Vitamin D in the news. What do you think?

 

 I have been reading, both online and in print, about all the possible problems that can develop from a low level of Vitamin D.  As a nurse, I am interested because I believe that we need to do everything we can to maintain and keep good health instead of relying on the health care system.  As a proponent of natural and holistic medicine myself, I firmly believe that additional vitamins are a necessity if you are to have a strong body and mind.  

The problem I find myself having is this--there is so much hype in the mainstream news today about Vitamin D and all the myriad diseases it can prevent and even I become skeptical.  First of all, vitamin D is not really a vitamin at all but rather a precursor hormone.  Hormones are involved in every process of the human body, so I am sure that a deficiency in a specific substance could lead to many and different sources of ill health due to the breakdown of the natural processes of the body.  Beyond that, I still need convincing.  Although I have been taking Vitamin D supplements for some time, I am not quite convinced that Vitamin D is the "magic bullet" for good health and long life.

Below I have included just one of the many articles I find daily about this subject.  Feel free to read the article and comment.  Why not read it and come back here to comment?  

Try this link for more information...

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 Health Buzz: 1 in 5 Youngsters Lacking in Vitamin D and Other Health News

By Megan Johnson

Posted October 26, 2009

Study Finds 1 in 5 Youngsters Lacking in Vitamin D

A new study finds that about 20 percent of U.S. children between ages 1 and 11 aren't getting enough vitamin D, the Associated Press reports. Researchers looked at vitamin D blood levels in almost 3,000 children recorded between 2001 and 2006. The researchers also applied a higher cutoff for deficiency that showed close to 90 percent of black children and 80 percent of Hispanic children may be vitamin D deficient, according to the AP. Earlier research has suggested a link between vitamin D deficiency in kids and health problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol and has also shown that many U.S. teens are lacking enough of the nutrient. Health professionals do not have a single set of guidelines to determine the level at which a child is considered deficient, the AP reports. The latest study appears in the journal Pediatrics.

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[Read: Vitamin D and Kids: How Much Sun Should They Get to Stay Healthy? and 3 Ways to Make Sure Kids Get Their Vitamin D.]

The ongoing saga of creativity block!

     
Well, since I seem unable to get myself jump started, I am asking you to leave me suggestions on how to get going when you seem unable to create.

Any idea, no matter what, will be appreciated.  I really am starting to be bothered by my inability to produce anything.  I have the best of intentions, but other things steal me away from the art supplies.

Help!  Please help!        

I'm still here

I've been reading my blog and I realized (1) that I had not done much in the way of art for quite some time and (2) I had not posted to this blog for too long.  So, to fix problem #2, here is a new post.  I'm still working on problem #1.

I really don't know why I have not done much "art" lately.  I do know that my artisitc endeavors go in "spurts" and I don't really like that.  Usually I work on crafts or drawing to jump-start my desire to become more involved artistically.  However, I have recently gotten interested in two venues that seem to keep me at the computer instead of at the drawing table.  I love blogging!  I now have four different blogs and I like to work on them often.  I have discovered that once you become a blogger, you automatically become a blog reader!  I can lose hours each day reading other people's blogs about things that interest me.

The other venue I have gotten myself into is Squidoo.  I am trying to learn how to use this format to make money online.  I know, I know.  Everyone and his dog are trying internet marketing.  Well, I don't want to make a gazillion dollars and live in mansions all over the globe.  I just want to know how to do it and maybe make extra money to spend on my family.

So, in a blatant attempt at self promotion, I am inviting you to visit my blogs and leave me any comment you like.  I have one blog called The Mental Health Minute where I post useful articles and information I find about mental health issues.  Since I am a psychiatric nurse and have been for 20 years, you might say that this is a topic near and dear to my heart, and you would be right.  Feel free to visit the blog and learn more about this area.  We all are touched by mental illness in some way, whether because of stress, loss, or just family dynamics.

My next blog is called Nursing Notes and is about issues facing nursing today.  Here I talk about the changes I have seen in my 20 years as a psych nurse; I post articles I find about nursing in the news.  I try to give honest information about the profession of nursing and what that entails.  Please, visit my blog and leave me some feedback.  With the current nursing shortage, we all know someone who is thinking about going to nursing school.  Send them to my blog for current information all in one place.  I sometimes come across as jaded and biased, and I have to admit I am at times, but nursing is a great profession and one I love.  I do think we need some changes, but overall nursing is what I want to do.

In addition to this blog you are currently reading, I also have another Blogger blog about my life with my dog, Satchmo.  He is the love of my life and has been my constant companion for the last ten years.  He has driven across the country when I was doing my travel nursing.  We drove back and forth to California from Oklahoma not once, but twice.  He is a rat terrier and he is absolutely the "poster child" for that breed.  He is stubborn, energetic, loving, funny, and an escape artist.  Read all about his exploits and learn about the breed at Life with Satchmo.

Now, to talk about my Squidoo lenses, I have one about..ta...dah...........Rat Terriers!!  You can visit by clicking here Rat Terriers.  As you can probably see, I love this breed of dog.  I never knew there was such a wonderful type of dog until I had one.  I only got mine on a fluke.  A nurse I worked with had a litter and was desperate to get rid of the last puppies and I said, "Okay, I'll take one."  I told her I wanted a girl and I wanted one that was mostly brown.  I got a boy who is white with black and tan spots.  Go figure!

I've run off at the mouth long enough.  I will try to tell you about the other lenses next time.  Until then, stay safe and stay healthy!

Art Dolls of the Obama family

Here is a wonderful article about art dolls that I hope you will find as interesting as I did. These are incredible dolls. She is a remarkable artist.

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GH woman creates First Family dolls for ArtPrize competition
Wed, Sep 23, 2009
BY MARK BROOKY
mbrooky@grandhaventribune.com

The subject of Nancy Tassin's ArtPrize entry may be presidential, but she insists it's not at all an expression of her political views. The Grand Haven woman created dolls of President Obama and his family for the Grand Rapids contest with a $250,000 top prize.

Tassin, 63, says the piece respectfully captures the humanity and hope that lies at the core of who the Obamas are and what they mean to the country."At any time, taking on the role of president is a sacrifice," she said. "But in these troubled times, choosing to run for president strikes me as a truly selfless act."

Tassin is one of 26 Northwest Ottawa County artists who have entered ArtPrize.The contest period began today and runs through Oct. 10. ArtPrize has no formal jury, curator or judge; instead, the public will decide who wins the prizes by voting, using mobile devices and the Web. Voters must be age 16 or older. The entries are scattered around different Grand Rapids venues. Tassin's dolls can be seen at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. N.W.

To see the list of area artists entered in ArtPrize, click here: http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/303847669517370.bsp

Tassin said she chose the Obamas as the subject for her "An American Family" piece because she is in awe of the sacrifices they are making for our nation."As I've watched the president and his family, I've been struck by the poise and determination with which he and his family have taken on this burden," she explained. "Their closeness and the support they provide to one another, seems to embody the hope our nation needs at this time. Whether or not one agrees with his policies and ideals, I feel like the Obamas as the First Family represent America's best qualities."

Each doll body is soft-sculpted out of fabric over a wire armature. The hands, feet and faces are sculpted out of polymer clay; the eyes are glass and the hair is mohair; and the costumes were made out of wool, silk and cotton.

The four subjects range in height from 10 inches to 20 inches."I am fascinated by the intricacies of people," Tassin said. "I love to study their expressions, moods and physical features. When I began working with polymer clay, I found that I could capture the essence of an individual and allow people to study a personality more intensely than they could when viewing a live subject."

In her youth, Tassin said she discovered that the visual arts allowed her to convey ideas, emotions and dreams in a way that mere words often failed to achieve. She said drawing, painting and sculpting were the vocabulary of a visual language that allowed her to share her unique view of the world with those around her.

Today, Tassin is the mother of three grown children and grandmother of five. But her art has always remained a passion, and recently she found inspiration in sculpting art dolls. Some of her dolls were recently featured in Contemporary Doll Collector Magazine.

However, Tassin said she normally does not sell or even display her work. In fact, she said her family pushed her into entering the ArtPrize competition."It's more just something I like to do," she said of the doll art.

Once she agreed to enter the contest, Tassin said she decided to make something new for it — rather than something from her collection — and it took about three months to create the Obama dolls. Her daughter, Danielle Fogel of Spring Lake, assisted her in entering the contest and setting up the display at its venue in the past few days.But Tassin said she isn't really in it to win."Winning would be wonderful, but I'm just happy to have this whole experience," she said. "I'm sorry the creating process is over. I worked on it everyday and I feel kind of empty now that it's done."

Tribune Writer Marie Havenga contributed to this story.

On the Net: www.artprize.org

http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/295488405937714.bsp

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Let me introduce you to BoneHead Studios

I told you before that I have become enamored of Art Dolls, but I have to say that this blog Bone Head Studios has to be my favorite of all time. Her work is nothing short of miraculous!

What I especially love is that when you visit her blog, you get to see how she makes these pieces. She takes photos as she works, so you see the process from the original sketch to the finished product.

Here are some of the pictures of finished art dolls from her blog. Please visit her and leave her a comment if you like the work. I find new ideas and new details every time I visit, and I visit often.

Art Dolls at Gallery Five

This article I found online is the best description I have ever read about exactly what makes an Art Doll.  I had to share this with you.  The links to the other artists are absolutely beautiful.  I know that if you like Art Dolls, you will love the work of these artists.  What I enjoy most about Art Dolls is that each one is an individual, much like people.  Each one has its own story, and presents itself in specific ways to the viewers.  For me, this is part of the mystique and encourages the viewers to interact with the dolls themselves on a very adult level.





One-of-a-kind handcrafted doll 22" tall
by Alice Watterson

Art Dolls, by and large, are the artist’s own interpretation of the human form. It can be abstract, impressionistic, mechanical, representative of an idea or notion, altered from a normal doll (like a really far-out barbie doll), or not even look like a doll. That is the fascination of these dolls. They are in galleries, private collections, museums all over the world. The originality of each doll is unique to the creator…but sometimes the creator or artist takes a left turn and just when you think the doll is made by an artist you can always recognize, you get a glimpse of a new and wonderful direction the artist is taking. That is amazing…instead of a world of a gazillion dolls that all look alike you now have a world of one-of-a-kind creations that can literally blow your mind.Some of my most favorite artists today: Akira Blount, Kim Goldfarb, Alice Watterson, Olga Rohl, Dima, Karen Flanders, Lynn Sward, Marge Hennen and Charla Khanna…and many, many, more wonderful artists who see the world just a little different. Viva la Difference!I invite you to experience this art form by checking out art dolls at Gallery Five.                         by Nancy Napier

Gallery Five

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Art dolls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have recently begun a fascination with art dolls and have been reading blogs all over the web.  I devour all I can find that describes not only what an art doll is, but also how an art doll becomes.  There are quite a few art doll artists that I find myself returning to over and over. 

When I first started reading about this subject, I found this clip to be a good starting point.  After reading this, I felt I had learned, at least in part, what being an art doll artist meant.  I also felt that I had gained some understanding of what all was involved in this fun and addicting art form.

A doll artist must be proficient in many skills - including sculpting, painting and costuming. They need an understanding the various clays used create a human or human-lie sculpt. The figure or doll is usually dressed or draped in fabrics. Costuming can be elaborate or simple. Sewing and color sense is very important. It is similar to a composition if this were a drawing or painting. It adds the sense of time and place. Portraiture is another skill a doll artist must possess. The face is the most important feature. An expressive face or telling smile can elevate a doll to art. Just like the Mona Lisa rises to the level of fine art. A well crafted figure figure rises from doll to an art doll.

Art dolls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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