Health (374)
In 1983, Eleanor Hinton Hoytt counted as one of 2,000 women at the first National Conference on Black Women's Health at Spellman College in Atlanta. Her involvement as an organizer was prompted by her grave concerns about the state of black women's physical and emotional health. Then, as now, she said, her trepidation was summed up in a nutshell by Fannie Lou Hamer's famous utterance of being "sick and tired of being sick and tired."
Much to her chagrin, Hoytt said black women in America are not significantly better off from a health perspective than they were more than 30 years ago.
So Hoytt, president of the Black Woman's Health Imperative, said she decided to write a book, "Health First! The Black Woman's Wellness Guide" which she describes as a step-by-step guide to better health and living. Her co-author is Hilary Beard, an award-winning health journalist who specializes in health, healthy lifestyles and personal development.
The book is divided by age group and caters to women from 20 to 74, Hoytt said. For each group, the book offers facts and information and that are of benefit to adolescents, young adults, those in mid-life and the mature. It dispels myths while concentrating on the Top 10 health risks and the effects of these - violence, cancer, depression, heart diseases, obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and strokes on black women.
Rather than presenting just a snapshot of the health landscape, the authors share with readers how to beat the odds by developing and adhering to healthy lifestyles and then they focus on how black women can take care of themselves by embracing the concepts of healthy bodies, minds and spirits. Of equal importance is what they term as "self-care" – from knowing one's body and assessing one's health, to drawing a hot bath, replete with candles and soft music to keeping annual medical checkups.
One of the books most appealing features is the personal stories of women who spoke about having a heart attack or a stroke, coping with depression and dealing with other health challenges. Their stories are poignant, inspiring and illustrate the womens' triumph against the odds.
"The book delves into "who we are, how we are and what we know about ourselves, seeing ourselves differently with a new set of eyes and the potential of knowing we can be well," said Hoytt. "I want women to travel a path towards spiritual healing and emotional and physical health. We see this as life-changing. It's not a recipe. We're asking them to look at themselves and see the real truths."
"We indulge in a lot of denial, self-neglect and lack of self-love. This is a move toward tough care," said Hoytt, 68.
At the risk of sounding naïve, Hoytt said she seeks nothing less than a revolution around black women and their health.
"Women understand the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit," she said. "We call on our spirit's help in order to be okay. But it's not enough. I truly believe that if one person does it, more can. I want a revolution. This is not enough for us. We need happiness, joy and good relationships."
"...We have to change, achieve health equity and begin changing our actions, looks, speech, attitude and language. We have to come to grips with what makes us happy."
In the book's foreword, Byllye Y. Avery, founder of the Black Women's Health Imperative, recalls the driving forces behind the conference.
"Over 2,000 black women came together to start conversations about topics previously thought unspeakable: emotional and sexual abuse, domestic violence and abortion. We talked about becoming pregnant as teenagers and how being mothers too early meant being mothers for too long. We knew we had to take the risk of talking honestly about things we'd never talked about before," wrote Avery, an activist on women's issues and winner of a MacArthur Foundation Genius Award in 1989.
"We simply knew that, in Fannie Lou Hamer's famous words, we were 'sick and tired of being sick and tired.' We knew those words described our frustrations, our anguish, and our need to connect with other black women who felt the same urgent drive to find the tools that would engage us in changing our lives."
Hoytt agrees with Avery that most black women are unaware that they are entangled "in a conspiracy of silence, keeping ourselves victims of the oppression that racism, sexism, classism and homophobia fueled."
She said black women have been abused, ignored and neglected, and though they want to be well, "no one has given us permission to take that first step." Black women often live lives of quiet desperation that is characterized by lack of access to adequate healthcare, having to raise children as single mothers, being caught up in dysfunctional and sometimes violent relationships and marriages, and grappling with a range of health and other related issues, all of which take a massive toll on their health and well-being.
Black women, Hoytt said, face some formidable challenges. She cited the fact that the median income for about 20 million black women in America is $26,000. One in four black women suffer from diabetes or its complications; too many are abused by their spouses and boyfriends; they're not making enough money; have less than perfect children; live in neighborhoods with inadequate lighting and the absence of parks and green space; and have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30.
The book's introduction further details the stunning array of issues black women face.
"Michelle Obama may be the our nation's first black First Lady, and Oprah Winfrey may have been crowned as the most powerful female force in the American media and among the wealthiest women in the world, but the average black woman struggles. She struggles to get a decent education, earn a living wage and sustain meaningful relationships."
"She struggles to gain the social support she needs, fights society's negative perceptions of her, and deal with her own low self-esteem. She struggles to take care of her children and loved ones, and she struggles even more to take care of her physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being."
Black women's lives "play out within a 'perfect storm' of disease, oppression and misguided optimism," Hoytt explained. The implications for black women's health – or the lack of it – have troubling ramifications for the entire black community. If black women continue to live unhealthy lifestyles and succumb to diseases as varied as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and some cancers, communities across this country will be rocked to their core, Hoytt asserts.
"There is so much against us," she said. "We have not delved into truth and we need to. We have to say no, push the plate aside, take to walking 10 blocks away."
Despite the dire scenario, Hoytt, mother of a 37-year-old daughter, said all is not lost.
Women who fall into the 40-64 age-group represent the largest number of black women. They earn more and have a better chance of making more money. They usually have health insurance and have the greatest potential to have a partner.
Women, she said, need to recognize and understand the varied factors which influence women's decisions, shape their lives and ultimately provide a path to good health.
She said she is confident that black women can do as they have done through this country's history and overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
One positive development in black women's favor is President Obama's healthcare law which provides "an institutional path that will give us access to better care and put more of us in charge of our health. We will no longer have to make co-payments for preventive services such as mammograms, PAP tests and testing for STDS," the authors explain in the book's Introduction.
"If we get sick we no longer need to worry about our policies being cancelled or unreasonable limits set on the amount of care that's covered ..."
At the end of the day, Hoytt said, there is a certain beauty of black women wresting control of every aspect of their lives.
"What would it take to be healthy, black and female?" she asked. "This is the right time, the right conditions. With health reform, this is the right time. We need to take advantage of this. This is the opportune time to take advantage of essential preventative health practices."
"Women deserve more ... we have degrees, job titles, positions, relationships and travel abroad but are we healthy? I think not. Women have a responsibility to protect themselves, love themselves and know themselves. Once they assume that responsibility, they'll really be okay."
Hoytt will be at three book signings this week in the region:
2/1/2012 – Washington, D.C.
Lecture & Book signing—12 p.m. – 2 p.m.;
National Education Association
1201 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C.
2/1/2012 - Washington, D.C.
Lecture & Book signing– 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.;
Busboys & Poets
2021 14th St NW
Washington, D.C.
2/2/2012 – Baltimore, Md.,
Lecture & Book signing– 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Enoch Pratt Free Library,
400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Md.
In our fast paced world, stress is something we live with - day in and day out. It isn't going away. We need to learn to live with it - and get the upper hand. Or it will take its toll on our health.
Stress is defined as our reaction to the external environment as well as our inner thoughts and feelings. It isn't only what happens to us that creates stressful feelings, but it's how we feel about what happens to us. Learning to control our thoughts through meditation, yoga, and other mind quieting techniques can be very helpful in reducing stress levels. Like the Buddhists say, become the calm in the center of the storm.
No one can live without experiencing some degree of stress all the time, according to Hans Selye, M.D., the father of modern stress research. He writes in his book, The Stress of Life: "Stress is not even necessarily bad for you; it is also the spice of life, for any emotion, any activity causes stress. But, of course, your system must be prepared for it."
During times of increased stress, our body's nutrients are used more rapidly to meet these needs so we require increased amounts of many of these nutrients. The antioxidant vitamins A, E and C, the B vitamins and the mineral zinc, selenium, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sulfur and molybdenum are some of the nutrients that are commonly depleted by stress.
Fortunately there are a number of ways to prepare the body for stress. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Meditate, pray, or do yoga each morning. The simple technique of quieting the mind, following the breath, and relaxing the body can put you in the right frame of mind for getting through a stressful day with a positive mental attitude.
At Work. During the day the stress mounts, whether at home or at your place of work. This can result in tension, headaches, back pain or lack of focus and general unproductivity. A few simple ways to help reduce these stress symptoms is to: Change your position or take a quick walk around the office, drink some water, stretch, or do a yoga exercise. One great way to accomplish this is right on your computer, Reduce Stress at Your Desk on Holistic.com has 4 free different streaming video exercises designed to be done in your chair that target your neck, back, shoulders and upper back. They run from 4-6 minutes each and have proven to be effective.
2. Exercise. Walking 20 minutes per day can change body chemistry in a way that calms the nervous system and reduces stress levels. Aerobic exercise is especially good for producing endorphins in the body - which are natural soothing hormones released during sustained exercise.
3. Make dietary changes. Reducing sugar, carbohydrates, caffeine and alcohol in your diet can go a long way towards getting your body back into a healthful balance. It's now recognized that when we eat carbohydrates, these foods turn directly into sugar in our bodies. The more sugar we eat, the more depleted our B-vitamins become. B-vitamins are essential for a healthy nervous system.
4. Supplement with vitamins and minerals. Taking a daily multi-vitamin, mineral supplement and B-vitamin supplement can strengthen your nervous system whether you're already depleted by stress or storing up for an onslaught of stressful circumstances. The mineral calcium is especially helpful for calming the nerves and toning up the nervous system. Athletes preparing for a race understand that extreme physical activity can be stressful and boost their bodies with nutrients beforehand. Take 3,000 mg of Vitamin C per day to help maintain a healthy nervous system while under stress.
5. Use herbs in tincture and tea form to calm yourself:
The Ginsengs: Both Panax ginseng (Korean ginseng) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) have been shown in numerous studies to support adrenal function and enhance resistance to stress. Both Ginsengs are adaptogens, which means they restore balance, stimulating a function when it is low, subduing it when high. Both can be used to restore vitality, increase feelings of energy and well being, increase mental and physical performance and enhance the body's response to stress.
Valerian: clinical studies have shown valerian's ability to relieve insomnia, decreasing time needed to fall asleep while increasing deep sleep.
Kava Kava: European studies have found Kava effective in the treatment of nervous anxiety, insomnia, restlessness as well as reduce heart palpitations, chest pains, headache and gastric irritation.
Enjoy a cup of herbal tea at night. Create a bedtime ritual of drinking chamomile tea to relax. Or try an herbal liquid tincture sleep formula containing chamomile.
Homeopathic remedies are scientifically proven effective and side-effect free. Try one of the many sleep formulas on the market that contain chamomilla and other sleep inducing remedies.
As part of the American Dental Association's (ADA) 10th Annual Give Kids a Smile Day Program, Friendship Public Charter School will partner with Howard University to provide free dental care for students from Friendship's Chamberlain Elementary Campus on Friday, Feb. 3.
Give Kids a Smile Day is the ADA's program to highlight the lack of proper oral care for children nationwide.
WHAT: 10th annual "Give Kids a Smile Day"
WHO: Friendship Public Charter School, American Dental Association and the Howard University School of Dentistry
WHERE: Howard University College of Dentistry, 600 W Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20059
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 3, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
For more information contact Dan Cronin at 202-251-9549.
Believe it or not, even with a new year that began for many of us almost a month ago and even with the recent start (Jan. 23) of the Chinese or Lunar New Year, people in the Washington region continue to make—and break—resolutions about all sorts of things. Dr. Mohammed Akhter, director of the D.C. Department of Health (DOH), however, said he wishes people would make and keep just one very common New Year's resolution--be healthier.
"No amount of government intervention can make someone healthy, one needs to take responsibility for her or his own health," Akhter said.
Akhter's admonishment, and rightly so, stems from public health statistics his agency has revealed: Over 18 percent of men and 25 percent of women residing in D.C. are obese. For African-Americans in D.C., the obesity figure jumps up to a whopping 34.9 percent.
These statistics are a major concern for District health officials since obesity is a risk factor for a range of serious chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Lack of exercise and unhealthy diets, particularly drinking sugary beverages such as sodas, are the main contributors to obesity say D.C. health experts.
To combat the District's high rate of obesity, two years ago, DOH issued a detailed report surveying obesity in all eight wards. The report also included an Obesity Action Plan for bringing down obesity as well as hypertension, and diabetes rates.
The plan includes requiring school cafeterias to serve healthy foods, banning sugary beverages from school-based vending machines and reinstituting regular periods of exercise for all public school children.
Racial and ethnic minorities in American have been hit harder than white America by the HIV/AIDS epidemic—hey make up about one-third of the population but two-thirds of all cases, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). In 2009 American Americans made up 14 percent of the population but accounted for 44 percent of all new infections while Hispanics made up 16 percent of the population but 20 percent of new cases in 2009.
All patients infected with HIV, including racial and ethnic minorities, are benefiting from new, more effective therapies developed over the last 15 years. But as patients are living longer, the distribution of cancer has shifted dramatically. While the types of cancer that have been typically associated with AIDS progression are on the decline in the HIV/AIDS population, other types of cancer are now on the rise.
A Tale of Two Diseases
Cancer and HIV/AIDS has always been "a tale of two diseases," according to researchers at NCI. Infection with HIV not only weakens the immune system, leading to AIDS and increasing the risk of opportunistic infections, but also increases the risk of several types of cancer.
One of these cancers is Kaposi sarcoma, or KS. Before the HIV/AIDS epidemic, KS was extremely rare, but with the onset of the epidemic it became more common. Indeed, the increase in KS helped alert doctors to the epidemic in the first place. KS is now one of the three cancers, along with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and invasive cervical cancer, whose presence is part of the criteria for defining whether a per son infected with HIV has developed AIDS. In 1995, 51, 414 people died of AIDS, and 34,000 people with HIV had developed one of these signature cancers in the previous five years.
Since then, progress against HIV infection and AIDS, diagnoses once perceived as an automatic death sentence has been striking," said Dr. Robert Wiltrout, director of NCI's Center for Cancer Research. In 2005, AIDS deaths numbered about 17,000, a reduction of nearly 65 percent from a decade earlier. The incidence of "AIDS-defining" cancers also dropped over this period, form 34,000 in 1991 though 1995 down to about 10,000 between 2001 and 2005.
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