Psoriasis is not common in the black community, but it can interfere with a normal lifestyle and social relationships. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. […]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more women are breastfeeding than ever before, including more black women, but there is still a significant lag in black mothers who breastfeed. Nearly 60 percent of black American women breastfeed their children, but that compares to 75 percent for white women and 80 percent […]
An estimated three of every four women will have to address the issue of uterine fibroids during their lifetimes and 80 percent of black American women are likely to get them before the age of 50. Fibroid tumors grow in the uterus, generally are not cancerous and can be as small as a pea or […]
Sheldon Mba isn’t feeling the excuses when one of his peers cites a fear of needles for not signing up for the bone marrow registry. “You’re scared of needles, but you have tattoos and piercings. Really?” says Mba, 19, who is looking for a match to beat aplastic anemia, a disorder in which the bone […]
The headline was stretched across the top of The Washington Post last week: Therapists say African Americans are increasingly seeking help for mental illness. While no major studies have documented it by the numbers, therapists told the newspaper that they increasingly had begun to see more black patients in their practices. “I’ve seen an increasing […]
Have a “Get Well Wednesday” question? Text it to “646464” (OHOHOH). Theresa Lou Bowick knows all about diet and exercise. Now fit and trim, Bowick was once 5-foot-7 and 236 pounds. She eventually lost 75 pounds and kept it off with the help of Weight Watchers, but it was an unusual experience that inspired her […]
With the warmth of spring and summer come seasonal allergies and if it seems that they are getting more intense, that would be correct. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a new study, reported that food and skin allergies were becoming more prevalent in American children and there were significant differences by […]
HIV/AIDS testing can be intimidating for many people, but now consumers may purchase an at-home test to learn their status with complete, guaranteed privacy. This is a major breakthrough as health professionals plan to use National HIV Testing Day on Thursday to highlight the importance of knowing one’s HIV status, learning how to prevent infection […]
Much of what has been accepted as conventional wisdom when it comes to the effects illegal drugs have on humans may be wrong and the federal government’s drug policy needs an overhaul, according to a provocative new book by Dr. Carl Hart, a New York-based scholar and researcher. In “High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of […]
Dr. James “Butch” Rosser says it’s all good to make dad feel special on Father’s Day, but it is important to create a family health tree to let him know you would like to see him celebrate many more Father’s Days. “You must make your loved one intimately aware of the fact that all you […]
Even when you try to eat healthy, you sometimes end up with things that aren’t actually as good for you as you might believe. Between questionable labeling, varying reports over what’s good for you and what’s bad, getting a little help along the way is something just about everyone needs. David Foreman, a retired pharmacist […]