HealthPlus #4

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

“Out with the old and in with the new,” is a mantra we often hear when embarking on a new year. After having been socially distanced for nearly two years, last year we endeavored to return to normal. What we found is a new normal with people learning how to reconnect.

COVID-19 continued to impact high-risk populations, a new flu pandemic surfaced and Respiratory Synctial Syndrome, known as RSV, attacked children in record numbers. Pediatric hospitals across Georgia worked together to manage the influx of RSV patients, most of whom were children. Babies are especially vulnerable to severe infection, including pneumonia and bronchiolitis. With six hospitals closing in four years in Georgia, managing these simultaneous pandemics is increasingly difficult. In addition to having a governor who continues to refuse to expand Medicaid, more closures are surely on the horizon. Moreover, 1.4 million Georgians have no health insurance, which is 50% higher than the national average. Georgia's uninsured rate is the second highest in the nation at 14.5%. Add to the mix Georgia leading the nation in infant mortality, which HealthPlus chronicled greatly in 2022, and Houston, we have a health problem.

HealthPlus is stepping into 2023 ready to continue to provide coverage of issues that directly impact communities of color while helping readers reset and establish healthier practices and patterns that will make 2023 a more productive, healthier and less stressful year.

In this issue, HR Consultant Yvonne Cowser Yancy gives readers information and tips on starting the year off right in the workplace and Clayton Gutzmore introduces us to the Eatwell Exchange, a nonprofit organization that uses nutrition education to decrease health disparities in low socioeconomic communities. Max-El Saffold gives us tips on improving the mind and body post-holiday season; Cindy Barnes-Thomas

Nsenga Burton, Editor-in-chief

offers television shows to watch to decompress and avoid stress; Michele Brown offers her take on visual art as therapy using the work of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat; and I take readers into the African roots of tea and the mental and physical health benefits of the beverage the world has been producing and consuming for thousands of years. Last year, our community was rocked with the high-profile death-bysuicides of former Miss USA Chesli Kryst in January 2022 and beloved entertainer and executive producer Stephen “DJ tWitch” Boss in December 2022. Dr. Kanika Bell helps us identify the signs of suicide to help with early intervention so we can help support and hopefully save the lives of vulnerable members of our community. This year we endeavor to produce more content in the area of mental health.

We will also have more information for seniors because it’s needed and so many Gen Xers and older Millennials are now serving as caregivers to aging parents and grandparents. While they take care of their loved ones, they also need to take care of themselves. In this issue, we’ll talk about caregiving, the need for more Black Americans to have health insurance, which is also helpful to caregivers, and the power of music in fighting symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Because it’s a new year, we know readers want to try something new. Our seasoned and brave health contributor Anoa Monsho tried cryotherapy, sometimes called cryoablation. Find out her experience and how it may benefit you in this issue.

Last, but certainly not least, we thank you for coming along on our journey to eradicate health disparities and make better health a priority for our community through HealthPlus magazine. We invite you to continue this journey by pushing the reset button and committing to a healthy mind, body and soul in 2023. We wish you a happy new year and a happy new you!

Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., is founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, an award-winning news site covering the African Diaspora. A writer, scholar and thought leader, Dr. Burton has served as editorat-large for The Root, editor-in-chief of Rushmore Drive (IAC), cultural critic for Huffington Post and Creative Loafing, and culture and entertainment editor for Black Press USA Newswire.

Janis Ware

James Washington

Clayton

Cindy

Michael

Josina Guess

MAGAZINE

What to Watch When You Need to Decompress

LBy Cindy Barnes-Thomas

ife is stressful. Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension that is the result of many factors including work, time constraints, finance, personal demands and what one may call life happening. Although it is important to stay informed, watching the news and other forms of media can also add stress to the mind and body. In the words of Whitley Marion Gilbert-Wayne played brilliantly by Jasmine Guy, sometimes you just have to relax, relate and release.

When you just want to kick back and relax, here are a few things you can watch that may help calm frayed nerves. Let’s start with an oldie but goodie, “The Golden Girls” is a classic sitcom that ran on NBC from 1985-92. You cannot be in a bad mood watching this funny, smart and charming show with the beloved stars Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty. Although the show ended 30 years ago, the humor still holds up and the ‘80s fashions and décor of Miami are nostalgic. Makes you want to go and unwind on the lanai. HGTV—Pick your poison with this network.

There’s something for just about anyone. “Love it or List It,” “Home Town” and “House Hunters” are a few suggestions. “Ugliest House in America” is also a treat. Homeowners submit their ugly, weird and/or non-functional homes with the hopes of winning a $150,000 makeover while comedian and actress Retta tours homes from each region to narrow down the finalists. Her witty banter with the homeowners is endearing and hilarious. Speaking of Retta, some of you may know her from the NBC sitcom, “Parks and Recreation,” which originally aired from 2009-15. This is also a winner if you like quirky characters, humor and heart.

With his soothing voice and calm demeanor, “The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross” is peaceful and comforting as he gently coaches the viewer while painting beautiful landscapes. Originally airing on PBS from 1983-94, Bob Ross is

quite mesmerizing and has been a cult classic but definitely grew in popularity as people discovered it while quarantined.

Cooking shows like “Delicious Miss Brown” starring chef and caterer, Kardea Brown on The Food Network can also be a source of tranquility. Kardea is special –she not only cooks great food, but she educates the viewer on Gullah/ Geechee culture and history as a native of Charleston, South Carolina.

When all else fails, return to your favorites. Do you love “A Different World,” “Living Single” or “Martin” because it reminds you of your carefree college days? Do the 1970s sitcoms “Soap” or “Sanford and Son,” make you giggle or laugh out loud? Those shows and others can help relieve stress. If you are stressed, you may just be one remote control away from the relief you need.

Why I Tried Cryotherapy and Why I Think You Should Too

Chill Out and Experience the Benefits of Cold Therapy

By K. Anoa Monsho

Lately, for some reason that I cannot explain and refuse to resist, I am drawn to engage with potentially positive experiences that I either fear or to which I am averse. Maybe it has to do with how close death has come to my door, paused, and passed on by. Perhaps as I continue a lifelong quest to learn and evolve, I crave expansion rather than contraction, meaningful experiences and adventures rather than the latest addictive drama series. Resilience, as we learned over the pandemic, is priceless. The ability to recover from trauma, maintain physical and mental health, and build a sense of competency, freedom and happiness can be learned but must be practiced. I recently decided to face down the cold.

To say I’m cold-averse

is a slight understatement. Raised in Hawaii, California and Texas, my thermostat was early set to mid-balmy, and I’m not alone. I almost never see the sisters dipping in the cool pool at the Korean spa. I’d never voluntarily place my body in icy (or even cool) water, usually wait for it to get above 50 degrees before even thinking of taking a long walk outdoors. Something as extreme as cryotherapy — air chilled to -250F that blasts the nearly nude body for three long minutes — is unthinkable. But I did it anyway because I refuse to let cold cower me anymore and frankly, I was intrigued by the reported benefits.

“Cryotherapy is a far more efficient way than ice baths to get the benefits of cold therapy,” said Linda Tran, studio manager at Icebox Midtown. “Our clients include actors, dancers and professional athletes, but also people who are recovering from everyday muscle strains, back pain and arthritis.” I side-eyed the frosty box. All I wanted to know was, will it hurt, and is it safe?

“It hurts,” Tran said. “But in a good way.”

Dr. Keith Evans, a medical doctor, physical therapist and DN-certified CEO/Director of Atlanta Human Performance Center, says the practice is generally safe, but there are some important contraindications. “A lot of the athletes are using different forms of cold therapy, including ice baths and cryo chambers, to decrease inflammation. But I would advise people with any type of cardiac cardiovascular condition, including hypertension, any metabolic issues and certain types of arthritis to be very cautious. To be on the safe side, get clearance from your primary care physician or your specialist before trying one of the more extreme forms of cold therapy.”

Evans says that cold therapy is used all the time in physical therapy to treat sprains, strains and other types of injuries and that RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevation – is a proven effective treatment for a range of inflammatory issues. Medical doctors also use a form of cryotherapy known as cryosurgery or cryoablation to remove abnormal tissue, usually cancerous or precancerous tumors.

Armed with that knowledge, cleared (reluctantly) by my primary care doc, cautious but determined, I stepped into the cryo chamber dressed only in a wool hat, gloves, socks, slippers and underwear. Tran asked me to select a song to play while I was inside and I chose, somewhat ironically, “Optimistic” by Sounds of Blackness. The icebox was a tiny (what measurements) frozen habitat, with frigid air blasting what looked and felt like dry frost. This particular cryotherapy chamber is not for the claustrophobic. I danced around singing loudly and smiling. It did hurt but in a good way! Just as importantly, in three minutes I’d confronted and conquered my

“Our clients include actors, dancers and professional athletes, but also people who are recovering from everyday muscle strains, back pain and arthritis.”

I know is that I feel good. And I recommend it, but I believe that everyone’s health is absolutely their own responsibility,” he said. Butts cites the work of Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology at Stanford School of Medicine. Huberman’s focus is on the benefits of ice (or cold) baths and cold showers which are widely accessible. According to Huberman, benefits can include an increase in focus, energy and metabolism, mood elevation, and can be used as a tool for physical recovery after intense exercise.

cold loathing, coaxing at least a peaceful coexistence, maybe a cool friendship.

Dr. Jeffrey Butts, a dental surgeon, has been doing cryotherapy sessions three to four times a week since 2016. Like many people who do cold therapy in its many forms – cryo chambers, ice baths, cold showers or even just walking outside for fitness when the temperatures drop – Butts first heard about the practice from Wim Hof, aka The Iceman, but for all the hype about the Wim Hof Method, scientists say the evidence of efficacy is sketchy.

“I'm always looking to optimize my life. So, the dopamine rush and the effect that it has on mitochondria, and the energy to do more attracted me to cryotherapy. I still to this day could not give you hard evidence of the benefits, all

Deliberate cold exposure builds ‘top-down’ control, Huberman writes. It is “the basis of what people refer to when they talk about ‘resilience and grit.’ More importantly, it is a skill that carries over to situations outside of the deliberate cold environment, allowing you to cope better and maintain a calm, clear mind when confronted with real-world stressors. In other words, deliberate cold exposure is great training for the mind.”

For the record, I felt great for several days after my experience and promptly booked another session. Also for the record, I still haven’t gotten around to regular cold showers. Work in progress.

‘THE JOB ISN’T DONE’: MORE BLACK AMERICANS NEED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

A health insurance survey released by the Commonwealth Fund reveals ongoing coverage needs for Black people, despite recent federal intervention

TBy Alexa Spencer

he number of Americans living without health insurance hit record lows during the pandemic due to the government’s push for coverage, but experts like Sara Collins — a senior scholar at the Commonwealth Fund — says despite these wins, “the job isn’t done.”

A recent survey conducted by Commonwealth reveals that while more Americans than ever have coverage, many are struggling to afford the care they need or aren’t covered at all.

“Millions of people are still uninsured,” Collins told Word In Black in a phone interview. “Many people have unstable coverage, so they have gaps in their insurance.”

Nearly half of working Americans access health insurance through their employers, yet — according to the survey — 29% of people with employer coverage say the plans don’t meet their needs.

Collins says a lot of it has to do with cost, that the programs “can have very high deductibles, high out of pocket limits, and that leaves people very exposed to healthcare costs when they do get care.”

What Are the Health Consequences of Being Underinsured?

Not being able to afford an insurance plan can cause people to avoid healthcare. 42% of respondents in the survey reported skipping or putting off their care for later because of the cost.

“People who are underinsured report high rates of delays in care, not getting care when they need it,” she says. “And those who do get care, report high rates of problems paying their medical bills.”

And when those bills don’t get paid, they turn into debt that can affect a person’s livelihood.

The medical debt crisis is particularly hard on the Black community. 27% of Black households carry medical debt, compared to 17.2% of white households, for example.

And according to the Commonwealth survey, these unpaid bills are more likely to be sent to

a collection agency. This can affect a person’s credit scores and prevent them from making purchases — like buying a home.

Just earlier this year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to reduce the impact of unpaid medical bills on credit and eliminate it as a factor in the mortgage approval process.

Why Are So Many Black People Uninsured?

Even though the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion made it possible for more people to gain coverage, Black adults are still more likely than others to be uninsured.

Since the expansion process began in 2014, 38 states and the District of Columbia have opted-in for the federal funding.

However, 12 states — mostly Southern states with the country’s largest Black populations — have yet to expand the public medical coverage for its residents.

Among them are Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia — states where Black mothers are dying

at disproportionately high rates and strokes are a leading cause of death.

“Were those states to expand, you would see a large increase in coverage rates among Black adults,” Collins says.

How Can More Black People Access Coverage?

The Commonwealth Fund suggests several policy recommendations that could support the coverage needs of the Black community — including allowing states to maintain continuous Medicaid eligibility without the need to apply for a federal waiver.

Additionally, the organization suggests that Congress provide a federal “fallback” option for Medicaid-eligible residents living in the unexpanded states. This could knock down uninsured rates for Black people in those states by 27%, according to the Urban Institute.

Collins says, “these are really minor adjustments that could really have significant effects, particularly for Black adults and children.”

Tea Time: Tea’s African Roots and Health Benefits

By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D.

The word ”tea” is often synonymous with places like India, China and the U.K., but tea is also produced and consumed on the African continent and offers many health benefits.

Tea is a major business in countries like Kenya, which has year-round plantations and Malawi, which has centuries-old tea trees. Kenya is the largest producer of tea on the continent and a major exporter of teas around the world. The U.K. imports over 50% of its tea from Kenya, which began growing, producing and exporting tea at the turn of the last century.

Although later to the game than other countries, they are known for producing bright, flavorful blends based on their ideal climate, tropical, volcanic red soils and well-distributed rainfall. The country is also located near the equator, which also makes it ideal for year-round production. Coupled with their use of the cut-tear-curl method (CTC), which allows for better placement in tea bags, Kenya is a leading producer of black tea in the world.

Malawi has the oldest tea plantations in Africa. Malawi’s tea production and industry emerged following the devastation of coffee plantations by the fungal disease Hemileia vastatrix (or Coffee Leaf Rust Disease,) in the 1850s which affected major coffee producers in Africa, like Kenya, and throughout the world, most notably Sri Lanka and other areas in Asia.

The infestation caused a precipitous dip in coffee production over the next 20 years. This devastation led to many coffee producers moving from Sri Lanka to Malawi and planting tea, creating an industry there upon which Malawi and other African nations capitalized. Malawi was a great place for growing tea because of its bright red soil which was

reflected in the color of the liquid from the brew.

It is clear that people have been drinking tea all over the world for centuries and tea lovers get more from the beverage than just delightful colors and flavors. Studies have shown that many different types of teas have health benefits that help tea drinkers lead healthy lives.

With two-thirds of the world’s population consuming tea, studies have shown tea may boost your immune system, fight inflammation and stave off various cancers and heart disease. According to UPenn Medicine, “While some brews provide more health advantages than others, there’s plenty of evidence that regularly drinking tea can have a lasting impact on your wellness.”

For example, white tea is the least processed tea and is known for fighting various forms of cancers because of the high level of antioxidants in the tea. It is also good for your teeth because it contains fluoride and can help strengthen teeth and fight decay.

Herbal teas are similar to white teas, but they contain a blend of flowers, fruits, spices and herbs in addition to tea leaves. They also

don’t contain caffeine which is why they are known for their calming properties. Some of the most popular herbal teas include:

Chamomile tea – Helps to reduce menstrual pain and muscle spasms, improves sleep and relaxation and reduces stress.

Rooibos (South Africa) – Improves blood pressure and circulation, boosts good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol, keeps hair strong and skin healthy, and provides relief from allergies.

Peppermint – Contains menthol, which can soothe an upset stomach and serve as a cure for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and motion sickness. This tea variety also offers pain relief from tension headaches and migraines.

Ginger – Helps to fight against morning sickness, can be used to treat chronic indigestion and helps to relieve joint pain caused by osteoarthritis.

Hibiscus – Lowers blood pressure and fat levels, improves overall liver health, can fend off cravings for unhealthy sweets, and may prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Green tea originates from China and is exceptionally high in flavonoids that can help boost your heart health by lowering bad cholesterol and reducing blood clotting. It can also help lower blood pressure, triglycerides and total cholesterol. It can also have a positive impact on liver function, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. Green tea is also anti-inflammatory which contributes to healthy skin. The fan favorite matcha green tea, which is made from the leaves of tea bushes grown in the shade, has even more antioxidants than traditional green tea.

Not only does tea grow all over the world and offer an abundance of health benefits, African Americans are embracing the beverage and creating businesses out of it. There’s Just Add Honey Tea Company, Jayida Ché Herbal Tea Spot, Transcending Tea, Fresh Steeped Tea and Brooklyn Tea in Atlanta, GA.

The next time you get a hankering for something that ignites the senses, including taste and smell, offers health benefits, and has been a part of our history for thousands of years, consider a wonderful cup of tea.

New Reset Year’s

By Max-El Saffold

OK, that’s it – the party’s over. And we partied, didn’t we? On Thanksgiving we ate enough to feed a small village; on Christmas we ate well AND spent a mint on gifts for Bae and the kids; then, on New Year’s Eve they gave us drinks to drink, so we drank ‘em and got drunk.

We played like MVPs this holiday season, but since we’ve turned the page on a new year, it’s time to reset. Because, while the holidays are fun, all that eating and drinking takes a toll on the body and, for many of us, dealing with family and friends – or celebrating without loved ones we’ve lost – takes a toll on the mind and spirit.

So here are five suggestions on how to get your physical and mental back in order for 2023:

Don’t be thirsty… Drink more water

This is one tip that never gets old. We literally need water to live, but its benefits go far beyond that. It aids in digestion and will help flush all that holiday revelry out of your system. Staying adequately hydrated also promotes clear thinking, as dehydration can leave you all foggy. And if you substitute some of those sweet drinks you like with water, you’ll instantly cut your caloric intake since water has zero calories. Drinking water also helps with managing body weight, which leads us to our next suggestion…

Join a gym… And actually GO

A staple of New Year’s resolutions since forever, signing up for the gym is a great step towards improving your health. Problem is, too many of us don’t get much further than that first step before we mentally check out. Then, we repeat it all next New Year.

So how do we break that cycle? For starters, don’t just “join a gym” – do some research and join the right gym. There are boutique gyms around town that offer custom membership packages, many of which include personal training ses-

sions, or offer fun classes you can drop in on that break the monotony of traditional “reps and sets” workouts. Finding your thing is key to maintaining a workout regimen, as what works for them might not work for you.

Working out is a great way to relieve stress and expel frustration in a healthy way, but if you don’t wanna sweat that hard maybe you should…

Take yoga classes… Center yourself

If peace and calm are what you’re after, yoga might be what you need. The stretches and controlled breathing work wonders at calming an overactive mind while also lengthening, strengthening and toning your muscles. Our stress often manifests itself in the form of pain, sleeping problems or other physical ailments, and yoga can help manage and alleviate these ills. It also improves cardiovascular and circulatory health and helps maintain a balanced metabolism.

Sometimes you just gotta be still and…

Disconnect… Do a “Digital Detox”

Have you ever forgotten your

phone and felt like you absolutely could not survive the day without it? Or even worse – thought you lost it! Oh, the horror!

This response proves we have an unhealthy attachment, almost an addiction, to our devices. The constant stimulation is making us anxious, shortening our attention span, causing us to procrastinate and destroying our real-world communication skills. Holding and staring at our devices for hours on end is ruining our posture and might even be damaging our eyeballs. Yet we do it every single day.

Let’s stop doing that, or at least agree to take a break semi-regularly, OK?

And finally…

Sit your butt down somewhere… Get some rest

Some say “sleep is the cousin of death,” and others say “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” but guess what? They’re stupid. All of them.

Because without sleep, you cannot live.

Sleep deprivation adds to your stress while simultaneously affecting your memory and alertness, and that’s just in the short term. Long-term effects include reduced immune system function, increased risk of heart attack and stroke and, possibly worst of all, potential ugliness. Seriously – not getting enough rest can have you out here looking rundown with big bags under your eyes, it can even give you bad skin!

So, instead of being tired and stressed, make it a point to get some quality rest onto your schedule this year. Meditate. Take a nap. Thumb through a book. Just slow it down sometimes and remember that caring for YOU is just as important as all those other tasks you’ve gotta complete.

This, of course, is not a complete list of ways to have a healthy year, but these tips will definitely get us off to a good start. Let’s be great in 2023.

Eatwell Exchange Shares Healthy Tips for a New Year

By Clayton Gutzmore

2022 has come and gone. We made it through the holidays and now we’re in the New Year with resolutions and commitment to change. Many people gathered with loved ones over food. Some overdid it at the holiday gatherings by getting larger portions and second plates and are now resolving to make healthier choices in the New Year, which is also peppered with parties and celebrations, especially in January. To help find the balance between indulging and enjoying, registered dietitian Ashley Carter of Eatwell Exchange has healthy tips that can be easily applied. These tips will help you eat to satisfaction and not regret.

"The holidays are usually centered around food. It's when you gather around a table and eat meals with family members you may not see often. Everyone likes to cook their favorite dishes but outside of that, we don't have guidance on what to do. There are no parameters that teach us how to enjoy foods and maintain a healthy diet," said Ashley Carter, co-founder of Eatwell Exchange

Eatwell Exchange is a nonprofit organization in Miami, Florida that teaches communities how to eat healthier with a focus on cultural foods. Carter and co-founder, Jasmine Westbrook RD, launched the organization in 2017. Since then, the duo has taught over 19,000 people how to maintain a healthy diet with foods throughout the African diaspora and prevent medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Every Meal Counts

Carter recommends eating at regular times and not skipping meals during the holiday season. People tend not to eat breakfast and lunch to eat extra when it is time for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner or New Year’s Eve celebrations.. Eating at regular times avoids overeating, and it also keeps your blood sugar steady, which is crucial in managing diabetes.

Photos submitted by Eatwell Exchange

The Space of Your Plate

To help with portion control, Carter suggests using smaller plates for meals. She explains that we naturally put less food on small plates than on large ones.

"What do you do when you have a large plate? You fill it up. In my family, for Thanksgiving, we pulled out the special plates that were these big oval plates that have a gold brim. It was huge compared to the normal plates we would use," Carter said. Use smaller plates.

Your Meals can Always be Greener.

Carter advises that having vegetables make up half of your plate is the next tip. More space

for your veggies would leave a quarter for your protein (e.g., meat, chicken, or fish) and a quarter for your starch (e.g., rice or cornbread). More space for veggies means more variety you can add. The colors of your vegetables indicate how nutritious your meal is.

"You want to make sure that when you look down, you have a good variety of colors. You want to have green leafy vegetables because green veggies are usually non-starchy. The starchy vegetables are corn and potatoes, which can contribute to your blood sugar spiking. Green vegetables have a good variety of vitamins and minerals. They're lighter, and you

can eat more of those," Carter said.

More Plants, Less Meat

Reducing the amount of meat at the dinner table is a way to make things healthy for you and your guests. Carter encourages more plant-based options instead of meat substitutes to accomplish this. She elaborates that plant-based products have less saturated fat than animal products. Too much-saturated fat leads to high cholesterol and other cardiovascular diseases. Carter recommends mushrooms as an excellent alternative to meat. She uses that ingredient in most of her dishes today.

"I love mushrooms. It's a good source of vitamin D, and most people of African descent are deficient in vitamin D. It's something that we need more of.," Carter said.

Move with the Crew

Adding activities that do not revolve around food is a tip Carter highly recommends. Activities like a family kickball game, a run/walk 5k, or anything that gets the crew moving can work. Carter explains that physical activity isn't just to offset the holiday eating; it's to give your loved ones something to look forward to besides the food. Planning physical activities during the holidays creates a generational shift of healthier habits.

"For me growing up, we all sat at the table and ate. After dinner, we would watch TV or talk. Now, what if we started getting into the habit of playing a kickball game? That would get all the generations you know, from grandma to grandbaby, outside running and playing. It's not about winning the game; it's just about restructuring our traditions to include healthier options for the family." Carter said.

Carter's healthy tips can effortlessly be put into motion during the holiday season and beyond. If you want this time of the year to be hearty and happy, these are your first steps toward that destination. More nutrition and health advice from Carter can be found at www. eatwellexchange.org.

Shedding Light on Black Male Suicidality

By Dr. Kanika Bell

The year 2022 will be remembered as the year we came back outside! Though COVID-19 still exists, we returned to classrooms, boardrooms, airplanes, and events with full steam, reminiscent of the good old days of 2019. Unfortunately, the years of the pandemic showed an alarming non-COVID-related statistic: an exponential rise in suicide attempts and completions by people of African descent.

This past year is especially notable for Black suicides – Black men in particular. including Mayor Kevin Ward of Hyattsville, Maryland, “Walking Dead” actor Moses J. Moseley, Regina King’s son Ian Alexander, Jr., South African rapper Riky Rick, actor Patrick Shai, and comedian Jak Knight all are alleged to have died by their own hands in 2022.

The death of entertainer Stephen “tWitch” Boss, star of the “Ellen Degeneres Show” and “So You Think You Can Dance” shocked the world. Mere hours before ending his life, we saw him in a social media video and making a post that included the words “Don’t give up…keep going.” Hypotheses erupted about how and why this happened to a man that seemed so happy.

We tend to characterize depression as something obvious and dramatic, imagining someone who cries constantly, never smiles, lets their hygiene deteriorate and demonstrates overt symptoms that are easily recognized by others. Major Depressive Disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by these severe, episodic symptom bouts that may show themselves more readily in some. However, others may present more covertly, experiencing Persistent Depressive Disorder, which can last for many years and can involve low self-esteem, feeling like a failure, hopelessness and loss of interest. These symptoms can become easy to mask, but their chronicity can contribute to suicidality.

An unshakeable rain cloud is sometimes worse than an occasional storm. Tyler Perry summarized this experience in a vulnerable Instagram post just after tWitch’s death, admitting his own history of suicidality.

Suicides are often described as random acts that occur without warning, but many Black men are exhibiting signs of passive suicidality long before the final act is completed. Substance abuse, purposefully aggressive interactions with law enforcement, high-risk behaviors including reckless driving and unsafe sexual practices, might be “slow” or “passive” suicidal behaviors that go unnoticed in this population specifically. In fact, some

of these behaviors are lauded as necessary tenets of Black manhood, instead of recognized as pleas for help or more socially acceptable methods of ending one’s life.

Doubly impacting Black men, is the stigma placed on experiencing mental health challenges among men and in the Black community in general. The shame associated with simply admitting one isn’t well, the social requirement for Black men to avoid all signs of alleged weakness, and the normalizing of traumatic experiences as rites of passage that should strengthen the spirit, all minimize Black men’s ability to seek and receive help when needed. Research suggests that even those that pursue treatment are often minimized by their own mental health professionals for these same reasons.

This is also true for Black boys. Because we normalize anger management issues, behavioral problems in school, sudden mood changes, lack of academic performance and even preoccupation with death (due to perceived gang culture and violence in popular music) in Black boys, we can miss the signs of suicidality among Black male youth.

Additionally, Black people can be exceptionally skilled at

“faking good;” soldiering on in the face of adversity. We are talking about a people who endured enslavement and continue to endure racism on systemic and individual levels, yet remain astute at the performance of daily activities. As such, just like the assumption that Black women don’t feel physical pain the way that others do continues to pervade American medicine, the assumption that Black men don’t feel emotional pain is equally ubiquitous.

If there is one positive here, tWitch’s death has sparked some Black men to declare that enough is enough. Many Black men are coming forth and admitting their own history of depression and suicidality and are publicly committing on their social media pages to create safe spaces for the Black men in their lives to be free to acknowledge mental health struggles.

Suicide prevention strategies tailored for Black men are essential and the following resources are places to start for those in need: Black Men Heal, The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Dial 988), National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide (NOPCAS). If you or anyone you know is seriously contemplating suicide, please contact the nearest psychiatric emergency center.

2023 Workplace Reset

How to build a plan that supports your new goals and objectives

By Yvonne Cowser Yancy

After what feels like a long slog, 2022 has finally come to a close. With the end of the year it’s tradition to reflect on what went well, what didn’t go well, and make plans for what you want in the future. This exercise isn’t just good for your wellness plan or your financial plan, but it’s also ideal for your work reset. Americans will spend roughly onethird of their lives at work, so this time and effort should be well-thought-out and, frankly, worth it. As you enter 2023, give your work plan a thorough assessment and set new goals for yourself in 2023 using these three easy tips.

1What went well in 2022 and how can you do more of it? If there was a particular work assignment or a project that you were truly passionate about last year, how can you center 2023 to do more of that work? Be honest in your assessment and identify ways you can shift your professional focus on the type of work or projects that leverage your skills and your interest. This may require a conversation with your manager, taking proactive steps to volunteer for additional assignments, or stepping out of your comfort zone. The goal is to fill your 2023 work life with work that you actually enjoy and that moves your career or life plan forward.

2

What did not go well in 2022 and how can you do less of it? Like everything else in life, there are things we do not enjoy at work. How can you minimize what these tasks or assignments are so you can focus

on the work you actually want to do? The reality is you cannot always eliminate the work you do not enjoy from your day-to-day, but with a realistic approach you can minimize it or create a plan that limits this particular experience. This may require a real-life pep talk with yourself. Personally, when there is a work assignment I’m less excited about, I have to pregame and remind myself why it's important to identify the steps required to execute this work accurately and quickly. Can you delegate it to someone else? Is there an optimal time of the week to work on it that does not interfere with the work you enjoy doing? Whatever the case, if you make it a priority and get it done, then you can move on to better and more interesting things. Find what works for you and put those observations into action.

3

Lastly, as you enter 2023, be clear about new professional aspirations you have for your work life. Do you want a new job, more responsibility in your current role, or do you want a plan for a career transition into a new field or industry? Whatever your 2023 work goal is, it is critical that you have a plan that supports your current work while also pivoting towards your future work. This can be a challenging thing to navigate; you may have to make tradeoffs in order to achieve each new goal or objective. Having a plan and being clear about those tradeoffs make the decision much clearer.

As you prepare for the 2023 workplace reset, using these tools will give you the blueprint to the work you truly want to engage in and professional resolutions you can keep.

Yvonne Cowser Yancy is the founder of YSquare Advisors, a boutique HR consulting firm. Follow Yvonne on LinkedIn at: http:// linkedin.com/in/yvonne-c-yancy

The Power of Music in Fighting Alzheimer’s Symptoms

There are two forms of music therapy that can help people with Alzheimer’s symptoms

By Word In Black

It’s no question that at some point in your life, you’ve had a song melody stuck in your head. Maybe you were at a family gathering, and The Wiz was on the TV. Or perhaps you were cleaning out your car and found an old cassette tape. Studies show that music is also a powerful tool in fighting Alzheimer’s and other dementias. This is because certain parts of the brain in which musical memory is stored are untouched by Alzheimer’s.

“I’ve seen older people that are in some state of dementia, but when they sit down to the instrument, they can play,” says Kenneth Thompkins, principal trombone of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career, he has experienced the influence of music on performers and their audiences. Classic music in particular, he says, has a way of transcending language, time, and space to reach the heart.

“Having the direct experience of going to a live performance and you’re hearing an ensemble — 80 to 100 people playing acoustically — that’s very, very powerful. Just the sight of it is powerful.

In 2021, legendary singer Tony Bennett opened up

about his battle with Alzheimer’s. In the midst of his public struggle with the disease, the 95-year-old performed with Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall.

“He got up there and did it because that was his life. That’s what he’s done forever,” Thompkins says. “That’s part of the memory. That’s hardwired, at this point, in his brain.”

Researcher Deepa Rajan was curious about the relationship between music and memory, so she conducted a short-term clinical study at a nursing home with help from a licensed musical therapist.

“People who could not even remember the names of their sons and daughters could suddenly remember the lyrics to a song they hadn’t heard in decades,” she remembers.

In a TEDx talk, she explains that there are two forms of music therapy that can help people with Alzheimer’s symptoms: active therapy and receptive therapy.

Active music therapy encourages performance. It is involved and stimulating. You experience it at a nursing home or adult day care, or even on television. Receptive music therapy, on the other hand, is more individualized and focused on classical music. Genres aside, music, as a whole, stimulates connection, encourages creativity, and feeds the imagination.

If you’re looking to invite more music into your life as a caregiver or an Alzheimer’s patient, there are free music enrichment services, such as the San Francisco Baybased Harmonies for the Elderly, the Tennessee-based Music for Seniors, and the AARP Virtual Community Center. Your insurance may cover tailored music therapy, too.

Surrounding Yourself with Beauty–Visual Art as Healer

By Michele Brown

“K

ing Pleasure” is a celebration of Jean Michel Basquiat’s iconic life that is both deeply personal and visceral in its articulation of Basquiat’s genius, global perspectives, and love of family. The exhibit is a family’s legacy on display featuring over 200 never or rarely seen paintings, drawings, ephemera, and artifacts. It also shares a son’s journey to understanding between his father Gerard, and him. It reveals the significance of the skeletal iconography in his work and the emergence of the omnipotent crown motif found in most Basquiat works, almost a watermark of the true Basquiat aesthetic.

This exhibition is not standard museum fare. This is more like being invited over by his sisters a few days after the repast, and being invited to remember his life: privately, fully, deeply – among family. As people from around the world streamed into the various spaces examining the work of this fallen prince, there is a desire to protect the work which touches your heart. As one moves through the pieces of this posthumously legendary life, this exhibition makes clear that it was with their hearts that the Basquiat Estate selected each piece and determined the elements to be used to represent each chapter of Basquiat’s life.

From family video footage of Jean Michel as a little boy, to high school yearbook art direction and replicas of his family living room, this exhibition invites you to walk a mile in the shoes of a struggling artist searching for his voice amidst the cacophony of West Indian familial opinions, the trauma of his mother’s mental illness and growing up in 1980s New York City.

This exhibition reminds the visitor of the power of art to transform the life of the artist and the life of the audience. The power of art as a tool of inquiry into the world, culture, and the scenes of our own lives is important. The exhibition reminds us to surround ourselves with beauty, with genius, with things that make our

hearts better and soothe our spirits.

Basquiat was a son, a brother and an uncle. He was a student, a graffiti artist, a Black man in America. His opinions carried no weight at the time, until they did, but either way, that didn’t keep him from expression. His art was his resistance – his commentary – his insistence on justice in a world blinded by greed and homogeneity.

Photos submitted by Michele Brown.

This exhibition challenges the visitor to consider the artist, all 360 degrees – the context, the origins of the iconography – and the power of family when defying them to stand in the fullness of your truth. Tears may emerge at the purity of his work’s expression. At points, his indictment of the culture is searing and precise. At other moments the work pleads with the viewer to be understood,while retaining its blinkless stare right back in your face, objectifying and judging. Basquiat suggested that you dance away your cares and troubles at the Palladium or the Garage – both NYC clubs made famous in the 1980s. When all else fails, embrace community wherever you find it.

This work reminds us of the power of art to heal by simply speaking its truth. The Bible declares that “a prophet is never known in his own land,” an ancient version of the adage, “familiarity breeds contempt.” In 2023, let’s add visual art, museums, portrait galleries and art studio visits to our portfolio of healing practices and tools. Immersion in this kind of beauty lowers blood pressure, resets cynicism and ushers us into spaces that replenish our joy.

Black Caregivers: Taking Care of Themselves and Others

With sixty-six percent of Black caregivers being employed full or part-time in addition to their caregiving roles, knowing how to alleviate burnout is crucial

By ReShonda Tate Houston Defender

It’s a Monday morning in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Shelly Taylor Page is rushing to get to her full-time job as a law professor at Southern Illinois University. But before she can get out the door, she must contend with her other full-time job as a caregiver to her elderly mother, who has dementia.

“I had to bring my mother from Houston to live with my husband and I here in Tennessee. And I’m not going to lie, it’s hard,” Page said. “I walk into her bedroom and she’s packed up everything. I have to find the toothbrush, the comb. I have to explain to her why she’s living in my house because in her mind, it’s 2006. She’s belligerent and wants to go home. Many mornings, I just burst out crying because I’m tired and I have to get to work.”

Page is grateful for the support of her husband, James, who works from 8 a.m. to noon, and helps out a lot. Support, she says, is crucial.

“The first two months was so hard. I’m yelling at my mom because I didn’t really get it. I struggle with my weight and she’d call me a fat, ugly b*tch and I would just break down. My husband steps in to remind me, ‘That’s not your mama saying that, it’s the disease.’ I didn’t get that. So it’s super important to have a serious support network, not just to help you physically, like if you need to run to H-E-B, but mentally,” Page said.

By the numbers

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and as the population ages, more caregiving is being provided by people who aren’t health care professionals. Page is one of 4.3 million Americans who have found themselves in such a role. According to AARP/National Alliance for Caregiving:

• African Americans often have more burdensome caregiving situations than their non-Hispanic white or Asian caregiver counterparts. They also tend to be younger, are often unmarried, have poorer health, and frequently have to balance caregiving with full-time jobs.

• More than half of African American caregivers find themselves “sandwiched” between caring for an older person and a younger person under age 18, or caring for more than one older person.

• African American caregivers are also more likely to reside with the care recipient and spend an average of 20.6 hours per week providing care.

• 66% of African American caregivers are employed full or part-time

An isolating experience

Many caregivers are hard pressed to keep together even a small team of immediate family members who are agreeable to contributing. When those few later disappear, the entire crushing weight lands on the primary caregiver’s shoulders. According to the AARP/NAC study, over half of caregivers feel they have no choice. As onerous as that sounds, for African Americans, a “major-

ity find a sense of purpose” in caregiving — more than among white caregivers.

That sense of purpose could be defined in religious terms (“doing God’s will”) or family terms (“giving back to someone who took good care of me”). Or it could be about doing right by the community that has done right by you.

Seek support

The need for support has never been greater for African American caregivers, who are becoming older, are more likely to be isolated and to experience care-related strain. In the study, more than a fourth of African American caregivers’ report having no family, friends or neighbors to help them, which makes them solely responsible for all caregiving duties and increases their risk of care-related strain.

Other survey findings revealed that about a third of African American and Black caregivers report being more isolated, experience mental health strain and physical health strain due to caregiving.

Caregiving can be lonely and tiring and some seek support from outside sources when it gets to be overwhelming.

Page says the adult daycare that her mother attends has been a lifesaver.

Resources for caregivers

www.caregiveraction.org

www.hhs.texas.gov/services/aging/longterm-care/aging-disability-resource-center/ find-adrc

Caregiver burnout

Caregiver burnout is a real thing and it’s not taken lightly by psychologists, who define it as a debilitating psychological condition brought about by unrelieved stress.

Warning signs

• Lack of energy

• Overwhelming fatigue

• Sleep problems (too much or too little)

• Changes in eating habits; weight loss or gain

• A feeling of hopelessness

• Withdrawing from, or losing interest in, activ-

ities you once enjoyed

• Neglecting your own physical and emotional needs

• Feeling like caregiving is controlling your life

• Becoming unusually impatient, irritable or argumentative with the person you’re caring for and/or with others

• Anxiety about the future

• Depression or mood swings

• Difficulty coping with everyday things

• Headaches, stomachaches, and other physical problems

• Lowered resistance to illness

Prevention

• Accept help. Needing help doesn’t make you a bad caregiver. It simply means you can’t do it alone — no one can. Make a list of your daily activities and tasks. Delegate

when you can.

• Take care of yourself. Don’t skip your own doctor’s appointments because you’re too busy. Make sure to tell your doctor that you’re a caregiver. Don’t hesitate to mention any concerns or symptoms you have.E xercise, eat well and get enough sleep. Get up 15 minutes earlier and use the time just for you. Sit with your coffee or tea and enjoy it. Journal about your struggles and feelings. Meditate, pray, stretch, etc.

• Focus on what you are able to provide. It’s normal to feel guilty sometimes, but understand that no one is a “perfect” caregiver. Believe that you are doing the best you can and making the best decisions you can at any given time.

• Set realistic goals. Break large tasks into smaller steps that you can do one at a time. Prioritize, make lists and establish a daily routine. Begin to say no to requests that are draining, such as hosting holiday meals.

• Get connected. Find out about caregiving resources in your community. Many communities have classes specifically about the disease your loved one is facing. Caregiving services such as transportation, meal delivery or housekeeping may be available.

• Join a support group. A support group can provide validation and encouragement, as well as problem-solving strategies for difficult situations. People in support groups understand what you may be going through.

• Seek social support. Make an effort to stay well-connected with family and friends who can offer nonjudgmental emotional support. Set aside time each week for connecting, even if it’s just a walk with a friend.

• Check into family-leave benefits from your job. Take a huge weight off your shoulders by giving you more hours in your day.

• Consider respite care. It may be hard to imagine leaving your loved one in someone else’s care, but taking a break can be one of the best things you do for yourself — as well as the person you’re caring for. Most communities have some type of respite care available, such as in-home respite, adult care centers and programs and short-term nursing homes.