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Health and Wellness

Rapper Common reveals how Brooklyn’s black queens and faith influenced his wellness journey

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Common book release,

 

The generation that supported hip-hop culture’s journey from the inner-city underground to the worldwide mainstream is now middle-aged. It survived the tragic premature death of many rappers the likes of Biz Markie, Trugoy, Black Rob and more, who were the topic of an article within the New York Times Magazine last summer. On the opposite hand, Men’s Health magazine recently praised hip-hop artists who’re thriving – not only surviving – with a canopy of physically fit rappers including Ludacris, Wiz Khalifa, 50 Cent, Method Man, Busta Rhymes and Chicago’s native son, Common. As hip-hop ages, people of their 40s and 50s are making wellness their No. 1 priority in life, which is the central theme of Common’s latest book, “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self.”

A practical guide to self-care through food, body, mind and soul, Common’s third book arrives just in time for people trying to pick themselves up because they’re already dragging their feet on 2024 resolutions. In the week of its release, Common stood stage at Newark Symphony Hall and signed autographs for an extended line of devoted fans of the venue’s regular Living Out Loud literary series. The event, the kickoff to the book tour, also hosted black sororities and sororities — lots of whom wore Greek letter sweaters and varsity jackets — while Grammy-winning hits like “Southside” and “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)” resounded across the room.

Shared signs copies of his latest book, “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self,” on January 25, 2024, at Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey. In the book, Common discusses how rap influenced his thoughts on nutrition as a youngster. (Photo courtesy of Don Sherrill)

You first moved to Brooklyn within the late Nineties when the holistic health pioneer developed Heal Yourself for Health and Longevity Queen Afua influenced the local conscious community. How has this book influenced your health journey?

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When I first moved to Brooklyn, it was stuffed with really conscious individuals who were conscious and artists. These artists included Erykah Badu, (designer) Ashaka Gives and (jeweler) Lorraine West. All of those women were powerful and talented. Queen Afua was like a pacesetter and inspiration to Erykah – just someone who helped shed light; they shared lots of information. This group of ladies really gained lots of information from the book “Heal Yourself.” I actually just learned from them. This is how I met Queen Afua, was in a position to meet her and be in her company.

It was really eye-opening for me because they were really adamant and disciplined in loving themselves. It was visible of their actions. It was visible of their skin. This was evident in the way in which they talked to one another and to me, and it became an awesome catalyst for me to know the facility I had.

Before I got here to New York, I probably only ate fish. Within a number of weeks, I became a vegetarian since it was just a lot access (to vegetarian food). It was 1998. There was a juice bar on Fulton Street. There was the Brooklyn Moon (cafe). It was a spot where black women and men were exalted. And there was a brand new awareness that was shared, that I used to be not introduced to, but that I sought.

Alicia Keys, Diddy and Angie Martinez ran the New York City Marathon. Is this your goal?

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I actually have great respect for individuals who run long distances. This is a high level of discipline and commitment. At one point I managed to run a number of kilometers. But I never promised myself that I desired to run a marathon. My cardio workouts are more like playing basketball and moving around. I all the time say that it is important to seek out things that suit you and that you just enjoy, knowing that you’ll have the option to commit to it even should you get tired of it. When I saw Alicia Keys run a marathon, I assumed, “Man, you have a completely different attitude.” I actually have this attitude where I feel like I can do anything. But at that time I had no passion for running.

Does yoga practice fit into your wellness routine?

Widespread, popular book, And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Caring for Yourself, theGrio.com
(Left to right) Sportscaster Curt Menefee and Common discuss the rapper’s latest book, “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self” on January 25, 2024, “Living Out Loud: A Night with Common” at Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey. (Photo courtesy of Don Sherrill)

Yoga is something I actually enjoy, truthfully. I began going to yoga because a friend of mine from acting class said, “Hey, you have to go.” I used to be going through lots. She said, “Go to yoga with me.” I went and boy did I set free lots. I learned recent things about myself during yoga classes and I actually appreciated it. I’m not afraid to try various things, so I suggest this for somebody who wants to counterpoint their life and learn something that could be helpful to them, focused on them and still has a physical element. I do know yoga is a complete different level. But I actually liked going to yoga and I still need to do it. I need to support the various black yogis across the country.

You mention within the book how rap verses influenced your views on nutrition as a youngster. Did the Five-Percent Nation rappers influence your spirituality in the course of the same period?

Growing up in Chicago and attending a church that was non-denominational, our pastor is a revolutionary. His name is Reverend Jeremiah Wright and the church I attended was Trinity (Christ) United Church. When you walk in, it says “Unapologetically Black, Unashamedly Christian.” So I had no problem in search of Christianity within the Bible. What I liked about church and the pursuit of spirituality was that we were welcoming. For example, Farrakhan has spoken at our church before.

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Hearing Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, and Rakim talk in regards to the Five Percent Nation, calling themselves gods and lands, made me start in search of more. My father named me Rashid. At one point I also had to look and find every thing I could within the Quran. Because my father did it for a reason. I felt I could learn lots from this. And I still apply what I learned from the gods to this present day. It is an acknowledgment of the God who exists in each of us. I feel that is something we would have liked. I feel it played a key role in me becoming a stronger and greater person.

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What are your aspirations for Broadway? You have already got an Emmy, a Grammy and an Oscar. You’re only one Tony away from EGOT.

Last yr I played on Broadway. I used to be in a play called “Between Riverside and Crazy” written by Stephen Adly Guirgis, writer of “Jesus Hopped on the A Train” and “Motherf-r with the Hat.” He’s an incredible playwright from New York. And I played with probably the greatest casts I could ever play with. It was an incredible experience, and I intended to perform much more on Broadway. But within the meantime, I’m producing “The Wiz,” which will probably be on Broadway this spring, and we’re very enthusiastic about it. It will probably be amazing. It debuts in April.

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Miles Marshall Lewis (@MMLunlimited) is a Harlem-based author and cultural critic whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Rolling Stone, and many other magazines. Lewis is currently completing a cultural biography of comedian Dave Chappelle, the sequel to Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Health and Wellness

Judge Glenda Hatchett Masters fight the mortality of the Black Mother

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Judge Glenda Hatchett, Black maternal health,Black women


On the morning a number of days before the Black Black Health Week, Judge Glenda Hatchett met Black company In the district: Gocha breakfast bar, black woman breakfast and brunch cafe in the heart of southwestern Atlanta, near Collier Heights Community Community Hatchett. It is ready, smart and has a way of urgency. She is a superb and fierce judge you can know with Court TV.

Apart from Gavel, Hatchett doesn’t pull the blows in relation to the health of the Black Mother. Hatchett is just not only a mission of making an epidemic aware of which affects black women and the birth of people at various rates, but is tenacious in striving to tug medical institutions and practitioners answerable for low obstetric care provided by the mother’s black demographics. Hatchett took this initiative when her family was directly affected.

She lost her daughter Kira nine years ago after she delivered a second child through a planned imperial section. A 39-year-old mother who was healthy without basic diseases or conditions that might complicate pregnancy was “murdered” during the standard procedure-And he became a victim of childbirth during Black.

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“The autopsy showed that she was carved,” says Hatchett TO BE. “He chained her, and thus simply instilled her interior, and if they did a CT scan at 6 o’clock, when it was ordered. She would be alive if they continued to monitor it and see that he was bleeding.”

Hatchett continues: “All medical examiners who reviewed her medical records don’t understand how she lived so long as she lived … I feel it was her determination. They didn’t return to or midnight, and at the moment they found a liter of blood in her stomach. She turned herbon.

Hatchett has not at all times been initiated into statistics regarding the mortality of a black mother or neglect that ladies meet during childbirth and delivery. At first glance, cases comparable to Kira could also be subject to medical abuse, but there’s way more to contemplate: Kira was one of six women in the lawsuit; The doctor who performed a deadly section C didn’t lose his license; Kira was a black woman. These things were essential – and as a practicing lawyer Hatchett decided that she needed to cope with the mortality of the Black Mother with a more refined legal approach.

“I am taking these matters all over the country now,” says Hatchett TO BE. “We can never restore all these mothers. These children will never hug their mothers.”

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“Three to four times more likely than black and brown women than white women,” he adds. “Well, none of them should die, if it could be prevented, right? Black women catch this burden. There is a difference in treating black women in these hospitals. This is not only a problem with the practice of abuse – this is a problem with civil rights and that’s how we could look at it.”

Although it was generally decrease in moms mortality rates In the USA, just over 10 percent in line with statistics Published by CDC In 2023, pregnancy -related deaths are proportionally higher for black women in comparison with white women and other women’s ethnic groups. The arrangements from the National Vital Statistics System have revealed that for each 100,000 live births, black women succumb to mother’s death 50.3 times. The numbers are clear as compared, significantly falling for white women aged 14.5, Latin women aged 12.4 and Asian women aged 11.

Freeze Trump’s administration funds to finance the title 10 in 20 states, will much more affect the health of the Black Mother. Title 10 Funds include reproductive health care, including all, from sexually transmitted infections to abortion services. Hatchett claims that ladies “will be more difficult to make choices” about abortion, while others will be forced to present birth, although exposing their lives.

“Here, in Georgia, a young woman who died because she could not get services because the question arose whether it was medically needed or legal … and she died throughout the past,” says Hatchett.

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Despite the improvement of the number of women dying in delivery, Hatchett expects to deteriorate things, especially when Medicaid loss enters the equation.

“If we talk about changes in Medicaid … this will mainly affect low -income and black communities.”

Hatchett is just not a foreign dispute on behalf of sensitive communities. Not knowing many, Hatchett represented Philando Castile, who was killed by a police officer in Minnesota in front of his girlfriend and daughter in July 2016 after stopping movement. Currently represents customers involved in catastrophic accidents and events.

Judge Glenda Hatchett shows no signs of slowdown in pursuit of people’s protection. There is more on the horizon.

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(Tagstranslata) Mother’s mortality

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Health and Wellness

OP-ED: Tamar Braxton is preparing. Her decision is to redefine sexual health for black women

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OP-ED: Tamar Braxton is preparing. Her decision is to redefine sexual health for black women

Ghettos

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Over the past week, my inbox and DM have been flooded with messages marking me in Tamar Braxton posts revealing that it is taking preparation. From Instagram to Facebook, individuals who know me and my support quickly said: “It made me think about you.”

To be honest, I wasn’t surprised. I used to be (and beyond it) preparing since 2018, and for many in my community I’m the one black woman who knows who she takes it. Add the undeniable fact that I’m talking about it openly and I actually have turn out to be a rare sort of unicorn. Let’s discuss it: what is preparation and why revealing Tamara’s information matters?

Prep is a drugs taken as a each day pill, or every two months. In the case of consistent use, this is up to 99% effective in stopping HIV. However, myths are still associated around who can and may prepare. Some versions are usually not yet approved for use by individuals with some kinds of anatomy, resembling those that receive vaginal sex, which led to the inaccurate assumption that prep is not for women in any respect. It’s just not true.

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PREP is available for quite a lot of women – no matter identity or anatomy – and could be a vital tool in our set of sexual health tools. Organizations resembling the Black Women’s Imperative (BWHI) have long recognized the urgent need to inform and strengthen the position of our communities. Through initiatives resembling “I am possible HIV”, BWHI makes sure that black women will learn their options and have access to care that confirms their autonomy.

The revelation of Tamar disrupts the outdated assumptions that preparation is only for men having sex with men or individuals who “here are here.” It casts a stigma that claims that if a girl makes preparation, she should have a considerable amount of sex or live recklessly.

But here is the reality: women who saved their marriage acquired HIV. Women with one partner. Married women. Women living in small towns, not only Atlanta. HIV doesn’t discriminate against the postal code, relationship status or sexual history.

As a previously married woman again entering the dating stage, Tamar takes control of her sexual health in a world that also embarrasses black women for it. It’s brave. And this is vital.

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And nothing, say it’s aloud: black women deserve sex that is joyful, focused on pleasure and guarded. Prep helps to allow. It allows us to experience intimacy with fewer fears, regaining our role as lively participants as a substitute of passive ships navigating someone’s selections.

The numbers don’t lie. Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV within the US, 40% are black. Black women constitute over half of all latest HIV diagnoses amongst women. And although the general HIV rates don’t grow, the load for black communities stays heavy.

That is why Tamara’s disclosure was revealed. It opens the door in order that more of us lead real, refined conversations about sexual health. But he cannot stop here.

At the identical time, we’re within the face of threats that expose all this progress. The Trump administration proposed to eliminate the HIV CDC prevention department under the guise of reduced costs. But let’s be clear – there is nothing economical in ignoring prevention. Much dearer HIV treatment is all life than stopping it above all.

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So yes, I’m still preparing. And yes, Tamar jogged my memory this week that we’d not find life or partners we would like, hiding in fear. We have to protect ourselves, tell one another and name what we deserve.

Black women deserve access. We deserve care. We really deserve. And we deserve joy. Prep is one tool that might help us with all this.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Four ways to get out of bed in the morning – and defeat Groggread

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If you are feeling like “Waking up is the most difficult thing I do all day” Then you will not be alone. The experience was defined as “sleep inertia” and although that is a traditional part of sleep sensations, it could be frustrating Wake up, feeling drained.

A big part of the research on sleep inertia focuses on reducing the risk of performance impairment, and we have now not yet found clear empirical evidence to support the use of one single reactive antihypertensive agent.

The most promising evidence concerns use of caffeine: It has been shown that before a brief nap of lower than half-hour, it has been shown to reduce the effects of sleep inertia. Although this is useful, if you have got to get better after resting during the day, returning to bed on a nap immediately after waking up isn’t practical for many of us.

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Here are some more practical suggestions that you could use to aid you get out of bed.

Get alarm clock

If you are trying to get out of bed in the morning, the very first thing you need to ask about is where your smartphone is? Do you retain him next to the bed as an alarm clock? Make an old -fashioned alarm clock with a priority.

The mere presence of the phone is close to you when sleep reduces the quality of sleep – whether it is nearby, it’s too difficult to resist. This isn’t only through destructive notifications (exercising it in silence isn’t adequate). Having a phone next to you, because a dream could cause anxiety and emotional anxiety stimulation. Only knowing that he’ll keep you at the level of vigilance, which isn’t conducive to falling right into a deep sleep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-W0U76JG4K

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Holding the phone away from the room has an extra profit: it’s less likely that you’ll check it first. There are many reasons to avoid this habit, one of the most convincing centers around the problem of micro-tailing dopamine, before we get sufficient motivation to get out of bed.

Dopamine plays a central role in Motivation and hunger. Evaluates the peak and troughs all the time, dopamine declines are functional because we feel discomfort that drives us to search for relief. Think that men and women in the cave need motivation to leave the safety of the cave to find food, water or partner. Leaving the cave was a high risk, and pushing our discomfort with dopamine drops could be crucial to raise and go out.

We forget how much our brain still works in these ancient ways. People still depend on the same system to get out of bed. When we reach for the smartphone, we met with a fast, size of a bite Dopamine hits – Notifications, beautiful people, likes, modern information. These micro-stimulas can mock natural immersion in dopamin, celebrating the discomfort that we want to motivate us to move. Instead of experiencing the growth of the drive, we feel artificially satisfied, making it easier to curl under warm covers.

Don’t hit the nap

You have devices from the bedroom – but now you have got to work in your relationship with the alarm clock. Do not hit the nap.

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The nap hit increases the likelihood that back into the deep phase of sleep and causes regular sleep interference and unwanted sleep transitions. All these Increase the impact of sleep inertia and reduce vigor.

If you actually try to avoid a seductive nap button Available alarm clocks This normally involves wheels that may come out of your range. Some movement that may aid you get out of bed as a bonus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8J16T914HG

Or take into consideration obtaining an alarm clock that opens the curtains to let in the morning light. The short exposure of brilliant light has been shown Vigilance and energy

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Do you remember when your parents pulled off bed covers?

Everyone who had older siblings or parent or guardian involved in pulling them out of bed once you were an adolescent will experience when the lid pulled off the bed as the last ROW to move you. It turns out that this method could have some wisdom.

Limb cooling Immediately after waking up, it’s a promising way to speed up Recovery from the sleep of the INERITA. And while we’re an old skool, if all the pieces else fails, Wash your face.

Maybe you have got to stay in bed?

Most importantly, possibly you’re just drained and you have got to stay in bed. This isn’t an ethical failure or the fall of your will. You could need more rest.

If you’re someone who is actually deprived of sleep or lives with a disease that sets energy or a life event that takes all of your resources, you might have to make room for stay in bed. Critical disabled scholar Ellen Samuels writes about “Crip Time”. Sometimes illness or disability change our relationship with time and we must go at a special pace. Samuels and other scholars are desirous about the paradox of needs Slow down to sustain.

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Sometimes the problem is to wait that we force our minds and bodies to unrealistic results of competence and performance – and sometimes it should have to be fantastic in order not to get out of bed.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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