Milk does do a body good – for staving off diabetes

Milk does a body good. Young children need it for nutrition (afterall we are mammals, milk is our required first food). Calcium helps build and maintain a strong skeletal system – for children and adults (prevents osteoporosis). Dairy lobbyists even claim that milk can help with weight loss, too. I’m sure you’ve seen the cereal ads aimed at women encouraging them to drink 3 servings of low-fat airy a day…in addition to a reasonable diet and exercise…can help them recover that slimmer waistline. But I discovered another great reason to love dairy: Dairy Blocks Diabetes.

Say what, drinking milk can help prevent the sugar? According to some research produced by Harvard, seems so.

Lactose, or milk sugar, is metabolized, or broken down and used by the body, at a slower rate than say soda. Breaking down sugars at a slower rate supplies your body with a steady dose of energy preventing sugar rushes and crashes – which can throw your insulin delivery system off. Malfunctioning insulin delivery is what causes diabetes.

Now some things might make some sense now. I love dairy and consume a lot, more than most people I know – cereal, cream in coffee, ice cream, cheese, etc. And this offers me a plausible reason why might despite my pre-diabetes risk factors (e.g. weight issues and family history of diabetes) my blood sugar levels remain normal. My recent doctor’s visit said so.
I am thankful that I am NOT lactose-intolerant. I hypothesize that I’ve kept my milk enzymes (lactase) up – continuing to drink and eat dairy in high amounts into my teen and adult years. So unlike most adult African-Americans, I can digest milk just fine. I blame it on my up-bringing. I come from a nice-sized family and there always seemed to be babies in the house making buying a gallon of milk every other day common.

But let me be clear, getting your weight under control and eating right is your absolute best defense against diabetes. Don’t go drinking milk thinking that’s all you need to do. There are no short-cuts to improved health.

I know there are some anti-dairy people out there; some food/health advisors recommend adults stay away from dairy. I know some people like that. I have some cult-ish relatives who are very strange about some food groups. They really freak me out how they demonize some foods and exalt other – and nobody has ever taken a class in A&P, nutrition, or heck Home Economics. One of the food groups they go on about is dairy. With the exception of people who are lactose-intolerant or have food allergies, I can’t figure out what makes dairy so bad? They once offered that it causes phlegm and that is true. When I have a cold or am congested I don’t want dairy. It makes me feel all stuffy.

But, just my effort to educate and share information.

Constitution Day

On this day in 1787, the United States Constitution was signed. Each year on September 17th, many of us reflect on the historical and political significance of this document – Constitution Day. This point in time, and in this excited political climate, I see the need of a good-old-fashioned Civics Education. Civics was a Social Studies/US History & Government class most public school students were required to take in 9th or 10the grade. I hear many people completely mis-interpret, mis-translate, and mis-explain aspects of US (Federal & State) governing policies. Public Education programs – formal and informal – are perfect opportunities inspired by such celebration days, to help clarify some basic Civics Education I think is so desperately needed.
I was listening to the Diane Rehm Show today that featured Laurence Tribe. He is a Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard University and author of more than 100 books and articles, including "American Constitutional Law," "On Reading the Constitution," and "Abortion: The Clash of Absolutes". He talked about his work: The Invisible Constitution (Inalienable Rights). He goes through each amendment and gives historical context, explanations, and consensus of the ‘unwritten’ interpretations of the Constitution. Very interesting. I recommend listening to it.


Get Educated. Stay informed

Save the Date: National Digital Media Day - September 25

National Digital Media Day is coming, soon Sept 25th. I use digital technology - the computer, the internet, and occasionally a digital camera - to share with what’s happening in science and education and how we can make our communities better.

So as I promote this day, I want to share links about Digital Media and Science Education that reach out to young people – the Digital Age Generation – and creative ways Digital Technology is used to attract students to science and teach scientific concepts.

* Engaging the YouTube Generation in Hands-on Science – press release from the National Science Foundation
* State of Play: Students use Computer Games to do science experiments and solve real-world problems. – press release from the National Science Foundation
* Chemical Reactions – acted out by role play - funny and accurate – from Ovablastic, a blog of science you-tube videos. It’s great.
* AP Biology: Animal Behavior (Part 1) – a funny explanation and role play of animal behavior descriptions. Hat tip to Bora from Blog Around the Clock.


image credit: http://www.lee.edu/~mpr/scholarlee/images_scholarlee/digital_media.jpg

Science Diversity Meme - Latino/Hispanic Scientists

September 15 is the beginning of Latino or Hispanic Heritage Month. (It concludes October 15). America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Like my Women in Science Meme in March, I am hosting a Diversity in the Sciences Meme and challenging everyone to name 5 Latino Scientists, Engineers, and or Mathematicians. In the end, I hope we can get a great list that represents each major STEM discipline.

Why am I hosting such a meme? All too often, the story of the scientific discovery doesn’t mention anything about the discoverer. And without a human story or face to attach to the discovery, very often, most students (elementary through college) simply assume that the scientist was a Man, was middle-aged or older, and was white or European. One the easiest ways to promote diversity in STEM is to make a conscious note of the diversity within the discipline and share a real human story. So, will you join me in this meme?

Can you name 5 Latin/Hispanic Scientists?

Rules:

1. Be sure to name their discipline or field.

2. You can't choose people from your own institution or company. (I may go soft on this one, this time)

3. You can't Google or use the internet to aid in your search. (But if you know someone is a scientist, but not sure what disciple, you can look that up).

4. You can consult textbooks, journals, and class notes.

5. You can ask others to help you brainstorm, but they can't use the internet just to get 5 names fast (see #2).

6. Living and deceased scientists are acceptable.

7. Links to or references about the named scientists are greatly appreciated. Let's share the knowledge, and tell mList as many as you can, even if it isn't five.

Major Discipline Fields: (you can add more)

Astronomy

Biology

Biomedical & Medicine

Chemistry

Engineering

Genetics

Geography

Geology

Mathematics

Physics

Psychology

Social Sciences

Space & Planetary Sciences

I encourage you to post this meme at your page and track back.

Thanks

Thanks to Renaisauce for inspiring this phenomenal idea.

image credit: oneamerica.net

Lean on Me – A Movie about Education & Class

Last night, I was watching a classic 1980’s film, Lean On Me, featuring Morgan Freeman. That was the first time I had viewed the movie since I became an informal student of Class/Socioeconomics and Education issues. Viewing this movie through those lenses was quite eye-opening for me. The film was released in 1989, but was prophetic of today’s urban public education mess of school districts being threaten with state takeover for consistently failing state assessments. Joe Clark is a brash, rude, take-no-prisoners No Child Left Behind School principal in a rough and tough school populated by very poor, black, Latino and White students from working class and welfare families. Through-out the film, Joe Clark repeated refers to these students and their families as the sufferers of classism that “turns Blacks into a permanent underclass”. View the Clip to see for yourself.

And he sees his style of reform as the only way to save these children from crappy lives plagued by un-wanted teen pregnancies, crime, violence, jail, welfare, hopelessness, failing relationships, unstable economics, and early death from such lifestyles. In a keeping it real moment, just before the state tests, he explains to the kids how everyone thinks the students are worthless “niggers, spicks, and poor white trash”. How everyone has given up on them and doesn’t expect anything from them. And true to its genre, Crazy Joe Clark energizes the students and convinces them to prove all the classist nay-sayers wrong. View the Clip to see just what I mean.

Let me just say I love Joe Clark-Coach Carter genre of movies. They show us that 1) education is a necessity to achieve success, 2) some people have the deck stacked way against them, but that is no excuse for not wanting and expecting better of yourself, and 3) spirit-guided tough love can save the hardest knuckled head. G

Big Ups to All of the Crazy Joes of Education and Juvenile Correction!

How Privilege is a bias in Political Discourse

I’ve been debating about what to say, how to say and whether or not to say what I think of all of this RNC, McCain-Palin, and Conservatism vs. Liberalism stuff. And the more and more I try to pack it away, it keeps getting in my craw. It’s bothering me because it is ultimate theatre of Privilege afforded by race and class as I have EVER witnessed.

America has some serious double standards. Please read this re-print of a HuffPo on Electronic Village.

It started with Fred Thompson’s speech (yeah, star of the big and small screen) about how much a rule breaker, trouble maker – no “leader of the trouble makers”, and stripper dater John McCain was in his youth. Text and video of speech can be accessed here. And the crowd cheered and roared, with pride and energy. Only in this nation which awards the ultimate privileges to white boys with fathers with supreme rank and authority over many of his classmates’ fathers could these be something to publicly laud. There is no way we could EVER have a similar conversation about Barack or Hillary or John (Edwards) and expect the public to cheer them as proud leaders. Why? Because black folk, women folk, or poor folk must tow the line. When such marginals (e.g. not power-brokers) break the rules, even a little bit, there are huge repercussions to pay. Such behaviors make them a menace, an amount-to-nothing, out-of-control person.

Sarah Palin and her teenage, unwed, in-a-family-way-daughter present more double standards afforded by privilege. They are a sweet, kindly, Caucasian family with some influence and authority, and let’s forget their moral high standing an evangelical Christians. By simply splattering a little explanation of “she’s keeping the baby and the will get married” that makes the moral issue of Fornication go away. I have never heard of anyone commend poor (rural or working class) white girls or girls of color (any color and especially immigrants) for their moral choices to carry their infants to term and love their man with all their hearts. In fact, many of these same girls are referred to as trashy, loose, immoral, fast-ass, dirty blanket-blanks, welfare recipients, baby-mammas. But the great RNC community is behind Ms. Palin and applauds her for her struggle.

The code talk used by the GOP. I was ready to hurl something at the TV set.

Uppity, even Gergen called Westmoreland on this coded crap.

Small town values; Common, everyday Americans. This one really tears me a new one. Like only white folk from small town USA or West VA know what America means.

Country First. What the hell is this? Just a phrase, that actually means nothing. There are no verbs here, that means NO ACTION! If country is first, then why in the hell did the McCains, specifically Cindy, sell ALL of her shares to the very American, very patriotic, Anheuser-Busch Brewing company to InBEV, a Belgian company. She made about $70 million from the American is NOT first deal.

Give me a break.
And it’s time we give the DNC credit for its hard work and achievements
Obama as a community Activist (it is NOT a dirty word, in fact George HW Bush commended community activists and organizations with his 1000 points of light. George W Bush gave away millions to community –ahem – faith based organizations, to help improve our communities) and a statesman with PLENTY of legislative experience.

And love or hate Hillary Clinton, she busted her ass in her effort to run for the White House. I imagine she is more than a little miffed by an anti-feminist female getting all of the credit and glory of being the first best chance of a woman in the white house and she hasn’t paid ANY dues.

I'm pissed for her for this load of crap.

image credit: localpoliticsforum.com/

Thanks for the Love - Black Weblog Award Winers Announced

The results of the 2008 Black Weblog Awards are out. And the Science/Tech Blog Award goes to two Technology-based blogs.
Popular Vote: Nerd With Swag
Judges’ Vote: The Boy Genius Report (NIX)

Congratulations to both. I wasn't surprised that the voter turnout would be much less than the nomination turnout (9,000+ vs. 1400). And I wasn't too surprised that the Tech blogs would win, either. I am very honored and glad to have made the Finalists cut and that my blog was one of 2 actual science blogs named as finalists. I curious to see the the entire list of nominees for this category. How many blogs were nominated and how many were science-based versus tech based. Science Blogs written by people of color are pretty rare, so I would love to connect to my brethren/sistern. So, BWA, can ya help me out with that? That would be nice.

Thanks for all of the love!!


UPDATE:
New Best Science/Technology Blog (Judges’ Pick) Selected - it is now SheGeeks.
Still a Tech Blog, not science. Seems, that the Boy Genius Report failed the first criterion - a black author.
Congrats, SheGeeks.

Oh, and I'm still waiting on a reply from BWA about the list of Black Science (and Tech Blogs). I'm about to put the BWA founder, Markus Robinson, on blast. No, I am doing it.

Dude, C'mon with the list. It seems more than fair considering you and your committee flubbed up big time and chose a non-Black Blog for a Best Black Blog Award.