This is it. I have reached day 12 of my 12 Days of Christmas decorating series. Poeh, it sure was a lot of work. But once again I am so glad I did it. I hope you all enjoyed the ride with me.
12 Days of Christmas decorating straight has left me pretty tired. So I need a bit of rest now. I guess it is pretty perfect than that my last project involved a bit of Christmas decorating in the bedroom.
My own little sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the season, all decked out for the holidays.
I kept my decorations light and easy. But with lots of sparkly lights to set the mood.
I dragged an old table up from the basement and covered it with some vintage linens. Now it is the perfect spot for my little Christmas tree.
Originally I was planning to decorate the tree, but I ran out of time and energy and in the end I quite like it this way, only decorated with lights.
The old typewriter used to belong to my grandfather. It is such a nice thought that he used to work on it daily and that it is now in my home, reminding me of him (although I only know him from stories, I never met him).
The wool felt garland found a place on my repurposed wood headboard, along with a string of lights and last years sugar stiffened doilies. I love how they look like light snowflakes against the dark wood.
Yes this room will do just fine in helping me relax and rest up….
But I won't start my recuperating just yet. Because remember tomorrow is the day of the linky parties. I am sure you all have done your own share of Christmas decorating and Thursday is you chance to link them up. If you have decorated your front door, your porch, your garden, your front lawn or the roof of your house, take a pic and link it up to my party. I'll be hosting the Christmas Outdoor Decorating party, and I am so looking forward to seeing all your creations.
All of us will be sharing the best of the linky parties at all of our Social Media hangouts, so link up to all of them and have a chance to be featured.
But don't forget to visit all the other 12 Day-ers today to see how they are wrapping up this series.
Super leuk die kanten kleedjes zo! Inderdaad net sneeuwvlokken.
I.LOVE.THIS! Festive, but still serene for a peaceful night!
Well yes ma'am! I did. I had a nice long nap this afternoon. It was nice to just relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Thank you for stopping by and leaving me such sweet words.
I know it was a ton of work, but this reader could'nt wait for the next day to come! I love your style and have thoroughly enjoyed these 12 days! Now take a day off and relax – you deserve it!
Thank you I will. I already took a nice long nap this afternoon. It was heaven!
So so pretty! Love the fact that your typewriter came from a family member! It's gorgeous! So is your room! Thanks so much for tagging along with us for 12 days, it's been become quite habit forming to visit and be inspired each AM!
What a fabulous way to dress up your headboard. Honestly, I ALWAYS forget to decorate my bedroom for the holidays. I think I need to make a point to do that!
I could not wait in the mornings to open my inbox and see what amazing idea you have come up with every day! I want to copy everything! Best of all I do not have to rush to the stores, the items you use are already in my cupboards or in my backyard.
Yep, no need to spend a lot of money. This year my Christmas decorating was very kind to the old wallet. Hit the woods and get your decorations for free.
I am so glad you liked what I came up with. Thank you for stopping by and letting me know.
Love those snowflakes so pretty!
Marianne, first: thanks for sharing in the 12 Days of Christmas; second: I feel (through your blogging) I have met a new friend; third: life is truly too short, enjoy in the simple things, which you have so generously shown us; and fourth: beauty is all around us and you have a special talent of writing what you feel and showing us through your photos. Again, thank you so much for sharing. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Hi Emilou, thank you so much for this sweet comment. It made my day.
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed my series.
These 12 days have been so wonderful. Thank you so much for doing it. Emilou (before my entry) said about what I was going to say. I love all the touches of nature you used to create so many lovely things. May you get some rest soon and have a Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too! And you are most welcome no need to thank me. Sweet comments like this are thank you enough.
Your 12 days of Christmas posts have been lovely, Marianne. I've enjoyed every one of them. The wood garland looks perfect on your headboard.
I had every intention of entering the linky party and have all kinds of projects in my head. But I've been called in to teach this week and have come home each evening totally exhausted. So not much is getting done around here. I've pinned a number of projects and if I don't get to them this year, perhaps next.
De versiering van het hoofdeinde is erg mooi! Bedankt voor deze leuke serie.


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I've come to realize that creativity is essential in my life, it's what makes my happy and gives me purpose. I've been scrapbooking one way or another since I was a teenager. It first started out with those fun cut and paste scrapbooks, then evolved to digital scrapbooking when I became a mom in 2005. When Project Life hit the shelves I was all over it and spent a lot of my time every week putting together our family memories. I spent the rest of my creative time designing products for The Lilypad and was with them for about 6 years.
In 2014 I decided to take a designing break and went to work full time at the elementary school that my three children attended. Although my time there was amazing, I felt like being creative and documenting my family memories took a back seat. I've felt the call to come back to designing, more urgently this last year. As of now I am a full time graphic designer and my first big project was designing a new Digital Project Life kit, which has been a dream of mine.
My style is based on funky, hand-drawn/hand-lettered designs. My color palettes gravitate towards a lot of black and white with pops of color. I love graphic design, Fixer Upper, my Apple Watch, playing basketball, Reese's Peanut Butter cups, the beach, reading and tacos.


A team of Topcon employees from the United States volunteered to clean up debris in an area of the Tohoku (northeast) district of Japan.
For Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS), located in Livermore, Calif., a subsidiary of Topcon Corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the amount of work needed for Japan to recover from the March 11, 2011, earthquake and ensuing tsunami disaster was fully realized by a group of employees who volunteered to help in cleanup efforts.
Twelve TPS employees, including Mick Yamazaki, chief operating officer, spent three days cleaning up debris in an area of the Tohoku (northeast) district of Japan.
The opportunity to assist was through TOGETHER — Japan Relief Volunteer Program, a partnership project of the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) USA and Delta Airlines to support the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims. The partnership encouraged volunteer groups and individuals to visit Japan for the purpose of participating in volunteer activities. The tour, which was open to the United States public, ran Sept. 29 to Oct. 5.
Through JTB, TPS signed on as a special participating group and the trip was then coordinated with Topcon Corporation in Japan, TPS human resources (Bryan Gillette, vice president), TPS engineering (Joe Brabec, chief technical officer) and Yamazaki.
The Topcon employees, along with other volunteers to the program, were assigned to the cleanup of a wood chip factory in Tohoku. The factory helps support the local paper mill that in turn supports construction projects and recovery for the area.
"The wood chip factory plays an integral part of getting the economy started and we were helping the recovery efforts by physically ridding the factory of debris so it could be operational," Yamazaki said.
In addition to volunteerism through assisting in cleanup efforts, the program was designed to encourage social volunteerism. To this end, the group made a visit to an orphanage near Tokyo, meeting with the principal who took the group on a tour, showing damage from the earthquake as well as explaining the mission of the facility and its staff. The group provided gifts to the children and played with them in the orphanage gym.
About the trip and efforts of the participants, Yamazaki said, "The last day of the trip, Topcon President Nick Uchida presented the group with a letter of appreciation for what we had done. The Japanese people appreciated our physical effort but also acknowledged the 'heart' the group showed by coming to Japan.
Topcon employees making the trip, in addition to Yamazaki and Brabec, were: Ande Doria, engineering designer; Dorene Strand, document control supervisor; Eric Ivers, machine control product manager; Josh Rau, mechanical engineer; Mary Rotermund, technical publications supervisor; Matt Harman, application engineer; Michael Chelberg, engineering manager; Mike Tibbit, advertising programs and operations manager; Renard Graham, lead senior software engineer; and Steve McCain, director of product management.


The Manor Arms is situated on the Worcestershire Way for those who wish to get out and explore the numerous beautiful country walks.
Formerly known as The Bromley Arms after the Bromley family who were the last generation of inherited title, it dates back to the 17th century and was then owned by the Lord of the Manor and was originally a much smaller inn with its own brew house. Following its most recent renovation in 2013, it now offers fabulous dining areas around the central bar as well as 6 comfortable en-suite guest bedrooms for those wishing to stay overnight.
We are open every day for bed and breakfast accommodation.
Very good and friendly ambience. No more to say as we have been there before. Just a lovely rural pub which we liked very much. Also ideal for exploring and walking.
We could not have wished for better accommodation for three nights.
Excellence from The Manor Arms once again We invited friends of ours to join us for their first ever Manor Arms experience at the New Year's Eve Dinner, and of course booked rooms for the night too. Once again we couldn't fault the great food, excellent value, clean well-equipped and comfortable rooms, plus friendly and professional staff.
Loved it! It was extremely friendly and well organised with beautiful views - I went in March but in Summer it must be gorgeous sitting outside. The rooms was very comfortable, clean and warm and the food was excellent with all ingredients of the highest quality.
Best food I've experienced in a relaxed pub atmosphere.
Fab Lunch We go to the Manor regularly and have loved it every time, fabulous food and great service, excellent wines. We do try other places but nearly after every meal we say oh well back to the Manor!!
Fab Mother's Day! Lovely meal and good service for a busy Mother's Day! Quality of food was outstanding.
Superb! The Manor Arms Inn is superb! Very warm welcome, the room was lovely with beautiful views and very well equipped.
Fantastic time. Great food... friendly staff... lovely room can't find fault, the fish and chips was superb.
Great lunch spot Came in for lunch with a friend, we sat in the little bar area and had sandwiches and a few drinks too. Lovely friendly service, great location and perfect food.
We arrived happy and left very happy. The hotel is set in a beautiful old fashioned quintessentially English village.
FAB-U-LOUS. This was our second visit here and we were not disappointed.
OUTSTANDING. Arrived late after a long day travelling. Greeted by warm and friendly staff. Kitchen was about to close by the time I'd checked in but were very accommodating providing me with delicious food!
Fantastic staff made our stay! The location was great. The hotel itself had a lovely ambience. Food was delicious and beautifully presented with great table service and well worth the money. The room was large with a nice view and well-equipped bathroom. But what we loved the most were the friendly and efficient staff. Nothing was too much trouble.
One of the best We stayed at this hotel when we went to visit Enchanted Witley Court. I cannot fault one single thing. The food was delicious. We had a seafood sharing platter to start which was more than enough for the two of us.
Best meal out I've had for a long time! Food was excellent, The Manor Arms kitchens really know how to cook vegetables and put flavours together. Great waiting/bar staff too. We'll be back again soon!
Really lovely place I booked for a lunchtime meal. Four adults, two children and a dog. The staff are all young. Very friendly and helpful.


Frequent binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and excessive exercise are common indicators of bulimia nervosa – a serious and potentially deadly eating disorder that impacts many teens. Bombarded with messages from the media, their peers, and society in general that suggest their value, self-worth, and desirability are directly tied to being thin, some teens develop a very unhealthy relationship with food and an unrelenting fear of gaining weight. This often leads to behaviors that can cause serious – and potentially irreversible – damage to their health over time.
Many teens today try out new diets like they try on shoes at the mall, and obsess at times over their weight and body shape. As a parent, you may find it difficult to discern between normal adolescent behavior and the red flags of an eating disorder. This brief guide is designed to help you spot the signs and know what steps to take if you suspect your teen is suffering from bulimia nervosa.
Self-harm behaviors (e.g. cutting) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are also common with bulimia.
It can be difficult for parents to tell the difference – especially in the early stages of bulimia – between a relatively healthy teens' seeming preoccupation with dieting and being thin from time to time, and the signs of an emerging or full-blown eating disorder.
Look for and pay close attention to any changes from your teen's normal personality or behavior, particularly pertaining to your teen's body image and relationship with food.
*Suicidal thoughts or behaviors should never be ignored. Don't assume your teen is just being "dramatic" or manipulative. The risk of suicide is particularly high for individuals suffering from bulimia or anorexia.
It's not uncommon for teens, especially females, to occasionally worry about their weight and go on a diet. However, don't automatically assume it's just a passing phase or that your teen is merely caught up in the latest trendy diet.
1 – Talk to your teen. Let your child know that you are genuinely concerned regarding the behaviors you've been observing, that you want to help in any way you can, and that you're there if he or she wants to talk.
Individuals with eating disorders often adamantly deny them, so don't be surprised if your teen denies having any problems. He or she may become defensive, accusing you of overreacting or being overly protective. Avoid judgment, criticism, and shaming of any kind, as those generally make things worse. If your teen opens up and confirms your worst fears, strive to remain calm.
2 – Set up an appointment for an evaluation. Your teen's pediatrician or your family doctor can do an initial evaluation, including a physical examination to rule out any underlying medical issues that may be playing a role in your teen's disordered eating.
With eating disorders like bulimia, however, it's essential that you have your teen evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist as soon as possible. Look for one who not only specializes in treating children and adolescents, but who also has substantial experience in treating eating disorders. Your family doctor may be able to give you a referral or recommendation.
3 – Get your teen into treatment. Since eating disorders become increasingly difficult to treat effectively as time goes on, early intervention is crucial.
Family therapy – Family therapy is frequently a necessary component of successful treatment for bulimia and other eating disorders. It addresses the dysfunctional family dynamics that may be contributing to and even reinforcing the problem.
Medication – Prozac (fluoxetine) is the only medication currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of bulimia. It's an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) often used to treat depression and anxiety. Medications may also be prescribed to alleviate symptoms of other psychiatric disorders that often co-occur with bulimia.
Dual diagnosis treatment – This is indicated when there's a co-occurring substance use disorder. It may be provided as part of an outpatient or residential eating disorder treatment program.
Be willing to consider and address any unhealthy issues you have regarding food, weight, and body image. Model healthy eating and self-acceptance. If you're frequently dieting or complaining about your own weight, you're likely reinforcing your teen's struggle. Also, be careful not to criticize the weight or appearance of other people as well.
Eating disorders are challenging and complex, and the course they take can be unpredictable. Since many individuals with bulimia nervosa also struggle with moderate to severe depression, there's a considerable risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Also, because of the serious and potentially fatal health risks associated with bulimia, a medical emergency may occur if any seemingly mild to moderate health concerns aren't monitored closely and addressed in a timely manner.
If your teen is becoming increasingly depressed, actively suicidal, engaging in self-harm, physically weak, or exhibiting any type of psychiatric or medical distress, immediate steps must be taken to ensure his or her safety and wellbeing. This usually requires a visit to the nearest ER. Hospitalization may be necessary to stabilize any medical issues, keep your teen safe from self-harm, and / or get serious depressive symptoms under control.
Residential treatment requires having your teen stay at a non-hospital treatment facility that specializes in treating adolescents with eating disorders and other mental health disorders. Residential treatment typically lasts between 30 to 180 days, depending on the severity of symptoms and your child's rate of progress. There are many residential treatment centers throughout the country that specialize in adolescent eating disorders.
Inpatient psychiatric or medical hospitalization is the highest and most intensive level of treatment for adolescents with bulimia. Medical staff is on hand to monitor patients 24/7, and treatment may last for a few days to several weeks. This is usually necessary for severe or advanced cases of bulimia with serious medical complications, or if there is imminent risk of suicide or self-harm.
Eating disorders impact the entire family. As a parent, you may struggle with feelings of guilt, fear, and helplessness. That's why taking care of yourself needs to be a priority. Your teen will be looking to you for emotional support and guidance as he or she focuses on healing. You won't be able to offer those things if you're burned out.
Bulimia nervosa can be effectively treated. Time, patience, and a lot of love and support from you can play a key role in helping your teen recover from his or her battle with this challenging eating disorder.


text:
Fierce Debate over Zeaxanthin Isomers
Jennifer Grebow
Jennifer Grebow is editor-in-chief of Nutritional Outlook.
Nutritional Outlook, Nutritional Outlook Vol. 17 No. 5, Volume 17, Issue 5
A French government report raised questions about meso-zeaxanthin safety and sparked renewed debate over zeaxanthin isomers.
Of all the eye-health ingredients known to dietary supplement shoppers, none is more prominent today than lutein. SPINS ranks lutein as eye health's top seller, citing double-digit, past-year gains of 13.1% and 16.7% in the natural and conventional channels, respectively. Somewhat lesser known is zeaxanthin, another key eye-health carotenoid. But, although consumers may not realize it, they're already quite familiar with zeaxanthin. Most supplements that contain lutein also include zeaxanthin. Together, the two work hand in hand to protect the eye against oxidative stress and to help maintain macular pigment optical density (MPOD).
A healthy macular pigment is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. In the macular pigment, lutein and zeaxanthin absorb harmful, high-energy (blue) light, thereby acting as a filter to protect the macula. Lutein is dominant in the periphery of the macula, helping you see in low-light conditions and reducing glare discomfort. Zeaxanthin primarily concentrates in the center of the macula where it helps with sharp central vision and contrast.
Researchers have invested a lot in lutein and zeaxanthin's study. Most notably, of course, is the National Institutes for Health's Aged-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), a 4203-patient, five-year phase 3 follow-up study on the ability of supplements to help slow or delay the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness. An AREDS2 subgroup experienced an 18% reduced risk of AMD progression when lutein and zeaxanthin were added to the original AREDS supplement formula of vitamins C and E, zinc, and copper (but minus the original formula's beta-carotene). Perhaps even more telling of lutein and zeaxanthin's effectiveness, subgroup subjects (1,055 eyes) with the lowest lutein and zeaxanthin intake (median 0.7 mg/day) had a significant, reduced risk of AMD progression of up to 26% following supplementation.
This subgroup may better represent the level of lutein and zeaxanthin intake in the U.S. population, says ingredients supplier Kemin (Des Moines, IA). AREDS2 used DSM Nutritional Products' (Parsippany, NJ) OPTISHARP zeaxanthin, as well as Kemin's FloraGLO lutein, which DSM formulates.
The body must get lutein and zeaxanthin from the diet or from supplementation. Unfortunately, "In the United States, the dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is typically less than 1-2 mg/day. This amount is well below the 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin that the [AREDS2] study has proven to be effective," Kemin says.
While AREDS2 results build on the positive support around lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, a recent report out of France raised some questions about one zeaxanthin isomer.
The French Report
Two zeaxanthin stereoisomers are found in the macular pigment, along with lutein: the 3R,3'R isomer (also referred to as "RR-zeaxanthin") and the 3R,3'S isomer (also called "meso-zeaxanthin"). A third, less-common isomer of zeaxanthin, 3S,3'S, also exists.
"Isomers are molecules with the same molecular formula but different chemical structure (same number of atoms of each element, but arranged differently in space)," explains Lynda Doyle, vice president, global marketing, for ingredients supplier OmniActive Health Technologies (Morristown, NJ). All of these zeaxanthin stereoisomers share the same number of double bonds and similar end rings; however, the direction of one hydroxyl group differentiates them. According to Doyle, "Most nutrients exist in nature and the diet as stereoisomers and are consumed as such and are safe-for example, proteins, amino acids, and sugars. One such example is alpha-lipoic acid, which is commercially available as a 50:50 racemic mix of the R and S isomers (RS)."
Tatania Emmick, technical service manager at Kemin, cautions, however, that "there are certain cases in which the differences between isomers can be 1) ineffective, 2) effective, but in different ways, or 3) toxic. So, that is why chirality really matters."
In March 2014, French regulatory division the Directorate General of Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) reported that at least 50% of eye-health dietary supplements on the French market that contain lutein and zeaxanthin are "contaminated with meso-zeaxanthin, an unevaluated isomer of zeaxanthin."
Meso-zeaxanthin is not an authorized dietary ingredient in the European Union because it does not currently have Novel Food approval. (EU Regulation No. 258/97 states that any food not consumed to a significant degree in the EU prior to May 1997 cannot enter the market without first getting Novel Food approved.)
DGCCRF began investigating eye-health supplements-in part as requested by one trade group, the Zeaxanthin Trade Association-following at least 40 reports of adverse events after consumers took eye-health supplements. These events included adverse skin effects or, as DGCCRF stated in its report, "10 reported undesirable cutaneous side effects that were manifested as 'toxidermia,' including eight that were allegedly linked to the consumption of four products containing lutein and zeaxanthin." The adverse events stemmed from products manufactured by various companies, the report added.
French agents subsequently inspected 27 lutein/zeaxanthin finished-products on the French market and found that 14 of them (50%) contained meso-zeaxanthin. They also conducted site inspections of ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers.
Although the French report initially associated meso-zeaxanthin with adverse side effects, not everyone is convinced there is a link. "Lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin were not the only ingredients in the formulations that reportedly caused toxidermia," Doyle points out. "Have the authorities reviewed the complete ingredient profile and allergenic potential of the products?" If not, she says, it's hard to definitely attribute adverse effects to any of these three macular carotenoids, "all of which have such strong safety records."
Doyle adds that "hundreds of supplements around the world containing varying levels of lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin have been on the market for some time, with no reported adverse events" and that, to date, there are no adverse events reported in research studies involving meso-zeaxanthin.
Since its initial report in March, DGCCRF followed up with a statement in May saying that the origin of the reported adverse events remains unclear (DGCCRF is uncertain which molecules in the finished-product formulations were responsible for the adverse effects). Still, it reported that the number of adverse-event reports decreased since the investigation began and DGCCRF contacted the supplement manufacturers in question-many of whom DGCCRF initially reported "either modified their formulas or halted distribution" of their products.
Zeaxanthin Isomers
Meso-zeaxanthin may be under fire in France and may lack Novel Food clearance in the EU, but, in the United States, FDA acknowledged a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification for an eye-health ingredient that includes meso-zeaxanthin. In 2011, the agency acknowledged OmniActive's GRAS notification for Lutemax 2020, which contains lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin.
FDA's GRAS database also shows another, pending meso-zeaxanthin submission, dated August 5, 2013, for a "meso-zeaxanthin rich extract" powder called Hi-Fil Z from Mexico-based carotenoid supplier Industrial Organica S.A. de C.V.
Critics on both sides fiercely argue over the value of meso-zeaxanthin supplementation for eye health, especially when comparing meso-zeaxanthin to RR-zeaxanthin.
RR-zeaxanthin-also often referred to simply as zeaxanthin-is inarguably the most studied zeaxanthin isomer for eye health. It is GRAS affirmed in the United States. Humans obtain the RR-isomer from foods such as dark green leafy vegetables or yellowy-red fruits and vegetables, as well as egg yolk. In the ingredients market, RR-zeaxanthin's main commercial sources are marigolds (Tagetes erecta)-which is also the commercial source of lutein-or paprika (Capsicum annuum).
Eye-health ingredient suppliers Kemin and OmniActive each have exclusive distribution deals for RR-zeaxanthin. Kemin's ZeaONE zeaxanthin stems from the company's exclusive right to a patented, zeaxanthin-rich marigold plant from Chrysantis (Chicago)/Ball Horticultural Corp. (Chicago).1 OmniActive's OmniXan zeaxanthin is licensed from Kalsec (Kalamazoo, MI) and comes from pepper/paprika.
A third source of RR-zeaxanthin is chemical synthesis. This is how DSM creates its OPTISHARP synthetic, nature-identical RR-zeaxanthin. FDA had no objections to a New Dietary Ingredient notification for OPTISHARP, which also has self-affirmed GRAS status in the United States as well as Novel Food approval in the EU.
Regardless of whether the RR-isomer is obtained from "natural" sources (marigold or paprika) or is synthesized, "All of the science to date tells you that if you ingest zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin] via supplementation, it's going to get where it needs to be in the eye, just as it would if you got it from eating food," says Kemin's Emmick.
Meso-Zeaxanthin Sources
Some say meso-zeaxanthin also comes from the diet, although the foods that contain meso-zeaxanthin are not eaten as frequently as those that contain RR-zeaxanthin. According to Doyle, meso-zeaxanthin is found in the skin of 21 fish species (including rainbow trout and salmon), shrimp shells, and the fat of sea turtles. In Mexico, meso-zeaxanthin is added to chicken feed in order to enhance the yellow-orange color of egg yolk.2,3,4
But opinions differ on whether meso-zeaxanthin can be obtained from the diet in amounts significant enough to translate to a presence in the macula.
In a 2012 Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (JFCA) study5, researchers looked to quantify the meso-zeaxanthin in fish and seafood and in eggs in the United States (California, Illinois, and Massachusetts) and Mexico. The JCFA-study authors stated that their purpose was to follow up on a 1986 study2 by another group of researchers who said meso-zeaxanthin is found in shrimp, fish, and turtles.
The JFCA-study authors said they found no presence of lutein, zeaxanthin, or meso-zeaxanthin in fish and seafood. They did find a small amount of meso-zeaxanthin (0.01 mg/100 g yolk) in a single egg from California, and found a slightly higher ratio of lutein: zeaxanthin: meso-zeaxanthin (1:1:1.3) in eggs from Mexico. They concluded, "In the U.S., the presence of [meso-zeaxanthin] in the macula is not likely due to dietary sources, although this is a possibility when consuming eggs of chickens fed [meso-zeaxanthin]."
According to Kemin, one of the JCFA-study's authors, Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, of Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, further stated the following in March 2014, based on her ongoing research. In terms of meso-zeaxanthin in salmon, she said, "[W]e only found meso-zeaxanthin detected in salmon skin-that is the only place-in the amount of 0.02 parts per million. To give you an idea of how much that is, if we look at AREDS2, they gave 2 mg of zeaxanthin. You would have to eat…200 lb of salmon skin to get 2 mg of meso-zeaxanthin. I would not consider this a dietary source of macular pigment."
According to Kemin, Johnson also said that, although the researchers found a small amount of meso-zeaxanthin in the single California egg, "I think…you would have to eat 40 lb of egg yolk to get your 2 mg of meso-zeaxanthin-again, not really to be considered a dietary source." Regarding the eggs from Mexico, she said, "[W]e found a whopping dose of meso-zeaxanthin," but, she added, "the reason it is there is not a natural source but a supplemented source. Bottom line is you do not find meso-zeaxanthin in the diet."
But John M. Nolan, PhD, of the Macular Pigment Research Group at the Waterford Institute of Technology, rebutted the JCFA-study findings, stating in the journal Eye6 that the JCFA-study researchers failed to saponify their samples, which he alleges would have "freed" esterified carotenoids in the foods; thus, he says, the researchers underestimated the presence of meso-zeaxanthin.
James Stringham, PhD, a research professor at the Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Georgia, asserts that meso-zeaxanthin does exist in the diet. "Although food sources of meso-zeaxanthin are rare (fish skin, shrimp carapace, and turtle fat), they do exist and have been consumed by humans for millennia. In sum, although meso-zeaxanthin might appear to be a novel, perhaps artificial, nutrient, the overwhelming scientific evidence on the matter suggests that it is most certainly not; rather, it has existed for a long time and is actively used by the body to promote health."
Aside from the dietary-source debate, another place that meso-zeaxanthin may come from is marigolds, as a result of lutein processing. Meso-zeaxanthin can typically occur when lutein esters are converted into a non-esterified form ("free form"). As Doyle explains, "Trace amounts of meso-zeaxanthin are formed during the standard saponification process of converting lutein esters to its free form-a process used by most commercial lutein manufacturers." According to Doyle, because of this, commercial marigold-derived lutein and RR-zeaxanthin ingredients may contain trace amounts of meso-zeaxanthin.
Specifying Isomers
The DGCCRF report stated that some ingredient suppliers simply sell their ingredients by the general name zeaxanthin, without specifying which zeaxanthin isomers the ingredient contains. The report said that some companies might use marigold-derived meso-zeaxanthin in place of "zeaxanthin"-purportedly RR-zeaxanthin-when trying to achieve the 5:1 ratio (10 mg lutein: 2 mg zeaxanthin) that most studies support for eye health, because meso-zeaxanthin is less expensive. In the EU, not specifying the presence of meso-zeaxanthin is a problem if companies then sell products with meso-zeaxanthin, which isn't Novel Food approved.
"Having a mixture of meso-zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin] in your product is less expensive than doing the due diligence to make sure it is 100% zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin]," says Heather Richardson, Kemin's FloraGLO lutein and ZeaONE zeaxanthin marketing manager.
In fact, converting lutein to meso-zeaxanthin is even less expensive than synthesizing an RR-isomer like DSM's OPTISHARP zeaxanthin, confirms Kathy Maurer, DSM's senior marketing manager in charge of the firm's eye-nutrition portfolio.
If ingredient suppliers deliberately substitute meso-zeaxanthin in place of RR-zeaxanthin, without specifying that an ingredient includes both isomers, that's not okay, all three suppliers say.
Kemin's website states that meso-zeaxanthin "is not a suitable replacement" for RR-zeaxanthin.
OmniActive's Doyle agrees, and moreover says, "Meso-zeaxanthin should not be considered a substitute for RR-zeaxanthin, nor should RR-zeaxanthin be considered a substitute for meso-zeaxanthin."
"This should not be a competition between meso-zeaxanthin and RR-zeaxanthin, as some seem to think," she continues. "It's simple: the eye needs both isomers, with lutein, for optimal protection and function."
But whether or not supplementation with meso-zeaxanthin is in fact beneficial to eye health is hotly debated. Some contend that research is still lacking to demonstrate this.
Supplementation Science Still Emerging
DSM and Kemin's stance is generally that the current evidence is weak on the eye-health efficacy of meso-zeaxanthin supplementation. "Meso-zeaxanthin has not been studied by itself," says Richardson. "There are only eight very small human supplementation trials that have been conducted with meso-zeaxanthin, all by the same investigators, but those studies included meso-zeaxanthin in addition to lutein and zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin]," she says, so one can't pinpoint which benefits came solely from meso-zeaxanthin. "Really, the science is around lutein and zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin]."
Richardson explains that research on supplementation with RR-zeaxanthin is much more robust. "There has been 30 years of study of zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin] and lutein, which include thousands of subjects and was conducted by multiple investigators at different sites around the world, versus eight years of study for meso-zeaxanthin. We have a lot to learn. Moreover, there are over 100 published human clinical studies on zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin] and lutein, 64 of those specifically with FloraGLO brand lutein, versus eight published human clinical trials with meso-zeaxanthin, which was not studied by itself but in combination with dietary lutein and zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin]." DSM's OPTISHARP RR-zeaxanthin has been studied alone in supplementation, for instance.7
But OmniActive's Doyle contends that studies on RR-zeaxanthin and lutein have also included meso-zeaxanthin as a trace ingredient because it is naturally found in free lutein and RR-zeaxanthin made from marigolds. Although difficult to measure and not typically tested, she says, "Lutein studies invariably had RR-zeaxanthin and some traces of meso-zeaxanthin, as all commercial lutein contains [traces of] RR-zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin. Commercial lutein from virtually any source can sometimes show trace amounts of meso-zeaxanthin if chiral [high-performance liquid chromatography/HPLC] analysis is performed" to detect it. The authors of a 2012 British Journal of Nutrition study8, for instance, found a trace amount of meso-zeaxanthin (0.3 mg out of 24.74 mg total carotenoids) in each capsule of Nature's Plus's Ultra Lutein supplement, which contained FloraGLO lutein and zeaxanthin.
Doyle futher says that if meso-zeaxanthin has been present in lutein and RR-zeaxanthin studies, "As such, whether as dietary intake, its own supplementation, or part of lutein and RR-zeaxanthin supplementation, meso-zeaxanthin has already been part of studies investigating the nutrition impact on visual performance and AMD risk reduction."
Regarding OPTISHARP's nature-identical RR-zeaxanthin, though, Maurer says, "If meso-zeaxanthin is present in OPTISHARP, it is at minimal levels. [It] is an artifact of the manufacturing process and is considered an impurity rather than a nutritional ingredient or component of zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin]."
Emmick maintains that if meso-zeaxanthin is in fact present only at trace levels in studies also including lutein and RR-zeaxanthin, those trace levels aren't substantial enough to determine, from those trials, meso-zeaxanthin's efficacy or even safety. "Safety and efficacy cannot be inferred for impurities [of meso-zeaxanthin] that are inadvertently in food at uncertain, de minimis levels."
And, regarding the aforementioned British Journal of Nutrition Study8, which found traces of meso-zeaxanthin, Kemin and OmniActive underline different takeaways. Kemin points out that the study tested all three carotenoids in combination (lutein, meso-zeaxanthin, and RR-zeaxanthin), so it's doubtful one can isolate any beneficial effects found in the study to a specific ingredient. Emmick also says the study indicated that supplemental meso-zeaxanthin is not as well absorbed by the body as a RR-zeaxanthin supplement is. "In fact, you can give someone significantly more meso-zeaxanthin than zeaxanthin [RR-zeaxanthin] and hardly any of it goes into the bloodstream," she says.
But Doyle contends that the same study8 nevertheless showed meso-zeaxanthin is absorbed and present in blood serum following supplementation. She also points to a study published in Current Eye Research9 in which researchers found an increase in both meso-zeaxanthin and lutein (but a higher increase for lutein) following supplementation with a formulation containing meso-zeaxanthin, RR-zeaxanthin, and lutein. Again, however, the researchers did not definitely isolate and attribute the serum increase in meso-zeaxanthin solely to meso-zeaxanthin supplementation alone.
According to Kemin's Emmick, the bottom line is that the value of meso-zeaxanthin supplementation is still not proven.
"To date, there is no evidence that we should be supplementing with meso-zeaxanthin or any of the stereoisomers. That connection has not been made," she says.
Ophthalmologist Jodi Luchs, MD, FACS, founder and CEO of the OJO "fortified eye care nectar" eye-health liquid supplement, agrees. "While it may have similar antioxidant and protective effects, the jury is still on out whether supplementation [with meso-zeaxanthin] is helpful." The larger body of research on RR-zeaxanthin, by comparison, already shows improvements in visual acuity, reduced glare sensitivity, reduced visual fatigue, and increased photo-stress recovery, among other effects.
Doyle maintains that meso-zeaxanthin plays its own, unique role in the eye and that, like RR-zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin is a "potent antioxidant" and a "critical macular carotenoid." Meso-zeaxanthin, in fact, is a stronger antioxidant than lutein and RR-zeaxanthin when combined with Z-binding protein, Doyle says, citing an in vitro study.10 (Kemin's Emmick cautions that this study is in vitro, and not in vivo, and that in vitro results cannot be correlated with effects in humans.)
Doyle says that because meso-zeaxanthin is the stronger antioxidant-although RR-zeaxanthin and lutein are present in the eye in greater amounts-"it's not surprising, then, that meso-zeaxanthin is primarily concentrated in the very center of the macula, the focal point of vision and where the tissue suffers the most antioxidant stress, compared to RR-zeaxanthin, which is primarily concentrated in the mid-periphery of the macula."11
Because lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin all absorb blue light, OmniActive advises supplementing with all three carotenoids, which is what Lutemax 2020 provides. Doyle calls this "the most failsafe approach to meet the needs of today's population."
She cites several in vitro studies, including one published in the Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics12, that she says show "it is the combination of the three macular carotenoids-lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin-that provides optimal protection and support to the eye. Research suggests that all three macular carotenoids work better together than individually to protect the eye against oxidative damage and filter high-energy blue light."
Jeffrey Anshel, OD, FAAO, president of the Ocular Nutrition Society, supports OmniActive's position. "Lutein and the zeaxanthin isomers (RR-zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin)…individually and in combination play a critical role in ocular health. Because of the presence and placement of each of these carotenoids in the eye tissue, we should not underplay the importance of any one of these three macular pigments." In an article in the magazine Optometry Today13, John Nolan, quoted earlier, discussed a meso-zeaxanthin–containing supplement in the UK called Macushield and said "when meso-zeaxanthin is included in the formulation, the response is far greater than what you would get with a lutein-only supplement…"
Regarding meso-zeaxanthin's research infancy, Doyle says, "Certainly, there are more studies on RR-zeaxanthin specifically, but like meso-zeaxanthin, most are in combination with either lutein or other antioxidants."
She adds, "It wasn't that long ago that RR-zeaxanthin was approved for use in European countries. When RR-zeaxanthin first became commercially available, some raised questions about the need for RR-zeaxanthin, since RR-zeaxanthin is naturally present in lutein at approximately 5%. It has since been established through research that higher levels than those found naturally in lutein show benefit. We are now at this point with meso-zeaxanthin."
According to Doyle, when it comes to meso-zeaxanthin, "The bottom line is that it's in the diet, it's safe, and it plays a functional role in eye health alongside RR-zeaxanthin and lutein. If the ingredient can be made available for its benefit, commercial interests shouldn't block such innovation."
Manufacturer Options
Given these disparate opinions, supplement manufacturers have a lot of deciding to do when it comes to selecting a zeaxanthin ingredient. Synthetic source or natural? RR-zeaxanthin alone, or meso-zeaxanthin, as well?
The decision comes down to a company's preference and evaluation of the science. "It really depends on the customer," says DSM's Maurer. "Some customers want natural zeaxanthin; some want synthetic. It really just depends on the customer's needs."
Kemin's Richardson agrees. "If the customer prefers a natural source versus a synthetic, then that's what we want to provide them." She says DSM and Kemin each offer "a single form of zeaxanthin that can be used in both markets [EU and U.S.], without regulatory concerns."
OmniActive says its goal is to offer a broad range of ingredients to meet every customer's need. For markets like the United States, OmniActive can supply Lutemax 2020 with lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. For markets like France where meso-zeaxanthin isn't currently allowed, OmniActive also offers Lutemax 2020-RR, which contains lutein and only RR-zeaxanthin-no meso-zeaxanthin. And, the company's OmniXan zeaxanthin is solely RR-zeaxanthin.
Labeling and Transparency
As the DGCCRF report stated, one of the biggest problems is that ingredient suppliers may not disclose whether their zeaxanthin ingredients contain meso-zeaxanthin; they may just call their ingredient generally zeaxanthin. "A genuine lack of transparency exists as to the nature of the preparations of plants that are used in the products and the concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin that are found in them," the report said. In the EU, this is a problem, of course, due to meso-zeaxanthin's prohibited use in commerce. But, even in the United States where meso-zeaxanthin is allowed, ingredient transparency is still a good idea.
"Labeling laws in the United States require all dietary ingredients to be present on the supplement label," Richardson says. "It's misleading to label products as zeaxanthin when they in fact contain a mixture of zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin." To do so, she says, would be "misbranding."
Yet, more often these days, zeaxanthin "mixtures" are creeping onto the market, without proper disclosure of the isomers present. And, Emmick says, it can "run the gamut." Some companies may be "misleading, saying that it's zeaxanthin alone. And then I think there are a lot of other, smaller, no-name suppliers" who are also not disclosing the full makeup of their ingredients, she says. "I've seen anywhere from an ingredient that is almost entirely meso-zeaxanthin, to a 50/50 mixture," she says, adding that these ingredients are usually sold at a cheaper price.
Labeling vagueness is a growing problem, Richardson says-"in fact, maybe more so than we realized. The rising occurrence of mislabeling is coming to light now, which is what we saw in the published French report and now in the U.S. market."
As mentioned, DGCCRF said most of the manufacturers questioned over their meso-zeaxanthin products were given a chance to reformulate or stop distributing product, and that the adverse events have since declined. The agency took a much harder stance against ingredient suppliers, however-even levying criminal charges. DGCCRF stated that "[T]he suppliers of the extracts […] are obligated to conduct their own quality-control inspections for the manufacturing process and all of their production activities."
"It's definitely the responsibility of suppliers to know what they're selling and to accurately inform their customers," Emmick says.
"Manufacturers should be confirming the identity of ingredients they use," Richardson agrees. "There are tests available to distinguish between meso-zeaxanthin and the dietary form [RR-zeaxanthin]"-namely, the aforementioned chiral HPLC analysis. She quotes the DGCCRF report, which said, "nothing exists that might prevent manufacturers of extracts, who also produce dietary supplements, from performing these trials."
Doyle says that OmniActive makes very clear from the start what its ingredients include. It has always said that Lutemax 2020 includes all three carotenoids: meso-zeaxanthin, RR-zeaxanthin, and lutein. "OmniActive always characterizes the active components of our products," she says. "Our products that do contain more than one zeaxanthin isomer are clearly labeled to provide full disclosure to our customers."
Ingredient suppliers need to comply with regulations, she stresses. Regarding meso-zeaxanthin, she maintains, "There are no safety concerns for the consumer in this instance. However, if the lack of transparency were to involve a harmful substance, this would be a completely different story."
Richardson says the DGCCRF report may inspire other countries to look into the issue of isomers and labeling transparency-if they haven't already started to. "We do understand that other EU countries are looking into this after the French authorities issued this report."
The Consumer in Sight
At the end of the day, it's consumers who deserve to know what they're buying. "The consumer believes that he or she is getting one ingredient [...] when in fact he or she is getting a different ingredient, or a mixture of isomers without the same level of government authorization, research, and use," Richardson says. "It's a truth-in-labeling issue."
Doyle agrees that "consumers need to have confidence in the supplements they purchase."
"I think what's important to bring home is that vitamin manufacturers may just assume that zeaxanthin is zeaxanthin, no matter if they are getting it from marigolds or paprika, or wolfberry, or if it's synthetic-as long as it's the same molecule, they assume they are comparing apples to apples," Richardson says. "But we need to remember that every ingredient supplier has a different manufacturing process, and zeaxanthin ingredients at the end of the day are not all the same."
"What is important for vitamin manufacturers to look for when sourcing zeaxanthin or lutein is the clinical evidence that proves that this particular ingredient gets absorbed in the body, gets to the eye like it's supposed to, and increases macular pigment and benefits for eye health," she concludes.
Increased vigilance is even more crucial as the eye-health supplement market grows. Market researcher Euromonitor predicts that global retail sales for eye-health supplements will grow from US $1.2 billion in 2013 to $1.5 billion by 2017-and from $413 million to $687 million between 2013–2017 in the United States alone. Supplement manufacturers cannot afford to make ingredient choices blindly. They must consider all opinions, study the science, and weigh the evidence themselves.
1. U.S. Patent Nos. 6,784,351, 7,575,766 and 7,033,622. ZeaONE is also licensed under ZeaVision LLC's Patent Nos. 7,691,406 and RE 38,009 ("Zeaxanthin Formulations for Human Ingestion").
2. Maoka T et al., "The first isolation of enantiomeric and meso-zeaxanthin in nature," Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, vol. 83, no. 1 (1986): 121-124.
3. Schiedt K et al., "Metabolites of astaxanthin and canthaxanthin in the skin of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L.),"Helvetica Chimica Acta, vol. 71 (1988): 887-896.
4. Bone RA et al., "Macular pigment response to a supplement containing meso-zeaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin," Nutrition & Metabolism, May 11, 2007.
5. Rasmussen HM et al., "Lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin content in egg yolk and their absence from fish and seafood," Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, vol. 27, no. 2 (September 2012): 139-144.
6. Nolan JM et al., "What is meso-zeaxanthin and where does it come from?" Eye (vol. 27, no. 8 (August 2013): 899-905.
7. Schalch et al., "Xanthophyll accumulation in the human retina during supplementation with lutein or zeaxanthin - the LUXEA (LUtein Xanthophyll Eye Accumulation) study," Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 458, no. 2 (February 15, 2007): 128-135.
8. Meagher KA et al., "Serum response to supplemental macular carotenoids in subjects with and without age-related macular degeneration," British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 110, no. 2 (July 28, 2013): 289-300.
9. Connolly EE et al., "Augmentation of macular pigment following supplementation with all three macular carotenoids: an exploratory study," Current Eye Research, vol. 35, no. 4 (April 2010): 335-351.
10. Bhosale P et al., "Synergistic effects of zeaxanthin and its binding protein in the prevention of lipid membrane oxidation," Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, vol. 1740, no. 2 (May 30, 2005): 116-121.
11. Bone RA et al., "Distribution of lutein and zeaxanthin stereoisomers in the human retina," Experimental Eye Research, vol. 64, no. 2 (February 1997): 211-218.
12. Li B et al., "Studies on the singlet oxygen scavenging mechanism of human macular pigment," Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 504, no. 1 (December 1, 2010): 56-60.
13. Withers N, "The eye-health diet," Optometry Today,http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/features/?article=4052
Sidebar: Zeaxanthin Esters versus Non-Esters
Stereoisomer talk is crucial when it comes to zeaxanthin, but so is a discussion of whether a zeaxanthin ingredient is an ester or a non-ester. The companies interviewed for this story-DSM Nutritional Products, Kemin, and OmniActive Health Technologies-say that their dietary 3R,3'R zeaxanthin ingredients are non-esters-meaning that they are non-esterified or what's known as "free form" zeaxanthin.
The body directly absorbs non-esterified molecules. By contrast, the body must first convert-"de-esterify"-esters into the free form before it can absorb them in the blood stream. The concept of de-esterification is important because there is some evidence-albeit, not yet a lot-that de-esterification, or molecule cleaving, may slow with age or other factors. This would imply that as a person ages and the cleaving process slows, the body may not convert esters with the same efficiency as before, subsequently preventing nutrient absorption.
According to Heather Richardson, Kemin's marketing manager, 93% of zeaxanthin and lutein obtained from the diet is in the free form, or non-esterified. "This is what the body prefers," she says.
But suppliers may supply either form-either esters or free form. Even a zeaxanthin ingredient that comes from the same source, such as marigolds, can be esters or non-esters, depending on the supplier, Richardson adds.
Cost often plays a role. "The ester form is cheaper because there's an extra processing step in manufacturing that's required to go from an ester to a free form," says Richardson.
Yet, just as some suppliers may call their ingredient "zeaxanthin," without specifying whether it contains both dietary zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, suppliers may likewise provide a zeaxanthin mixture that contains both esters and non-esters-without disclosing this fact, she adds.
Knowing whether an ingredient is an ester or not is important because, Richardson says, the ester form is "not well studied."
"A lot of the clinical studies that are out there showing improvement in visual performance are on this free form of zeaxanthin, the dietary free form. It's this free form, not the ester, that is clinically proven," she says.
Lynda Doyle, OmniActive's vice president of global marketing, agrees that "The bulk of human clinicals is on free-form" zeaxanthin.
Tatania Emmick, Kemin's technical service manager, says that there are only absorption studies, not efficacy studies, on the ester form. "To my knowledge, the only study with paprika esters was simply a serum absorption study, and that showed that the ester form does not make it into the serum. But I have not seen any efficacy study as far as benefits to the eye, or anything along those lines, with the esterified forms."
Nutritional Outlook magazine
jennifer.grebow@ubm.com
Correction 6/30/14 2:00 pm PST:
"The authors of a 2012 British Journal of Nutrition study8, for instance, found a trace amount of meso-zeaxanthin (0.3 mg out of 22.74 mg total carotenoids) in each capsule of Nature's Plus's Ultra Lutein supplement, which contained FloraGLO lutein and zeaxanthin..." The correct measurement should be "...(0.3 mg out of 24.74 mg total carotenoids)..."
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Download Issue : Nutritional Outlook Vol. 17 No. 5
Science | Herbs & Botanicals | Regulatory

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Le Théâtre le Patriote est le nom d'un lieu théâtral situé à Saint-Agathe-des-Monts. Fondé en 1967, le lieu diffuse des spectacles pluridisciplinaires en arts de la scène dont la chanson, l'humour, la musique, la danse et le théâtre. Le diffuseur est parrainé par l'auteur-compositeur-interprète québécois Robert Charlebois.

Historique

Fondation

Le Patriote est fondé en 1964, au 1837, rue Sainte-Catherine à Montréal, par Percival Broomfield et Yves Blais. Le projet prend tout d'abord la forme d'une boîte à chansons, au second étage de l'immeuble. Lorsque les spectacles sont transférés à l'étage inférieur, la salle contient à ce moment 300 places. Ce réaménagement permet de louer l'étage du haut, notamment à La Boîte à Clémence. Cette salle ferme ses portes en 1979.

Théâtre de la Sablière
C'est dans une grange bâtie en 1920 appartenant à Lorne McGibbon, propriétaire d'un domaine de 525 acres dans les Laurentides, que Le Patriote, initialement nommé Théâtre de la Sablière s'établit. En 1943, la succession de McGibbon vend le domaine aux Pères Oblats de Marie-Immaculée qui, trente ans plus tard, lègue la partie du domaine où se situe le théâtre à la ville de Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts pour en faire un lieu à vocation culturelle.

En 1967, la communauté agathoise décide d'y établir une salle de spectacle et forme le premier conseil d'administration du théâtre, nommé Conseil des arts de Sainte-Agathe. On transforme alors la grange en un centre d'art estival, incluant La Sablière, une boîte à chanson, un théâtre d'été et un lieu d'expositions de peinture. Ils confient à Gilles Mathieu, fondateur de la boîte à chansons La Butte à Mathieu, le soin de planifier la première programmation. Le , le premier artiste à se produire sur la scène du Théâtre de la Sablière est Gilles Vigneault.

En 1968, le directeur du festival d'été, Yvan Canuel, travaille «à l'éclosion d'un véritable mouvement culturel, dynamique et durable». Le slogan du festival est alors «The Ste-Aghathe Festival is the only French Festival in North América». Or, la population Agathoise n'est pas au rendez-vous. La salle reste trop petite pour être rentable.

Théâtre Le Patriote
En 1969, les fondateurs et directeurs de la boîte à chansons montréalaise Le Patriote, Percival Broomfield et Yves Blais, deviennent locataires du théâtre et lui offrent leur titre de diffuseur. En 1970, le théâtre est rebaptisé officiellement Le Patriote de Sainte-Agathe.

Depuis les années 70, de nombreux artistes québécois de la chanson s'y produisent tels que Gilles Vigneault, Félix Leclerc, Jean-Pierre Ferland, Robert Charlebois, Claude Dubois, Ginette Reno, Diane Dufresne, Beau Dommage. Les artistes de la scène européenne participent également à la production, notamment Nana Mouskouri et Barbara.

À partir des années 80, le Théâtre le Patriote accueille ses premières pièces de théâtre d'été. Michel Forget contribuera à 12 productions estivales. Il quittera la direction du théâtre d'été en 1994.

Les années 2000
Au mois de , le chansonnier et animateur, Denis Lamarre est recruté par Percival Broomfield comme associé et produit durant l'été le spectacle Les Girls re-clémencent, inspiré du spectacle Les Girls, présenté 30 ans plutôt au Patriote de Montréal. En 2001, il programme le nouveau spectacle d'Yvon Deschamps, présenté à plus de 70 reprises.

À la suite du décès de Percival Broomfield à l'automne 2002, Denis Lamarre occupera le poste de directeur du théâtre jusqu'en 2013.

En 2003, Denis Lamarre programme le duo de comédiens Claude Michaud et Michel Dumont, dirigés par le metteur en scène Claude Maher. Les pièces de théâtre le Dîner de cons et Coup de Ciseaux, sont présentées deux années consécutives.

En 2013, le Théâtre le Patriote est reconnu comme diffuseur pluridisciplinaire en arts de la scène par le ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec.

En 2014, l'auteur-compositeur-interprète Robert Charlebois est nommé le « parrain du Patriote » pour le 50ème anniversaire de fondation du théâtre.

Travaux
Un nouvel espace de diffusion de type boîte à chanson, situé dans le hall d'entrée du théâtre, est inauguré en 2014. Cette nouvelle scène peut accueillir 120 spectateurs en formule cabaret. En 2018, un investissement de 2,9M $ de la ville de Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, du gouvernement du Québec et du gouvernement du Canada pour la rénovation de la salle de spectacle du Théâtre le Patriote. Cette transformation architecturale et la modernisation des installations sont finalisés au printemps 2022.

Prix et distinctions
 Prix Félix - Diffuseur de l'année (2017)
 Grands prix de la culture des Laurentides - Prix Ambassadeur (2017)

Fondateurs
 Percival Broomfield
 Yves Blais

Directions
 Percival Broomfield et Yves Blais (1970-2000)
 Denis Lamarre (2000-2013)
 Alexandre Gélinas (2013-)

Site externe
https://theatrepatriote.com/

Notes et références

Salle de spectacle au Québec
Salle de théâtre au Québec
Bâtiment dans les Laurentides (région administrative)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


It was January of 1977. I was a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. I had become a Christian during my junior year of high school – or at least thought I had. I played at being a Christian, especially when I was at church and around church people. But I also did some partying and participated in un-Christ like behavior. This continued on into my 1st year of college.
The first week I was at Tulane 2 things happened that epitomized this: 1) I got involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and 2) I joined a fraternity. I played at being a Christian when I was around CCC and I did some partying when I was around the fraternity. Now, to be clear, I was not a wild party animal – but I did take advantage of some frat parties and the French Quarter of New Orleans to demonstrate un-Christ like behavior. I knew that I was being double-minded.
I don't know if you have ever had an undeniable God moment like that or not where you have heard God speak as if it were out loud. It has happened to me 3 times – at 3 significant crisis moments in my life. This was the first time. So I had a decision to make. I knew that I could not continue to play the game I had been playing. I had to choose!
Choosing one thing over another doesn't necessarily mean we love the thing we choose. If given the choice to eat spinach or broccoli, you may choose broccoli. It may only mean you don't want to eat spinach. Heaven is not for people who just want to skip Hell. Heaven is reserved for those who love Jesus, who have been rescued by Him and who long to praise Him. If someone doesn't have much use for praising Him now, it's foolish to think they're ready for Heaven.
Have you ever wondered why music is such an important part or worship? The Lord gives a "theology of music" to Moses in Deuteronomy 31:19-22. He tells them two things that we all know is true: 1) Songs touch the heart (v.21a), and 2) Songs stick in our mind (v.21b). In other words, songs a way of piercing us in a way that mere words cannot and songs have a way of sticking with us in ways that mere words do not.
How many times have you heard a song that brought you to tears? And many of you can remember the words of songs 10, 20, even 40 years ago even though you have not heard them since then.
Moses was instructed to teach the Israelites a song – an unforgettable song – that would proclaim the greatness of God, that would steady their hearts in the middle of hardship, and that would draw them back when they were far away. This is what music can do.
I am a terrible singer. And yet I have often fancied myself as songwriter. I have written dozens of songs over the years and even put them to some simple guitar melodies. You will never hear them on The Voice being sung by the amazing Katie Basden ( by the way… tune in this week as she enters the knockout rounds) – but they have helped me over the years to express my heart to God in ways that prose does not. Here is one such song ( taken from Ephesians 1:1-14)… you can make up your own melody to go with the words.
Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Talk about them… when you sit, when you walk, when you go to bed, when you get up – in other words… all. the. time.
To say it another way, the conversation around the house should constantly and continuously be centered around the Word of God. Parents need to be men and women of the Word so that they can instruct their kids according to the Scriptures – not according to Dr Spock or Oprah or Dr Phil or the best parenting books on the market.
Shema! Here! Listen up! The Lord is saying that if you get this right – if you diligently put these verses into practice in your home, then THIS will happen. And you will be glad. I promise you.
Some professing Christians have only a passing acquaintance with the Gospel. They can hardly give an account of what they hope for, or whom they hope in. And if they have some principles they take kindly to, they are so unsettled that every wind blows them away, like loose tiles from a housetop.
When Satan buffets and temptation washes over you like a tidal wave, you must cling to God's truths. They are your shelter in every raging storm. But you must have them on hand, ready to use. Do not wait until it is sinking to patch the boat.
As I continue reading through the Bible this year using the F260 Plan, there were some general principles from several of the readings that jumped out at me.
Leviticus 23 – This chapter describes the appointed feasts of the Lord that the Israelites are to "proclaim as holy convocations." The Lord prescribed these community gatherings throughout the year so that they could be reminded of what the Lord had done for them. In other words so that they would NEVER FORGET! It is the same reason why we have special dates sprinkled throughout our calendar year. The difference is that we often treat these holy days as mere holidays rather than as sacred reminders of God's goodness to us.
Leviticus 26 – There are a lot of "thou shalt nots" and "thou shalts" in this chapter but the principle comes through loud and clear: OBEDIENCE BRINGS BLESSING! This is a principle that I have known a long time but that I often need to be reminded of. I have seen it play out in my life over and over again – just as I have seen the converse to be true: Disobedience brings cursing. When we are careful to live according to the rules of life that have been established by God then we will generally find ourselves blessed. This is true for both believers and unbelievers. God has given us His commands not to take all the fun out of life but in order to provide for us and to protect us. In other words, He knows what's good for us better than we do ourselves and if we pay attention to the owner's manual we will find joy in the way that we were designed to live.
Numbers 11-12 – In chapter 11 the Israelites are grumbling because all they have to eat is manna. Manna burgers. Manna pizza. Manna shakes. Manna bread. And in chapter 12 Aaron and Miriam are grumbling because Moses is top dog and not them. In both cases their grumbling resulted in catastrophe. The principle here is that GRATITUDE IS ALWAYS A BETTER ATTITUDE THAN GRUMBLING. We live in a culture that seems to feel entitled and rather than being thankful for what we do have people are more than likely to grumble about what they do not have. Evidently this propensity towards entitlement has been around a long time. Nobody wants to be around a grumbler and a complainer. We can always finds things to be thankful for even when life is hard – if we are willing to look.
Number 13-14 – These are the famous spying out the land of Canaan passages where Caleb and Joshua are the only 2 out of the 12 that came back excited and ready to press on toward the Promised Land. There are a lot of leadership principles that have been preached from these passages – I will mention two: 1) LEADERS SEE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN OTHERS SEE PROBLEMS, and 2) THE MAJORITY IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. We can see the converse of these playing out in our country right now as candidates are jockeying for votes. They often appeal to the masses and give them what they want to hear rather than speaking hard truth. Great leaders lead from a position of humility (see Numbers 12:3) rather than being proud and bombastic. I'm afraid that because of where our country is heading that God is going to give us what we deserve rather than what we need – and America will learn a very hard lesson as a result… just as the Israelites did.


Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are quickly gaining on email as the primary function Internet users employ, according to a survey by The Nielsen Company.
Americans spend nearly a quarter of their time online on social networking sites and blogs, up from 15.8 percent just a year ago (a 43 percent increase), according to research released today from The Nielsen Company. The research revealed that Americans spend one-third of their online time (36 percent) communicating and networking across social networks, blogs, personal e-mail and instant messaging. Use of e-mail dropped 28 percent, from 11.5 percent to 8.3 percent in the same comparable period, the report found.
"Despite the almost unlimited nature of what you can do on the web, 40 percent of U.S. online time is spent on just three activities – social networking, playing games and e-mailing ,leaving a whole lot of other sectors fighting for a declining share of the online pie," said Nielsen analyst Dave Martin.
The report also found the way U.S. consumers spend their Internet time on their mobile phones paints a slightly different picture to that of Internet use from computers. In a Nielsen survey of mobile Web users, there is a double-digit (28 percent) rise in the prevalence of social networking behavior, but the dominance of e-mail activity on mobile devices continue with an increase from 37.4 percent to 41.6 percent of U.S. mobile Internet time.
"Despite some predictions otherwise, the rise of social networking hasn't pushed e-mail and instant messaging into obscurity just yet," the report noted. "Although both saw double-digit declines in share of time, e-mail remains as the third-heaviest activity online (8.3 percent share of time) while instant messaging is fifth, accounting for four percent of Americans online time."
Of the most heavily used sectors, videos/movies was the only other to experience a significant growth in share of U.S. activity online, according to Nielsen data. Its share of activity grew relatively by 12 percent from 3.5 to 3.9 percent. June 2010 was a major milestone for U.S. online video as the number of videos streamed passed the 10 billion mark. The average American consumer streaming online video spent 3 hours 15 minutes doing so during the month.
"Although we see similar characteristics amongst PC and mobile Internet use, the way their activity is allocated is still pretty contrasting," Martin said. "While convergence will continue, the unique characteristics of computers and mobiles, both in their features and when and where they are used mean that mobile Internet behavior mirroring its PC counterpart is still some way off."


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Letter from Supporter Jim Chatelain
January 5, 2015 January 5, 2015 The Bonham
BTP Supporter Jim Chatelain sent a wonderful note with his latest donation.
Dear Mrs. Ebke,
Enclosed is my current donation toward the support of the Bonham Theatre Project.
Looking back, I recall with pleasure the countless hours of "enjoyable escape" spent at the Bonham.
In my youth, Saturday was THE day. Starting at 2 p.m. – the local ads, newsreel, previews of coming attractions, serial chapter, mystery feature, western action – the day was "made", all for the admission of LESS than 15 cents!
May I extend to you, then, my heartfelt best wishes toward the successful restoration of 'my old friend, the Bonham Theatre.'
Jim Chatelain"
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First National Bank Donates $10,000 to Bonham Theatre Project
December 3, 2014 December 15, 2014 The Bonham
Neighbors helping neighbors definitely describes the continued generosity of The First National Bank-Fairbury and the Pfaff family with their recent $10,000 contribution to the Bonham Theatre Project. As supporters of the Bonham Theatre Project from its inception, this $10,000 donation completes the $50,000 matching grant from The Sherwood Foundation, which was offered to BTP in April 2014.
Their initial $1,000 contribution aided BTP in formally organizing as a nonprofit corporation. Additional contributions totally $15,000 assisted in the acquisition of the building and contents. "The real effort is not in providing the financial support, but in the people who come together in turning a vision into reality," said Tiffany Pfaff.
The Pfaff/Burkley connection to the Bonham Theatre goes back to its establishment. Barbara (Burkley) Pfaff is the great-niece to Luther Bonham, the namesake of the Bonham Theatre and in 1913 co-owner of the newly consolidated First National Bank of Fairbury. In 1926 Luther Bonham, as President of FNB, put together financing to construct the Bonham Theatre in conjunction with local investors and Universal Production Company.
Revitalizing Fairbury with a theatre is both a business and personal interest to the Pfaffs. "The continued existence of Fairbury and its residents has been the main priority to us through every generation of our family," said Vernon Pfaff. "This is something that we also strive in helping our surrounding communities as well."
"We are extremely grateful for the financial support of Vern and Barb, (daughter) Tiffany, The Burkley Family Fund, and The First National Bank," said Brooke Schwab, president. "In a small town, we have to depend on each other because our futures are interconnected. It is reassuring to know the Pfaffs share this vision."
$225,000 awarded for Bonham Theatre Project in Fairbury
October 15, 2014 September 15, 2016 The Bonham
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded the City of Fairbury with $225,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in the Tourism Development category to renovate the Bonham Theatre.
In turn, the City will award the funding to the Bonham Theatre Project (BTP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that has secured financial support and contributions from foundations, businesses, and local individuals.
Additional funding of $553,834 from BTP, including challenge grant awards from the Peter Kiewit Foundation and The Sherwood Foundation, and pledges supported by state tax credits awarded through DED's Community Development Assistance Act, will complete the project.
Renovations will include removal of materials and architectural barriers that restrict mobility of and accessibility by elderly and persons with disabilities. Additional renovations will include the installation of ramps and handicap viewing platforms, easier access to the lobby, fire protection measures, plumbing, restrooms and electrical work.
The refurbishment and reopening of the Bonham Theatre is expected to attract regional audiences from southeast Nebraska and northern Kansas for quality activities, including movies, theater productions, art showings and educational workshops. Additionally BTP is expected to help anchor Fairbury's historic and social appeal as it is surrounded by lodging properties, and dining and shopping venues, all within walking distance.
The theatre operated for 86 years from the day its doors opened in 1926 until it was shuttered at the end of 2012. For many years it lived up to its name "the Showcase of Southeast Nebraska." However, when faced with the high costs of transitioning to digital projection in 2012, the owners made the difficult decision to close the theatre. Soon after, Fairbury citizens organized and formed BTP.
Federal funds are made available to DED from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's CDBG program to assist with the development of businesses and communities throughout the state. Funding requests for the program are administered by DED and available to local governments with populations less than 50,000 and counties in Nebraska.
For information about the Fairbury project, contact Sharyl Preston, City Clerk, at 402-729-3906 or spreston@fairburyne.org
For information about CDBG Tourism Development funding, contact Steve Charleston at 800-426-6505, 402-471-3757, or steve.charleston@nebraska.gov.
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Union Bank & Trust Donates $10,000 to Bonham Theatre Project
Union Bank & Trust donated $10,000 to assist the revitalization efforts of the historic Bonham Theatre. The funds, which will be disbursed over a 2 year period, will help the non-profit group reach their fundraising milestone to begin renovations.
"Fairbury has a rich history, and the Bonham Theatre is a key part of that" said Jen Walton, Branch Manager. "With the support of the entire community, the Theatre can once again be an active part of Fairbury's downtown area."
Debby Ebke, Treasurer of the Bonham Theatre Project, stated, "We're very encouraged by the support of Union Bank & Trust, and all of our area businesses. By coming together, we are truly a stronger community."
Union Bank & Trust Company is a privately owned, Nebraska bank that offers complete banking, lending, investment and trust services. The bank has thirty-six full service and loan production offices in Nebraska and Kansas. In addition to Fairbury and Lincoln, branches are located in nineteen Nebraska communities and the Kansas City metro area. It is the third largest privately-owned bank in Nebraska with bank assets of $2.8 billion and trust assets of $13.9 billion as of June 30, 2014.
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