STAND AND DELIVER

Edward James Olmos starred in this true story about a Jaime Escalante, a teacher at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. The film was produced in 1987 and directed by Ramon Menendez. Escalante had health problems and decided to leave his corporate job and become a teacher. It may appear odd to people now, but twenty years ago the idea of Advanced Placement courses for inner city students was not considered practical. Many people believed that the students would not be able to handle the material.
Escalante was extremely demanding of the students in his Calculus class with an expectation that they would pass the test. When the results from the AP tests came back, the administrators of the test claimed there must have been cheating because so many students could not possibly have passed. Escalante convinced many of the students to take the test again. See the movie to find out how they did.
Eventually, Escalante could not get along with the administrators at the school. At this time, he has returned to his native Bolivia where he is partially retired and does some teaching.
Often, people say that a movie was life-changing, I guess meaning that they had a revelation when they saw it. In my case, I thought to myself, "I can do that." Eventually, I became a tutor at an inner city school and have worked with Calculus classes for six years. Some of our students pass the AP test, one even earned a higher score than I did. I am not sure I would be doing this if I had not seen Stand and Deliver.

Bruce Rosenberg

Benefits of Yoga for CF

I don't usually like to make resolutions for the new year but this year I decided I would give myself a small challenge. My resolution for this year is to improve my posture and breathing through non-medical interventions (while keeping the medical the same). This includes exercise, diet, sleep, relaxation, etc. To tackle the exercise aspect of this intervention, I decided to include YOGA in my exercise routine.

Yoga is an ancient practice from India that is based on performing various postures (asanas). It is a type of exercise that allows you to stretch various muscles in your body and have control over your breathing. You may think that stretching and doing postures is very simple but once you try it, you will know that it is very difficult to master most yoga poses as they require strength, agility ,and most importantly, practice.

So how will yoga help your CF? I believe yoga is great for everyone but the benefits are tremendous for CF patients:

1. Doing the various yoga postures builds muscle strength which will translate into eating more as well overall vitality of the body
2. Stretching of the muscles is coordinated with deep, long breaths. Breathing deeper and taking in more oxygen and opening up more alveoli in the lungs is what CF patients need
3. Stretching of the chest, back and shoulder allow you to improve your posture so you are not hunched over (a common problem for CF patients which constricts the upper lobes of the lungs). I saw an improvement in my posture in just 4 wks so it definitely works
4. Opening and straightning your chest and back allows for deeper breathing, relaxation and more oxygen to the lungs as the upper lobes of the lungs become accessible. This type of relaxation also leads to better sleep
5. Yoga not only connects you with your breathing pattern but it allows you to connect with your entire body so you are aware of every single muscle/body part which makes you feel calm, relaxed and in control

I say take on something new this year and try YOGA for a change. Many studios offer yoga classes for beginners or you can do it on your own. You can get a yoga mat from Target for under $15 and use YOU TUBE to find videos to follow for "Yoga for Beginners." I personally like to follow YOU TUBE yoga videos posted by Tara Stiles; I think she is great. So choose one that you like and go with it if you cannot afford a class. I do suggest taking atleast a couple of classes if you have never done yoga before and most studios will give you free first time offers, so take advantage of them. Yoga will definitely make you feel better inside and out. Take in a deep breath and do a pose today, Namaste!

ELENI

 ELENI by Nicholas Gage

Eleni, written by Nicholas Gage, is a powerful novel that captures and commemorates the profound maternal love and sacrifice of Eleni Gatzoyiannis for her three daughters and only son, Nicola, during the Greek Civil War in the late 1940s. Nicholas Gage, the beloved son of Eleni, escapes with his sisters from the small Greek village of Lia to the United States, but his mother is later tortured, imprisoned, and executed by the Communist guerrillas for aiding her children’s escape.

After working as a reporter for the New York Times, Gage leaves his job in the United States to return to Greece, and through interviews and written documents, Gage pieces together the stories and accounts revolving around his mother’s life and death in Eleni. Full of historical truth and painful reality, this novel gives an account of both the progress of the Greek Civil War and the experiences of the people involved and affected by the civil war—including the villagers in Lia, the Communist guerrillas, and the members of the Gatzoyiannis family.
Eleni is a deeply moving and unforgettable story to all who have ever been loved and to all who have been scarred by any war.

Happy reading!
Seika K.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

3 Bell Peppers(any color)

1/2 cup Cooked Basmati Rice

1/2 lb browned ground beef

1 finely chopped onion

1 clove finely minced garlic 

1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric powser, 2 tsp of ground cumin&coriander and 1 tbsp of red pepper flakes

1 finely chopped serano pepper (optional)

Coaresely chopped cilantro leaves

Vegetable Oil

Preparations:

In a sautee pan, take 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and let the seeds heat for a second. Then add the chopped onions and garlic. Sautee the onions until they are soft. Then add the ground beef to the onions along with all the spices and serano peppers. Let the spices bloom into the beef; this will take 5-7 minutes. Then add the cooked rice to the mixture along with the cilantro. Mix it all together and take it off the heat. 

Prepare the bell peppers by washing and drying them. Then remove the seeds and the white lining from the inside to make a hole on the top. To stand them up straight, cut the bottom of the pepper off to a straight edge making sure not to make a hole at the bottom. Once the peppers are clean, stuff the peppers with the beef mixture to the top. Place the peppers in a deep baking dish. Add about 1 cup of water so the bottoms of the peppers are soaked. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook the peppers in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees until they are soft and cooked through. Serve as a delicious appetizer or a side dish on any day of the week. Enjoy!!!

Freaks

This is by far the scariest movie I have ever seen. I do not recommend it for anyone who gets nightmares from movies. Also, Freaks must be seen in a theater to get the full effect. Renting it will not do. Periodically, some classic film series runs it and you should see it if you like to be creeped out. This picture is like nothing else made before or since.

Freaks was made in 1932 in black and white which adds to the effect. In those days, there was no worry about being politically incorrect. The movie is about a traveling circus when "Freak Shows" were a popular attraction at circuses. Most of the cast are people with physical abnormalities. In fact, for those who have seen the coneheads on old Saturday Night Live reruns, the coneheads are based on real characters in this movie. The plot is that one of the midgets comes from a wealthy family and has a large inheritance coming to him. One of the normal people finds out about this and decides to seduce him. She plans to marry him and then kill him to get the money. The other freaks find out about this and plan revenge. The ending, on a dark rainy night is something to see.

As I wrote, this movie is not for everyone. But, for some, it is worth seeing. In any case, watching the man with no arms or legs light a cigarette is worth the price of admission.

Bruce Rosenberg

Movie Preview: "The Business of Being Born"

The health care industry in America has been telling us that even though our system is expensive and has its shortcomings, it is the best in the world. Directly refuting many of their claims was Michael Moore's Sicko, a movie about the health care industry in America vs the World and putting a spotlight on many of the shortcomings and huge flaws in the American health care system. Now comes an even more powerful movie that takes one aspect or service of the health care industry that should be the best and brings many disturbing facts to light.

Produced by Ricky Lake and Directed by Abby Epstein. From the previews alone they seem to have done a potent job on bringing to light something that we are slowly being brainwashed about...Child Birth. Growing up a decade ago I remember C-Sections being scary and last resort procedures. Now a days I can't even count how many women actually treat is as a norm even before they have gotten pregnant.

This movie is about childbirth and labor and the trailer says it all but here is a link to the CIA's website which ranks the US about 41'st in the Infant Mortality Rate. As of 2007 the US had a 6.37 rate which is 6.37 deaths per 1000 live births. This may seem like a small number but try telling that to the every 6 mothers and fathers who lose their child. To put it in perspective, the Czech Republic has a lower rate of 3.86. Singapore is at the top with 2.30 Even with the trade embargo of the "repressive government" of Cuba, they beat us with 6.04. Go see for yourself: C.I.A. Infant Mortality Rate



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Tiramisu

Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks and 4 egg whites
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 pound mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoon brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup coffee, at room temperature
- 30 lady fingers
- 8 ounces chocolate or cocoa powder

Preparations


1- Separate the yolk and the whites of the eggs.


















2- Mix egg yolks and sugar for about 1 min until light yellow











3- Beat in the mascarpone, brandy and vanilla extract until smooth
4- In a separate bowl, mix the egg white until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites with a spatula in the cheese mixture














5- Quickly dip the lady fingers in the coffee and arrange in a baking dish (ideally 9 x 15inch) to cover the bottom










6- Spread some cheese on top to cover the lady fingers. Repeat the sandwich.













7- Sprinkle some cocoa powder on the last layer of cheese. Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight.








Variations and tricks
- The brandy can be replaced with rum. For a stronger taste, add some brandy/rum in the coffee that is used to dip the lady fingers
- The trick to a good whip of the white is to refrigerate the bowl ahead of time and to add a pinch of salt before mixing the egg whites.
- The lady fingers can be replaced by some sponge cake
- For more chocolaty taste, sprinkle cocoa/chocolate after each layer of cheese.

Hanta R.

Frankenstein

FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley

What comes to your mind when you think of Frankenstein? Perhaps you’re envisioning a monstrous creature that is only capable of destruction, or maybe a mad scientist who is hungry for knowledge and power—but your imaginations about “Frankenstein” are only brief snapshots unless you have read Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein.
I encourage you to read Shelley’s short tale Frankenstein and experience the mystery and horror characteristic of this novel. As you read, reflect on both the paradoxical and parallel natures of Victor and his creation and also explore the deeper questions and issues Shelley brings to light concerning the qualities and limitations of human beings and of believing what others say. Among the many powerful statements and quotations in this novel, the following quote best highlights the tragedy in this story: “when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification…Why did I not die?...Of what materials was I made that I could thus resist so many shocks, which, like the turning of the wheel, continually renewed the torture?” (pgs. 108, 169).

Happy reading!
Seika K.

Weight Loss and CF

Gaining weight is difficult for many Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients including myself. There are multiple factors that contribute to the loss of weight for patients with CF. One of the main reasons being that they are pancreatic insufficient. This means that the body does not produce enough enzymes (pancreatic enzymes such as lipases) for the stomach to absorb the fats from the diet. So the fats from the diet are not absorbed properly and are instead excreted out of the body as waste and all the calories are lost. For this reason, many CF patients including myself are prescribed enzyme pills that help with the absorption process and retention of more calories.
Aside from pancreatic insufficiency, another reason I believe why CF patients have trouble gaining weight is because they are congested with a ton of mucus all the time in their lungs. These congestions along with constant coughing makes it very difficult to have an appetite. To give you an idea how it feels, imagine having a bad cold (cough and congestion) all the time without a runny nose and that is how CF patients feel; and I am sure you are not eating a lot if you are feeling tight in the chest and congested all the time, are you? This basically translates into "I don't feel hungry" or "I just can't eat" or "I feel nauseas."
Fighting infections is a constant battle for CF patients and this is another way many calories from the diet are used up and not stored. Our bodies need energy and food to fight bacteria and viruses. The more infections a person gets, the more fighting the body has to do and the more calories it needs for this battle. CF patients need to eat a lot more than normal people to gain weight because their bodies are burning up many more calories than normal people. So if they are eating small amount of food (less than 2000 calories a day) then they will lose weight not gain any. This is because their body needs more food and more calories to stay healthy from the bacterial infections.
These are the three common reasons that CF patients don't gain weight easily, but then there is ME. Along with these three reasons, I am also a very picky eater which further contributes to the problem. I am also not very disciplined in eating meaning I tend to skip breakfast or dessert on a daily basis, but I am getting better. I also don't keep a log of calories which is supposed to track your calories for each day so you can change your diet as needed.
I am fixing my old, bad habits slowly and in my next column on Weight Gain, I will show you how I am gaining the weight. Stay tuned.

Whip Cream Dessert

Ingredients:

1 tub of whip cream
1 can of chunky pineapple (fruit cocktail works well too)
Chopped walnuts (any nuts you prefer)
Pomegranate seeds

Preparations:

Drain all the water from the can of pineapple. Peel the pomegranate to obtain the red seeds. Then take whip cream in a mixing bowl. Add the drained pineapple and chopped walnuts to the whip cream. Mix well. Then spread the cream out onto a 2inch deep tray evenly. Then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top for a nice finish. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving. Enjoy this easy dessert any day of the week with some red jello or just by itself. It's delicious. Enjoy!!!

Pomegranate: Have You Tried It?

Pomegranate is a delicious fruit that is rich in many vitamins and anti-oxidants, which are great for your health. Pomegranate looks like a red, round ball when you buy it from the super market. When purchasing pomegranate, try to look for a bright red color and firmness to make sure the pomegranate is ripe and not spoiled. Soft, mushy and yellowish looking pomegranates are usually bad from the inside and you want to avoid these. Once you have purchased the fruit, you will need to open it and peel out each individual seed from the pod. This takes some time and patience but it is well worth it. To open the pod without splashing yourself, cut the top off which has a little knob looking thing. Then make four cuts only on the outer skin of the pomegranate pod along the natural lines that are visible. .This will loosen the skin slightly. Then gently tear apart the pod with your fingers into four pieces. Remove all the seeds and enjoy with any dessert or just by itself. It's sweet, a little tangy and delicious.