Diabetes News

Timely message -- New Yorkers, take action today

I just received the following urgent appeal from the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food (NYCHSF), a statewide nonprofit group that works to improve the health and well-being of New York's students by advocating for healthy plant-based foods, farm-to-school programs (including organic where possible), the elimination of unhealthy competitive foods in all areas of the school (not just the cafeteria), comprehensive nutrition policy, and education to create food- and health-literate students.

The organization has been closely following the bills up for vote so rather than summarize the contents of their urgent memo, I'm including it in in its entirety.

Please note that the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food recommends that you take action today. FYI, the organization's suggestions clearly do still include some sugar (not my preference but I think what they're suggesting is more realistic).

Also, please forward this to all your friends, relatives, colleagues, etc. who live in New York so that they, too, can take a stand.

• Senator Steve Saland (S.5892), Poughkeepsie (ph:) 518-455-2411  saland@senate.state.ny.us
• Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, (A.8698), Queens County (ph:) 518-455-4851 nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us
• Speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, ( A.8698), NYC  (ph:) 518-455-3791 speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
• Your Assemblyperson: go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
• Your Senator: go to http://www.senate.state.ny.us and click on “Senators”

After calling, tell the person that you speak with that you will be emailing the recommended amendments. But do not email only, call first!

PLEASE make these calls now. Let’s show the New York state elected officials that NYCHSF has a powerful voice, one that is louder, and stronger, and more determined than the food industry lobbyists!!! Exercise your democratic rights. We absolutely can not let the powerful food industry determine food policy, nor our children’s future, so PLEASE make your calls right away.

Thank you for your support,

Amie Hamlin
Executive Director

Support Governor Spitzer’s Bill (A.8642) with these Amendments:

Follow the link below to read the suggestions, please.

1. Tighten Language

• Close large potential loophole on p3, line 43 that exempts all foods and beverages offered “in order to raise funds for school activities.”
• Require that all nutrition standards for school districts and regulations regarding food policy take effect immediately (to prevent districts from signing new long term contracts with food and beverage companies)
• Require that schools shall make available to the Department, parents and students, upon request, documentation setting forth the ingredients and nutrients of any food item sold, served or offered.
• BMI’s should not be reported to parents until such time that all families can have referrals and access to support services such as NYS Certified Dietitian Nutritionists, Registered Dietitians, and/or a community based program that addresses overweight/obesity.
• If Local Wellness Policies are addressed in the bill, it should be mandated that NYS Certified Dietitian Nutritionists or Registered Dietitians be on the committee since they are the nutrition experts.

2. Nutrition Standards

• Mandate that only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes be available outside of the school meal program.
• Require that fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains be available at each meal
• Mandate no artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, or artificial sweeteners
• Mandate that foods/beverages contain no added transfats, ie, the ingredients list shall not contain any hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. Currently up to ½ gram would be allowed based on the current labeling law and this is not acceptable.
• Mandate that no foods/beverages contain any high fructose corn syrup
• Mandate that foods/beverages with added sugars should be limited to 10 grams per serving or less
• Require that snack items meet a sodium content limit of 200 mg or less per package (regardless of number of servings) or 480 mg or less per entrée
• Require that meals contain no more than 5 milligrams saturated fat total per meal.
• Mandate that plain potable water is available throughout the school day at no cost to students
• Mandate that schools will offer during lunch period vegetables and entrees which are not fried, pre or post procurement
• Rewrite plant-based entrée requirement to read “as its primary component, one or more of the following: legumes (beans or bean products, including soy or lentils), Seitan (wheat protein), nuts, and/or seeds or their butters. Such an entrée will contain no cholesterol and will be part of a meal containing no more than 5 grams of saturated fat in total.” Without this provision, we will see entrees containing cheese - the primary source of saturated fat in school menus - on the menu every day.
• Require that yogurt should contain no more than 30 grams of sugar per 8 ounce serving (IOM recommendation), 
• Mandate that fruits shall be packed in their own juices or water

3. Mandate key elements rather than leaving them to the discretion of the school district wellness committees

• Mandate the use of skim or low fat milk (1%)
• Prohibit the use of food or beverages as a reward or punishment
• Require schools to provide students with a minimum of 20 minutes to eat breakfast and thirty minutes to eat lunch, and that lunch meals occur between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm to prevent students from having lunch too early or late in the day
• Require schools to provide students in eighth grade and under a recess period involving physical activity of up to 30 consecutive minutes on each day when there is no physical education class
• Prohibit schools from disciplining a student by taking away such recess period
• Require the establishment and implementation of nutrition education competencies for K-12

4. Schools need increased funding for school food and nutrition programs if there is to be accountability for achieving strong nutrition standards. Current reimbursements are not enough and an investment in children now will result in lower medical costs to the state later.

With Mother's Day coming soon, I thought the following article was appropriate. Enjoy.

Sugar Addicts: Did Mom Turn You Into A Sugar Junkie? 5 Tips to Avoid The Same Fate

By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C., with Lisa R. Delman, M.A.

You may have inherited your mom’s smile. You may share her love of clothes. Perhaps you both sneeze when you’re around daisies.

But you may also take after your mother in another way. You may have become “addicted” to candies, cookies, soda or chocolate just like her.

In other words, did mom unknowingly turn you into a sugar addict?

But we’re not here to lay guilt trips on poor mom. Rather, we want to tell you how to break free from a destructive habit that your mother may have passed onto you—and mother’s mother may have passed onto her. And so on. (If you're getting impatient, learn about one way now to cut through the emotional clutter and make peace with mom.)

After all, your relationship with your mom is the first one that you have, and it profoundly influences the course of your life.

Here are 5 ways to escape the sugar trap that your mom may have unintentionally given to you:

1. Do “Sugary Soul Searching.” In other words, think about how your sugar habit began. (For example, did mom and dad take you out for ice cream as a reward when you were good? Did your mom buy huge bottles of soda and keep them around your home all the time? Did you get chocolate if you finished your dinner? Did you catch mom in the kitchen secretly polishing off last night’s dessert? Did she prepare special desserts just for you and get hurt if you didn’t want any?)

2. Think about how your mom used to relate to sweets. Or maybe still does. (Does your mother serve special treats to show her love? Does she use desserts to lay a guilt trip on you? Perhaps she offers edible “goodies” to make peace with members of the family?)

3. Do a special visualization meditation in which you see, feel and hear yourself discussing topics with your mother that have been on your mind for years. Make sure to envision yourself opening your heart to her.

4. Have a conversation with your mother in which you discuss your mutual connection to sugar and chat about other matters of the heart. (You can talk with her whether or not she’s alive.)

5. Write a letter to your mom to achieve closure and a new more meaningful connection. In your own words, you’ll share feelings that you’ve kept inside for years. (You won’t be mailing this letter, but writing it will help you to forgive her, as well as to release your anger, sadness and frustration.)  The power of writing such a letter cannot be overestimated. Putting thoughts and feelings on paper has helped thousands of women worldwide.)

Naturally, many of us would like to have better relationships with our mothers (whether she’s alive or not).

By resolving past grievances and resentments with mom, you can more easily let go of your frustrating attraction to sugar and other unhealthy behaviors and feelings.

Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. is author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books, 2007). She is a certified holistic health counselor and former sugar addict, who now has a healthy relationship with her mother. Lisa Delman is author of Dear Mom, I’ve Always Wanted You to Know (Penguin Group, 2005). She almost lost her mom to heart disease, and the shock drove her to write 11 cathartic letters to her. Since then, Lisa developed “The Letters From the Heart Project” and has taught thousands of women around the world to write a powerful, letter to mom to help release pent-up emotions and to honor the most important relationship of your life. Learn how to write a powerful, moving letter to mom now.