Recently, I was taking a late night walk in Owenton, Kentucky. Owenton is a little town of maybe six hundred people in rural north central Kentucky. I had just finished watching the sad Biden-Trump debate and decided that a walk and some ice cream sounded good.
I walked to our local convenience store which is about a half mile from where I was staying in Owenton. It was a beautiful summer night and I only saw two cars on the road in route to the store. I bought an ice cream bar and had it eaten within twenty steps of the store when the only car I saw on the way home pulled up beside me and someone asked, “Sir, are you alright?”
It was the local city police. I responded, “Yes sir, I’m doing fine.”
He asked, “Would you like a ride home?” To which I replied, “No sir, I’m just out for a walk.”
He then asked, “Have you been drinking?”
I replied, “No sir, just been eating a Snicker’s Ice Cream Bar.”
He continued, “Are you sure?”
“Yes sir, I’m sure.”
He then asked, “Where are you going?” I told him the street which was only about five more minutes of walking time.
I thought all was well as he and another policeman drove off but they made a U-turn and pulled right back up in front of me. The cop got out of the car and told me he wanted to do a breathalyzer test.
I’ve never had one in my life. I agreed to it. He was right in the middle of the street. I walked out to meet him and he told me to
blow into the straw. I complied. He shook his head because, of course, the test was negative.
The officer told me his name and I responded by telling him mine and we shook hands. He told me to be safe walking home. He then wanted to know exactly where I lived and I gave him the street name and house number.
As I walked up the street and neared home, I looked up. Once again, he and the other officer passed by. I suppose they were checking to see if I went where I said I was going.
This was really dramatic and over the top. I was simply taking a walk.
I wasn’t falling into the street or staggering from one side to the other. I was walking. He had no cause to stop and embarrass me but called me out into the middle of the street for a breathalyzer. Fortunately, not one car drove by while he was doing that. It’s a small town and no one was out at 11:10 at night.
Almost no one gets out and walks in this town. If anybody has to go to the local convenience store, they drive their car even it’s just a block or two. Thus, maybe the police thought if someone was out walking then surely the person had to be up to no good or intoxicated.
I’m, very supportive of the police. I’m appreciative of all who work to keep us safe. We need good police officers protecting us. However, this was ridiculous.
Don’t harass people just because you are bored and have nothing else to do.
I feel sorry for the many people in this nation who have been racially profiled for years. They are often pulled over because they are Black or a different nationality. Sometimes people are pulled over if they are driving a red sports car or if they are someone who is an “outsider.”
Often small towns can be very cliquish. If they don’t know who you are or if you are not “one” of the community residents then you are immediately profiled as an outsider and outsiders are often disliked, shunned or just treated badly.
Freedom to move about the country is a wonderful privilege. Let us be appreciative of our freedom this fourth of July week.
He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
You’ve heard the term “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well, how about, “tomatoes each week, keeps your health at peak?”
Not only are these bright red, juicy fruits filled with vitamins and minerals, but they can also lessen the risk of cancer, says Katrina Sommer, an advanced clinical dietitian with OSF HealthCare.
“They have these extra ‘bonus nutrients’ we call phytochemicals. They’re found in plant foods, and these help us fight inflammation and act as an antioxidant. This helps get the free radicals out of there that lessen the risk for cancer development,” Sommer says.
Photo: Yves Deploige/Unsplash
Sommer and her team at the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois work alongside cancer patients on what diet is best for them to fight cancer. She says plant foods play a huge role.
“We know a diet that is mostly plant-based, can help lower our risk for cancer and other diseases like heart disease and diabetes,” Sommer says. “It helps us keep a healthy weight, too.”
What is Lycopene?
“Lycopene is one of those phytochemicals. There’s a lot of different groups of these phytochemicals. One of them is called carotenoids. Carotenoids a lot of times will give the plant food its color. Lycopene is a type of carotenoid and gives the tomato that bright red or orange color,” Sommer says. “Lycopene is also found in watermelon, grapefruit and is the red or pink color you see.”
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) identified 72 human and animal studies and concluded that lycopene contained anti-cancer activities. Now, the NIH says the next step is to identify a population that might benefit from lycopene supplementation.
“It’s been shown that eating tomatoes a couple times a week can help lessen the risk of metastatic prostate cancer,” Sommer adds.
Cook tomatoes and drizzle olive oil
“These need to be absorbed very well in our system. To do that, cook them and you can drizzle olive oil on them so we can absorb those nutrients optimally,” Sommer says.
What if I don’t like tomatoes?
“Think of those tomato foods that are cooked. Tomato sauce or tomato soup are good options. They help absorb the lycopene and carotenoids that are in there. So, it doesn’t just have to be a fresh tomato on a salad, you can eat it cooked as well,” Sommer says.
How can red meat or processed meat affect my risk for cancer?
“Something to consider is how much meat you’re eating, especially red meat and processed meat. Too much of these can raise the risk of developing cancer,” Sommer says. “Same with drinking alcohol. We want to lower the amount of alcohol we drink or avoid it if we can.”
Another food factor to consider if you want to avoid cancer - Sommer says to watch out how much added sugar you have in your diet. Too much added sugar intake can affect our weight in negative ways, while not providing any beneficial nutrition. Sodas are a part of this equation due to the added sugar and lack of beneficial nutrition they offer.
“Eating too much fast food or processed food doesn’t have the nutrients we need. It might not have the fiber we get in the plant foods. It doesn’t really help our bodies fight inflammation or cancer risk, so it can raise the risk for cancer developing,” Sommer says.
Overall, Sommer recommends being more mindful of your overall diet and considering the foods and drinks you’re bringing into your body if you want to do everything you can to prevent cancer.
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