Summer Reading | 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings'

Hello friends,

I'm back with another blog post!

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

Every summer I embark on a quest to read as many books as I can. I enjoy reading throughout the summer days, because this is the time that I have more free time. More time to immerse myself in a good story, to loathe certain characters, to love others, and to become part of another world.

I began my summer reading with 'I know why the caged birds sings' by Maya Angelou. I've never read her autobiography before (don't know why) but I'm glad I finally got the chance to do so. My favorite lines in the book is this one (on page 272):

" The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance."

 I had the wonderful opportunity to hear her speak last year, to marvel, to be inspired. Such a phenomenal woman!

What are you reading this summer? I would love to know, possibly add them to my summer reading list. :o)

Zumba + Soca Music = Fun workouts!

Hello peeps! 

I am back with a new blog post under my new and improved blog name-----> Lilia's Healthbook!

Do you like the new name?

As a West Indian, I love soca music. I love dancing to soca music. I love listening to soca music.

I came across Shani McGraham's youtube channel. (btw I love YT). She combines my love for exercise and soca/reggae music effortlessly in well-choreographed Zumba steps.

My favorite Zumba workout from her channel is 'Bend Over' by Machel Montano

Before my workout I dance to 1 or 2 of her Zumba videos to warm up.

I enjoy physical activity and when physical activity is combined with awesome workout music makes exercising that much more enjoyable. 

Here are some of the many the benefits of consistent physical activity and exercise

• Decreases stress levels by changing one's mood due to the release of endorphins
• Allows you to sleep better at night
• As you sweat, you rid the body of toxins
• Burns extra calories
• Maintains body shape
• Tones and firms
• Alleviates menstrual cramps
• Enhances the immune system
• Support the transport of oxygen throughout the body
• Helps with mental focus and clarity etc. etc. etc.

Why do you exercise?

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*My* thoughts on Bloomberg's proposed plan to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 oz.

Hello lovelies,

I'm back with another blog post!

These are my thoughts on NYC Mayor Bloomberg's proposed plan to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 oz. in restaurants.

source

As individuals we recognize the huge benefits of investing in health. Healthy people are more productive, energetic, and happier. For example, the health of children and their learning is reciprocally related. The World Medical Association states, that when we live longer, healthier lives, we have more time to do our jobs, play with our children, and watch our grandchildren grow up. 

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in an effort to combat obesity has proposed to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 oz in restaurants, movie theaters, concession stands, and food carts (basically any establishment regulated by the health department). The idea is that someone would drink less soda and sugary drinks if they can only purchase those smaller than 16 oz. I think we as a people eat what we see. We eat certain foods, because they are readily available and easy to get. Soda and other sugary drinks are affordable and plentiful. They are everywhere and addictive; let’s face it, sugar can be a drug.

As a health educator, I can tell you through research and my studies, in communities where people suffer the most ill health, there tends to be an abundance of fast food restaurants that sell processed foods, junk foods etc. People who live in those neighborhoods tend to gravitate to those foods more so than healthier food, because they are more affordable and again plentiful. 

I personally think that if the plan is passed, people would be less likely to buy two 16 oz drinks, thus reducing their intake of sugar and would most likely just get one drink. If drinks larger than 16 oz don’t exist, guess what people won’t buy it. I personally think the ban is a good idea. Rates of obesity and non-communicable disease (stroke, diabetes, respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, cancers) are skyrocketing. There is an epidemic of people being overweight, border line obese in this country. The western way of eating highly processed foods is extremely problematic to our health. 

I think the ban on sugary drinks higher than 16 oz would curb rates of illness and death, and disease (I am not naive to think that this whole obesity problem would be solved). I don't see the ban as 'punishing anyone. The proposed ban is only making those drinks less visible. It would force people to make a conscious decision of how much sugary drinks that they intake.

Do I think that the mayor is telling people how to live and what to drink? No. If the ban is passed, people would still have the choice to drink as much soda and other sugary drinks as they want. I think that not having sugary drinks larger than 16 oz will lead to more individuals drinking less sugary drinks, less sugar. Long term, I think this ban will improve the health of New Yorkers and individuals in general. Also, this is just one way of improving the health of this country and decreasing illness/disease. It is NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.

With this said, the mayor has a lot of 'fighting' to do, because this is not a well liked plan.

 Click on the link to listen to the mayor talk more on the proposed ban. 

 What are your thoughts on the proposed ban?

Berry-Coconut smoothie

Hello guys,

Usually, I don't have smoothies for breakfast, but over the past few weeks, I must say that smoothies for breakfast has now become a staple in my diet. 

You will love this Berry-infused coconut smoothie. It is easy to make and all you need are just a few ingredients:
Strawberries,blueberries, bananas, kale, honey and coconut milk.

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

 Put all ingredients in a blender......................................Blend and Serve!

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

You can add ice to make sure that your smoothie is chilled or you can use frozen fruit (which is what I did). Enjoy this berry-coconut deliciousness.

Don't forget to use the reaction buttons, follow this blog for more smoothie updates and leave a comment if you like/dislike  :o)

Take care,

Getting ready for a mini cleanse/detox using the TTM

Hello friends,

Okay, so we’ve all heard about a detoxification or a cleansing before.

Detoxification and Cleansing is an internal cleaning that aids the body in removing toxins and adding much needed nutrients to the cells.

Think of you digestive system as a drainage system; drainage systems gets clogged and dirty and so does our bodies. Detoxification & Cleansing of the body will get it cleaned and unclogged. The benefits of detoxifying and cleansing the body of toxic waste are numerous:

• Helps to clear the skin

• Purify the blood

• Improve digestion and bowel movements

• Improve immune function

• Improve function of all body organs

The TTM or the Transtheoretical Model. 

The Stages of Change of the TTM looks at a person’s readiness to change behavior(s). There are 5 stages of Change:

1. Precontemplation -  This stage involves not even considering changing a behavior; may be in denial
2. Contemplation – Thinking about changing behavior (s) in the distant future.
3. Preparation – This change involves actively thinking about changing behavior(s) in the near future; steps have been taken to prepare for the behavior change.
4.   Action – this stage involves recently changed behavior; an overt change.
5.  Maintenance – In this change, behavior(s) has been changed; old behaviors are the things of the past.

 So, where am I on the stages of change as I embark on this mini fruit & vegetable juice detox?

I’m currently at the Preparation stage. To prepare I’ve generated several juice and green smoothie recipes (may be salads). If you want me to share some of those with you, please let me know. 

I think it’s important to determine the length of a detox. I’m doing this for a minimum of 3 days. Fruit & vegetables only! I’ve only done this for 24 hours before and to be honest this is not an easy task and I don't think think it's crazy!

Are you ready to begin a cleansing and detox program?

 

**Please be sure that I am not qualified to give medical or nutritional advice.**

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Why do we need 'Men's Health Fairs' in the Caribbean?

Hello my beautiful friends,

I am very excited to bring this video to you. The video pretty much speaks for itself; therefore, I won't add too much writing.

The video that you are about to watch is a 'Men's health fair' put together in St. Lucia today to encourage men to participate in regular health screenings and check-ups.

Men on average are less likely to engage in regular health screenings. I know this is especially true in the Caribbean. 

While conducting interviews for my graduate thesis, one of the participants who is Jamaican, shares this, which is echoed throughout this video:

"I really don’t know and the thing with that is that back at home, they have this thing where men, you would almost never see a man at the hospital, unless it’s really severe. So, primary healthcare for men is deemed as something that women do; and unless you are really, really sick, you’re (i.e. men) not going to get your regular check-up. So, even though they have it (i.e. diabetes), I don’t even think they would know per se, but that’s all I can say."

So, yes I was delighted to see that programming is looking to encourage men to take more of an active role in their health. As a Public Health professional like me, this is so exciting!

What do you think? I would love to hear what you think?

Take Care,

Slavery, Segregation, Racism at the root of race-based health disparities in the U.S.

SLAVERY, SEGREGATION, RACISM  at the root of race-based HEALTH-DISPARITIES in the U.S.

The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story 

- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I wrote a blog post on race-based health disparities entailing how blacks and other non-white groups continue to suffer disproportionately from almost every disease and illness imaginable. This blog post will shed light on how history, mainly the institution of slavery has contributed to race-based health disparities visible within the black community today. 

This is a sensitive topic, but as a Black woman (Afro-Caribbean) and upcoming professional in the health field, I wanted to provide sound research to dispel some myths that state black people do not care about their health, or that these disparities are solely a result of personal health behaviors, because that is just FALSE.

It is simply FALSE to say that people of color don’t care about their health. Do we really think that people prefer sickness as opposed to being happy and healthy?! No. Therefore, to direct assault on an entire group of people, is to ignore the institution of slavery and other acts of oppression, colonization, and exclusion that have been supported by governments here in the U.S. and around the world.

I think it is important to state that American politics, laws, policies and programs did not exist to serve the interests of everyone, especially that of Black folk. Slavery created a power dynamic that resulted in Black individuals experiencing high levels of oppression and exclusion that’s has a direct impact on socioeconomic status, health, and overall well-being.

To engage in debates and discussions on race based health disparities, we must get at the root cause of the issue and we must acknowledge and highlight slavery, because health disparities did not happen overnight. Disparities in health and health care have existed for centuries. Black people in the U.S. and in the diaspora have experienced poorer health than other groups from the very beginning of slavery. I think it’s important to put health disparities in this historical context that many researchers and academia seem to never mention.

The end of slavery was followed by the Reconstruction Era and the “Jim Crow’ period. During this period, laws limited and prohibited Black people from living. They could not exercise their voting rights and were reduced to substandard education, employment, and healthcare. Segregation in health care played a significant role in the health status of American Blacks. Black hospitals and nurse training schools existed in the 1920s, because black people experienced pervasive racism and discrimination in white hospitals at the time. In the early part of the C.20^th, medical schools for Black doctors were created, because most existing medical schools would not admit Black students.

In 1932, 399 Black men thought they were being treated for syphilis, only to realize that 40 years later, that they part of an immoral experiment by the United States Public Health Service to examine how syphilis run its course if left untreated. They were never told that they were infected with syphilis, nor were they ever treated for it. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the men were told they were being treated for "bad blood," a local term used to describe several illnesses, including syphilis, anemia and fatigue. The men were intentionally not treated and were refused medication to cure this disease even when a cure was found for it. As a result, they infected their wives and wives then infected their children upon birth. In 1947, when the story was leaked to the media, the Public Health Service were forced to stop, but by that time dozens of the men had died, and many wives and children had been infected. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment is a prime example as to why Blacks are distrustful of health professionals and institutions. 

So, please let’s not pretend that health status of Black people in this country is the fault of their own, because it is NOT. The systems put in place during and after slavery has created opportunities where Black individuals are disproportionately affected by illness and diseases in comparison to other racial groups, especially their White counterparts. The reasons for race-based health disparities have been documented by many researchers in the U.S., and they all stem from the institution of slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, discrimination, and racism.  It is necessary to examine and bring into context the root causes of those disparities that we see so clearly today. Unfortunately, these health disparities will continue to threaten and hamper efforts to improve the nation’s health if they are not addressed.

These are my thoughts.

Sources:

http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~epihc/currentissue/fall2002/williams-johnson.php

Mwachofi, A., & WaMwachofi, N. (2010). Modeling health inequities research in context and the minority researcher’s role. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 3(3), 21-42.

 http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/jul/tuskegee/

http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume82003/No1Jan2003/RaceandHealth.html

Zinn, H. (1980). A people’s history of the United States covering the period 1945-60. New York: Harper & Row publishers, 1980.