Tag Archives: Health

Current News

Can Black people hide from covid? – part I

Oh, where to start? Despite all the political wind blowing
around this unique and devastating virus, there are some
facts and there are questions. Determining which “facts”
are actually true and getting straight answers to the
questions is the subject of another post which will follow
this one.

First things first. How do you deal with fear and/or risk?
With facts and action. What do we know?

Prevention works best.

COVID Vaccine is considered the best bet to
reduce the presence of the virus in the most
vulnerable in our population. Contact your
doctor or county health dept. for info.

Don’t get it to begin with. Stay home. Keep
your home clean and safe. Keep “messy” (you know what
we mean!) people away from your space. There will
always be that “friend” who wants to “share” their
misery with you. Don’t do it. COVID is not a team
sport.

Wash your hands! For a full twenty seconds with soap
and water. 60%+ alcohol spray is not enough.

Wear a mask. It won’t hurt you and it saves on makeup
and shaving (for men). Wear one outdoors, indoors if
there’s others around, but keep your washable masks
washed and change your paper masks regularly. (Re-
member you sneezed in that other one yesterday.)

Do carry out or delivery rather than eating in a restaurant.
Sooooo many people got infected at restaurants.

We’ve heard over and over again from researchers,
holistic practitioners, nurses, etc. about natural
remedies, etc. Many of us know those time tested
remedies our parents have sworn by from Caribbean,
African and southern American cultures. Many of
them are rooted in the same natural substances that
prescription and over-the-counter remedies are modeled
after. Whether your abuela, grandma or mum managed
to always pull you out of the sick bed with her special
blend, be careful with this one. Just remember, that you
may only have one chance to get this wrong.

Get strong and stay strong

Here are some inexpensive vitamins and minerals that may
strengthen your immune system. Along with sleep
and exercise, they might help. These are some we’ve
heard recommended:

  • Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
  • Vitamin C (You can find it buffered and in crystalline
    form at Whole Foods & nutrition shops)
  • Quercetin (antioxidants)
  • Zinc unsweetened lozenges or pills
  • Fish oil capsules or liquid (Look for Omega-3
    wild salmon or Alaskan cold water fish oil)
  • Oil of oregano capsules (Take only as directed)
    and alternate it with
  • Black Elderberry extract capsules

Consult your doctor or pharmacist for dosages.
Or take a look at the recommendations in guides
like Smart Medicine for Healthier Living. Remem-_
ber, accuracy in supplement names, dosages and
good quality natural brands makes a difference.

Read what else we learned….

Current News, Lifestyle

Marijuana miseries you can sidestep

Marijuana has been legalized and people are lighting up everywhere.
A weekend stroll to the local town center on a Saturday night revealed
an overhead cloud shared by teens, senior couples and bemused Gen-Xers. Grandparents hosting their visiting grandchildren seemed confused.

That’s nice that a cause of life limiting incarceration of people of color
can no longer be used to create criminal records that block them from
accessing college finances and any hope of a good job. On the other
hand, even if you’ve smoked for years, there may be alot you don’t
know about marijuana. Questions like these:

  • What’s in it?
  • Isn’t it harmless?
  • Will it affect fertility?
  • This couldn’t effect my moods, right?
  • If I’m high, that’s not the same as driving drunk, is it?
  • Will marijuana affect my brain, long term?
  • It’s not as dangerous as cigarette smoke, right?
  • What if I smoke when I’m pregnant?

So many questions. Let’s start with the last one. What if you
smoke while you are pregnant?

Turns out researchers have been investigating this now for
40 years. A new study shows that the children born to mothers
who smoke during or soon after pregnancy are twice as likely to
become anxious, hyperactive or aggressive as other kids.

There is a growing body of evidence that indicates connections
between cannabis use during pregnancy and psychiatric
problems in children. Mothers who smoke to ease morning
sickness and anxiety can end up with longer term anxiety in
response to ongoing problems with their children.

2016 research is showing that in California nearly twice as
many women reported smoking pot while pregnant.

Read more about cannabis & pregnancy
Lifestyle

Add this to your healthy- black-self diaries

You want to be more than just a pretty face…..you want to be
a healthy mind and body!

We, black & brown folks, are at the head of so many
lists. The smartest, hardest working, most beautiful
souls but, (black men) with highest increasing rate
of colorectal cancer between ages 29 – 45 (!) of all
racial groups.

What has led to this? There are many contributing
causes.Heredity plays a part for 50% of all cases.
We can’t control that. Researchers think that diet plays an important part. We can control that. See how many check marks
you score on this list of colorectal cancer favorite foods:

  • Sodas & sugary beverages
  • Red meat
  • Sandwich meats/processed meats
  • High fat intake
  • White bread
  • Alcohol
  • Sugar
  • Fast foods

Other conditions that are associated with increased risk
of colon or rectal cancer are obesity, lack of exercise &
smoking. Having a family history of colon cancer may
make you especially vulnerable even with a normal diet.
That’s why getting checked is essential if there is someone
in your lineage who has had colon or rectal cancer.

The death of actor Chadwick Boseman at age 43 has brought the increasing occurrence of colon cancer among people of color to the forefront.
Chadwick Boseman_Photo by Gage Skidmore July 23, 2016

The world was stunned when actor, Chadwick Boseman,
left the world at only 43 years old. He died from colon cancer.
His death has brought visibility to the fact that people are
getting this type of cancer earlier and earlier in life.

There are many ways to screen for this cancer, both with
tests that you can take at home and colonoscopies
performed on an outpatient basis under anesthesia.
The earlier it’s found, the easier it is to treat. In younger
people, it is showing up in more advanced stages by the
time symptoms are noticed. With a variety of home tests
available, (Check with your doctor’s office to clarify whether
and how your insurance will cover it), why not get tested
and ease your mind.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3rd most common cancer
among both men and women. It used to be more prevalent in
adults 68 and older.

One can see alot of ways that you could fall into habits that
set you up for this cancer. For example, it is frequent that folks
with depression also complain of constipation and weight gain.
Depression can make it feel like the hardest task in the world
to put on your shoes and head out for a run or to the gym.
Succumbing to cravings for foods that are emotionally satisfying
(“comfort foods”) often results in more depressive
lows. Those subtle emotions can also trigger you to reach for
alcohol, cigarettes and whatever else makes you feel a
little better in the short run.

How can you start a change, today?

Take a long walk, watch a funny movie, eat a piece of
fruit, draw, exercise, meditate, sing, write a poem or a
“get it off your chest” letter (don’t mail it-tear it up)
to your boss or ex. Get it out of your body, so that
healthy, fresh, new food and new ideas can come in.

For more info, check out the American Cancer Society’s
recommendations.

Current News

Are black people protected from covid-19 by taking vitamin d?

…Black people with vitamin D3 levels of only 30-40 ng/ml had a 2.64 times higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than those with levels of 40 ng/ml or greater.*

Most physicians are testing and recommending vitamin D3 supplementation for folks who live above the Mason-Dixon line. Vitamin D has been found to be deficient in dark skinned people and to those who are not exposed to sufficient amounts of sunlight. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), the most active form of vitamin D, is created when the skin is exposed to sunlight. In the northern half of the United States and in the winter months, our bodies do not produce adequate amounts of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important to the immune system. It protects against muscle weakness and helps to regulate the heartbeat. It aides in the prevention and treatment of breast and colon cancer, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. It is needed for normal blood clotting and to regulate thyroid function. Vitamin D helps strengthen bones and reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

It is estimated that at least 76% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

A recent research study at the University of Chicago Medicine found that Black people with levels of only 30 to 40 ng/ml had a 2.64 times higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than those with levels of 40 ng/ml or greater.*

Dr. David Meltzer, Chief of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago and is the lead author of the study. He became interested in investigating this after seeing an article in 2020 about the effects of vitamin D supplementation. That article noted that people randomly assigned to take vitamin D supplementation had much lower rates of viral respiratory infection than those who did not take the supplements. People with darker skin who comprise nearly half of the world’s population have vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml.

Vitamin D3 is inexpensive and readily available at drugstores and grocery stores. Dr. Meltzer said, “Currently, the adult recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 600 to 800 international units (IUs) per day. The National Academy of Medicine has said that taking up to 4,000 IUs per day is safe for the vast majority of people, and risks of hypercalcemia increases at levels over 10,000 IUs per day.”

However, some cholesterol-lowering drugs , antacids, mineral oil and steroid hormones such as cortisone may interfere with absorption. Because some thiazide diuretics, such as chlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroDIURIL, Oretic) disturb the body’s calcium/vitamin D ratio, taking over 1,000 IU daily may cause a decrease in bone mass.**

Check with your doctor.

** Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Ed., Penguin Books, 2006

*Li Y, Tong CH, Bare LA, Devlin JJ. Assessment of the Association of Vitamin D Level With SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity Among Working-Age Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(5):e2111634. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11634