11-28T23:11:00.002-07:00

I'm posting psychology homework again. It's because the subject material is stuff that I really actually care quite a bit about. Isn't it great when you can study what you love. Too bad my professor is completely incompetent and a pain in my _____. That is a whole separate subject that I won't go further into. Ahem. This assignment involved imagining that the law required people to be screened for certain criteria before allowing them to parent. I was to author an essay explaining the importance and validity of my criteria, and present a screening form. The practicalities and ethics of an actual parental screening process and requirement is very debateable, but for the fun of imagining, here is mine:

For my parenting screening form, I chose to screen for influences that create well being for a child starting in the womb, as well as into infancy and childhood. For the first one, I chose to screen for mothers who have access to, education about and a commitment to the pursuit of good nutrition. Nutrition is one key factor that decides the health of the newborn, as well as determining a person’s lifetime of health. Poor nutrition, as well as any drastic change in nutrition, or simply too much of certain kinds of bad nutrition in the mother can cause her baby to have insufficient or excessive birth weight, and can have long term effects on blood sugar, metabolism and cardiovascular health, among other concerns. Research has shown that “any abnormality in the intra-uterine environment can be detrimental to fetal growth. Failure to supply the adequate amount of nutrients to meet fetal demand, for example due to maternal malnutrition…leads to fetal undernourishment. [Also,] a decrease in maternal food intake leads to a fall in the concentrations of fetal insulin, the IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor-1) and glucose, causing reduced transfer of amino acids and glucose across the placenta, ultimately reducing the rate of fetal growth. Metabolic programming is thought to occur, for example the fetus prepares to store nutrients as fat in anticipation of poor postnatal nutrition…Subsequently it was shown that there is a strong and inverse relationship between birth weight and blood pressure, which is a major cardiovascular risk factor. High level of maternal dietary fat intake during pregnancy increases the incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in children. To date, the origins of many diseases in adulthood are thought to lie in fetal life (1).”

The second influence that I think is important is abstinence from drugs and harmful chemicals during pregnancy. Many substances in our work environments, social environments, and those that we ingest regularly and occasionally have drastic effects on a baby, and some of those effects, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, are irreversible, causing abnormality to the child for their lifetime. “A woman's drug use can affect both her fetus and her newborn. Most drugs cross the placenta--the organ that provides nourishment to the fetus. Some can cause direct toxic (poisonous) effects and drug dependency in the fetus. After birth, some drugs can be passed to the baby through breast-feeding(2).”

Also considered to be a drug, but in a whole separate category of it’s own would be a screening for smoking. In order to be healthy, babies need to breathe smoke free air. As basic and obvious as that may seem, it is unfortunately not a universally given right. That is why I think that parental smoking should not be permitted, and smoking should be restricted around pregnant women and babies. Smoking exposure in utero has been known to retard growth and brain development, impair breathing after birth, increase the likelihood of prematurity, and increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (5).

Something that has not always been a mainstream choice, but in my opinion is necessary for the absolute well being of a child is for a mother to choose to have a natural (ideally home) birth. In our medical system, birth has come to be seen as a medical issue rather than a natural, healthy process. Doctors are scheduling births to accommodate their personal vacation schedules rather than the biological clock of the unborn baby. Cesarean section rates are ever increasing, much to the detriment of infants and mothers alike, and are largely brought on by drugs like pitocin and epidurals, that get in the way of normal labor rather than helping it proceed. I believe that a major shift toward natural birth is needed for the birth healthier babies, and is the ticket to a healthier larger society in the long run. “Four major hormonal systems are active during labor and birth. These involve oxytocin, the hormone of love; endorphins, hormones of pleasure and transcendence; epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones of excitement; and prolactin, the mothering hormone. These systems are common to all mammals and originate in our mammalian or middle brain, also known as the limbic system. For birth to proceed optimally, this part of the brain must take precedence over the neocortex, or rational brain. This shift can be helped by an atmosphere of quiet and privacy, with, for example, dim lighting and little conversation, and no expectation of rationality from the laboring woman. Under such conditions a woman intuitively will choose the movements, sounds, breathing, and positions that will birth her baby most easily. This is her genetic and hormonal blueprint. All of these systems are adversely affected by current birth practices. Hospital environments and routines are not conducive to the shift in consciousness that giving birth naturally requires. A woman's hormonal physiology is further disturbed by practices such as induction, the use of painkillers and epidurals, caesarean surgery, and separation of mother and baby after birth(3).” Additionally, I have long suspected, that a child’s birth scenario is something that sticks with him or her, creating a whole array of physiological and psychological conditions that may positively or negatively impact future life. In speaking to teachers and others in the medical community, I know that this is a common theory.

Hand in hand with natural birth, and the discussion of the mother’s body’s ability to produce helpful hormones for the health of her and her baby, comes the benefit of breastfeeding one’s baby. “Oxytocin is made in the hypothalamus, the "master gland" deep in our brains, and stored in the posterior pituitary, from where it is released in pulses…[for many functions including breast] milk ejection, or let-down reflex, in breastfeeding… The baby also produces oxytocin during labor, perhaps even initiating labor, so, in the minutes after birth, both mother and baby are bathed in an ecstatic cocktail of hormones. At this time ongoing oxytocin production is enhanced by skin-to-skin and eye-to-eye contact and by the baby's first suckling…During the months and years of lactation, oxytocin continues to keep the mother relaxed and well nourished. One researcher calls it "a very efficient antistress situation which prevents a lot of disease later on." In her study, mothers who breastfed for more than seven weeks were calmer than mothers who did not(4).” According to this information, breastfeeding alone will produce a happier, better adjusted mother, which is vital to good parenting, and well adjustment of a child.

My final stipulation for clearing a parent to produce and raise a healthy child is a parent’s commitment to bond with, attach to and comfort their baby, as well as provide a calm, gentle home environment. Beyond, physical health and nutrition, I think that the most important part of parenting a healthy child is a great ability to nurture and provide an emotionally healthy home life. This involves listening to the baby’s cues and fulfilling needs, or just holding, even if you don’t know what the need is. Many parents, especially in past generations believe that this kind of availability to a baby is spoiling. Modern thinkers disagree, saying that a baby cannot be spoiled. “But there is no doubt that repeated lack of responsiveness to a baby’s cries—even for only five minutes at a time—is potentially damaging to the baby’s mental health. Babies who are left to cry it out alone may fail to develop a basic sense of trust or an understanding of themselves as a causal agent, possibly leading to feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, and chronic anxiety later in life. The cry-it-out approach undermines the very basis of secure attachment, which requires prompt responsiveness and sensitive attunement during the first year after birth (6).” Additionally, parents need to be unconditionally patient and in control of themselves. As difficult as this may sound, it is one of the more challenging but non-negotiable job prerequisites. When parents lose their cool with children, it can be devastating to the child, and repeated bouts of this behavior cause lasting damage. “Yelling is not an acceptable form of discipline because it is not discipline. Yelling falls under the category of punishment… Discipline is calm, and gentle. Discipline has a nurturing tone of voice. Discipline teaches through communication. When a parent disciplines a child for acting unacceptably they are teaching their child why the behavior is unacceptable, not just that it is. A child who is disciplined is never yelled at. They are not scolded or reprimanded. They are not called names or insulted. They are not made to feel shamed or belittled. Yelling makes children feel all of those things. Yelling makes good kids feel like bad kids. A child who is disciplined is talked to and with, not ever at. Yelling at your kids can both scare and scar them. The long-term effects of yelling include poor self image and esteem, lack of self control, impulsiveness, anger and temperament issues, lack of patience, and mental childhood issues. Also, parents who yell at their children often will most likely have children that yell at their children (7).” It is so important that we parent well, because as we parent our babies, we are teaching them how to parent theirs, and the cycle continues, building healthy communities or dysfunctional ones, depending on the ways in which children are or are not cared for.
Sources:
1) http://www.biochemsoctrans.org/bst/034/0779/0340779.pdf
2) http://www.addictionca.com/drug-use-pregnancy.htm
3) http://mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/ecstatic-birth-the-hormonal-blueprint-of-labor
4) http://mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/ecstatic-birth-the-hormonal-blueprint-of-labor
5) http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t105800.asp
6) http://mothering.com/parenting/crying-for-comfort
7) http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/430938/damages_and_effects_caused_by_yelling.html?cat=25

Parenting Screening Form

1. Nutrition
a. Please create a detailed journal of your typical eating habits for one normal week. Write a description of what you think is involved in maternal nutrition in order to grow a well baby.
b. Do you have easy access to all of the ingredients, supplements and supplies in order to consume this healthy diet?
c. Is it important to you to follow this diet closely, and is there anything that you need in order to be supported in doing so?
d. Are you willing to seek nutritional counseling?

2. Drugs and chemical exposure.
a. Do you currently, and have you ever used any prescription or other drugs occasionally or habitually? Which ones?
b. Please explain what you know about drug use during pregnancy, and the effects that can be experienced by the baby.
c. Please explain what you know about chemical exposure during pregnancy and the effects that can be experienced by the baby.
d. What drugs, if any, do you think you might use during pregnancy?
e. How will you avoid chemical exposure during your pregnancy?

3. Smoking
a. Do you smoke tobacco?
b. Do you spend time in the presence of others who smoke?
c. Do you understand the risks of smoke and second hand smoke to unborn and born babies?
d. Do you have a plan for eliminating smoke exposure during pregnancy? Please explain.

4. Birth plan
a. Where do you intend to birth your baby?
b. Do you intend to utilize medications for pain or to promote your laboring efforts during your baby’s birth?
c. Do you know about the role that natural hormones play in facilitating the labor process and helping both mother and baby through the birth process and beyond? If so, do you about the effects of labor drugs on these hormone levels?
d. How do you view birth?
A- a joyful and natural process
B- a medical process requiring intervention
C- empowering
D- terrifying
E- other: please elaborate

5. Feeding plan
Do you plan to breastfeed your baby? If so, for how long do you intend to breastfeed? Do you think that you would need instruction or support in order to do so, successfully?

6. Attachment, comfort and yelling
a. Do you believe that crying babies should be held?
b. Do you think it is important for a parent to bond with their baby?
c. What does the term “bonding” mean to you?
d. In what way(s) do you intend to bond with your baby?
e. Do you tend to raise your voice when you are upset?
f. Do you think that raising your voice is an effective way to discipline your child?
g. Do you think that raising your voice is an effective way to communicate with your child?
h. Do you think that raising your voice is an acceptable way to speak to your child?
i. What (if any) ways do you use to steer away from angry reactions?

The coolest ad I've seen in a long time.

2010-11-28T23:10:00.002-07:00

The ad is awesome, the product looks even better. Check it out.

Saya Baby Carrier from Armand Quimpo on Vimeo.