I am a huge advocate of educational entertainment and the power of enthralling audiences, while educating them on the sneak tip. The LAist posted an article online today about an excellent example at John Wooden High, a high school in Reseda, CA.
A troupe of actors, courtesy of Kaiser Permanente, visited the school with a theatre performance about five teens dealing with unprotected sex and sexually transmitted disease in the last days of high school. The play incorporates texting and holds a Q&A session afterwards for teens to clear up misconceptions about home remedies and myths.
The performance is part of Kaiser Permanente's long running health education through live theatre program - Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre. This is my first time hearing about this program and I love it! I may even submit my resume to get involved!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Paula Deen's missed opportunity!
America's favorite Southern celebrity chef, Paula Deen, announced last week that she has Type 2 Diabetes... and instead of eating healthier she decides to work with a pharmaceutical company.
And why not? Eating better would go against the heavy, fatty, tasty food that she's built her dynasty on. She'd have to change all her recipes. It's probably much easier to just let big pharm pay her to endorse their drugs. In fact, even though she was diagnosed three years ago, she only came forward with her condition now that she has an endorsement deal with Novo Nordisk.
My initial thought was why doesn't she just launch a series of healthy eating cookbooks. She could update her old recipes with ingredient substitutes that are better for your body. Publishing new and improved editions of books you've already published is a tried and true way of boosting sales. But before my internal rant went too far, I checked out her site 'Diabetes in a New Light' and saw that it goes in that direction...
As a public health specialist though, I was dismayed with the pharmaceutical tie-in... many people default to drugs instead of behavior change when diagnosed with a chronic disease and I wonder if this new partnership only reinforces that practice.
Okay, I just read further down the article on CNN's 'Eatocracy' and she denies that her diet played a primary role in developing Diabetes, citing moderation as the message in her show and the reason she hasn't had to change her own diet! One step forward, Ms. Deen, and two steps back.
A missed opportunity to save America as denial strikes again!
And why not? Eating better would go against the heavy, fatty, tasty food that she's built her dynasty on. She'd have to change all her recipes. It's probably much easier to just let big pharm pay her to endorse their drugs. In fact, even though she was diagnosed three years ago, she only came forward with her condition now that she has an endorsement deal with Novo Nordisk.
My initial thought was why doesn't she just launch a series of healthy eating cookbooks. She could update her old recipes with ingredient substitutes that are better for your body. Publishing new and improved editions of books you've already published is a tried and true way of boosting sales. But before my internal rant went too far, I checked out her site 'Diabetes in a New Light' and saw that it goes in that direction...
As a public health specialist though, I was dismayed with the pharmaceutical tie-in... many people default to drugs instead of behavior change when diagnosed with a chronic disease and I wonder if this new partnership only reinforces that practice.
Okay, I just read further down the article on CNN's 'Eatocracy' and she denies that her diet played a primary role in developing Diabetes, citing moderation as the message in her show and the reason she hasn't had to change her own diet! One step forward, Ms. Deen, and two steps back.
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