"Can we Eat to Starve Cancer?"

Obesity and Cancer. These are two hot button topics in the U.S. today. William Li, head of the Angiogenesis Foundation, asks the question "Can we eat to starve cancer?"

In a 2010 lecture at a TED talks convention, Li presented compelling scientific results suggesting that the food we eat can help treat cancer as well, if not better than, common medical treatments. It should be no surprise to use that Mother Nature has provided us with a smorgasbord of foods that help our body protect and defens itself. Li has compiled a long list of foods that have remarkable anti-angiogenesis qualities. More so, he has found that combining certain foods can have a synergenic effect, making their anti-angiogenesis quality even stronger.

What's so important about Angiogenesis? This is the process that allows our body to control blood vessel growth. When our body needs more, stimulators (proteins) trigger their growth, when they are no longer needed, inhibitors (proteins as well) stop their growth. Malignant tumors are able to recruit their own blood supply, sometimes at an alarming rate. This blood supply allows for tumors to grow and metastisize (travel to other parts of the body). Anti-angiogenesis treatments stop blood vessel development and therefore starve the tumor. Taking doses of anti-angiogenesis cocktails has proven to be an efficient means of treating cancer. However, Li suggests a diet of anti-angiogenesis foods, can be even more efficient, not too mention more economical and practical for many.

The idea that locally grown sustainable crops can help prevent and treat cancer, which results in millions of deaths every year is a beautiful idea. Not to mention, the reduction in obesity that would result from such a diet.

So, what are these magical foods that Li speaks of? A few are strawberries, green tea, artichokes, soy beans and tomoatos. The list is extensive and tastey! Lose some weight, improve your bodies ability to control tumor growth, support local farmers, and practice your culinary skills; this is the best disease prevention and treatment plan I can imagine.

How do antibiotics work?

Billions of antibiotics are prescribed every year for all sorts of common ailments; acne, staff infections, urinary tract infections, sinus infections. I would venture to guess that few patients question how the antibiotic does its job, how that particular antibiotic is chosen or how safe their antibiotic is.

The basic idea of how an antibiotic works is simple. Antibiotics target bacterial cells for eradication. This begs the question, how to antibiotics distinguish between a healthy human cell and a bacterium? That is, why don't antibiotics kill the patient as well as the bacteria?

There are certain processes that are unique to bacterium. Antibiotics are chosen for their ability to target these bacteria specific processes. Different antibiotics target different processes.

Penicillin targets Peptidoglycan, a macromolecule found in the cell wall of bacteria. The group of antibiotics known as Sulfas interupt metabolic pathways within a bacteria cell by preventing the production of folic acid. Folic acid is required by all cells for proper growth and development. Without this macromolecule, the cell dies. Tetracycline, an antibiotic commonly prescribed for acne, is able to interupt protein synthesis within a bacterial cell. Yet another common antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin, is able to target an enzyme within bacterium, which interupts DNA replication.

Selecting compounds that only attack bacterium is crucial to the safety of antibiotics. Without an understanding of the similarities and differences between the cells of bacteria and those of humans and other animals, we could not effectively use antibiotics to fight infection.

Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity and Education

Sir Robinson does an excellent job entertaining and raising alarming questions about our education system. How wonderful to think of an educational system that addresses the whole being and rather than diagnosing children, helps them find their place and purpose. With education being a major driving force in the success of our country and a "close to the heart topic" for everyone, there is very little adult dialogue on the matter. Last night I had the opportunity to watch this video and discuss it with members of my community in Durango, Colorado. What a wonderful concept, for adults to sit down and discuss ideas. In order for changes to be made to our education system we need dialogue, open, adult dialogue about the purpose of education and methods that we use to educate our kids. Our educational system is broken and it is community involvement and voices of parents and citizens that will help create the paradigm shift that we so desperately need.

Go Green...Eat Your Local Veggies!

I'm not looking to convert all of you into vegetarians, but.... according to a 2006 report by the Livestock, Environment And Development Initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contributes on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. For more information about the impacts that "factory" farming have on our environment and our health and the conditions that large scale farm animals live and die under, check out the book "Diet for a New America".
Should all American's go "hippie" and completely cut out animal products? I'm not suggesting that (although many American's have), but could we all cut meat out of a meal a day, or even just a few meals a week, I think so. Cutting down on your meat intake can help the environment and help your health! But wait, what kind of effect does purchasing fruits and veggies from another country have? That's a lot of transportation and fossil fuel usage. So, "beef" up your meals with locally grown, organic veggies. Not only are you helping the environment, but you are helping to support local farms. Be conscience consumers and feel good about the food you eat : )

Where have all the honeybees gone?

At the top of my blog, there is a beautiful image of a honeybee that I found within the public domain via the state library on North Carolina. The honeybee is the state insect of North Carolina. Unfortunately, throughout the United States, honeybees are disappearing at an alarming rate.
Honeybees can be credited with pollinating more than $14 billion worth of agricultural crops every year throughout the United States. “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,” said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation. In the U.S., Bee losses are ranging from 30 to 60 percent on the West Coast, with some beekeepers on the East Coast and in Texas reporting losses of more than 70 percent. A loss of up to 20 percent in the off season is considered to be normal by beekeepers. The exact reason for the steep declines in honeybee populations is unknown. Investigators are exploring theories including viruses, fungus and poor bee nutrition. Another hypothesis is that the use of a group of pesticides are somehow affecting bees’ innate ability to find their way back home.

To read a complete article from the NY Times on this issue visit the following.
New York Times. Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/27/business/27bees.html?ex=1330232400&en=3aaa0148837b8977&ei=5088

The Internet and Other Long Distance Learning Tools

I recently read a chapter out of the text Integrating Educational Technology Into Teaching that discussed distance learning and use of the internet in the classroom. I was disappointed to see that the chapter summed up the effectiveness of distance learning as comparable to face-to-face education. The text clearly states that distance learning classrooms have a higher drop out rate than face-to-face classrooms. I guess in this case effective learning is based on assessment scores, but isn't attendance and commitment much more important. If a higher rate of students drop out due to lack of emotional connection doesn't that make distance learning less effective than face-to-face learning. It disturbs me that assessment in education is so often based on regurgitation of information. There is a big difference between a student learning about something and a student learning from something. I would argue that distance learning fails students in learning from something.
Part of schooling is learning how to socialize, form relationships and collaborate. While opportunities for collaboration do exists on the internet, it has been suggested that too much time on a computer directly impacts an indiviuals interpersonal skills. I would argue that in this world of technology and information overload, that educators should encourage our students to take a deep breathe, slow down, comtemplate ideas, master skills, get dirty, and learn by asking face-to-face questions and working with others face-to-face.
Simply Presenting information, cutting and pasting, googling, is not educating. Hands on activities that allow students to learn from mistakes and feel what they are doing physically and emotionally is education.
I also fear that pushing technology is our schools will only widen the gap between the have's and the have nots.
By no means do I feel that technology should be nixed from our schools, basic computer and technological skills are important. Technology can provide a great way to present informtaion with students when used apropriately and sparingly and the internet can expose students to other cultures in creative ways. But this push to integrate technology regularly into all classes is not only expensive, but is encouraging disconnect from reality and the notion that answers come with a click of a button.I definitely hesitate to embrace the computer age and cater to the way in which it is altering how we teach, obtain information, learn and communicate.

I-Pods for Professional Development

I recently joined We Are Teachers Imagine Community on Ning.com and found a link to a great post written by Lucie deLaBruere in July, 2007 that offers great suggestions for easy ways to keep up on technology in education and other relevant information.
Lucie suggests utilizing your I-Pod and podcasts for professional development.
What is a podcast? A podcast is digital media file that is distrubuted over the internet via syndication feeds. For more info visit Wikipedia.
Lucie de LaBruere's blog provides several links to sites that provide quality podcasts, relevant to education. She recommends starting with these resources and creating play lists to listen to. She then recommends the following:

1. Carry a small notebook: Jot down notes as you listen to play lists, write down the titles that may be worth listening to again or sharing.

2. Share: Collaborate with colleagues and share play lists.

3. Talk: Share what you think about what you listened to in person or in a blog.

4. Expand: Don't just listen to education related podcasts, expand your horizons this is a great way to develop professionally and personally.

By utilizing I-pods, you can listen to professional development material anywhere. Many teachers find it difficult, to focus on professional development during the leisurely summer months. With this technology, you can listen to things such as; Steve Hargadon's interview with Tim O'Reily, Science Friday on NPR, EPN pedagogical concepts, or National Geographic while you are relaxing beach side, painting the house, doing yard work, or on a long drive.

I think this is an innovative way in which to use simple technology as an educator and professional in general. The resources provided on this blog were helpful and practical. I have an I-Pod, but have yet to utilize podcasts. I will definitely use this technique to help me stay up to date as an educator.