What are some common health problems among black women that they need to be aware of?
African American women have traditionally put our families health and well-being before our own. However, we must make our own health a priority. We often overlook health maintenance appointments. As a result we miss the early identification and prevention from going to our own medical appointments. This can often lead to a late diagnosis of things such as breast cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes to name a few. Had women been screened sooner, they could have been treated sooner and usually with a less invasive or costly treatment prior to conditions becoming severe. We also experience high levels of stress which sometimes becomes a norm so its not as obvious to us that we’re stressed — in our eyes we’re just doing what needs to get done by any means necessary. Stress is something we need to be better at managing. It is a catalyst for many other conditions and can exacerbate high blood pressure, increase blood sugar levels, contribute to overeating, manifest as acne or thinning hair and predispose us to infection and other illnesses.
What keeps you motivated?
My motivation stems from my father. As a little girl, my father always asked me, “Is good, good enough? Why not make it great?” and those words have always stuck with me. As a young girl when my father began to struggle with high blood pressure and heart disease, that mantra became more evident to me. At an early age I recognized that our communities (of color) did not have the same access to quality health care or community outreach for early heart disease identification or prevention. During the early years of my nursing school I also cared for my father prior to him succumbing to a fatal heart attack. That drove me to commit myself to improving the quality and access to health care services so others would not have to experience that my father and family did. After graduate school I became a Clinical Nurse Specialist (advanced practice nurse) and immersed myself in the specialty of cardiovascular health and now work at one of the most innovative hospitals in the world known for its cardiac services, Cedars Sinai Medical Center. I cover the Coronary Care and Advanced Heart Failure Units within Critical Care. I knew making a difference in the hospital wasn’t good enough and that I needed to get back to the communities similar to those in which I grew up in. So I began volunteer work with the American Heart/Stroke Association collaborating with organizations such as the National Urban League, NAACP and faith based groups. I am now the Vice-Chair for the AHA/ASA Western States Health Equity Task Force. This group oversees, creates and recommends community health outreach programs and services in over 10 western states in underserved communities and communities of color to improve the cardiovascular health of Americans and decrease deaths related to heart disease and stroke. My father’s legacy lives on in the work that I do because what’s good is NOT good enough.
What is your health regimen?
I exercise 4-6 times a week in the mornings. As a working professional and mom, its difficult to find time and the energy to exercise at the end of the work day. So I commit to waking up an hour early to exercise. Sometimes its hard to peel myself out of bed but I know its a small price to pay for something so important — my health. Just 45 minutes of cardio, lite weights or stretches help me stay physically and emotionally fit and provides me the boost I need to start my day. I have to remind myself that I am a priority. If I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be well enough to do all the other things I want to do.
What is your personal diet like?
What I eat is very important to me. I abide by the mantra, “Don’t live to eat. Eat to live.” I’m a firm believer that you are what you eat. And with that in mind, I don’t fall victim to foods rich in taste that are full of sugars or fats. I drink plenty of water. I often add fresh strawberries, melon or cucumber to my water for a little flavor. I also eat tons of fresh fruit and vegetables. There’s never a day in my house where my fruit bowl is empty. I also eat lean chicken, fish and turkey. No red meats for me! I also like trying new foods and different recipes and eat frequent small meals during the day. Very seldom do I eat fast foods, and when I have to, I’m always looking for the healthier choice.
For more health tips and info on Nurse Alice, follow America’s Favorite Nurse on twitter @AskNurseAlice and tune into her weekly radio segment “Healthy Living with Nurse Alice” Thursdays 9:25am EST on WENO 760AM The Gospel. Nurse Alice is a nationally board certified cardiac clinical nurse specialist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA and a reoccurring TV/radio health expert and contributor.
