June 2012
COGNITION MAGAZINE
J. PTSD
CASIMIER
TALKS DIET 4 YOUR TYPE
WHAT BLACKS SHOULD KNOW
VAGINA POWER CAN MEN HELP IT?
Healthy
BBQ ALTERNATIVES
CONTRIBUTING
Writers Darrin L. Harris Deanna Theriot Dr. Ada C. Roberson Robyne Boyce Shawniece “QB� McMillan Lyiena McMillain Rachel Kostelec Quanta Cabral
Founder/CHIEF EDITOR Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr.
For Advertising Information contact
Cognition Magazine, LLC is a thought provoking digital magazine dedicated to the new age mind, body, and soul of black America with emphasis on wellness and psychological well being. Cognition Magazine touches on subjects that we all can relate to such as Love & Relationships, Health & Fitness, Entertainment, and Travel & Leisure. The goal of this magazine is to highlight the significant thoughts and mental strategies used in all of our daily activities and life events. Cognition Magazine is intended to be a publication that exposes our thoughts and innermost feelings on various topics that appeal to the African American community. Cognition Magazine is distributed monthly and is
available in digital format.
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Cognition Magazine, LLC 3308 Tulane Avenue Ste. 303 New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 Phone: (504) 208-0704 Email: advertising@cognitionmagazine.com
Website: www.cognitionmagazine.com
Reproduction of any part of this publication without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited, Cognition Magazine is a product of Cognition Magazine, LLC . The information within this publication is believed to be accurate but Cognition Magazine does not guarantee accuracy. Cognition Magazine, LLC will not be held responsible for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers or any other portion of this publication.
CONTENTS Editors Note 4 Cover Story Joshua Casimier of Better You Fitness, LLC 20
Entertainment & Fashion 6 10
“Be for Real”
INA VAG
12 Ask Dr. Ada Health & Fitness Featured Articles: Why are Black Men So Angry? 16
Love & Relationships 30 Thoughts after Dark w/ QB
32 Mind on Money What Blacks should know about PTSD 27
Be Inspired
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From the Editor
I
cannot emphasize how important it is to take care of ourselves. I watch the news and other media sources and the violence has increased, the crimes of hate have increased, and my God the bashing of the leader of this country has gotten out of control. There are a lot of people hurting within the united States and a lot of them are African American. We as blacks have a tendency to be too strong and too overpowering and that prevents us from achieving a lot. We must let go of some things and learn to ask for help. I'm the most hardheaded person there is. I rarely follow the rules, id rather make them so a lot of things I have to realize on my own time but when it comes to asking for help, I had to learn that I cant do it on my own at all. I started this very magazine with my own hands and now that we are going on our 4th issue, its still hard to ask for help when I know that I cant do it alone. Why is it that we as Black America find it so hard to seek help, even when we know that its going to do nothing but benefit us? Do we just think that we can pray it off? Do we just think that if we keep trucking, the load will get lighter? Well, weight doesn't go away without exercise and prayer without faith and works is useless so we should apply those same principles to our burdens and life issues. SEEK HELP WHEN NEEDED. You are not in this race alone!
Yours in #WELLNESS, Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr. Founder & Chief Editor marmstrong@cognitionmagazine.com Follow us on twitter: @cognition_mag Facebook.com/cognitionmagazinellc
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Twitter Beef? Meek Mill, Chris Brown and Drake (Over Rihanna)
Entertainment & Fashion
New Music: Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks "Celebrate"
Chris Brown found out that Rihanna and Meek Mill really had dealApparently
ings even after Meek denied it several times. Chris Brown then removed Meek Mill from his upcoming single "Don't Judge Me." Meek upset, tweeted
Whitney Houston'
Listen to s last and final recording before her death. "Celebrate" was recorded with young R&B sensation
Jordin
Sparks for theT.D. Jakes movie "Sparkle." Terrance and Rocsi No Longer on 106th and Park
After 7 years of hosting BET’s 106 & Park, host Terrance J & Rocsi Diaz announced their departure from the show. No final date has been announced but we look forward to more news on the continuation of the show.
Lyiena or La from A Dose of LA gives you the news with a twist for Cogntion Mag. Not only does she bring you the news to keep you informed, but she writes pieces to inspire and uplift her readers. She's a Writer, Rapper, Blogger, Public Speaker and a Socialite. You can catch her at a hip hop show, promoting events, updating blogs, volunteering in her church and evangelizing in the community. Follow her on Twitter @lanino_brown Intel courtesy of : adoseofla.blogspot.com
Rapper 2 Chainz Arrested for Brass Knuckles 2 Chainz
Rapper is in police custody in N.Y. for apparently having brass knuckles in his carry on bag. Authorities were called and he was taken into custody for possession of a criminal weapon. Really New York?? They must still have the hip hop cops working. SMH
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Coachella and Memorial day may be over but there's still time to rock some of these hot fashions in the hot summer... Check them out!
LOOK GOOD FEEL GREAT MENS SUMMER 2012 TRENDS THE SHIRTS
THE SHIORTS
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THE SHADES
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THE BAG
THE SHOES
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)
The classic tee (can never go wrong) The tank, very popular now (livesmartlooksharp.tumblr.com) The classic polo (4fashionlife.com) Angus Young short (porhomme.com) Basic Cotton Cargo shorts (aliexpress.com) Slim Fit Short Trunks (nytimes.com) The round tip loafe (freenewfashiondesign.com) Sebago Boat shoe (fashionblogblogger.com)
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9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16)
Saddle Shoes (Styleledger.com) Hinge-Temple shades (aliexpress.com) Rectangle Shades (fashionstylesxxx.com) Super eyewear (porhomme.com) Louis Vuitton Backpack (thecarry.com) Ben Minkoff Backpack (fashionindie.com) Basil Racuk Soft Breif (porhomme.com) American Eagle Cooler Backpack (porhomme.com)
Miss Behavin’ fas
BOLD ee s kn dres k n 5 Pi ngth r $7 le de un
Flower print clutch w/ straps Under $ 30
arl l Pe t e t s Pa racele 0 B er $2 d Un
Orange & Turquoise ring under $15
Pink flower & heart ring Under $15
Camel suede studded Satchel style purse Under $50
w/ el s e h d ige d stu 40 e B ol r $ g de Un
Strappy sandal heel Under $4 0
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shion Ideas for that
D Woman ... Jade Tun ic suede be with aded tie/strap under $50
rint rd p c h a p o Le le wat bang r $40 e Und
se Pur s i eL ur D s e l F tud 0 s w/ er $3 d Un
White Fleur D e Lis band wat ch Under $40
d de d stu l t 0 e t s le 3 Pa ace r $ br nde U
Flower &
Heart ring Under $ 15
er ath e l fle ruf ndal k Pin ng sa 40 tho der $ Un
All Under $75 9
Be for Real
I
VAGINA POWER BABY!!! Is it your weakness?
f any of you read my last post on my blog you probaDeanna Theriot bly feel the same way about it that I do--it left MUCH to be desired. I searched my soul real deep and then I realized what my most recent Wail lacked--THE Writer for “Be for OVERWHELMING POWER OF THE VAGINA! Yes! The VAGINA is strong! And when faced with the indomitable power of vag, men breakdown like stress in a stainless steel grinder. The presence of Amber Rose's vagina was far too overwhelming for Peter Rosenberg's glaring criticisms to stand up to and he went SOFT. (Pun almost, kinda, most definitely intended.) For this much I applaud Miss Amber Rose. Why rant and rave when you can sit back and let your transgressors fall prey to your irresistible feminine charms? Why waste energy with battle when you can (with minimal effort on your part) persuade your opponents to helplessly submit to your will? Does the matador charge into the ring just like the bull or does he outwit the beast (after it has been weakened by severe blood loss of course)?
Real” section
Bio: Do you ever think to yourself: Damn, I wish I had somebody in my life who had the gall and the vocabulary to read me my rights but simultaneously send me flying into a state selfreflection with directness, fairness and wisdom? Somebody who spurns hypocrisy by relating to othMen are at a severe disadvantage when it comes to women ers through real life experiences born of her own like Amber Rose. Sure a man can talk plenty good ish (numerous) imperfections? Someone who’s kind of a behind a woman's back (usually because he can't have her jerk but in an endearing way? Then Reader look no or he had her now he wishes to contradict whatever psychologically debilitating effects her vagina has had further, for I, DDT, have arrived to save your day on his fragile male ego) but when that scorned woman, now from mildness, denial and sugar-coatings of all standing directly in front of that once discerning kinds. When the tiny box of recycled pop psych male, bats her eyelashes, smiles real sweet and homey drivel becomes too crowded, I invite you to stop in sheds all his sense of principle. "Wow! She cares about, and see me for a dose of colorful social commentary like, humanity and stuff. She's so real..." All of a sudden Amber Rose wins the award for most remarkable and imon black life as it is and not as it is purported to be. pressive woman in the world and is acquitted of all prior accusations of fucking her way to an unafforded status of celebrity. (That gentle purr in her voice didn't hurt her case either.) Amber Rose had vagina oozing from her every word and Rosenberg lapped up every sweet, sticky drop of seduction that fell from her lips.
As an objective listener I like to see any situation from all sides and I feel it is my duty to address whatever interpretations may come. So maybe Amber Rose WAS objectified. Maybe she was belittled. She was very possibly even degraded but ask Amber Rose and she might have something different to say... Therefore Miss Amber Rose, I'll repeat, I ain't mad at cha. If sex is your weapon of choice, fire at will, maw and don't miss. I can dig it. WHEW! I feel SO much better... how 'bout y'all? Post courtesy of: wailingonthesehoes.blogspot.com
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Ask Dr. Ada
Why do I accept anybody that comes in my life that acts like they want to love me but then I end up being used every time? Please help me figure this out Dr. Ada? - Miss Confusion
Miss Confusion,
G
iven the fact that we haven’t met and I don’t really know your background, I can’t really in good conscious tell you why I you love men that mistreat you, however I can speak to patterns that I often see in therapy with women who make choices similar to yours. The decision to choose to be with a mate who mistreats you is often related to a women’s self-esteem. Self-esteem reflects a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. It is a personality trait that is developed throughout our entire lives. Things that we experience in life can impact our selfesteem positively or negatively. Women with low self-esteem, or a low sense of self-worth and personal value, often settle for men who mistreat them because subconsciously (or sometimes consciously), they don’t believe that they are worthy of anything better. If this is you, there are any books related to improving your self-esteem that could be a good place for you to begin to learn how to see yourself as the worthy person that you are. You may also choose to seek therapy or participate in a self-help support group that may assist you in freeing yourself from the cycle of unhealthy relationships that you have been engaging in. Just know…you deserve to be loved and respected. The key to a different life is to live differently!
Self-esteem reflects a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value.
Why the hell does it take so long for someone to come out of a parking spot when they know darn well you are waiting for it. This always baffles me and I think it's ridiculous! - Mario Mario,
H
ave you ever heard the saying “patience is a virtue”? The ability to wait for something without getting angry or upset is a valuable quality in a person. While we can’t change everything that happens around us, we can choose how we react to what happens around us. I would suggest that you work on your patience, give yourself adequate time to be someplace so that you aren’t anxious when it takes a few minutes longer than you expected to find a parking space, and focus on the things that you can change, while accepting the things that you can’t. Hope this helps :)
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I Liz,
t sounds to me like you may be depressed. I want you to know that it is not uncommon for people who have lived through even one of the events that you have described, to become depressed. I believe that your depressed feelings are a normal reaction to the traumatic events that you have survived over the past several months. I would suggest seeking treatment from a qualified mental health professional as an important step on the road to recovery. Treatments like psychotherapy and medication, if needed, require the input of a knowledgeable health care professional. However, there are some things that you can do on your own to help you cope with depression. A few self-help strategies that I recommend are: 1) Exercising – Researchers have found that physical activity can work as well as antidepressants in reducing fatigue and helping you feel energized and alive. Exercise can actually prompt the release of calming and moodenhancing hormones in the body; 2) Getting at least seven to nine hours of sleep – Lack of sleep can make you feel fatigued and irritable, creating or enhancing feelings of depression; 3) Eating well – Research has shown that a poor diet can alter your mood considerably. Experts recommend that you follow a diet that is high in fiber and low in fats by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, many types of fish and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as B vitamins and chromium have been shown to improve mood. Finally, avoid skipping meals because being hungry can leave you tired and cranky; and, 4) Living – Getting out with friends and family, and participating in social activities can go a long way towards helping you feel supported. It may even lead to a few laughs, which I am sure you can use. When people feel depressed, it is not uncommon for them to isolate themselves and retreat into their own space. However, isolation just adds to the depression. It may even be good for you to join a support group for survivors of suicide where you can talk out your emotions and gain insight from others. It is important that you understand that the self-help strategies that I presented may not completely cure your depression, but they can have a positive impact on both your physical and mental health, and may offer you some hope.
Ask Dr. Ada
Dr. Ada, I am very confused on how to move forward and I feel I have lost a lot of motivation. I had a miscarriage at 4 months of pregnancy, the company I worked for closed down on me, and to top things off my mother committed suicide by shooting herself. All these things have happened within the past 9 months and I feel cursed and severely damaged. How do I get back my motivation for life and move on? - Liz C
Dr. Ada Craig Roberson is a dedicated wife, mother and advocate for those in need. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker within the state of Louisiana and holds a Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. Ada has a wealth of experience in working with disadvantaged individuals and has taken the term “Life Enhancement” into a whole new meaning within the social services industry. Her ability to truly understand human behavior has allowed her to transform the lives of many individuals, some of which were hopeless in the eyes of society. She loves a good piece of fine chocolate, a good challenge and stimulating activities. If you have an issue you would like to bring to Dr. Ada’s attention please email askdrada@cognitionmagazine.com or make a post on the Ask Dr. Ada page on www.cognitionmagazine.com
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BLACK MEN &
ANGER
I
s it fair to say that anger and aggression is more prevalent in black males than in their Caucasian counterparts? Personally I Photo courtesy of feel that we as Thyblackman.com black men demonstrate more anger, aggression, frustration, and competition than compassion, rational thought and sensitivity. I think it all dates back to our days as tribal leaders. We as black men were the protectors, hunters and fathers of our villages. Weakness was not an option at all. Circumcision rituals, rites of passage, and even mating tasks were all done with aggression and little sensitivity and no debriefing to follow.
if the child is bleeding and in obvious distress, he should be able to express how he feels and react to the stimuli (the pain from the fall) in a way that alleviates his discomfort, but we encourage him to suppress that and to push forward. We as black men are constantly on a mission to prove our manhood and manifest our hunter side thus suppressing what bothers us. What we don’t realize is that when we suppress all these feelings and discomforts, we form an abyss of anger and aggression in us that constantly brews like a growing hurricane and then one day something will come along to piss us off and we go into rage mode ready to destroy anything in our path. Let’s remember this: SUPPRESSION LEADS TO OPPRESSION.
We must find a way to debrief and release all of that negative energy and tension that has amounted inside of us into something more productive and sustainable. If I were to perform a survey on black men inquiring about the level of sensitivity in growing up, most par- Ever since we were children we have been holding in ticipants would probably respond by making statements pain, hurt, inadequacies, and stress while at the same time having to satisfy day to day requirements such as such as “crying was not allowed” or “we were told to work, family, and intimate relationships. Its not fair to suck it up or be a man.” Let’s be for real, no one ourselves and detrimental to our well being to harbor (especially a woman) wants a weak man or a “punk” but it appears that nowadays “sucking it up” or the re- such negative energy such for long periods of time and duction of expression is causing rage and aggression in then go ballistic when we have had enough. Suppose if our anger goes too far? Suppose if our built up aggrestoday’s black male. In my opinion and what I’ve witsion accidentally harms someone we love? Suppose if nessed in my career in behavioral health, it’s never we lose those we love as a result? Then what? Are we good to suppress your feelings. going to move on and brush off our shoulders like we Before we were assigned gender, before we were aswere thought to as you boys thus creating more aggressigned personality traits…we were first human beings sion and frustration? We need to take a step back, exthat are designed to naturally respond to stimuli. When press how we feel without offending others, and come certain stimulus is presented, we should have every up with a logical solution. right to express how we feel about it (without causing -Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr. harm or distress to others). If a black boy falls to his 16 knees during a game, his parents are most likely to say “Boy, get up and don’t you dare cry.” Now let’s think,
BBQ
ALTERNATIVES
Turkey Burgers Instead of beef, try ground turkey. The taste is not very different and it’s lower in fat. Turkey Breast Grilled turkey breasts is a healthy alternative to chicken and ribs. Shrimp and Turkey Sausage Skewers We all love shrimp and they're healthy. Place some on skewers with turkey sausage and you got a great low fat BBQ treat
Fish Instead of meat, try your favorite fish on the grill. In this case we recommend tilapia. It tastes great grilled.
SIDES Grilled Asparagus
Diced red potatoes w/ parsely and onions
Grilled corn on the cob but be sure to use low fat butter
Grill a sweet potato wrapped in foil as an alternative to a baked potato For a bit of sweetness try grilled pineapple rings. One slice is about 80 calories 17
Health & Fitness
HEALTHY
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READY FOR A
INTERVIEW WITH JO
Owner of Better Y
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CM: Tell me your full name and the name of your business. Josh: My name is Joshua R. Casimier, the name of the business is Better You Fitness, LLC located at 836 Burmaster street Gretna, LA. You’re gonna find it’s a pretty good location, kinda right in the middle of things and pretty convenient for my um clients coming from the Eastbank and on the Westbank. CM: How long have you been in the fitness industry? Josh: Fitness industry? About going on 5 years now. CM: And how old are you? You look pretty young.
BETTER YOU?
OSHUA CASIMIER
You Fitness, LLC Interview by: Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr. Photography by: Q. Bleu Photography
Josh: 21…yea21 CM: Oh awesome..Really? Josh: Basically I first started personally training at about 16 years old, doing it professionally at about 17 years old when I first started at French Riviera which most people that are local are very familiar with even if they don’t use their memberships, a lot of (people in) the city have the membership. So I used to work at French Riviera, Assistant Manager over there for about a lil’ less than two years until I decided to try to dare to go off independently and thus came Better You Fitness. CM: So you started off pretty young? Josh: Yep CM: At what age did you start about? Josh: 16 years old it sort of was natural because I’ve always been very in tune with my body, always playing sports and never took it for surface value and it just seemed natural that my aunt, my uncles, my mother, my father…if they wanted to lose weight they would come to me just naturally and because they did, I wanted to have answers, I wanted to help so I went and found answers. By the time of right before 18 years old is when I got on at French Riviera and then I was helping more people than just my family. CM: So when did you realize, I know you talked about your aunts and family members coming to you naturally21 so, when did you realize that… ok this is what I want to do, this is me? When did you realize that?
Health & Fitness
C
ognition Magazine has a sit down with one of the youngest male leaders within the New Orleans fitness scene Joshua R. Casimier. This brother knows what he’s talking about when it comes to being healthy and fit. He may be young but he’s ready and his followers are many.
Josh: Let’s see…
this building that we’re in now from the ground up. It’s been a success so far, I’ve never had a shortage of clients since I started.
CM: And what made you realize it? CM: How many clients do you serve as of now? Josh: The feedback, the feedback, um at lot of people, they try to make what they want to do a verb. It would be help, it would be teach, it would be educate, something along those lines but then we would try to make that fit something or a profession that’s already here. A person (for example) that wants to teach, they say I want to be a teacher but I was very general about what I wanted, like most 17-18 year old I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, you know that’s why they say you got four years…you got this (and that option) and all I knew is that I wanted to help. The only thing I was really passionate about was helping and um naturally it was an area I really had a niche in and I just understood the body and it made sense to me and as I continue to study I got more answers. At about 18 years old I got my first client and at about 65 years old, first real non family related client..I was either 17 or 18 and his name was Mr. Ashely Frank. He was 65 years old and he lost 35 lbs with me. He lost 35 lbs in a little bit less than two months and it was life changing for him.
Josh: Naturally I don’t like to go over so many clients and to keep taking people even if they requested me to the point where it’s going to affect the quality of my work. It is intimate, you’re spending three days a week with these people most of the time so you get to know them, you know their habits, you know what time they go to sleep. You know them. I can only keep so much in my head so it’s usually when I bring this guy in (Points to his assistant whom is relaxing on a workout bench between clients) my assistant; he helps me carry the load. He’s resting and waiting on his next one. It is a lot so naturally, usually I cut it off about 20-25 maybe a few more until I get another trainer in here with me. I’m working on training another lady right now. CM: I interviewed another fitness instructor and I asked her opinion on this; what is your opinion on fitness in black America as of today?
Josh: It is my target! You’re talking to the right person. It is my target. Reason being is because it’s the underdog. It is the…we are as a culture, if I had to isolate America first, I Josh: When that happened and I saw how his life responded, have three clients that are from across seas. I have Bebia and I just saw how much he appreciated how easy he can get (one of his international clients) from San Lucia, which is a in and out of his car now, how one leg that was swelling re- French Speaking island, I have Centel whom just left from duced. His quality of life just went up. All I wanted to do Mexico, and I have Katie from Argentina. What all these was help the man lose weight. I was just going through the three people whom never met each other have in common is motions and he got 10 times (more than) what he wanted to that they came to this country as adults. Bebia came here at get. When I realized that comes with the territory…I started 35 years old. For her entire adult life, for the most of her falling for it and that’s where the dopamine is. adult life in St. Lucia, when she got to America she saw her first overweight person. Centel (Client from Mexico) the CM: And that’s what started the snowball effect… same. Katie (Cleint from Argentina) the same. They have never seen obesity in their life, being and living in the culJosh: (Agrees with interviewer) and that’s what started the tures they lived in. My thing is to bring that culture to the snowball effect. states. CM: And that was your first milestone client?
CM: I wanted to ask you about your entrepreneurship skills/ qualities. It’s like there’s a big entrepreneurship move going on in New Orleans right now. I’m on it myself, Quinn the photographer (Josh’s photographer), and you’re on it, but the only difference is that you’re doing it at such an early age. I had no clue you were only 21. Josh: Half of my clients don’t know my age. They don’t know it, if they ask it, they have it. It’s not a secret but um just usually (it’s all about) how long I’ve been on the scene as far as training, how much has been accomplished. It’s not important, It’s about how can I lose this weight? How can I gain this weight? And can you help me? It always a shocker when I tell people that when I used to say that when I was 19 or 20 and now only 21 years old. I’ve been doing Better You Fitness, as far as having the LLC independent, my own business; it’s been going on two years now so it’s been out of
CM: Why do you think that is? The other instructor I interviewed said the same thing. She went over to Germany and she talked about the portion sizes of the meals. She was like, there are Mc Donald’s and fast food chains over there but, there aren’t the value meals and the extras…you know? Josh: I can go on and on and on (as it relates to this issue). It is a mindset. If I had to generalize it, I’d have to say it is a mindset. In this country, in this American/western civilization, this state of mind we have is we eat for our minds. We eat for our minds and our bodies are what’s taking in the food. We do not eat for our bodies; we do not know our bodies. I am trying to get people to know their bodies. Another thing that I do that’s probably unique to a lot of the trainers in the city is that I customize meal plans according to my client’s blood type. 22
CM: Tell us about that. I see you pulled out a book (He pulls out a book called “Cook Right for Your Type”)
CM: I was just going to touch on that, cuisine and fitness. What do you think about this city? I know you talked about the country but …This City (New Orleans)?
“I always tell my clients again that your weight is a measurement of your health. It is not your health”
Josh: If I had to say the United State is the most unhealthy country in the world, there’s no arguing about that…no arguing. You’d be silly to argue with me. I always tell my clients again that your weight is a measurement of your health. It is not your health. You can be skinny, you can have proper weight, you can have a good BMI and still be unhealthy. You can be healthy, you can be unhealthy. The weight is one of the most common measurements of your health. CM: And it’s the most obvious. Josh: It’s the most obvious. It’s the one. A lot of people don’t know that Acne is related to eating habits. CM: Yes, I just heard you explain that to one of your clients and I suffer terribly with acne (Interviewer laughs with Josh). Josh: Sinuses….terrible! My assistant right back here (he points to his assistant in the background) he’s a blood type “A” for ages 13- 18, 5 years he couldn’t smell out of his nose. He had gotten his adenoids removed; they thought about his tonsils being taken out, I mean he just was that guy that had to carry tissue with him every day. You accept 23
Health & Fitness
Josh: This research is heavily supported and I guess some people say originated by Dr. Peter JD D’adamo. I hope I have the pleasure of meeting him one day because I’ve taken his research and infused it with my meal plan I had before I ever had the book. My system, I call it the “Seven Laws” and when I combined it with the information from “Cook Right 4 Your Type” the results have been undeniable. It is real and I can call in every client that’s had success which is 90% of them and they will vouch for it as well. My blood type “O” is not gonna have the same meal plan as blood type “A”. My blood type “B” is not going to have the same meal plan as “A” or “O” and the most rare blood type being “AB” which is your Rantz Davis in the city, The playboy…the KING of R&B in New Orleans. I’ve been training him for a good 6 months now, he’s gotten great results and he’s blood type “AB”. I have every blood type in here. Out of the 25 clients (type “AB”) is the most rare but I have 3 of them.
Health & Fitness
that ailment; you just say my nose is always runny. I got the lil’ line going across the top because I’m always rubbing it and I’ve accepted this condition.... I’ve accepted it. He ate right for his blood type and for one week and he was able to smell for the first time in 5 years. I tell people this and you can quote this one, Food is Gods medicine for our bodies. Food is medicine to the body. If bad foods can make you sick, good foods can heal you. That’s it.
functioning. I tell my clients I am 5’9, I am 160lbs, I am proper BMI, I can do a cartwheel, a back flip, I can run, I am functional …functional fitness. CM: When you get a client for the first time, what are some of their desires, some of their goals that they tell you? Like oh I wanna go loose this gut or I wanna loose this (or that). What are some of the most common things they want to work on when they come to you?
CM: There’s good and bad in everything Josh: So more specifically like I said, I would say America being the most out of shape, most overweight, most obese country. Just unhealthy in general. African Americans, if I had to make a subculture in that culture we are definitely the worst. There is only 14% of African Americans that live to be 65 years old or above. We are dying the earliest, we are the most obese, we suffer with thyroid problems the most. It is almost the norm. If you see a black man, if he’s 40 or 50 years old you’re supposed to have high blood pressure. My dad, before I could really break through and get to him, he was a 5’8 200lbs male. If you looked at him, saw him on the street and you compared him to any other 53 year old in the local area, you would think he was a great looking, attractive sexy guy. And because he looks good and better that most 53 year olds, I can’t even motivate him to work out. Because he’s going to look to the guy to his left and say I can do 50 pushups and he can’t, and I can still run circles around him and he can’t. CM: So what you’re saying is your physical capabilities, isn’t exactly a reflection of your health? Josh: Exactly, I tell my dad you’re 5’8, you’re 200 lbs…you need to lose some weight. He goes, “yea I should lose a little” …I said no dad you should lose 50. He goes “Son I’d look sick, I’d look like a bobble head if I lose 50 lbs.” It’s so common to be overweight in New Orleans; you can’t even imagine yourself at a healthy weight. I said dad if you were 150lbs you would look awesome but you can’t imagine it and the way you prove it is (like this) I said “Dad how much did you weigh when you met my mom?” and he had to admit, he weighed 150lbs. He was at his natural body weight when he met my mom. And I said dad did you look like a bobble head or were you sexy. He said “I was looking good” and I said well there you go! You are the same height and you should be the same weight. That is your natural BMI and that’s the weight your body should carry. It’s so common; everyone is overweight so you don’t realize you’re overweight. Even relatively speaking as a trainer, as a fitness instructor people look at me and say “He’s not that big he’s not bulk” because it’s a culture thing. Men are supposed to go to the gym and overweight, it makes no sense. They take their bodies beyond healthy parameters. So if I’m actually 180lbs even if its muscle, I’m still overweight. It’s still more weight than my skeleton is designed to carry which means my heart has to work harder to keep all that mass
Josh: Common…Most common thing for women, my tummy, my Kangaroo pouch, my muffin top, just the core area in general and legs. Women, they don’t like to even say they want to lose weight. A woman comes in here and she’s 40lbs overweight and she knows she wants to lose weight but she’d rather say it as “I really just want to lose my stomach” but the goal is still to lose 30lbs worth of fat because that’s where you store your fat. Most common fitness goal is to lose your stomach which is created by the food that were eating and tone up the legs. And for the guys it’s always, they wanna do something with their stomach as well and build muscle up top. They want to build those arms, chest, back, they wanna look good in a tshirt and they wanna look good out of the t-shirt especially in the summer time. The clientele is real busy right now especially with it being summer time a lot of people are interested in training. CM: In addition to the blood type diets do you have any overall umbrella dieting suggestions like just general dieting suggestions that all blood types follow? Josh: Yes, there are areas in which there is a food group that is good for every human being regardless of your (blood) type of course unless there is a rare case of allergies to these things. Broccoli is good for (Types) A, B, O, and AB. If I said um, spinach, is good for A, B, O, and AB. If I say turkey, is good for A, B, O, and AB. And if there is a food item that is good for every blood type, I just refer to it and others just refer to it as a super food. So before a client knows their blood type, because the health awareness is very low in New Orleans. People don’t care about their bodies. We eat just to get through the day. We don’t think food is important, we don’t even remember what we eat. We just eat because we have to therefore most people don’t know their blood types. So when they don’t know their blood types, I give them a meal plan of super foods. There are a good amount of super foods that you can have a pretty wide variety of meal plan and you won’t get bored with the same foods. Like I said turkey, broccoli, almond, spinach and I can go on and on, there a bunch of super foods and then they’re specifics like beef, is not very good for everybody. Beef is good for the “O” type because they’re the closest thing to carnivores, their stomach acids, like myself I’m blood type “O” can digest and break down meat easier than that of a blood type “A.” 24
“It’s so common; everyone is overweight so you don’t realize you’re overweight. Even relatively speaking as a trainer, as a fitness instructor people look at me and say ‘He’s not that big he’s not bulk’ because it’s a culture thing”
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Josh: I allow people to schedule in between 8am and 8pm Monday through Friday. On Saturdays I allow people to schedule from 10am-4pm. Sunday’s even our Father (referring to God) rests so, Ill rest. I gotta sleep. CM: You mainly train clients on site or do you go off site? Josh: I go off site. Right now I have 2 clients that I do house calls to on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I do house calls, of course the numbers are a lil’ different to pay for the travel and the time. The clients that come to me, when the weather is nice, we might take it outside, we might take it outdoors and take in a lil’ sun. CM: And the last question, and I have to cover this for my female followers…the hair. Black women and the hair and the stigma against working out. How do you feel about that? Josh: I think it falls with everything else that I’m against in this country. We’re in our minds. Your mind is a separate part of your being than our body is. We are mind, we are body and we are spirit. Your favorite foods of your mind are the foods that you’re exposed to. It’s not a coincidence that 8 out of 10 Americans or let’s say black New Orleaneans, if they come up in here, I can tell them their favorite vegetables before they tell me. You don’t want broccoli unless it has cheese on it, you don’t want breakfast unless you can have your bacon and your grits. You don’t go to the cookout unless there’s corn in the cooler. You love your corn. The only time you are enjoying turkey is when it’s a turkey neck. The corn, potatoes, and pork is the base of the black American meal plan. Basically, eating has become a social construct. A person thinks that I like pork when they have never had lamb. You don’t even know. If you were raised in another culture you would be finger-licking lamb, you would love lamb because it was what you were exposed to. So to go back to that hair…we especially as African American, I don’t even like using that term because it doesn’t make sense, but a lot of black people have not completely accepted their bodies the way that it is because the mind wants to see the body in another way. Just like the mind may want McDonalds and the body may want
some lean buffalo, but your mind may want McDonalds so we eat for the mind, we eat the McDonalds. So guess what, our hair…what does it do when it gets wet? Now we can perceive the hair of the black woman as a strong hair or we can perceive it as a nappy hair. What do we want to see it as? I have two real estate agents (as clients). (They have) very reputable jobs in the community and they wear their hair natural. They don’t complain when it rains, they don’t complain when they work out now I know that’s a lil’ much for my black women but it’s my perception. Your hair is beautiful. Your hair is beautiful in what it naturally does. We live in an age where we are running from the sun cuz we don’t want to get darker when darker is beautiful. You have people with less melanin whom are tanning themselves to try to get darker when we have African Americans avoiding the sun so they can get lighter. We want our hair straighter, our lips thinner and we want our skin lighter. It’s crazy, it makes no sense and I can’t wait to get out of here to get some sun today. CM: I actually drove here with my windows down and my sunroof open. I’ve been craving sun for the past two weeks. Josh: Your body wants it. Your body wants it. Depending on the way you were raised and how your mind had been tweaked and taught, you might be running from it, you might think it’s ugly. Lil Wayne, he likes a long hair thick red bone so now all the girls wanna be red. Black women your hair is beautiful and another thing if that’s a lil much for you to let your hair go natural and curl up and let it do what it do, look into some natural hairstyles. Look into some two strand twists and look into a Brazilian blowout, it’s the closest thing to an all natural perm. I have a couple clients that get Brazilian blowouts. And those things they may cost $50 more but they last just as long and you can go swimming, come out of the water and your hair will be just as straight. CM: Interesting perm alternative. I surely appreciate your time, I thank you for your insight it was awesome. I would love to come back and I see you have some high profile clients. One of the areas flyest DJ’s just walked in (DJ Raj Smoov) so were gonna let this brother go train and do what he has to do.
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PTSD What Blacks Should Know
1) Reliving/Revisiting the traumatic event: Flashbacks/episodes Recurring uncomfortable memories/thoughts about the event Nightmares Unusual reactions to real life situations that remind you of the event 2) Avoidance: Being “numb” or lacking emotions Feeling detached or unconnected with life in general (spaced out) Lacking interest in activities and avoiding contact with others Lacking optimism 3) Arousal/Stimulation: Unable to concentrate Being “on edge” or presenting increased nervous energy Being overly aware and even paranoia Irritability & outbursts of anger (acting out) Inability to sleep
PTSD is mostly common in veterans due to exposure to violence while on duty but PTSD can also be caused by other traumatic events such as: Exposure to violent crimes that result in injury and/or death Vehicle accidents Physical and or sexual assault Unexpected death of a loved one Involvement within a natural disaster (Tsunami/ Hurricane/ Tornado/Flood) If you or anyone you know has been exposed to any of the above events, its crucial that treatment should be sought as soon as possible so that healing can begin. African Americans are known for resisting psychiatric treatment but we must realize that our bodies not only need medical care but mental care as well. Treatment is 100% confidential and you will find that talking to someone unbiased can be comforting. Look at it as having someone designated just for you to place your discomforts on without judgment. Being strong alone can only carry us so far, Its about time we let someone help us carry the load. We’ve been a strong people for the longest and it has won us a lot of progress but it is also exhausting. Self care is so important and we need to give our minds a break. Don’t be afraid to reach out when things get too tough mentally. Seeking help can only benefit you in the long run. 27
Health & Fitness
P
ost Traumatic Stress Disorder, abbreviated as PTSD is defined as a type of anxiety disorder that occurs after one has witnessed or experienced a traumatic event, particularly those events that resulted in extreme injury or death. PTSD can occur at or within any age, race, or gender. Looking at the news and other media sources it seems that trauma among African Americans is on an increase particularly trauma involving violent crimes. It can be said that we can exhibit signs of PTSD without even noticing it. Check out some of the symptoms here that commonly occur in three categories:
Love & Relationships
L R
E M
M U S
E V O
The long days of summer are almost here! That could mean a great many things to so many people. With the transition of the season brings to mind the transition of ideals and summery dreams. With a theme and almost year’s anthem of YOLO (You Only Live Once), it’s definitely a put yourself first year, allowing all the summer fantasies and dreams to come to fruition. The start to living your best life and dreams begins with tackling your problematic areas, and when we think of summer and the fun to be had we automatically think about summer romance, with wishful thoughts towards thinking that just maybe this year might be your year. So a challenge I presented to myself in preparation for this article was to find interesting avenues and pathways to make just about any and everyone have that amazing experience to28remember. YOLO!
Travels for the HEART:
Social Events and Mixers:
The start to living that life may just begin with a jet setting adventure across the globe. According to studies the top five most romantic areas and places that not only strike a chord with its visitors historically, but also strum the hearts chord. Perhaps turning that passion and fantasy into a reality will free up all inhibitions and doubts about your summer to be remembered. A little travel dare, will invoke a life time of lasting memories. 1st place: sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo Square in Florence, Italy. 2nd place: Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy. 3rd place: Grande Canal in Venice, Italy. 4th place: Eiffel Tower in Paris, France 5th place: magical Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic.
Trust your sense of self and intuition? Speed dating may be the event and avenue for you. Speed dating consists of events that is set up by a local promotional group, mixers and meet up events. Speed dating is definitely the new wave of sampling all types of personalities, appeals and interests. With the allotted time of mixing and matching with possible and potentials within 8-10 minute conversational intervals. Lounges and clubs promote singles night, meet up’s and greets for all hearts abound! Best days to visit and venture out are ThursdaySaturdays. Speed Dating Meet Up events Singles night (Lounges, clubs)
Local Events and Outings: Festivals block parties, community gardening events and local happenings fall into not only investigating your area and local surroundings, but the possibility of meeting likeminded others increases. So some of the suggested chances at claiming your year and summer begin with allowing yourself to enjoy and experience the fun from life. A little birdie once told me that being too serious all the time required too much energy. So allowing your energies to be put to productive use would free up the creative and adventure seeking you. A kick start to the summer season is just what the Love Doctor ordered. Community garden events Beach/ Pool Block parties, neighbor meet and greets
-Robyne Boyce
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A
When it comes to real life sex ques-
tions, there are many things that some people wonder whether or not they are normal happenings during sex. I host a weekly sex discussion session on Twitter giving people the opportunity to answer some questions and submit questions they may have wanted to ask but didn’t want to seem weird. I’ve asked everything from “Is a bad kisser a turn off to you?” to “Ladies, do you swallow?” The responses to the questions can be off the wall! If you have any questions that you might want submitted, follow @QBAfterDark on twitter.com and submit your questions. The discussion sessions happen every Monday at 10pm sharp. #QBAfterDark
nal sex is simply the act of the penis being inserted into the anus of the sexual partner. It is practiced by straight couples and homosexuals alike. I've hosted many discussion sessions of #QBAfterDark where ladies have said that they did it and enjoyed having anal sex. I wanted to see what the consensus was lately on whether or not the current group of followers that I follow were having anal sex and enjoying it. I got some pretty crazy responses but all of them appear to be real responses. This go around of #QBAfterDark the ladies were not into anal sex that were participating.
Love & Relationships
Thoughts after Dark ” B Q “ h t i W
Here are some of the responses that I got when asked, "Ladies, do you enjoy anal sex?" @Choco_late_legz: Nooooo anal sex!!! @MissBCarroll: >>>THATS AN EXIT NOT AN ENTRANCE... @slimmTee83: Naw I'm str8 @DaWoman504: NOoooo!!!! U cant my booty!! *boondocks* @Ashtastic_86: SHIT NAH! STAY AWAY FROM BOOTY!!!! @lickable_me504: Hell no Myself personally, I've never tried it and I plan on never trying it. It's just not something that I can get down with. The thought of someone sticking their penis in my behind creeps me out. The few times during sex that it almost happened, I can remember distinctively saying, "That's nasty!" I just can't deal! I think it's probably because my sub conscious mind thinks that men that like anal sex likes men. That's just my thoughts! In previous episodes of #QBAfterDark, I did get some women that actually like anal sex. Some even said that it helps your butt get bigger. (I don't know how true that is!) nor do I know if I believe it! I just know that QB will never try anal sex! 30
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Mind on Money
VACATION
$PENDING By: Quanta Cabral
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Saving money during vacation during the summer months is not quite easy since it’s the peak of the travel season. Here are some financial tips that may help you and your family on your next getaway: 1. Book your trip in the off-season, before the travel season begins in April. Sometime between February and March would be the most cost effective. 2. You should consider renting a villa or other property equipped with a kitchen and cooking most of your meals. A family of four typically spends on average $115 per day on food while on vacation 3. Create a budget before leaving for vacation. For example, if you are going to Disney World for 5 days and your spending budget $500 you can only spend $100 per day. This will prevent overspending on impulsive shopping. Keep yourself "ACCOUNTABLE.� 4. Purchase necessities before you leave such as sunscreen, aspirin, toothpaste, etc. If you forget these items, expect to pay a premium for them at your destination, particularly if purchase them at your hotel or resort. A five dollar disposable camera at the neighborhood drug store can cost as much as $18 at a resort. 5. Find an alternative to Airport parking. Have friends drop you at the airport 33
Fighting Patience
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Be Inspired
I
f you’re the type of person to make good things happen as supposed to abiding by the oh so famous statement “Good things come to those who wait”, patience is probably not your best skill. Patience is one of the hardest virtues for those individuals who set out to make their own destiny. When you grab life by the reins and drive it in your desired direction, it’s hard to wait and leave things in the hands of the great unknown but some things in life require patience. All things great and everlasting were not created overnight and if you want those same features within your life, you must be patient with your various projects and initiatives. Some of us view waiting as a waste of time. We all hate to wait because we feel that we could be doing something else more meaningful with our time but we fail to realize that waiting can be seen as an investment. Suppose if we rushed the turkey on thanksgiving, or rushed the
bank when they’re cashing our checks; an error can occur, something can be incomplete or have to be completely redone due to haste. As grandmother would say “Haste makes waste” and this has never been proven to be so true. In today’s age, everything is instant. It’s all about instant gratification and how fast we can produce a result but then we get upset when things are malfunctioning. We must learn that if we want anything of substance and longevity, we must wait and plan. So what do you do while you’re waiting? What do you do while you’re lingo and in transition? You do absolutely nothing but sit back, pray for the best, and use that time to be grateful for what you have accomplished. Whenever an individual is still or in the same position for long periods of time, that’s usually God’s way of letting you know that something else needs to be done or rearranged so that you can move on to the next place. Once you have done what you needed to do to get to your next season and still noth-
ing has occurred, it’s time to give thanks and gratitude for what you presently have. Take some time to reflect on previous transitional moments in your life and capture the feeling you felt when the transition was complete. Embrace that feeling, relive it, and use that to encourage you through your moment of lingo and impatience. Extra time is designed to allow us to embrace the present and express gratitude for the past. As difficult as it may be, you must be optimistic and realize that if you have survived past situations and moments of transition, you are strong enough to endure it again and reap greater benefits this time around. Wait on and plan for your blessings. Express limitless gratitude for the moment, and continue to reflect on past victories to get you through. You’re a trooper. You’re a survivor. Wait and plan for what’s yours!
~Malcolm Armstrong Jr~
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