BVS Display/Outreach, Calcium & Bone Health, Worldwatch on Meat & Avian Flu/Global Warming
March 31, 2007
Dear Boston Vegetarian Society List,
I hope some of these items will be of interest!
1) News at BVS: Display, Exhibiting Events, Free Move Tickets
2) Calcium and Bone Health - New study on vegans, sources of calcium, oxalates in spinach
3) Worldwatch Institute - New Meat Byproducts: Avian Flu and Global Climate Change
4) Restaurant News - Buddhist Tea House Review, Tofu a GoGo Moves, TJ Scallywaggle Jobs
5) The Original Help Desk - humor
1) NEWS AT BVS
* For two weeks each March, to commemorate the Great American Meatout, we have a display window in Harvard Square. Our display was up March 17 - 30. See our displays here:
http://www.bostonveg.org/campaigns/index.html
* Outreach in April: We will be exhibiting at Bank of America's Environmental Fair, Boston University's Earth Day, and U. Mass. Boston's Alternative Health Fair. More detail is on our calendar at www.BostonVeg.org .
* BVS has free tickets to a preview of Year of the Dog, a new movie by L.A. writer/director Mike White, a vegan! It is a comedy/drama starring Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, John C. Reilly and Peter Sarsgaard. A Q & A with Mike White will follow the screening. Mike's staff called BVS to ask for vegan restaurants for Mike while he is in town. Read about Year of the Dog:
http://www.peta2.com/feat/yearofthedog/
Preview is Sunday, April 1 at 6 PM at the AMC Boston Common Theatre, 175 Tremont St. Boston. (opposite Boylston St. stop on Green Line T). Hit Reply to request a pass to print out for admission. I will check for replies late Sat. night and again Sun. afternoon. They promised 40 seats reserved for BVS -- but arrive early as previews can fill up!
2) CALCIUM AND BONE HEALTH
As promised at the recent BVS seminar, here is more info on the new study of bone health in vegans, which indicates that vegans do need to be as careful as anyone else to get enough calcium. This is an important article, and includes info on Vitamin D (which enhances Calcium absorption), examines if sunshine is really enough to get adequate Vit. D, and lists top plant sources of calcium.
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/bones
More on Calcium:
Calcium in the Vegan Diet by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D. This article includes Sample Menus Providing More Than 1000 mg of Calcium
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm
Calcium in Plant-Based Diets by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine This article lists more good plant sources of calcium, but the comments about protein may need to be updated.
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/calcium.html
Spinach: At our seminar, the question of spinach as a calcium source came up. Here is info from noted R.D. authors Davis and Melina in their book, "Becoming Vegetarian" (page 92): "Certain substances in foods, particularly oxalates (which are present in spinach, Swiss chard, rhubarb, and beet greens) can bind calcium. As a result, we absorb only about 5% of the calcium in these foods. In contrast, we absorb about 40-70% of the calcium in kale, collards, broccoli, and turnip greens. These foods have negligible amounts of oxalates, so we can rely on them as good calcium sources."
Spinach and other high oxalate greens are still excellent sources of other nutrients and valuable phytochemicals, but not calcium. Thank you to Louisa for this info on spinach!
3) WORLDWATCH INSTITUTE NEW REPORT ON MEAT
Worldwatch Institute - February 19, 2007 New Meat Byproducts: Avian Flu and Global Climate Change "The growth of factory farms, their proximity to congested cities in the developing world, and the globalized poultry trade are all culprits behind the spread of avian flu, while livestock wastes damage the climate at a rate that surpasses emissions from cars and SUVs. These preliminary findings on avian flu and meat production, from the upcoming Worldwatch Institute report Vital Signs 2007-2008,..." http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4925
4) RESTAURANT NEWS
* The March 14, 2007, Boston Phoenix carried a good review and photo of the vegan Restaurant and Tea House at the International Buddhist Progress Society a.k.a Greater Boston Buddhist Cultural Center in Cambridge.
http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid35508.aspx
Note that the hours in this review are incorrect. They are correct on our website at
http://www.bostonveg.org/restaurants/index.html#boston
* Sad news for Cape Codders and all fans of the wonderful Tofu a GoGo that has brought a fabulous array of vegan and vegetarian dishes to Provincetown for the last decade. But good news for western Mass. -- owners are moving from P-town to W. MA and will re-establish the all-veg restaurant there!
http://www.tofuagogo.com/
* T.J. Scallywaggle's Vegan House of Pizza and Subs in Allston is looking for an evening driver with a car to deliver their great vegan comfort food to surrounding areas. Ask for Steve at 617-787-9884.
http://www.scallywaggles.com/
5) THE ORIGINAL HELP DESK - JUST FOR A SMILE
Off topic, but this is pretty funny. "Introducing the book. Gutenberg offers 'In your home' support."
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2007/introducing-the-book-p1.php