May. 11, 2008
Free Health & Nutrition Class (and SPAM)
From the desk of Liz Perez, our dedicated GHSA coordinator:
Dr. Edwin Supit and staff of the SDA Wellness Center will be giving FREE Health and Nutrition classes for Guam Homeschoolers and the community at large.
The first class was May 8. Oops, I missed it. The good news is that these classes will be available each week until the end of May 2008.
The classes will be held at the Tamuning Christian Fellowship (Oka Payless corner) on May 15, 22, and 29 from 8AM ‘til 9:30 AM.
Childcare is not provided. Children are encouraged to join the session, so long as they are not a distraction to Dr. Supit and his staff.
Thanks for that information, Ms. Perez.
Now for my editorial comments: If I may get a bit personal here, I will testify that I have attended similar sessions sponsored by the SDA and it was worth every second of time I invested.
In fact, about two years ago, I had hypertension, bad blood sugar levels, and other statistics that made the doctor shake his head in dismay. Not very healthy for my age and my height.
After attending two sessions with my father, who dragged me—figuratively speaking—against my will to the SDA clinic for a similar program, I made some easy-to-implement changes. Since then, I have greatly improved my vitals and lost over 30 pounds. Without dieting.
These classes are free and you will never regret taking the time to find out what they have to offer.
*****
Guam has its share of health challenges. We love to eat fatty foods and starch. White rice is eaten at every meal in many (can I say most?) families. Spam is a staple. Fiestas provide spectacular food and fellowship, but also about a week’s worth of calories in a sitting. We cannot just cancel the fiestas, but we need to do something to improve our collective health.
This Health and Nutrition class will be a good start for any families or individuals that want to start or to regain momentum in that direction. I have heard it said that if you want to change some things, you need to change some things. Makes sense to me.
I applaud SDA for their commitment to the spiritual and physical health of Guam’s people.
*****
SPAM. Not the unsolicited emails you have to wade through to get to the cute forward your sister-in-law sent you—you know, the one with the pictures of kittycats and/or birds and/or puppies—no, I am not talking about email spam, I am talking about the pseudo-meat product in the charming blue can. Did you know there is a SPAM museum? It’s in Austin, Minnesota.
I once got a SPAM binder full of history and information about the famous gelatinous pork product. It came in the mail straight from Hormel. I gave it to a local celebrity—my favorite talk-show host, Travis Coffman. I gave it away because my house was, at the time, populated by not only by an infant who had the ability to cover any valued object with various digestive by-products, but also by a 4-year-old who was a random destructive force in the universe at large, and most particularly in my house. Hence the nickname T-Rex. Both of the little ones did their jobs with diligence and enthusiasm. As far as I know, nothing of value in my house survived that era. In fact, Typhoon Cassie is still raging; permanent marker on my formerly-cream-colored stuffed armchair is the latest damage, just yesterday...
Now, where was I?
Oh yeah, SPAM. A few years ago, I was writing a story about the history of SPAM in the islands and asked the Hormel company for specific information on that subject. The note that came with the binder said they did not have the information I requested but would I like to have this collection of SPAMorabelia (I just made that up!).
I was thrilled with the gift. The binder included history, games, recipes, stories, products to buy—an amazing array of stuff. A super-classy presentation on glossy paper. I wish I still had it. I offered it to my friend Keith, who was childless at the time, but he said he could not in good conscience take my treasure. He called my SPAM binder a treasure! We take our SPAM pretty seriously around here.
I was unable to verify this information, but the old-timers consider it general knowledge that after the US reclaimed Guam and liberated the natives, the bombing had pretty much destroyed the food supply. It was just not a situation conducive to growing food. So they survived on SPAM provided by the American GI’s.
I understand Hawaii has a similar history. Maybe a collective memory is stored in the DNA of Pacific Islanders, or maybe we just like SPAM. Either way, SPAM has a place not only in the stomachs of Guam’s people, but in their hearts as well.
Hormel even made a Hot and Spicy SPAM, which is only available in the Pacific Islands. I tried it and it’s WAY too hot. I mean over the top. Even some Chamorros I know admit it’s too hot for them. And that is not something most Guam natives will admit to.
The SPAM binder did mention that Nikita Kruschev personally credited SPAM with saving the Russian Army during WWII. I regret I cannot cite my source except to say I read it straight from my SPAM binder before I parted with it.
The following is an excerpt from an article about the SPAM museum:
“SPAM played an important role in feeding the Allied Forces during World War II. The SPAM Museum features a letter to Hormel from President Dwight D. Eisenhower and includes a replication of SPAMVILLE, a military camp named after the wartime treat.”
My binder did have a copy of that letter. I miss my SPAM binder.
So... SPAM has a rich history and there is no doubt it saved lives in the past. Its nutritional facts are still alarming, though. However much we value its historical significance, we must learn to consume it in moderation.
LES
References: The quote above and the photo were retrieved on 5/11/2008 from http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2126 |
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