ESSEX NEWARK • EAST ORANGE • ORANGE • IRVINGTON
MAY/JUNE
NEUROPATHY
Mahi Pediatrics PC Dr. Uma Kanikicharla MD
Personalized Pediatric Care for Your Children
Our Services
Asthma • Allergies • Autism • Birth Defects • Heart Conditions • Chronic Illnesses • Diarrhea and Dehydration • Ear Infections • Newborn Screening • Overweight & Obesity • Skin Conditions
HEDIS MEASURES #1 in NJ for Vaccines
Caring for Children 0-21 Years 41 Wilson Avenue Second Floor Suite 2D Newark NJ 07105 2
www.essexhealthnj.com
973-589-7337 Fax 973-589-1905 www.pediatrickare.com
WE SPEAK: ENGLISH, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, HINDI, TELUGU, KANNADA
Experienced, knowledgeable and caring staff One on One Doctor Patient Care Wellness and Maintenance Philosophy Some of our services:
Spinal Chiropractic Adjustment Muscle Release Technique/ Stretching Massage Therapy Low Back Sciatic Treatment Neck•Shoulder•Arm •Hand Pain Ultrasound/ Laser Treatment Recovery Cyrotherapy in Cryosauna Decompression Therapy for Herniated Disc Pain Sport injury Rehab Auto Accident/Personal
CALL US TODAY! 862-237-7801 Sunday - Closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday - 10-7pm Thursday - Closed Saturday - Closed
Peak Chiropractic 411 Chestnut Street Newark, NJ 07105
862-237-7801 www.peakchirowellness.com
www.essexhealthnj.com
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Do you have weakness, numbness, and pain from nerve damage in your feet? A common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes, but it can also result from injuries, infections, and exposure to toxins
SURGICAL PODIATRY ASSOCIATES See us for
Foot Pain • Bunions • Flat Feet Diabetic Footcare • Ingrown Toenails High Arches Dr. Anne Marie Palagiano, DPM
Diplomate American Board of Podiatric Surgery
973-399-3232
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surgicalpodiatry@yahoo.com
www.essexhealthnj.com
Our state of the art multispecialty practice allows our patients to receive comprehensive coordinated treatment under one roof. Your oral health is our focus
Did you know? How are A1C values related to periodontal disease for the diabetic patient?
Why is it a good idea to come every 4 months for a prophylaxis (cleaning), get a fluoride treatment and chlorexexidine application?
How can small carious lesions (cavities) be treated without drilling and filling?
New $149 Patient Special $325
Comprehensive Exam Full set of X-rays Profilaxis
Call us for an appointment 973-755-2575 Most Insurance and credit cards accepted
We Offer
Prophylaxis ZOOM Whitening Digital X-rays Gums Laser treatment Dentures Full Implant Service Veneers and Crowns Bonding Restorations Root Canal Therapy 3D Image Tomography Scan Botox JUVEDERM
50 C o m m e rc e S t re e t , Ne w ark, NJ 0 7 1 0 2 p h : 9 7 3 - 7 5 5-2575 www. 5 0 c o m m e rc e d e n tal.c o m in f o @ 5 0 c o mme rc e d e nwww.essexhealthnj.com ta l.com
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CONTENTS
The place to be if you want healthy foods, vitamins & herbs.
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We Specialize in:
Vitamins ● All Natural Herb Teas Books ● Fresh Juices ● Vegan Foods Sandwiches and more!
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HOURS: 9:15AM6:00PM
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30
ARTICLES
12 Parkway Eye Care Center, Dr. Kimberely Brown
16 Promise Made Promise Kept
und a path that both you and ue to provide omes to health leading health r health. Take y!
22 Suicide By Food Convenience Kills 24 Diabetic Neuropathy, Dr. Ann Marie Palagiano, DPM
840 Broad Street Newark, NJ 07102
973-596-0035
30 Embracing The Health and Wellness Lifestyle
www.newarkhealthfood.com 6
www.hwfessex.com www.essexhealthnj.com
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PUBLISHER Rodney Folmar, Sr. EDITOR Melissa Shelb CONTENT CREATOR Sharon M. Cirillo WRITERS Melissa Shelby Leslye Folmar-Harris Reha Mallory Sharon M. Carillo Selena Ricci Jane Maggitt Karen Walker Rodney Folmar GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Fina Florez Brandon Thomas PHOTOGRAPHERS Joseph Frazz ADVERTISING & DIGITAL SALES Greg Bailey Winston Young Rhonda Young Contact Us 877-426-0005 ext. 105 contact@gmfmediagroup.com
The information printed in this magazine has been provided as a public service. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy; however, the authenticity cannot be guaranteed. All advertisements in the magazine have been furnished by advertisers. Typographic, photographic, and printing errors are unintentional and subject to correction. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have read or seen on our web site and/or magazine. Never rely on information on our web site and/or in the magazine in place of seeking professional medical advice.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
he decision to expand and enhance both our print and digital footprint into Newark, East Orange, Orange and Irvington has been a long and arduous journey. I am thankful for the amazing group of business leaders who have challenged, encouraged and helped me think through the process. Carla Fallone, Dominick M. Belfiore, and 2019 CEO Emerging Leaders, your wealth of knowledge and generous spirit have been integral. As with other markets we are abundantly clear about what we do and how we do it, but the question that gave us pause when considering Newark and surrounding communities was, WHY. WHY launch a health resource in a market devoid of media dedicated to culturally responsive health resources? WHY launch a health resource in a community where health or preventative care may not be at top of mind? WHY launch a health resource in a market where finding culturally responsive advertising partners may prove difficult? • Because we matter. • Because the health statics we are often presented with don’t tell the full story. • Because our health is our wealth. • Because our children deserve more. • Because we are devoted to spending time, resources and voices to changing the narrative around who we are and what we value. • Because together, we can save lives and help thousands of people lead healthier lives. • Because, in the words of the Maya Angelou “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” The statistics of 1960’s Detroit, mirror those of Newark and the country at large in 2020. According to the latest data, in comparison to the White population, the African-American/Black population:
• • • • • • • •
Accounts for 48% of adults who are obese. Are 80% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Are 1.7 times more likely to be hospitalized. Women are 40% percent more likely to die of breast cancer. Children are 1.8 times more likely to have ever been told they have asthma. Are 20% more likely to report psychological distress. Men have twice the risk of first time stroke. 50% less likely to receive counseling for mental health treatment.
We can parse the causes: lack of economic resources, limited access to health care, delay in treatment, cultural beliefs, low health literacy rates, environmental facts, etc., but the numbers remain the same. While acutely aware of current health statics, we’ve decided to shift our focus to encouraging and equipping everyone to be an active participant in their health. Education around cultural norms, prevention, early detection and access to healthcare are ways we can stop many of these chronic diseases and deaths. We are excited about this opportunity in Newark, East Orange, Orange & Irvington. We are eager to highlight practitioners and programs that serve the community. We are excited to be a part of the tools and conversation that can shift the narrative around who we are and what we value. If you have a story idea or have a question, please contact us. “There is no greater cause or time better spent, than for an individual, family, community, or nation to become educated, informed and active participants in caring for their health.”
Rodney Folmar, Sr.
Smoking is the only health risk related to cancer that is anywhere near as dangerous as being overweight or obese. www.essexhealthnj.com
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MEDITATION, MANTRAS & MOVEMENT - 7 CHAKRAS 6-WEEK YOGA-MEDITATION COURSE (Level Beginning to Intermediate) Instructor Ella Moncur Course Fee $60 paid in advance online. Dates Mondays, April 3 to May 15 Time 6:00pm to 7:15pm Location Newark Center for Meditative Culture 2 Park Place, Newark, NJ Yoga mats are provided. Bring a closed water bottle. Wear yoga clothes or loose pants (not jeans). Register now: https://ncmc-yoga-chakras.eventbrite.com
A landmark East Orange business that has been servicing customers natural health needs for 83 years.
Newark Center for Meditative Culture (NCMC) is a New Jersey501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your tax deductible donations make it possible for us to continue delivering life-changing programs to the Greater Newark community. YOGA FOR CREATIVITY & PROSPERITY 6-WEEK YOGA-MEDITATION COURSE (Level Beginning to Intermediate) Instructor Fadja Robert-Carr Course Fee $60 in advance online. (No refunds.) Dates Fridays, April 3 to May 15 Time 6:00pm to 7:15pm Yoga mats are provided. Bring a closed water bottle. Wear yoga clothes or loose pants (not jeans) Register on March 03: ncmc-yoga-creativity.eventbrite.com
TUESDAY MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS CLASSES ONGOING SERIES (Level Beginning to Intermediate) Instructor J. Javier Cruz Fee Donation-based Dates Each Tuesday (come as you can) Time 6:30pm to 7:45pm What to wear Street clothes, loose-fitting recommended. Seating Chairs and meditation cushions. Welcome to bring your own.
For good times and great food, head to Olive May Natural Foods.
Newark Center for Meditative Culture 2 Park Place Newark, NJ
862-227-3288
info@newarkmeditation.org / http://newarkmeditation.org
516 Main Street East Orange, NJ 07018
HARVEST TABLE
For residents, employees and employers looking for lunch-time choices, Harvest Table offers a variety of healthy and nutritious options. Harvest Table offers fresh food, just the way you like it. "Create Your Own" concept lets you invent any combination of salad or sandwich toppings you like, and the friendly staff will whip it up for you. Also on the menu are a wide selection of Smoothies, Acai Bowls, Salads, Panini, Wraps and more.
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www.essexhealthnj.com
Harvest Table 550 Broad Street, Newark, NJ www.harvesttablenewark.com 862-772-7100
FREE Wi-Fi connection is available. Call ahead for pick-up. Or, deliver to your downtown area home or office.
New Jersey
By Crystal Rhodes
New Horizon provides exceptional home health care to families throughout Bergen and Essex counties.
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very member of the New Horizon Caregiver team is dedicated to providing quality, loving in-home care services for families just like yours. Our compassionate professionals will treat your loved ones with care and respect they deserve. The population of the United States is growing older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and advances in medical technology are helping older adults live longer. Aging brings on a number of changes, such as weakened muscles and poor eyesight, which can make it difficult for an older adult to maintain an independent lifestyle. Cognitive changes, such as the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, can also prevent someone from living alone safely.
The custom care plans of New Horizon Caregiver offer the perfect combination of personalized services to preserve your loved one’s independence, ensure their safety, and enhance the quality their lives. Our personalized care plans provide an exceptionally high quality of care, but at an affordable price. New Horizon Caregiver serves those with a wide range of needs, from a little companionship and help around the house to hospice or dementia support. Our long-term and short-term care services include 24-hour personal care, light housekeeping, errands and shopping, meal preparation, and even hospice support and care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Bela Monteiro is the youngest of seven children, so her parents became seniors when she was still quite young. Because she was raised by senior parents, Bela gained first-hand experience in taking care of older adults. She also learned how to make sure that older adults receive the fair treatment and respect they deserve. Bela was committed to hard work and improving the quality of life for herself, her family and her community. She earned her Associate in Business Management degree from Rhode Island Community College, and then attended Providence College and concentrated her studies on Human Resources. Like the rest of her family, Monteiro worked in the health care industry her entire life. She started at The Sunrise Nursing Home Weymouth, MA. Fourteen years ago, Bela moved to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), working as a Human Resources
Specialist and managing Workers Compensation for the Providence. Driven by her commitment to serving her community and a passion to help older adults get the home care they need to maintain a high quality of life, Monteiro founded New Horizon Caregiver. Together with her partner, Dr. Chinweike Izeogu, and the rest of the capable health care professionals at New Horizon Caregiver, Bela Monteiro provides the same quality care for the community as she does for the members of her own family.
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There is greater cause or time better spent, than for an individual, family, community, or nation to become educated, informed and active participants in caring for their health. -Rodney Folmar, Sr.
www.essexhealthnj.com
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Dr. Gandy says, “You can’t do anything about your family history, but you can control your blood pressure.” Getting checked regularly is key to spotting high blood pressure early. But it’s never too early to start exercising and eating right. Obesity and Diabetes Obesity, like other food and lifestyle-related diseases, affects African Americans at a disproportionate rate. 63% of black men and 77% of black women are considered to be obese.
African Americans
STROKE
HEART DISEASE
DIABETES
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By Rodney Folmar
he number one killer of Americans is heart disease, and the rates of heart disease and related conditions are higher among the African American population than they are for any group.
African Americans living in Essex County, NJ face a statistically higher risk with a 44% and 48% risk for African-American men and women respectively.
Fortunately, this disparity is one that can be overcome with information and preventative action. By understanding the risks, and taking steps to avoid those risks, African Americans- and anyone else- can drastically reduce their risk of developing the condition. Dr. Winston Gandy, a cardiologist and chief medical marketing officer with the Atlanta Piedmont Heart Institute, advises anyone who might be at risk for heart disease to, “Get checked, work with a medical professional to reduce your specific risk factors and learn the things you need to do to take care of your health.” High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, and Risk of Stroke African Americans have the highest rates of high blood pressure in the world. High blood pressure, known to doctors as hypertension, raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. It can also cause irreversible damage to the heart even before any symptoms begin to manifest. This is why high blood pressure is known as the silent killer. All too often, people learn that they have a family history of heart disease and decide they cannot change their fate. But they can change it. The lifestyle-related risk factors are far more determinative of whether or not a person will develop heart disease than family history. 10
www.essexhealthnj.com
Dr. Gandy says, if you’re carrying extra weight, the most important thing to do is focus on improving your diet. He added, “You can take in hundreds of extra calories a day just by snacking habitually.” African Americans also have the highest rates of diabetes among the American population. While diabetes is obesity-related, a person does not need to be overweight to have this condition. Dr. Gandy’s advice for those with the warning signs or a pre-diabetic condition is to walk at a moderate pace for 30 minutes each day. He says, “That’s enough to get your heart rate up. There’s no need to run marathons.”
The Link Between
PERIODONTAL DISEASE & DIABETES By Reha Mallory Did you know that gum disease could actually raise your blood sugar levels? It’s true – gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can raise blood sugar levels. This is especially important information for people who have diabetes.
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iabetes is a medical condition associated with uncontrolled blood sugar, also known as glucose. High glucose levels can lead to heart disease and damage to your nerves, kidneys, and even to the blood vessels in your eyes. The damage to your heart and other organs is the result of inflammation in the body – inflammation also plays a role in the development of gum disease. Some people have a higher risk of diabetes, which puts them at special risk for the harmful effects of gum disease. African Americans are twice as likely to have diabetes as are Whites, for example, and Hispanics are 1.7 times as likely to have diabetes. African Americans and Hispanics also have higher rates of periodontal disease. People with diabetes have more periodontal disease than do those without the condition, according to the American Dental Association. Compared with people with healthy gums, those with gum disease have a harder time controlling blood sugar, higher long-term blood glucose levels, and are at a greater risk of developing eye or kidney problems. Those with periodontal disease are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes, which is when a woman has trouble controlling blood sugar levels during pregnancy. People with diabetes and gum disease are more likely to experience harm to their eyes or kidneys, and stand a greater chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke. Of concern to the diabetic patient is management of periodontal disease and the fact that in addition to the local factors that contribute to the disease, the consequences of the diabetes exaggerates and/or can have significant influence on the extent and severity of the periodontal disease. Communication with your physician who is monitoring your diabetes is very important for general and oral health. It is critical for a person with Type 2 to maintain a healthy blood sugar. There are several tests used by your physician. Today the A1c study which is checked by your medical doctor, usually every three months, provides an overall view of the blood sugar level. These values should also be shared with your dentist since it will influence healing from dental and oral surgery including tooth extractions and insertion of dental implants. Periodontal treatment includes deep cleaning around the teeth to prevent damage to the surrounding bone and tooth loss, performing gum grafts to cover exposed tooth roots, and bone grafting to promote the growth of bone in the jaw. Periodontal treatment and prevention, such as brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash, can reduce the risk of gum disease flare-ups that increase blood glu-
cose levels. Your Newark dentist can also help you assess your risk factors, such as diabetes, for periodontal disease. Treatment of periodontal disease (PD) today is advancing and the disease itself is much better understood. The main local ecological factor for PD is the bacterial population in the oral biofilm that physiologically forms on the teeth and gums daily. However, heredity and immune resistance also are important factors that influence the severity of the disease. Important co-factors that are the responsibility of the patient include general health, stress, poor sleep habits, diet and overweight. The primary preventive measure to control PD is biofilm control often called tooth brushing and flossing and regular visits to the dentist called tooth cleaning. The “cleaning” by the hygienist or dentist interrupts the biofilm and reduces the overall bacterial load in the biofilm.
A new therapy that is growing in popularity for people with moderate to severe PD is laser therapy. There is one specific treatment that is FDA approved. Studies suggest that it is more effective for many individuals than a deep cleaning. Finally, treatment of PD is important to your oral and general health. See your dentist and...learn more...you are a responsible partner with your health care professionals. 50 Commerce Street, Newark, NJ 07102
ph: 973-755-2575 www.50commercedental.com info@50commercedental.com www.essexhealthnj.com
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www.essexhealthnj.com
Eyes
YOU
All on at Parkway Eye Care Center! Here’s to hoping you SEE the importance of eye health in 2020 and beyond.
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By Sharon M. Carillo
any of us make efforts to renew goals or make resolutions at the start of a new year. There are times, however, when we take our health for granted by assuming that our bodies will always remain that way. An easy to overlook but vital part of overall health is our vision. Glaucoma, a severe yet slow-progressing eye disease, can develop with little or no warning signs, which is why an annual eye examination, including dilation, is a critical preventative measure.
“Almost 70% of our practice is dedicated to the management and treatment of Glaucoma, and heredity plays a significant factor in the condition. People of Caribbean, African, African-American, and Hispanic descent face an increased risk of this silent vision-killer,” Optometrist Dr. Kimberly Brown shared. Dr. Brown, the owner of two Parkway Eye Care Centers, leverages her expertise by detecting and treating glaucoma and other eye diseases, as well as providing routine eye care. Allergy symptoms, corneal abrasions, dry-eye, and minor surgical procedures are treated at both locations, and she maintains a close network of seasoned eye surgeons should a patient require more extensive care. Passionate about her community, she and her long-time staff have been serving Irvington and now the Oranges with the best in vision and eye health, in a family-like setting for over twenty-one years! A native of New Jersey with a lifelong desire to practice medicine, compassion, and impeccable attention to detail underscores every interaction she has with her patients. Well-respected within the medical com-
DR. BROWN’S TOP TIPS FOR EYE HEALTH? 1. Annual eye exams - especially if you are over age 40, have diabetes, or currently use prescription vison-wear. Diabetics should be sure that their eyes are dilated annually, and younger or non-prescription patients should get examined every 18 – 24 months. 2. Protecting eyes from the sun with at least UV 400 is imperative, even in the winter. If you are not the sunglass type, speak to Dr. Brown about making sure this UV protection is part of your everyday lenses. 3. Providing great nutrition for the eyes is essential, and over the counter supplements like AREDS and Lutein
munity, she stays abreast of cutting-edge information via continuing education, Glaucoma Advisory Board participation, and the latest in technology and available treatments. As a leading cause of blindness in African-Americans, Glaucoma is irreversible, and the most common form, Open-Angle Glaucoma, has no symptoms. Studies show that compared to Caucasians, African-Americans are almost four times more likely to develop the disease at earlier ages, and ethnicity aside, half of all patients studied were unaware of the onset. It is also noted that studies show Hispanics as another ethnic group with higher risks of developing this “silent thief of sight,” as well as findings that correlate higher blood pressure to higher eye pressure, another risk factor for developing Open-Angle Glaucoma. Estimates show that there will be more than four million people over the age of forty diagnosed with Glaucoma by the year 2030. This could increase to more than six million by the year 2050 for the same demographic. As such, Dr. Brown is on a mission to champion the cause of early detection in her community, the driving force behind the addition of the second location. When compared to the Irvington location, the new building in Orange boasts curb appeal with its large windows and boutique-like feel. However, patients can rest assured that the same comprehensive care, thorough exam and treatment, and diagnostic tools are available. They also offer a large selection of fashionable eyewear, sunglass styles, and the latest in contact lenses, including her personal frame line, Toni’ Michele.
aid in the prevention of issues like macular degeneration and cataracts. The Orange location is open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and two Saturdays per month, with the possible addition of one Sunday per month for convenience. In addition to providing routine eye screenings throughout the year, Parkway Eye Care Center accepts most insurance, including Medicaid. Please visit Parkway Eye Care Center, and Dr. Kimberly Brown at 200 Central Ave, Orange, NJ 07050, or call (973) 266-1010 to schedule your comprehensive eye exam today! www.essexhealthnj.com 13
“Shopping for clothes that are anything besides leisure wear is painful”
OBESITY & CANCER
IFWASN’T FAT ENOUGH! By Selena Ricci here are few things worse than being so fat that you hate looking in the mirror. Shopping for clothes that are anything besides leisure wear is painful and don’t get me started on what it’s like to get winded when you bend down to tie your shoelaces. Even if you somehow manage to find clothes that you feel slightly confident in, you’ll quickly get thrown back down to earth when you realize that you have to purchase an extra seat every time you fly. The embarrassment of having people stare at me as the airline hostess explained that I was making other passengers uncomfortable due to my size was the most horrifying thing I had ever dealt with. While it was one of those moments where I realized that the weight was too much, reading about a recent CDC study on the cancer risks for overweight and obese people was the moment I decided to change. 14
www.essexhealthnj.com
13 Types of Cancer Linked to Obesity While we may live in a time where people are more accepting of others, no one should be okay with tipping the scales so much that they are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than slimmer people. The everyday annoyances that come with being fat, like the inability to climb a set of stairs without losing your breath or having to shop at specialty stores for clothing are many–but what about the health risks?
Did you know that 2 out of every 3 adults in the United States is overweight or obese?
In the US, smoking is the only health risk related to cancer that is anywhere near as dangerous as being overweight or obese. In addition to heart disease, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes and other debilitating health conditions, cancer is a huge threat to people who are overweight and obese. In fact, CDC studies have shown that people who are overweight or obese actually make up about 40 percent of the people diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. More specifically, there are 13 different types of cancer that overweight and obese people are more likely to be diagnosed with. That’s right, 13 different types of cancer. With numbers like that, I knew that I needed to make a change. How Can You Decrease Your Risk of Obesity-Relat ed Cancers? With all of the different everyday challenges I faced as a “fat” person, the wake-up call that I needed to get healthy began with that CDC study. While making healthy changes won’t transform your life overnight, gradual steps can instantly improve your overall health and reduce your risk for cancer and other obesity-related health conditions. The American Diabetes Association has some great info on losing weight at a healthy pace. They found that just
Chiropractic Care for the entire Family.
Bleeker Street Chiropractic
150 minutes of exercise each week and a 5 to 7 percent reduction in body weight via healthy eating can help to reduce your risk of developing diabetes by 60 percent. But this doesn’t mean that you suddenly have to hit the gym 6 times a week and live off of salad. I found that tracking my steps each day with an app on my phone was a great way to get moving.
www.bleekerstchiro.com
Make More Healthy Choices After I started moving more, I decided to make better choices surrounding food as well. To kick off my healthy eating experiment, I started counting my calories. This helped me to quickly understand that even when I was eating healthy, I was eating portions that were way too big. By working closely with my doctor on a diet and exercise plan, I was able to improve my heart function and reduce my risk of developing those 13 types of cancer.
45 Bleeker St., Newark, NJ 07102 Phone: 973-230-4222 / Fax: 973-230-2260 Email: bleekerstchiro@gmail.com
If you are overweight or obese and the daily struggles of being fat haven’t been enough to motivate you to change, then maybe the fear of cancer will. While it’s not always easy, I can guarantee you that it’s all worth it.
Hours of Operation Mon-Fri: 10-6pm • Sat: Closed • Sun: Closed
Source: www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1003-vs-cancer-obesity.html
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“I love to dance. It makes me feel great and it changed my life”
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K
ristine had a vision – to make New Jersey the melting pot for dance. She had also made a promise she could never break.
Kristine Smith was inspired to dance since she was three years old, but that lifelong dream was once in danger of coming to an early end. Twenty six years ago, Kristine underwent pituitary brain surgery. She says of the ordeal, “I asked God if He allowed me to live that I would go and make a difference in the lives of the people that I touch hence.” The world is blessed because she made it through that surgery, and fulfilled her promise – Kristine and her husband Leon opened InSpira, a dance studio for children and a source of inspiration for adults.
Kristine has always worked hard to make a difference. Her health situation made her determined to further her education, for example. She attended Clark Atlanta, graduating in 1992, and earned her Master of Science Degree from Georgia State University in 1995 before she married and had children. Like their mother, her twin daughters wanted to take dance lessons.
Promise Made, Promise Kept!
At that time, as it is today, there were very few dance studios for children in underserved communities. But then again, there aren’t many
InSpira Performing Arts & Cultural Center recently opened a second location in Teachers Village, Newark. people with the drive and energy like Kristine’s – she saw it as an opportunity to fulfill her promise, and to make the world a better place to live. InSpira Performing Arts & Cultural Center had humble beginnings in May of 2002, opening its doors in a church basement to 14 kids, two of which were Kristine’s. In the beginning, Kristine operated InSpira by herself two days a week. Through hard work and perseverance, Smith and her husband Leon grew InSpira. Throughout the years, InSpira has earned numerous awards. Today, seventeen part time team members teach music and dance at two InSpira locations, in New Brunswick and in Newark. The New Brunswick studio, located at 987D Jersey Ave offers dance classes for children ages 2 through adult and music lessons for 5 through adult. InSpira’s new campus at 235 Halsey Street in Newark offers dance classes for ages 2 through adult.
By Rodney Folmar
“I love to dance. It makes me feel great and it changed my life. There is so much value in the performing arts. In addition to the obvious physical activity, you build coordination, self confidence, and you learn how to handle things not going your way.” Kristine says the best part of being involved with the dance studio is when parents tell her how InSpira made a positive difference in their lives. “It’s also rewarding when Alumni or dancers that have been here for years come back and talk about their InSpira experience. That makes my heart full.” InSpira is more than a dance studio – it gives children a creative space in which to dance, play, and dream. It has also become the melting pot for dance in New Jersey, just as Kristine had always envisioned. Most importantly, perhaps, it is the fulfillment of an important promise. www.essexhealthnj.com
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A
Survivor’s
STORY
By Jane Meggitt
“As a woman who had always been on top of her game in terms of her appearance, losing hair was hard.”
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very woman with breast cancer goes through that specific moment when she suspects something is wrong. For Debra Raines, it was at age 44, in 2004, while trying on outfits in a store in preparation for a vacation. Right there, in the dressing room, she felt a lump in her breast. She’d had false alarms before, because her breasts tended toward the cystic, but she knew this needed checking and soon arranged for a mammography.
Becoming a Member of the Club No One Wants to Join There was urgency in the voice mail message from her primary care physician, telling her to follow up with a breast specialist imm diately. She makes an appointment with the specialist, but the news is still unreal: “You have cancer.” While the doctor talks about the next step, Debra feels like she’s having an out-of-body experience. Her first impulse is to schedule the biopsy for another time, but the doctor is having none of it, and is ready with the syringe. Afterward, the doctor speaks of surgery, chemo and the rest, but she was going through emotional overload. Returning to work after the appointment, she tells her supervisor about her diagnosis and starts to cry. Stage Two Cancer Treatment Debra’s diagnosis was stage 2 breast cancer, for which she underwent 18 months of treatment. “This disease is known to be very aggressive in women of color. Our tumors tend to be more aggressive. That’s another reason why our community is disproportionately affected... we have a higher mortality rate from this disease than Caucasian women,” she says. Debra had a lumpectomy after getting three professional opinions. After the lumpectomy, she went through eight sessions of chemotherapy, scheduled every two weeks. After chemo, she started daily radiation, Mon18
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day thru Friday, for six weeks. “After radiation, my oncologist informed me that a new treatment had come out that he thought would also help benefit me, and he recommended that I have the treatment for a year,” she says. However, this treatment, called Herceptin, was tough on her body and Debra was only able to tolerate it for six months. Enduring Chemotherapy and Hair Loss Chemotherapy kills cancer cells and can keep the disease from recurring, but it’s a difficult journey. Some women sail through the chemo experience with relatively few side effects, but she was not so lucky. The side effects affected her nerves, resulting in burning and tingling sensations in her hands and feet. Then, of course, there was losing her hair. As a woman who had always been on top of her game in terms of her appearance, losing hair was hard. One Sunday in the midst of her chemo treatments she went to church, wearing a hat to disguise her bald head. Everyone was happy to see her, but she was overwhelmed with fear that the hat would fall off. That night, she experienced a bit of divine intervention. A music awards show was on TV, and Melissa Etheridge, also going through chemo, was onstage rocking and completely bald. “From that moment on, I felt encouraged and empowered to wear my bald head with pride. After seeing her, I wore it as a badge of honor. That’s what God can do,” she says. Surviving Eleven years have passed since Debra became a breast cancer survivor. Now, she helps others on the journey as she herself was helped. Along with her family, who stayed strong and were always there for her, she relied on the Sisters Network of Central New Jersey. These days, she lives life with the understanding that she must stay relentless in being physically active. She never
“Debra is conscious of her diet, exercises daily, and embraces overall wellness as a lifestyle.”
Maria A. Cuesta, DMD EXPERIENCED ● PROFESSIONAL PATIENT ● CARING
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GENERAL DENTISTRY regular exams and Cleaning ● bonding bridges ● Crowns ● Dentures ● Extractions Fillings ● Implants ● Restorations root Canals ● Veneers ● Teeth Whiting DENTISTRY FOR KIDS Pediatric Dentistry Dental Care For your baby Pediatric Dental emergencies takes life, or time, for granted. “I know that each day is a gift. I know that each day that I am healthy and able to get out of bed on my own and get myself to work and put in a productive day is a blessing from God,” she says. Do Your Research and Take Care of Yourself So what advice does Debra have for the thousands of women – and men – who will find out they have breast cancer this year? Get your tablets, laptops, mobile devices or pen and paper and do your research,” she says. Look up the doctors you plan to see, and check out at least three facilities, if possible, where you can go for care. Always get a second opinion, no matter how reputable your initial breast specialist. Be selfish as you go through the cancer journey, as you take your well-being into your own hands. Remove yourself from toxic people and situations, if you want complete healing. Cancer is a blessing as well as a curse, as it can lead to development of your spiritual growth. Debra is conscious of her diet, exercises daily, and embraces overall wellness as a lifestyle. “Building and maintaining my spirituality is very important to my well-being also. I have a strong faith and am grateful to my heavenly Father for all that He has done for me by bringing me through a life changing experience,” she says.
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SUICIDE BY FOOD
CONVENIENCE KILLS
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t is no secret that obesity rates have risen in the United States over the past few decades as has the consumption of meals away from home, especially fast food. Food quality and quantity (portion control) are contributing culprits to bulging bellies.
According to the 2011 CDC study, Fast-Food Consumption and Obesity Among Adults, “The prevalence of obesity increased consistently with frequency of fast-food consumption.” It goes on to say, “The odds of being obese were approximately 50% higher among those consuming fast-food 2 or more times per week compared with those consuming it less than once per week.” Although the study took place in Michigan, the findings were consistent with the national findings of the drastic increase prevalence of obesity in the United States, now considered a major public health concern. Why are we choosing a diet of fast food. The study addressed the reasons for choosing fast food and concluded convenience as the primary reason followed by taste, sociability and lastly cost. Fast food restaurants have embraced the choice for convenience by serving larger, cheaper fast food options and serving it faster. Should fast-food restaurants shoulder the blame
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in particular has been associated with poor diet quality and adverse dietary factors related to obesity, including higher intakes of calories, fat, unsaturated fat and sugar-sweetened drinks.” The convenience of fast-food and eating out is contributing to obesity. “Obesity is a risk factor for heart attack and high blood pressure” (Balch, 2010). It is estimated that obesity accounts for 21 percent of health care cost and that translates into $190.2 billion per year or 20.6 percent of national health expenditure. When you think obesity, what comes to mind? Food, food and more food! Yes, Americans are eating more. The following table gives an overview of the eating saga.
“One quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three quarters keeps the doctor alive.”
Portion sizes are larger than previous decades and Americans are choosing the wrong type (animal-based foods vs plant-based foods) and amount of food. The average size dinner plate today is 11 – 12 inches compared to a few decades ago when they measured 7–9 inches. We can blame the food industry and its demand for profits. We can point to the billions of dollars spent by marketing and advertiser’s, cajoling and enticing us to consume products laden with sugar, salt and fat. We might even point the finger at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrition guidelines, which has been blamed for “touting foods that will guarantee ill health for millions.” (Forks over Knives, 2011) There are many players that have brought us to the current state of health but we have the power to make better food choices. “One quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three quarters keeps the doctor alive.” ~ Egyptian Proverb Choose to move and make over your plate.
~ Egyptian Proverb
when they are providing a service in demand and seeking profits or are we ultimately responsible for the choices we make. Wisdom dictates that when a person knows better, they will usually do better. We must start to educate ourselves about our food choices and the consequences of those choices. While most people know that fast-food does not have the same nutritional value as meals prepared at home, acknowledging the correlation between a consistent diet of fast-food and obesity must be made. The same CDC study makes the correlation clear in the following statement, “Eating out may lead to over consumption and increase the risk of obesity in part because of larger portion sizes, high energy-dense foods and increased variety and preferred taste of the food. Fast food consumption
References: Balch, P. (2010). Prescription for Nutritional Healing, (5th edition). The Penguin Group. NY, New York. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/hbo_wotn.html Stone. G. (editor). (2011). Forks over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health. New York, NY. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, January 2010 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db322.htm
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By Melissa Shelby
KAI
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“He offers additional self-care options focusing on mind, body and spirit.”
M
eet the 33-year-old Nurse Practitioner (NP) aiming to revolutionize access to healthcare for urban communities. Rakiyah Jones, DNP, FNP-BC or “Dr. Kai”, as called by his patients, started his journey of helping others with the vision of serving under served communities in and around Montclair, New Jersey. He takes a special interest in those communities who are frequently overlooked, including People of Color, Transgender and Gender Non-Binary (TGNB), and Veterans. Dr. Kai has an unwavering desire to give back to the community in which he was raised. His love of medicine and dream of helping those who have little, to no access to healthcare services, has guided him along the way. After serving his country on active duty as an Army Nurse Corps Officer he returned home to continue his advanced education. While working towards those degrees he realized there was more that he could do then just graduate and work for another company. This led him to become an entrepreneur, and he founded, the Minority and Veteran owned KinFolk Health brand leading to the KinFolk Family Health Center in Montclair, New Jersey. KinFolk Family Health Center’s Values “At KinFolk Family Health, quality always outweighs quantity, which is why we deliver value-based, not volume-based care,” says Dr. Kai. “We build strong relationships with our patients, we create these bonds by providing each patient with affordable, patient-centered and community-focused health care. We provide a unique holistic nursing approach, which focuses on not only illness, but self-care, wellness and quality of life. The care that vulnerable communities deserve, but lack access.” There is a Gap in Primary Health Care: A Gap Nurse Practitioners Can Fill Due to the shortages in the number of doctors choosing a career in primary care, the number of physicians available to replace retiring primary care providers is lacking. However, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP), estimates there are more than 270,000+ licensed Nurse Practitioners in the U.S. As the physician shortage continues, Nurse Practitioners have answered the call. Licensed Nurse Practitioners have been providing primary, specialty and acute health care to people of all ages for more than 50 years. As a result, Nurse Practitioners are closing the gap being left by the limited number of physicians providing primary care and they are performing many of the same services. In collaboration with their physician colleagues, Nurse Practitioners ensure patients have competent quality care and receive appropriate treatment in a timely manner – a hallmark of KinFolk Family Health. The Direct Primary Care (DPC) Payment Model Kinfolk Family Health offers the Direct Primary Care Payment model. With this payment model, claims are not sent to insurance providers; instead, a DPC payment arrangement is made between the patient and KinFolk Family Health. To par-
ticipate in our DPC model, patients must be at least 18 years of age. Upon joining the Kinfolk Family, the patient pays a flat monthly membership premium and receives unlimited office and Telehealth visits, requiring no co-pays or deductibles, and much more. The monthly premium an individual pays is determined by age: 18-29: $79.99 30-49: $89.99 50+: $99.99 65+ (Medicare Non-Eligible): $139.99 65+ (Medicare Non-Eligible): $139.99 Health Insured (All Ages): $39.99 Dr. Kai wants to ensure his members are covered for not only their primary care needs, but for those unexpected medical events causing significant financial burden and strain on families. As a result, KinFolk Family Health partnered with Sedera Health, a medical cost-sharing community. Enrolling in KinFolk membership plan offers the option to add a Sedera Health plan to cover the larger healthcare needs at approximately half the cost of traditional insurance. Dr. Kai believes everyone should have access to affordable and quality whole-person focused healthcare, which is why he offers additional self-care options focusing on mind, body and spirit such as monthly acupuncture and massage therapy sessions. Unfortunately, health insurance and self-care services are not always accessible for vulnerable communities. In response, Dr. Kai has developed an affordable and innovative healthcare delivery model to provide patient-directed medical care at a lower cost, start-to-finish. KinFolk Family Health is also an excellent option for the self-employed, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who want to offer quality affordable healthcare to their employees. Health care services are delivered by Board Certified KinFolk Family Health Nurse Practitioners. Also, patients who are in the military and/or a student receive a 15 percent discount (School ID and/or Proof of Military Status Required). KinFolk Family Health 292 Bloomfield Avenue, 2nd floor, Montclair, New Jersey T: 973-500-6773 Fax: 973-453-4066 www.KinFolkfamilyhealth.com Rakiyah T. Jones, DNP, MBA, MPH, AGACNP, FNP-BC, was raised in Newark, New Jersey. He received his Master of Science and Doctor of Nursing Practice in Family Nurse Practitioner degrees from the School of Nursing at Columbia University in New York, a post-master’s certificate in Adult-Gerontology and Acute Care from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a Fellowship in Palliative and End-of-Life Care at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY through Columbia University. In addition, he continues to proudly serves the country as a Captain Jones in the United States Army Reserve. He currently resides in East Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Lanita Ward-Jones, and son, Harper. www.essexhealthnj.com
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Di•a•be•tic
NEUROPATHY
The Serious Complication You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Dr. Ann Marie Palagiano, DMP
Surgical Podiatry Associates 50 Union Avenue Irvington, NJ 07111 973-399-3232
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s a journalist covering health and medicine for the past 15 years, I thought I had heard it all. That is, until I sat down with Dr. Ann Marie Palagiano.
Dr. Palagiano is a Podiatry Specialist in Irvington, New Jersey. Since graduating with honors from New York College Of Pediatric Medicine in 1996, Palagiano has gained more than 24 years of experience in podiatry. Many of her patients have diabetes. More than 10 percent of people in the United States have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes, Association. Some people have a higher risk of developing diabetes. Weight, inactivity, family history, age, high blood pressure, and other factors can increase the risk of diabetes. Race can also be a factor. In fact, African American adults are 60 percent more likely than are non-Hispanic white adults to develop diabetes, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Diabetes is a group of medical conditions that result in too much sugar in the blood. Cells in the human body draw sugar, also known as glucose, from the bloodstream to use as instant energy.
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Back Pain— Neck Pain Accident Injuries Chiropractic Personalized Care Dr. Terry M. McSweeney, D.C. We believe that a pain-free & healthy lifestyle starts with Natural Integrative Methods. That’s why we have a team of licensed doctors ready to help you manage your treatment alternatives and put you on a pathway to wellness.
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WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR INSURANCES
Prediabetes,
did you know these
An Opportunity of a Lifetime
I
f you’ve received the diagnosis of Prediabetes from your physician, you have been gifted the opportunity of a lifetime to jump in head first to managing your health. Jump in like you did to plan your wedding, decorate the nursery or map out the vacation you saved years to enjoy. If you can muster that same level of dedication and passion, you can make changes today that will better your quality of life for years to come.
Facts about diabetes?
Prediabetes is diagnosed when your results from a fasting blood glucose test, reports numbers slightly higher than the normal range. According to The Cleveland Clinic, the number of women diagnosed with Prediabetes has risen from 15.5% in 2001 to 50.5% in 2010. As women, we face challenges to our health that come to us naturally. Thanks Mother Nature! Hormone fluctuations over time can increase our fat deposits, making weight gain a challenge to overcome.
1
Being overweight increases your risk of Diabetes significantly. Scary stuff, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
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Although medications are available and widely prescribed for combating Prediabetes, simple lifestyle changes; like a 5-10% weight loss can make close to immediate effects. By limiting excess sugar in your diet, natural and added, you can reverse the diagnosis and slow the progress of disease.
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For most of us, the action taken immediately after a diagnosis like Prediabetes is the most life altering and can be the most aggressive. We vow to stop the snacking, eliminate the sweets and make the changes you may have been meaning to make for ages. But, the problem with aggressive changes catapulting off of emotion is the changes are without sustainable support. At the time of diagnosis, the increase for heart disease and stroke has already doubled. Do not wait to have a major health crisis to take control of your future. Diagnosis day is as perfect a time as ever to focus on your health with the help of a team of professionals. Seek out professionals in both diet and exercise, who have experience working with Diabetics. Look at credentials, experience and energy to find a fit for you and your lifestyle. Invest the time and resources to start planning for changes that will better the health of your future self.
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You are worth it! Of these, an estimated 235,000 have diabetes but don’t know it, greatly increasing their health risk.
Approximately 904,861 people in New Jersey, or 12% of the adult population, have diabetes.
12 235k 39k %
Every year an estimated 39,000 people in New Jersey are diagnosed with diabetes.
37.1
%
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9 In addition, 2,483,000 people in New Jersey, 37.1% of the adult population, have prediabetes with blood glucose levels higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
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About one third of all people with diabetes do not know they have the disease. Type 2 diabetes often does not have any symptoms. Only about five percent of all people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. If you are at risk, type 2 diabetes can be prevented with moderate weight loss (10–15 pounds) and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) each day. A meal plan for a person with diabetes isn’t very different than that which is recommended for people without diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease than someone without diabetes. Good control of diabetes significantly reduces the risk of developing complications and prevents complications from getting worse. Bariatric surgery can reduce the symptoms of diabetes in obese people. Diabetes costs $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical expenses www.essexhealthnj.com
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Diabetes causes high blood glucose, a condition known as hyperglycemia. While glucose is essential to the function of body cells, exposure to high glucose can damage body cells and tissues, including nerves. Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes in which hyperglycemia damages nerve throughout the body, but it most commonly affects the legs and feet. It is a progressive disease, which means symptoms worsen over time. These symptoms include: • Numbness, pain, tingling, and burning sensation that starts in the toes and fingers then continues up the person’s arms or legs • Loss of balance • Loss of muscle tone in a person’s feet or hands • Charcot’s joint, a condition in which nerve damage causes the breakdown of joint tissue, usually in the feet; causes weak bones and deformity of the feet • Being unable to feel heat, cold or physical injury
sock, and that they were perplexed as to where the blood was coming from. Upon examination, the doctor found a thumbtack stuck in the bottom of the patient’s foot. Because of diabetic neuropathy, the patient could not feel the thumbtack embedded in their foot.
As a journalist covering medical news, I became accustomed to reading symptom lists without appreciating just how significant these symptoms can be for the people who experience them. Being unable to feel injury doesn’t sound so bad when reading it on a list, for example.
What’s worse, is that the patient could not feel the skin eroding on their big toe. Like many people with diabetes, the patient is severely overweight and cannot see their feet. The patient said the eroded skin began to smell, but they ignored it. At this point, amputation is a real possibility – the complications of diabetic neuropathy had just gone too far.
Then I sat down to talk with Dr. Palagiano about diabetic neuropathy and the real-life problems it causes patients, and it changed everything I knew about the effects of the disease. Dr. Palagiano told me about a patient who said they always saw blood on their
Fortunately, most people with diabetes can avoid amputations and other devastating complications by keeping their blood glucose under control, proper nutrition, losing weight and following the recommendations of their doctor.
MAGAZINE
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Rodney Folmar
www.ir onboundboxing.org
226 Rome Street, Newark, NJ 973-284-1045
WHAT IS HEART DISEASE?
WE TEACH BOXING Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.” -Congressman Bill Richardson.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. More than 600,000 Americans die of heart disease each year. That’s one in every four deaths in this country.
Olive May Natural Foods 516 Main Street East Orange, NJ
The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attack. Other kinds of heart disease may involve the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some people are born with heart disease. ARE YOU AT RISK? Anyone, including children, can develop heart disease. It occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time, reducing blood flow to the heart. Smoking, eating an unhealthy diet, and not getting enough exercise all increase your risk for having heart disease. Having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes also can increase your risk for heart disease. Ask your doctor about preventing or treating these medical conditions. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS? The symptoms vary depending on the type of heart disease. For many people, chest discomfort or a heart attack is the first sign. Someone having a heart attack may experience several symptoms, including: • Chest pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away after a few minutes. • Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back. • Weakness, light-headedness, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), or a cold sweat. • Pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder. • Shortness of breath. If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. www.essexhealthnj.com
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Embracing The Health & iving healthy shouldn’t be based on a fad or trend, it should be an ongoing, sustainable lifestyle. Diets and weight loss groups don’t work because they mass market themselves to everyone. It becomes the latest fad or trend and then everyone wants to jump on board in the hopes it will work miracles. The problem is they don’t. People get discouraged and return to their old habits. Even though they are trying to live healthier, they often miss the mark. The stories that follow are about people who found their own healthy and sustainable lifestyle path and how they are sharing their ideas with others. Living Healthier but Missing the Mark? The fact is, even though millions of Americans are taking steps to become healthier and more fit, obesity and other chronic health conditions are still a major problem among adults and children alike. Heart disease, diabetes, and poor nutrition due to the consumption of processed/ fast foods are still threatening the lives of millions of Americans. The key is learning what works for YOU. Find your perfect fitness and nutritional plan. Learn about your body and what it needs to be vibrant and healthy. Find Your Motivation For every reason you have to work out, you can find ten more to keep yourself sitting in your chair. Making excuses only makes the problem worse. Many people get discouraged because past diets didn’t work for them. Fad diets are designed for quick results, not a sustainable lifestyle. For any exercise or fitness program to be effective several things need to be in play: 1. You need to be ready to commit to being healthy 2. You need to be motivated 3. You need to know what works for you Lastly, you need to be willing to work through the roadblocks that sometimes get put in your way. If you’re ready to get healthy and create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, then the ball is in your court. Go on the offense and take control of the situation. The only person standing in your way is you. Make a conscious choice and take your first steps on your journey to health and wellness. Following are stories of 10 individual men and women who took the challenge, said bring it on and are winning. 30
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lifestyle
Wellness
“Being healthy or fit isn’t a fad or a trend, it’s a lifestyle.”
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COACH
DAVID
“ALWAYS SET A NEW GOAL, THAT’S THE EASIEST TO ENSURE YOU’RE GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY.”
D
avid Jones grew up in Daytona Beach, FL, and relocated to Brooklyn, NY in pursuit of his dreams. David’s journey to personal fitness was anything but traditional. Personal challenges, such as the death of his mother left him shattered and looking for answers. He began to believe that everyone, including God, had given up on him. As a last ditch effort to survive, Jones applied for a janitorial position at a gym. The interviewer turned him down for the position, but only because she thought Jones would make a better trainer than janitor. The interviewer was right – from the first day, it was apparent that Jones was a natural trainer, even though he was obviously no athlete. In fact, people would call him “beer belly,” even when he was just a kid. he wasn’t quite sure he could inspire others to live their best lives when his life was anything but inspirational. David put his shoulder into the work, and it changed him, inside and out. He learned the elements of proper exercise, and began applying those elements of fitness to himself. Jones was especially interested in functional exercises that translate into a person’s life. He focused on weight loss, flexibility and mobility, core strengthening, corrective exercises and posture, stretching, foam rolling, injury prevention, and meditation and breathing techniques. 32
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The exercise transitioned his body and his life. In a recent interview, he said, “Now people often approach me and ask how did I get my body to look as well as it does, and my answer is always the same, every morning, afternoon, and evening I tell my body thank you for never giving up on me.” “I know what it feels like when your goals seem impossible. I also know what it feels like to accomplish them”. When asked about the importance of physical fitness, Jones said, “Being physically fit is important to me, because it’s my way of showing God that I’m highly grateful for him never giving up on me, even when I gave up on him.” Today, David Jones works as a Personal Trainer and Therapist at Kika Stretch Studio, where he encourages others to rise above their personal challenges through physical fitness. He has his sight on becoming one of the industry’s top health and wellness motivational speakers. “We fail in life sometimes and that’s ok. What’s not ok is giving up, because there is always someone else depending on our success. Always set a new goal, that’s the easiest to ensure you’re getting better every day.”
Photos by Kevin Milton
Lakiesha “La” Henry Owner
By George Scales
L
akiesha “La” Henry was the oldest of five children while growing up in Camden, NJ. Like so many kids and adults these days, La struggled with her weight her whole life. She found exercise daunting and boring, and she became discouraged when healthy diet and exercise did not provide instant results. She also found it hard to maintain an exercise routine. Still, she always longed for a different body type. After turning 40, though, La began to accept her body type and embrace who she was. This acceptance freed her to discover the sheer joy movement can bring. She began trying different types of weight loss approaches and workouts, from kickboxing to “bootcamps,” and found that dance fitness classes provided great results and created an enjoyable, sustainable routine. Unfortunately, there weren’t many dance fitness classes other than Zumba available in her area. She realized even at that time that dance fitness studios should not limit their possibilities – she was also determined never to limit her own potential in life. La relocated from South Jersey to North Jersey to advance her career as a Multi-housing and Commercial Real Estate Manager. She was good at her job, and she worked hard to succeed in it. La also needed the job to support her daughter, who had begun her undergrad studies. La also met her life partner and business partner, Fontaine Littles, several years ago. Then, after 11 years on the job and at the height of her career, it became apparent to La that the job no longer served the pur-
pose of her soul. La took a leap of faith and resigned from her position. With the support of Fontaine, her father, and a host of family members and friends, La opened YOU.Fitness in October 2018. The business opened exactly 55 days after its inception and two days after La’s last day at her previous position. YOU.Fitness is a MIND-BODY-SOUL dance fitness studio located in downtown Newark, NJ. Unlike other fitness centers in the area, YOU.Fitness is the best gym because it includes a limitless variety of exercises and programs, including step class, yoga, soca, afrobeats, sexy heel, resistance band class, house music cardio, stretch class, and more. In YOU.Fitness, La wanted to create an Essex County dance fitness studio that provides unlimited healthy living possibilities, maintains a safe space for clients, and showcases the talents of amazing instructors. She recalled how much she benefited by taking classes, engaging with young people, and connecting with her purpose. La also remembered how these classes were the beginning of her own healing, and she applies that same philosophy when it comes to YOU.Fitness. “We start with the purpose for being there and end in self-confidence and exercise.” As La likes to tell clients, “We work YOU from the inside out.” YOU.Fitness helps every client take a leap of faith towards a healthier, more fulfilled life. www.essexhealthnj.com
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Defeat is Not an OptiOn
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ardia Cunningham is a wife, mother of two, and owner of a successful fitness business known as The Bodylab, LLC. Today, she has it all; a beautiful family, a thriving business, and she is a competent athlete. But her journey came with challenges few could endure so gracefully. Nardia was born in Kingston Jamaica. She joined the Army in 2001. She was injured and received a medical discharge in 2008. Her injuries left her with permanent injuries, surgical pins in her feet, and she was diagnosed with PTSD. Despite this, Nardia began developing her own loosely organized fitness group. It all started when she decided to help her college friend to lose 90lbs. Her friend was considering surgery. Nardia understood the risks of laparoscopic surgery and dedicated herself to coaching her friend through a natural weightloss program of her own design. Her friendly intervention attracted the attention of others looking for a weight loss solution. Over time, Nardia gathered a loyal group of people who would join her and her friend in the park on a regular basis. This was the seed that would lead to a stunning transformation. Nardia returned to school, and despite her injuries, took a position as a Sheriff’s Officer in 2012. By this time she was married and had two daughters. The heavy workload, scholastic responsibilities, two pregnancies, and caring for two small children took a toll on Nardia. Working nights, missing her husband who was away on military duty, and caring for her two daughters was beginning to feel like too much. Unable to keep up with her fitness routine, and coping with the biological changes of two pregnancies, she soon found herself succumbing to depression.
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“[...] working nights, coming home to a newborn and 4-year-old- I felt like a zombie. My husband was gone for weeks on military duty. Our new house was too far from my group classes. I was uninspired.” But Nardia refused to be defeated. She soon discovered that social media made it possible for her to find a new audience. She began by offering fitness advice on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. She began to feel the inspiration to be fit and help others get in shape reemerging.
Her online fitness partners helped to “keep her accountable,” as Nardia puts it- and she did the same for them. Soon, with her spirit renewed, she found the strength to go from an out of shape 186lbs to a lean and muscular 150lbs. “Family, friends, fitness, and motivating others are what keep me going. I love living and exercising to be fit, not skinny.” Clinging to her dream, Nardia used this momentum to create her business- her dream job. Today, she is a shining example of what inspiration and the refusal to give up can do. Instagram: @fitdastruggle/Facebook: @bodylabllc Website www.BodyLab.tv
After this experience, Leslie realized "everyone should feel as good as I do" doing Yoga. That's when she created I’m So Yoga. I'm So Yoga opened in October 2017 and is located at the corner of Raymond Blvd. & Broad Street.
I'm soYoga
H
ave you ever experienced something, ate something, or visited somewhere that was so positively overwhelming, informative and transformational that you wanted to share it with everyone?
"I opened in Newark because I am Newark and people like me can benefit from Yoga. It expands the mind and opens you up to possibilities you couldn't have imagined as you master each pose. In and around Newark most people haven't been exposed to or tried Yoga. We encourage everyone to try Yoga and open your mind to endless possibilities. "My business goals is to create a space for people to come into themselves, learn their body understand their minds, become creative thinkers outside the box and with that grow and succeed in life"
Leslie Hernandez, Founder/Lead Instructor at I'm So Yoga, Newark did just that. As a young child she was in and out of depression, suffered chronic back pain and at 13 was diagnosed with scoliosis. At 17 Leslie moved from New York to Newark and that's where her journey stopped and started. She discovered Yoga classes at Newark YMCA and attended classes three times a week for a moth. After several classes she felt amazing and the pain level in her back went down significantly.
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rof. Aaron Walker has had a lifelong interest in physical fitness, even while growing up in Newark, New Jersey. Prof. Walker began working out when he was only 8 years old, and his dedication to physical fitness was evident, particularly to his family.
Left to right; Prof. Aaron Walker, Sensei Christopher, Dalton Gordon
The young man was thrilled one day in 1971 when his brother, who had joined the military, paid his enrollment fee into the East Orange School of Martial Arts. Fueled by passion and hard work, Prof. Walker thrived in martial arts. In fact, Prof. Aaron earned his black belt in the art of Shito-Ryu (Japanese karate) just a few short years later, in 1975. As he grew older, Prof. Walker continued his training and study of various martial arts disciplines, including karate, kung fu, aikido, judo, jujitsu, kobu-jitsu (weaponry), and kickboxing. With guidance and training from some of the world’s most renowned martial arts teachers, he became proficient in streetsmart/close quarter self-defense. Martial arts training gave Prof. Aaron a purpose, and elite martial arts training programs can do the same for other children. This is especially true for kids growing up in the inner city, which are often overlooked when it comes to world-class training programs. These elite programs provide children with martial art skills, but they also help increase self-confidence, discipline, commitment, tenacity, and the ability to overcome physical and mental challenges.
Prof. Aaron Walker helps kids and adults find the dedication, perseverance, discipline, and the physical and emotional strength they need to overcome challenges they face.”
A Purpose Driven Life By Karen Walker
Prof. Walker now owns a martial arts studio, where he has helped inform and motivate inner-city parents and children to live healthier lives for more than 30 years. Prof. Walker is a fitness coach, personal trainer and master teacher of the martial arts. He specializes in martial arts fitness for young children, and teaches techniques practical self-defense and fitness for adults. In his many years as a professional fitness trainer, Prof. Walker has acted as a consultant to several major corporations, law enforcement agencies, and even stuntman with (SAG) credits. He has also helped others through motivational speaking. To this day, Prof. Walker remembers how someone had seen something in him, and had invested in his future. The simple act of support from his brother inspired Prof. Walker to dedicate his life to giving back to the community through the teaching of martial arts. Today, Prof. Aaron Walker helps kids and adults find the dedication, perseverance, discipline, and the physical and emotional strength they need to overcome challenges they face. “Staying physically fit as a martial artist has allowed me to persevere through the life’s many challenges; the loss of my parents, siblings, sicknesses, and challenges mentally and physically in business and personal life. I believe because of being physically fit and mentally tough, and the development of discipline, confidence, self-esteem and tenacity, I have learned how to survive, overcome and never quit!
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e
Curvylista
T
ipping the scale at 240 lbs and 40 percent body fat "T", as she is known, knew something had to change.
coach my clients. I was consuming too many calories, eating too much sugar and I needed to get in control of my mindset.
"My first goal was to fit into a size 12 pair of Express jeans. At the time, being able to fit into anything in that store would have made me happy", she says
But the real transformation didn’t take place until I took my first body composition assessment. It was during that assessment I learned how many calories my body needed and how much food I needed to eat each day for my goals.
Growing up in the South Bronx Tamasia Johnson "T" moved to East Orange in 2017 when she took a position as a College Advisor at Great Oaks Charter School in Newark. My fitness story is much more than a weight loss transformation. It’s really a story of learning to love myself and becoming the best version of myself. "Interestingly enough, I was not always physically fit, far from it! I’ve always struggled with my weight and feeling comfortable in my body, even as a kid. Although I’ve lost close to 60 lbs, I consider myself more mentally fit and accepting of myself more than anything", says Tamasia. Through the process, I realized it was time to learn to love myself; weight loss is what started it, but the transformation of mind, body and lifestyle is what has sustained me. I started doing what most women do. Working out before and sometimes after work. I ate all of the foods I thought I should eat, I made smoothies, ate yogurt, protein shakes, brown rice and salmon. Nothing. I thought I was doing everything right and did not see ANY results for three months. It was taking a lot longer than I thought. I started researching the common reasons why women don’t lose weight. This was the first part of my discovery and the premise behind how I
With this new information, I was now unstoppable. I mastered my formula. I taught myself to read food labels and use a food scale. I learned what foods I needed to eat to beat cravings. I was in control! The scale was finally moving! The jeans were starting to fit!
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I was finally making progress towards my goal. The same way the fat was leaving my body, there were a lot of things that needed to leave as well. I quit my job, ended a few relationships. cut my hair. and reorganized my living space. I didn’t know it then, but I was making room for the woman I’m becoming so that I can help the women who are ready to breakthrough and become the best version of themselves; one workout one meal and one day at a time. That was and is the premise that I live my life by. Being “fit” isn’t actually what’s important to me. Being healthy and strong is what’s important to me. Mentally healthy in how we speak to ourselves, nutritionally healthy in how we feed our body and strong in how we train our body in every single workout. My ultimate goal for myself and all of the women who start at Curvylista Fitness is to create a lifestyle of being healthy, happy and strong. We have worked through the barriers and found a success formula that works for their life and their goals. www.curvylistafitness.com
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