SEPTEMBER IS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AWARENESS MONTH AND TODAY IS PART 2 OF A SPECIAL GET WELL WEDNESDAY FEATURE WITH OUR MONTH-LONG RESIDENT HEALTH EXPERT DR. FREDA LEWIS-HALL WITH PFIZER.  FREDA LEWIS-HALL IS THE CHIEF PATIENT OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AT PFIZER INC. DURING HER 35-YEAR CAREER IN MEDICINE, DR. LEWIS-HALL HAS BEEN ON THE […]

 What is sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition that affects the body’s red blood cells. It occurs when a child receives two sickle cell genes—one from each parent. In someone living with this disease, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a […]

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. What is prostate cancer and how many people does it affect? Prostate cancer is a cancer that occurs in the prostate – a small gland located under the bladder that starts as a walnut-sized gland early in life and grows over time. The gland produces components of the […]

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Will are Harvard-trained psychiatrists  co-authored a book titled “Understanding Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Guide To Mental Health Disorders For Family And Friends.” IF TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE DIE BY SUICIDE THAN THOSE WHO DIE BY HOMICIDE WHY AREN’T WE HEARING ABOUT THIS […]

HURRICANE DORIAN HAS YOUR MIND ON THE FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF NATURAL DISASTERS, IS THAT RIGHT? As Hurricane Dorian – now a Category 5 storm – approaches the southeastern states, I wanted to help our listeners better understand how to prepare themselves and their families financially for a natural disaster. THAT SOUNDS GREAT. LET’S START WITH […]

One of the best gifts in life is good health.  Today, let’s take some time to focus in on the steps African American women can take to improve their health and longevity. Dr. Mitchell Wainwright, a family medicine physician with OptumCare Medical Group in Ladera Ranch, California, and former college football player who played safety […]

Now that kids are heading back to school, their nutrition, and keeping them rested and healthy for the school year is important. Weight loss expert Robert Ferguson wants to encourage parents to stay on top of their children’s food choices so that they can achieve optimum results during the school year. Here are his tips: […]

An estimated 2.3 million Americans (one in five Americans) have bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness. While the rate of bipolar disorder is the same among African-Americans as it is among other Americans, African-Americans are less likely to receive a diagnosis and, therefore, treatment, for this illness. WHAT IS BIPOLAR  DISORDER AKA MANIC DEPRESSION? Bipolar […]

WHAT IS SARCOPENIA? Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle as part of the aging process. With frailty and appearance as a result of this age-related muscle loss, sarcopenia is also the key component behind chronic diseases including diabetes and can cause major complications in certain diagnoses such as cancer. HOW IMPORTANT IS MUSCLE TO OUR […]

WHAT IS HPV? HPV, which stands for human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.  There are lots of strains of HPV, but you can put those strains into two major categories: low-risk HPV and high-risk HPV.  Exposure to low risk strains of HPV can lead to genital warts.  Exposure […]

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE OF COLOR TAKE ANY SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS WITH THEIR SKIN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS? It’s a common misconception among people of color that melanin automatically protects us from the harmful effects of the sun. Many dermatologists call this the “melanin myth.”  Most persons with ​skin of color have​ an average “inherent” SPF of […]

SCREEN TIME IS DEFINED AS TIME SPENT USING A DEVICE SUCH AS A COMPUTER, TELEVISION, OR GAMING CONSOLE. CHILDREN HAVE SCREENS IN THEIR HANDS AT YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AGES.  IS THAT A PROBLEM BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH? Yes, this is a problem, however it is a very complex, nuanced issue. Milestones in early child development […]