Hanging in the balance

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

	TRR photo by Charlie Buterbaugh Pamela Bear, cancer fighter and health advisor, adheres to a vegetarian diet that includes such treats as tofu turkey with cranberry-pecan stuffing and mushroom gravy. (Click for larger image)

MOUNTAINDALE, NY — Pamela Bear moved to Mountaindale because she wanted to live in a family-based community, but she discovered countless families were struggling to scratch out a living.

She observed the struggles of men and women who worked hard to support their families, and who eventually broke down and died. So, she committed herself to educating people about the benefits of nutrition and community.

Unfortunately, she said, Sullivan County, like most community systems, is not set up to educate people about alternative approaches to personal and family health.

Bear learned about such values the hard way.

At the age of 17, after a substantial hemorrhage, she was diagnosed with thyroid disease, and her doctor prescribed morphine and other drugs for almost five years to alleviate pain and prevent depression.

She became dependent on the drugs and alcohol, and after 16 years of smoking, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999, an affliction she attributes to unhealthy habits and an estrogen-dominant genetic make-up.

“In my generation, we were taught to think that doctors were close to God and to never question their authority, and this approach to traditional medicine has survived,” Bear said.

“Most people see a cancer diagnosis as a death sentence. This is not the case. We are working with county and municipal organizations to set up an educational lifestyle center with an emphasis on alternative methods of disease treatment and prevention,” she said.

Along with friend and business partner, Liz Iannacone, Bear plans to focus on a treatment model that incorporates mental, physical, spiritual and environmental well-being.

“Whatever someone is genetically predisposed to can be overcome with nutrition.”

Bear cancelled three surgeries during the thick of her cancer pain and relied on a diet of live foods, which she described as raw fruits and vegetables as well as cooked root vegetables.

“People need to learn how to eat at a cellular level. They need to learn how to understand how to eat vegetables in a way that delivers maximum nutrients to the body,” she said.

Bear and Iannacone organize health fairs in Sullivan and other counties. Last weekend, they hosted a fair in a community park in Dover County where two doctors, a pediatrician and an endocrinologist, both members of their church, performed free health screenings and provided advice.

“One of our goals is to put doctors’ recommendations into a practical form. If a doctor tells a patient with diabetes to stay away from sugar, we can advise the person that certain types of sugar are safe in moderation.

“For example, a woman with diabetes can eat raw sugar, honey or maple syrup as long as she couples it with a whole grain, which will allow the glucose to be broken down slowly in the body,” Iannacone said.

The two women refer to themselves as lifestyle advisors, and they aim to show people that the options in a vegetarian or vegan diet are anything but boring. While at Bear’s home in Mountaindale, the two women invited me to sample such dishes as tofu turkey with cranberry-pecan stuffing and mushroom gravy, oat burgers, Special-K patties and whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and Mock-zarella cheese.

Having been raised thoroughly carnivorous, I was doubtful about how the foods would taste, as I am sure many readers will be, but what I tasted were foods full of flavor, zest and nutrition. Also, for those of you who will host vegetarian relatives at Thanksgiving, we have included a recipe for tofu turkey.

At the conclusion of my visit, Bear said, “I still may die, and I have to live life day-by-day as I continue to hang in the balance between life and death.”

As her work in Sullivan County progresses, she plans to focus on women’s issues, though she realizes that every diagnosis affects each family member differently, and every person’s fears need to be addressed with sensitivity.

“Women often compromise their health because they are so dedicated to their families. When women are diagnosed with cancer or any disease, they need take care of themselves first, and families need to be educated from the ground up about the strange and difficult transition to coping with disease,” she said.

Tofu turkey with cranberry-pecan stuffing

Turkey

5 lbs. water packed tofu (extra-firm)

1 Tbs. salt (add 3/4 tsp.)

1 1/4 tsp. dried oregano (crushed)

Cheesecloth

Drumstick

1 lb. water packed tofu (extra firm)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried oregano (crushed)

Stuffing

2 cups Portobello mushrooms

1 cup onion chopped

1 1/2 cups celery chopped (about 3 stalks)

1/2 cup butter or Earth Balance (non-hydrogenated) margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

4 cups Pepperidge Farm Corn Bread Stuffing

4 cups Pepperidge Farm Country-Style Stuffing

1 cup toasted pecans (chopped)

1 tsp. dried oregano (crushed)

1 tbs. fresh sage (minced)

2 cups boiling water

1 cup dried cranberries

Turkey Basting Mixture

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1/8 cup Liquid Aminos

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tbs. barley miso

Mushroom Gravy

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine

2 1/2 cups Portobello mushrooms (chopped)

1 cup diced onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt divided

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 cups soy milk

2 cups water

1 Tbs. chicken style seasoning

Instructions

Turkey and drumstick: put tofu for turkey, salt and oregano in a bowl and mix with a hand beater (can be mixed in a Kitchen Aid). Mix well until soft. Then put cheesecloth in around colander with edges hanging over the sides. Fill with the tofu mixture and cover with the cheesecloth. Put a plate on top and put a five-pound weight on top of the plate. Put a dish under the colander to catch the liquid. Put in the refrigerator over night.

The next day, remove plate with the liquid. Uncover top of tofu and scoop the inside leaving a one inch edge all around. Save the scooped tofu; this will be the cover. Fill with stuffing mixture. Put any leftover stuffing in a pan, cover and bake at 325° for 20 minutes.

After filling the tofu with stuffing, put the scooped tofu on top and smooth over the top. Put baking tray or sheet on the top of colander and turn over the tofu turkey. Remove cheesecloth and baste. Bake in the oven uncovered at 400° for one hour, then baste again, and bake for another hour. Serve hot with gravy.

For drumsticks, mix tofu and ingredients done for turkey. Then form into drumsticks and put on sides of turkey.

Stuffing: In a pan, saute mushrooms, onions, celery and margarine until tender. While vegetables are cooking, mix in a bowl country-style and corn stuffing, toasted pecans (pecans can be toasted in oven at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes), oregano, fresh sage, and cranberries. Add sauteed vegetables and mix everything well.

Turkey Basting Mixture: Mix well all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Mushroom Gravy: In a pan, saute until brown margarine, mushroom and onion. Add salt. Put whole wheat pastry flour in a pan and brown flour. Then add to vegetables. Combine the milk, water and chicken seasoning, and add slowly to vegetables until thickened.