Idealist Graduate School Fair: NYC

Hello friends,

idealist.org

This is a quick post to share some information that I've recently received. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend this fair, but I thought it pertinent to share.

If you are thinking of graduate school and you're in the NYC listen up! Idealist.org is hosting a graduate school fair on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 5-8 pm at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 125th W. 18th street.

This is a  great opportunity to receive some information on graduate school, ask questions, share ideas, be informed, and be open to different perspectives on the graduate school process. Don't forget that you'll be able to meet professionals in the field and other like minded individuals like yourselves.

Over 220 different graduate programs will be in attendance. Therefore, whatever field that you're interested in is bound to be represented. By the way, the program is free!

For more information, click HERE.

If you are able to attend, please let me know. I would love to hear all about it.

Wild for NUTS! (Cashews + Almonds)

My love for cashews has gone back ever since I was a child, growing up in St. Lucia, cutting up old jeans pants, ready to sew them into knap sacks as I prepared for the annual 'secret' raids of cashew trees in the 

 neighborhood. Oh What fun! I wish I had pictures to share...

Today cashews and almonds (I always eat them unsalted) are one of my favorite go-to snacks wile studying or lounging around. Besides taste, here are some of the most important reasons why I love those nuts and why I eat (always in moderation) them on a weekly basis. Their health benefits are excellent:

Cashews + Almonds: Great sources of protein, fiber, potassium and Vitamin E.

• Fiber- Nuts in general are good sources of fiber; cashew & almonds are no different. Fiber, as we all know, is beneficial for digestive health. Fiber makes you feel full; there fore, you eat less. 
• Good fats- Although cashews are high in fat, they do provide a good source of healthy fats (i.e. monounsaturated fats). One of those healthy fat is oleic acid, which is also contained in olive oil. Vitamin E found in almonds, keeps our skin, hair, and nails healthy.
• Good source of Magnesium (Mg) + Potassium (K+)- Why is magnesium important to ask? Well, Mg, is a necessary mineral important in bone health. in fact, approximately 50% of total body Mg is found in bone. In addition, Mg & K+ promote normal blood pressure.
• Antioxidants- Helps to protect our bodies against free radicals. Free radicals cause cellular damage- When cells are damaged, this may lead to the development of cancer, premature aging and other diseases.
• Calcium: Almonds are a great source of Calcium, which is necessary in preventing osteoporosis and dental problems.

Refer to these sites for more information:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1825929/five_health_benefits_of_eating_cashews.html?cat=22
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2148251/health_benefits_of_almonds_pg2.html?cat=5

Does anyone love these nuts as much as I do? Let's share: Are there any other nuts that you enjoy?

I hope this post was helpful,

Natural Hair Showcase in the NYTIMES

Hello,

I came across Beautiful, black women rocking their afros in the New York Times magazine today. Some of them you might recognize, such as Corrine Bailey Rae and Solange Knowles. The black and white photography is beautiful. Thought that I might share. You can find find the feature HERE.

My fav pic is below: Featuring Les Nubians

Source: NewYorkTimes

 Hope you enjoy,



 

Food Nostalgia

I wrote this piece yesterday evening while revisiting my goals. If you can relate to this, please feel free to say so in the comment section. 

As a child, I rarely ate fast food. Nor did I go out to eat. (Rarely is an understatement...). In fact, eating out at a restaurant was not part of my culture growing up. Now that I'm older, I realize how fortunate I was to have grown up in an environment, where I knew where most of my food came from (which was mostly grown by my mother, grandmother & generations before them). I have been truly blessed with healthy foods while growing up. Part of me wonders that if individuals had the same upbringing would NCDs & health disparities be this prevalent? (Just a thought)

I ate an abundance of guavas, cherries, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, coconut, golden apples, grapefruits, oranges & cashews. I enjoyed plantains, yams, potatoes, cassava bread, breadfruit, fresh fruit etc. This abundance I took for granted, until I immigrated to the U.S. for schooling...

'You never miss the water, 'til the well runs dry' right!

A recent visit to my homeland was met with a host of fast food restaurants....WHAT? Where did these come from & why are they all of a sudden so popular? These are the questions that I ask. What happened to my bake and saltfish? AND why do individuals (mostly young people) have this need for Domino's pizza.

This can't be healthy & I'm very certain this increase in the number of fast food restaurants is contributing to the high incidence and prevalence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease on this small developing country.

Don't forget to visit:
www.healthycaribbean.org and their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/getthemessage.

Follow Lilia's Healthbook (formerly known as Times-In-Ohio) on Bloglovin

www.bloglovin.com

Hello,

This is just a quick post, to let you know that I have an account with Bloglovin'! I would love it if you follow me on there as well by clicking on the Bloglovin' widget on the right panel on my page. Thanks so much in advance. Lilia's Healthbook

Take care!

Back on my Academic Grind!

Hello friends,

Its August 2011! The year has 2011 has flown by so quickly. After about 15 weeks off from University, it's time for me to Return. To be honest, I'm ready to complete my last year and move on...


So what about you guys. Is anyone itchy to be back in school?

Let's chat :o)

Discussing NCDs in the Caribbean

www.caricomnewsnetwork.com

While visiting one of my favorite sites(www.caricomnewsnetwork.com) to stay up to date with what's going on in the Caribbean, I came across this article, titled: 'Caribbean-Regional Journalists discussing non-communicable diseases.' Clearly, this article quickly caught my attention so I had to share. The aim of this workshop was to:

“enhance the understanding of the need for interaction between the media and health professionals in order to disseminate reliable health information in a timely manner as well as to form partnerships in order to tackle the growing burden of NCDs,”

Highlights from the article: (My thoughts)

1. I am pleased that this 2 day workshop on NCDs was targeted towards the media (journalists). The targeted audience were not health officials or individuals in the medical field. Everyone should be included in the discussion of NCDs, because it will take a diverse team of individuals, groups & organizations to make change in this critical area. 
2. The article highlighted the worsening health conditions in the Caribbean region due to NCDs as a results of globalization. 

“The Caribbean is the region of the Americas that is worst affected by this epidemic of non-communicable diseases. Already, at least 25% of Caribbean adults are obese, 25%t are hypertensive and the prevalence of diabetes is more than 10% in at least four of our countries.”

“Like the rest of the world, we are facing cultural changes along with the epidemiological conditions which favour a worsening chronic disease scenario. As our societies become more urbanized and our populations become older, physical activity levels continue to decline,’ she said baling “ a significant shift away from traditional home prepared meals”.

I can definitely attest to the cultural changes that is now happening in the Caribbean. Instead of traditional home cooked meals, more & more people are eating out. I was very surprised to see that there had been an increase in fast food joints back home in such a short period of time.

The full article can be found here.

What can you find at your local Farmers' Market?

Fruits & Veggies you'll be able to find at your local Farmers' Market through Pictures

I hope this was helpful!

Everyone should know this: Symptoms of a stroke

She was unaware that she was experiencing a stroke, despite the fact that her symptoms were quite noticeable to others. Her face was numb, her speech was slurred, and her mouth drooled uncontrollably. She was confused and scared, but decided to wait the next morning, as it was late in the evening, to seek medical care. That night she tried to go to sleep, hoping that at the first sign of light, relief would come. Unfortunately, relief did not come. Her symptoms had progressed. She had experienced a gradual deterioration of the brain, which had manifested in her inability to walk or speak. Paralysis had set in on the left side of the brain to a 72-year old, St. Lucian grandmother.

source:TopNews.in

A stroke is the cutting off vital blood flow and oxygen to the brain, causing brain cells to die. This happen s when a blood vessel in or around the brain is either blocked by a blood clot or ruptures. Strokes or cerebrovascular disease falls within one of the larger non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular disease. Stroke is not unique to my family or that other families in St. Lucia. It is a global disease that claims thousands of lives ever year.

In a 2002 report by the St. Lucian government, strokes was the third health threat to St. Lucians, after heart disease-- An island at the time with a population of about 150,000. In the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death. Over 143,579 people die each year from strokes in the U.S. (http://www.strokecenter.org/patients/stats.htm).

Due to the high potential for the occurrence of stroke, it is extremely important to know the typical symptoms of a stoke, so that medical professionals can intervene and reverse its effects. The most widely recognized test that can help save a life of a person is referred to as F.A.S.T. (The Stroke Association, 2009)

Facial weakness- Can the person smile? Has the mouth or an eye dropped?
Arm weakness- Can the person raise both arms?
Speech Problems- Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call for emergent help or 911

Time is everything when someone is experiencing a stroke. Everyone should be able to understand the symptoms or warning signs of a stroke. You could save a life.

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Don't forget to visit the Healthy Caribbean Coalition at: www.healthycaribbean.org
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/getthemessage.