In her new memoir, Becoming Ginger Rogers: How Ballroom Dancing Made Me a Happier Woman, Better Partner, and Smarter CEO, Patrice Tanaka shares the story of how she committed to living in the present while putting joy in her life.

The shattering events of 9/11 are a backdrop to the beginning of Tanaka’s narration. The Twin Towers had been part of the view from her office window. She found herself repeatedly reflecting upon the losses experienced by those in the New York community—and the temporal nature of human beings. She was also dealing with her own struggles, both professional and personal.

Tanaka lays out the health challenges that she experienced from 1989 through 1990, and the illness of her adored husband, “Mr. Sweetheart,” who fought a cancerous brain tumor for fifteen years. During this period of time, she watched her spouse endure surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy treatment. Tanaka became his caretaker, and despite the draining effects recognized a major message on the choice of how we experience life—“as a chore or as a joy.”

At the end of 2001, Tanaka was “exhausted and depressed.” A session in mid-2002 with an executive coach became a turning point for her when she was challenged with the question, “What is your grand mission in life, your true purpose on the planet?” Tanaka, still consumed by thoughts of those who had perished in the 9/11 attacks, kept focusing on the concept of living in the moment in a way that was meaningful. She told her coach that her specific meaning was to “choose joy each day.” When pressed to identify what brought her joy, Tanaka responded unequivocally, “Dancing.” She was given the assignment to book a dancing lesson for herself.

The reader follows Tanaka into the world of ballroom dancing, where her life was about to change in unexpected ways as she masters lessons on the dance floor that resonate far beyond new steps and winning competitions.

Photo Courtesy of Albert Parker

The text is punctuated with terpsichorean related quotes, “Intermezzo” pages that detail different dances from the Mambo to the Tango, and excerpted aphorisms from her revelations. Without a doubt, women will personally relate to the material. This includes the quest for perfectionism, apologizing too much, the need do put matters into context, and fear of failure or losing control. Through her dancing, Tanaka gradually morphs from a top PR executive who has carried the nickname “Ayatollah Tanaka,” to an in-the-moment “Samba Girl,” who can stop to celebrate her achievements and dance through her mistakes.

Eager to dig deeper into her insights, I spoke with Tanaka by telephone. She was open in discussing her personal transformation, telling me, “It’s about pursuing your joy. It will permeate your being. There is no downside!” Tanaka told me that she had written the book to help others and to communicate the key message, “Pursue your joy with a sense of urgency. Live out full and fiercely today with no regrets.”

I asked her to comment on the blocks that had hamstrung her and that remain problematic for so many women. On perfectionism she said, “It’s a fear based approach to life. We want to be perfect because we worry that if we make one mistake, people are going to stop loving us.” She qualified that path as a way of “disenfranchising others.” She explained, “Just because I make a mistake, doesn’t mean I’m a failure. Failures are stepping stones to success.” She specifically underscored how they could be applied to moving forward.

Regarding always putting other people’s needs first, Tanaka pronounced it a “female thing,” noting, “We want to make sure others are taken care of. We’re trying to be there 200 percent, and we put ourselves last.” In her business practice, Tanaka referred to the habit of giving more than 100 percent as “over-servicing.”

Underscoring the choice to choose between focusing on negativity or on blessings, Tanaka believes getting in touch with the gratitude can stop “the slide into the abyss.” One of the tips that she shared when we spoke was about creating a “joy calendar,” where you actively schedule two to three things per month to look forward to. In addition, every night she makes a mental note of the positive episodes of her day. She is a firm believer that “whatever we request and are mindful of, we generate.”

Tanaka’s instructor, dance champion Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine, repeatedly conveyed, “Focus on your present step and do it full-out, because your present step is what’s going to produce our next step.” When Tanaka became able to implement this advice into her dance work, she then translated that mindset into her corporate life. She connected to the concept of “manifesting” results rather than forcing them.

My favorite takeaways were: “Let’s try to make the best decisions we can in the moment; Just breathe; Let’s jump off that bridge when we get to it!”

At the conclusion of Becoming Ginger Rogers, Tanaka has reached the Silver level in Pro-Am ballroom competition. Her philosophy has evolved to using her energy in a more productive way. She has “aligned” the different facets of who she is to reinforce each other. Most importantly, she has reconnected with herself, physically and emotionally.

Before our conversation ended, Tanaka reiterated, “We must pursue our joy with a sense of urgency. We don’t have an infinite future.”

As we move into 2012, the target of “staying the in the present” with that joy is a valuable aspiration.

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site EmpowHER.

Grey walked me through her post-injury story. She increasingly noticed that her neck had become “the weak link” in her physical health. Discomfort became even more prevalent after Grey gave birth ten years ago. As she began to have “really bad headaches,” she found herself pushing activities she enjoyed “off the table.” The pain made her feel vulnerable. However, as Grey explained, “I don’t like to complain.”

Repeatedly invited to be on Dancing With the Stars, Grey balked, She finally decided to use appearing on the show as “her carrot of motivation.” She connected with a doctor who pinpointed her problem. Her spinal cord was compressed and she needed fusion immediately. During the course of treatment, it was determined that she had a cancerous lump in her thyroid, which was then removed. Her footwork won her the top prize in the eleventh season of Dancing with The Stars.

When Purdue Pharma approached Grey to be the face of their national educational program to inform patients, caregivers, and physicians how to effectively communicate about pain management, Grey enthusiastically jumped onboard. Her motivation stemmed from her learning experience of shifting gears from “the pain is managing me” to “I’m managing the pain.” As Grey underscored, “I got my life back.”

Stats from the Institute of Medicine show that over 110 million adults in the United States “suffer from chronic pain.” The results of untreated pain can result in issues ranging from reduced mobility and function to a weakened immune system—as well as depression or anxiety.

Grey is promoting the view that patients do not have to be victims.  Partners Against Pain has set up a system of how to establish a “productive dialogue.” It is directed to both sides of the equation—patients and doctors. I was impressed that the material written for the medical community was able to acknowledge that for many doctors, listening and rapport skills need to be improved.

To build a robust patient agenda, Partners Against Pain used the results of a national survey to build out their suggestions for how to interact with practitioners at the maximum level. Key strategies include:

• Prepare for your medical appointment. Educate yourself on potential treatment choices and alternative therapies.
• Write down targeted points for discussion.
• Bring a pain diary that can help track frequency and intensity of symptoms.
• If you get nervous about presenting your concerns, practice your conversation with a friend to see if you are getting your points across.
• Bring someone with you to the appointment to function as a second set of ears.

Once at the doctor’s office, in order to establish the goals of your visit:

• Remain active in the conversation.
• Ask questions if something is not clear.
• Repeat instructions aloud to make sure you have the correct understanding of all directions.
• Find out what follow-up steps to pursue.
• Ask for recommendations for reading material about your condition.
• Learn about your prescribed medications.
• If you don’t see any improvement in your condition, ask for a referral to a physician who specializes in pain management.
• Inquire about alternative options such as acupuncture, massage, or yoga.

Accompanying Grey to the interview was Micke A. Brown from the American Pain Foundation. In answer to my question about women frequently being told that their pain is psychologically based, Brown advised, “Don’t be afraid to speak up and speak out.” Grey agreed, adding, “If someone isn’t responsive to you—move on to someone else.”

Grey discussed the additional modalities she has employed including massage, “lots of exercise,” and stretching (“I was doing some stretches for fifteen to twenty minutes before you came in,” she told me.) Grey also spoke about her work with “mindful meditation,” where she breaks down the negative physical sensations, and then separates those feelings from her cognitive thoughts. Using “mental pictures,” Grey described how “self-help talk” could help at the “cellular level,” through a “self-modification” of the pain.

The bottom line for Grey was, “Make a step. Every day take an action for yourself. Break it down. Follow the breadcrumbs. Don’t give up. Do your best. Keep going.” She reflected, “Chronic pain can be very lonely. It can have a shame-based quality.”

Translating her personal journey into viable support and advice for others was clearly satisfying to Grey. Her bottom line was, “I’m super grateful to get this message out to people.”

Photo courtesy of Tim Long

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site EmpowHER.

Up until now, advice from your mother or best friend that unprotected sex is a bad idea may not have made an adequate impression. Perhaps you haven’t seen the stats.  Globally, half of the people living with HIV/AIDS are women.  For those of reproductive age (15–44), HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death and disease worldwide. In the United States, AIDS diagnoses for women have tripled since 1985.

Enter Lady Gaga, teaming up with the MAC Cosmetics philanthropic arm, MAC AIDS Fund, for the VIVA GLAM campaign.  The objective: To launch a new lipstick and lipglass shade where every penny of the purchase price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund.  Working off of her personal brand of distinct individuality, Lady Gaga is the perfect model for self-advocacy.  As this year’s official VIVA GLAM spokesperson (last year she shared the role with Cyndi Lauper), she has instructed her admirers “to live passionately, but do it safely.”  Perhaps her strongest advice is, “Be your own biggest fan and protect yourself.”

I sat down with Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director of the MAC AIDS Fund.  She spoke to me about the company’s “corporate responsibility” model, which has been “embedded in the MAC Cosmetics DNA” from its inception.  The MAC AIDS Fund was started in 1994—as a response to the AIDS epidemic. This giveback philosophy permeates the company.  It encompasses not just the executive level, but also the diverse sales force that feels a part of something beyond “just selling lipstick.”

The Fund has an impressive track record.  They have raised over $202 million and sold over 13.8 million VIVA GLAM lipsticks.  They focus on highlighting the link between “poverty and AIDS” and on targeting “underserved populations.”  The results of what one VIVA GLAM sale can do are impressive.  Internationally, their Mothers2Mothers program enables a two-day support group for pregnant women “newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.”  In America, The Women’s Collective Program provides a minimum of 45 minutes of “lifesaving HIV prevention skills” for girls and women in groups of 20 to 74 people.  That’s critically important, especially because domestically, HIV/AIDS is the leading killer of women of color.

In Washington, D.C. alone, 3 percent of African-American women are living with HIV/AIDS.  Going to “places where there are problems” is a primary strategy of the MAC AIDS Fund.  One of their grantees based in the District of Columbia (The Women’s Collective) provides a female-centric model of care.  As a community based organization, they are talking to women about using female condoms, and showing proper usage techniques.

The interview circled back repeatedly to the topic of “female initiated prevention”—both in terms of a tangible product for protection and the wherewithal to use it.  Mahon broke down why it was important to reach women on a wide continuum.

• Younger women are not practicing safe sex.
• Older women think that if they can’t get pregnant, they don’t need protection. They are reluctant to make demands that might make them “lose the guy.”  Online dating and male use of Viagra have increased risk factors as people are engaged with multiple partners.
• AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women in the age bracket of 25 to 34 in the United States.

Mahon spoke at length about the female condom. The Female Health Company, a manufacturer that worked with The Women’s Collaboration, has developed a product (available at Walgreens), which is in its second-generation iteration. The FC2 female condom received FDA approval in March 2009.  As explained by Avert, an HIV and AIDS information website:  “The FC2 female condom is a nitrile sheath or pouch 6.5 inches in length. At each end there is a flexible ring. At the closed end of the sheath, the flexible ring is inserted into the vagina to hold the female condom in place. The other end of the sheath stays outside the vulva at the entrance to the vagina. This ring acts as a guide during penetration and it also stops the sheath from moving up inside the vagina.”

The Female Health Company has a helpful page devoted to guiding women on how to discuss concerns with a partner.  The Lady Gaga VIVA GLAM campaign is creating high-level visibility.  However the ultimate step is up to each individual woman.  As Mahon observed, “If women are not using protection, they need to have a serious conversation with themselves.”

Image Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics.

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site EmpowHER.

Dr. Barbara DePree began focusing her practice on mid-life women eight years ago when she noticed that her intake questionnaire pointed to the need for a resource dealing with women who were having trouble with their sexual health.  An ob-gyn doctor with a twenty-year track record, DePree is the Director of the Women’s Midlife Services at Holland Hospital. “Providers aren’t always up to date,” she told me in a telephone conversation.  She added, “They also may not feel comfortable dialoguing.”

The topic in question?  The medical term is “vaginal atrophy.”  As DePree explained, “As a woman gets older, the vagina gets shorter and more narrow.  The walls become thinner and more fragile—as well as less elastic.  The color becomes a pale pink, which reflects a lack of blood supply.”  Another way of referencing the situation is to say that a woman is “losing patency.”  The biological definition of patency is “the state or quality of being open, expanded, or unblocked.”

It doesn’t have to be that way.  DePree called up the adage, “Use it or lose it.”  That advice was for women in relationships who were finding intercourse uncomfortable, as well as for single women who wanted to maintain optimum vaginal health so that their vaginas would be functional for future sexual activity.

Her four-point program and goals are simple.  To increase a significant blood supply to the genital area in order to maintain vaginal health.  She suggested:

• Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants to prevent dryness, keeping vaginal tissues moist and strong.
• Vaginal dilators to develop or restore the vaginal opening, and help keep vaginal tissues elastic and comfortable.
• Regular clitoral stimulation to maintain blood flow and keep the clitoris strong and responsive.
• Kegel exercises, which not only help women maintain strong orgasms, but help them retain urinary continence.

DePree supports the use of “localized estrogen,” because she maintains that it is “well tolerated” and “very effective in bringing more bloody supply to the area”—so that not only are tissues healthier but “it adds to arousal.”  She did acknowledge that not all women were interested in using estrogen, and that there were other options to keeping the vagina “supple and moist.”

Michele Carelse, who heads up the Native Remedies’ Expert team, takes the naturopathic perspective—which is to look at the larger picture. Carelse believes in going beyond just the symptoms to see a broader context.   Noting that a woman’s “hormonal balance is constantly changing,” she said, “Our point of view is to help the body to achieve hormonal balance. Look at the underlying imbalances, not just the symptoms.”  Making clear that she was not in opposition to traditional medications, Carelse said that she encourages women to speak with their doctors and discuss the Native Remedies that they are using.  She did, however, express a concern with “menopause being viewed as an illness” and “medicalizing a normal process and part of a woman’s life.”

A change in the vaginal cell walls, coming from an imbalance, can lead to inflammation, contractions, and a predisposition to urinary tract infections.  Carelse elucidated that when pH levels have changed and there is dryness of the vaginal walls, it makes it easier for bacteria to enter those walls.  Rather than turn to estrogen, Native Remedies offers a “natural vaginal lubricant” (no parabens, sodium laurel sulphate, or petrochemicals) that features the ingredients of wild yam, essential oils, and aloe.

Dr. Michael Wald, Director of Nutritional Services at Integrated Medicine, suggested via e-mail a series of alternatives for those women who are concerned about using synthetic estrogens and progestins.  They included:

• Various herbal combinations such as Red Raspberry leaf, which is a uterine tonic that helps increase blood flow to the uterus and vaginal tissues.
• Vitamin A rich foods and Vitamin A supplements, which can help vaginal atrophy.  Vitamin A is required for the production of the specialized cells that line the vagina.  No more than 15,000 IUs of vitamin A should be taken in the form of vitamin A supplements.  Foods rich in vitamin A can be consumed liberally and include liver, potatoes, carrots, mangos, spinach, cantaloupe, dried apricots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.
• Zinc is absolutely essential for helping to reverse vaginal atrophy or to slow it down.  Zinc is a mineral that helps to rejuvenate many different types of cells throughout the body, including the specialized cells that line the vagina.  Zinc in the form of nutritional supplements should not exceed 75 mg per day.  Zinc rich foods include: oysters, wheat germ, veal liver, sesame flour and Tahini (Sesame butter), low fat roast beef, roasted pumpkin and squash seeds, dried watermelon seeds, cocoa powder and chocolate, lamb and peanuts.
• Indole 3 carbinol—A nutritional compound found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, eggplant) that helps hormone regulation.
• EPA/DHA fish oil, which helps improve tissue integrity throughout the body. 1-2 grams per day.

• Lactobacillus acidophilus in the form of a vaginal suppository, which is available at health food stores. It is also available in a dairy free form for those with dairy sensitivity.
• Gingko biloba—Improves blood flow to the vagina. The dosage should be the recommended dosage on the bottle or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
• Arginine—Improves blood flow to the vagina. The dosage should be the recommended dosage on the bottle or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
• Vitamin D—Helps cellular regeneration throughout the body. The dosage should be the recommended dosage on the bottle or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.

In following up on DePree’s recommendation for vaginal dilators, I connected with Mark Carter, who has been a force in bringing resources and information about the medical condition of vaginismus to a population that he characterized as being “poorly served.”  He discussed how the dilator set (five pieces which are graduated in size) can “gently stretch out the vaginal canal” which has lost its elasticity. He described the dilators as being made from the highest-grade medical plastic in a United Kingdom factory that is ISO-9000 compliant. In response to my questions, Carter confirmed that the dilators were PCB-free and without phthalates. The construction is seamless with a mirrored finish, and they are tapered at the front with a rounded tip.

Fighting back against the aging woman stereotype is not always easy.  In the 21^st century, women demanding information about their changing bodies shouldn’t have to encounter obstacles.  As DePree wrote in a follow up e-mail, “As we grow older our vaginas change. It’s a natural part of the aging process, not something to be embarrassed about or intimidated by. The important thing is to be proactive. Using your vagina will help keep it elastic and comfortable for sex. We work hard after 40 to maintain our skin, hair, body, brain, and heart. Why not our vulvovaginal tissues too?”

For all those single ladies out there, her final sentence was, “Strong vaginas aren’t just for couples!”

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site Empowher.

Dr. Deborah Rhodes, Courtesy of the Mayo Clinic

At the recent TEDwomen conference in Washington D.C., one of the presenters was Dr. Deborah Rhodes, an internist who has become a leader in assessing breast cancer risk.  She delivered her talk in quiet and measured tones.  Her passion and intensity underscored her commitment to a new diagnostic tool she has developed with a group of colleagues.  Rhodes became immersed in the challenge of how to effectively detect breast tumors in women with dense breast tissue when one of her pregnant patients, in her forties and with a family history of breast cancer, asked her for an honest appraisal of the odds of finding a tumor in its early stages.

Rhodes understood that for women with dense breast tissue, “the mammogram doesn’t work well at all.”  In fact, as she wrote to me via e-mail, “Breast tissue density poses a higher risk for breast cancer than having a mother or sister with the disease, but 9 out of 10 women don’t know this—or how dense their breast tissue is.”

Breast density is genetically determined.  Rhodes qualifies it as the “culprit” for inadequate readings of mammograms. She explained that two-thirds of women in their 40s have dense breast tissue.  If a mammography cannot detect the early onset of cancer in one out of six women in the age range of 40-49, this is a major issue. Although breast density usually declines as a woman ages, up to one-third of women retain breast density for years after they reach menopause.

How important is it for women to know about their breast density? Very.  You can learn this information from your mammogram report.  Rhodes showed slides that illustrated the four categories of breast density.  There are two groups who are at greater risk for not having a tumor detected.  They are those in the heterogeneously dense group (51-75 percent density) and those in the extremely dense group (over 75 percent density).  Both tumors and dense breast tissue appear as white on mammograms.  For those with fatty breasts there is an 80 percent probability of finding a cancer, as opposed to the 40 percent likelihood of finding a cancer in a dense breast.

There has been little change in the field of mammography since the 1960s other than the development of digital mammography—which is still an x-ray of the breast.  Ultrasound is used, as are MRIs—which are costly.

The aha moment for Rhodes came when she was introduced to Michael O’Connor, a nuclear physicist.  He told her about gamma technology.  Gamma rays are not affected by breast density.  Rhodes and O’Connor, along with a core hub of two radiologists and a bio-medical engineer, have formed the Molecular Breast Imagery (MBI) Research Team at Mayo Clinic. They are currently working on a “dual-head” gamma camera that can detect tiny tumors in dense breast tissue.

For imaging, a patient receives an intravenous injection of a radiotracer, which is then picked up by tumorous cells.  Rhodes

Left: Mammo gives negative reading Right: MBI shows 17mm Cancer Courtesy: newsblog.mayoclinic.org

explained, “MBI exploits the different molecular behavior of tumors” which is unaffected by breast density.  In addition, unlike the traditional mammogram, the MBI delivers “light pain free compression.”

With chances for a cure dropping off as the size of a tumor increases, finding a tumor at 1 centimeter gives a patient a 90 percent chance for successful treatment.  The work that Rhodes and her group are doing got them a major nod in 2004, when they received a grant from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  They were funded to study 1,000 women with dense breast tissue, and compare the results with mammography.  (The women chosen were already in the Mayo Clinic system.)  With mammography, 25 percent of cancers were detected; with MBI, the result was 83 percent.  A combination of the two yielded a 92 percent detection rate.

Concentrating on lowering the radiation dose, they have achieved using an amount that is “equivalent to the effective dose from one digital mammogram.” With this reduction, they have moved forward with their screening study.  Rhodes showed an example of how a 67-year old woman who had received a clean bill of health with a digital mammogram was found to have a 3.7-centimeter tumor with an MBI.

Getting their findings published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Radiology has helped them gain traction and exposure in the larger medical community.  Now they need to finalize the screening studies using the low dose.  Protocol demands that the study has to be “replicated” at other institutions.  That could encompass a period of five or more years.

Although the MBI unit has been FDA approved, it is still not widely available.  Rhodes referenced “economic and political forces,” in addition to the science, as contributing factors.

While this technology is continuing to be advanced, Rhodes recommended the following guidelines to women:

• Know your breast density (only the state of Connecticut has mandated that women receive notification of their breast density after taking a mammogram).
• If you are pre-menopausal, try to schedule your mammogram during the first two weeks of your menstrual cycle, when breast density is relatively lower.
• If you notice a persistent change in your breast, insist on having additional imagery screening.
• Have a mammogram every year for women with dense breasts 40 and older.

Via e-mail, Rhodes also expressed what she considered four important features to consider when developing a screening technique that is “well suited to women with dense breasts.”  They are:

1. It has to be better than what we have (mammography—which
works beautifully in women who don’t have dense breasts, but
much less well in women with dense breasts).

2. It cannot generate too many unnecessary biopsies.

3. It has to be safe and comfortable (not too much radiation, adverse reactions, etc.).

4. It has to be affordable.

Rhodes advised that women with dense breasts should discuss all options with their doctors.  For those specifically with “at risk factors” for breast cancer, Rhodes suggested exploring if they are eligible for a breast MRI, which has a higher rate of sensitivity.  She pointed out that not only is an MRI expensive, but that most insurance carriers require that patients meet specific criteria (Typically 20% or greater estimated lifetime risk of developing breast cancer).

A strong believer in women’s self-empowerment through learning about their breasts, she wrote, “I think it is important for women to understand the limitations of a test that they are having year after year – so we can collectively advocate for developing [such] an alternative.”

Rhodes ended her talk at the conference with a final reference to her patient, whose child was now in middle school.  After losing her sister to breast cancer, she made the choice to have a prophylactic mastectomy. Rhodes concluded, “We can and must do better.”

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site Empowher.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  Dr. John R. Sharp, a psychiatrist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, has delved into how the overlap between seasonal, cultural, and personal factors can impact us emotionally.  He presents these instructive insights in his new book The Emotional Calendar.

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s fits into what Sharp describes as a staple of the American “cultural calendar.” When I spoke with him by telephone specifically about this stretch, he addressed how such a holiday “hot spot” can be the catalyst for “emotional disruption.”  These “hot spots” often overlap with an individual’s personal “emotional calendar,” which is comprised of birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, and remembrances of high and low points.  For adults, memories—both positive and negative— become “triggers,” something that causes “feelings from the past to emerge.”  In tandem with the external hoopla of this “celebratory” period, our moods are affected.

Sharp suggests that people should expect things to be different during the holidays.  Grown-ups have experienced losses and disappointments, and therefore have a repository of associative memories to reflect upon. Many of these are rich in the “triggers’ that can set us off.  Recognizing and understanding these reactions can lead to increased self-awareness.

During the Christmas to New Year’s juncture, the challenge is to switch the “light beam” from looking backward to forward, with the purpose of bringing into focus hopes and aspirations for the upcoming year.  Sharp qualifies the beginning of January as the perfect time to nurture, rest, and determine new goals.  He advises undertaking a positive but realistic outlook, while being careful not to set oneself up for disappointment.

Weather, light, and humidity are variables that cannot be dismissed as having an impact on the emotions.  Acknowledgment of seasonal mood disorders goes back 2,000 years to the writings of Greek philosopher Posidonius.  Most cultures and religions recognize the apprehension that accompanies the cold, dark season, and have created festivals that are intertwined with light.

The first mention of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in medical literature was in 1984. The current stats show that 4 to 10 percent of the general population is affected by this condition, with women being more susceptible than men.  A decrease in sunlight during the winter months can increase melatonin production, making people feel lethargic or depressed.  Daylight Savings Time often adds to disorientation.

It is important to look at your personal experiences, and examine how they have conditioned your emotional responses. One person’s beautiful blanket of pristine snow can prompt another individual to remember a broken arm suffered in the aftermath of a treacherous blizzard.  Sharp explains, “The mindset doesn’t have to be set in stone.”  We shape our brain connections through experiences that become “neurally encoded.”  If the holiday season or the onset of winter has been a time of anticipatory negativity, Sharp proposes that you can reformulate the personal expectation you are conditioned to—and break the “victim of circumstance” format.  During these months he recommends creating new traditions, self-nurturing, and connecting with “warm, wintery tastes and textures.”  This can included enjoying soups, stews, scented candles, and layering up in clothing that keeps you warm.  (A room set to 72°F is the optimal temperature for a good mood!)  Finding some ritual that is authentic for you can be a process for connecting with the season-at-hand.

Why do seasons carry emotional baggage?  The problem comes when we feel out of sync.  For Sharp, the most dependable key to coping is “self-awareness.”  He points out that “any pattern that plays out over a period of 12 to 15 years—especially early in life—is bound to leave an imprint.” His definition of a birthday is “an emotionally charged marker on how we track time.”

Sharp outlines that our emotional calendars are closely associated with the way our memories function, clarifying, “Our brain encodes, catalogues, and cross-references events.”  However, a person can change their response to those memories, as “our brains don’t have to remain static.” People are distressed when they feel “dissonance,” which emanates from an experience when their “emotions are different from the way they expect to feel.”  However, as Sharp states, “It is possible to create a new experience, innovate a tradition, take a personal inventory, and concentrate on self-aware behaviors.”

“Adaptive control,” which is maintaining an emotional balance in the face of destabilizing factors (whether seasonal, cultural, or emotional) is a strategy for taking a deliberate step to change or manage the situation.  Sharp terms that action as “turning off the auto-pilot.”  He counsels sorting through feelings, finding the sources of our emotions, and recognizing the positive and negative patterns in our lives.  With an increase in self-observation, one can gain perspective and identify elements that point to a recurring problem— and then steer themselves in a different direction.

New beginnings of any sort can be challenging.  Sharp lets readers know they are not isolated in their perceptions, while giving them a set of tools for mindfulness, understanding, and being pro-active about their emotional health.

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site Empowher.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) doesn’t think so.  A long time consumer advocate, Schakowsky is spearheading a move to revamp the obsolete federal law from 1938.  She has introduced House Resolution 5786, with current co-sponsors Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

In 2001, Schakowsky introduced the Safe Notification and Information for Fragrances Act.  At that time, she reached out to Janet Nudelman, who serves as both the legislative coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Director of Program and Policy for the Breast Cancer Fund.  Nudelman outlined how fragrance was only a small part of the larger problem—toxic chemicals throughout the spectrum of cosmetics and personal care products. When I interviewed Nudelman she said, “Rep. Schakowsky looked to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics as a resource when she was developing her legislation.  We helped her identify the key issues that needed to be addressed.  The result was the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.”

The premise of the Safe Cosmetics Act is to secure legislation that would terminate those loopholes in federal law that currently allows companies to use any ingredients—even those known to have an adverse effect on human health and the environment.  Chemicals in products shown to have a link to cancer, birth defects, and learning disabilities would be eliminated.

Statistics show that 80 percent of all personal care products can be tainted with “cancer causing pollutants.”  As Schakowsky pointed out, “It’s not just a women’s issue.”  In a teleconference about the Resolution, Markey said, “Men just don’t think of themselves in terms of cosmetics.”  Yet they are at risk from the unregulated formulations in shaving creams, aftershaves, and deodorants.

Included on the call was actress and cancer activist Fran Drescher, who spoke about her concerns.  “The cosmetics industry can no longer be a self-regulating industry,” she opined. A repeated premise was that safety standards had to be uniform. Markey emphasized, “The details are important.”

There would be big changes for the fragrance industry. Previously shielded by invoking “confidentiality” in the categories of “fragrance, flavor, and color,” they would have to disclose and label their products with the chemicals that are used as preservatives.

Jane Houlihan, Vice President for Research at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), weighed in on the proposed bill commenting, “The legislation would give [the] FDA real authority to ensure that personal care products sold in the United States met a basic standard of safety.”  The EWG has put together the “Skin Deep” database with over 60,000 product entries that allows consumers to research the levels of toxicity in the beauty items they use.

Two previous attempts at putting regulations into place in 1973 and 1988 failed.  Markey made clear, “We intend on insuring that cosmetics will no longer fall into a regulatory back hole that winds up hurting people.”

The proposed bill has nine key provisions.  They are:

Registration of Cosmetic Companies and Registration Fees: Cosmetics companies would be required to register with the FDA and pay registration fees.

Cosmetic and Ingredient Testing and Safety: The FDA would establish a list of ingredients prohibited from being used in cosmetics.  Manufacturers would be required to conduct safety assessments and submit information to the FDA.

Cosmetics and Ingredient Statements: Companies would have to submit ingredient statements for every product they manufacture to the FDA.

Ingredient Labels on Cosmetics: The label on each package of cosmetics would be required to list the name of each ingredient, including the components of fragrance.

Post Market Testing: This requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct annual random sample tests for pathogens or contaminants in cosmetic products.

Mandatory Reporting of Adverse Health Effects: Cosmetic Manufacturers, packagers, and distributors would have to submit a report to the FDA on any serious adverse events associated with the use of a cosmetic.

Market Restrictions: For products that fail to meet the safety standard, HR 5789 would provide the FDA with recall authority, the ability to request a voluntary recall, or to order a halt to distribution.

Worker Issues: This requires companies that distribute cosmetics for salon use to provide information on health hazards listed by authoritative bodies, or found in scientific studies.

States Rights: This allows states to set more stringent standards.

I contacted Stacy Malkan, spokesperson for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.  She has been involved in chemical safety policy reform for ten years and is also the author of Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.

Malkan reeled off more numbers supporting her belief in the need for legislation.  She told me that only 13 percent of cosmetic chemicals have been publicly reviewed for safety: more than 70 percent of all personal care products may contain phthalates, which are linked to birth defects and infertility: there is also evidence that some baby soaps contain the cancer causing chemical 1,4 dioxane, formaldehyde, or both.

Having checked the Skin Deep database, I was discouraged to learn that some of the items I use, advertised as “natural” or “eco-friendly,” had problems.  Malkan explained, “Even if an ingredient comes from a plant or is organic, it needs to be accessed for safety.”  Therefore, it is important to also take into account that the labels “safe” and “natural” have no legal definitions.

Speaking about how big brands were working to capitalize on consumer interest in greener alternatives, Malkan referenced name players who were either creating alternative lines to their regular cosmetics or buying pre-existing “green” labels, while still using toxins in their other products.  She singled out Estée Lauder for specific criticism. Malkan suggested, “If they can use less parabens or formaldehyde releasing toxins in the Origins line, why don’t they extend that to their other products?  How can they support breast cancer research and at the same time have carcinogens in their makeup?”

Malkan described how cosmetic chemicals in shampoo, toothpaste, hand soap, and bath products wash down the drain into the national waterways—and end up in the fish that we eat.  Admitting that the big picture could be overwhelming, Malkan suggested that simple steps could reduce chemical exposure.  Her advice to individuals was to “start by cutting a few things out” of your beauty routine.  “Less is more. Simpler is better.” Top advice was to avoid synthetic fragrance, and use fewer products overall—especially on babies and young children.

I asked her for a list of what she considered the most toxic components to avoid. They are:

Parabens: Widely used as a preservative in a range of personal care products.  They are suspected endocrine disruptors that can mimic estrogen in the body. Higher lifetime exposure to estrogen is a known risk factor for breast cancer.

Ethoxylated chemicals: Chemicals such as sodium laureth sulfate, PEGs, ceteareth-20 and other chemicals with “eth” in the name are often contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, a probable human carcinogen that may also be toxic to the kidneys, brain and respiratory system, according to the California EPA.

Triclosan in anti-bacterial soaps: This pesticide is found in a range of products including anti-bacterial hand soaps, dishwashing liquids, and toothpaste. Triclosan is associated with carcinogenic byproducts, and is linked to disruption of the thyroid hormone.  The U.S. FDA has found there is no evidence that triclosan soaps are more effective in killing germs than regular soap and water.

Hydroquinone in skin lightening and face creams: Banned in the European Union but legal in the United States, hydroquinone is a suspected carcinogen.

Coal tar-based hair dyes: Several coal tar-based ingredients have been found to cause cancer in lab animals. Studies of humans link long-time hair dye use with cancer, including bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Found in bath products and shampoos. Formaldehyde, is a known allergen and probable human carcinogen.
Fragrance: Studies have found that many fragrances contain sensitizing chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions such as headaches, wheezing, and asthma attacks. Many fragrances contain diethyl phthalate, a chemical linked to sperm damage in adult men and abnormal reproductive development in baby boys.

On a positive note, Malkan referred me to a list of companies that have already signed a pledge to make safe products, available at The Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Addition resources include: the EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide; the Whole Foods program tied to their Premium Body Care seal; the OPI nail company—which has reformulated its line of Nail Lacquers, Nail Treatments, and Nail Hardeners to eliminate DBP (dibutyl phthalate) and Toluene. (They have an “OPI Cares” link on their site).

Malkan sees the bill as an “incredible opportunity”—a once in a generation possibility to put “health protective environmental regulations in place for the cosmetics industry.”  She is aware that not everyone sees it that way.  She told me, “The bill has certainly stirred up a lot of passion, which was to be expected since this is the first attempt to regulate an industry that has had very few regulations to deal with.”  She continued, “My view is that there are some legitimate questions about the bill, but there is a desire on the part of environmental groups to work together with small businesses to come up with a final bill that is meaningful and workable.”  She noted, “There are already people who are spreading disinformation about the bill and about environmental health science, which is not helpful to the debate on how to make the beauty industry as safe as it can be.”

Optimistically Malkan concluded, “I think people’s behavior is already changing. The sales of green personal care products are growing faster than that of conventional products.”

“We don live in a bubble.  Home use, food packaging, air and water pollution—we’re being doused with chemicals.  Cosmetics are the tip of the iceberg.  If we can do something about it, why not?” Nudelman underscored.  At the Breast Cancer Fund, the organization’s mission is to prevent breast cancer by identifying and eliminating the environmental links to the disease.  “Consumers have the right to know,” Nudelman emphasized, pointing to transparency as the goal.  “Why do companies use harmful ingredients when they can do a product without it?” Nudelman asked rhetorically.  Her answer was, “Because they can, and there is no standard definition of safety.  It’s business as usual.  It’s what they have always done.”

The Personal Care Products Council, based in Washington, D.C., doesn’t agree.  They describe their organization as the “leading national trade association representing the $250 billion global cosmetic and personal care products industry…whose member companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.”  They issued a statement in reaction to the Safe Cosmetics Act on July 21, through Lezlee Westine, the President and CEO of the Personal Care Products Council.

I spoke by telephone with Kathleen Dezio, Personal Care Council spokeswoman, to get a clearer perception of her organization’s position.  She told me, “”We think our proposals are more rooted in practicality and efficacy in terms of product safety.  A regulatory regime for cosmetics that is stricter than the regulations for food, drugs, or medical devices is costly, unnecessary, and it’s impractical.”

I asked her if she would define the Personal Care Products Council as a lobbying organization.  She responded, “We do lobby like other trade associations, but that’s a small part of what we do.  The largest part of our operations is scientific services for our member companies.”

Dezio did believe that “the FDA cosmetics regulatory structure should be contemporized,” saying, “And we have put forward a proposal we believe would effectively accomplish that. We have also lobbied for several years to secure more funding for FDA’s cosmetics office. Yet she made clear,  “I think that a lot of the allegations being made about cosmetic ingredient safety are misrepresentations of what the scientific community thinks.”  She pointed to a study conducted by the FDA published in July/August 2009 about lead in lipstick.  The FDA responded to the question, “Is there a safety concern about the lead found by FDA in lipsticks?” with the answer, “Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use, is only ingested incidentally and in very small quantities. The FDA does not consider the lead levels that it found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern.”  Nevertheless, the FDA went on to state that it will “continue to test for lead in a wider range of lipsticks, including lipsticks similar to those recently assessed for lead content by another laboratory.⁴”

Nudelman believes that “for the last seventy years they [the council] have been lobbying against regulation of the industry.”  She told me, “We want companies to step up to the plate and say we want to be part of the solution, not the problem.”

The battle has just begun. Annie Leonard’s seven-minute video, The Story of Cosmetics, has already received over 300,000 hits on YouTube. Dezio, in turn, responded with a statement about the animated short saying, “The content in this harsh and unscientific ‘shockumentary – genre’ video bears no relationship to the ‘real’ story of cosmetics.”

I contacted Rep. Schakowsky directly to find out how long it will take to move the legislation along.  Her estimate was that it would get to the next stage “early on in the next [Congressional] session.”  When I questioned her about the likelihood of pushback from the cosmetic and fragrance industries her reply was succinct: “We will work with them, or not, to make sure what ends up on the shelf is safe.”

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site Empowher.

Image courtesy of RVR Associates.

Quilt in honor of Andrea

Most American women might presume that the dangers of maternal mortality are a concern and problem only in developing nations. They’re wrong.  A March 2010 report put out by Amnesty International entitled, Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA, highlights eye-opening findings. The data is based on research carried out during 2008 and 2009.  The organization has framed their conclusions as a call to action for women’s human rights in America.  The revelation that “more than two women die everyday in the USA from complications of pregnancy and childbirth,” with half of those death being preventable if appropriate maternal health care was accessible, demands accountability.  Since there are no federal requirements to report maternal mortality, the actual number of deaths may exceed those counted by double the amount.

What constitutes maternal health?  The World Health Organization defines it as the “health of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and the post-partum period.”  How does America, the number one global spender on health care, measure up against other nations? The latest available statistics come from 2006, when there were 13.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.  In an example of a one-on-one matchup, when compared with Germany, the United States racks up figures at four times the German numbers.

Within our borders, the news is even more dismal.  Broken down by state, Maine had the best showing at 1.2 deaths per 100,000 live births.  The District of Columbia had the most disconcerting figures: 34.9 per 100,000 live births.  What, as a country, are we doing wrong?

As documented in the 138-page hard copy Amnesty International report, there is no shortage of contributing factors.

First and foremost, America has no nationally implemented guidelines and standards for a comprehensive system of maternal health care.  Amnesty has suggested that the “U.S. Congress should direct and fund the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an Office of Maternal Health.”  Projections show that improving the standard of care could prevent close to 50 percent of deaths.

A starting point is the necessity of prenatal care, which is defined by The Healthy People 2010 Goals as thirteen prenatal visits beginning at the first trimester.  Those women who do not receive this medical attention are shown to be three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than women who do.  The reasons women don’t connect with this crucial care emanates from a health system that currently sustains impediments to care, and is rife with bureaucracy, inadequate services, and even discrimination.

In 2009, more than one in six Americans had no health insurance.  Thirteen million women from the ages of 15-44 were part of that demographic.  Health care costs can be prohibitive.  An uncovered ultrasound costs $1,000.  Accessibility in both rural areas and inner cities is a major obstacle.  In these settings, it can be problematic for women to obtain transportation to clinics, and even then, many of the serving institutions are seriously understaffed.  Quandaries arise when a woman has to choose between showing up for her job and keeping a prenatal visit.  Inflexible office hours, lack of childcare for other children, and language barriers also present challenges.

Women of color (African-American, Latina, Native American), women in poverty, and immigrant women are hardest hit by these obstacles to prenatal care. It was documented that African-American women were four times more likely to die of pregnancy related complications than white women.

Jennifer Dohrn, DNP, has worked on the frontlines as a midwife since 1987, when she joined forces with the Morris Heights Health Center in the southwest Bronx in New York City. As the first freestanding birth center in the country for urban women, the MHHC served those with no access to health care.  Dohrn wrote by e-mail, “Maternal mortality is not an unsolvable problem.  We have the technology to provide safe motherhood for women in the United States and globally.” When Dohrn started, one-third of the women in the community had received no prenatal care at the time of delivery, and infant mortality ranked amongst the highest in the country. Opening a center that was accessible to women encouraged early entry into prenatal care given by skilled midwives, continuous involvement of the family, and safe delivery with promotion of breastfeeding.  There were no long waits, the staff reflected the culture of the clientele, and state financed programs for pregnancy covered the costs.  As Dohrn made clear, “This is a model of how it can be done.”

Another key factor in the maternal health equation is the Caesarean section.  Almost one-third of all American deliveries fall into this category, a number that is twice as high as the World Health Organization recommendation.  The odds of death after a C-section are more than three times higher than vaginal births.  75 percent of maternal deaths occur after a Caesarean delivery.

I spoke with Dr. Charles S. Mahan about the alarming extent of procedures taking place nationally.  His primary concern was that women were having unnecessary operations.  He has seen an escalation in the procedure over the past five to tens years.  Dr. Mahan believes that a major reason in the rise of C-sections is that women are not getting enough facts about potential complications to give “true informed consent.”   He stressed that many patients were under the impression that it was safe to deliver their babies at thirty-seven or thirty-eight weeks.  The optimum time frame is between thirty-nine to forty-two weeks.  Dr. Mahan suggested that doctors might be choosing this form of delivery based on considerations that were not purely medical.  He emphasized the inherent dangers, explaining that “the surgical procedure poses short and long term health risks to mothers and infants.”  Dr. Mahan pointed out that a “scarred uterus poses risk to future pregnancies and deliveries.”  In addition, women who have Caesarean deliveries are more likely to experience “deep venous clots that can result in pulmonary embolism or stroke.”  He referenced the CIMS website and their February 2010 fact sheet for cutting-edge data on Caesarean sections.  It should be noted that inadequate post-partum care contributes to more than half of all maternal deaths, which occur between one and forty-two days after delivery.

One of the points that the report highlighted was that “women are not given a say in decisions and do not get enough information about sign of complications and risks of interventions—including induced labor and Caesarean deliveries.”  Severe complications that almost cause a maternal death during a delivery are euphemistically referred to as “a near miss.”  Annually, 34,000 American women have that experience.

Angela Burgin Logan falls into this category.  When I spoke with her by telephone she related a hair-raising story that combined elements of medical arrogance, missed and ignored symptoms, and a form of physician brow-beating that made her feel dismissed as an “hysterical” mother-to-be.  Her mantra now is “Listen to your own voice.”

A college educated, upper-income African American woman living in western New York State, she took extreme care in researching and picking her OB-GYN.  Yet as she described, “Not too long into the pregnancy, something didn’t feel right.”  She was gaining weight at a troubling rate, and at five months she could not lie flat on her back.  She had pains in her left arm.  The red flags were up for orthopnea and heart failure.

Only at her urging did her doctor finally agree to send her for a work up.  The nurse/technician on duty alerted her to worrisome symptoms.  Despite the presence of protein in her urine—a clear indicator of preeclampsia—her doctor “sluffed it off.”

Burgin Logan spent her final three months of pregnancy sleeping upright in a chair.  When she rushed to the hospital ER at thirty-seven weeks complaining that she “couldn’t breathe,” her husband was advised that she was having a panic attack.  Rather, fluid had flooded her lungs, making it impossible for her to take in air.  An ongoing series of medical missteps meant that Burgin Logan had to be induced into a coma in order for her life to be saved.  Miraculously, she and her daughter survived the birth process.

Having been given only a 20 percent shot of survival, Burgin Logan told me, “I’m on a mission to make a difference for mothers and babies.”  She writes about her experience on her site, and blogs about related issues for Lifetime Moms.

In retrospect, Burgin Logan believes that the issue of “gender” and “not being taken seriously” played the largest role in her ordeal.  If this is the experience of a privately insured, professional woman— one can only imagine the tribulations facing those women who lack financial resources and easy availability to health services.

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site Empowher.

Image courtesy of  ©2010 The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project

Quilt block is in honor of Andrea Campanari.

Unfortunately this is not uncommon, as the disease is commonly confused with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.  Patients can be put on a series of medications, which in fact have no connection to their condition.  Time is squandered, finances are drained, and the patient deteoriates.  The answers were available, if only the right questions had been asked.

A current leader in the field of procedures for spine and brain disorders, Dr. Santiago Figuereo, a board certified neurological surgeon and founder of the Miami Neurological Institute, walked me through a primer on NPH.  Succinctly, he gave me a basic overview of the disease and how it can be treated.  He explained that that it occurs with greater frequency in people over 60 years of age, and that many of the people that he sees have had their symptoms incorrectly mistaken for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is the number one neurological disorder.  Dr. Figuereo clarified that dementia is not a disease, it’s a symptom.  The term defines memory loss.  The question to ask is, “Why does a patient have dementia?”  Parkinson’s can lead to dementia; senile dementia happens in older people.  Most importantly, not all memory loss issues are the same.

In illnesses categorized as neurodegenerative diseases, there is “a wasting of the brain.”  Since memory loss is a symptom of NPH, the initial reaction of an attending physician is often, “It’s Alzheimer’s.  I can’t help you.”

Part of the detective process can include ordering an MRI or CAT scan.  But that does not hold the key.  Physicians need to know the difference between the distinctive features of NPH and Alzheimer’s that make them look the same.  A “clinical suspicion” must become a call to action to avoid going down the wrong path.

There are three red flags for NPH.  They are:

• Memory problems
• Bladder control, urinary frequency, incontinence
• Gait and balance issues

A recognition of these factors, which may not present simultaneously, is the clearest way to suspect the presence of NPH.

Dr. Figuereo explained that the skull cavity is filled with brains.  Older brains shrink, and brain fluid fills up the extra space. When there is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain and the brain is unable to properly drain the excess water that has accumulated, the solution is to place a “shunt” in the brain. This piece of medical hardware acts as a catheter.

Dr. Figuereo walked me through the steps of the operation.  He explained that results for success could only be ascertained two months after the surgery.  Risk factors with the procedure run at about one in two hundred.  Candidates must evaluate the risk/benefit ration.  Dr. Figuereo emphasized that most patients were anxious to undergo the procedure with the hopes that the operation would reverse their decline.

The procedure consists of employing a laparoscopy, and takes approximately twenty minutes.  First, a harpoon device is guided from inside the brain down into the abdominal cavity, where the excess drained fluid is released.  Dr. Figuereo used the analogy of putting a hose into a fuel tank to extract gasoline – which is then placed elsewhere. Tunneling under the skin’s fat, the harpoon travels through the chest into the abdomen.  There, the laparoscopic technology is used to remove the directive harpoon.

The brain water can now be drained into the abdominal cavity.  Since the flow of pressure is not appropriate for all patients, valves in the middle of the tube work on a “dam theory,” making individual adjustments on pressure.  Currently, programmable valves that work by remote control are available.

In speaking with Dr. Figuereo it was clear that he was concerned that so many of the neurologists and psychiatrists that people were seeking out for information, had inadequate knowledge.  He recommended contacting a doctor who specializes in NPH in the face of any warning signs that are the hallmarks of the disease.

Duane Hilton, an artist who lives in California, had the procedure.  He told me, “It’s remarkable what happens after the operation.  It just takes all the symptoms away.”  He was originally told that he had arthritis.

Several websites give support and answer questions, including LifeNPH and the National Institutes of Health. The bottom line is to be proactive.

This article originally appeared on the website Empowher.

When I interviewed Murray by telephone, he related that when he began his film the focus was on his mother and his brother, Christopher.  It was tentatively titled, A Light in His Eyes, and recounted the story of how Janice Murray had refused to accept the diagnostic doomsday verdicts put forth by the Park Avenue doctors and psychiatrists she had visited in search for answers about her son.

The film is being featured on Showtime during April, Autism Awareness month.  Currently, an average of 1 in 110 children in the United States present with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. When Chris was born in 1960, the whites of his eyes were totally red – a sign of oxygen deprivation.  Recent laboratory studies have shown that oxygen deprivation is a cause leading to autism. In 1964, years before mothers felt they had the right to question medical authority, Janice Murray rejected the directive to place her son in an institution. Instead, she embarked on a regimen of what is now termed “early intervention.”  She engaged her son in exercises involving “creeping and patterning,” utilized vitamin therapy, and fed Chris “wheat germ cookies and Tigers milk powder.”  She involved all the siblings in “a campaign to pull out” all of Chris’s potential.  The only person she couldn’t get on board was her husband, Thomas E. Murray II, who was in denial about his son’s issues. They were too difficult for him to acknowledge or accept.

That’s where the story veers off from the director’s initially intended narrative.  As Murray explained, “I discovered a cache of films and realized that there were a couple of stories going on.”  He had already planned to incorporate home movies from the 50s and 60s, which captured his seemingly happy and affluent childhood in Southampton.  However, the found footage added a new and complex dimension to the history.

The director sets up the family lineage, beginning with great-grandfather Thomas E. Murray, whose inventions and patents would be the source of the clan’s wealth. Captured on the recovered reels are images of his grandfather, John F. Murray, a commissioner of the Port Authority under Franklin Roosevelt. We learn that he hobnobbed with Al Smith and Jimmy Walker, and was a bipolar alcoholic who died at 37.  He also hated his youngest son, Tom and Chris’s father.

From this grandfather came a legacy, in the form of bipolar illness, which would impact the subsequent generations.  As Murray recounts through interviews with his family, their father was incapable of any real intimacy and had an explosive temper that “could come out of nowhere.”  Yet, part of the film evidences itself as a love letter from the filmmaker to his father.  Murray acknowledged when we spoke, “I idolized and adored my father, to a fault.  I had a driving need and desire to try to compensate for the void that was left by his dad.”  Murray admits that his life was shaped by the “fix the parent” role that he took upon himself.  Now in his fifties, he has concluded that, “It’s not my job to fix anybody.”

His father fell into a downward spiral that included the end of his marriage, and financial ruin that led to the loss of the family’s homes in Southampton and Manhattan. He steadfastly refused to acknowledge his problems. Increasingly delusional behavior had him insisting, “It’s all going to be fine.” He died in an accident in 1979, when he was 52. Tom narrates how, by serendipity, he saw his father on the last day of his life. It was just hours before he drowned in the ocean, near the beach where he had taught his children to swim.

In drawing the parallels between his father’s dysfunctionality and Chris’s challenges, Murray ties the disparate strands together. When the viewer is introduced to Chris Murray at the beginning of the film, they see a pleasant looking middle-age man with speech patterns similar to Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man.  We learn about his early years from his indomitable mother, and about his current life from him.  Chris has lived independently for twenty-five years in New Haven, where he works at a health food store and at Yale New Haven Hospital.  He gets a haircut on Saturdays, visits his mother in Manhattan, and is “hoping to get a girlfriend.”  He maintains relationships with other graduates from Chapel Haven, the facility where he learned his independence skills. A counselor checks in on him.  At 82, his mother – ever the parent – is emotionally preparing Chris for the time when she will no longer be “here.”

Through what Murray qualifies as his brother’s “guilelessness,” we get ironic insights.  Chris believes that the reason for vacating the family’s apartment was because the residence had “become too big.”  Yet, as his mother explains, he is aware “in his own way that the father, who was a loving man, was unstable.”  Reflecting on their father’s death, Chris tell his brother, “He’s in no pain anymore.”

After the loss of his father, Chris began painting.  He started portraying New York City buildings in drawings, using a ruler and pencils.  “The buildings are big,” he says.  His brother notes, “It’s always a beautiful day in your paintings.”  In 1999, Gloria Vanderbilt saw one of his works at a friend’s home. Through her introduction to a gallery, Chris has been exhibiting his art. Paintings have been placed in private and public collections.

Thirty years later, Chris still holds his father close to him. He reiterates how his father is proud of him and his painting, and is watching over him.  In a dialogue, from which the movie takes its name, Chris explains that his father, who harbored an intense dislike of Richard Nixon, is now up in heaven with the President.  They have become friends and “are playing poker.”

Murray sees his brother as “a shining example of what the future of autism might be.”  Discussing the extensive information available to families now, he believes that Chris’s story provides a window into hope for those who have just started their journey into dealing with the autistic spectrum.  Murray said, “We knew our family was different, but it made us more sensitive and aware of those with differences.”

It is with justification that the movie is dedicated to Janice Murray with the words:

“To Mom – Who Never Stopped Believing”

Photos: Courtesy of Showtime