momma and babies

Whispers of heart shaped toast, a card found tucked away in the back of the minivan, items being held up in stores with “Mom, do you like this?” being asked; in my life, these are the stirrings of Mother’s Day. It will be the first year that my children are left totally to their own devices, because my husband’s job has kept him in Panama for a while longer than the rest of the family. I think the kids have it covered, the little angels!

My own mother has been gone for 13 years now, although from time to time, she sits on my shoulder and offers words of encouragement, “You’re doing a great job, they are wonderful children”, or makes a comment if I’m in the dressing room trying something on, “Cynthia, you look like you’re wearing the dining room tablecloth”, or when someone is behaving in a particularly frustrating way, “If you have nothing nice to say, keep your mouth shut”. We could frustrate the living hell out of each other, but loved each other to pieces. From her I learned about my roots. At holidays or certain times of year, the big white boards that were used to roll out dough would come up from the basement and the cooking would commence. Peirogi, stuffed cabbage, chrusztiki with powdered sugar, kapusta with butter beans, all the old Irish favorites. Memories of polishing the dining room furniture with that particular childish intensity and lemon Pledge until it was glowing, sitting at her sewing machine while she ironed my school uniform and my dad’s police uniform (I need only plug my iron in to be transported directly home), watching her sit on the front porch with coffee and the neighbors while all of us kids played hide and seek on our dead end street (there weren’t cul-de-sacs back then in Secaucus, NJ). The jars she would help me to put holes in the lids of to give my lightning bugs air to breath while they spent the night next to my bed, the patience she had when I would turn the entire basement into a Barbie wonderland village, and how she didn’t mind that I had pet snakes and dogs, but drew the line at cats for some reason, these little things that make me wonder what my children will recall about me. She is much missed, but remembered with every beautiful sunset, or spring blooming of lilacs, lily of the valley, and the fluffy pink cherry trees. She would motion me over to the window with her finger held up to her lips and hand me a pair of binoculars to see the baby robins that had just hatched in the nest that was sheltered year after year in the big Kwanzan cherry tree in our yard. I still have a beautiful black gown of hers that I wear to weddings and always get tons of compliments on, and I say, thank-you, it was my mom’s. I think I understood a part of her that was hard for her to share with the rest of the world and I will be eternally grateful that she entrusted that with me.

In time, a woman that I had spent a lot of time with, the mother of a close friend from college, began to fill that motherless void in my life. We had spent a lot of time together at what my friends and I referred to as “The Grupe Estate”, escaping from college and crowded apartments in the city to the cool inviting waters of their pool and the relaxed atmosphere that her spirit provided. She says I was the easiest pregnancy she had (which would make me stick my tongue out playfully at Dennis, my adopted brother). And with her in my life, I learned a whole different set of lessons and subtleties about life; always use the china and glassware and fancy everything, it makes life just that much better, life is for living and enjoying those you love, serve classic foods that taste incredible, always keep chocolate kisses in a crystal bowl (my children will remember that one for sure), just make yourself available to the people in your life that you love. She just radiates warm fuzziness in my heart. I can feel her chocolate chip cookie, big hug, now you’re home and safe feeling, from anywhere in the world.

These women are gifts in my life. They’re a part of my heart, they’re my sanctuary. My strength, my rock, my role models. What I hope I am for my children. What I hope I evoke when they look back and define home and love for themselves. The trails of love notes tucked into drawers, black composition notebooks filled with clippings of spelling bees and honor rolls, the cookbooks that offer up dried leaves pressed between pages when you turn to a favorite recipe, all these things mean “mom” to me and they represent that much bigger deeper energy that I connect to when I stick my hands in the dirt to plant, or when I took my little toddlers by the hand to show them all of the plants in the garden that woke up each spring; the crocuses, the snow drops, their tender, delicate-but-strong heads poking out through last autumn’s blanket of leaves.

Nourishing amazing motherhood, recognized on Mother’s Day, but unnecessarily so for me, as my thanks are in hugs, kind words that I hear my children say to others, looks exchanged that are full of meaning between us, the fact that my son would say “I’m glad I went with you to Pamela’s house instead of going out with my friends”; moments that speak of the bond that grows between mother and child from the first moment we have an awareness of their existence in our bellies, hushing them to sleep with the sound of our heart beat.

Happy Mother’s Day, and please check out this special contest from Integrative Nutrition for the mother in your life or yourself. Share a few words about how a mother you know nourishes her world and you might win a scholarship to IIN or SpaFinder certificates that will pamper you for a day or a year. Check it out here: May is for Vitamin M!

I love you Mom and Pamela! xo Cynthia

Today I have a guest blog to address the importance of lifestyle changes to lower your risk of colon and other cancers and colonoscopies. I promise, they are not the end of the world, try to think of it as a spa day that could potentially save your life. Can’t say that about a pedicure! Speak with your gastroenterologist and remind him that you are a human being who needs to be handled with care and concern and respect. I always remind my doctor that we are partners in my health and that I do not want to be aware of anything that involves the actual procedure, until he nudges me awake later to tell me my results. He knows not to even move a sheet until I am out cold. Trust me, I have tried to tough it out and do it without any twilight meds. It’s unpleasant. Not impossible to tolerate, but unnecessary. Don’t do it. Save that for giving birth (ladies), but not for this. Take the drugs and relax. But go and be vigilant, colon cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the US. It doesn’t need to be, it’s highly preventable and highly curable!

Researchers from the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark said after extensive studies that maintaining healthy practices like keeping a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping your weight down and avoiding alcohol and tobacco greatly reduces the likelihood that you will develop colorectal cancer. They published their findings in the British Medical Journal.

Anne Tjonneland, M.D. from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, who was involved in the Danish studies, said that almost 25 percent of people diagnosed with colon cancer could have actually prevented the disease by just following these simple health guidelines. Out of all the different types of cancers, said Dr. Tjonneland, colon cancer is one of the cancers for which risk is greatly dependent on a person’s normal, daily habits.

Every year, the National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 50,000 people will suffer from fatal cases of colorectal cancer in the United States. This puts colon cancer just under the number one cancer killer, lung and bronchial cancer. These statistics were taken from studies conducted between 2003 and 2010.

But the Danish study suggests that just exercising for half an hour every day, refraining from drinking 14 drinks per week (7 per week if you’re female), not smoking and keeping your waist 40 inches or smaller (35 inches or smaller if you’re female) can substantially lower the risk of colon cancer being fatal. Even conservative steps to change your lifestyle habits for the better may pay off.

Scientists at the Danish Cancer Society observed more than 55,000 patients over a period of 10 years, collecting data. After the test period almost 700 had been diagnosed with colon cancer. Next, researchers cross referenced the data with descriptions of how well these patients had stuck to the recommended lifestyle changes. Not surprisingly, 23 percent of the colon cancer cases could have been avoided if the individuals had kept to all 5 standards. Even if they’d just tried to maintain 1 of the guidelines, 13 percent of cases could have been avoided.

While news that a healthy lifestyle practices prevent cancer is nothing new, Boston-based colon cancer specialist Jeffrey Meyerhardt, M.D. said that it’s an important message nonetheless. The Danish study showed that these 5 lifestyle factors effectively worked together to promote cancer prevention. The Danish study has been replicated and confirmed by others released by the Harvard School of Public Health and Colorectal Disease, a medical journal.

Representatives from the American Cancer Society noted, however, that these studies do not account for individuals with a history of polyps or a family history of colon cancer. Those genetically pre-disposed to getting diagnosed with colon cancer may not benefit as much as these test subjects did, although maintaining lifestyle habits couldn’t hurt. In addition to making the necessary lifestyle adjustments, these individuals should be extra careful to get screened for colorectal disease at the recommended intervals, starting at age 50 or earlier.

Nader is a guest author from Colonoscopy.com, a site that seeks to reduce colon cancer rates by increasing awareness.

lemon water

Do you remember Eddie Murphy’s word of the day on Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood on Saturday Night Live? Classic. So, boys and girls, our word for the day is: nephrolithiasis (nef-ro-le-thi-a-sis) or kidney stones. As per the Cleveland Clinic, kidney stones form when the urine is too rich in:

• calcium oxalate
• calcium phosphate
• magnesium ammonium phosphate
• uric acid
• cysteine (due to a genetic disorder of 4 amino acids)

You can either view the urine as being too rich in these compounds or not dilute enough, meaning you need more urine output (which means you need to drink more water). Kidney stones are merely the end product of a process that takes some time to occur. It’s best to be proactive, and keep your kidneys healthy and sludge free; as kidney disease, beyond kidney stones, is very silent and can often only exhibit symptoms when the kidneys have lost 70-80% of their function.

I recently noticed a report in The Journal of Urology, Impact of Nutritional Factors on Incident Kidney Stone Formation, concerning the risk factors for kidney stones. I felt that some key aspects needed to be addressed and expounded upon.

Here are the basic findings:

In the study of 78,293 women from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, 2.5% reported an incidence of kidney stone formation. Among these women the risk of kidney stones:

• was decreased by 5 – 28% with higher DIETARY calcium intake
• was decreased by 13 – 31% with higher water intake
• was increased by 11 – 61% with higher dietary sodium intake, with the most pronounced effect in women with the highest intake
•  was increased with higher body mass index, BMI
• animal protein intake was not associated with nephrolithiasis

An article from 1983 entitled Nutrition Research, Urolithiasis – Nutritional Aspects, associated the increase in the incidence of kidney stones with “affluence”.

Increased ingestion of animal protein produces a significant increase in the urinary excretion of calcium, oxalate and uric acid…Oral carbohydrate loading increases urinary calcium and magnesium excretion…A rational, though not of proven efficacy, dietary approach to urolithiasis therapy includes restriction of animal protein, avoidance of excess oxalate ingestion, a normal calcium intake, and water intake sufficient to generate 2 liters of urine per day.

So it seems that protein ingestion and carbohydrate ingestion and foods rich in oxalate all contribute to kidney stones. How could this be, because it covers such a broad range of foods, many of them staples of a healthy diet?

Foods that are high in oxalates are:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Cola drinks
• Chocolate
• Nuts
• Soy products
• Green leafy vegetables
• Sweet potatoes
• Celery
• Berries
• Tangerines

What to do? It’s definitely advisable to reduce your sodium levels, but I don’t necessarily mean mineral rich sea or unrefined salts, like Himalayan pink salt. I definitely mean the refined salt that is added to processed foods and regular table salt which contains anti-caking agents and in some countries, fluoride and sugar. The average intake of sodium in America is 3.7 to 5 grams per day, considerably higher than the recommended maximum of 2.3 grams. And the more excess salt consumed, the higher the risk. Try using herbs, fresh if possible, and spices, which can be of tremendous nutritional and health benefit, instead of all the salt.

Maintain a healthy weight, thereby avoiding another risk factor: high Body Mass Index (BMI). Uric acid stones, specifically, have been tied to the increase of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can ward off a majority of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

It’s absolutely imperative to maintain the correct hydration levels, as keeping your urine dilute will avoid supersaturation of the compounds that can potentially precipitate into kidney stones. Drinking fluids such as coconut water will help to maintain electrolyte balance due to their rich content of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Now what about dietary calcium, oxalates and minerals? It seems intuitive to me that the excess of compounds in our urine is actually because of deficiencies in our diets. Let me explain. Our bodies are best able to utilize vitamins and minerals in foods due to the synergy of the compounds in the whole food. This has been proven in many instances, such as the greater bioavailability of Vitamin C in kiwi than in supplements. For example, to build strong bones and teeth, we don’t just need calcium, we need a spectrum of minerals such as silica, boron, magnesium, zinc and Vitamin D and K, etc. If we do not have all of the “ingredients” available to create bone, the calcium will not work alone. Additionally, these compounds can prevent the crystallization of calcium into stones.

Maintaining a diet high in DIETARY calcium is one of the risk reduction strategies in the study. Calcium taken in the majority of supplements is not absorbed as efficiently as calcium found in food. Calcium must be properly balanced with other nutrients necessary for calcium absorption and re-absorption into the bones. If not properly balanced, calcium ends up being deposited in the soft tissues. Pathologists have reported that over 85% of all autopsies done on people over 65 demonstrate calcification of soft tissue within the body. So it seems the population does not suffer from calcium deficiency, but rather a condition whereby calcium is being deposited in the soft tissues due to nutrient imbalance. Taking supplements and not having sufficient minerals to metabolize it, can also cause the calcium to form into stones in the kidneys.

In the case of oxalate rich food, in order to utilize what we eat, our body will either require sufficient dietary calcium, will leach calcium from our bones or will precipitate the oxalates that could not be metabolized into kidney stones. The way to address this is not to necessarily remove green leafy vegetables from your diet, but to eat a variety of them and to make sure that you consume them in conjunction with calcium rich foods that will allow them to be metabolized in a balanced way. For example, collard greens have been found to be proportionately higher in calcium than milk, making them a good choice of greens. Don’t stick to a strict high oxalate “spinach as my greens” diet. Try one of the many kale varieties, or bitter greens which clear congestion in our livers. Organic yogurt, sardines, almonds, sesame seeds or tahini, raw cheese, or almonds are all good sources of dietary calcium that contain the additional nutrients that we require for proper assimilation. Additionally, I love this study showing that calcium rich marine hydro-colloids efficiently inhibit calcium oxalate  crystal growth and have the capacity to bind oxalate. This is exactly what my intuition had been telling me, as these marine colloids are seaweed, which, surprise, is incredibly high in mineral content. Apparently, this remains a mystery to the doctors who were still focused on a drug solution that would mimic seaweed. I don’t know, to me that study should have been splashed all over the place with the title of “Seaweed found to reduce kidney stone formation”.

There are many high protein diets that are popular currently, from Paleo to GAPS to Atkins. What about the idea that protein metabolism creates stress on the kidneys and greater excretion of calcium and oxalates and uric acid into the urine? It has been found that calcium excretion increases, but there is a minimal effect on oxalate excretion with a higher protein diet. For people who have kidney damage, compromised kidney function or blood work that indicates any kidney issues, a high protein diet can create problems. For people with normal kidney function, the kidneys adapt to the protein intake with alterations in renal size and function without indications of adverse effects.

So it boils down to:

• drink more water
• consume less salt
• eat some seaweed
• eat a varied, whole foods based, calcium and mineral rich diet
• achieve and maintain a healthy weight and BMI
• maintain optimal Vitamin D levels

From Healing with Whole Foods, one of my favorite references, find the following nutritional remedies:

Parsley: Promotes urination and dries watery mucoid condition; good for the treatment of obesity, mucus in the bladder, swollen glands and breasts, and stones in the bladder, kidney, or gall bladder.

Radish: A traditional Western remedy for gallstones and kidney and bladder stones consists of a tablespoon of grated radish taken daily for several weeks.

Traditional Chinese medicine describes the kidneys as the “palace of Fire and Water” (heart spirit and kidneys – water element), and the person with healthy, vital kidneys is active yet calm, courageous but gentle, accomplishes a great deal without stress, and balances assertive action with nurture.

From Prescription for Herbal Healing, another incredible resource:

Aloe juice, 1/2 cup daily for no more than 2 weeks slows the rate of crystal formation. Use aloe with caution, as it can be laxative, so although it can potentially be great for the digestive system, if you suffer from inflammation it can also exacerbate it. It may also affect the rate of absorption of  medications, due to its laxative properties. It is also passed into the milk of nursing mothers and should be avoided by them. Watch your reaction, and try one new healing concept at a time, to discern what works and what doesn’t work for your body.

Chanca piedra tincture dissolves calcium stones.

Marshmallow root tea helps cleanse the kidneys and expel stones.

A great juice to make to help your body maintain kidney health is cucumber, dandelion greens, lemon, fennel, small amount parsley, and carrots for sweetness, if you like. Ginger root is a wonderful anti-inflammatory and can be juiced or made into tea by boiling slices of the fresh root in water. Absolutely delicious!

Cancer is an opportunistic disease. It uses the opportunity that it recognizes in a toxically burdened, nutritionally and emotionally deficient body to overrun your normal defense system. Cancer, which seems like such an overwhelming and complicated disease, truly has the potential to be vastly simplified when you break it down to its most basic issues: deficiency and toxicity. Figure out the reasons behind the deficiency and clean up the toxic burden, and your body is enabled to carry on the healing processes of which it is intrinsically capable. This actually applies to virtually all disease, both physical and emotional.

More and more research supports the optimization of our Vitamin D levels as an extremely important step in the quest for a cancer free, long, healthy life. In fact, a recent study in The American Journal of Cardiology found that Vitamin D deficiency (serum levels below 30 ng/ml or 75 nmol/L) was a strong independent predictor of all causes of death. More than 70% of the people in the study were below the status of 30 ng/ml required for “sufficiency”, but many clinicians believe that the number for sufficiency should be closer to 50 ng/ml, putting about 95% of the people in a state of deficiency.

Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol, is what our bodies produce when our skin is exposed to the sun or UV-B light. Everyone should know their Vitamin D status, simply ask your doctor to run a 25(OH)D test (not a 1,25(OH)D test) the next time you get your blood drawn. It’s as important as knowing your address or phone number, and it’s virtually guaranteed that you are not at optimal levels. But since Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which your body will store, it’s important to check your baseline, and also a good way to gauge, over time, how much sun and supplementation is required to get you and keep you sufficient.

The importance of becoming sufficient in regards to your Vit D levels cannot be overstated when it comes to cancer, but the incredible benefits extend much further. Having optimized Vit D levels enables our immune system to function correctly, both in it’s ability to ward off disease and to effectively modulate itself so as not to create autoimmune conditions. Vit D has been shown to clear the brain of the plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease, shrink uterine fibroids, and prevent cavities in your teeth. Is there nothing this sunshine jewel cannot conquer?

From Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology: “Some nontraditional roles ascribed to vitamin D include anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects. These effects have led to possible implications in the pathophysiology of immune-mediated diseases including multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In addition, vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to higher rates of cancers including colon, prostate and breast cancers.”

According to the Grassroots Health Vitamin D Action Project, certain levels of Vitamin D equate to being optimal for different situations:

• deficient < 50 ng/ml
• optimal 50-70 ng/ml
• to address cancer, disease and calcium absorption 70-100 ng/ml
• pregnancy outcomes 120 ng/ml

Most adults will require between 1,000-5,000 IU per day to maintain sufficiency, and up to 8,000 IU per day to get sufficient, in addition to the sun and what little is derived from foods. What about toxicity? Not a problem indicates the study, which found no toxicity with up to 10,000 IU per day and up to 200 ng/ml serum levels.

Take advantage of the energy of the sun by getting as much Vitamin D as possible by going outside, without sunscreen, for 10-15 minutes, or until you notice a faint pink tinge to your skin. Of course, adjust for the fairness of your skin according to what you know your limits may be, but you need to expose your arms, at least, and NO sunscreen or the magic will not happen!

Our human ancestors did not have sunscreen and their bodies were capable of handling daily sun exposure; farmers have been out in the sun for years without massive waves of death and skin cancer. Our issue is that we do not consume the proper nutrition to support the health and protection of our skin, such as the antioxidants and phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, and another source of ultraprotection, astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a super-antioxidant found in krill and other sea creatures that consume a microalgae rich diet of this incredible super fat-soluble carotenoid. Supplementing with 4 mg of high quality astaxanthin can be extremely protective against sun damage and supportive of your overall immune function and is definitely high on the list of things to add to your regimen for optimal health. It’s also the perfect compliment in your quest for optimal Vitamin D from sunshine!

microbe

Bacteria from your mouth may cause arterial plaque, says a study out of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Chronic infections can set the stage for atherosclerosis. The referenced article is a must read for cardiac patients and here is a simplified breakdown of the main points, plus how to solve the problem and what that looks like for your health!

Bacteria enters and/or lives in the mouth and two things happen:

1. Bacteria enters the bloodstream through the gums due to poor dental hygiene, aka poor brushing, no flossing.

2. Bacteria is swallowed and a battered intestinal wall allows bacteria to enter blood stream.

• Intestinal wall is in bad shape due to poor food choices, or consuming foods that are not appropriate for a certain individual.
• Your nutrition is poor due to lack of absorption in the small intestine due to damage.
• Autoimmune condition is initiated as pathogens pervade wall of small intestine and are perceived as “invaders” by body.
• Immune system in overdrive and incapable of focusing on real threats.
• White blood cells, phagocytes, which should have digested the bacteria, instead become circulating immune complexes that set out and colonize throughout the body.
• Bacteria that should have been annihilated by immune system, which is now tired and under-performing, lodge in arterial wall.
• Body responds by putting a cholesterol bandage on it, or cholesterol sticks to bacteria on it’s way past.
• Atherosclerosis.

So let’s do it in reverse.

You get up every day, brush your teeth and floss as often as you can make yourself. Go to the dentist for cleanings every six months, too.

You drink a glass of clean water with a fresh lemon squeezed in to alkalize yourself. Pathogens hate alkalized, oxygenated bodies.

You have gone through an elimination diet protocol, so you know exactly what you should be eating and you stick to it! You consume the best version of every food that you can, organic, raw, grassfed, whatever you can get.

You don’t eat sugars and junk at least 90-95% of the time (it’s OK to be a little bad when you’re really good most of the time).

You take deep breaths and keep as stress free as possible in these crazy times.

Your intestines are happy and healthy! A beautiful absorptive shag carpet of villi devour all the nutrition and send it off via the bloodstream to your organs.

Your immune system is so well rested that it can focus on killing any critters that make an appearance.

You take a proteolytic enzyme supplement on an empty stomach to munch up debris and circulation immune complexes that might be hanging around.

Your blood pressure is normal, your arteries are clear, your lungs are pink and healthy, your belly is functioning.

Your intestines, which create and store 95% of your serotonin in their walls, are keeping your brain cheerful.

All in all, life is good. And it all started with you gut. If you need help around this, it’s simple. Define the problem, create a plan and follow it. Use my Elimination Diet Protocol to get started and see how good you feel in a month. In a year, when cellular regeneration has really turned your body around, you will quite literally be a new person!

Ngobe Bugle Protests in Boquete: Peaceful

Well, after our little dry run of civil unrest, violence and unfortunately, deaths, as well as everything that goes with protests and clashes; such as supply chain disruptions, major financial, agricultural and product losses, and travel nightmares, it seems the Panamanian government and the Ngobe Bugle indigenous people are attempting to resolve their issues.

PANAMA CITY — Legislators in Panama have agreed to reconsider a law on dams and mining that set off disruptive protests by Indians and their supporters.

The decision is a partial victory for the Ngobe-Bugle tribe, which has led highway blockades since Jan. 30 to oppose the new law. Its initial approval last month drew anger because it would theoretically allow the construction of dams on Indian lands in western Panama.

A congressional commission decided late Wednesday to return the law to debate, and Indian representatives and legislators have begun discussions on possible modifications.

Laws in Panama must win approval in three separate votes in Congress.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Just as my little town of Boquete began to board up the windows of shops and banks in anticipation of the violence that had been experienced elsewhere coming to our area, an agreement to revisit laws on dams and mining was reached. I went into town that evening with my son and husband to see what was happening. There was a different energy, a still sort of waiting, evident in the town square. Normally the area that has towering pines, a gazebo and a fountain, is pulsating with the combined energies of the indigenous, the Panamanians, the tourists, and the expats; sort of a mini melting pot in action. This evening, it was filled only with the Ngobe Bugle, rather somber, gathered together, very peacefully. What had occurred elsewhere thoughout Panama, the violence and disruption, really did not touch us here in Boquete to any great extent. In fact, as I left Valle Escondido, where I live, and drove into town, a huge rainbow was spread across the area, a seeming harbinger of peace. Let’s hope it lasts.

Rainbow of Hope Over Boquete

Panama grinds to a halt over indigenous protests against government.

Let me preface this by saying I am not supporting, detracting or otherwise placing blame regarding the current situation with the Ngobe Bugle indigenous tribes and the Martinelli administration. I am simply sharing what the situation feels like as a resident of one of the affected areas; Boquete, Chiriqui Province.

Last February I had a visit from our very good friends from NJ, the Ferrentino family. As part of their whirlwind tour of this part of Panama, the western portion nearer the Costa Rican border, we headed to the Caribbean beaches of Bocas del Toro. Packed 4 adults, 5 children, our grown dog and a new puppy into my husband’s Ford Excursion and off we went on our little Beverly Hillbilly adventure. Turned out to be quite the amazing race, so to speak. The trip from Boquete to Bocas del Toro should be about a 4 hour journey, but we tacked another hour on when we encountered a protest of the indigenous people about 2/3′s the way through the trip. They were protesting the government’s intention to begin mining on lands in an area known as the Comarca. We were stopped for about an hour while we watched some of their ceremonies. The protests are done strategically at bridges and places that ensure there is no going around them. Remember, we are in Central America, where there is frequently, if not almost always, one way from here to there and that’s it. So if you’re stuck, you’re stuck, period, end of story. That’s why the protests can hold so much power. At that time, it was my understanding that there was an agreement reached that ended the protests and life went on.

Fortuna Hydroelectric Project, Chiriqui, Panama

Ngobe Bugle protest on road from Boquete to Bocas del Toro

Apparently now, almost a year later, the agreement is not being honored. So the protests have begun again with much more manpower than previously. The indigenous are being supported by the unions, the teachers, some international groups and the Catholic church. So this time instead of a road to the beach, they have divided the country in half by blocking the PanAmerican highway, the only road that connects Panama City to Costa Rica and services all of the towns and areas in between. The major city in this western area of Panama is David, on the Pacific coast side of the country, directly on the PanAmerican Highway, and from which you head up the mountains towards Volcan Baru, our local 11,000 foot volcano, and then back down the mountains on the other side towards Bocas del Toro and the Caribbean.

Our fuel, propane, and medical supplies come largely from Panama City where the canal is located, and the Chiriqui Province, nearer the Costa Rican border, is known as the breadbasket of Panama and supplies the majority of the produce for the country. So our side is short on fuel, certain packaged goods, and propane, and the eastern side by Panama City, is running  out of produce and some of the dairy that our end supplies. Currently, there are trucks, cars, and buses full of people, both Panamanian, expats and tourists; workers, delivery trucks full of meat, etc. all stuck at San Felix, where the road is being blocked.

map of Panama from embassyworld.com

What this means for the people stuck on the road is that they have no food or water or bathrooms, the food is rotting in the trucks, and some people who are insulin dependent are having medical emergencies. Some trailers were just unhitched and left on the road to be picked up when the situation clears. I don’t discount the bigger picture of what it means for the Ngobe Bugle and the rights to their land, I am only commenting on what is happening as a result of the situation. It is quite enlightening to see what happens when the system grinds to a halt and to observe the measures that are taken to keep it running.

The latest word is that our road, both branches, from Boquete to David will be shut down by protestors also, as of the evening of Feb. 4th. The President is taking measures to bring in fuel from Costa Rica, but it could be potentially blocked by the protests. We currently have no fuel in Boquete and the propane tanks that we use for cooking and hot water are not restocked. Yesterday there was no meat in the one supermarket up here, but today it has been partially replenished. Certain items have been wiped off the shelves, like bread and some cold case items, but other items are still fully stocked. I took a walk around town with my son this afternoon and took some photos to share. The mercado, which sells local produce, appeared to be fine.

local Boquete supermarket, Romero

mercado in Boquete

meat case at Romero

Out of gas, Boquete

Here are some local news and ning updates:

The SUNTRACS union (representing construction industries) is now closing the David-Boquete road at the bridge over the Rio Cochea. They are doing this in sympathy with the indigenous groups in Vigui and San Felix.

For the time being, one can go from Boquete to David by taking the turn off to Caldera and then taking the road to the right just before starting down to the bridge that leads to Caldera. This road will lead to Gualaca, thence to the interamerican highway at Chiriqui and on to David.

Generally, SUNTRACS closures are for 2 to 4 hours and  they sleep at night. There is also a threat that they may close the road at the entrance to Caldera. That would leave us in a pickle, except that the lack of gasoline would no longer be important and here on the farm, we are well supplied with hay.

And:

I just received word, (6PM, Feb. 4) via Noticias, that the Union (in “solidarity” with the “natives”) is now blocking the road from Boquete to David, and soon the road to Caldera (the “other way” to David).  Lee – right again.  It’s always comes down politics.  Nice to know the Union cares about the “little guy”.

The above is from the local mostly expat forum, Boquete Ning, if you want to tune into the mood of how things progress. People try to update it often with details.

News:

“The government must respect agreements’

EDITORIAL PROVINCES

periodistas@laestrella.com.pa

The Church requires to fulfill the covenant where Martinelli promised to suspend projects in the Shire. ‘Hydro will,’ replies Martinelli. It sharpens the conflict and police is preparing to repress

SUSPENSION. Traffic on the Inter-American San Felix is turning 124 hours in detention. Photo: Eliezer Oses | The Star

04/02/2012 - 12:00:00 AM - PANAMA. ‘That the authorities recognize and respect the agreement reached in February 2011 with the natives of no metal mining and hydroelectric projects in the Ngobe Bugle’. This was demanded yesterday the Catholic Church, after 120 hours of blockages in San Felix. ‘We reaffirm our commitment to accompany indigenous peoples to strengthen their identities, in defense of their territory, “the archdiocese said in a statement in which openly support the Indians, who also added support SUNTRACS, truck drivers, teachers, and 60 international organizations.

So the story continues to unfold. Hopefully, people will not be hurt or find themselves in situations where they cannot receive medical care. I see tourists wandering around with pretty much nowhere to go until the road reopens and wonder how they are paying their hotel or hostel bills. Many people here live by putting only a few dollars of fuel in their cars if they have one, including expats who have retired here on Social Security. And that precludes the concept that they have reserve stocks of food or necessities, so the coming week will be interesting.

From my perspective, of having partially relocated to Panama to avoid just such a situation in America with the state of the economy, it has been rather ironic and enlightening. People in general are very calm and helpful and are behaving sort of the way we behaved in the northeast when there was a big snowstorm, if you can imagine it. I am sure that as long as there is food and fuel, that will continue. I’m also sure that the Us Embassy will do everything in its power to ensure the safety of its citizens. The Martinelli administration, as of last update, has managed to get a fuel tanker through from Costa Rica.

It makes you think, though. What is it exactly that you need if things suddenly shift and the supply lines are interrupted? You’re not turning on the clothes dryer or taking a hot shower with no propane. If there is no fuel for even the local produce delivery trucks to move food around the area, what’s on the shelves will run out rather quickly. Feels like a dry run. The Obama Administration is enacting supply line disruption contingency plans for the US, based on the uncertainty of our weather, our economy and our fragile global semi-peace. Suddenly seems like a pretty darn good idea to have some extra dried goods, toilet paper, supplements and necessary medications in storage.

Some of the most encouraging things I have noticed have been that people, from the local Panamanians, to my family, friends, and connections in the United States, have been so wonderful, supportive and caring. In my heart, I had always hoped that even with chaos, the kindness of human nature would prevail, and people would reach out to one another. So not only locally to the areas where people are experiencing disruption, but in the bigger picture, where the indigenous are trying to defend their land and are receiving the support of several groups (politically motivated or not), people are standing with each other. That’s what I call realistic hope.