Thanksgiving Day Card

Received this nice notice from Arthur Murray Studios but they are pretty much an independent group. They may not like this and we may have to remove it. Thanks all.

As per usual, we are for all the dancers and the individuals or the groups can make their exclusions if and when they wish. All we need is the information that we can disburse to our fellow dancers and the wannabees. There is no charge.

"If people are not thankful for what they got, they are not likely

to be thankful for what they are going to get."

Half of American Adults Headed for Diabetes by 2020, UnitedHealth Says

Half of all American adults are destined to develop diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020 if they don't slim down, according to a dire new prediction that pegs the cost of their care at $3.35 billion by decade's ending.

Under the scenario, if present trends continue, the ranks of American adults with excessive blood sugar levels would swell from 93.8 million this year (about 28 million diabetics and 66 million more with pre-diabetes) to 135 million in 2020.

Sixty percent of the annual $500 billion burden of the obesity-driven diabetes epidemic would be borne by the U.S. government, according to "The United States of Diabetes," a provocative working paper produced by the Center for Health Reform & Modernization, part of the healthcare huge UnitedHealth Group Inc.

UnitedHealth issued the statement on the heels of an Oct. 22 forecast from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that as many as 1 in 3 adults could be diabetic by 2050. That's an enormous jump from present diabetes prevalence, which is 1 in 10 among adults.

Happy Thanksgiving!

NorthJersey.com was at the Bergen County Historical Society's New Bridge Landing, recreating what the first Thanksgiving might have been like. Read more. I'll pass on the venison and goose, but sign me up for the stewed pumpkin and corn grits.

While not appealing for those of us who shun meat, the video does interest me as a history lover, and gives you perspective the labor that went into food preparation. Think how much we rely on convenience foods, and of the long list of labels with ingredients we cannot even pronounce. I also reflect on how animals used for food may have led a more natural life, while today's food animals are full of growth hormones, antibiotics, and live in completely unnatural conditions.


On a more light-hearted note, I leave you with some snapshots from the Macy's Parade balloon inflation viewing.

A Very Gentle Thanksgiving

This Sunday past, I gathered with 55 individuals - some vegan, some vegetarian, even some meat-eaters like my mom and sweetheart who shared in a cruelty-free feast for the third annual Gentle Thanksgiving held by God's Creatures Ministry in Wayne, New Jersey.

To start: Trader Joe's white bean hummus and garlic hummus, with mini pita bread and chips. Check out their vegan list of offerings. My vegan TJ staples are tofu for eggless scrambles; soy creamer for coffee/tea; and almond milk for cereal. Also heart their vegan apple strudel and meatless meatballs (great for spaghetti or in sub sandwiches). To name just a few.

Trader Joe's pumpkin bread and cranberry sauce. I've veganized this mix at home using Ener-G egg replacer.

Tofurkey and the works: green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and a biscuit.

Joe Dwyer, author of Shelby's Grace, was on hand. Shelby, found chained in a gas station, scared and hungry, now works as a therapy dog, and is a glowing example of how animals can forgive even after suffering the most egregious cruelty.

I coveted, but did not go home, with any of the fine raffle prizes. Love cozy pasta nights at home.

I could so picture this green candle and cheerful holly plant on my coffee table.

Sweet potato soup for frugal office lunches, apple crisp mix, cranberry trail mix, couscous: it's as if the person creating this basket thought of me personally!

Sweet ending: apple crisp and pumpkin pie.

My turkey that my family sponsored from Farm Sanctuary as a birthday gift arrived in the mail. Daphne was seized in a neglect and cruelty case this year, and lives at their Watkins Glen, New York shelter.

Said it before, will say it again: stand proud if you are shunning turkey this year, even if you are the only one at your table doing so (which is usually the case for me). I don't feel the least bit deprived I'm not doing something millions of others are doing just because that's what "they" say we should.

That said, educate, but be accepting of others choices. Someone at the dinner said he walked out of a Thanksgiving dinner and is no longer friends with the hosts because they didn't 'get it' about turkey. This gives vegans and vegetarians a bad reputation. Isolation is no way to foster a world of compassion. A veg lifestyle will simply not be everyone's choice - but reducing animal consumption through non-dairy; meat-free; and eggless alternatives is something realistically all can strive for to some level. If people can go veg, even better. Food for thought as we strive toward our goal of reduced animal suffering.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Excerpt from column by Jerry Burris
The only point here is that we construct heroes out of many parts. Some we honor, or should, for their selfless deed: The people who toil day and night in homeless shelters; who voluntarily walk the beaches and mountain trails picking up thoughtless trash left behind by others; those who devote their days and nights to the education of the young people who will make up the Hawai’i of tomorrow; those who put their lives on the line for our safety — those are our real heroes and they don’t brag about it.

 “Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have,

than what you don’t."

Few of these folks will get a ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda. They won’t be laid to rest in the company of thousands in Waikiki Beach. But they count nonetheless. As we celebrate the life and times of a Don Ho or Brudda Iz, we should remember that the fabric of society is made strong by more than those who found the spotlight. It is built by everyone who contributes, who make this Island State a better and more enjoyable place.

 

"Let's Dance" by Benny Goodman

Good People
By Rabbi S. B. Freehof DD
Perhaps my change in taste has come about from a change in the world. People once felt that ignorance was the only bar to social happiness. Now,having seen mass murder in the age of culture, we know that human happiness is barred by active evil human character, callousness and active cruelty.

There is so much man made misery in the world that one begins to hunger for a little consideration and a little patience. Whether or not this change of taste reveals a basic change in my personal motivation, I know that I have come to prefer a different type of person. I once liked clever people, now I like good people.

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.

It will change your life mightily."

A Clever Pie for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving pies are usually full of calories, not matter what. However, you can make them healthier while not sacrificing taste at all! Here are a few ideas collected from different sources:

- Try to use at least some whole wheat flour for the crust.
- Use organic fruits (and real pumpkin) instead of canned sugary versions. Limit the sugar you add. Fruit is sweet by nature. Add flavor boosts with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and zests or rinds from citrus fruit instead.
- Because the crust requires a considerable amount of butter, try to limit the crust to one side. Don't use it for the bottom and top of the pie.
- Choose butter over shortening or lard - it's the least of the three evils. The healthiest option is oil but this can only be used if you are making a crumb crust (a regular crust will be dense and greasy if made with oil).
- Make your own whipped cream. Most commercially prepared versions have hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup in them along with a medley of other ingredients that don't belong there. Homemade whipped cream will be higher in fat but it's more natural to make your own and a small amount of homemade is more satisfying than a large amount of fake stuff.
 
Sources include Yahoo, Self Magazine 

Exercise Combo Best for Type 2 Diabetes

Variety in your exercises routine may be key to optimal diabetes management, new research suggests.

The study found that when people with type 2 diabetes did aerobic workout some days and resistance training on others, they had lower blood sugar levels after nine months than people who did either type of exercise alone.

"From a health perspective, the combination exercise program actually outshined the others," said the study's lead author, Dr. Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge.

"We really thought that the walking group and the combination group would be similar, but the combination group was the only group that had significant development. They reduced their HbA1C levels, while also reducing the amount of diabetes medications," said Church.

The HbA1C test examines long-term (two to three months) blood sugar concentration. Unlike a fasting blood glucose test, the HbA1C indicates how well you've controlled your blood sugar over the past 8 to 12 weeks.