Dr. Deborah Wilson eNews

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Announcing the new "Lumenis One" laser system!

For the past 5 years we have offered aesthetic services, such as removal of unwanted hair, elimination of unsightly leg and facial veins, and lightening of skin discoloration. We have a professionally trained RN, Amy Spackman, administering these and all of our aesthetic treatments.

Although our old laser system was working well, we felt that our patients deserved the "state-of-the art" technology. We purchased a Lumenis One system, which is faster, less painful, and more efficient. Patients are thrilled with the results!

We also offer several facial treatments:

Two types of mild chemical peels which improve the tone and texture of the skin on the face, neck, chest, and hands.
Gel peel, which is designed to improve oily and acne-prone skin.
Microdermabrasion, which rejuvenates the skin using fine microcrystals. These crystals are drawn across the skin and vacuumed off with pressure, removing layers of dead epidermal cells. Your skin will appear younger and firmer in 30 minutes.
Electrolysis, which removes individual hairs using a mild electric current. Although laser hair removal is appropriate for most women, those with blonde, red, or gray hair are sometimes better suited to electrolysis.

If you have questions, or would like to arrange a free 15-minute consult, please call Amy at 480.860.9383. Her hours are Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM.

We can help you be a more beautiful you!

Lumenis One

New Technology

Cosmetic Vulvar Surgery

Our office now offers the latest in technology designed to evaluate the cause of urinary incontinence. Our new system is state-of-the-art, efficient, and accurate.

Your might ask:

Q. What is urinary incontinence?
A. Urinary incontinence is the inadvertent loss of urine. There are different types of incontinence, the most common being stress incontinence. A woman has stress incontinence if she loses urine when she coughs, sneezes, laughs, gets up fast, etc. Another common type of incontinence is urge incontinence, or loss of urine before it is appropriate when a woman sees a toilet, walks into the house, or thinks about urinating. Overflow incontinence is uncontrolled urine loss when a woman has a full bladder.

Q. What is urodynamics?
A. Urodynamics is a series of tests designed to determine why a woman is losing urine, allowing us to recommend appropriate treatment for the incontinence. Urodynamics is a detailed study of bladder function and pelvic floor function.

Q. What happens during the procedure?
A. If you are having a urodynamics study, you will be escorted to the urodynamics suite where you will be asked to disrobe from the waist down. You will then privately empty your bladder over a collection device that will record the amount and flow rate of urine expelled. After you have completed this part of the evaluation, a small catheter will be used to empty the bladder of any remaining urine. At this point, 2 small catheters will be placed, one in the bladder and one in the rectum to continuously measure bladder and abdominal pressures. Additionally, 3 small EKG pads will be placed on the skin around the anus to monitor pelvic floor muscle function. If you have pelvic prolapse, small gauze pads may be placed inside of the vagina to alleviate prolapse during testing.

In a seated position we will begin to slowly fill your bladder with warm saline. We will periodically ask you to perform a series of coughs and straining maneuvers in an attempt to produce urine leakage. We will ask you to report the sensation of bladder fullness. When the bladder reaches capacity, you will be asked to urinate with the catheter in place. At this point, the rectal catheter and the EKG pads will be removed.

The final stage of urodynamics is designed to evaluate the pressures within the urethra (the tube that runs from the bladder to the outside). The urethral/bladder catheter will slowly be removed in and out of the urethra 3 times to accurately measure urethral tone. This concludes the evaluation. You will be asked to take a single dose of antibiotic after the procedure to prevent an infection from developing.

Q. What if the urodynamics study indicates that I do have stress incontinence?
A. Minimally invasive surgical procedures are available to you. Generally speaking, these procedures involve only 2 tiny incisions in the lower abdomen and a small incision in the vagina. Most women spend one night in the hospital and go home without a catheter. These minimally invasive procedures are an enormous improvement over the procedures that were available a few years ago, which generally required a large abdominal incision and extended recovery time. The long-term success rate is much better as well.

Q. What if I have urge or overflow incontinence?
A. Generally speaking, these conditions can be helped enormously by medication. There are many new, effective medications on the market now.

Q. I am suffering with incontinence. Up until last year, it was not much of a problem, but now I have to wear a pad all of the time and I have had to give up tennis because I lose urine when I play and it is uncomfortable and embarrassing. What kind of appointment should I make to have this evaluated?
A. Please make an appointment with Dr. Dereska for an initial consultation. Dr. Wilson does not handle urinary incontinence problems. If Dr. Dereska feels it is warranted, she will suggest that you schedule a urodynamics study. Based on the findings of the urodynamics study, she will recommend surgery, medication, physical therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Q. How severe should my incontinence be for me to see Dr. Dereska about it?
A. We usually recommend that if the incontinence is affecting your lifestyle, you need to consider treating it. In other words, if you have to wear a pad constantly, if you cannot participate in an activity that you would like to participate in (tennis, running, hiking), or you are making choices not to do things based on a fear that you will lose urine. Please don't suffer in silence and compromise your lifestyle. Treatment is generally available and can mean increased freedom to do what you want to do and be who you want to be!

Although it is not discussed at the dinner table, cosmetic surgery of the labia minora is common. Most women have no problems with their labia, but some women have large or long labia that make it uncomfortable to run, ride a bike, or even wear jeans. Large labia can be particularly uncomfortable during intercourse. Usually both labia are large, but sometimes the labia are asymmetric and only one side is elongated.

Surgery to reduce the size of labia is usually done in the outpatient surgery center under general anesthesia. The excess labial tissue is removed and the skin edges are sutured using fine absorbable suture. Patients go home the same day and are feeling fine within the week.

Women who undergo labial reduction are now able to do things they could not do before, such as run in tight running shorts and ride a bike. They no longer have discomfort and embarrassment during sexual intercourse. They do not have to worry about their labia becoming caught or twisted.

Labial reduction has risks, as does any surgery. Infection, hematoma, or wound separation can occur, but are very rare. Generally speaking, labial reduction is a quick out-patient procedure that has made a number of our patients very happy.

One of the most common concerns among menopausal women (second only to weight gain) is lack of sex drive. The typical scenario is that a woman has a husband or a partner who she previously had a great sex life with, but somewhere in her 40's she began to lose interest. The loss of libido usually starts with lack of interest in initiating sex, although once she is involved in lovemaking, she is fine. Gradually, though, she begins to notice that it is more difficult to become aroused, orgasms are more difficult to achieve, and when she does have an orgasm, it feels nowhere near as intense as it did before. Eventually, intercourse often becomes painful.

These symptoms are natural consequences of menopause. Sex drive and sexual response depend on estrogen and testosterone levels. As a woman gradually becomes menopausal, her estrogen and testosterone levels drop slowly. Somewhere in her 50's, her levels fall to almost nothing. Ovaries produce estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. These hormones are produced by the cells that surround the eggs. A woman only has a finite number of eggs, however, and once she begins to run out, her hormone levels drop. When she is out of eggs, her ovaries no longer produce hormones.

Evolutionarily, sex drive is for the purpose of reproduction only. Sex is not designed to be just for pleasure. Sex has a distinct purpose, and that is procreation. For thousands of years, our life spans were much shorter than they are now. In fact, in 1900, the average life span of a woman was only 50. It was not safe for a woman to have a child in her late 40's, because the chance that she would be around to raise that child was slim. So we have evolved to be maximally fertile in our 20's, less fertile in our 30's, and often infertile in our 40's. This protects the human race from producing babies who would not be taken care of.

So it is NATURAL for a woman to lose interest in sex. It is not that you are having a problem, it is not that you no longer love your husband or partner, it is not that you are having an affair with someone else. You are SUPPOSED to lose interest in sex. You are designed this way.

Unfortunately, men are not designed this way. Men can procreate well into their 70's. A man's sex drive hangs around much longer than a woman's.

So we have a situation in which a man is still highly motivated to seek out sexual interaction, and his wife or partner, if they are similar ages, is not. Men, in fact, frequently become much more motivated to have sex around age 50, possibly as reassurance that they are not "aging". This creates a frustrating, difficult situation, and he sends his wife or partner in to see us and find out "what's wrong?".

What to do? Well, the first thing is to accept that this is a natural consequence of aging, and not a "problem". The second thing is to make sure your husband or partner knows this (you could show them this article). The third is to consider replacing hormones.

Not all women are candidates for hormone replacement, but many are. Hormone replacement has become a very controversial subject, however, and many women are frightened to take hormones for fear of increasing their risk of cancer, heart disease, or stroke. Most of the research on hormones has been done on synthetic or equine-derived hormones. It is true that the combination of premarin (equine derived) and provera (synthetic) increases the risk of breast cancer. It is true that in some women, estrogen replacement can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Now that we are using bio-identical hormones, however, the general feeling is that these risks are decreased.

In most women, replacing estrogen and testosterone will re-establish a sex drive and a sexual response. It will not make you feel like you are 25 years old again, but it will improve things significantly. In a woman without a uterus (post hysterectomy), estrogen and testosterone are enough. If a woman still has her uterus, progesterone needs to be added.

If you are interested in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, schedule a consult with our office. We will talk to you about the risks and benefits of hormones. We will help you decide whether hormone replacement is right for you. We will tell you about hormone creams, gels, pills, and timed-release subcutaneous pellets. We can decide what you need and in what doses. Once you start taking hormones, you may need to have your dosage adjusted, and we will help you with that. If you decide not to take hormones, we can help you with alternative therapies that can help relieve the symptoms of menopause.

To schedule a consult, call 480.860.4791.

On May 21st, Dr. Wilson will once again spend a day trudging around Flagstaff and Sedona spotting as many birds as she can. To keep her from cheating, Frank Brandt, a fellow Audubon Arizona board member and a very experienced birder and naturalist, will be her guide. Anyone else who would like to join us is also welcome.

Please consider pledging $1.00 per bird spotted. We promise they will spot fewer than 100.

The purpose of this Bird-A-Thon is to raise money for Audubon Arizona and the first Audubon Nature Center in the Valley. Audubon Arizona is poised to take the next critical step in the stewardship of Arizona's precious natural assets. The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center will be an important conservation and education resource for the greater Phoenix area as well as 36 elementary schools and 14 high schools within 20 minutes of the Center. The Center's location in the multicultural heart of the city will help to reach deep into the community and educate and support a new nation of conservationists and the growth of a conservation ethic.

Research shows that direct experience in nature is the single most important factor in developing conservation values; so, at the heart of the Audubon experience are outdoor explorations-programs led by professional naturalists in inspiring settings. This encounter with nature is especially powerful for children with otherwise limited opportunities for such experiences. Outdoor experiences will be enhanced with natural history classes, hikes, family adventures, citizen science projects, and conservation seminars.

Please join Dr. Wilson in preserving the power of nature for the benefit of generations to come.

How do you support and pledge the Bird-A-Thon?

1. E-mail your pledge of a dollar amount per bird species spotted, or a flat dollar amount to: birdathon@drwilsonobgyn.com (Subject Line: Bird-A-Thon Pledge)

2. We will let you know after May 21st how many bird species Dr. Wilson and Frank spotted and you can then send your tax deductible donations to:

Audubon Arizona
4250 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85018
Or call 602-468-6470 to pay with credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express)

For more information about Audubon Arizona, you can e-mail them at jlayne@audubon.org.

The alcohol controversy goes on. In a recent study, it is concluded that women who consume a little wine, beer, or even spirits every day are less likely than teetotalers to see their memories and other thinking powers fade as they age. The study looked at 12,000 elderly women and found that those who consumed light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol daily had about a 20% lower risk of experiencing problems with their mental abilities later in life.

Cancer Statistics

Lung Cancer is the biggest killer, projected to claim 163,510 lives this year.
Some 232,090 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and it will kill 30,350.
About 211,240 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and it will kill 40,410.

Cigarette smoke (even second hand smoke) can delay skin healing and lead to more scars. Smoke interrupts new cell growth and leads to the clumping of skin tissue at a wound's edge.

It is possible to become ill by just breathing the air around factory farms. A study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health finds that the same antibiotic-resistant bacteria that you can get by eating pork that is not fully cooked can also be inhaled from the air that blows from swine feedlots. High rates of respiratory and gastrointestinal problems are noted among people who live near large-scale livestock operations.

Your home could be too clean. Using many common household cleaners (detergents, floor polishes, air fresheners, etc.) can increase the chance of you or your children developing asthma. Cleaning products emit high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC's), which are chemical irritants that can lead to breathing difficulties, especially in children. The higher the level of indoor VOC's, the greater the risk that children exposed to them will develop respiratory ailments.

Communicating lab results, ultrasound results, or answering questions has become more and more difficult as patients increasingly rely on their cell phones, are home less frequently, and travel more. We have been using e-mail to communicate with most patients over the past few months and have been very happy with the results, and patients have commented on how fast and efficient this system is for them. In the very near future, we will also offer Patient Portal, which will allow patients, practitioners, and doctors to communicate easily, safely, and securely over the Internet. Patients are given secure passwords that will allow them to log into our system to see labs, diagnostics, statements, and messages. Our office will send you reminders, procedure due dates, statements, and lab results. You will be able to send and receive messages through Patient Portal.

You will use Patient Portal to request a new appointment or view upcoming appointments, request a prescription refill, review and examine labs, and enter or modify personal information and other demographic information. Your will receive reminders about annual paps, follow-up ultrasound and lab appointments, etc.

When you check into the office, you will be asked for your e-mail address and secure password for Patient Portal. Please give us the e-mail address at which you want to receive personal communication. Please do not give us your office e-mail address if anyone else has access to this. Please do not give us an e-mail address that you share with other people if you do not want them to see your results. If you would prefer that we do not communicate results and answer questions by e-mail or Patient Portal, please note this.

Be aware that we can deliver results and answer questions much more quickly by e-mail or Patient Portal than by phone. If you have an ultrasound on a Monday, you will generally receive your results by Wednesday if we can use e-mail or Patient Portal. If we have to call you on the phone, it can take up to a week. The reason for this is that the doctor interpreting the results can e-mail you immediately from her home or office, but if she needs to call, she needs to wait for an appropriate time to call from the office, frequently has to leave a message, and is probably not going to be available to talk when you call back. This "phone tag" can go on for days. For this reason, the physician will opt to personally deliver an e-mail, but will usually have the triage office deliver results by phone, since the triage nurses are more readily available when you call back.

If you e-mail us a question about a lab result or an ultrasound, we will answer your question without a charge. If the question or questions require lengthy consideration by a physician or nurse practitioner, your insurance company may be charged for a consultation. You would then be responsible for the co-pay. Alternatively, you are welcome to schedule a personal consultation with a physician or practitioner. Many women prefer the concept of an e-mail consultation, regardless of the co-pay. The e-mail consultation saves the drive to the office and necessary schedule disruption. Of course, an e-mail consultation can only be provided if an examination is not necessary.

Why live with the discomfort of pelvic prolapse?

Many women, as a result of the intrinsic trauma of childbirth, suffer with pelvic prolapse. The symptoms are embarrassing, so mentioning the discomfort to family, friends, or even doctors is difficult. As a result, these women are living with a disability that is treatable and in most instances, curable.

The process of childbirth can cause breaks in the strong facial "tube" surrounding the vagina and the facial sling at the bottom of the pelvis. Many of you may know "fascia" as "gristle." It is the tough connective tissue that holds other, softer tissue in place. A woman may not experience symptoms right away, but with time, gravity, and the inevitable disintegration of tissue, the weakness becomes noticeable and often disabling.

These facial breaks are actually hernias in the hammock at the base of the pelvis, in the wall between the vagina and the bladder, or in the wall between the vagina and the rectum. As in any hernia, a bulge results. These bulges are called cystocele, rectocele, or enterocele. Uterine prolapse, or actual protruding of the cervix out of the vagina, can also result.

The symptoms of these hernias can be mild, moderate, or severe. Many women simply feel a pressure in the pelvis. Some women feel an actual bulge coming out of the vagina, particularly when standing for a long period of time. The bulge may not be there in the morning, but by the evening, it can be very uncomfortable.

Bowel movements can be difficult because stool gets caught in the pocket that is created by the rectocele. Some women are forced to press in the vagina to simply pass stool.

The hernia between the vagina and the bladder will not only cause a bulging sensation, but can weaken the supports of the bladder enough to cause loss of urine with coughing, sneezing, running, etc.

All of these symptoms are embarrassing and difficult to discuss. Many women are so mortified by the symptoms that they silently live with the condition. Some simply neglect to mention the symptoms to their doctor and some stop going to the doctor at all.

Women need to know that these problems can be treated! Sometimes all it takes is a "pessary," which is a device that fits in the vagina and supports the sagging tissue. The pessary can be periodically removed, cleaned, and replaced either by the patient herself or by the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner.

Surgery is also available. Recent advances in technology allow us to offer more permanent solutions to the problem of pelvic prolapse than were previously available.

We have a variety of graft materials that can be placed in the repair in order to support and strengthen the tissue. Sophisticated suture applicators help place the anchoring sutures in the ligaments, producing a stronger, more long-lasting result.

Generally speaking, these repairs can be accomplished without a large abdominal incision. The approach is laparoscopic, vaginal, or a combination of the two. Consequently, recovery is faster and less painful than before.

Please don't suffer in silence. If you are experiencing symptoms of pelvic prolapse, come in for an evaluation. Also, do your friends a favor and bring up the subject of pelvic prolapse, or e-mail this newsletter to them. You will be surprised at how many women are affected by the symptoms of pelvic prolapse, but are too embarrassed to talk about it.

Dr. Wilson lost her precious boxer, Roxy, in a tragic accident on January 2, 2005. Roxy had been rescued from a shelter in Flagstaff and had brightened the lives of Dr. Wilson and her family for 2 years. After a period of deep grief, she decided to honor Roxy by rescuing other boxers who find themselves without a home, often sick or injured.

Dr. Wilson has been working with BoxerLuv Rescue since that time, providing financial support and fostering needy boxers. BoxerLuv Rescue takes boxers out of shelters all across Northern Arizona. Many of these boxers are on the euthanasia list, and many are in desperate need of medical care. BoxerLuv is an all volunteer organization. The people who go to the shelters to pick up the boxers, the veterinarians who reduce their costs to help these animals, and the foster families who generously provide loving care and housing to these dogs are selfless and tireless. Please read more about BoxerLuv Rescue at www.arizonaboxerrescue.org.

BoxerLuv has more boxers in the system than they have available foster homes, so many of the boxers who are up for adoption need to be kept in boarding facilities until they are adopted. This is not optimal, but it is far better than euthanasia. If you are interested in fostering a wiggly, loving, grateful boxer, please fill out an on-line application.

Many of the boxers that are taken in are sick or injured, sometimes gravely so. Some have been hit by cars, some used as "bait dogs" (tied to a post and attacked by vicious fighting dogs with no way to defend themselves). If they survive the attack, they are often set free on the streets, wounded and alone. Many have valley fever or mange.

As you can imagine, the veterinary bills for these dogs are staggering, but BoxerLuv has a policy of turning no boxer or boxer mix away. If you can find it in your heart to contribute financially, you may do that on-line at www.arizonaboxerrescue.org or at Dr. Wilson's office.

Desperate Dogs in Kingman
A dog "sanctuary" in Kingman, Arizona was recently shut down by Mohave County Animal Control. At the time they were shut down, over one hundred dogs were being kept on the premises in deplorable conditions. A rescue group in Tucson has been attempting to adopt out these unfortunate dogs, but there are still over 40 left. The dogs miraculously have very few health problems, and most are very adoptable. If any dogs are left on April 30th, they will be euthanized. To learn more about the situation and see the dogs, go to www.savemoreanimals.org.

Kingman Update
The remaining dogs at the Kingman sanctuary were rescued by Dr. Wilson and a team of people including Shannon Anderson, Rance Anderson, Ames McGarey, Leslie Rachels, Diana Wittenbreder, and Betsy Senn. The dogs went to private homes or sanctuaries, depending on their level of socialization. Some are up for adoption. If you are interested in adopting one of the Kingman dogs, please contact Dr. Wilson.

Puppy and Kitten Season
The season when the shelters are deluged with puppies and kittens is upon us. This means 2 things to the shelters and to the animals in the shelters. The first consequence is that many otherwise adoptable adult dogs and cats are euthanized because people preferentially adopt puppies and kittens. The second is the sad reality that innocent puppies and kittens are euthanized because there is simply not enough space or adoptive families. Please consider going to a shelter and adopting an animal in the next 2 months. Please also make sure that your animals are spayed and neutered. Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to spay and neuter.

Arizona Humane Society
www.azhumane.org

Arizona Animal Welfare League
www.aawl.org

Maricopa Animal Care and Control
www.pets.maricopa.gov

To look at pictures of animals for adoption in your area, go to www.pets911.com and type in your zip code, the type of animal you are interested in adopting, and your age and sex preference. This is an amazing resource...check it out.

If you are interested in doing something for animals, consider attending the Taking Action for Animals Workshop July 16-18 in Washington, DC. The conference is being sponsored by Humane Society of the US, Farm Animal Sanctuary, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Doris Day Animal League, and Animal Protection Institute. Find out more at www.takingactionforanimals.org.

I am asked frequently what I do to maintain my health. It is always a difficult question to answer, because my diet is vastly different than the standard American diet. In this article, however, I will try to explain.

Q: Why are you a Vegan?
A: For 4 reasons. The first is ethics. I do not believe that we should kill other living, sentient beings for our survival if it is not necessary. The second is health. There is no doubt that meat (including chicken) dramatically raises a person's risk of heart disease and cancer. The third is the environment. The pollution that results from factory farming is almost unfathomable. The fourth reason is hunger and starvation. If we directed the calories from the grain that is fed to livestock towards starving human beings, we could virtually end hunger and starvation on this planet.

Q: Don't we need the protein we get in meat, chicken, fish, and dairy products to survive?
A: No. That is a myth propagated by the meat and dairy industry. We as a nation take in an excess of protein. With protein comes fat, and there is no doubt that we take in too much fat. I take in a fraction of the protein that most of you do and I am very healthy and energetic. Human beings originally evolved as herbivores, but began eating flesh when we developed the tools to kill other animals. For thousands of years, though, flesh was not the main source of food. We relied primarily on grains, fruits, nuts, and berries. Our digestive tracts are long and convoluted like a cow or horse's digestive tract. We can move our lower jaw from side to side (grinding), which cows and horses can do, but carnivores cannot. Cats and dogs have short digestive tracts in order to get rid of the toxins and bacteria that result from consuming flesh. Food has a very short transit time in carnivorous animals. Unfortunately, when we eat meat, it stays in our gastrointestinal tract for a long time, releasing toxins into our system.

Q. Do vegetarians and vegans really have a lower mortality rate from cancer and heart disease?
A. Absolutely. I, as a vegan, take in NO cholesterol in my diet, because cholesterol only comes from animal products. The average cholesterol level in the U.S. is 210. The average cholesterol of a vegetarian is 161, and that or a vegan is 133. It is a basic rule that anyone with a cholesterol level under 150 can be assured that they will not develop heart disease. Vegetarians have a cancer rate that is only 40% that of the general population. William Willett, M.D., Chairman of the Nutrition Department, Harvard School of Public Health, states "If you step back and look at the data (on beef and cancer), the optimum amount of red meat you eat should be zero."

Q. What about weight loss? I thought that carbohydrates were bad for you?
A. The Atkins Diet has unfortunately become very popular. You will certainly lose weight on the Atkins diet, but the consequences are dangerous to your health. Dr. Dean Ornish, author of Reversing Heart Disease, states "You can lose weight in lots of ways that aren't healthy. You can take chemotherapy or get cancer or AIDS or be an alcoholic and lose weight...the problem with high animal protein diets is that even if you can lose weight, you're mortgaging your health in the process." The fact of the matter is that animal fat is bad for your heart. You can be thin and still have heart disease. The healthiest diet for a human being is a low-fat diet which is high in complex carbohydrates. This means whole grains, vegetables, nuts, fruits, and legumes.

Q. What is wrong with Factory Farming?
A. Factory farming is cruel, abusive, unsanitary, and is a major source of pollution of our soil and waterways. We have grown up with an image of a farm where animals frolic and graze until they are humanely slaughtered. Those farms are very rare. Most of your beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and milk come from factory farms where animals are kept in crowded, inhumane conditions that would disturb any of us if we were to witness it. Pigs are kept in gestation cages that prevent them from even turning around or laying down for their WHOLE LIVES. Mother pigs are strapped to the floor to nurse their young. Chickens are raised in such crowded conditions that many die simply from being trampled. Their beaks are cut when they are a few days old to keep them from pecking each other to death. Disease is rampant, and the only way it is controlled is by injecting the animals with enough antibiotics to keep them from becoming too ill to slaughter. Cattle are kept in crowded conditions and never see the light of day until they are loaded on the truck to be taken to the slaughterhouse. The only reason all of this exists is that we do not see it and refuse to think about it when we buy our neatly packaged ground beef at the grocery store. I believe that factory farming is a scourge on us as human beings.

"Nothing would benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

Albert Einstein

Suggested websites:

"Cowardice asks the question. 'Is it safe?'
Expediency asks the question 'Is it polite?'
Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?'
But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?'

And there comes a point when one must take a position that is
Neither safe,
Nor polite,
Nor popular,
But one must take it because one's conscience tells one that
It is right.

Martin Luther King Jr.