Full Spectrum Saunas from Sunlighten - A Great Detox Experience for Anyone!

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I am the president of the NY Metro Chapter of the National Autism Association.  Our National parent – The National Autism Association – recently welcomed Sunlighten as a sponsor and some lucky NYC-area NAA members – myself included – had the opportunity to try their fabulous, full spectrum saunas at the Beach Bum Tanning locations in Chelsea, Forest Hills (Queens), and Saddle Brook (NJ).  As many of you know, infrared saunas can be beneficial in helping individuals on the autism spectrum to detoxify, improve immune function and reduce inflammation.  But they are good for everyone and as a busy mom of a child on the spectrum, I appreciated the chance to relax and do something that was good for me too!

I had my Sunlighten experience at Beach Bum’s Chelsea location, 239 Seventh Ave. at 23^rd St. Beach Bum has an 18+ policy, so my son couldn’t try the Sunlighten sauna with me this time.  However, it’s still great for us, as parents, to have a relaxing, detoxifying experience.   Plus, like many autism parents, I often “road test” new treatments on myself before sharing them with my son.

Many doctors and other practitioners working with children on the autism spectrum recommend infrared sauna use. In Dr. Kenneth Bock’s book, “Healing theNew Childhood Epidemics” he says, “Recent evidence indicates that infrared rays may be of some benefit in stimulating immunity and providing a mild anti-inflammatory effect. In addition to helping remove toxins through perspiration, there is a growing belief that saunas also help detoxify the body by increasing the breakdown of fat cells, where toxins tend to be stored. This enhances the removal of these toxins by the liver. Fat cells can also be broken down during exercise, or by any other factor that causes loss of adipose tissue.”  Again, these effects are important for our kids – but also for us as parents.  We need to stay well to help get our kids get well.

Of course, I have been in saunas before, and had even tried a far infrared sauna a few times.  However, this was my first time in a full-spectrum sauna, one that provides near, mid and far infrared rays.  Sunlighten is the only brand that makes full-spectrum infrared saunas.  I was excited to experience the difference – and it was different – and better – than any other sauna that I have tried.  This is the sauna I tried:

The first thing I noticed was the heat; even though the temperature is quite elevated (over 130°F!), it doesn’t feel stifling hot. Anyone who knows me knows that I usually complain when the outside temperature is over 75°F, so being overheated is something to which I am acutely sensitive.  Instead, the heat in the Sunlighten sauna was gentle, and I felt as though I were lounging outside a warm, sunny day. Surprisingly, it felt very comfortable and stayed that way throughout the session. Infrared heat works on a cellular level, heating our bodies directly vs. the surrounding air. This means we can sit comfortably while our body’s core temperature increases resulting in a deeper sweat.  And boy, do you sweat – but in a way that makes you feel like your body is getting rid of stuff it needs to, not in a cloying, overheated way.  The whole experience was quite relaxing.  Afterwards, I felt as if I had completed a workout or a massage; light, refreshed and just really good.  I even slept better that night – it was easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, something I really struggle with.  And my skin felt unusually soft too.  

As a mom of a child who is sensitive to environmental toxins (and sensitive myself), I was, of course, curious about the materials used and the safety of the saunas – especially since heat is involved.    The  Sunlighten rep. explained to me, Sunlighten saunas are the most effective and the safest saunas available. Their Solocarbon technology is 95-99% effective and virtually eliminates all EMF for ultimate safety. They are made with hypoallergenic basswood and assembled with a patented magnetic system; no glues or VOCs are used.     And since their heaters operate at a low surface temperature, they are completely safe to the touch.

One other feature I was not able to try at Beach Bum but am very curious about is Acoustic Resonance Therapy (A.R.T.).  A.R.T. is an additional therapy that Sunlighten offers in their saunas.  Acoustic Resonance Therapy (A.R.T.) creates an environment for the body to experience the benefits of sound and vibration healing in an integrative way. Feeling the music we hear brings our bodies into harmony physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and environmentally.  Autism requires a holistic lifestyle approach and combining infrared therapy and A.R.T. provides a natural, healing environment that can benefit the whole family.

Infrared Sauna Benefits:
- Reduces inflammation caused by viral exposure
- Increase blood flow to reduce the body’s hold on toxic metals
- Provides a non-invasive way to detoxify at the cellular level

A.R.T. Benefits:
- Balancing heart rate, blood pressure and increasing circulation
- Energizing and uplifting one’s mood and emotional well being
- Enhanced creativity, communication and problem solving capabilities
- Significant stress reduction, including relief from symptoms of Autism

Beach Bum Tanning is currently offering a special rate of 2 sessions for $50. I hope you’ll give it a try. NAA members get a special discount from Sunlighten for sauna purchases – there are many different models and price points from which to choose.  For us city dwellers, check out their apartment-friendly Solo: http://www.sunlighten.com/solo-system.html

Look for information about Sunlighten at the NAA national conference next week in St. Pete’s Beach to tell you more about their mission, their products and the benefits of full spectrum saunas for our kids and ourselves.  Their saunas provide a gentle and relaxing way to help us relax, detox, lower our blood pressure, reduce pain and even reduce waist circumference.  What’s not to like about that?

Book Review: Death at SeaWorld By David Kirby

David Kirby has done it again.  He never disappoints!  Death at SeaWorld is eye-opening and is sure to be a bestseller.  I was fortunate enough to already have an opportunity to read this book, published by St. Martin's Press, scheduled to be released this coming week.  I cannot urge you strongly enough to get a copy - it is a game changer.

I grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio and about a half hour from where I lived was a park called SeaWorld.  The 'burbs of Cleveland seem an unlikely spot for a such a park, but there it was, in Aurora, Ohio.  Usually several times a summer, from the time I was very young, we'd venture, first as a family and then when I was a teen, sometimes with my friends, to SeaWorld.  One of the highlights, of course, was the Shamu, the Killer Whale, show.  The stands were always packed.  People vied to be chosen as the guest who would get a kiss from Shamu.  We'd pet dolphins and other animals, even penguins (hint, if you have long hair, tie it back before penguin encounters - it is intriguing to them and once they clamp on they don't want to let go - personal experience!) when they had "Winterfest" - trying to capitalize on the long Ohio winters (making this SeaWorld unusual given their other, much warmer locations).  Frankly, as a child, I never gave much thought to whether this was good for the animals or not.  Heck, the dolphins always looked happy, right (they have no choice, this is a facial feature of certain dolphins)?

As an adult, I came to understand, on some vague level, that marine animal parks like SeaWorld, were not the appropriate environments for many of their inhabitants.  I have not taken my own child to a SeaWorld.  His experience with these animals has been limited to several visits to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium - an animal rescue and rehab facility - and home to Winter, made famous in the movie Dolphin Tale.

However, it was not until reading Death at SeaWorld that I gained a fuller understanding of WHY.  In a masterful style, the author introduces us to a key characters, including some of the whales, trainers/former trainers, scientists and others, and illuminates the issues in the debate over killer whale captivity through these personal stories.  Mr. Kirby's use of the personal narrative, effective in both Evidence of Harm and Animal Factory, may be at its most engaging here.  The book reads like a thriller, a personal journal, a scientific primer, solid investigative journalism and more - all rolled into one.

David Kirby's treatment is both multi-faceted and in-depth.   He clearly does his homework before writing on a topic, and this research shows in a well-honed, thoughtful and thought-provoking finished work.  It is not easy to broadly cover a subject with so many nuances and not gloss over important issues, but Kirby succeeds, raising his work to a higher level.  As a result, readers are given a truly comprehensive understanding of the issues in the debate.  Without understanding, for example, the different types of killer whales that inhabit the planet and the unique sociological behaviors and familial ties of these animals, it is impossible to fully appreciate why captivity is not only dangerous for the whales and the humans who work with them, but heartbreaking as well.  Despite the many threads to this story, it does not unravel.  The reader does not lose track of the key events, and segues into areas such as marine biology, animal behavior and others, serve to illuminate, not distract, from the overall theme.

David Kirby does not shy away from controversial topics, such as vaccines and factory farming, and here takes on animal theme parks - an established feature in the landscape of late 20th/early 21st century America - and shows us their darker and more dangerous side.  I appreciate that, unlike many journalists today, Mr. Kirby truly investigates controversial issues, does not accept superficial explanations, and delves to understand and to share with his readers, difficult but important topics.

Autism is an Iceberg

My good friend Ginger Taylor posted today on her blog, Adventures In Autism, about an article written by Rick Jones and  published in CFO magazine entitled, "The Value of Life: Why an ethically complicated calculation can help determine the value of your company’s risk reduction programs."  WHAT????  Read Ginger's post for a beautifully rendered analysis of the article, pointing out the problems with some its assumptions but, bottom line, what Mr. Jones writes is:

"The lives saved and dollar benefits from vaccines are hard to calculate, but it’s safe to say that these and other immunizations have greatly improved the quantity and quality of life for millions of people -- at the tragic, yet accepted cost of a few. "

 Yes, he acknowledges that children will be harmed by the vaccine program and he is willing to stand up and say outright that that is acceptable.   While it is disturbing to read in print that someone believes it is knowingly acceptable to harm children, at least he is being honest in his acknowledgement

One of the issues that Ginger points out and that Jones does not address and which should have been considered in his analysis is the chronic health crisis among America's children.  In a recent article, based on a 2007 survey, the authors found that, 43% of children had at least one of 20 assessed chronic health problems, and when obesity and risk of developmental delay were included, that percentage exceeded 54%! Moreover, 45% of children with one condition had at least a second - meaning that almost 20% of children had at least two chronic health conditions assessed in the study.

More than half of this country's children are ill and those charged with protecting our public health do not seem particularly curious - let alone panicked -  as to why?  Alarm bells should be ringing!  This is like the Titanic.... and autism is the iceberg.  They see autism and think they can avoid or ignore it but they don't have a clue as to what is hiding beneath - or here, hiding in plain sight.  Here's a handy graphic (pardon my admittedly lame art  skills, but thank goodness for SketchBook Pro on my iPad) showing all those conditions...

 

Sadly, I am guessing that many children have more than one or two of these conditions.  When I look at it, I count several for my own son - at least 5 diagnoses he carries in addition to ASD and I am not including speech and developmental delay (I will throw a bone and subsume, for my child, those issues under ASD), and two others that may be applicable.  This is not my idea of a fun game.  Ooooh who gets the most chronic illnesses - ME ME ME!  There is no winner here and our children are the big losers.  No potential cause - including vaccines - should be ruled out as a contributing factor to this epidemic of chronic illness without serious investigation.  And for those who baldly claim that vaccines have been vindicated - I urge you to take a hard look at the science - it does not support that position.  This is still an open question.  Read Vaccine Epidemic (full disclosure - I am a contributing editor and author) and watch "The Greater Good."  Ask yourself - what is the greater good if more than half our children are being harmed by something(s)?  Why are we not racing to identify the cause or causes of rampant chronic illness?  What does that say about our society and our willingness (or lack thereof) to protect the most vulnerable?  And what does our future bode as a generation of chronically ill children struggle to compete in an ever more challenging world economic climate?

Those of us in the autism community have been struggling with many of these questions for years, and now we watch families of young people in LeRoy, NY struggling with a mystery illness.  So many are willing to dismiss their illness and give an easy diagnosis that does not take a serious look at causation.  Yet, because these families are standing up and others are taking notice, we are learning  about potential environmental causes for the these symptoms that so many in power - including their own school officials - are willing to ignore or are affirmatively refusing to consider.  The autism families, the Le Roy families, and every family with a chronically ill child should continue to demand answers.

I was reading Oprah's magazine today and she had a feature about defining yourself  in 6 words (inspired by Larry Smith).  I have been pondering my 6 today.  Right now, I am feeling: "Stand Tall.  Be Heard.  Demand Accountability."  I hope that you are feeling it too!

Sugar, Sugar... or, Shall I Say, Coconut Sugar

Wow, I cannot believe how long it has been since I have posted.  If you could see me now, I am kneeling, begging an apology.  I am resolving (well at least January is not over yet) to write a post at least once a week.  Short or long, profound or frivolous... gotta get back in the habit.  There is much to write about and I hope to devote space to some serious issues - especially issues regarding autism, in upcoming posts.  But today, I am thinking about coconut sugar. 

Lots of sugar everywhere we look!

We all KNOW that we should avoid most sugars, not just high fructose corn syrup.  Sugar is loaded into way too many foods and beverages. 

However, for some things sugar is, if not necessary, at least preferred.  A cookie is one of those things.  We don't eat many cookies here - not because I don't love them, I do, but H does not.  And I am hard-pressed to justify making cookies just for me when my 11-year old doesn't want them.  But over the holidays I made ginger cookies from a recipe at Elana's Pantry - a wonderful source of gluten-free, paleo-friendly cooking.  As a bonus, Elana's Pantry is a treasure trove of gluten- and dairy-free recipes appropriate for many Jewish holidays (but great for anyone, not just those who celebrate Jewish holidays) - today there were even recipes posted for Tu B'shevat! 

Back to those cookies...

I was going to a holiday party for the Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy - a great non-profit on whose board I sit -and, among the foods we were all contributing, I wanted to make sure there were some (hopefully) yummy gluten-free holiday cookies.  I turned to Elana's Pantry and was rewarded with an easy and yummy almond flour based gingersnap recipe. 

Here is some of my coconut collection!

The one ingredient that was unfamiliar was coconut sugar.  Coconut sugar?  Huh?  Luckily, in short order iHerb.com was able to provide me with Sweet Tree organic coconut palm sugar!  This sugar is not made from the coconuts themselves but from the sap of coconut nut palm tree buds so if you are worried about imparting coconut flavor to everything, no worries.  I thought I was pretty well-versed in coconut products - coconut oil (of course), coconut water and milk (even coconut-based kefir), coconut flour, coconut syrup, and coconut vinegar (both from coconut water and from the sap).  Coconut sugar had, however, flown under my radar.

I apparently am behind the eight-ball on this one!  The good folks at EasyEats wrote about the benefits of coconut sugar just a few weeks ago.  According to them, it is only 9% fructose and it has a lower glycemic index than even agave.  Plus it has B vitamins and minerals, and it is even pretty environmentally friendly to grow.  Natural News reported on the benefits of coconut sugar and how it is displacing agave several months ago.

Taste-wise, coconut sugar is pleasant and easily can substitute for refined sugar.  While I like honey, I try not to overuse it and concerns about agave sourcing and processing have me mostly avoiding that as well.  I just cannot take the aftertaste of stevia (and I have tried many and, at least for me, they just don't work).  Lo Han is ok but not my favorite.  (Not even mentioning the artificial things here - we give those a wide berth).  So, in moderation, coconut sugar may be a good choice when you need a little sweetness in your life!

Spring is Sprung

Somehow months have gone by without a post.  My apologies.  Life has been busy.... I am vowing to post more and update on all the things that have kept me away.  The photo above was taken today at the Bronx Zoo after viewing their butterfly garden exhibit.  My little Zebra Swallowtail (that's the butterfly above) is doing really well and had a great time today as we strolled the nearly unoccupied zoo this afternoon (threatening weather kept most folks at home!). 

"Cheese"-its

What do you feed the GFCF, soy-free, potato-free, corn-free, lots of other stuff free kid who would really like goldfish crackers?  I think I FINALLY have a solution, thanks to the good folks at ReadyMade Magazine (to which I am a subscriber).  In their latest issue, ReadyMade compared several different cheese crackers, including a homemade variety.  On their website, they posted the recipe for the homemade cheese crackers.  The ingredients are simple:  flour, butter, cheddar cheese and ice water.  Of course, three out of the four don't work for someone on a GFCF diet (at least the ice water is ok!).  In this case, the substitutions were simple and worked quite well.  I substituted the same amount of GFCF-safe ingredients for the originals with the exception of the ice water.  I found I needed a touch more water than the two tablespoons called for, but I added it slowly in tiny amounts to get the correct consistency.

Crispy, finished crackers cooling on a rack

Crackers before baking

 


Here are my substitutions:
Daiya cheddar style shreds for the cheese
Purity Farms ghee (or other well made ghee) for the butter
Chebe All-Purpose Bread Mix (a manioc [tapioca] based mix) for flour.

The crackers baked up crispy, crunchy and cheesy tasting.  My GFCF boy loved them, and even my husband and a few friends proclaimed them a success. 

These were easy to mix up in a stand mixer and quick to make (there is some downtime while the dough chills in the fridge).  The trick is to roll out the dough quite thin and bake just long enough to get crisp without burning.  They only take about 15 minutes in the oven but should be watched carefully.  They also should be watched carefully once placed on the cooling rack -- they were mysteriously disappearing from my kitchen!

Vaccine Epidemic - The Book

Officially launching on February 9, 2011 but already shipping from amazon.com, Vaccine Epidemic is a whole new way of looking at the vaccine debate.  

I am proud to be a part of this effort.  Over twenty authors have contributed chapters on a wide array of topics, including law, ethics, media, human rights, medicine, epidemiology, history, philosophy, and personal stories of vaccine injury.  In addition to my role as contributing editor, I also authored a chapter on vaccine exemptions and forced child removal.

We  offer parents, medical professionals and others ways to critically examine the issues surrounding vaccination.  But let's be clear, "Vaccine Epidemic" is NOT anti-vaccine.  It is pro-vaccination choice.  It is in favor of informed consent concerning vaccination.   Parents (and others), regardless of what they ultimately decide is the right choice for themselves and their family, should have the opportunity to make their decision from a position of knowledge.  Their decision should not be based on fear, coercion, and lack of knowledge concerning their rights and the potential risks and benefits of vaccination. 

Vaccine Epidemic" rises above the name-calling and rhetoric and offers a studied and serious look at the issues concerning vaccination and why the book is not closed on the link between vaccines and a wide variety of diseases and disorders.  It is an eye-opening read, no matter where you stand on issues surrounding vaccination.

If you are in or will be traveling to NYC on February 18, join us that evening for our launch event at NYU School of Law.  The event will include panel discussions, Q&A and a book signing.  A number of authors will be in attendance,  The event is free and open to the public but requires pre-registration.  Click here for more information and to register.

Stayed tuned for more events, chances to win a copy of the book, and other news!

Preserved Lemons

While in Paris this winter, we ate a small Moroccan restaurant frequented by friends who live nearby.  Le Tagine was wonderful.  They accommodated H's dietary needs and served tasty Moroccan cuisine in a nicely decorated room (I especially loved the punched metal sconces and light fixtures).  I had a delicious tagine of lamb, olives and preserved lemon and the flavors just burst in my mouth.  This was my second run in with preserved lemons in a week.  A few days before I had prepared a version of Charlie Palmer's "Ten-Hour" veal pappardelle that I had eaten in November at Metrazur, the Palmer restaurant in Grand Central Station.  The recipe calls for preserved lemons, to which I did not have ready access in a small French town over the Christmas holiday, so I did without, using lemon zest (BTW, the family loved it so even without preserved lemon, it is worth making - warning that it is time intensive - best for a long weekend).

Quarter the lemon but do not slice through

Open up the lemons and salt the interior

A jar of preserved lemons on their way

These two dishes got me thinking about preserved lemons (and the lack thereof in my kitchen).  It turns out they are really easy to make.

One of my activities this weekend was preserved lemon preparation.  I used the recipe at SimplyRecipes, but substituted regular lemons for Meyer lemons.  While I like Meyer lemons a lot, I wanted really zingy preserved lemons.  All you need is a clean/sterilized canning jar, kosher salt, and a slew of lemons (I think 8 or so went into my jar, plus the juice of two others).  Use organic lemons if at all possible, after all, it is the skins that are the part you will be using and who wants to eat pesticides?

Take a look at the link above for the details, but basically a couple tablespoons of salt go in the bottom of your jar, followed by lemons with the ends trimmed and then quartered, but not sliced through, that have been salted.  You squish the lemons down into the jar to release juice (I suspect the salt helps this process because they release a lot of juice).  Fill the jar and top off with extra juice (if needed) and a couple more tablespoons of salt.  They stay at room temp a few days and then continue to cure for a few weeks in the fridge until they are ready to use.  I cannot wait.  I am going to try to replicate that lamb, olive and preserved lemon dish from le Tagine.

Vinegar for Winter Health

In catching up on some backlogged magazine reading while on vacation this winter, I happened upon a recipe in ReadyMade magazine for herbal vinegar that is supposed to help boost the immune system to stave off winter health woes.  The recipe for the tincture is credited to Trilby Sedlacek, a registered herbalist in Iowa and owner of Green Angels Herbs & Healing Arts.  The recipe is easy - raw apple cider vinegar (such as Bragg) and fresh herbs of your choice (recommended are: nasturtium, mint, garlic, sage and basil).  You simply fill a clean/sterilized canning jar (a Ball jar) with herbs, not overpacking, and then fill the jar with vinegar.  You seal and let it sit for about two weeks at room temperature, shaking gently once in awhile.  Then you strain out the herbs, label and date the jar and start enjoying.  Note:  the Wild*Crafty blog recommends letting ther herb/vinegar mix sit for six weeks before decanting. 

Fresh, organic sage (left) and basil (right)

Bragg ACV

The chopped herbs, loosely packed

I  started my tincture this afternoon.  I chose sage and basil and I would recommend organic herbs if you can find them.  While garlic has many healing properties, unfortunately, both H & I recently tested as sensitive to it.  So, for the time being, it is out of our diets.   This took only a few minutes to make and now I just have to patiently wait for the tincture to be ready.

The finished product - ACV & herbs

Once the tincture has "matured" for a few weeks, you can use a few spoonfuls in salad dressings, sauces, soups/stews.  Or, if you are like me and love vinegar, have a few spoonfuls straight up!  For hot food, it is recommended to add after cooking so as not to destroy the healthful benefits of the raw vinegar. The theory behind the tincture is that the vinegar helps to extract the minerals from the herbs.  Unlike the strictly culinary vinegars that you can buy in gourmet groceries, which use just a small amount of herbs for their flavor properties, this type of tincture is prepared with larger quantities of herbs for their healthful properties - that they taste great too is an additional benefit!

Green Means Go

I have been absent from blogging for too long.  Life in general and, especially, a book project, had left me pressed for time.  My apologies but when you hear more about the book, I hope you will think it was worth the blogging break.  Intrigued?  Click the link above and learn more now.

Today I had two great green food experiences.  One was cooking an old favorite - kale - a new way.  The second was my introduction to an entirely new food for me - sea beans.

First the kale.  Kale is  one of my favorite foods, sauteed, raw, in green drinks.  I just love it.  And Henry really likes it too, which is great because kale's nutritional profile is a strong one - it is a veggie superstar.  A few days ago, an email from Elana Amsterdam's blog dropped in my inbox with an enticing recipe for sea salt and vinegar kale chips. As an aside, if you are not familiar with Elana's blog, Elana's Pantry, or her cookbook, especially if you are gluten-free, they are definitely worth checking out.  The kale chips took only minutes to make and are delish!  You toss a small bit of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt with the kale in a bowl and bake in the oven (details are in the link).  I have to confess that I was eating pieces of it right out of the bowl (I told you that I love kale!)  I haven't been able to get H to try one, but hopefully soon.  And if he doesn't want them, more for me! The photo above are a few of my sea salt and vinegar kale chips.

These are sea beans, or salicornia:

Apparently they have been showing up in farmers' markets and gourmet shops the past few years and I have missed them... lost, sea bean-free years I shall never get back.  Very sad.  But now I know them and will definitely pick some up when I see them.  These are wonderfully crisp little gems that taste of the sea (read: salty) but also with a clean vegetable taste.  I just looked through a bunch of my vegetable and raw foods cookbooks and nary a mention of sea beans, so I may not be the only one missing out.  Gothamist pointed me to Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini as a source of information.  This out of print book looks really amazing - a combination of vegetable encyclopedia and recipe book - I might use of one of my amazon.com gift cards to get this.  Given there saltiness, I would think that those on a salt-restricted regimen might have to be careful with these.

I have been eating handfuls of them all afternoon since returning from the Whole Foods in Darien, CT with a bag full of them.  This is a stop we frequently make on our way home from visits to Darin Ingels, ND, who is helping both H and me with allergy/immune system issues.  Today we found not only the sea beans but also emu eggs (alongside the more familiar quail and duck eggs).  The emu eggs were huge and colored a deep blue-green - not unlike a really huge avocado.  And not inexpensive ($29+ each!).  I am not sure what one does with them - my googling suggests what you do with other eggs but that one is like a dozen+ chicken eggs.  Yikes! Nonetheless, they were lovely to look at, just not practical for our family.

Dancing With Max - a Book Review

I recently joined LibraryThing to try to organize my book collection and, along the way, signed up on the site to be an early reviewer.  This means that every month I receive an email linking me to many books that LibraryThing makes available to its members in exchange for a review.  You can request as many as you would like and if you are chosen to receive a book, it is sent to you and you have several weeks to read and review the book (more people request most books than copies are available so you don't get all you request).  In my second month on the list, I actually got a book.  As fate would have it, from the many I had ticked off as books I was interested in, I received an autism book:  Dancing With Max:  A Mother and Son Who Broke Free by Emily Colson (with prologue and epilogue by Charles Colson, her father), published by Zondervan. The following is largely based on my LibaryThing review but I wanted to share here too.

Dancing With Max is a wonderfully uplifting story of breaking free of what parents of children with autism are often told to expect from their children, but the book is much more.  The book is about both author Emily Colson and her son Max growing and changing, in sometimes unexpected ways.  It is about forming a truly deep parent-child bond despite the challenges of autism.  The book also is about how Emily's relationship with her own father evolved and healed, due in part to the family having to understand, accept and adapt to Max's challenges with autism.  Chuck Colson was special counsel to President Nixon, a workaholic, who did not always, by his own admission, spend enough time with his family.  He also was incarcerated on Watergate-related charges.  He became more religious and founded a non-profit to minister to those in prison.  Like her father, Emily is a woman of strong faith and she found unique and wonderful ways for Max to share in her faith. 

Emily's story demonstrates what so many fail to understand about "autism moms" - how a mother can continue to fight to improve her child's life - searching for new therapies, schools, treatments - but all the while accepting him and loving him for who he is at the moment. 

I suspect that while on the surface there are many differences between myself and Emily Colson, deep down there is much that we share. Her book is a moving tribute to her son and her family.  It is clear that, while he faces many challenges as he becomes a young adult with autism, Max also has a gift to share with the world and Emily is working is ways both small (in their everyday lives) and large (the book!) to share Max and his gift with others.  While the book is frank about tough moments - any parent with autism would see through a book that did not give a fair shake to those tough times -  it is ultimately affirming -- a story about moving forward, persevering, growing, loving and being loved.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Angela Fish, the lucky winner of "All I Can Handle:  I'm No Mother Teresa"!  Enjoy Angela. 

Giveaway and Book Review: Kim Stagliano's "All I Can Handle: I'm No Mother Teresa"

Reading Kim Stagliano's new book, "All I Can Handle: I'm No Mother Teresa" from Skyhorse Publishing is like sitting down with a cup of coffee (glass of wine?) and catching up with an old friend.  It is the perfect book to cozy up with on the sofa on a chilly day and read cover to cover (or maybe that's just because this is exactly what I did).  See the end of this post to see how you can win your own autographed copy of "All I Can Handle"!

Kim is the mother to three amazing daughters, each of whom is on the autism spectrum.   She is also the managing editor of AgeOfAutism, the online newspaper of the autism community, a HuffingtonPost contributor, and a blogger.

In her "Kimoir" (as she calls it), she shares her no-holds-barred story of raising her girls.  I sound like an overblown ad for a blockbuster movie when I say "I laughed, I cried - bring your family and friends, see (read) it again!" but that is exactly how I felt about this book. Kim's story is one of negotiating the ups and downs that life throws our way with faith, humor, and aplomb.  But, as the title says, she is no Mother Teresa.  Thank goodness!  Her story would not ring true if it was all roses and ponies.  Plus, this book would not be nearly so funny if she was a saint.  And it is laugh out loud funny!  If you cannot imagine an autism story written with humor - think again.  Without giving away too much, the image of Kim inadvertently stealing a fan from a local store after a bathroom flooding "Stagtastrophe" (her name works so well for wordplay like this!) is priceless (and hysterical!).

She shares moments of joy, such as her daughters' First Holy Communions, successful birthday parties, exciting career moves.  But she also shares challenging moments of anger, marital stress, financial difficulties, illnesses, a child lost in a vast Disney resort.  What she shares is real life.  As the parent of a child on the spectrum, her book is particularly meaningful to me but I truly believe that everyone can enjoy this book because there is so much more than autism here and the lessons of life, even when learned through the lens of autism, are applicable to so much more.

But back to autism... this book also serves as an important PSA to parents of children with autism.  It is incumbent upon us to be the best advocates we can for our children.  My heart broke and my anger swelled when Kim related her experience of a neurologist telling her that they just aren't that aggressive in treating children with autism.  I felt such anger reading this that I cannot imagine how the Staglianos felt at that moment.  This doctor was writing off a child - a child with so much potential - merely because of the label of "autism."  As so many parents know, and as so many doctors still so fail in ignorance to recognize, children with autism are sick - they have GI problems, they have seizures, they have immune system dysfunction, they have metabolic and mitochondrial disorders.  Thank you Kim for spreading that message.

So run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore or e-tailer and get a copy today.  Also, I am privileged to have an autographed copy to give away to one lucky blogreader.  Comment below, leaving your name and full email address, and I will pick a winner at random on November 15, 2010 and contact you by email.  Enter to win and feel free to share this post and spread the word.

Come meet Kim and hear her read from her book at the National Autism Association - NY Metro Chapter parent network exchange meeting this Wednesday, November 10, 2010, at the Rebecca School, 40 E. 30th St. in Manhattan (b/w Park and Madison Aves.) from 6pm-8:30pm.  Increase your chances of winning a copy of Kim's book by also visiting NAA-NY Metro's facebook page or blog!

Communications Shutdown for Autism - Nov. 1

Can you live without Facebook and Twitter for ONE DAY!?! I bet you can. And now you can do it and raise money for autism worldwide. National Autism Association is one of the beneficiaries. All it takes is a small donation - and some willpower to avoid FB and your Twitter! Join me in tuning out for a day and raising awareness.

Fox News Steps Up to the Plate on Autism

Regardless of your political leanings, autism warrior moms and dads should tune in for continuing autism coverage on Fox and Friends - they have made Saturday mornings newsworthy several of the past weekends!  To those following autism in the news, CBS's Sheryl Attkisson often seemed like a lone media voice willing to investigate and report on controversial autism issues.  Now she is joined by Fox and Friend's Alisyn Camerota.  In late September and early October, Ms. Camerota has presented three segments on controversial autism issues.

First, TACA's Rebecca Estepp went head to head to with Dr. Marc Siegel regarding the Hannah Poling case and "Vaccine Court" (the omnibus proceeding), among other things:

The next weekend, Mary Holland, an NYU law professor, and Dana Hall, a parent with a case pending in the autism omnibus proceeding, appeared on Fox and Friends to discuss recent developments in the omnibus proceeding:

Mary and Dana captured in a few short minutes many of the flaws in the omnibus proceeding and why it has failed. Mary summed up with this powerful statement:  ". . . we will look back at this proceeding in shame." 

Then, on October 2, Dr. Bob Sears, a board-certified pediatrician and author of The Vaccine Book, appeared to discuss the CDC's failure to test vaccines in real world circumstances - i.e., to test the safety of vaccines given in the multi-vaccine combinations in which they are administered to infants and children.  Dr. Sears called out the CDC on its testing failures and challenged its blanket claims of vaccine safety, including the CDC's claim that vaccines present lower level exposures than children may encounter in their environment - pointing out that inhaling and injecting are very different!  Finally, he touched on the issue of bias and scandal surrounding some vaccine research. 

This coverage is welcome and we hope to see more.  Let Fox & Friends know that you are tuning in and continue to support Sharyl Attkisson's superb coverage on CBS as well.

Restaurant Review: Pure Food and Wine - Haute Raw Vegan Cuisine

Haute raw vegan cuisine - not words you usually imagine putting together.  But you can at Pure Food & Wine on Irving Place in Manhattan.   I had the pleasure of dining there a few nights ago with a good friend and I cannot wait to go back.  I love casual, down-to-earth eateries too but for a change of pace, haute raw vegan rocks it!

The restaurant space is beautiful and sophisticated and it has a large back garden (but it was too hot a night for me to enjoy outdoor dining so we opted for inside).  The menu is likewise sophisticated.  I started with king oyster mushroom scallops in a lemongrass/coconut broth and my friend had an heirloom tomato and watermelon salad.  Both were amazing.  The king oyster mushrooms had a texture that was remarkably like a scallop.  We shared a plate of Dr. Cow's nut cheeses (made locally in Williamsburg (Brooklyn)), with rosemary crisps and strawberries, mache and raw honey as accompaniments.  Yum! For a main course I had a delicious zucchini "fettuccini" with asparagus and peppers and my friend had beautiful stuffed squash blossoms.  We were too full for dessert - a huge regret because they all looked great.

You can also order some of the products used to create delicious raw vegan cuisine, along with some awesome raw cookbooks featuring recipes from the restaurant, at the OneLuckyDuck website.  I am going to try the tomato/watermelon salad in the next few days - I think that was my favorite thing out of all the things I tasted at dinner.

I have stockpiled a bunch of raw cookbooks and want to start incorporating more raw meals into my diet.  I appreciate that Sarma Melngailis, the owner of Pure Food and Wine, admits to not being raw, or even vegan or vegetarian, all the time - definitely takes some of the pressure off - especially for raw newbies, like me.  That said, every raw recipe I have tried so far has been great - so fresh and just "good" - getting back to the essence of what food tastes like.  You don't even need a recipe to be raw (though there are some great ones).  One day I just pureed chunks of butternut squash in the VitaMix (this may be a must-have for vegans and raw food enthusiasts -- never have I seen a blender work so well.  It  costs $$$ but is worth it). The raw butternut squash soup - seasoned with some fresh herbs, was amazing.  This past week, I had a lot of Crenshaw melon at home - I pureed it, with some lovely oil, vanilla infused sea salt, a touch of (non raw I think) maple syrup, cayenne pepper and seeded cucumber - delish, even my husband loved the fresh and 99% raw fruit soup.

 Plus, eating raw brings incredible health benefits, preserving many of the enzymes naturally found in foods.  I have a tendency to go full bore at something for awhile and then tucker out but I can definitely see slowly incorporating more raw cooking ideas into everyday life -- it is all about the balance (see Sunday's post - but then ask why I am up at 3am??? - work in progress....).

Balance

My "Balance" ecoBowl

Balance is my new mantra... Wish me luck!

I spent two weekends in August in New England working on ideas related to energy healing.  First was a series of workshops led by Dr. Miriam Wolf in Putney, Vermont.  Two days of learning and working on healing techniques on many levels - it was eye-opening, challenging, very positive, and centering.  After that great experience, the next weekend, the whole family (it was our anniversary too!) traveled to Exeter, New Hampshire for a little R&R and for me to work with Hilary Crowley, to catch me up in my Reiki master level training.

Both these weekends got me thinking much more about balance and the need to reestablish balance in my life.  I tend to go 110 miles an hour on everything, rather than balancing.  So now I am going to start making a conscious effort toward more balance.  That may mean letting go of some of my preconceived notions of how and when things need to get done, figuring out what it is important to focus on at any given time and what can wait.  I am hoping that this new outlook will be liberating but it will definitely be work for me to let go of some of the old paradigms.  I also have to recognize that it won't happen overnight - it will take time to recalibrate and, in a first step in that direction, I recognize that this is okay.

While in New Hampshire, we stayed at the lovely Exeter Inn - our stay was terrific, the only downside was that our shower, while beautiful, was not designed for tall people (the building is older and space constraints dictated what they could do).  While I worked with Hilary, the boys explored Exeter and then we met up to check out Portsmouth, New Hampshire - which was completely charming.  While there, I happened upon a great shop that had opened up only days earlier called Presence of Nature.  This shop sells beeswax bowls (ecoBowls), the creation of which helps beekeepers (who sell their scrap beeswax to create the bowls).  You use the bowl as a vessel into which you can place all sorts of materials, including air plants, to create a very personal environment (you can buy pre-made versions or create your own with their huge selection of items).  The shop's (and website's) tag line is "No matter what you choose, it's right."  You cannot make a mistake - I love that! When I walked in one of the first things I saw was a small flat stone with the word "Balance" engraved on it - there's a message for you!  I used that as a centerpiece to create my own bowl, which is now in our dining room (see the photo above).

Both weekends inspired me to continue to learn more about different energy healing modalities and to challenge myself to open up my mind to new ways of thinking.  One thing I am now very excited to learn more about is Matrix Energetics, a powerful healing modality developed by Richard Bartlett, DC.   But there are so many other things to learn about as well.  Dr. Wolf introduced me to some amazing books a variety of aspects of energy medicine that I cannot wait to dig into.  Of course, I have to balance all this new learning with the rest of my life!

Just one of the cutest things ever!

Thanks to HuffPo, I was just introduced to a photo blog with some of the cutest pics around.  Check out Mila's Daydreams, where new mom (and super creative person) Adele Enersen creates the sweetest photo tableaux while her little girl is napping!  The photo below is "Surfer Girl" (natch!)  Kudos to Adele for her creativity and capturing just how sweet little babies are. 

Who is Showing Callous Disregard?

Dr. Andrew Wakefield recently spoke at a meeting of the New York Chapter of the National Autism Association. Almost 100 people attended - it was a full house! I have had the opportunity to see Dr. Wakefield speak several times, including at the recent NAA-NY Metro Chapter event as well as at AutismOne in Chicago this May. He is always eloquent and impassioned and he did not disappoint on July 8 at NAA-NY Metro. You can read more about his appearance on the NAA-NY Metro Chapter blog and on Age of Autism. Parents and medical professionals are becoming increasingly aware of issues surrounding vaccine safety and they want to learn more.

As were many others, I was quite curious about Dr. Wakefield's book, Callous Disregard: Autism and Vaccines - The Truth Behind the Tragedy, which recently was published by Skyhorse Publishing. Dr. Wakefield has been vilified in the media, but this vilification most frequently comes in the form of prepackaged attacks that rehash the same stories over and over. I also repeatedly see stories recasting as "fact" the opinions of those who disagree with Dr. Wakefield. It is unfortunate that many journalists seem to have forgotten about investigative journalism, merely taking at face value what their "sources" tell them - sources who frequently have significant conflicts of interest which go unmentioned. I am not asking journalists to disregard those whose opinions are contrary to Dr. Wakefield's. Absolutely not. I merely ask that both sides be presented in a balanced way, which almost never happens. Without both sides presenting their respective points of view, there cannot be true discourse.

In Callous Disregard, Dr. Wakefield sets the record straight - in methodical fashion, with numerous citations to both evidence and to scientific/scholarly works. Dr. Wakefield walks the reader through complex materials in a way that both parents and medical/scientific professionals can appreciate. This is a book that reaches both audiences, at least in part because Dr. Wakefield respects that parents of children with ASD are knowledgeable and are eager to learn all they can about their child's illness. Even if you disagree with Dr. Wakefield, I encourage you to read this account, and examine the evidence yourself, with an open mind. I also commend to readers an article written by Dr. William Long for Autism File magazine.

Dr. Wakefield continues his fight to clear his name and continues his work to help children with ASD. He has sacrificed incredibly for our children. It would have been easy for him to quit long ago and quietly walk away. He chose not too. I think that speaks measures.  Dr. Wakefield's commitment to children with ASD has won him many followers, but many critics as well. I continue to be amazed at the level of animosity toward Dr. Wakefield in some circles. In particular, much cyber-energy is spent in the blogosphere (though certainly elsewhere as well) trying to discredit Dr. Wakefield. Critics of Dr. Wakefield make scathing personal attacks, they belittle both parents and scientists who are open to Dr. Wakefield's work and the work of other scientists exploring a possible link between vaccines and autism. If Andrew Wakefield really is as unimportant and irrelevant as they try to paint him, why waste all that energy? I have to wonder if this is some kind of attempt to convince themselves that his work, and the work of others exploring these issues, is no threat to their their neat little world where there is no potential downside to mass vaccinations at unprecedented levels.

Do these critics think that if they merely repeat over and over again that Dr. Wakefield is a villain and that vaccines are completely safe, everyone will believe them? In fact, the contrary is true; more and more parents are becoming wary and distrustful of bald claims of vaccine safety. As a Harris Poll commissioned by the Center for Personal Rights and conducted this spring shows, a majority of parents believe that the pharmaceutical industry has too much influence over the vaccine schedule, a vax'd vs. unvax'd study should be conducted, parents (not the government) should have the right to choose which vaccines their children receive. Moreover, this poll and a recent study published in Pediatrics show that many parents also are concerned about serious adverse effects from vaccines (48% in the CPR poll, 54% in the Pediatrics study).

As parental distrust mounts and parents ask more questions about vaccine safety, I also have to ask why there are many writers who misrepresent the findings of studies concerning vaccine safety. For example, it is disingenuous (at best) to tell parents that a study vindicates vaccines when a study merely finds that a link between vaccines and autism is not proven - those statements are not equivalent and it simply is wrong to equate them. We can read, and curious parents are, more and more, going to the sources themselves. When they discover a study's actual conclusions and find they conflict with the spin, the spinner loses credibility. The bottom line is that the studies conducted to date are insufficient to prove or disprove a link between vaccines and autism, though there is a mounting body of evidence suggesting a connection, for at least some children. I blogged awhile back on the frightening implications of lack of scientific curiosity on this issue (or fear of what results may show).

On a separate but related note, the vaccine safety studies done to license vaccines are, as a general rule, woefully inadequate: they are short-lived (in some instances only days or weeks and, therefore, unlikely capture many possible reactions other than acute, immediate onset reactions), subject to manipulation, conducted by the vaccine manufacturers themselves (not objective third parties), and do not address the safety of the current vaccine schedule as a whole. Most parents do not know this. I even wonder how many pediatricians are aware of the inadequacies of vaccine safety testing when they tell their patients that vaccines are subject to rigorous testing? You can go to the FDA website to review pre-licensing testing information, and see for yourself what is considered sufficient - it is eye-opening.

Vaccines have become sacred in the public health sphere and to challenge that doctrine is a heresy. However, I think it is becoming more and more apparent that we do need to challenge the current vaccine schedule, challenge the inadequacy of safety testing, and challenge the lack of appropriate studies concerning vaccines and their possible role with respect to many diseases, including autism. As the CPR Harris Poll demonstrates, parents are becoming more aware of this issue, and asking more questions. This issue is now mainstream - half of parents think that there are serious issues with respect to the U.S. vaccine program. Those involved in the U.S. vaccine program need to recognize that parents no longer are willing to accept a pat on the head, telling us that they are the "experts" and know what is "best." Parents and a growing number of doctors and scientists are demanding that more and better testing take place and we are demanding honesty.

As a postscript I want to encourage my readers to also check out this post on Adventures In Autism.  Ginger Taylor's posts are always timely and insightful. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an officer and board member of NAA-NY Metro, a board member of the Center for Personal Rights, and on the steering committee of the Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy.

Photos from France

For your enjoyment (I hope), here are a few of my photos from our recent trip to France. Cliff still has my camera on his research trip so I don't have access to all my shots and I am switching to a new computer so I cannot try out some new Photoshop stuff I just learned about and cannot wait to try. These are unretouched (not that I retouch much but I have just seen some new effects to use with Photoshop that blew me away - I have it on my PC but am not savvy and want to learn more). My laptop having lost an unfortunate battle with a palmetto bug in Florida this spring, I am capitalizing on the opportunity to switch back to Mac after many years and am very excited about the Macbook Pro making its way toward me now. To start using the Photoshop effects I have been eyeing I will need to buy the Mac version of Photoshop too! I find taking these pictures so relaxing and am ready to step it up and invest in a nice digital SLR camera (Nikon D90 maybe?) We have great old Nikon film cameras and oodles of excellent Nikkor lenses (hoping some of the lenses can be used). My current digital camera has some manual functions but I would like more flexibility. Next step, a Miksang (contemplative photography) course at the Shambhala Center in NYC - hopefully they will offer another soon that I can join!