The Dr. Oz Show
Air date: November 15, 2011
America's Sex Trafficking Secret
- Sex trafficking in the United States
- What the F.B.I. wants you to know to keep your children safe
- Three things your mouth may be telling you
- Lose weigh, support the heart and reduce cancer risks with Mushrooms
- Best foods for heart health
Dr. Oz calls it a national health scandal: human sex trafficking. It's happening not only in international cities but it's also happening right here in the United States, in our towns, in the mall and online. Find out how this is happening and what you can do to prevent your children from falling victim to these sexual predators.
Over 100,000 American children are forced into sexual slavery and exploitation. Children from across the country are falling victim to adults, pimps who force them into having sex by threatening beatings, rape or worse.
Lisa Ling went to Washington, D.C. To investigate the crime for her show Our America with Lisa Ling on the OWN Network. Boys between the ages of 6 and 10, girls starting at age 11 fall are prey to the pimps who promise them money, love, a better life.
Ms. Ling met Tina who works to rescue children for these horrible circumstances. She herself was enslaved at age 14 and it took 10 years for her to break free. Men in cars line up along the sidewalk watching the girls who walk by and looking for their favorite. At 5am on a Sunday, Ms. Ling and Tina saw a 12 year old girl in sparkly pants, barely able to walk in her high heels. They tried to talk to her but she got into a truck with her pimp. Law enforcement can't identify her and she's probably lost in the system.
Ms. Ling says these kids are not prostitutes they are slaves. They do not get paid, they work seven days a week. Some girls are with up to 20 men in a night. Girls. At age 14.
The men who pay to be with these girls are people you probably wouldn't expect: dads with car seats, taxi drivers, pastors. There is no set demographic and they are diverse.
The children, too come from diverse demographics, most often they don't have active parents, they have low levels of self-esteem. When they hear someone say they are beautiful, that someone loves them and will take care of them, the kids jump at the words they don't hear from anyone else in their lives.
This is a multimillion dollar business. Pimps are making $17,000 a week, tax-free, off of children. In a year, they can make $650,000, off of children.
As a physician, Dr. Oz wants to know about the health issues that effect these children: HIV and other issues. HIV is perceived as the biggest health issue but in 500 rescued kids, Tina has only seen 5 cases of HIV. What she see is HPV [Human Papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Read more at CDC.gov.]
The girls have to work even during their period. They are forced to stuff cotton balls and baby wipes into their vagina to stop the flow of blood and these get stuck causing infections. Many of these girls are no longer able to have children.
Kids are targeted on the streets and online. Bella was kidnapped and became a slave at age 14. Bella was at a friends house on the computer on a social network site. A man friended them, picked them up and took them to a house filled with other girls and a man who they called daddy. Bella was taken to another city and within days she had her first client.
During the day she was solicited online, at night she walked the streets. She was with someone every second of the day and couldn't escape. Her family was threatened, she was threatened. She knew the pimp had weapons and she had seen other girls get hurt. A police office found her, she was arrested and that was the first time she felt safe.
Bella was never introduced to anything like this before. She and her family attended church together, her parents knew all her friends and knew all of her friends' parents.
Bella's mother felt like a failure. She says it's difficult to see and hear. Her daughter went missing and then to learn what happened it's very surreal. How does this happen to an American family? These things only happen on TV.
Lori Regnier with the Starbright Foundation works with girls that have been recovered from the sex slave trade. The girls have been striped of their self-worth, they have pervasive mistrust issues, need unconditional love, acceptance, structure, empathy and need to feel safe.
The Starbright Foundation has a difficult road. It is only one of eight safe houses in the U.S. and it's difficult to get funding, people won't accept that this happens. She wants parents to know that these predators are where your children are, they watch what your children are doing, they are handing out fliers for modeling, they are hanging out where your kids are hanging out.
A trip to the mall became a nightmare 20 years ago for 14-year-old Holly. She went to the mall with her friends and a guy said he could get her modeling and acting jobs and even a red corvette. She ran away with him. They went to a motel and a woman dyed her hair, put her in a dress and high heels. Within 12 hours she was on the streets having 10 or 12 men forced on her. The first guy said she reminded him of his granddaughter. The second night she was arrested and made it out after 36 hours. If she wasn't arrested she might not be here today. For fifteen years after her slavery she had low self-esteem, was depressed and attempted suicide. She didn't get specialized care to learn that it wasn't her fault.
To girls who are vulnerable to slavery, Holly says if you're angry and have low-self esteem then know that things get better. She says there's more to life than middle school. She wants girls who have been victimized, been enslaved, to know that it doesn't define them, it is not your fault.
Kevin Perkins, of the F.B.I., says the F.B.I. Is partnering with law enforcement agencies working to rescue these kids from the streets. Since 2004, there have been 850 convictions, with seven serving life without parole.
What Parents Need To Know
#1 Prevention: Talk about it with children so they understand what to look for, what to stay away from. Tell them they are important, they are loved, they are cared for.
#2 Warning Signs: Parents should look for out of normal clothing, gifts, jewelery, as well as new friends who are older.
#3 Crisis Point: when kids have unexplained bruises, injuries, tattoos, burns it's time to engage with medical and law enforcement communities to protect the kids and find the people involved.
Sex trafficking is happening in open areas, places where you think kids would be safe: at a mall, at a bus stop, walking home. Holly says she wasn't in a bad neighborhood, she and her friends went to the mall nearly every weekend.
Pretators are master manipulators and look for someone who has run away, needs shelter. Vulnerable kids are going to go to anyone that will give them comfort.
Ms. Ling says what needs to happen is if we see these kids on the street we to need to recognize them as victims instead when they are picked up by law enforcement they are treated as criminals.
It is vital for kids to hear that you love them and for daughters to know that their father loves them. Dads need to reinforce that positive relationship with their daughters.
To report a lost or missing child, contact the National Center for Mission & Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST or visit http://www.missingkids.com/.
Warning Signs in Your Mouth
Canker Sores
Dr. Oz asked his audience member participant if she ever experienced stomach pain along with a canker sore. Dr. Oz didn't explain what it would mean only that would be no good...
[MayoClinic.com states that one symptom of Crohn's disease is sores in the intestines and:
You may also have ulcers in your mouth similar to canker sores.]
Dr. Oz says you may be causing the canker sore problem by your toothpaste. Chemicals and flavors in some toothpastes are harsh to the tissues in the mouth. You are ertainly not brushing the sides of the mouth but the chemicals come in contact with tissues in the mouth which can become irritated and create the sore.
To reduce irritation, change your toothpaste. Dr. Oz recommends using Squigle brand toothpaste that does not contain SLS [sodium laurel sulfate] which he says is not toxic but the chemical can bother the mouth tissues.
[The Squigle.com address sends you to HomesteadMarket.com. The site shows the product's full name as Squigle Enamel Saver Toothpaste and contains floride and xylitol. Squigle is selling for about $7.00 for a 4 oz tube. Xylitol is a sugar that is commonly made from corn that creates an environment which is inhospitable to bacteria – bacteria does not want to take hold where xylitol is present. Xylitol is used in several brands of toothpaste including my favorite Now XyliWhite, gum, mints, and even nasal spray.]
Cold Sore
Cold sores can develop when the immune system low and the herpes simplex virus can emerge – this is not the genital form of herpes – but a different form that is easily spread person-to-person when a sore is present on the lips.
[MedicineNet.com explains that Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) comes in two forms, Type 1 and Type 2. HSV 1 typically causes infections above the waist and this is the form we're talking about. HSV 2 typically causes infections below the waist.]
If the immune system is low and the virus is present, a sore can develop on or around the lips of the mouth. The material inside the sore is highly contagious and can quickly be spread from person-to-person.
Dr. Oz recommends drinking lemon balm tea to support or using Abreva, an over-the-counter topial cream.
What is the difference between a canker sore and a cold sore? A canker sore is inside the mouth and a cold sore is outside of the mouth, on the lips. They are both caused by the same virus and lowered immune function.
[Prevention.com also recommends lemon balm tea for a cold sore. Instead of drinking, their recommendation is to brew 2 to 4 teaspoons of lemon balm per cup of water, let cool, then using a cotton ball, dab onto the effected area. They also recommend duct tape to get rid of warts – it takes two months – I'm inclined to take this with a grain of salt.]
Yellow Under the Tongue
Jaundice can manifest as yellowing on the underside of the tongue. In fact, Dr. Oz says under the tongue is typically the first place jaundice can be seen. He showed an animation of the liver and pancreas secreting chemicals and the gall bladder which produces bile and bilirubin. Bilirubin goes into the blood and if the liver is unable to process then it becomes toxic and flows throughout the body showing up a yellowing. The pigmentation under the tongue allows for bilirubin build-up to show up there first.
Boost Immunity, Lose Weight and Fight Cancer with Mushrooms
Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD and author of several books including MyPlate for Moms. Even though mushrooms have no color [white and brown are colors!] they are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mushrooms have as much, if not more, nutritional value as their more colorful fruity and veggie friends.
White Button Mushrooms
Ms. Ward calls white button mushrooms the cancer preventer. She says there is no data on how much to eat. [At the end of the show, Dr. Oz recommended eating a handful of mushrooms 3 to 4 times per week.] A great way to get your mushrooms and a delicious snack, Ms. Ward recommends taking out the chips from the chip and dip and replace them with mushrooms.
Crimini Mushrooms
The crimini mushroom is a baby portobello mushroom picked before it grows huge. Ms. Ward says crimini mushrooms are great for weight loss. She recommends to blend 50% ground beef with 50% crimini mushrooms for tacos and pasta sauce. The meat and crimini mushroom mixture has lower calories, lower fat, and increased fiber then just meat alone. Ms. Ward describes to crimini flavor as meaty, hearty flavor.
Maitake Mushrooms
Maitake mushrooms are the heart health mushrooms. Maitake mushrooms are full of a specific antioxidant that can protect cells from damage. Maitake mushrooms also contain potassium which supports blood pressure balancing and can help reduce the risk of stroke. A company has take power of maitake mushrooms and combined it with coffee for a nutrient-rich drink. Ming Tsai's Maitake Coffee is available online for $18.99 per pound.
Best Foods to Prevent a Heart Attack
Game Show Time!
You don't want meet Dr. Oz on the operating table so here are some food choices to support heart health.
To prevent a heart attack, which food helps to lower blood pressure? Cabbage or spinach?
Spinach wins for it's magnesium content that supports healthy blood pressure and takes pressure off the heart.
To prevent a heart attack, which food helps to lower cholesterol better? Coconuts or Prunes?
Prunes contain soluble fiber that sucks up the bad LDL cholesterol and prevents that LDL from getting into blood stream. Prunes also contain potassium for blood pressure support.
Dr. Oz says coconuts have saturated which is not an ideal fat for the heart.
[Healthy sources of saturated fat in small quantities are actually supportive of brain health as well as heart health. Read more about this controversial approach to fats from NaturalNews.com. Coconut can be a healthy fat, dairy products from clean sources, and nuts too.]
Which food helps to control blood sugar? Popcorn or pumpkin seeds?
Popcorn is high in fiber to help control blood sugar, a more effective way to keep the heart healthy.
Today we can make a difference if we focus on ourselves. ~ Dr. Oz
Those girls' stories just...holy cow. That is so awful.
ReplyDeleteTheir stories are seriously awful, Kira! It really does sound like a horrifying made-for-TV movie. To be kidnapped in broad daylight and put through that? It's heartwarming to hear that some girls, too few no doubt, are rescued and there are some, albeit few, places where people support their healing.
ReplyDelete