http://thepalettefund.org/blog en info@thepalettefund.org Copyright 2009 2009-10-14T20:53:10+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/palette_in_wall_street_journal http://thepalettefund.org/site/palette_in_wall_street_journal#When:13:21:21Z Read about our grant with Wellness in the Schools in today’s Wall Street Journal! Click below to read the article:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703818204576206931016543432.html?mod=WSJ_NY_Culture_LEADNewsCollection#articleTabs%3Darticle%26mg%3Dcom-wsj Terrence, 2011-03-18T13:21:21+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/visiting_a_patient_in_the_hospital_by_ken_schueler http://thepalettefund.org/site/visiting_a_patient_in_the_hospital_by_ken_schueler#When:14:53:02Z Ken Schueler is The Palette Fund’s Advisor and was Rand’s Patient Advocate during his battle with Pancreatic Cancer.  He is very much involved in writing Best Practices and Code of Ethics for Patient Advocates and serves as the Chairman of the Ethics Committee of NAHAC - the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants. The following guide was written for Patient Advocates visiting a hospital patient but could also be applied to visitors (family and friends) of patients as well. Thank you Ken for sharing this was us and for all that do you for patients and their loved ones around the world.“Visiting a Patient in the Hospital” by Ken Schueler Having a serious disease like cancer often makes a patient feel they’ve lost control of their bodies. Plus being in the hospital, wearing institutional gowns and constantly on everybody else’s schedule, is a depersonalizing experience for most patients. It’s especially important when visiting a patient/client of yours in the hospital that you make every effort to respect your patient’s autonomy and self-esteem and promote their empowerment . This begins with making a precise appointment for your visit which is convenient for your patient and within visiting hours. Ask the patient (or patient family) what would be a good time to visit-sometimes a patient may have more energy at night than the afternoon. Sometimes a patient may want you present when her/his doctor is making rounds(which can vary by hours-but can often be more accurately pinned down by the Nursing Supervisor). Arrive at the appointment precisely on time. When you enter the room, announce yourself first with your name and ask “is it OK to come in?” After putting down your coat ask “may I sit beside you?”. Before getting into any particulars ask “is there anything you need right now like ice chips, water, pain meds or for me to get the nurse or a health aide(e.g., linen is soiled)” Don’t interrogate your patient-instead do active listening with open questions like “how are you” and see the direction that takes. If a patient is confused by their diagnosis(or lack of) or treatment, tell her that you will have her doctor(or covering doctor or fellow-often the most forthcoming) paged. It’s often very effective to call the doctor’s private office and leave a message with a secretary or office manager(preferred) or service and request a call back(to your cell phone) or request that he visit his/her patient as soon as possible if he’s in the hospital. Also call the hospital’s main number and ask for the doctor to be paged. If the doctor has provided your patient with a business card indicating a pager number you can use that. Tell the doctor: “I am ______’s(name of patient) Patient Advocate and that she/he is extremely anxious because she/he doesn’t understand her diagnosis and what treatment you have in mind. Also she’s constantly getting breakthrough pain, Pain Management hasn’t visited once, the Nursing Station can’t increase her dose and we can’t seem to find an attending doctor. Could you please come to her hospital room as soon as possible(get a time estimate from the doctor)”.  Always make sure your patient has executed a HIPAA release granting you authorization to speak with her physicians or nurses. If she hasn’t signed a HIPAA release bring two copies with you(make sure it’s format is valid for the state you are in) and have your patient sign both copies. Provide one copy of your patient’s HIPAA release to her specific nurse and ask her to place it in your patient’s chart and ask her how your patient is doing, has her doctor visited her today, has Pain Management been notified that her baseline pain is not controlled and that she would like a PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia)rather than receive oral pain pills because she’s been nauseous lately. During the entire visit have a notepad and write down requests made by your patient for action when you return to the office or which you need to inform the nurse of (e.g. health aides are touching her or her bed but they have not put on fresh exam gloves nor used antibacterial gel), and write down medical notes concerning her condition, treatment plan, etc. If family members are present ask your patient for permission to speak with them but only if the family wishes to talk with you. Now, there are situations of family dysfunction where your patient will not feel free to speak with you candidly while family members are in the room. This issue can become delicate if you were retained by the family and not by the patient. You can say to your patient, “if you don’t mind I’d like to speak with you privately; may I ask your family to wait outside or if perhaps they may want to take a break and go to the cafeteria”. Terrence, 2011-03-10T14:53:02+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/2011_grantees_announced http://thepalettefund.org/site/2011_grantees_announced#When:14:22:08Z From schools and homes to hospitals and homeless shelters, this year’s grantees impact almost every sector of our society.  There could be no better testament to Rand’s legacy than the collective work of these organizations, which will be greatly enriched through our funding.  Our grantees are moving us closer to a world in which obesity is far less of a risk; where LGBT youth can live their lives safely while being who they are; and where patients facing difficult medical decisions can more easily navigate the complex web of medical programs, options, and facilities.2011 Grants Nutrition and Wellness • Cancer Schmancer – Trash Cancer Campaign This national campaign includes Tupperware-style parties across the country where people will learn about carcinogenic materials found in cleaning and grooming products, be encouraged to throw them away, and replace them with safe products. • Edible Schoolyard New York The Edible Schoolyard at P.S. 216 is the first four-season example of renowned chef and organic food activist Alice Waters’ program and the first in New York City. Its goal is to create a space in which the schoolchildren plant, harvest, prepare food and eat together, tied to a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum. • Friends in Deed FID’s HIV/AIDS Continuum Support Program provides support to anyone affected by HIV/AIDS through all stages of illness.  The organization provides a range of services – support groups, one-on-one crisis counseling, bodywork, treatment planning and nutritional counseling, yoga, meditation, home and hospital visits, workshops and seminars free of charge.  Palette will be seeking to support a potential new nutritional offering. • God’s Love We Deliver GLWD has outlined an ambitious multi-year program to provide nutritional counseling, education and service delivery to the people they serve.  With Palette Fund’s support, this may expand Food as Medicine initiative to reach growing constituencies in underserved neighborhoods, conduct outreach, underwrite the hiring of a registered dietitian, conduct workshops and add new menu items including fresh fruits, whole grants and other healthy options. • Project Aspire The Palette Fund sponsors the nutrition portion of Project Aspire, a school-based public health initiative of Touro College at PS 197 in Central Harlem. Through classroom lessons, theme-based assemblies, special events and educational field trips, Project Aspire encourages students to lead healthy lifestyles, eat whole foods and pursue health careers. • Urban Zen’s Food Solutions In collaboration with the Urban Zen Foundation, The Palette Fund will offer two ground-breaking groundbreaking, inspirational workshops – “Cancer and Nutrition” and “Fighting Child Obesity” focused on educating the Urban Zen community and beyond about navigating and restoring health through food. Each workshop focuses on a specific health topic that advocates dietary change as part of the healing plan. • Wellness in The Schools – Cook-For-Kids Program Wellness in the Schools (WITS) is a non-profit, community-based organization founded in 2005 to improve the environment, food, and fitness in NYC public schools. In partnership with the New York City Department of Education’s Office of School Food, WITS operates the Cook for Kids program in NYC public school kitchens and classrooms. In an effort to combat childhood obesity and to promote healthy eating, WITS places culinary school graduates in schools.  These in-resident cooks work alongside cafeteria workers to train, inspire, and support their preparation of salad bars and fresh, healthful homemade meals. Queer Youth • Out in Front – Stonewall Community Foundation Out In Front New York is an initiative of the Stonewall Community Foundation to cultivate the next generation of nonprofit leaders in the LGBTQ community, particularly those interested or active in board service. Over the course of four months, through five day-long sessions, a diverse group of 15 to 25 participants will learn what it means to lead an organization with confidence, practice the skills essential to doing so effectively and responsibly, and build lasting relationships in the process. • Jeffrey Fashion Cares Jeffrey Fashion Cares was established in 1992 in Atlanta, GA, by Jeffrey Kalinsky, fashion pioneer and community leader. He launched the first-ever Jeffrey Fashion Cares event to heighten awareness of the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ community. In just 8 years since the event first came to New York, it has raised almost $4 million for LGBT and LGBT youth charities here in New York City.  This year’s event, to be held aboard the Intrepid on March 28, is the sole event Palette will sponsor in 2011, as 95% of every dollar raised goes directly to the four benefiting charities: Hetrick-Martin Institute, Lambda Legal, the Point Foundation, and Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Palette’s sponsorship money dedicated to each of these organizations will serve as its grant to each for 2011. • True Colors Fund In conjunction with Cyndi Lauper’s Foundation, The Palette Fund will work over the next 6 months to assess the needs of homeless youth among the lesbian, gay and transgendered communities, and create a plan for meeting the need nationwide. This project will include potential collaborations with a plethora of LGBT and homeless organizations. • The National LGBT Cancer Network A group of leading advocates, academics and medical practitioners involved in LGBT cancer care are discussing holding a major conference on LGBT Cancer in 2011.  If held, Palette would be a lead sponsor and and play a lead role in shaping the conference.  The Network is also submitting a grant for a nationwide outreach program. • New York LGBT Center The LGBT Center’s Youth Enrichment Services (YES) Program serves more than 1,000 young people ages 13-22 every year.  The program’s state funding was discontinued last year, meaning that Palette’s funding will enable it to stave off cuts to its services.  Through peer education, leadership training internships and YES summer camp, YES mobilizes young people to be agents of change.  These programs train young people as community leaders, including self-confidence; facilitating community meetings; building community with their peers; and teaching workshops for other youth around racism, body image, grief and loss, substance abuse, and HIV prevention. • Point Foundation – The Rand Skolnick Point Scholarship Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBT students of merit. The Rand Skolnick Point Scholarship provides support and assistance each year, in perpetuity, to an exceptional LGBT student who has demonstrated leadership and potential. Point’s first scholar receiving this honor is Derek Blechinger, who will attend The University of Washington School of Medicine. • Queer Youth Fund The Queer Youth Fund, made up of individuals and organizations, makes multi-year grants to grassroots, local, state or national nonprofit organizations located anywhere in the United States working to improve the quality of life among queer youth 24 years or younger.  The Queer Youth Fund awards grants to innovative and effective leadership development programs or organizing projects that empower queer youth to improve societal conditions affecting queer youth and that make a long-term difference to their movement.  • Out in America Out in America is an upcoming PBS documentary on the day-to-day lives of LGBT Americans from the 1950s to the present day, by Emmy Award-winning producer Andrew Goldberg.  Airing nationally on PBS on June 8th, Out in America is an uplifting collection of unique, transformative stories and inspiring personal narratives told through the lens of the country’s most prominent LGBT figures and pioneers, as well as many average, yet extraordinary, citizens from the LGBT community.  The Palette Fund’s grant will make sure that this film is not only seen on PBS, but also used as an educational resource to schools across the country. • Family Acceptance Project Beginning in 2011, The Palette Fund will be supporting Dr. Caitlin Ryan’s cutting-edge research and education, which centers around decreasing major health and related risks for LGBT youth by encouraging their families to accept them.  This vital work is the first step in helping to end the downward spiral to homelessness - as well as suicide, substance abuse and HIV - that so many LGBT youth face when not accepted by their families.  As The Palette Fund is concentrating a great deal of its efforts on the area of LGBT homelessness in 2011, it was pertinent to include work like Dr. Ryan’s that seeks to prevent such tragic consequences. Patient Navigation • Harold P. Freeman Institute This is the country’s first accredited Patient Navigation training center, and is located at the Ralph Lauren Cancer Center in Harlem.  They offer three kinds of programs; online training; a three-day training course on-site (open to anyone); and customized training. The Institute is looking to Palette to partner with them to help scale the effort and create a gold standard in patient navigation. • New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care provides compassionate care to the sick and terminally ill and creates a supportive and nurturing environment for people to consciously face their illness and/or end of life journey. • Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PANCAN) PANCAN is a nationwide network of people dedicated to working together to advance research, support patients and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.  This three-year grant supports their successful PALS (Patient and Liaison Services) program and enables the launch of The Patient Navigation Outreach Program.  The Program aims to ensure that more patients and their caregivers have access to up-to-date information about the disease, are aware of and are connected to needed resources and services, and are equipped and empowered to make informed decisions about their care and treatment.  2011 is the second year of this grant. Terrence, 2011-03-02T14:22:08+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/sugar_and_cancer http://thepalettefund.org/site/sugar_and_cancer#When:22:52:38Z I recently was asked to be a guest speaker on a radio talk show called “Beauty Pearls for Chemo Girls.” The talk show centers on helping women undergoing cancer treatment as well as their friends and supporters to find the news, courage and spirit they need to help them make it through the crisis. We recently did a show on the eve of Valentine’s Day and the topic was appropriately Sugar and its connection to cancer. I thought I would share it with you via my blog.Question one: sweets are one of the biggest treats for Valentine’s, talk about sugar and its connection to cancer. Why is it important for cancer patients to control blood sugar levels? Here are my thoughts on that: • Sugar is a flavor enhancer, one reason why food manufacturers use it in their packaged foods, to entice us to eat their food, and eat lots of it • Sugar in itself is not a forbidden food - it becomes a problem because we tend to consume it in excess, the wrong kind and from the wrong sources • Consuming too much sugar, creates imbalances in our bodies and that leads us to developing diseases • Overloading our body with “cheap sugar” (chief culprits: refined carbohydrates) elevates our blood sugar and insulin levels too high, overwhelming our bodies with too much sugar and all at once, placing a huge burden to our pancreas as it needs to produce lots of insulin in an effort to bring the levels down. The above is not a sensible practice for anyone, but most detrimental for cancer patients. Why? • Most cancer patients and caregivers will be familiar with the sound bite     “ cancer feeds on sugar” • There is plenty of evidence that cancer cells need more sugar than normal cells (healthy cells) to grow • Another issue to keep in mind is insulin levels.  High levels of glucose (sugar is the generic term) trigger the production of insulin, people who have high blood sugar levels tend to have high levels of insulin. This scenario is an ideal environment for cancer to grow. • Additionally, high levels of insulin also make cancer cells resistant to radiation and chemo treatment, it makes the cancer cells resistant to the treatment • So keeping sugar and insulin levels at a healthy range key for cancer patients undergoing these type of treatments How do we control our blood sugar level? Certain food can help with that (complex carbohydrates), while others will actually elevate it (refined carbohydrates). I have written a blog explaining how food that we consume turns into sugar, and which are the best sources. See blog. “Know your carbohydrates”.  As in addition to limiting our overall intake of sugar, we need to watch the kind of sugar you eat. Question number two: What are the different ways sugar appears in the typical American diet and how we can make smart food choices that reduce the amount of sugar in our bloodstream? According to the USDA, Americans are consuming 150 pounds of sugar each year.  By the way, our body needs very little added sugar. The dietary recommendation is 32 grams per day (4 grams=1 teaspoon), so roughly 8 teaspoons of added sugar, supposedly keep you in the safe. • Most of the overconsumption is from sugar hidden in packaged foods and drinks.  Some unsuspected foods that you may think are healthy, such as yogurt, cereals, canned vegetables, canned fruits, peanut butter, crackers, ketchup and salad dressing are all loaded with sugar, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. • It is important to read labels when buying packaged products, as sugar may not be listed as sugar. Sugar takes on so many other names: high fructose corn syrup, fructose, maltose, syrup, sucrose, lactose, fruit juice concentrate, dextrose, cane juice, almost everything that ends with ose. • If you are buying prepackaged foods, choose food where any of these sugar names is not one of the top 4 ingredients. • Other culprits are low-fat products, as most contain plenty of sugar to make up for the lack of tasty fat. Here are some recommendations for using natural sweeteners, instead of refined sugar products. An excess of the sweet flavor from any source will create an imbalance in your body, weaken your immune system, deplete minerals from your body and make you more susceptive to developing diseases, even the natural alternatives you need to you them with moderation. • If you crave for something sweet, try fruits and/or dried fruits. Try using agave to sweeten tea, drinks, and coffee. Try using rice syrup to sweeten your oatmeal for example.  If rice syrup is not your thing, try stevia, it comes in a powder form, is very sweet, and you need to use only a little. It regulates blood sugar levels, so it is good for diabetics. • Use Fruit juices to sweeten desserts for example, not as highly concentrated as fruit syrup. Question number three: is it ok for chemo girls to eat chocolate? The short answer is yes, chocolate is good for you! And sweets are OK too as a treat for special occasions. In times of celebration like valentine’s or a birthday, there is a call for sweet and you can enjoy it guilt free. But let it be that, a treat, and not an everyday occasion.  • Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate contains Flavonoids, which are anti oxidants, which help prevent heart disease and cancer.  The more cocoa in the chocolate product, the higher the antioxidant flavonoid content.  Dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content, for this reason, dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate.  One caveat; other ingredients added to some chocolate products, like syrup, milk, other dairy products, sugar coated fruit, etc can change their nutrition impact and cancel out the nutritional value of cocoa. • What do you do if you do not like dark chocolate as it is too bitter? Use it in your desserts, use it as a dip for strawberries, dust it in fruits, add a bit of sugar (here you control the amount of sugar you put into it) rather than leaving it to the food manufacturer control the amount • If you want to drink it, buy the one that has the most cocoa concentration and add the amount of natural sugar you put into it To finish our conversation, I share with the listeners this thought, the traditional idea of valentine is all about love, and what better way to love yourself than learning to make the right food choices, and hopefully they learned that eating healthy does not equal to feeling deprived from your favorite food, it is all about moderation…. Ruth, 2011-02-22T22:52:38+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/winter_newsletter_2010 http://thepalettefund.org/site/winter_newsletter_2010#When:23:18:02Z 2010 has been an incredible year for The Palette Fund and as we reflect upon finishing up our first full year of grant making, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.  Throughout the year, we have had the opportunity to work with the most wonderful partners and I am truly thankful that as the Executive Director, I have been able to not only work in honor of Rand’s legacy, but to also serve as a colleague to so many inspiring individuals and organizations.This year, the Palette Fund granted over $800,000 to organizations working in the areas of Nutrition and Wellness, Patient Navigation, HIV/AIDS and Queer Youth.  The organizations we are funding are offering innovative programs, high impact solutions to real problems, acting as models in their communities and are, or are becoming, leaders in their fields. In 2011, we plan to continue to refine our focus so that our contributions are put to the best use.  We have set goals in each of the three areas in which we will be providing support: Nutrition and Wellness:  We continue our focus on educating target communities on how nutrition plays a vital role in health and wellbeing.  These communities include underserved youth, school lunch programs and people affected by illnesses such as cancer and HIV/AIDS.  Programs supported by the Palette Fund will work with children, parents, teachers, community leaders, patients, caregivers and practitioners, empowering them with practical tools and vital knowledge. Patient Navigation:  Our goal is to make this invaluable and yet frequently absent resource available to all who are diagnosed with an illness.  Through Palette Fund grantees and partners, we will raise awareness about this emerging field, with a particular focus on underserved communities and individuals diagnosed with life-threatening illness, specifically cancer and HIV/AIDS. Queer Youth:  We remain focused on leadership building and educational opportunities as we continue to support scholarships and programs that enable Queer Youth to build the confidence, skills and networks that will help them to play key roles in communities, companies, organizations and public service.  In 2011, there will also be a new push to look at programs that work directly with runaway and homeless Queer Youth, an often over-looked problem that is growing, misunderstood by the public and under funded as a result. In conjunction with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund, we will work over the next 6 months to assess the needs of homeless youth among the lesbian, gay and transgendered communities, and create a plan for meeting the need nationwide. Cyndi Lauper recently said, “I am deeply honored that The Palette Fund has partnered with The True Colors Fund.  I look forward to creating solutions together that can help address the growing number of kids being thrown out of their homes or running away out of fear and despair.  I am very hopeful that through our collaboration we will be able to make a significant impact in these young people’s lives.” As we saw this year with so many tragic suicides of our youth, we also remain committed and deeply concerned with the issue of bullying.  We have hope that by supporting the development of leaders in the youth community, such as through our grant with the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) Ambassador Program, we can help stem the tide of verbal, physical and psychological violence.  A young GLSEN Ambassador recently wrote “Every day when I go to school I see people looking at me, and calling me names, and even going as far as to shove me.  Fortunately I am strong enough to handle this and still function…but unfortunately some kids can’t.”  His mother goes further, “[this program} saved and changed him.  He’s not the same young man he was two years ago.  GLSEN has given him new confidence, purpose and life.” This is the kind of partnership that makes us so proud, so grateful, and so close to the person Rand was every day of his life; confident and living with purpose, pride and compassion. I want to close by acknowledging our dedicated Board of Directors, our Advisory Board of world-renowned experts, my colleague Ruth Fehr whose passion, talent and commitment to nourishing all who cross her path is truly inspiring, and all of the hard-working organizations who leveraged our support to make a real difference in the lives of so many. Thank you all, our Palette Fund family, for your support and sense of shared humanity. And thank you Rand for giving us the gift of The Palette Fund and enabling so much hope in this world.  Through the work of The Palette Fund, Rand’s light still shines just as bright and for that we are eternally grateful. Happy Holidays! With Love and Light, Terrence Terrence, 2010-12-14T23:18:02+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/know_your_fats http://thepalettefund.org/site/know_your_fats#When:20:01:39Z Are you watching the amount of fat in your diet or the type of fat you consume? Less than 40 years ago, experts promoted the low-fat diet to lower the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD). These days however, experts are more concerned about the type of dietary fat consumed, as a low-fat diet has not proven to prevent heart disease or cancer.Contrary to the now-popular concept that less fat intake is better, fats and oils are very important components of a good diet.  Naturally-occurring unprocessed or minimally processed fats and oils have an important role in maintaining good health.  In addition to being a good source of energy, fats help us absorb certain vitamins and nutrients (like vitamins A, D, E, and K). We also need fats for our skin, nails, hair and cell development.  Fats also slow digestion, delaying the onset of hunger and keeping us satiated longer.  Thus, a careful balance of fat in the diet becomes critical for everyone, but even more essential for those trying to lose weight. Too much fat in the diet, the weight shifts in the wrong direction; too little and hunger often creeps up and leads to overeating, especially carbohydrates. How much fat should we consume? If you are a nomad in the desert, fat is 10% of your caloric intake.  Eskimos consume 50% or more of their calories from fat Both groups have the lowest incident of CHD, clearly indicating that incidence of CHD does not parallel dietary intake of fats, at least for these groups it doesn’t.  If you are not a nomad or Eskimo, the recommended dietary fat intake is between 20% to 35% of daily calories.  My personal approach to fat is the following: Rather than obsess over the amount of fat consumed, I am very selective about the type of fat I choose to include in my diet, making sure my food includes healthy doses of “good”  fats and minimum amounts of the unhealthy ones.  Let’s talk about the good and the bad fats. The two forms of unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats, the latter also known as partially-hydrogenated oils. These fats—including margarine, vegetable shortening or marbled fat in steak—share a physical trait; they are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are associated with high cholesterol levels, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which promote the formation of blockages in the coronary arteries.  Hence the recommendation to cut back on saturated fats.  Not all saturated fats are equally bad for you, however. The saturated fat found in pure chocolate (stearic acid) acts more like unsaturated fats by lowering cholesterol, and coconut oil, a saturated fat, contains lauric acid which has antimicrobial properties that support our immune defenses.. It is not possible to avoid saturated fat entirely, however, because even the healthiest oils contain a small amount of it.  The other unhealthy fats are the trans fats or partially-hydrogenated oils. I consider trans fats the unhealthiest fats and the ones we should avoid at all costs.  Trans fats are man made fats, a cheap alternative to butter and are used in everything from commercial cookies, packaged snacks, and baked goods and the most widely used fat in restaurant fryers.  Let’s talk about how these fats came into being and how they ended up being part of our diet.  Traditionally, a cook would choose a fat to prepare a particular dish based on the qualities that fat provided to the food: The special texture and flavor lard gives to a piecrust, the special flavor and creaminess butter imparts to a sauce or to a soup for example.  But experts discouraged the use of these traditional fats and oils, arguing that they contributed to the chronic illness afflicting modern populations. So “man-made” versions __ margarine and vegetable shortening __ were created in laboratories.  These partially- hydrogenated oils replaced the natural fats in the diets of many people, and we ended up with a situation where the natural fats that have been used for centuries are out, and the fabricated fats that should be out are in. All natural fats, whether saturated or unsaturated are used and needed by the body.  The only fats found in food that are not natural to the human body (i.e. not used or needed by the body) are the trans fats.  Not only do we not need them, but high consumption of trans fats are detrimental to our health in many ways. They • Lower the good cholesterol (HDL) • Raise the bad cholesterol (LDL) • Lower the amount of cream in milk of lactating mothers, thus lowering the quality available to the infant • Lead to low birth weight in human infants • Increase blood insulin levels, thus increasing risk for diabetes • Precipitate childhood asthma The good fats Also known as unsaturated fats; these health-promoting fats come mainly from fish and plant sources such as nuts and whole grains.  There are two types, the mono- unsaturated and the polyunsaturated fats.  When you dip your bread in olive oil, you are consuming a monounsaturated fat.  Other good sources of mono-unsaturated fat besides olive oil are canola, safflower and sunflower oils,  avocados and most nuts. These fats are widely consumed in the Mediterranean countries (think of the Mediterranean diet). The population there enjoys a low rate of heart disease, while consuming a high fat diet, proving again that the type of fats and not the amount plays a key role in promoting health. There is two widely known polyunsaturated fats, the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These fats are considered essential fats, which means they are required for normal function of the body, but our body cannot make them, so we must get them from food (our body, as well as plants, manufacture fats).  They are essential for blood clotting, muscle contraction and relaxation, and help keep inflammation at bay. They also help improve the cholesterol profile (lowering LDL and increasing HDL, the good cholesterol).  Omega 3, which comes mostly from fish (fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines are good sources), is also found in flaxseeds and some nuts, including walnuts.  Good sources of omega 6 are vegetable oils, such as safflower, sunflower, walnut oil. In general, most of us consume enough omega 6 (most oils use for cooking have a high ratio of omega 6), but do not consume enough of omega 3. Hence the need to increase our consumption of fish and nuts. Enough of facts and figures!  Here are some of my personal preferences and recommendations: • Fats and oils that should not be used for frying or heated at high temperature are   flaxseed oil, cold pressed olive oil and toasted sesame seed oil. But these are quite appropriate for salad dressing • For all-purpose frying (I do not do much frying) or cooking at high temperatures, use coconut oil, canola, safflower or sunflower oils. • Natural fats quite appropriate for cooking include olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil.  • For baking purposes, especially if baking requires a solid fat, like butter, use coconut oil or coconut butter instead. • For snacks foods, granola, health bars or making popcorn, use natural cold pressed coconut oil or cold pressed canola oil • Include a variety of fats and oils in your diet. Do not use only one fat or oil exclusively. Fats differ from each other in health-giving properties, and you need a combination of all. • Do not save fats and oils that have gone rancid. Throw them away.  To avoid oils going rancid, buy them in smaller containers and use them within a relatively short period (lest than 3 months). Store them in a cool and dry place, not close to the stove.  • Do not fear all saturated fats. Do include some sources, especially those containing lauric acid, found in anything made from coconut oil. • Do not consume any product containing partially-hydrogenated oils. Read the labels when buying packaged products.  Better yet, make and package your food at home.    Ruth, 2010-09-07T20:01:39+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/ken_schueler_to_appear_on_fox_news_documentary http://thepalettefund.org/site/ken_schueler_to_appear_on_fox_news_documentary#When:17:18:09Z We are very excited to announce that Ken, The Palette Fund’s Advisor and Rand’s Patient Advocate during his battle with Pancreatic Cancer, appeared on a Fox News Documentary, “Winning the War on Cancer” in September of 2010.‘Winning the War on Cancer’ is hosted by Dr. Manny Alvarez and Dr. Cynara Coomer.  The show aired Sunday September 12th on The Fox News Channel.  Ken Schueler was interviewed for this special on the subject of Patient Navigation.  He introduces Fox to two of his patients whose lives were saved thanks to Ken’s service as a Patient Advocate-these patients appear in the documentary. Click here to watch Winning the War on Cancer Terrence, 2010-09-07T17:18:09+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/meet_our_first_rand_skolnick_point_scholar http://thepalettefund.org/site/meet_our_first_rand_skolnick_point_scholar#When:20:09:26Z I am thrilled to present the first recipient of The Rand Skolnick Point Scholarship to attend The University of Washington School of Medicine!  Please welcome Derek Blechinger to The Palette Family!Derek believes in medicine as social justice. Growing up gay in rural Minnesota provided him important, poignant perspective into the struggles of stigmatized populations. Derek struggled with his sexuality in school, in church, at home, and even in his doctor’s office. The community in which he was raised believed that homosexuality was deeply wrong and could be “cured.” Lessons learned from coming out during that time provided Derek with great insight into the multiple, varied issues with which many minorities grapple. During college, Derek co-chaired the GLBTA student group, helped establish a GSA at a local high school, and actively fought to remove a Reparative Therapy movement starting on campus. After an internship at District 202, an LGBT youth center in Minneapolis, Derek started his career in HIV at the Minnesota AIDS Project. Two years later, he took a position at the Red Door Clinic, Minnesota’s largest HIV/STD clinic, where he provided HIV testing and counseling services. At the clinic, he developed unique online outreach programming, ran a syphilis elimination project called “StopSyphilisNOW” and facilitated several inpatient and outpatient support groups for gay and bi men living with HIV and struggling with addiction. His work has given him insight into how stigma, mental health, and minority stress contribute to the unique health disparities experienced by LGBT people. The powerful role a physician can play inspires Derek to become a doctor - not only an exemplary diagnostician but a compassionate healer for those marginalized by their sexuality or gender. He plans on using his education at University of Washington Medical School to found a public health clinic offering culturally-specific medical and mental health care for the LGBT community. Derek is the first recipient of The Rand Skolnick Point Scholarship, which provides support and assistance each year, in perpetuity, to an exceptional LGBT student who has demonstrated leadership and potential.  Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBT students of merit. Point Provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who have been marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Terrence, 2010-08-03T20:09:26+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/a_note_from_rand1 http://thepalettefund.org/site/a_note_from_rand1#When:20:10:51Z I apologize for not writing in my blog for some time. I am going to try and be better as there are so many wonderful things going on at Palette! I am starting up again with a note from Rand.  I decided to just open “T Notes” and see what note the page fell on.  I honestly don’t remember when this note from Rand was written but it must have been after he returned from a trip sometime in 2004.  It made me sad to read how much more Rand wanted to see and experience in life but it still put a smile on my face as I read it…just as I know it did years ago when I read it for the first time.To My Precious “T” Many of these journey’s throughout the years have made me be able to see so much of the world we live.  I’ve done so much, but there is so much more to see and experience, and that I wish to do with you!  Life is the gift that we share with one another and our love will enlighten our gifts of life and always bring our lives together no matter how far we may be sometimes, but love will always bring these two lives back together and hopefully forever. xxxxox I Love you Rand Terrence, 2010-07-21T20:10:51+00:00 http://thepalettefund.org/site/william_li_can_we_eat_to_starve_cancer http://thepalettefund.org/site/william_li_can_we_eat_to_starve_cancer#When:17:51:47Z For those who may have missed this fascinating video on food and cancer prevention, take 20 minutes and get a new perspective on cancer prevention and treatment. Click here to see video:  http://www.ted.com/talks/william_li.html Ruth, 2010-07-14T17:51:47+00:00