Forum
Monthly Newsletter
Save the date
Upcoming AmSoc events
July 2nd - 4th of July celebration
Aug - Welcome back event (date TBA)
Sep 24th - AmSoc Vida Jovem Benefit (note change
of date)
The Health Issue
Pollution in São Paulo
Page 4: How bad is it really, what
is being done and what can you
do to protect the health of your
family and yourself?
Brazilian superfoods
Page 6: Heard about Brazilian
superfoods yet? What are they
and how can you benefit from
them?
The flu
Page 10: Get all the info on the
flu and this year’s flu vaccine
right here!
Our Mission
The American Society of São Paulo
promotes friendship by organizing
social, cultural and athletic events for
its diverse membership; encourages
integration with the Brazilian society;
and supports the American traditions
of education, philanthropy and
volunteerism.
Independence Day Celebration
As we told you all in our last Forum,
this year we’ll be celebrating United
States Independence Day on Saturday
July 2nd. We want to thank Thomas
Kelly, Counsel General and acknowledge
the American Consulate as our Co-Host.
The event on Saturday July 2nd will take
place at the Consulate in the sporting area
within the
compound.
The Gates
will open
at 12:30pm
with drinks
and games
available.
Opening
ceremonies
with the
M a r i n e
Color Guard
will start
at 1:30pm.
Lunch will
be served
after the
opening ceremony, the President’s
message, and a few words from our
Consul General etc.
It comes complete with a play area for
children where we’ll have some extra
special games and slides, hot dogs and
drinks, face painting and activities to
last the whole afternoon. We’ll have a
sporting area for adults, tennis, soccer
kicking, egg toss, Tug-O-Rope, three
legged races and of course some prizes
for those outstanding performers.
Since we’ll be inside the Consulate
gates we’ll need to conform to the strict
security regulations, so if you don’t have
a reservation you will not be allowed past
security. The security documents required
are simple and normal (just like you’d
use to enter an office building): Name of
all attendees (maids as well), document
type and number (Passport, RG, RNE
etc). There is plenty of street parking on
Saturdays and there is a parking lot at the
end of the street.
June 2011
www.amsoc.com.br
We have put a link on our website
(www.amsoc.com.br) for your use to
complete the reservation form including
the food you are bringing, names and
numbers.
You can also email the information
to the amsoc1@amsoc.com.br or call at
5182-2074. If you call, please have all the
names and
document
numbers
r e a d y
because
we’ll need
to write
everything
d o w n
for you.
Children’s
document
numbers
will NOT be
necessary
for this
event.
T h e
Consulate staff will will be joining us for
the picnic and all our kids will be playing
together. We are hoping to have fireworks,
pending approval and sponsorship for this
type of spectacular event.
Remember, each family must bring a
salad or fantastic dessert to accompany
the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs,
and we’ll continue this tradition at the
Consulate.
Since this is a Members Only event,
invite your friends to JOIN AMSOC and
come to our first Independence Day Event
at the American Consulate. Just click the
“Join Now” button on our website, you
can use your credit card or PayPal for
your Annual fee.
Your Independence Day Committee
is working hard to ensure you have a
GREAT picnic, so come prepared for
good food, good friends, good weather
and a fantastic event.
See you on Saturday July 2nd at 1:30pm
 The President’s Corner
First of all,
I would like
to thank those
whom elected
the Officers and
Board members
at the AGM
last month. I Marilyn passed away in 2005, a victim
By Joe Sherman, AmSoc president
look forward to
working with Jennifer, Jacques, Ruth
and the Board in continuing to fine tune
what the American Society does and
offers in these changing times.
Secondly I would like to introduce
myself to those that do not know me
personally.
I was born here in São Paulo and
am a third generation American. My
grandfather first came to Brazil in
1916, initially working in Rio Grande
do Sul in the coal mining business.
He later moved to São Paulo with
my grandmother working with the
Canadian Light and Power Company.
My grandmother was a teacher and the
elementary principal at Graded having
graduated from Columbia University
with a Masters in Education.
My father and uncles grew up in
São Paulo, attending Graded and
later Mackenzie as Graded was only
elementary at the time. My father was
working in Rio when he met my mother
who was working at the US consulate.
I also went to Graded until my father
was transferred to Buenos Aires. I met
my wife Marilyn in high school there
and we were married after our university
studies in the U.S. We then moved to
Brazil in 1975 and our two daughters,
Angela and Melissa, attended Chapel
and Graded, and then off they went to
the US for college. Both girls now live
and work/study in California. Sadly
of breast cancer.
I have known my fiancée Connie
Herbert for many years; her husband
Brandon and I go back to elementary at
Graded; and he unfortunately was also
a victim of cancer. We will be married
after she retires as an elementary
principal at the Swiss School in
August.
My business experience is in the
agribusiness area having worked for
two large American grain companies,
a Brazilian cooperative, European
agrichemical businesses, and an
international ethanol trade association.
Most of my work experience was in
São Paulo plus two year expatriate
tours in New York and Minneapolis at
the home office. I currently work on
agribusiness consulting projects on a
case by case basis.
In terms of volunteering, the
American Society is not new to me,
coaching Little League T-ball, Girls
Softball-PACA at 8:00 on Saturday
mornings…. I was on the Board of our
neighborhood owners association for
many years and as an active golfer have
participated in the management of the
Guarapiranga Golf and Country Club
as Captain for four years, President four
years, and President of the Board three
years. I have been on the American
Society Board for three years and
am looking forward to next year as
President of this great organization!
I am an Elvis Presley fan and my
daughters have given Connie and I
tickets to see the Cirque du Soleil
Viva Elvis show in Las Vegas for our
60th birthdays. So we are off at the
end of the month to Las Vegas and
California. Connie’s daughter, Aline,
will be joining us on the California leg.
Unfortunately I will not be at our 4th of
July celebration which I am sure will
be a great success.
For those on vacation in July have a
good time and see you in August at our
pancake breakfast.
Abraços,
Joe

Forum is published monthly, with Lynn Cordeiro, editor and layout

the exception of January and July, by Ernest White II, staff writer
About Forum

Forum is printed by EGB.

(http://www.egb.com.br)

Views expressed in Forum do

The American Society of São Paulo
Rua da Paz, 1431 04713-001 São Paulo, SP
Tel: (11) 5182-2074 Fax: (11) 5182-9155
forum@amsoc.com.br
not necessarily reflect those of
the American Society board of
governors, members, or staff.
Forum reserves the right to edit
content for brevity and/or clarity.

2 Forum June
 The American Society
of São Paulo

Welcome to our New Members

Please welcome the following New Members who joined us in April 2011. We are very grateful for their support, and that
of all our members! See you at our next event!!! WELCOME TO THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SÃO PAULO! Your
Membership Committee

NAME MEMBERSHIP TYPE CITIZENSHIIP COMPANY

Lesley OLSON & Mario ZEBIC Family Patron American

Yamin CHIANG Single Patron Brazilian RP Import e Export

Joseph & Cecilia TRIPICIAN Family American

Jeffrey Andrew MAYER Junior American Chapel School

Health Insurance in Brazil -

Do I have what I need?
While many of us are familiar with
health care costs and medical coverage,
living in Brazil can cause you to double
check that you are your family have the
coverage you need.
Local insurance policies are
generally limited to the country in
which you live, whereas international
policies generally provide coverage
worldwide.
Listed below are important items
that our often treated differently in local
and international insurance coverage
policies.
The question of insurance coverage
can be complicated but understanding
the extent of your coverage is important.
Perhaps a local or international policy
would be better for your needs.
If you would like to learn more about
both local and international insurance
policies available in Brazil, American
Society has arranged for a group policy
to be extended to its members at a
discount.
We picked a broker who speaks
fluent English and can explain selected
insurance policies and products to you.
If you would like to learn more, please
contact the AMSOC office or visit our
website for additional information.

Local
Reference List of Doctors/Lab tests/Hospital
Limit of reimbursement for procedures
No coverage of prescribed medications
Some products do not offer Home Care
Limit of Medical Technology
Brazil Coverage
Limit of Cancer Treatment
Limit for appliances implanted during surgery
No air ambulance
International
Free Choice of Providers Around the World
No limit (UCR – Usual, Costumary, Reasonable)
Coverage for prescribed Medications
Home Care coverage
Cutting-edge medical technology
Worldwide Coverage
100% coverage for Cancer Treatment
100% for appliances implanted during surgery
Air ambulance coverage

2011 Forum 3
 Hazy Daze: São Paulo’s Pollution Problem
By Ernest White II, staff writer
One of the biggest events to hit
town this year is the C40 Large Cities
Climate Summit, a biannual reunion of
leaders from the world’s largest cities
joined in an effort to combat climate
change, happening at the World Trade
Center São Paulo from May 31st to
June 2nd.
São Paulo makes an
interesting, if unconventional,
choice for host city of the
conference: with a population
in the greater metropolitan
area of twenty million
people, a growing fleet of
over seven million cars, and
a well-established industrial
sector, the city often finds
itself shrouded in a Venusian
haze, producing spectacular,
apocalyptic sunsets as well as
persistent coughs. In fact, the air
pollution in São Paulo, caused
mostly by vehicle emissions,
has been found to shave three
years off an otherwise healthy person’s
life, in addition to causing all manner
of health problems, including asthma,
bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease,
and lung cancer, according to the
Pollution Laboratory at the University
of São Paulo (USP), which constantly
monitors pollution levels and their
effects on the citizenry.
This same citizenry, while seemingly
attached to a steadily growing car
culture, are increasingly dissatisfied
with official efforts by municipal, state,
and federal government agencies to
effectively deal with the problem.
Last year, according to research done
by the NGO Nossa São Paulo, 36 per
cent of paulistanos questioned indicated
being “totally dissatisfied” with the
city’s pollution controls, and the same
number believe that air quality in the
area has gotten worse over the last few
years. Still, with woefully inadequate
public transportation, many of these
same citizens add to the problem by
driving.
Not only is “toxic dust” – a
4 Forum
combination of carbon exhaust and dirt
in microscopic particles small enough
to get by the body’s built-in respiratory
defense system, commonly known
as nose hair – stirred up by moving
vehicles, but the two-year delay in the
commercial availability of cleaner-
burning diesel fuels in Brazil, which
had been slated for 2009, is expected
to cost R$30 million in public health
care costs and at least 14,000 deaths
nationwide by 2030, according to
figures by USP.
As temperatures drop in the Southern
Hemisphere, the overall amount of air
pollution in São Paulo increases, since
the air itself becomes drier and toxic
gasses, including carbon monoxide
and nitrogen dioxide, are less likely to
dissipate, forming a noxious force field
over the city that traps heat, causing
further unnatural climatic fluctuations.
In fact, last August proved to be the
driest month in São Paulo since records
began to be kept in 1943, according
to the Brazilian National Institute of
Meteorology.
Not only that, but scientists at the
National Institute of Space Research
in São José dos Campos found that
atmospheric pollutants produced in the
São Paulo metro area can easily spread
up to 600 km away, or more, creating
a layer of harmful ozone over towns in
São Paulo state such as Ribeirão Preto,
São Francisco Xavier, and even far-
flung Presidente Prudente.
Air isn’t the only contaminated
element in the São Paulo area. The
city’s biggest suppliers of drinking
water, the Billings and Guarapiranga
reservoirs, at the far end of
Zona Sul, contain unsafe
levels of lead, copper, nickel,
and zinc, among other heavy
metals, according to USP.
Sabesp, the state-run
sanitation company in charge
of delivering potable water to
the populace, isn’t equipped
to filter the water completely,
so traces of these metals can
indeed be found in water
coming from the tap.
Long-term exposure to the
elements have been known
to cause decreased fertility
and cancer. Meanwhile, a
two-year project in which
water from the Rio Pinheiros was to be
treated before flowing into the Billings
Reservoir by a special floating filtration
system that would concentrate toxins
and waste into a removable sludge was
deemed a complete failure last year
by the state government, at the cost of
R$80 million.
This is in addition to contamination
of the Guarapiranga Reservoir by raw
sewage seeping and being dumped
from illegal squatter settlements along
the shoreline.
Though these issues may make
São Paulo seem incredibly toxic and
virtually uninhabitable – the city’s air
pollution index is nearly twice that
of New York – it’s actually less of a
polluter than Mumbai, Shanghai, or
even Buenos Aires. And, São Paulo
produces less carbon emissions per
capita than New York, Toronto, or
Washington, D.C.
In an attempt to honor its oath to
reduce the amount of carbon released
into the air by thirty percent of 2005
levels by the year 2050, the city has
June

become more focused on taking cars
off the road through a slow but steady
metro expansion program, opening
most of the stations along the new
yellow line, Linha 4, by the end of the
year, as well as breaking ground on
another subway line – Linha 6 – by
the start of 2013.
Also, almost 10,000 buses, which
constitutes about 65 per cent of the
city’s entire bus fleet, have been
replaced with models that burn more
environmentally-friendly fuels.
The city’s Secretaria do Verde e
Meio Ambiente, the governmental
body responsible for environmental
initiatives in São Paulo, have
organized the 100 Parques program,
with an aim of establishing 100 parks
and green spaces in the city before
the end of next year.
Parks tend to provide a cooling
effect on cities, especially those with
vast tracts of concrete structures
and pavement that generate extreme
heat in the sun. São Paulo has been
especially creative by establishing
linear parks along stretches of
roadways and canals that serve the
dual purpose of cooling down the city
and calming down its inhabitants.
Other initiatives include carbon
credits made available for sale to
other countries based on the efficient
operation of some of Latin America’s
largest landfills on the outskirts of
town and to be used for establishing
other green projects, installing less-
wasteful LED lights around the
city, consciousness-raising about
recycling, and a solar water heating
scheme made affordable for lower-
income households.
At first glance, São Paulo may
not seem to be the obvious choice
2011
The American Society
of São Paulo
for hosting a global environmental
summit, but by attempting to tackle
a few of the developing world’s
ecological issues, from recycling to
public transportation, the city may
indeed show that it is just as serious
about saving the environment as it
has been about polluting it.
Protecting Yourself from Pollution
While São Paulo’s air might
be hazardous to someone’s health
(typically young children and the
elderly), there has been no call for the
wearing of surgical masks – SARS-
style – by doctors or the government.
Still, there are some pre-emptive steps
you can take to try and minimize the
negative effects of poor air quality,
especially during the approaching
dry season, when pollutants are at
their worst.
Many people forget that water is
an essential ingredient in making
your body run smoothly, and drinking
sufficient water on especially dry days
is the most important and
effective way of combating
negative effects of polluted
air on the body.
Skin lotions, sunblock,
and humidifiers – which
could be as simple as hanging
a wet towel in a warm area
to generate humidity – also
work wonders.
Children and the elderly
need special attention and
should be kept hydrated.
Avoid heavy physical
exertion, especially in the hours
when the sun at its highest point and
the air is at its worst. Keep abreast of
the weather and news reports on air
quality and plan accordingly.
Regarding water, always drink it
from the bottle, or another trusted
source. There are no guarantees about
how much filtering tap water has had,
and if that’s your only source for
drinking water, use a pitcher with
a built-in filter to try and reduce as
many impurities as possible. And
try to swallow as little tap water as
possible while showering or brushing
your teeth...ok, that might be going a
little overboard.
Forum 5
 Brazil’s Wealth… of Nutritional Health
By Jane Posner
Brazil’s economic wealth is well
reported throughout the world, but not
everyone is familiar with Brazil’s vast
array of antioxidant rich superfoods.
Acai berries, Brazil nuts, coconut water,
Guarana plants, Yerba Mate tea and
coffee are just a few of the nutritional
opportunities available to us every
day here in Brazil. Although some of
these superfoods have exaggerated and
hyperbolized health claims, that should
not detract from the scientific facts that
these foods provide a diverse variety of
vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Acai berries are perhaps the most
well known or, more specifically, the
most highly marketed of the Brazilian
superfoods. Most Americans are
familiar with US brands like MonaVie,
which is sold through independent
distributors much like Avon, and
Sambazon which is sold in 15,000
grocery stores throughout the US.
Additionally, acai products have
flooded the internet with various
overpriced “miracle acai pills”,
virtually all of which turned out to
be placebos and financial scams. That
being said, acai pulp provides more
protein in relation to its weight than
eggs and milk, and has high levels of
of anthocyanin, an antioxidant, as well
as vitamins E and B1, potassium, iron
and calcium, according to Embrapa,
Brazil’s agriculture research company.
Unfortunately, the popularity of this
super berry has become a social issue
for Brazilians as the price has soared.
Farmers in Brazil typically sold the
acai in a wicker basket that holds
about 14 kilograms (31 pounds) for
R$1 wholesale. Today the price has
risen to as much as R$60, according to
Embrapa.
The strain is making it harder for
local people who depended on acai
as a source of food. For example in
Igarape-Miri, an Amazon village 1,100
miles north of Brasilia, a local woman,
Francisca Neves, who sells manioc
flour to neighbors and restaurants,
says that the bitter pulp she used to eat
twice a day is now a luxury reserved
6 Forum
only for special occasions. Recently,
when her granddaughter turned three
she splurged on 2 liters of acai mush
for R$20, 7 percent of her monthly
household income.
Some people attribute the boom in
acai’s popularity to Oprah Winfrey who
discussed the berry on her show with
famed doctors such as Mehmet Oz and
Nicholas Perricone. On her February
2008 show, NY cardiologist Dr. Oz,
presented his anti-aging checklist
which included acai. Additionally, he
was quoted saying, “It (acai) has twice
the antioxidant power of a blueberry”
Connecticut based dermatologist, Dr.
Perricone, included the Brazilian fruit
in his “10 Superfoods list.”
While the extreme claims of rapid
weight loss, flattened tummies, and
enhanced sexual energy are still being
researched, acai berries still remain
an excellent source of delicious
antioxidants.
After recently moving here
from Orange County, California,
headquarters of the US company
Sambazon (short for Saving and
Managing the Brazilian Amazon), I
was eager to try the authentic highly
touted native fruit. After realizing that
I could not actually buy acai berries, I
bought some frozen acai pulp, which
was surprisingly similar to the way it
is sold in the US. My first homemade
attempt to serve acai pulp to my three
children did not go over so well, since
it was not sufficiently sweetened with
sugar and banana, nor sufficiently
thinned out with a little water. At first
taste, it was a thick bitter paste, but after
further experiments and improvements
my kids now ask for it every night for
dessert.
Gaining in US marketing exposure
currently, is coconut water. I was
recently handed a juice box size
container of ice cold coconut water on a
blazing hot summer day in Washington
D.C. during a street fair. The marketing
representatives were touting not only
rapid rehydration but also a natural
electrolyte replacement.
This natural feature places coconut
water into competition with Gatorade.
Additionally, the website Cocotap,
claims that coconut water reduces
problems for children with intestinal
disturbances, contains growth
promoting properties and kills intestinal
worms. It is useful as a blood plasma
substitute, as an intravenous solution,
and can be used topically to prevent
prickly heat rash and relieves rashes
caused by small pox, chicken pox and
measles. It furthermore is an urinary
antiseptic and eliminates poisons in
cases of mineral poisoning, and it helps
to naturally keep the body cool.
Now living in Brazil, I can be
selective by only drinking the delicious
coconut water fresh from the fruit after
being entertained by the vendor with
the machete who meticulously chops
off enough of the fruit to fit my straw.
Another Brazilian superfood, which
has maintained a steady popularity, is
the Brazil nut. A large nut, shaped like
a quarter moon or oval is famous for
its high selenium content. The RDA
(Recommended Daily Allowance) for
adults is 55 micrograms a day. One
Brazil nut delivers 95.8 micrograms,
well over the daily requirement.
Selenium, aids the body in producing
antioxidant enzymes that protect
human cells from free radical damage.
Free radicals are molecules responsible
for aging and tissue damage.
A double-blind, placebo controlled
study, known as the Nutritional
Prevention of Cancer, noted that
in populations where selenium
consumption was low, there was a rise
in the incidence of cancer. This long
term trial involving 1312 people found
supplementing with selenium reduced
the total cancer incidence by 48% to
63%, especially prostate, colorectal
and lung cancer.
The Brazil nut also possesses trace
amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, and
niacin, along with high levels of folate
and Vitamin E. It is natural then for
people to assume that if one Brazil
nut a day is that good for their health,
June

than doubling, tripling or even eating
five times this amount would be even
better.
Whereas this theory works well for
dark leafy greens, it does not apply to
Brazil nuts. Overdosing on selenium
causes a toxic condition known as
selenosis, causing symptoms like hair
loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain,
fatigue, irritability and nerve damage.
This is why the Brazil nut is sometimes
referred to as the Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde of the nut world.
What are we to do with such diverse
health advice? Limit yourself to one
or two a day. It is the old advice of
everything in moderation.
On the caffeine front Brazil grows
three distinctly popular products,
Coffee, Yerba Mate tea and Guarana.
Now whether or not these products
are consumed within families has as
much to do with cultural upbringing as
scientific evidence. Guarana has the
most caffeine of the three, 3.6% to 5.8%
by weight vs. coffee at only 2%. This
caffeine provides alertness, energy and
combined with other supplements can
promote weight loss, according to the
US health website WebMD. Guarana
is derived from the seeds of a tropical
South American tree. Aside from the
seed itself, there are no natural food
sources of Guarana, but it has become
a common additive in food and drink.
It is most commonly seen in Brazilian
soda, appropriately named, Guarana.
Personally, I am not a fan of sodas so I
am going to wait for food producers to
come up with a more natural way to
consume it.
Yerba mate is an herb grown in
Brazil that many people drink instead
of coffee. This is a very culturally
Fellowship Community Church
The Welcome Place since 1921
Phone (11) 3253-7609
Sunday’s
Conveniently located on Rua Carlos Sampaio, 107 – Bela Vista
Just a block and a half from the Brigadeiro Metro station on the Avenida Paulista
2010
2011
The American Society
of São Paulo
infused custom that is mostly found in According to the LIVESTRONG
Southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, website, coffee is high in antioxidants,
and Paraguay. and it may decrease your risk of type
Most people drink Yerba Mate in a 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver
hollowed out gourd cup with a special cancer, and heart disease.
filtered straw called a bombilla. Some Conversely, without proper moderate
people in Brazil and in many other places habits in consuming these beverages,
in South America drink the mate all they can also become dangerous in large
day long, actually walking everywhere amounts leading to increased heart rate,
with their “mate kit” usually including sleep disturbances, anxiety, restlessness
a mate gourd cup, bombilla and a huge and upset stomach and in extreme
thermos of water (can be hot or cold) to situations an overdose of caffeine can
continually refill the gourd throughout cause seizures and convulsions.
the day. Some people even travel with Variety and moderation are important
special carrying cases for their thermos aspects of a healthy diet when it comes
and mate supplies. Recently, a friend to any foods, including these Brazilian
told me than in most mate drinking Super Foods.
areas, even motorcyclists drive with I feel very fortunate to live in
their water thermos and cup under their Brazil, a country with such a vast
arm, refilling their gourd with water array of delicious and exotic fruits and
at each red light. They are committed vegetables at every turn. I am looking
to the habit. So you can’t drive and forward to including many more
talk on your cell phone but you can healthy and Brazil exclusive foods in
coordinate all this tea drinking with no our family’s daily meals.
problem?!?!
Yerba Mate contains caffeine and
antioxidants, but fans of the tea claim
that mate is easier for the stomach to
digest and provides more vitamins than
coffee. According to K. Simon Yeung,
a research pharmacist at
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center in NY, Yerba Mate contains
B Vitamins, Vitamin C, manganese,
potassium and zinc.
Finally, the classic beverage and
standard in almost every culture
around the world is coffee. Brazil is
the largest coffee producing country
in the world. The Brazilian terrain is
perfect for growing both Arabica and
robusta coffee. Recently, scientific
studies have come out about the health
benefits of moderate coffee drinking.
www.fellowship.com.br
09:00 am - Walking in Faith Classes (English and Portuguese)
10:30 am – Worship Service (English only)
06:00 pm – Culto em português
Forum 7
 Brazil Travel in Winter - Serra Gaúcha
By Melissa Sabella Harkin, AmSoc member
Picture timber-framed buildings,
flower-lined streets, chocolate shops
and snow in winter, and you probably
don’t picture Brazil. Yet the sister cities
of Gramado and Canela in Rio Grande
do Sul are just that.
It all seems a million miles away
from Rio’s palm-fringed beaches,
São Paulo’s hectic business life or the
Amazon rainforest, but the longer time
one spends in Brazil, the more one
learns about such stark contrasts.
Gramado and Canela form part of
what is known as the “rota romântica”
(romantic route). This is a scenic
itinerary of thirteen cities in Rio
Grande do Sul first colonized by
German immigrants in the Nineteenth
Century. They cultivated this colder,
mountainous part of the state and built
houses reminiscent of the Bavarian
style from Germany. Their identity has
been preserved to the present day in the
regional dialect, traditional music and
local festivals.
Gramado and Canela can be reached
in a day trip from Porto Alegre (capital
city of Rio Grande do Sul state), at
a distance of 150 kilometers from
it, and lie just six kilometers apart.
They are popular resorts not just for
Brazilians, but also for Argentineans
and Uruguayans, seeking what the
romantic route’s website describes as
“the most European cities in Brazil”.
Gramado
Arriving from Porto Alegre, your
first stop should be Gramado. The city
8 Forum
center is compact and a stroll
taking in the streets famed for
their flowerbeds and Bavarian-
style buildings is a must.
There are many shops selling
traditional Gaúcho hand-made
products, such as leather and
woolen clothing.
Arts and crafts and local
produce are also in abundance,
including the famous Gramado
chocolate. Every second shop
boasts chocolate in hundreds
of different shapes and forms,
and cups of thick hot chocolate are even
served in winter at the city’s sidewalk
cafes.
There are many events in Gramado
throughout the year. In winter, the city
hosts the most important film festival in
Latin America and at Christmas the city
streets are garlanded with decorations
and twinkling lights in a festival called
“Natal Luz” (Christmas Light).
Other attractions in Gramado include
the “Lago Negro” (Black Lake), so
called because it was constructed after
a fire destroyed the existing forest and
trees imported from the Black Forest
in Germany were planted at its edges.
Nowadays it’s a peaceful spot for
having a picnic or renting a pedal boat
in the form of a ubiquitous swan or
curiously, a mini-pirate ship.
“Mini-Mundo” (Mini-World) is
another popular tourist attraction.
Created in 1981, it represents a city
in miniature, replete with castles,
railways, windmills, churches, cable-
cars, towers, lakes, waterfalls and
houses. There are various models based
on famous buildings and structures,
including the Neuschwanstein castle
in Germany. Addition to the model
continues to this day and recent
inclusions are representations of the
Andes mountain range, the Argentinian
airport of Bariloche and the Hamburg
metro system.
Canela
Canela city center is similar in
atmosphere to that of Gramado, with
its flowerbeds and chocolate shops.
The majestic stone cathedral at the top
of the main road provides a focal point
for its tidy streets and well-kept shops
and houses.
However, the real draw for tourists
to Canela are rather the various parks
outside the city, offering scenic walks,
trails for hiking and sites for camping
and barbecuing outside of the short
winter.
The most famous of these parks is
“Parque do Caracol” (Snail Park),
named after the breathtaking “Cascata
do Caracol” (Snail Waterfall).
The waterfall is 131 meters high and
is picture-perfect against a backdrop
of forest and basalt rocks. The park
includes various viewpoints, camping
facilities and stalls selling craftwork
gifts such as ponchos, hats and
barbecue tools. There are also 927 steps
leading to the base of the waterfall,
open in high season.
June

The Business - Copy & Paste
My former co-
worker at Dell, Rudy
Luna, used to say that
all the best ideas in the
world have already
been invented, and
By Shay Coker, that all we need to
AmSoc board member do now was copy and
paste. While I used to
laugh it off back in the days when his
daily programming routine was filled
with a lot of Ctrl C/Ctrl V, upon further
reflection, I find it a fascinating concept
today.
Business
Corporations, non-profit organizations,
and leadership councils are filled with
“best practices”. These best practices
always involve a copy and paste
concept, which take the best idea or
process and replicate it. Six Sigma
business management strategies? Copy
and paste. Performance reviews based
on SMART goals? Copy and paste.
There is almost nothing corporations
do today that does not involve the
copy and paste mantra! And what
about franchises? The basic premise
of almost any franchise is based on
copying a concept and pasting it in
another location, such as Subway
recently pasting over 400 sandwich
shops in Brazil.
Automobiles
Have you noticed that a large majority
of automobiles today look alike? While
there are clearly trend setters, almost
every car company copies and pastes
the best ideas developed by others.
Just think about airbags, the steering
wheel, electronic door locks, and flex-
fuel technology. Every car company
employs those features in a strikingly
similar fashion.
Perhaps some of the most successful
modern day copy and paste examples
come from China. Incredibly, in only the
last 12 months, auto companies such as
JAC and Chery have increased Chinese
market share of imported vehicles into
Brazil from 8% to 25% - mainly by
copying and pasting the most desired
2011
The American Society
of São Paulo
car features - all for a lower price. A procedure by following a “plant-based
female co-worker of mine recently told diet” taken from a famous doctor at
me she wouldn’t buy a Chinese car the Cleveland Clinic. His revelation
because the Chinese imitate the design will surely lead to many other copy &
of others – and don’t pay royalties. pastes. In fact, I have decided to follow
Royalties, smoyalties! No need to pay the same program after watching a
someone else for a simple exercise of documentary called Eating by Mike
copy and paste. Anderson and reading Rip Esselstyn’s
book “The Engine 2 Diet”. I will let
Technology you know the preliminary results of
The runaway leader in the tablet my program next month – so you can
computing sector, Apple has sold decide whether to copy and paste into
almost 20 million iPads. This has your life. No royalties needed.
inspired a copy & paste frenzy in which
HP, RIM, Motorola, and Samsung have The Business is a monthly column
desperately tried to copy the iPad’s written by Shay Coker, a sports-
design and make a dent in Apple’s loving economist making a living as a
dominance. Not many of those iPads are commercial real-estate consultant at
sold in Brazil, due mainly to sky-high Jones Lang LaSalle in São Paulo.
import duties. However, the Brazilian The Forum does not take responsibility
Ministry of Science and Technology for opinions or advice expressed in this
recently let slip that Apple will begin column.
producing the iPad and iPhone through
its partner FoxConn, in the municipality
of Jundiaí starting in July. Guess what
happened immediately thereafter.
Samsung announced that it will copy
Apple and begin producing its Galaxy
tablet in Brazil.
Sports
NFL teams hire assistant coaches
from successful franchises in an attempt
to copy and paste the same success for
their teams. Offensive coordinators still
employ the pass-happy “West Coast
offense” that Bill Walsh successfully
employed in San Francisco during the
80’s. One of Brazil’s biggest soccer
clubs, Corinthians, copied and pasted
the name of an English amateur team
that went undefeated in a tour of São
Paulo and Rio. Top tennis players are
instructed to hit open-stance forehands
– copying and pasting the technique
from great clay-court players who
could generate more torque and recover
more quickly towards the center of the
court.
Health
Former President Bill Clinton
recently announced that he lost 24
pounds and recovered from a heart
Forum 9
 Influenza - ‘Tis the Season
By Dr. Christian Dornaus, MD, FAAP Pediatrician and Director of SPAC FAMILY CLINIC

WHAT IS INFLUENZA (FLU)? WHO IS AT HIGH RISK FOR DEVELOPING flu by touching a surface or object that
COMPLICATIONS FROM INFLUENZA (FLU)? has flu virus on it and then touching
Influenza (flu), as opposed to the their own mouth, eyes or nose.
common cold, is a contagious illness - Children younger than 5, but especially
usually causing respiratory symptoms children younger than 2 years old
additional to systemic manifestations - Adults 65 years of age and older HOW CAN IT BE PREVENTED?
that can involve any organ system, - Pregnant women
causing mild to severe disease and - People who have underlying medical - Yearly influenza vaccine
sometimes significant morbidity and conditions - Cough hygiene: cover coughs and
death. It is caused by a family of - People who live in nursing homes and sneezes with a tissue, throw the tissue
viruses called influenza viruses that other long-term care facilities in the trash after using it
are subdivided in - Stay away from people who
groups and subtypes. are sick
There has been an - Wash hands often with soap
impressive amount and water or alcohol hand rub
of publicity and even - Avoid touching your eyes,
a greater amount nose and mouth
of misinformation - If someone in the household is
circulating the media, sick, try to keep the sick person
causing confusion in a separate room from others.
and raising many - Do not sleep with your sick
questions, especially child in the same bed or share
in the mind of those silverware
not directly involved - Keep surfaces like bedside
with the health care tables, bathroom surfaces,
system. kitchen counters and toys clean

SYMPTOMS OF INFLUENZA: THE FLU VACCINE

People who have the flu often feel
some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever or feeling feverish/chills. But
not everyone with flu will have a fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (very tired), not coming out
of the bed, not playing
- Some people may have vomiting and
diarrhea, though this is more common
in children than adults.
- Respiratory difficulties
Complications of flu can include
bacterial pneumonia, ear infections,
sinus infections, dehydration, and
worsening of chronic medical
conditions, such as congestive heart
failure, asthma, or diabetes.
- People who live with or care for those
at high risk for complications from flu,
including:
- Health care workers
- Household contacts of persons at high
risk for complications from the flu
- Household contacts and caregivers of
children younger than 5 years of age
with particular emphasis on vaccinating
contacts of children younger than 6
months of age (children younger than 6
months are at highest risk of flu-related
complications but are too young to get
vaccinated)
HOW DOES IT SPREAD?
Most experts believe that flu viruses
spread mainly by droplets made when
people with flu cough, sneeze or talk.
These droplets can land in the mouths
or noses of people who are nearby.
Less often, a person might also get
The seasonal flu vaccine protects
against the three influenza viruses
that research suggests will be most
common.
The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will
protect against 2009 H1N1 swine flu
virus, and two other influenza viruses
(an H3N2 virus and an influenza B
virus). There are 2 types of trivalent
vaccines, one inactivated and injectable
(TIV) and a second life and nasal
(LAIV).
In Brazil, only the injectable TIV
vaccine is available in private and the
monovalent H1N1 vaccine in public
immunization services. TIV vaccine
is an inactivated vaccine that contains
viral antigens but no live virus and,
therefore, cannot produce an active
virus infection.
The most common adverse events
after administration are local pain
and tenderness. Fever is also seen

10 Forum June
 The American Society
of São Paulo

within 24 hours after immunization in

approximately 10 – 35% of children
younger than 2 years, but rarely in older
children and adults. Mild systemic
symptoms such as nausea, lethargy,
headache, muscle aches and chills can
also occur.
On February 24, 2010 vaccine experts
voted that everyone 6 months and older
should get a flu vaccine each year
starting with the 2010-2011 influenza
season. CDC’s Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted
for “universal” flu vaccination in the
U.S. to expand protection against the
flu to more people.
While everyone should get a flu
vaccine each flu season, it’s especially
important that certain people get
vaccinated either because they are at
high risk of having serious flu-related
complications or because they live
with or care for people at high risk for
developing flu-related complications.
Minor illnesses, with or without
fever, are not contraindications to the
use of influenza vaccines, particularly
among children with mild upper
respiratory infection symptoms or
allergic rhinitis.

WHO SHOULD NOT BE VACCINATED WITH TIV?

- Those younger than 6 months

- Those who have a moderate-to-severe
febrile illness
- Those who have a history of known
anaphylactic reactions to chicken or
egg proteins, to any previous influenza
vaccine dose, or to any of the vaccine
components
- Those who are known to have
experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome
(GBS) within 6 weeks after a previous
influenza vaccination

Sources:
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS POLICY
STATEMENT PEDIATRICS Vol. 126 No. 4 October
2010, pp. 816-826 WWW.CDC.GOV / INFLUENZA
pages and personal experience.

Christian Dornaus, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician and Director of SPAC
FAMILY CLINIC, Av Vereador José
Diniz, N.3707, 6.andar, Campo Belo ,
São Paulo, Tel. 011-5538-0099
Mail: c_dornaus@msn.com
Web: www.clinicaspac.com.br

2011 Forum 11
 CAC Volunteer Day Huge Success!
Saturday April 9th, 2011 was the The ten staff of the Helen Drexel a local soccer school shared their
American Society’s second Volunteer home and the Projeto Sol organization expertise. After playing hard for quite
Day collaboration a while, children took a
with the U.S. break from the fun and sat
Consulate. Thanks down to eat. What a feast:
to great weather, 55 hamburgers, hotdogs,
dedicated volunteers, potato chips, soft drinks,
and 70 enthusiastic and homemade desserts!
children, the event There was quite a cooking
was an overwhelming and serving crew who
success. made sure everyone got
Never have the at least one full plate of
consulate grounds food, if not two!
been so thoroughly All involved felt
enjoyed as when these the effort was truly
deserving children worthwhile. This event
descended on them. can be an example of
One of the most using the resources at
beautiful moments was watching a enjoyed themselves as well—some of hand to give a gift to children who truly
young girl play tennis for the first time. them landing in the pool themselves. It deserve every moment of wholesome
Another breathtaking moment was was as if the consulate had turned into outdoor fun they can get. Thank you to
seeing 50 excited children jump straight a water park! all who helped make it such a special
into the pool—swimming skills or not! On the soccer field, members of day.

Angel Party 2011

Every year the American Society you’re interested, write Sue Banman of all sorts, from food to prizes for
throws its gala event for kids, the Sileci at sue@sileci.com for the name games. If you’d like to help us out
Angel Party. This year the party will and clothes sizes of a child. with the party, let Eileen Tasso know at
be held on Saturday, November 5, at And, of course, the Angel Party eileentasso@gmail.com.
Chapel School. Our invited guests are Planning Committee needs donations
250 children from orphanages, daycare
centers and educational programs that
the Community Action Committee of
the American Society supports.
We need your help. The gifts that
Santa gives each child at the party
are, in many cases, the only Christmas
presents these children receive. Would
you like to be one of Santa’s helpers and
sponsor a child? This means buying the
items for one child that Santa will give
at the party. These items are: a pair of
pants, a T-shirt, a jacket or sweatshirt, a
pair of socks, three pairs of underwear,
a pair of tennis shoes, a backpack, a toy
worth R$50 or more and some candy.
Sometimes shopping is easier and
faster and if you’d like to do some
shopping in July while traveling
abroad. One quick trip to your local
discount store and you’re done. If

12 Forum June

Organic food in São Paulo
By Maureen Kennedy Alves, AmSoc board member
There are a few things about me
you may want to keep in mind while
reading this article. One: I don’t wear
Birkenstocks. In fact, I don’t even like
them. Two: Same goes for patchouli
oil. I’ve never worn it and never will.
Three: At the risk of being too personal,
I never, ever, allow hair to grow on my
underarms.
Why am I telling you all this? Well,
because I think it will make you more
receptive to what I have to say. You see,
I’m a vegetarian. And yes, it’s partly
because I don’t like the way the animals
are treated. I also like green juice for
breakfast. And when I say green, I
mean green as in vegetables. Perhaps
more importantly, I’m passionate about
organic food.
I started buying organic fruits and
vegetables a few years ago after reading
a book about traditional farming. Not to
get all preachy on you, but knowing that
the food on my plate was sprayed with
pesticides and grown in fertilizer-rich
soil became, well, difficult to swallow.
While it’s true, as my husband can attest
(or more like protest), that organic
food is often more expensive than its
‘regular’ counterpart, eliminating all
those toxic chemicals from your diet
may be cheaper in the long run.
Back in New York, I was able to buy
organic everything at the neighborhood
health food store. Needless to say, I
was worried about what I would find
– or more like what I wouldn’t find
– in São Paulo. I knew being a non-
carnivore in the land of churrascaria
wouldn’t be that difficult and that the
green juice would be flowing as long as
I had my juicer. But organic? In Brazil?
I wondered if the word was even part
of the local lexicon.
What I didn’t know then is that
Brazil is actually among the top 10
countries in the world with the most
organic farmland. And that in recent
years the organic market here has
grown exponentially. Just walk into
any mainstream grocery store like Pão
de Açúcar, even Extra, and you’ll see
whole sections dedicated to organic
2011
The American Society
of São Paulo
food. Not to mention eco-friendly - Parque da Água Branca (Perdizes)
cleaning products like BioWash and Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7 am to 12
Ecobril. pm, Avenida Francisco Matarazzo, 455
But that’s just the beginning. - Alta Boa Vista, Thursdays from 6 am to 12 pm
Happily, there are many places in São Rua São Benedito, (between Rua Américo
Paulo where organic food and products Brasiliense and Rua Alexandre Dumas)
are the main event, not just a side
distraction. You can even order organic Restaurants
food over the Internet to be delivered These restaurants serve organic vegetarian food.
to your doorstep. I was delighted. Who Some also offer cooking courses so you can turn out
knew São Paulo was an organic lover’s your own organic extravaganzas.
paradise? - Fulô (Vila Madalena)
Still, ever the skeptic (I sometimes www.fulovegetariano.com.br
suspect the mineral water delivered - Anna Prem
to our home is just tap water in a www.annaprem.com.br
sealed bottle), I wondered what the - Vegethus
accreditation requirements were like www.vegethus.com.br
in Brazil. But, rest assured, just as
with most countries, Brazil follows Delivery
guidelines set by the International São Paulo is the land of delivery and organic food
Federation of Organic Agriculture and is no exception. Many sites require you to order in
Movements. advance, so be sure to check out the site’s policy
So throw out that stereotype that says before you buy.
only hippie types are into organic food
and check out some of the organic hot - Hortifruti Orgânico
spots in São Paulo. Maybe you’ll even www.hortifrutiorganico.com.br
see me there: I’ll be the well-groomed - Organic Delivery
lady in high heels. www.organicdelivery.com.br
- Sítio Terra & Saúde
Where to buy organic in São Paulo? www.sitioterraesaude.com.br
The places listed here are just the tip of the iceberg.
For more information and ideas, go to www. Maureen Kennedy Alves is a writer,
planetaorganico.com.br. personal yoga instructor and mom to a
beautiful baby boy. She can be reached
Stores at maureenalves@gmail.com.
These organic stores have it all –
organic produce, meat, bread, dairy
products and more.
- Ponto Verde
www.lojapontoverde.com.br/
- Empório Siriuba
www.alecosta.com.br/clientes/emporio
- Melinda & Julius
www.melindaejulius.com.br
Feiras
No need to do what I did the first time I went to an
organic feira – that is, ask each vendor if the food
they were selling was indeed organic. Turns out
the association that organizes the feira does the
checking for you.
- Ibirapuera, Sundays starting at 6 am
Rua Tutóia (at Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento)
Forum 13

H ousing
Taylor Real Estate
Luxury spacious houses, apartments and pent-
houses. Sales and rentals. Ten years experience
with expatriates. Furnished and unfurnished.
Trilingual Real Estate agents. References from
consulates and multinationals. Photos sent by
email. Relocation Service. Consult the site:
www.taylorimoveis.com. Email - taylor@tay-
lorimoveis.com. Phone: 5511 3079 8888 and
5511 8774 5100 (Maria Elisa).
Furnished apartment for rent
Vila Nova Conceição. São Paulo’s Best place
to live. Near Ibirapuera Park. Modern building
with sports facilities, heated swimming pool,
three bedrooms (one suite), a living room with
terrace, complete kitchen, maid’s bedroom and
bathroom, big service area, two parking spaces.
Fully furnished with all appliances. Call Alex or
Eliane at (11) 3849-7085 or (11) 8635-7788, or
send an e-mail to alex@caboverde.com.br.
Apartment for rent in Jardim Paulista
Completely renovated in small 1970s build-
ing on quiet street in the heart of Jardins. 140
sq mts, partially furnished, one per floor, hard
wood floors, barely used fixtures and applianc-
es, lrge windows with great light, two bedrms,
two bathrms, half bath, TV room/office, living
rm and dining area, kitchen, laundry rm, small
maid´s rm, one garage with parking available on
the street. Call Ann at 8578-9134
Furnished apartment for rent in Bela
Vista
Brand new apartment and building a few blocks
from Paulista and the Metro. 52 sq mts, hard
wood floors, all new fixtures, appliances, two
bedrooms, one bathroom, living room and open
kitchen, balconies, laundry room, two garage
spaces. Building amenities include garden, gym
and common living/receiving space downstairs,
rooftop swimming pool and bar. Call Ann at
8578-9134
14 Forum
S ervices
Personal Trainer
I will come to your home, office, or workout fa-
cility and create an exercise/fitness program tai-
lored to your health concerns, fitness goals, and
schedule. For adults and children, individuals
or groups. Sessions in English, Spanish, or Por-
tuguese. For more information please contact
Daniela Franco at (11) 9739-6191 or dsf29@
hotmail.com.
Selling Up
Go with a pro! We have been selling household
goods for families, individuals, and companies
for more than 20 years in São Paulo and Brasil-
ia for embassies. We have hundreds of pre-
selected clients wanting to buy from you, safe
and sound! Send an e-mail to meredithsales@
zaquie.com or zaquie@zaquie.com or call (11)
5908-1144 or (11) 7997-8808. Ask for Ms. Za-
quie Meredith.
Argos Dog Kennel
Traveling? What about your dog? Argos Kennel
Hotel could be his second home in the coun-
try. Food, water, and shelter with lots of love
and personal care. No lonely kennel for him,
but our home and the freedom of a spacious
garden. Fetch and carry service. English and
French spoken. Call Jean or Christiane at (11)
4661-1430 or (11) 7143-0837 or send an e-mail
to jean.chris@uol.com.br. Embu Guaçu, SP.
Math and Science Tutor
Former Graded and Chapel teacher, with 25-
years experience, tutors Math, Physics, Chemis-
try, and Science for all levels, including but not
limited to the IB, IGCSE, SAT-I & II, AP and
Brazilian vestibular. Elementary and middle
school students are also welcome (all subjects).
Call Fernando Knijnik at (11) 9134-6700.
Psychotherapist for Ex-Pats
Serving Adults, Children, and Families (also
couples) struggling with all adjustment issues.
Specializing in issues of divorce, separation,
and reconciliation. Many years experience with
drug/ alcohol issues. USA licensed as MFT. Jun-
gian Analyst experienced in Sandtray, Dream-
work (groups also), and Cognitive/ Behavioral
therapy. Please call/ email Matthew: 7734 5793
or mattvanlokeren@yahoo.com for a free initial
consultation.
classifieds
American-Licensed Expat Psychologist
Richard Morhaime, Psy.D., offers skilled psy-
chotherapy for children and adults. He also pro-
vides complete diagnostic evaluations in Eng-
lish for children with academic or behavioral
difficulties, featuring individualized recommen-
dations for school and home. For more infor-
mation, contact Dr. Morhaime at 5538-0099 or
9669-8057 or visit
www.expatpsychologist.com.
American-Licensed Psychotherapist
In this busy and ever-changing world, people of-
ten feel stressed and overwhelmed with no place
to turn. Psychotherapy/counseling can provide a
safe place to receive professional guidance and
support. Brief or longer-term therapy offered
depending on your needs, goals and expecta-
tions. Services: individual, couples, child/ado-
lescent. Certified to conduct Adoption Home
Study for American Citizens. Contact: Pamela
Wax, MSW/LCSW at 5051-5988 or 9656-2106
or send an e-mail to pamwax@gmail.com. Lo-
cated in Moema.
American-Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Heloisa Garman, Psy.D. U.S.-licensed Clinical
Psychologist (covered by U.S. health insur-
ance). Bilingual, with extensive private practice
in Chicago and former therapist at the Family
Institute at Northwestern Uni. Treats individu-
als, couples, and families. Specialized in anxi-
ety, depression, cultural issues, and adjustment
disorders. Call Dr. Garman at (11)7179-9723 or
3898-2330 or send an e-mail to
hcbgarman@aol.com.
A classified of up to 350 characters costs
R$55 for AmSoc members and R$80 for
Classified
Place a
non-members. To place a classified please
call (11) 5182-2074 from 8:30 a.m. until
1 p.m., or send an e-mail to amsoc1@
americansociety.com.br.
Forum does not check all of the advertisers
Our Readers
appearing in this newsletter. We urge you
A Note to
to use these services; however, thoroughly
check prices and services prior to finalizing
any service or purchase agreement.
June
 The American Society
calendar of São Paulo

Learn more about this month’s AmSoc events (highlighted) at www.amsoc.com.br.

June 2011 Important Dates: 19 Father’s Day (US), 23 Corpus Christi (BR)

01 Wednesday Avishai Cohen At Sala São Paulo, Praça Júlio Prestes, 16. Start at 9pm. Click on www.
International Jazz from Israel ingressorapido.com.br to buy your ticket.

01 Wednesday INC Coffee At Emporio Santa Maria. For more information, visit www.newcomers-sp.com.br

03 & Friday and João Bosco Acclaimed Brazilian musician of MPB will play at Café Paon - Av. Pavão, 950 –
04 Saturday MPB Moema, start at 10:30 pm. Click on www.ingressorapido.com.br to buy your
ticket.

06 Monday Scottish Country Dancing Club 1st Monday of every month, outside Drake’s Pub, in the Brazilian British Centre in
Pinheiros, at 8 pm.

13 Monday Philharmonic Bachiana SESI João Carlos Martins conduct Beethoven and Astor Piazzolla at Shopping Bourbon
- Rua Turiassu, 2100 - Piso Perdizes. Start at 9pm. To buy your ticket click on www.
ingressorapido.com.br.

18 Saturday Music at Fellowship Recital of Clarinet (Thiago Ancelmo de Souza) and Piano (Daniel Inamorato). At
Fellowship Church start at 4pm.

18 Saturday Milton Nascimento Acclaimed Brazilian musician of MPB will play at Via Funchal - R. Funchal, 65.
MPB Start at 10 pm. To buy your ticket click on www.viafunchal.showare.com.br

04 - Saturday and O Fantástico Circo das Pulgas A pair of fleas survive in a circus without color, but are tired of his reality they do a
26 Sunday Elétricas em O Despertar das magic number that works so well that makes one of then disappear for real. Now
Cores the two fleas will travel to go back home and win the colors that will brighten
Infant Play their new lives. To get your ticket click on www.ingressorapido.com.br/

Until 6 Bilhões de Outros Created by photographer, journalist and French environmentalist Yann Arthus-
10 Video Exposure Bertrand and GoodPlanet Foundation shows the cultural diversity through the
July planet faces, language, facial markings and adornments. More informations at
www.masp.art.br/

Enjoyed this publication?

Become an American Society Member and get a
free Forum subscription!
For more than 60 years The American Society of São Paulo has worked to establish a strong
network for expats living and working in São Paulo. Join Today!!!

Visit our website at www.amsoc.com.br and fill in our on-line form

or call the AmSoc office at 5182-2074

2011 Forum 15
Sports Injuries
By Ruth Hollard, AmSoc board member, and Claudio Cotter
Amsoc has a lot to offer for the athletic
expat: From basketball to tennis, from golf
to softball. If you read the April Forum,
you may have begun running at some of
the lush green parks that São Paulo has to
offer. Regardless of your sport, anyone
who works out has had it happen at some
point- you wake up one fine morning, get
out of bed, put your feet on the floor and
feel pain shooting through your body- it’s
sports injury time!! What is happening?
Where did it come from? What now?
Pain in amateur
athletes’ (especially
runners’) lower legs
is very common,
whether in the feet,
ankles or knees.
Muscular pain should
not be considered
normal. Factors which
can cause pain are
1) inadequate shoes
2) biomechanical
a l t e r a t i o n s
(articulation
deviations) and 3)
over-training. The
pain can be caused by any one factor or
by a combination of these factors.
What about stretching? According to
Claudio Cotter, Physical Therapist, “In
practice we find that certain stretching
excercises help prevent lesions and
patients with large muscle retractions do
tend to have more lesions, but no known
study has yet proven that the absence of
stretching causes lesions, and no study
has yet proven that stretching can prevent
lesions.”
When the lesion is caused by inadequate
shoes, the problem can often be resolved
by taking a treadmill test to determine
which part of your sole is taking the most
impact. Once this is resolved, you can
choose the running shoes best suited for
your particular stride.
Most amateur athletes’ pain is due to
biomechanical alterations, often caused
by genetics or by repetive movements.
Here in Brazil, it is common practice to
correct these alterations using techniques
to improve posture such as RPG
(Reeducação Postural
Global), certain manual
therapy techniques,
and a technique called
Força Dinâmica, a
technique which aims
to correct movements
used in walking,
thus improving the
efficiency of running.
Often muscular
lesions can be caused as
a result of over training
or a lack of paying
adequate attention to
what the body is telling
you. It is quite common for athletes to
feel muscle pain while training and
instead of stopping the training to find
out what is happening, he/she continues
to train while taking anti-inflammatory
medication which only treats the pain but
doesn’t treat the problem. As the athlete
continues training, without feeling the
pain, the problem worsens. In this case
it is best to stop training altogether and
seek professional help. If the muscle is
“complaining”, this is almost surely a sign
that the training needs to be improved for
this type of physical effort.
Luckily São Paulo has a very athletic
population and therefore an excellent
choice of orthopedic clinics and physical
therapists and specialized shoe stores.
Here are a few of my own personal São
Paulo addresses for the Amsoc athlete:
Running Shoe Test
This store has a computer hooked up
to a treadmill to test the runner’s stride
to determine which shoes offer the best
support. The test is called ‘Test run’.
Fast Runner
Tel 3846-6625
Rua Dr. Alceu de Campos Rodrigues,
519 Itaim Bibi
Orthopedic doctors
(from tennis elbow to bad knees)
Clinica Ortopédica Cidades Jardims
Avenida Cidade Jardim, 114 - São Paulo
Tel. 3085-9330
Physical Therapists (including RPG, Pilates)
Claudio Cotter / Marcelo Costa Massaia
www.cm2fisioterapia.com.br
Av. Cidade Jardim, 114
Jardim Europa - SP
Tel.: 3016-8970 / 2389-8970
R. Conde de Porto Alegre, 1589
Campo Belo - SP
Tel.: 5041-4331
Life in São Paulo is too fun to sit on
the sidelines. So heal the pain! Get out
of bed, and hit the floor running.