HealthPlus #5

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Spring is in the air. Despite Punxsutawney Phil sentencing us to six more weeks of winter, many are emerging from the cold, snow-covered ground and heading outside to enjoy the warm weather, and bright, sunny skies. Although the weather is subject to change drastically this time of year, it has been so beautiful as of late, that Atlanta is bustling with walkers, runners, cyclists and skateboarders determined to make use of this latest wave of welcoming weather.

February and March are special when it comes to weather and the cultural celebration of the accomplishments of historically disenfranchised populations like African Americans and women. Black History Month and Women’s History Month remind us to pay homage to those who have come before us and to give roses to those who stand before us now. This issue takes a look at the Omega Training Camp, founded by a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, as a way to inspire members to take control of their physical fitness and health. We also hear from Jasmine Brown, author of “Twice as Hard: The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century,” who documents the journey and accomplishments of Black women in the medical profession. Building on our ongoing work on Black women’s maternal health and bringing history front and center, readers will learn about the legacy of slavery on Black women’s maternal health, chronicled in the controversial “1619 Project,” which is now a limited series on Hulu.

In addition to the physical challenges we face, readers will also learn the psychological toll raising a special needs child can place on parents and how to manage that stress. Statistically, African American women provide more care to family members than any other

group in the country to the tune of 30 hours per week. Fifty-seven percent of Black women are serving as a caregiver to someone, so some caretaking relief may be on the way in the form of the approval of a drug to treat early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. This is an important development from a medical perspective, but also from a caregiving perspective since 16 million adult caregivers are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Monica Parker, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Education

Core Member of the Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Emory University, discusses the latest in Alzheimer’s research and how to help members of our community dealing with this disease.

If all of that sounds a little heavy, then there’s something for the romantics in the community who will learn how a happy and healthy heart leads to a happy love life. If you need help getting your nutrients in to help keep your heart and other organs healthy, then maybe home IV therapy is for you. Not only can you improve your bodily functions, but you may potentially cut down on the number of visits to urgent care and emergency rooms and we’re here for that possibility!

In this issue, we remember the life of Valerie Boyd, who passed away last year. A light and dynamic Black woman who made history in a myriad of ways while here on Earth, Anoa Monsho Marshall remembers the woman who helped bring HealthPlus Magazine to fruition.

As we round this next year of circulation, we pay homage to Val, who helped bring the vision of our trailblazing publisher Janis Ware to the fore. My heart is happy to work with a great team of people committed to improving the overall health of our community.

Nsenga Burton, Editor-in-chief

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

Michael

Clayton

Kimberly

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OMEGA TRAINING CAMP:

National initiative gets members in shape

By Clayton Gutzmore

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated is a Black Greek-letter organization with 250,000 members throughout the world, committed to uplifting the community through service, scholarship and perseverance. Omega Training Camp is a new fitness program designed to get members of the fraternity in shape, promote fellowship, and provide life-changing health results. Created by Omega Psi Phi brother Leon Spencer III, Omega Training Camp is a tool he is using to get his fraternity brothers into the best physical and mental shape possible.

"If you are a member of the fraternity and you know how to hop or if you can move, why not fellowship and be a part of something that is for us by us? Omega Training Camp is one of the few things with health benefits made strategically and exclusively for members" said Leon Spencer III, Omega Training Camp instructor.

Spencer created Omega Training Camp in 2020 as a way for his fraternity brothers to get in shape during the pandemic when gyms were closed. The program combines high-interval training with hopping, the fraternity's version of strolling. Originally named the Lab Bootcamp, the program was just Spencer and frat brothers meeting up to practice hops. From there, Spencer collected data, refined the program, added a virtual component, and rebranded it into Omega Training Camp.

Members who participated in camp sessions burned between 800 to 1200 calories. Frat brothers

who consistently did camp sessions have lost 15 to 25 pounds. Spencer includes a program manual with nutritional information for participants. The material introduces intermittent fasting, caloric deficits, and more approaches to maximize the results for members. The outcomes have been life-changing for participants who follow through.

"Terry Brooks is a brother that lost 20 pounds. His doctor checked his vitals and told him he was the healthiest 50-year-old he had ever seen. Before the camp, he was close to getting on cholesterol medication. After the camp, his doctor told him the medication wouldn't be necessary," Spencer said.

The first camp was held in Houston, Texas at Level One Fitness. Spencer gathered 75 frat brothers in town for the Texas Greek Picnic to learn hops and marches. The suc-

cess of Omega Training Camp got on the radar of the fraternity's state and district offices across the country, who requested Spencer’s services. Spencer had the opportunity to host a session at the fraternity's 2022 national convention (Grand Conclave) in Charlotte, NC, which elevated the program’s visibility.

"It's a milestone in the right direction. I did it at the Grand Conclave, the district meetings, and recently, the undergraduate summit. The camp is trending upward to be more incorporated into the fraternity," Spencer said.

Since launching the program, Spencer created special contests of Omega Training Camp to engage more fraternity brothers to lose weight. He hosted Conclave Shred in April 2022, a three-month program to get members fit for the national convention. In August 2022,

Spencer hosted Six Weeks Owt Homecoming Shred, a six-week program to get fraternity brothers in shape before homecoming season. Six Weeks Owt featured a prize of $1400 to the team of four fraternity brothers who lost the most weight.

March Madness is the latest weight loss contest Spencer is hosting in Omega Training Camp. Spencer partnered with Omega Psi Phi's Seventh District council to offer free Omega Training Camp access to all fraternity members who live in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The contest is live until March 16. The frat brother who loses the most weight during March Madness will be announced at the Seventh District meeting in Huntsville, Alabama.

Spencer assembled pieces that created a health initiative changing the lives of his fraternity brothers. Omega Training Camp is accessible enough for any member to join and challenging enough for those who want to test their limits. Spencer is confident that the camp's gradual success will influence the next generation of men entering the fraternity.

"This is unofficially influencing the next generation of members. Do you know how many non-members look at this and say, ‘Dang, I see the Ques losing weight. If I join the fraternity, could they help me on my weight loss journey?’” Spencer said, “Now we have a different set of eyes on the fraternity for a different reason.”

More information on Omega Training Camp can be found at https://www.omegatrainingcamp. com/.

Photo/Leon Spencer, III

Intravenous therapy is a growing trend that may keep you out of the hospital

By Clayton Gutzmore

Intravenous, more commonly known as IV, is a method of injecting substances through a needle or tube directly into someone's vein. Those bags of fluids hooked up to hospital patients are examples of IV therapy.

For many years, people only saw IVs used on those severely injured in movies, on the news and in hospital emergency rooms. In recent years, the use of this method has expanded so people who want more nutrients in their bodies or other greater health benefits, can get them.

The expansion of IV usage also has allowed medical professionals like Dr. Jheneale Grandison to launch a business to help people be at optimum health to keep them out of the hospital. This trend is growing and could mean positive results for the general public.

"One of my goals for my company is to keep people out of the emergency room. With companies like mine, we can prevent this excessive use of healthcare and be less taxing on the system so people who are more ill can be seen urgently," said Dr. Jheneale Grandison, DNP, co-founder and medical director of Face it by Dr. G, a Baltimore-based mobile IV hydration company.

Grandison goes to the customer’s home or location to perform IV therapy for those who want to consume their nutrients and vitamins differently.

She inserts a small tube into the vein, and the fluids – which she refers to as “drips” – trickle into the bloodstream, allowing the body to absorb more nutrients than regularly ingested pills and liquids. She explains that digestion affects the supplements and medicine people take. The body absorbs only 20 to 30% of the nutrients in supplements and medicine.

"You go to the store and buy a bottle of multivitamins. When you swallow the multivitamin, it's broken down by gastric acid and digestion. By the time they work, you only get about 20% of it. We're looking at six to eight weeks for the supplement to reach the effective concentration," Grandison said.

Grandison launched the company in October 2022 in an effort to offer affordable options for those in recovery – a need she understands from personal experience. In August 2022, she underwent surgery, and couldn't walk during recovery. She wanted her immune system to be at its best and found an IV therapy company to boost it. Unfortunately, that approach was expensive.

"When people need this for immune health and recovery, it costs a lot. The drip was $100; tack on another $300 to get someone to come to my home and do this, and we are looking

at $400 or more. I felt like that was egregious," Grandison said. Services from Face it by Dr. G start at $200 with no fees for travel. People with FSA and HSA cards can use those to pay for the services. Grandison has more than 19 drips available. The most popular is the Myers Cocktail, which has vitamins B and C plus magnesium and calcium. The Myers Cocktail is named after the late Dr. John Myers, a Baltimore physician who created the material in the Myers Cocktail in the late 1960s.

"John Myers is the one who started all of this, and the drips that we see today stem from this one drip. The Myers Cocktail drip is your most complete drip. Patients who feel fatigued or recovering from the flu or COVID have used this drip and feel the difference by the next day," Grandison said.

What's next for Grandison is expansion. Recently, she partnered with a spa in Baltimore to offer IV therapy at their location. She aims to collaborate more with spas, gyms, and health and wellness centers. Grandison wants to make a difference in people's well-being by introducing them to IV therapy.

"A lot of people associate IV with being sick. That is the cycle I am trying to break, especially in the Black community. I got into health care to keep people outside of the hospital,” she said. “Coming to Face it by Dr. G, you'll get comprehensive and compassionate wellness and care that will do that.”

Dr. Jheneale Grandison. Photo/Dr. Jheneale Grandison

Meet Your Health Goals with These Simple Ingredient Replacements

By Healthy Living

Making small changes toward eating healthier can have a significant impact on your overall health and well-being. Choosing foods that provide essential nutrients and are low in fats can help prevent heart disease, improve brain function, assist with weight loss, increase energy, and ward off illness.

Keep in mind that it’s often easier and more sustainable to make a series of smaller, new habits than attempting a drastic dietary change. Try making just one or two of the suggested replacements below - it may take time to adjust to new textures and tastes, so stick with your new habits for a couple of weeks! Once they’ve become part of your eating routine, add on a few more and watch as you begin to gain energy and feel healthier!

Super Replacements

Try stocking up on healthy foods that can be swapped out in various ways for healthier eating. Here are a few super replacement ideas:

Greek yogurt is protein and calcium-rich with probiotic benefits. Its rich and creamy texture makes it a great substitute for fattier, higher-calorie toppings like mayonnaise and sour cream.

Cauliflower is a star in the food replacement scene for good reasons! It provides vitamin C, folate, and fiber. As a starchy vegetable, you can substitute it for carb-heavy foods like potatoes, rice, and even pizza crusts. Check out this recipe for the “perfect” cauliflower pizza crust!

Apple sauce is often used in vegan, baked goods recipes as a replacement for eggs. It also acts as a binding agent and can replace oil and butter. Its natural sweetness means you can skip or add less sugar!

Avocados are high in the right kind of fat as well as vitamins and fiber. That fat means avocados can replace butter and oil in baked goods or on toast. They can also replace mayonnaise in your egg or chicken salad, dressings, and dips.

This for That

Making a few of these swaps can help you begin your journey down the path to healthier eating:

• Spiral vegetables (like zucchini) instead of pasta

• Whole grain bread instead of white

• Ground turkey instead of ground beef

• Dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate

• Sweet potato fries instead of regular french fries

• Herbed seasonings instead of salt

Quit the Soda Habit

If you’re a regular soda drinker, consider cutting your consumption in half, or even altogether - doing so can have a noticeable positive change on your overall health! Both real sugar and diet sodas can damage your teeth and are linked to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. They also offer no health benefits. Making the switch to flavored seltzer, unsweetened iced tea, or water can help you feel better! Not a fan of plain water? Here’s a list of 9 water flavorings you can add to give you a little boost.

Make it Yourself

Pre-packaged foods frequently have added sodium, artificial sweeteners, and sugar. When you make food from scratch, you have a lot more control over the ingredients! Try making a few of these recipes on

your own, and remember that you can always experiment with the portions to cater to your tastebuds:

• Salad dressings

• Granola bars

• Tomato sauce

• Bread, cookies, and other baked goods (like this delicious banana bread or whole wheat bread)

More of The Good

Almost all of us could use more fruits and vegetables in our lives. Replacing even one snack a day with a piece of fruit or a few vegetables will help you get closer to the recommended daily amount. Here are a few other ideas:

Commit to eating a salad for lunch at least once a week

• Add blended spinach, kale, or broccoli to your sauces

• Drink a fruit or vegetable smoothie to start your day right

Remember that each small change you make gets you closer to your goal. These new habits will start building on each other, and you’ll begin to feel more energetic and won’t miss the sugar, carbohydrates, and salt you were used to consuming!

Photo/Getty Images

Jasmine Brown uncovers the inner lives of Black women doctors

In her new book, “Twice As Hard,” the medical school student and Rhodes Scholar tells the stories of the first Black women physicians in the U.S.

By Kelundra Smith

Jasmine Brown is used to being the only one, or one of a few African American students in high-achieving academic spaces. Growing up in Central New Jersey, she heard white classmates attribute her admission to top universities as a matter of affirmative action.

However, knowing how to armor herself against microagressions, like being denied access to her lab because a white professor didn’t believe she was a student, doesn’t make it any less lonely or tiresome. In fact, it is that experience, which occurred when Brown was earning her bachelor’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis, that inspired her to pen the new book, “Twice As Hard.”

Brown started writing “Twice As Hard” as her thesis project while she was on a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University. In the book, she interweaves parts of her experience with the obstacles that some of the first Black women doctors faced to become licensed practicing physicians.

Each chapter of the book is about a different woman’s experience, starting with Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler in 1864 through Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey in 1979. From being denied entry to medical school, to the closure of programs at historically Black colleges and universities, to white professors and classmates excluding them from study groups, the road to M.D. or O.D. has been fraught for women, especially Black women who make up less than 3% of all licensed physicians.

Brown is currently a medical student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Here are excerpts from our conversation with Brown where she shares her own experiences in medical school, why she chose to write “Twice As Hard” and her hopes for the future.

When did you know you wanted to become a doctor?

I became interested in medicine in high school, because I was trying to figure out what I wanted to major in and I had an interest in psychology, but I was

unable to take classes at my high school. I started taking online courses through Coursera and MIT OpenCourseWare, and one of the psychology professors introduced neuroscience as an intersection between biology and psychology. I didn’t know what a research career was, so I thought because I was interested in science I thought that equaled medicine. When I went to undergrad, I started exploring both fields. I enjoyed being able to apply my passion for neuroscience and biology to help people during a vulnerable time in their lives. I don’t have any family in medicine, so it felt like taking a bit of a risk.

What conversations, if any, were had in your home about race and racism at work?

I’m not sure if I remember explicit conversations about racism in the workplace. I definitely had experiences with racism growing up and I felt like I could talk to my parents about that. Since being in (medical) school, but more in a work environment, I’ve had a lot more conversations with them about it. One thing I do remember is that they are both engi-

neers, and my mom was often the only Black woman where she worked. They also talked about how there were only a few Black engineers when they were in school, but that’s about it.

You describe in the book having peers underestimate you in high school and college. What made you feel a book is the best way to reach people and describe the experience of being lonely?

I’ve been passionate about diversity in academia since high school. When I got to Washington University in St. Louis and I began to have challenges – and noticed some of my Black friends had similar challenges – I created the Minority Association of Rising Scientists as a means to counteract the racism we were experiencing. At the time, that work felt like it needed to be on the periphery because I had to do my pre-med classes and the biomedical research that was expected of me to be a competitive applicant for medical school, but it was really meaningful to me.

When I got to Oxford, I had the chance to do my masters on my topic and I felt privileged that I could focus on it. Before that point, I had never met a Black woman physician and it was inspirational learning about their journeys. I was also the only Black person in the (Oxford Centre for the History of Science, Medicine and Technology.) Usually with the thesis projects, they’re stored in the Oxford archive, but I thought if the thesis was only stored there it wouldn’t reach the people I wanted to reach. A book felt like a way to reach more people.

In the book, you write a lot about generational wealth. For example, you cite that nationally, approximately half of all entering medical students come from families in the richest 20th percentile of the population. How does the doctor’s socioeconomic class impact care from your perspective?

Similar to race or gender, we bring this set of experiences into our work that affects the way we take in data. Medicine is an imperfect science. We see a patient; they tell us their story; and we look at vitals, but a big part of diagnosis is in that history taking. When you’re unable to relate to a person’s perspective, it can have a big impact on your understanding

Jasmine Brown. Photo/Jasmine Brown/University of Pennsylvania

of their medical situation and how you’re able to care for them. In school, I’ve learned how much socioeconomic factors affect a patient’s health outcomes, even more than medication.

Someone who comes from a privileged background, and doesn’t have anyone close to them who has had financial struggles, may not understand that a patient may not be able to afford medication, or take time off from work.

In your author’s note, you distinguish between the challenges that Black people with ancestral lineage in the U.S. face versus what those from Africa or the Caribbean face. Unpack that for me.

It goes back to the financial back ground. In the U.S., we have a lineage of slavery and oppression. African Americans were punished for learning how to read and write, and communi ties were terrorized when they started to find success. This led to a wealth gap among Black Americans.

At the same time, second- and third-generation students from Africa and the Caribbean experience more barriers migrating to the U.S. than Eu ropean immigrants. To come to the U.S., people from Africa or the Caribbean have to have more money. That filters out peo ple who don’t have a high level of income and education. The majority of African immigrants in medical school have parents who possess college degrees, but there’s a large proportion of American Black people who are first-generation college students. That’s why there are more African and Caribbean immigrants in medicine than American Black people.

putting off child bearing and more women are having high-risk pregnancies. Considering the high Black maternal mortality rate, it’s a dangerous combination. It makes it harder to have a full life of a doctor and a family if that’s something the woman wants. Let’s talk about wages. How are Black women doctors faring?

The race and gender wage gap is prevalent in medicine as well. Black women face pressure to do more primary care work. My friends and I have experienced that when people ask what specialties we want to go into. (If we discuss surgery or a tertiary care area,) we’re called sellouts. It’s an unfair burden because these racial disparities persist in all specialties, and it has a significant impact. I’m interested in ophthalmology because I learned that Black people have higher rates of glaucoma, which is preventable. When a person goes blind, their (mortality risk increases,) yet less than 3% of ophthalmologists are Black.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

In all of the women’s stories, you talk about their love lives and family lives and also the cost of their ambitions on their relationships. How does that contribute to making becoming a doctor “twice as hard?”

That’s a big topic I talk about with other Black women in medicine. The higher level of success you get, that can lead to challenges in the dating arena. You may be seen as less desirable. If you are a man who gets a Rhodes Scholarship, you’re more desirable than a woman who earns one. That goes back to gender roles of who’s considered the provider versus the homemaker. I’ve had friends who found

challenges while they were dating because the men they were dating had high expectations of how much time they should be at home, knowing they were in medical school. It puts pressure on women (when they are deciding on a) specialty and contributes to the staunch lack of diversity in surgical fields because the training is so long and can be inflexible. If you’re in the O.R., you can’t leave because your child is getting out of daycare.

(By the time they’re in residency,) women have decided their careers are a priority, but that leads to a loss for many of not being able to have kids or not being able to have as many as they wanted. In my interviews with Black women, this came up a lot. I’ve also heard that within residency programs, often female trainees are pressured not to get pregnant, but residency can last up to eight years after medical school. That amount of time leads to a lot of women

I had two big goals. The first is to inspire young people, which is my primary focus. I want to show people who have disadvantaged identities that they can do what they want. I also want to reach academic administrators who talk about diversity efforts so they will feel energized.

Is there anything else you want to say?

In my research, one of the things I saw is how important HBCUs are to the training of Black physicians. Charles Drew, Howard, Meharry, and Morehouse School of Medicine still train the majority of Black physicians. While the work of other schools is important, these four schools are carrying the weight of educating Black doctors. This is important because the Supreme Court is considering overturning affirmative action and it will have an impact on the number of Black physicians and the quality of care Black patients will receive.

Every Goodbye Ain’t Gone

Remembering the Life and Work of Valerie Boyd

Valerie Boyd was a force and one of the best writers of our time. A great connector, she brought many writers together for a variety of projects, one of which is HealthPlus Magazine. A mentor and big sister, Valerie brought me on board to “help out” with launching the digital first publication and over a year later, I’m still here leading the charge to elevate information and stories about health in an effort to eradicate health disparities in our communities. Anoa Marshall is a fascinating person and outstanding writer who knew and loved Valerie, as well, like many in the arts and writing communities. Anoa authored an article entitled, “Every Goodbye Ain’t Gone: Remembering the Life and Work of Valerie Boyd,” which ran in The Guardian, December 22, 2022.

HealthPlus is reprinting an excerpt to honor Valerie, who passed away a little more than a year ago on February 12, 2022. Her loss and continued presence are still profound. Check out Anoa’s remembrance as we honor the woman who brought so many of us together. – Nsenga K. Burton, Editor-in-Chief, HealthPlus Magazine

“Valerie Boyd loved bringing together creatives who captured her discerning attention. Her “gatherings” as she called them, were like heirloom recipes melding the flavors of this award-winning author with that impassioned visual artist; a dash of southern cuisine chef, a taste of talented photographer. It was her joy to ignite coalescence, to bake meaningful connections into fruitful coalitions, into nourishing community.

“In these troubled times, it’s crucial for us to seek out and privilege moments of joy and delight. This will be one of those moments,” Boyd wrote.

This is what Boyd, acclaimed writer, scholar, editor and mentor who died in February, has

Photo/Jason Thrasher

accomplished in her latest book,” Bigger Than Bravery: Black Resilience and Reclamation in a Time of Pandemic.” Nearing the completion of a formidable project – editing 35 years of Alice Walker’s journals – and facing her inexorable death by pancreatic cancer, Boyd made a breathtaking decision to begin, and complete, another wide-ranging literary work. “Bigger Than Bravery” is the result of Boyd’s unshakable belief in joy as an act of resistance for Black people, in the power of gathering at the crossroads.

Bigger Than Bravery, a collection of essays and poems, features celebrated writers such as Pearl Cleage, Alice Walker, Imani Perry, Tayari Jones, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers and Kiese Laymon. Boyd also chose to seek and commission the work of fierce, emergent talent like her former student Josina Guess, Imani e Wilson and poet and documentary film-maker L La-

mar Wilson. These writers, she signals by her selection, are our literary future.

“Valerie helped us to see the value in ourselves,” L Lamar Wilson told me of the impact that Boyd still has on a vast community of writers. “She would not let us be shaken, would not let us give up on ourselves, would not let us play ourselves small. She made us believe that we could do the big thing. She was always telling me, until the end of her life on this side of forever, not to lose sight of my divine calling.”

“Valerie always said, ‘Come with me!’ and where that would end up was a surprise, but that it would be a good destination was a sure thing. Valerie offered that ethic, that practice, that embrace, to an infinity of us,” said Imani e Wilson.

Read the entire article at The Guardian

Quick Meditation: 10-Minute (Or Less!) Mindfulness Exercises

By Women’s Wellness

Often, meditation and mindfulness can feel like overwhelming tasks –precisely the opposite of what they should be! The idea that we have to find large chunks of time to sit and be still, quiet, and present can feel impossible on busy days; fortunately, practicing mindfulness and meditation does not require a big time commitment! In under ten minutes at a time, you can check in with your body, focus your mind on the present, and help energize your positive outlook with these six techniques.

Body Scan

Getting into the habit of being in tune with our body’s tension, aches, and pains can help us direct energy and healing where we need it most. A “body scan” is a mindfulness activity that enables you to find these trouble spots and learn to pay close attention to your physical self. Starting at your toes, mentally scan each part of your body (squeezing and releasing the muscles can help physically direct your attention to that spot if you’re having trouble) and note any discomfort. When you’ve reached your head, take five deep breaths while you visualize healing energy traveling to the problem spots your scan revealed.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

Often throughout the day, we have moments of anxiety, a flood of emotions, or feelings of doubt or panic. At these times, incorporating a quick grounding exercise can help our mind and body return to the present and feel calmer and more in control of the current situation. An easy grounding activity is one where you use your various senses to observe and note things:

5 – notice five things you see

4 – four things you hear

3 – three things you feel/touch

2 – two things you smell

1 – one thing you taste

After you arrive at 1, take several deep breaths and return to the present, fully grounded in your physical surroundings and the power of your body.

Chakra Balancing

You might be familiar with the seven chakras (Sanskrit word meaning “wheel”) and their relationship with meditation and mindfulness. Some believe these are the energy centers of your body, and “unblocking” or “balancing” them will allow for a more integrated and natural flow of energy in your body, mind, and soul.

While the practice of tuning into your chakras can be extensive, many activities can quickly help you find your energy centers and continue your day more balanced. Follow an easy-to-read guide to balancing your chakras in a single session, and as you become more familiar with the routine, you’ll be able to incorporate this practice without the notes.

Guided Meditation

Many people find it hard to force their minds to calm down from all the energy that the day brings. Guided meditation is a good choice for fast and easy meditation practice - while listening to your guide, you can shut off the decision-making part of your brain and simply listen and absorb. For a wide variety of free guided meditations, try Tara Brach. You can sort by category or just browse and find one that fits in your time constraints – there are options from 10 to 40 minutes.

5-Minute Observation

While this activity may seem too simple to do any good, its simplicity is actually the challenge. Choose an object around your house or desk (a piece of fruit, a leaf, etc.) and observe it for a full five minutes. Gently bring your thoughts back to the object if you find them wandering. Your goal here is to be fully in the present and engage your senses completely. If you get stuck and don’t have more observations, make sure you’ve mentally checked off all five senses; yes, you can taste your object (or imagine what it would taste like if it’s too dirty!). When the five minutes have passed, take three deep breaths and notice that your energy level and ability to focus have both improved!

Box Breathing

An easy activity that you can complete anytime, anywhere, box breathing is a rhythmic breath that helps you center and align your mind and body. Imagine a box in your mind; as you inhale, count to 4 and travel along one side of the box, then hold your breath for a count of 3 while traveling down the second side, then exhale for a count of 4 on the third side, and hold again for a count of 3 along the final side: 4,3,4,3. The rhythm may feel forced at first but continue until it feels natural. If you’d like to incorporate more aspects of meditation in this activity, choose a mantra or intention and repeat it in your mind while you hold your counts.

Finding pockets of time to incorporate meditation and practice mindfulness skills will make it easier to build these routines into your wellness journey; choose one (or more!) of these quick activities to start using today!

Photo/Getty Images

DISPARITIES IN DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH ALZHEIMER’S

Conference at Emory University aims to inform, educate.

CBy Kimberly Davis

aring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease can be a daunting proposition. With African Americans disproportionately affected by the disease, education and planning are essential.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, a neurocognitive disorder that involves the segments of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the seventh leading cause of death among adults in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death among adults aged 65 and older.

The statistics are even more daunting for African Americans, who have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s and related dementias of any population at 13.8%. Dr. Monica W. Parker says that’s to be expected.

“Like a lot of other chronic illnesses, we come to the provider late in the game to get an evaluation,” says Parker, the director of both the Outreach, Recruitment and Education and Minority Engagement Cores at Emory University’s Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “And by the time we get a confirmed diagnosis, whatever it is that has caused what we have has melded into something else. Most people who have been diagnosed with a dementia disorder in the African American community have had ongoing symptoms for some time.”

The primary risk factors for Alzheimer’s are age, gender and lifestyle, according to Parker, who will take part in a free Alzheimer’s Educational Conference on March 15 at Emory University. Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the purpose of the half-day conference is to help participants learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease,

caregiving and brain health.

Research shows that there are also risk factors for dementia that can potentially be modified or controlled: lower level of education, hypertension, hearing loss, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes and low social contact. In 2020, The Lancet Commission added excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, and air pollution as risk factors.

“We are learning that 60% of all dementias can be prevented if we manage our lives a little bit better,” says Parker, a geriatric medicine specialist. “From the research perspective, we can’t do very much about our gender or genes that we inherited — we really are not able to control how long we live. But we can manage our diet, we can manage social contact and eliminate social isolation … We can manage and control chronic diseases and illnesses that are poorly managed.”

According to Parker, getting an evaluation for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias is a “process” that should begin with your primary care provider. You and a trusted loved one should make that visit together so that your loved one can share concerns and observations. The primary care physician can also examine your medical history, make sure you’re taking your medications correctly and that you have no undiagnosed illness or problems that need to be addressed.

Then, a brain MRI should be ordered to get a baseline. Following that, your primary doctor should refer you to a neuropsychologist, who will do “learning testing” to determine how well your brain is working in terms of judgment, reasoning, memory and problem-solving. Following that evaluation, you may be referred to a neurologist. Experts say everyone — the potential patient, physicians, specialists, and the caregiver must come together to decide on the

best course of action.

“The most important thing when you are working with somebody with Alzheimer’s is making sure they’re in a safe, secured environment. Sometimes, that means people can’t live independently anymore,” Parker says.

“For anybody who is concerned about a fam-

Photo/AdobeStock

ily member or themselves who may have a problem with how they’re thinking and processing information, get to see a doctor. If you’re a caregiver for somebody who is affected, get yourself trained to be a good caregiver. Learn more about the disease process and what to expect.”

New drug OK’d to treat early onset Alzheimer’s disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to treat early Alzheimer’s disease.

Lecanemab, an IV infusion drug, is the second approved medication that changes the course of the memory disorder by slowing its progression at an early stage.

“By slowing progression of the disease when taken in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, individuals will have more time to participate in daily life and live independently,” said Joanne Pike, president and CEO of the national Alzheimer’s Association. “This could mean more months of recognizing their spouse, children and grandchildren. This could also mean more time for a person to drive safely, accurately and promptly take care of family finances, and participate fully in hobbies and interests.”

The manufacturer, Eisai, said the new treatment is now available.

An estimated 6.5 million people aged 65 or older in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease. About 180,000 North Carolina residents live with the illness with that number expected to grow as many as 210,000 by 2025.

Lecanemab, which is marketed as Leqembi, will target the buildup of beta-amyloid, or plaque that forms in the brain from the disease, reducing clinical decline by 27% compared to placebo after 18 months of treatment.

Prior to the FDA approving the new medication, the clinical trial included diverse populations from historically marginalized communities. With people of color underrepresented in studies and at a heightened risk for the illness, about 25% of the participants in the trail were African American and Hispanic.

The IV treatment, Lecanemab, is administered every two weeks lasting 45 to 60 minutes for each infusion. Typically, infusions can be completed at a hospital or an infusion center. The annual cost for the treatment is $26,500.

Without health insurance and Medicare coverage, access will only be limited to people who

can pay out-of-pocket. The Alzheimer’s Association is pushing for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries enroll in a research study to receive coverage of FDA-approved Alzheimer treatments.

“A new set of data has been presented to CMS for their review and they’ve begun that review to remove that sentence about only those enrolled in a clinical trial so that there would be coverage,” said Katherine Lambert, CEO of the Western Carolina Chapter of The Alzheimer’s Association in Charlotte. “We are also advocating strongly with the manufacturer to provide patient assistant funding as well so that those who could benefit from this drug would in fact be able to access it.”

Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately affected by all forms of dementia.

Venitra White-Dean, a Charlotte native, said that a treatment like Lecanemab could have helped her mother when she was diagnosed in 2012. White-Dean’s mother died from Alzheimer’s in 2020.

“When we did find out about certain trials, other trials that were taking place there were certain stipulations,” said White-Dean, founder of the nonprofit The Frankie Mae Foundation, which is named after her mother to support caregivers. “One of them, my mother was so far advanced. She didn’t qualify for certain trials, so we were never able to get her into any trials for any medication.”

CMS is working to quickly modify their National Coverage Determination policy so that more people with Alzheimer’s can access advanced treatments.

“Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease are entitled to FDA-approved therapies, just as are people with conditions like cancer, heart disease and HIV/AIDS,” Pike said in a statement. “They deserve the opportunity to assess if an FDA-approved treatment is right for them.”

This post originally ran on The Charlotte Post

Managing the Stress of Parenting an

Exceptional Child

CBy Kanika Bell

aring for a child with a physical or mental disability is an unexpected journey for any parent.

When planning for children, we imagine who they will be in life, how they will grow and eventually become independent from us.

We envision our babies growing up to lead adult lives after years of baseball games, recitals, honor society banquets, proms and learning to become a functioning member of society. A child diagnosed with a disability can be a devastating experience, wrought with confusion and guilt. It is important to avoid rushing through the trauma of this turn of events.

Many parents need time to cycle through the stages of grief when facing this change in life-plan. For example, many may deny this is happening to their family, be angry that this is happening to them and experience depression. It is OK to grieve the loss of the image you had in mind about how your child’s life would be. It is understandable to be afraid of how this will turn out and question your own ability to handle the associated challenges. It is OK to mourn the loss of your expectations, but how do we move to the stage of acceptance?

First, in the midst of your disappointment, remember that you are not powerless. Though it feels like this situation happened to your family without warning or permission, you are not powerless in the situation. You can exercise your power while being OK with not being OK sometimes.

Second, get educated. There is nothing scarier than a team of professionals talking about your baby and you have no clue what they are referencing. Learn the terminology of the diagnosis and research possible alternative diagnoses and treatments. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; you are owed information about your child’s health and medical care and should not be afraid to demand it.

Third, seek out parent support groups. Sometimes, these are in-person gatherings right in your community, but often they are online These support groups are great places to share stories and gather the information that comes from the lived experiences of other parents with children with special needs.

Finally, develop a list of resources that are particular for your family’s needs. Care.com has a good starter list of national organizations that provide support to parents of children with particular healthcare needs.

Whatever you do, remember to take care of

yourself. Childcare, in general, tends to fall on the mother’s list of responsibilities, but this is especially true for children with exceptional needs Mothers can feel particularly vulnerable to feeling alone and under-supported when coping with the challenges of exceptional children. The feeling of isolation, even when partnered, can feel like you are shouldering this experience alone.

This is why it is important to keep activities for you and your child on the table and to ask family and friends who are like family to help. In recent years, public places have become better equipped to make outings more enjoyable for special needs individuals.

Most major cities have “sensory days” at their movie theaters and children’s museums. There are team sport leagues that have provisions for

children with different physical or mental abilities, and many cities have ongoing recreational facilities that focus on exceptional children and host regular events including those that provide respite to parents in desperate need of a break. Parents Night Out is all the rage at schools and other businesses that cater to children with a variety of special needs.

That brings us to the next important point factor, which is guilt. Do not feel guilty if you need a break as caregiver burnout is a real and common experience. Expand your care circle to include family, friends or fellow parents that are equipped to supervise and care for your child for a few hours or more.

This can be terrifying initially, so be patient with yourself. You might have struggled to view

yourself as capable of caring for your child, so the thought of trusting another person might be daunting. When possible, get some time alone or adult-only time. Go to dinner or a movie, make a spa appointment, or simply sit home alone to reenergize and recharge.

Consider the impact your child’s needs may have on the plans for your own life and begin to plan for them. Some children require at least one parent to be available for a good part of the day, rendering that parent unable to work fulltime. Some children might require continual care beyond the legal age of adulthood. Whatever the impact, with planning, it is still possible to have a healthy, enjoyable life with your child, just slightly different than what you may have originally imagined.

Photo/AdobeStock

Docuseries Spotlights Slavery’s Impact on Black Maternal Health ‘1619’

By Ronda Racha Penrice

Conversations around the impact of slavery on Black women’s health are not as common as they should be. If they are had at all, it’s typically during an academic conference but almost always relegated to a scholarly journal. And even that attention is rare. So, it was very significant for Nikole Hannah-Jones to explore this connection in the Oprah Winfrey-produced six-part docuseries, “The 1619 Project” from the Onyx Collective currently streaming on Hulu, the latest iteration of the controversial New York Times opus that started it all.

In episode two of the series titled “Race,” Hannah-Jones kicks off her spotlight on Black women and motherhood with a focus on Chrissy Sample, a working mother in Brooklyn, in New York City, who lost one of her twins during her pregnancy. After Sample describes her experience of encountering indifference from her white doctor throughout her pregnancy and receiving very little care, Hannah-Jones travels back to enslaver Pierce Butler who owned an extensive plantation, or more accurately slave labor camp, in Georgia, near Savannah.

Hannah-Jones Is joined by Dr. Daina Ramey Berry, author of The Price for their Pound of Flesh: The Value of the Enslaved, from Womb to Grave, in the Building of a Nation and other books, on the grounds of what was once the Butler Plantation. On that ground, they discuss the endless sexual assault enslaved women endured particularly at the hands of Roswell King Sr., founder of nearby Roswell, and his son Roswell King Jr.

One of the many sobering facts they present is how enslaved women were valued based on the number of children they could potentially have, with their value increasing if they had children who made it to age 5. Berry and Hannah-Jones also discuss forced reproduction or breeding. The episode notes the climb of the enslaved Black population from just under 700,000 in 1790 to nearly four million in 1860. Because the congressional ban of the importation of Africans took effect in 1808, Hannah-Jones correlates the population explosion to forced reproduction, with sexual assault also playing a role.

“Rape was so prevalent during slavery,” she states within the episode, “that today a quarter of the genetic makeup of Black Americans can be traced back to Europe through the paternal line.”

In conversation with entrepreneur Ryan Wilson at the private club he co-founded, The Gathering Spot, at the tailend of January, Hannah-Jones shared that "this episode is very hard, but I wanted us to, as a society, have to confront what we're still doing to Black women and Black babies.”

According to the CDC, in 2020, Black Americans had 2.4 times the infant mortality rate of white Americans, with a maternal mortality rate 2.9 times the rate of white women. The recent “Aftershock,” produced and co-directed by Tonya Lewis Lee which is also on Hulu, explores this, personalizing the crisis. Hannah-Jones’ “The 1619 Project,” as aforementioned, puts a historical lens to it.

“I wanted to do something that particularly spoke to Black women in the institution of slavery, and Black women today, the particular burden that Black women carry, no matter our income, no matter our education,” she explained.

“My dad was born on a cotton plantation in a sharecropper shed because Black women could not deliver in the hospital in his hometown,” she also told Wilson. “So this is a really tough episode, but I hope that people will watch it and learn to understand the particular burden that the Black woman has had.”

Of course, critics continuously question Hannah-Jones' advocacy of linking the past with the present to address today’s glaring racial disparities. But the truth, as Hannah-Jones points out, even using her personal life as the product of a Black man born in Mississippi who married a White woman in Waterloo, Iowa to illustrate certain points, is that they are connected.

“There’s nothing wrong with Black women. We have a Black woman and OB-GYN in (the episode) who says ‘there’s nothing physiologically different about Black women that we should be producing these terrible birth results,'" Hannah-Jones noted. "It is the society, and that’s what the entire ‘1619 Project’ is trying to do or say, ’There’s nothing wrong with Black folks; it is the society.'

"And if you see it," she continued, "you can’t pretend you don’t know and don’t do anything about it.”

Nikole Hannah Jones. Photo/Patti Perret/Hulu

GOOD LOVE:

Heart health is a must

By Max-El Saffold

Some say that love is a drug. And in a way, they’re right.

Think about it: Love can change or enhance sensory perceptions, thought processes and energy levels –which would classify it as a hallucinogen if it really was a drug. One dose can have you “feenin’” like Jodeci, and folks often do all kinds of strange and unwise things to acquire it. But the similarities don’t end there.

Also, like the real thing, the metaphorical drug called, “love” can have a very real effect on your physical and mental health, impacting everything from your mood and stress levels to your immune system, life expectancy, even your actual heart. And in order for the effects to be satisfying, it’s gotta be that strong, that good, that fire – that cheap, “mid” love ain’t gon’ do it

“There’s no evidence that the intense, passionate stage of a new romance is beneficial to health,” says Harry Reis, Ph.D., co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Human Relationships. Reiss believes love has to mature and crystallize into something potent before it starts being really good to you, because “there is very nice evidence that people who participate in satisfying, long-term relationships fare better on a whole variety of health measures,” Reis continued.

So, for the purposes of this article, the terms “love” and “good love” refer to a satisfying, long-term relationship, not the love du jour.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

CARDIAC ARREST VS. HEART ATTACK

CARDIAC ARREST VS. HEART ATTACK

People often use these terms interchangeably, but they are not the same.

WHAT IS CARDIAC ARREST?

CARDIAC ARREST occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly.

Cardiac arrest is triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). With its pumping action disrupted, the heart cannot pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs.

WHAT HAPPENS

Seconds later, a person becomes unresponsive, is not breathing or is only gasping. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment.

WHAT TO DO

Cardiac arrest can be reversible in some victims if it’s treated within a few minutes. First, call your local emergency number and start CPR right away. Then, if an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is available, use it as soon as possible. If two people are available to help, one should begin CPR immediately while the other calls your local emergency number and finds an AED.

CARDIAC ARREST is a LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.

Cardiac arrest affects thousands of people annually with about three quarters of them occurring in the home.

Cardiac arrest is an “ELECTRICAL” problem.

WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK?

A HEART ATTACK occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked.

A heart attack is a “CIRCULATION” problem.

Fast action can save lives.

WHAT IS THE LINK?

Most heart attacks do not lead to cardiac arrest. But when cardiac arrest occurs, heart attack is a common cause. Other conditions may also disrupt the heart’s rhythm and lead to cardiac arrest.

For more information on American Heart Association CPR training classes in your area go to heart.org/cpr

Follow us: facebook.com/AHACPR twitter.com/HeartCPR #CPRsaveslives

A blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. If the blocked artery is not reopened quickly, the part of the heart normally nourished by that artery begins to die.

WHAT HAPPENS

Symptoms of a heart attack may be immediate and may include intense discomfort in the chest or other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath, cold sweats, and/or nausea/ vomiting. More often, though, symptoms start slowly and persist for hours, days or weeks before a heart attack. Unlike with cardiac arrest, the heart usually does not stop beating during a heart attack. The longer the person goes without treatment, the greater the damage.

The heart attack symptoms in women can be different than men (shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain).

WHAT TO DO

Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, call your local emergency number. Every minute matters! It’s best to call your local emergency number to get to the emergency room right away. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive—up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too.

Blocked Artery

Arrhythmia

VIDEO: Making Heart Health a Priority for Black Women (YouTube)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

But how, specifically, does “good love” impact your health, you ask? Let me count the ways…

It all starts with the head, as love’s effects on the brain are numerous.

First off, love triggers the release of two chemicals, dopamine and oxytocin – which might sound dangerous but are totally harmless. Dopamine is the source of the euphoric feeling you get from the very sight of Bae; and oxytocin boosts feelings of attachment, safety and trust, which is why you feel so secure in your person’s arms. When combined, you get a feel-good cocktail that leaves you happier and

more relaxed, which, in turn, positively affects things like your stress and anxiety levels. Love can even reduce depression, according to studies reviewed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The ways “good lovin’” can affect your physical health are even more varied, as people in healthy, loving relationships have been found to have lower blood pressure, experience fewer colds, even feel less pain than those in new relationships, bad relationships and no relationships. Of course, the most beneficial physical benefit of “good love” is the effect on the physical ability to have a healthy sex life.

“The heart that is associated with love, that metaphorical heart, directly impacts on our biological

heart,” explained Dr. Sandeep Jauhar in a 2019 CNN feature about love and heart health. The feature shared findings from researchers that showed people in loving relationships had less risk of cardiovascular problems, heart disease and inflammation that could be “detrimental to the heart,” according to Jauhar.

“People who have healthy, loving relationships have better heart health,” he said.

So even though finding the right supplier might take a while, once you find one with the real love you’re searching for, you’ll be hooked. And you’ll be much happier and healthier.

Love, HealthPlus.

Video/American Heart Association