March 2019 Health Wellness and Nutrition Supplement

Back on Track: Reinvigorating Fitness Resolutions & Goals

PRESENTED BY

MARCH 2019 HEALTH, WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

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Reasonable Resolutions

PUBLISHER Denise Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Hamil Harris, Tatyana Hopkins, Jade JamesGist, D. Kevin McNeir, Lauren Poteat, Lee Ross, Dorothy Rowley, Ronda Smith, Sophia Sparks, Sarafina Wright (General Assignment Writer)

PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Demetrious Kinney, Mark Mahonny, Lateef Mangum, Travis Riddick

Southeast resident Katrina Wyder shows off her skills during a session of aerial yoga at 2D Pole & Fit in Fort Washington, Md., led by instructor Dawn Thomas. / Photo

by Katrina Wyder

Like millions, I count myself among the throngs who have made the same New Year’s resolutions for years – and failed to successfully manage them. Some years, the concerted efforts came with a modicum of success and the realization that goals could be achieved. Water intake increased, the recommended 8-hour sleep cycle achieved, and regular workouts managed.

In other years, like a knock-off Patsy Stone swigging Bolli-Stoli cocktails, it took only the slightest temptation for me to throw caution to the wind and swan dive, back into a two-a-day green tea frappuccino habit.

In either regard, I made for good company, as an estimated 8 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and fail to reach them within a two-year period. With nearly half of the country vowing to eat better, take in more exercise, quit smoking and other vices, or make better money management decisions, failure to reach those goals strongly impacts the overall well-being of both the individual and the nation.

Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days, in speaking with Business Insider, suggested that often the rates of failure – and even the inability to reinvigorate those efforts – rests in the underlying motive of the resolution.

“Goals need to be made for the individual. So often, people seem to be influenced by their friends, their family, what they see in society,” Alpert said. “I think it's important for people to set goals that are for themselves and unique to themselves.”

This sentiment echoed through Informer interviews from Washingtonians whose resolves strengthened once their goals took more strategic forms.

With Katrina Wyder, for instance, a systems analyst and Southeast resident, the idea of setting resolutions worked contrary to the ability to manage upheavals that always come with life changes. In what begins as mere challenges to changing course, Wyder said, many people become discouraged because the tasks feel burdensome.

“Everything in life that is worth having requires dedication, persistence and a resolve to get it done. But our lifestyles embrace bad habits there is a different level of resistance we face,” Wyder told the Informer. “I don’t believe the average person should make New Year’s resolutions, but instead work toward smaller, behavioral changes. It’s also good to try new and innovative ways of reaching your targets.”

For Wyder, that has meant trying aerial yoga to combat stress and find her “center,” at instructor Dawn Thomas’ 2D Pole & Fit. Aerial yoga, also known as anti-gravity yoga, is performed in sturdy nylon hammocks, called silks, that are suspended from the ceiling. This allows participants to explore new and traditional yogic postures with their body weight partially or fully supported. The fabric supports your body like a swing, allowing you to perform inverted poses and flips. The result: refined strength, energetic flow, and heightened awareness of breath and body.

“Aerial yoga puts my body into a relaxing place and has worked to center me by pushing my body to an extreme and wonderful place. I was surprised by the flexibility, calm, and energy I gained – and because it has been such a unique experience, it became a class I looked forward to without thinking of it as exercise.”

This Health, Wellness & Nutrition supplement is designed to reinvigorate those New Year’s resolutions by helping readers take a new and innovative approach to making them happen. Whether it’s weight loss, overall health and fitness, support, or re-examining the goals themselves, the Informer invites you to reassess your needs and work actively towards reaching new heights.

Read, Learn, Enjoy!

Dr. S

www.washingtoninformer.com / MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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How to Recognize the Stress and Temptations that Foil Resolutions

By Sophia Sparks Special to the Informer

Remember that episode of The Cosby Show when Olivia had Dr. Huxtable remeasure her height 16 hours after he first measured her height. Dr. Huxtable kept explaining to Olivia that no one grew that fast and he would just tell her how she was the same height as yesterday. Still, Olivia persisted. Dr. Huxtable remeasured Olivia and to his surprise she grew a few inches. He did not understand what he was recording and retook the measurements. Olivia proudly shouted “I know my body. I know my body.” You need to know your body. What clues are your body telling you about its condition?

Your body provides clues in various ways. Two of these ways are stress and temptation. Stress is when the body reacts to any demand. Demands are in every fashion of our lives and can arise from work, school, relationships, danger. Thus, you can never be stress free. The flight or fight response is a perfect example of stress. We don’t think of it as stress but it’s your body’s reaction to stress. Its function is to remove you from perceived

danger. So, not all stress is bad. Some stress invokes reactions to save your life. However, stress needs to be limited or controlled. Even too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

Take the flight or fight response.

Prolonged exposure to your body’s reaction to flight or flight response can cause sleep and digestion suppression due to the amount of adrenaline flowing through your body. Therefore, don’t let stress become a routine.

When stress becomes a routine, your body does not react in a dramatic swing from a normal to heightened reaction. This makes it hard to manage stress since everything seems normal.

Stress management can be simple but time consuming. You must know your body.

Understand what situations cause your body not to respond in a normal way; Identify what daily, weekly, or monthly occurrences cause your body to not function properly.

Some situations on your list can be eliminated while others would have to be changed to lessen the stressful impact to your body; and Eliminate unnecessary calendar events or commitments in

Millions of Americans find it difficult to manage the stress that leads to “falling off the wagon” of our goals and resolutions. / Courtesy photo

your life. You only control yourself not the situation nor other people. When the situation does not go as planned or if someone does not do what you would like, you should not become stressed.

You only control yourself. Work on controlling your reaction to situations.

Another clue your body provides is through temptations.

What makes you want? It is really a mental process. Your thoughts are drawn to focus on one thing. The way you rationalize information is geared towards one goal - obtaining temporary immediate satisfaction. Many

people want to know when or if it is okay to yield to temptation. It depends. Sometimes our temptation is an alert from our body saying that it is in need of something. For example, chocolate cravings are connected to magnesium deficiency. This does not mean that every time you crave chocolate that you are deficient in magnesium.

The best ways to manage temptation will sound like a recovery rehab ad. Truly this is the most common method.

• Identify the trigger and determine if it is a medical issue. If it is a medical issue, you can stop

Knowing your body and what triggers poor decision-making – including food and alcohol consumption – is key to meeting resolution goals. / Courtesy photo

the temptations by getting your body back in balance. If it is not a medial issue, then the remaining steps may help you.

• Take your attention away from the urge and try to eliminate your exposure to situations with that trigger. Don’t put yourself in the situation where you will face the temptation.

• If you encounter the trigger, have a plan of action. For example, what can you substitute physically and/or mentally for that trigger?

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Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia

Healthy, whole foods can be expensive, but with planning and the right choices you can eat well even on a budget. Try these money-saving tricks for wholesome, tasty meals: • Have a plan. This will help you save money and stay on track with healthy choices. Make a grocery list. Check store sales flyers, and try to plan meals around what’s on sale. You might stock up on sale items you use regularly.

• Use vegetables to “bulk up” dishes such as stews, casseroles, stir-fries, burritos, and omelets.

Shop for produce that’s in season to save money, or use frozen veggies. Cabbage, carrots, and sweet potatoes are low cost year round and taste great in most dishes.

• Add beans, lentils, and peas.

These protein-rich foods are inexpensive, healthy, easy to prepare, and taste great added to pasta sauce, rice, soups, and sauces.

• Try nuts. Peanuts, almonds, and other nuts affordably add protein, crunch, and texture to dishes including stir-fries, sandwiches, rice and pasta dishes, and yogurt.

• Skip convenience foods.

Items like individual yogurts, shred-

ded cheese, and bagged salad tend to cost more. You can save money if you can do a little prep work.

• Avoid junk food. Soda, fruit juice, chips, cookies, and other processed foods are usually pricey and provide little nutrition.

• Cook large portions and use leftovers. For example, you could cook chicken with fresh or frozen vegetables in a crock pot as meal one. Meal two, you might add the cooked, chopped chicken and veggies to tortillas along with fajita seasoning, sour cream, salsa, or avocado. For meal three, create fried rice by combining cooked brown rice and a scrambled egg to the rest of the chicken and veggies along with Asian spices. You could also freeze leftovers in smaller sizes for future meals.

• Cook at home. Eating out even one time a month can burn up your budget. When you cook meals yourself, you also tend to eat healthier.

PASTA PRIMAVERA Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

You can tweak this simple but yummy pasta dish with seasonal veggies: shelled green peas, asparagus, green onions, spinach, and

even butter lettuce will add the freshness of spring!

8 ounces dry, whole-wheat spaghetti 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon garlic, minced (about ½ clove) 4 cups mixed cooked vegetables, such as mushrooms, red pepper strips, broccoli florets, carrot sticks, or green beans 15½-ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes 1 5½-ounce can low-sodium tomato juice ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions 1. In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat.

2. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions.

Drain.

3. Meanwhile, combine olive oil and garlic in a large sauté pan.

Cook until garlic is soft, but not browned (about 30 seconds).

4. Add vegetables and cook un-

til vegetables are soft, but not browned (about 3 to 5 minutes).

5. Add diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add spaghetti and parmesan cheese. Toss until the pasta is hot and well mixed, and serve. HS #BestMe Corner

Take Medicines the Right Way: Follow Directions Taking your medicines as prescribed for you is very important to treating illness and preventing complications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that more than half of Americans don’t take their medicines as prescribed, often because they forget, don’t take it seriously, or don’t like the side effects. Your health depends on you taking medicine in the right way. To highlight Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 10 to 16), here are tips for taking medicine correctly: • Read the directions on the label.

Talk with your primary care provider (PCP) or pharmacist about how much you should take and when.

• Do not skip doses.

Taking too much or too little medicine can put you at risk of complications or cause serious damage. For example, you must finish antibiotics completely. Even though you are starting to feel better, bacteria may still be alive in your body.Those germs could form a new strain and make you sick again. Be sure to talk with your PCP before you stop taking your medicines.

• Do not share medicines.

If you are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member and have questions about your medicine, call our 24/7 Nurse Call Line at 1-877-759-6279.

Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Plan Your Weekly Meals,” choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/budget/PlanPurchasePrepare.pdf. • National Institute on Aging, “10 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget,” www.nia.nih.gov/health/10-tips-eatinghealthy-budget. • U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Use Medicines Wisely,” www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ ucm118574.htm. • All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

Find us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AmeriHealthDC • Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC • Find us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC

I got a gift card for getting my prenatal checkup. You can too.

You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are pregnant and within your first trimester • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member

Rewards Program

• See a midwife or OB/GYN for your first prenatal office visit

Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/giftcard to learn more.

Note: A member cannot get more than $50 in incentives each year.

ACDC-1776299

www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com

All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only.

Any individual depicted is a model.

AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, at no cost, are available to you. Call 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 or 1-800-570-1190).

Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 o 1-800-570-1190).

Amharic: ማሳሰቢያ፡ አማርኛ መናገር የሚችሉ ከሆነ፣ ከከፍያ ነጻ የሆነ የቋንቋ ድጋፍ አገልግሎት ይቀርብልዎታል፡፡ በስልክ ቁጥር 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ወይም 1-800-570-1190) ይደውሉ.

1-800-408-7511 ‫ اﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﺮﻗﻢ‬.‫ﺎن‬‫ ﻓﺈن ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻠﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻟﻚ ﺑﺎ‬،‫ إذا ﻛﻨﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬:‫ ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ‬: Arabic .(1-800-570-1190 ‫ أو‬TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ‫)رﻗﻢ ﻫﺎﺗﻒ اﻟﺼﻢ واﻟﺒﻜﻢ‬

www.washingtoninformer.com / MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Meal-based Partnership Aims to Reduce Risks for Pregnant Women in D.C. Food & Friends Providing Medically Tailored Meals to Women in AmeriHealth Caritas DC’s Bright StartSM Program

A unique partnership serving at-risk new and expectant mothers is improving outcomes through home-delivered specialized meals. AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) has partnered with regional non-profit Food & Friends, which specializes in medically tailored meals for individuals with serious illnesses, to provide meals to pregnant women in its Bright StartSM maternal health program. This service is aimed at reducing risks resulting from gestational diabetes, hypertension and preeclampsia, which can cause severe harm to both mother and baby. New mothers can also receive meals to aid recovery and the postpartum transition.

“It is our priority to help improve perinatal outcomes. This partnership allows us to address a social determinant of health, food insecurity, during pregnancy, while connecting members with resources to support their long-term nutritional needs,” said AmeriHealth Caritas DC

Market President Karen M. Dale, R.N., M.S.N. “This intervention is one of a broad array of comprehensive psychosocial services we provide to ensure our members have an equitable chance to achieve positive health outcomes.

“This program provides women with the nutritious meals and education they need to not only manage pregnancy-related conditions, but also set both mother and child on a course for long-term health,” said Carrie Stoltzfus, Executive Director of Food & Friends. “We believe that strategic partnerships between insurance providers and on-the-ground community organizations can provide unique, lasting benefits to our community. We’re excited to partner with AmeriHealth Caritas DC on this innovative program.”

The partnership began in late 2017, but ramped up quickly

in the later half of 2018 after early positive results. Since the inception of the program, 340 expectant mothers have received home-delivered meals through the program. An additional 345 Bright StartSM client dependents have received meals in an effort to improve health and reduce stress for the entire household.

Once enrolled in the service, each participant receives 6 days worth of meals a week, which will continue through eight weeks past delivery. The meals are tailored to meet the specific dietary needs of each woman, as directed by a dietitian or other medical provider. Participants also receive nutrition counseling from a Food & Friends registered and licensed

dietitian.

“For 30 years, Food & Friends has worked to support members of our community by addressing complex health problems through home-delivered meals and nutrition counseling. This program serves a particularly high-need population within our community, and is an important extension of Food & Friends’ mission,” said Stoltzfus.

As the program continues to grow, both organizations are monitoring outcomes closely and have big expectations for significantly improved outcomes for the AmeriHealth members participating in the program.

More health plans are addressing social determinants of health, including food insecurity, to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Similar partnerships have been instituted elsewhere in the country with encouraging results, but the

AmeriHealth Caritas DC/Food & Friends initiative is the first to specifically target high-risk pregnancies and was the first of its kind in the District.

ABOUT FOOD & FRIENDS:

Established in 1988, Food & Friends is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides nutritionally tailored, home-delivered meals to people facing a life-challenging health crisis. We believe that food heals and each year we prepare and deliver nearly 1 million meals across 5,300 square miles to our neighbors – at no charge.

We help our clients feel better, connect them to their community and empower them to manage their illnesses. Over 8,500 volunteers touch more than 3,000 lives annually. At Food & Friends, we are driven by a simple premise: anyone can get sick and everyone can help. www.foodandfriends. org HS

I got a gift card for getting my postpartum checkup. You can too.

You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member

Rewards Program

• See a midwife or OB/GYN within three to eight weeks (21 – 56 days) after giving birth

After your exam, you can sign up for a gift card to one of these retailers: • Walmart • Chipotle • H&M

• Downtown Locker Room (DTLR)

Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/giftcard to learn more.

Note: Member cannot get more than $50 in incentives each year.

ACDC-17124963

www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, at no cost, are available to you. Call 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 or 1-800-570-1190).

Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 o 1-800-570-1190).

Amharic: ማሳሰቢያ፡ አማርኛ መናገር የሚችሉ ከሆነ፣ ከከፍያ ነጻ የሆነ የቋንቋ ድጋፍ አገልግሎት ይቀርብልዎታል፡፡ በስልክ ቁጥር 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ወይም 1-800-570-1190) ይደውሉ.

1-800-408-7511 ‫ اﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﺮﻗﻢ‬.‫ﺎن‬‫ ﻓﺈن ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻠﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻟﻚ ﺑﺎ‬،‫ إذا ﻛﻨﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬:‫ ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ‬: Arabic .(1-800-570-1190 ‫ أو‬TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ‫)رﻗﻢ ﻫﺎﺗﻒ اﻟﺼﻢ واﻟﺒﻜﻢ‬

H-5 HS-5

MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com

All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only.

Any individual depicted is a model.

The New Nutritional Twist on Peanut Butter

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Wellness Corporate Dietitian Albertsons Companies

Calling all peanut butter lovers!

We have a lot to celebrate starting with a revolution happening in the peanut butter aisle. Natural style peanut butter, made with only peanuts and salt, is taking center stage and organic peanut butter options are even available. You won’t believe how pure and amazing natural-style peanut butter tastes without the added sugar or saturated fat. Sure, you have to stir it with a long knife or mini spatula (to incorporate the natural oils) when you first open the jar, but then you store it in the refrigerator and you’re good to go until the jar is empty.

FROM PROTEIN TO SMART FATS

While an honorary member of the nut family, peanuts are technically a legume and they have their own nutritional story to tell. These amazing plant protein packages are balanced with monounsaturated “smart” fats, fiber vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant compounds. With 7 grams of protein

per 1-ounce serving, peanuts have the highest amount of protein compared to other nuts. They also have the highest amount of two B-vitamins compared to other nuts, with one ounce of peanuts contributing 20% of the Daily value for niacin and 10% for folate. Peanuts also give several key minerals a boost including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

TOP NUT IN PHYTOSTEROLS

An ounce of peanuts or natural style peanut butter also adds a nice dose of several antioxidant-acting phytochemicals (plant compounds) starting with the highest amount of phytosterols compared to other nuts. Phytosterols might help inhibit the growth of some cancers and help reduce the risk of heart disease, in part through its effect on LDL “bad” cholesterol. Recent studies suggest that regular peanut consumption may help decrease blood pressure, a condition that affects the majority of American adults. When you switch to natural-style peanut butter, it’s like eating peanuts because only salt is added!

STIR IT UP WITH NATURAL-STYLE PEANUT BUTTER

With all of this going for peanuts, the time has come to promote natural-style peanut butter beyond the predictable PB & J. Natural style peanut butter is a powerful addition to smoothies, oatmeal or overnight oats and works well as a base for energy bites and balls. The whole family will love this easy recipe for Peanut Butter Energy Bites.

You can design your own version of these bites by putting dried cherries or strawberries in the center of the bite and rolling the bites in everything from unsweetened coconut to unsweetened cocoa powder.

PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BITES

Makes 18 bites (9 servings if 2 bites each) Ingredients: 1/2 cup O Organics creamy peanut butter (stir well to blend) 3 tablespoons O Organics maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon maple extract 1/3 cup Signature Select nonfat dry milk powder 1/3 cup ground old fashioned oats (add oats to a mini food processor or similar and pulse to grind) 1/3 cup Signature Select Nutty Nuggets Cereal (similar to Grape Nuts) Optional: Date pieces, Dried cherries or berries (to put in the center of the energy bites) Granola, Unsweetened shredded coconut or Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (to roll the energy bites in) Directions: 1. In a medium sized bowl, blend peanut butter, maple syrup, and maple extract together with a spatula or spoon. Stir in nonfat dry milk powder, ground oats and nuggets cereal until blended.

2. Use a mini cookie scoop (or

tablespoon measure) to grab about a tablespoon of the mixture. Add a dried fruit piece to the center if desired and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in shredded unsweetened coconut, mini semisweet chocolate chips, granola or nugget cereal if desired.

3. Store in the refrigerator in a sealable bag or container until ready to serve or pack in your backpack/ briefcase for the day.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: PER 2 BITES

Calories 157, Total Fat 7.6 g, Saturated Fat 1.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 4.1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol .4 mg, Sodium 81 mg, Potassium 99 mg, Total Carbohydrate 15 g, Dietary Fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 5.5 g, Calcium 42 mg, Iron 1.6 mg HS

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RECENT & RECOMMENDED

Books on Navigating Life’s Challenges and Getting Back on Course HUNGER

Roxane Gay In her phenomenally popular essays and long-running Tumblr blog, Roxane Gay has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and body, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance, and health. As a woman who describes her own body as “wildly undisciplined,” Roxane understands the tension between desire and denial, between self-comfort and self-care. In Hunger, she explores her past—including the devastating act of violence that acted as a turning point in her young life—and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself.

With the bracing candor, vulnerability, and power that have made her one of the most admired writers of her generation, Roxane explores what it means to learn to take care of yourself: how to feed your hungers for delicious and satisfying food, a smaller and safer body, and a body that can love and be loved—in a time when the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.

OLD IN ART SCHOOL: A MEMOIR OF STARTING OVER

Nell Painter A history professor in her 60s takes a break from teaching at Princeton University to go to art school in this witty and perceptive memoir. After enrolling at Rutgers University in the fall of 2007, Painter (The History of White People), quickly immerses herself in her drawing and painting classes as she wryly observes her younger classmates “upholding art-school sartorial drama in bright yellow hair and piercings.” She notes that her fellow students, who know far less of the world than she does, are better painters, and she explores how her thinking

as a historian hobbles her as an artist.

Her “20th century eyes favored craft... narrative and meaning” while her 21st century classmates and teachers preferred the “DIY aesthetic” and appropriation from popular culture (e.g., cartoons, pornography). Painter goes on to attend graduate school at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she feels like a misfit as the oldest—and only black—student in her class, and is also unappreciated for her intellectual sophistication, though she ultimately develops her own aesthetic and confidence in her work. This is a courageous, intellectually stimulating, and wholly entertaining story of one woman reconciling two worlds and being open to the possibilities and changes life offers.

THE YEAR OF YES

Shonda Rhimes The instant New York Times bestseller from the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder shares how saying YES changed her life. “As fun to read as Rhimes’s TV series are to watch” (Los Angeles Times).

She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today. Her iconic characters live boldly and speak their minds.

So who would suspect that Shonda Rhimes is an introvert? That she hired a publicist so she could avoid public appearances? That she suffered panic attacks before media interviews?

With three children at home and three hit television shows, it was easy for Shonda to say she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. And then, over Thanksgiving dinner, her sister muttered something that was both a wake up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything. Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.

THE BOOK OF JOY

Desmond Tutu and Dali Lama Two spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on

the planet.

In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy.

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www.washingtoninformer.com / MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Colorectal Cancer

Screening, detection and early treatment are key While it is difficult to predict which health conditions may affect you in the future, you can look to your family history and lifestyle to offer some hints about what may increase your risk—especially for certain types of cancer. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and it is a natural time to learn more about any history of this illness in your family and to discuss the importance of screening tests to lower your risk of developing it.

WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER?

Colorectal cancer impacts the large intestine, or the colon and the rectum – the last part of the digestive system - and according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is also the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. However, unlike some other types of cancer-- it is highly preventable. With appropriate screening to detect colorectal cancer and to get timely treatment, patients can have more control over their health.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN INCREASE RISK?

Similar to other illnesses, personal and family history can play an important role. Talk to family and loved ones to find out if anyone in your family has had this type of cancer.

Having a first degree relative (mother, father, sibling or child) can increase your risk. If you have had a history of colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel disease, including conditions like ulcerative colitis (a condition that causes inflammation in the bowels) or Crohn’s disease, that can increase chances of having colorectal cancer.

Other personal medical conditions may be associated with an increase in risk for colorectal cancer and lifestyle choices can affect your health as well.

Being overweight or obese, smoking or heavy alcohol use, can all increase the risks. It is important to review your family, personal medical history and lifestyle choices with your doctor.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT COLORECTAL CANCER?

In addition to learning about individual risk factors and making healthy changes, following screening guidelines is just as critical. Screening doesn’t need to be uncomfortable, costly or take a lot of time. There are different options available. The

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United States Preventative Task Force recommends persons of average risk receive routine colorectal cancer screening between the age of 50-75.

Risk factors like family history or other medical conditions can affect the age to start screening, the type of screening test used and the frequency it is performed. African-Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a younger age and more frequently, when compared with other groups, so the ACG recommends screening for colon cancers beginning at age 45. For people of average risk, ages 50 to 75, the FIT test (Fecal immunochemical test) is an annual noninvasive screening test. The FIT allows patients to collect a small stool sample at home and mail it to a lab for processing.

Your physician will contact you with the results and discuss whether more testing is recommended. If your test is positive, indicating blood in the stool, you will be referred for a colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy can be completed as a follow up to a positive FIT test or may be used as a primary screening test as well. This procedure would be performed at a medical office and requires you to be sedated to allow a specialist to look closely for any abnormalities, like polyps (which can be pre-cancerous growths). The results of the colonoscopy, as well as personal and family medical history, help to determine the frequency of this test.

Other screening options are also available so talk with your doctor to determine the best option for you.

IN BETWEEN SCREENINGS, WHAT SYMPTOMS CAN YOU LOOK FOR?

Screenings are so important because most early colorectal cancers do not show any symptoms. The goals of screening are to help prevent colon cancer by removing a polyp that could turn into cancer over time or finding a cancer in an earlier stage. If you notice changes like blood in the stool, difficulty in passing stool, and abdominal pain its best to share those concerns with your physician.

Knowing your health history, managing your risk factors and following screening guidelines can make all the difference in preventative care.

HS Rebecca Fitch, MD was interviewed for this article, and is proud to be a practicing Internal Medicine physician and the Physician Director of Population Care Management with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical group. Dr. Fitch cares for patients at the Kaiser Permanente Northwest, DC Med-

ical Center. This article was contributed by Kaiser Permanente, a regional not-for-profit health system which provides top-rated care and coverage for its nearly 800,000 members in the Mid-Atlantic region. The organization recently received accreditation from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer with commendation and achieved a screening rate of 84.95% for colorectal cancer, according to the 2018 National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Quality Compass® data. The annual Quality Compass data assesses the performance of nearly 400 Private/Commercial health plans nationwide spanning all lines of business on critical clinical quality and service standards.

The annual Quality Compass database includes scores from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, or HEDIS, a tool that is used by more than 90 percent of America’s health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service, including medication management, maternal care and respiratory conditions.

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Reinvigorating Resolutions to Ensure Goal Success BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE PAST TO MOVE It is month three of the new INTO THE FUTURE

By Sophia Sparks Special to the Informer

year and many are already struggling to stick with their New Year’s resolution(s). It is the same thing every year. You set a goal and begin the New Year with such will power. As time goes by, the resolution is ultimately broken. But you are hardly alone.

In fact, according to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. Among top resolutions in 2018, as in most years, saving money and losing weight (53 percent of respondents said to save money, while 45 percent wanted to lose weight or get in shape).

Despite best laid plans, often our New Year’s resolutions fail, say psychologists, because either we are overwhelmed by the task or the resolution becomes emotionally irrelevant. So, how do you reinvigorate your resolution and get back on track? Here are some simple ways to do just that.

Think about what led to previous resolution failures. Is this resolution something you want to do or is it something someone else suggested for you? You must find an emotional connection to resolutions.

REDEFINE YOUR RESOLUTIONS INTO SHORT-TERM GOALS

Don’t try to overhaul your entire lifestyle in one action, because this makes your resolution seem unattainable, leading to frustration until you lose interest.

Turn this long-term goal into multiple actions or steps. For example, if your resolution was to give up candy, instead of attempting to do so cold turkey, do it progressively. Short-term goals could be to only buy snack-size candy, to drink a glass of water prior to eating candy, or to refrain from storing candy at home or work. After a set amount of

time, those goals may shift to include an alternative to candy such as peanut butter and celery sticks. This example reduces of the amount of candy and can easily lead to eliminating candy intake completely.

If you encounter an obstacle and get stuck, you are less likely to quit because the short-term goal seems within reach. Now you are energized and more determined to stay the course. This emotional stimulation leads to feelings of being energized, and the realization that success is attainable. When you don’t have short-term attainable goals, you tend to feel defeated rather than

empowered. This results in a loser-takes-less effect on the brain resulting in the feeling of loss.

SET A DEADLINE FOR EACH GOAL

Setting deadlines will motivate you to move towards a mark.

Think of deadlines as pitstops on a long road trip. By stretching your legs and viewing other sites, you enjoy the journey and don’t focus as much on the final destination. The trip doesn’t seem as long, which prevents frustration.

Using the same example as before, get a calendar and mark all deadlines. By the end of month one, drink a glass of water before eating candy. Within two months, continue drinking water before eating candy and only buy the 10-pack candy snack size. Each short-term goal builds upon the last goal. Eventually, candy will be removed and replaced with the alternative snack.

BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR SHORT-TERM GOALS

Thinking back to arousal – biased competition, Fecteau & Munoz detailed two factors that determine priority in their 2006 article “Salience, Relevance, and Firing: A Priority Map for Target Selection.” One factor refers to how the individual assigns importance to something and the expectations set. Are the short-term goals putting you in a position to achieve something you care about? The other factor refers to how well something draws your attention. If you think the alternative option to a candy bar is nasty and does not give nostalgic feelings, the alternative solution will always invoke a “negative” emotion and you will continue to fail at that resolution until you change your perception.

KEEP AT IT

Remember two things: celebrate small and big wins, and you will have days when you want to quit. Wanting to quit is normal.

Don’t let this become an excuse.

You are not alone. Call someone who can help you get through the obstacle and continue on with your plan. HS

www.washingtoninformer.com / MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Support Groups, an Overlooked Key to Reaching Goals

By Sophia Sparks Special to the Informer Social relationships affect not only your mind but also your body. Whether you have a formal support group or utilize a support system consisting of your family and friends, staying connected can improve your overall wellbeing. Favorable exchange with your support/social network effects your blood pressure, mood or mental outlook, and other bodily functions. Additionally, when the stress and temptations of life fall upon many African Americans the idea of reaching out for help through support groups is almost unthinkable.

Some point to the drastically low representation of people of color in support fields, while others attribute the reticence to historical factors. A 2018 study by the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), for instance, found that only 6.2 percent of psychologists, 5.6 percent of advanced-practice psychiatric nurses, 12.6 percent of social workers, and 21.3 percent of psychiatrists are members of minority groups. Additionally, only 3.7 percent of members in the American Psychiatric Association and 1.5 percent of members in the American Psychological Association are Black.

Karen Smith, a current support group member, shared how attending her support group was her way of gaining control of her social anxiety disorder. Although she takes medication, it still did not remove the perceived terror of unfamiliar social settings nor the resulting digestive issues, asthma attacks or headaches.

In her support group setting, she described feelings of calm and acceptance especially since she knew someone who attended that meeting. Smith did not feel judged, which lowered her anxiety, and prevented headaches, asthma attacks, and overeating.

“Being around people who get it put me at ease. I was brought up to be really guarded with personal issues; however, I have learned new coping strategies within my group, helping me to enjoy more social outings and the company of others,” Smith told the Informer.

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Support groups have been villainized in many communities that cherish family ties and the restriction of outsiders from personal issues. / Courtesy photo

“Whether it’s dealing with a life challenge, or keeping to a New Year’s resolution, support groups offer a secure environment to move forward.”

Similarly, Lakeytria Johnson, a former support group member, told the Informer that her attendance at group meetings were stressful at first because she was taught by family members to avoid sharing family issues with ‘outsiders.’

She said that those closest to her did not understand what she was going through nor why she could not get over family issues quickly.

“I questioned my coping ability and felt ashamed because I could not deal with that situation on my own. In my family, you deal with your situation on your own. If you need help, you go to a family member or close friend not a stranger.” stated Johnson. “But even with the negative connotation associated with support groups, I went for my sanity.”

Johnson said her situation consumed most of her day and caused her to feel as if she was not living, only existing.

“I could not live the rest of my life like this. I had to make a change. Joining that support group helped me change my quality of life back to my normal. Now, I have the energy to exercise and enjoy the company of others,” Johnson said.

The perception difference concerning support groups, according to Dr. Jennifer Kasey, a Nashville-based licensed psychologist, thrives within African-American communities and keeps many from seeking needed support.

“This negative association towards support groups from minority patients derived from minorities sharing information to obtain assistance, only to have that information utilized to harm, take advantage, or reduce their rights as human beings,” Kasey said. “As a result, many African Americans have taught their children to look within themselves and family members to cope with all situations that arise in life. However, individuals born in this generation are not equipped

In the scientific community, we have seen evidence to show how poor social ties and social isolation yields increased mortality risks.

Dr. Jennifer Kasey

to deal or harbor those feelings internally without negatively affecting their wellbeing.”

Kasey said that support groups may be ideal for those who want the feel of community without seeking one-on-one counseling for life concerns.

“In the scientific community, we have seen evidence to show how poor social ties and social isolation yields increased mortality risks. Many of these begin as lifestyle issues that people attempt to address each new year. There is also

MARCH 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com

a strong association between favorable social exchange and reduced psychotic disorders,” Kasey said. “Recall, the goal of receiving support is to get to the point where you can go about your day without additional assistance.” HS

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