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Strengthening support for minority health

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The Mamas Den, National Mental Health Month, Black Maternal Health Week, Health and Wellness, Motherhood, Melanie Fiona, Felicia La Tour, Ashley Chea, Black Love, Inc., Codie Elaine Oliver


April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM). This annual observance raises awareness of health disparities amongst racial and ethnic minorities and encourages people to take motion to finish these disparities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in 4 Americans, or 77 million people, have multiple chronic diseases. Spending on patients with various chronic diseases across the United States accounts for 71% of all health care resources across all settings.

Despite improvements within the nation’s overall health, racial and ethnic minorities experience lower quality health care—they’re less prone to receive routine medical care and face higher rates of morbidity and mortality than nonminorities.

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Singer Melanie Fiona, entrepreneur and influencer Felicia La Tour, writer Ashley Chea and CEO of Black Love, Inc. Codie Elaine Oliver created The Mama’s Den to have honest conversations about motherhood, health, race, sexuality, religion and dating. In an unfiltered community full of authentic conversations and experiences, hosts share insights and knowledge from a mom’s perspective.

In a recent conversation with BLACK ENTERPRISES, Fiona, La Tour, Chea and Oliver make clear various points of Black maternal health, from disparities in medical care to the importance of mental health support.

Raising awareness a

For Fiona, NMHM means a possibility for collective motion and awareness. He emphasizes the importance of using platforms like social media to teach and interact the community, stating, “This is the time for people to educate themselves, understand and hear what we say and listen to what we ask for.”

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Black individuals are more prone to experience such experiences barriers to timely medical care circuitously related to the price of care, resembling long waiting times on the doctor’s office, inconvenient office hours and lack of transportation.

La Tour echoes Fiona’s sentiments, emphasizing the essential role of advocacy in eliminating disparities within the healthcare industry. Drawing from personal experiences and people of her friends, she emphasizes the urgent need to lift awareness of issues resembling barriers to care, preventable miscarriages and medical malpractice, stating: “It’s simply essential. I have close friends who have experienced many late-term miscarriages that could have been prevented. It brings awareness to the many disparities that exist in health care, especially for Black women.”

Empowerment through education

Chea emphasizes the importance of empowerment and education for Black moms’ health. She sees NMHM as a possibility to create an area where individuals feel empowered to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. Chea states, “I look at it with the hope of creating a space and content where we feel like we have choices; we believe there is no one way to do it and we can all share resources, including promotion health equitytackling fundamental social issues and shedding light on algorithmic biases in healthcare and artificial intelligence.”

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Health care algorithms and artificial intelligence may widen disparities in health care outcomes amongst different demographic groups, resembling those defined by race, ethnicity, gender or age.

One factor contributing to bias in healthcare algorithms and artificial intelligence is lack of diversity within the datasets used for training. To address this, when developing AI systems, it’s crucial to incorporate data from a big selection of patients representing different demographic backgrounds to make sure equitable performance across groups.

Oliver further emphasizes the role of education in inspiring change and healing in communities. She emphasizes the importance of sharing diverse birth experiences to empower women and families, stating: “It represents a collective time and space that brings healing and awareness. Historically, people of color have been characterized by a lack of trust and underutilization of services, as well as the impact of racism on the delivery of health care and mental health services. NMHM inspires change through collective action and community.”

Challenges and support in medical care

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Black women face many challenges within the health care system, especially in maternity care. Fiona talks about her traumatic experience of getting an emergency caesarean section and her subsequent struggle to advocate for herself during her second pregnancy. She highlights systemic bias and the necessity for personalized care, stating, “Some women go to these meetings, offices and visits where they are treated as nothing more than statistics.”

In 2007, a technique often known as the VBAC algorithm was introduced to assist health care providers assess the potential for a protected vaginal delivery after a cesarean section. This algorithm takes into consideration various aspects, including: the lady’s age, indications for a previous cesarean section and the time that has passed for the reason that procedure. However, one study in 2017 revealed discrepancies within the accuracy of the unique algorithm.

Fiona shares, “The algorithm predicted that Black/African American women were less likely to have a successful vaginal delivery after cesarean section compared to non-Hispanic white women. I decided to have a VBAC during my second pregnancy and was met with resistance from the very beginning.”

When people go to a medical facility for help, they expect their doctor to make appropriate health decisions to make sure optimal health and outcomes.

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Chea reflects on her journey through medical negligence and misdiagnosis, highlighting the crucial need for one’s own voice to be heard and advocate for appropriate care. Recalling her struggles with postpartum depression and an undiagnosed thyroid condition, she says: “I had to constantly strive to get the right care.”

After a three-year battle that ended with abnormal weight gain, diabetes and hospitalization, Chea finally received the right diagnosis that put her back on a healthier path. “It just sucks because the doctors kept telling me it was something else.”

The role of allies and social support

In coping with the maternal health crisis, it’s critical to have allies and community support by uniting community members and dealing with trusted organizations to discover issues. Oliver emphasizes the necessity for collective motion and support from partners, health professionals and allies. Emphasizes the importance of listening to Black women and amplifying their voices in advocating for equitable health care.

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“It is imperative that all of us – family, community and health organizations – be aware and prudent,” notes Oliver. “Public health and community health actors have an opportunity to improve the well-being of their communities through initiatives to address the social determinants of health.”

Mama’s Den provides a platform for authentic conversations and experiences about minority health and Black maternal health. By sharing personal stories, advocating for change and fostering social support, Fiona, La Tour, Chea and Oliver exemplify resilience and empowerment in coping with the complexities of health and motherhood.

The change I need to make, even on a bigger scale in our community through my nonprofit, is to pass laws and alter laws,” La Tour emphasizes. “Stop on what I’m doing, what Elaine, Melanie, and Ashley are doing, or what someone you know is doing. Get in line and lend your support, whether it’s physical or monetary support.”

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This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com

Health and Wellness

Can psychedelics help you drink less alcohol? Our new study aims to find out

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Psychhedels reminiscent of LSD and psilocybina (Active ingredient in magical mushrooms) is gaining increasingly more attention in psychiatry. Research suggests They can offer therapeutic advantages in conditions reminiscent of depression, anxiety, obsessive and compulsive disorders, dietary disorders and addiction.

Our research team Study whether N, N-Dimetytryptamine (DMT)Quickly acting psychedelic, can help people reduce alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is most frequently Incorrectly used substance in Great Britainpartly since it is legal, widely available and deeply rooted in social culture. While many individuals can enjoy alcohol sparselyIN significant number Fight to control their drinking. For these people, Excessive alcohol consumption It can lead to serious physical, mental and social consequences.

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Traditional treatments don’t work for everybody, which is why we examine alternatives reminiscent of psychedelics, which may allow people to change their behavior in a single transformational experience.



DMT is Metabolized quickly within the body. When administered intravenousThe effects start almost immediately, often in a single to two minutes. However, these effects are short -lived, lasting only ten to 20 minutes.

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Despite the short duration of many users, they describe this experience as very deep. They often report live visions, complex patterns and feeling in one other reality. In some cases, experience leads to a whole change in how they think, feel and perceive the world. For many, this experience is deeply significant and transformational.

But what happens within the brain presently and the way can it affect long -term behavior, reminiscent of a discount in alcohol consumption?



Neuroplasticity and addiction

Our team He is especially all for how psychedelics reminiscent of DMT can help within the context of addiction. One theory is that psychedelics can temporarily increase neuroplasticityBrain ability to create new neural connections. This temporary reinforcement can open a window of flexibility, enabling some people more open to change.

For someone who got stuck in a heavy drinking cycle, this increased plasticity can help them break the old habits and develop healthier behavior. Basically, it might probably offer the brain Opportunity for “again” Sam and disturbing unhealthy patterns underlying addiction.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys9fbb19ws0

We also deal with reward and brain motivation systems, which play a key role in addiction. These systems affect the behavior related to pleasure, including food, sex and alcohol.

In individuals with Alcohol consumption disorderThese systems turn out to be hypersensitive to alcohol guidelines, often on the expense of other satisfying experiences. Some early studies He suggests that psychedelics can help “reset” these paths. We test this theory to see if DMT can reduce alcohol consumption by re -calibrating the brain prize system.

To examine these possibilities, we designed a study with drinking heavy, who’re motivated to reduce alcohol consumption. Each participant undergoes a radical screening test to be sure that they’re suitable for testing, and all sessions are conducted in a highly controlled, clinical environment with doctors and experienced researchers supervising this process.

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The study includes three visits to our UCL laboratory. We use through the first and third visit Functional imaging of magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to measure brain activity and observe how different areas of the brain interact.

During scans, participants watch emotionally engaging movies that provide a more natural way of testing brain response compared to abstract tasks. This helps us assess how DMT can affect the brain function in real, emotionally charged situations.

During the second visit, the participants are randomly assigned to receive DMT, placebo or non -pryshedel medicine (D-CykLoserina Or Lisers). It is believed that these subszymical substances are believed Promote neuroplasticity Without inducing full psychedelic effects of DMT.

. The test is double blind – Neither participants nor scientists know which substance is run. This helps to eliminate bias and ensures that the outcomes are as reliable as possible.

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In addition, we measure changes in brain activity during infusion of the drug with electroencephalography (EEG). EEG tracks the brain electrical signals and may help us predict which participants will almost certainly use DMT.

Participants also perform various psychological assessments, including questionnaires and tasks that measure memory, attention, mood and decision making. These data will help us understand how changes in brain function can relate to changes in behavior related to drinking.

What can we hope to discover

We are still within the technique of collecting data, but we’re excited whether DMT can lead to a major reduction in alcohol consumption. As scientists, it’s crucial for us to remain objective and permit the evidence to conduct our conclusions. By maintaining a “blind” test, until all results can be found, we be sure that our arrangements are objective and reliable.

If DMT proves to be effective in helping people to reduce alcohol consumption, especially for many who struggled with other treatments, it might probably pave the best way to a new approach to addiction therapy. Even if the outcomes are ambiguous, they may proceed to provide precious insight into the potential role of psychedels within the treatment of addiction and open new possibilities of future research.

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It is very important to emphasize that these research takes place in a protected, controlled environment. Psychhedels are strong substances, and their effects could be unpredictable, especially outside the clinical settings. They usually are not a “magic ball” and usually are not suitable for everybody. The controlled setting allows us to examine our effects, while minimizing the chance for participants.

Having said that, we imagine in psychhedels offer a special opportunity To higher understand the brain and its ability to change. By examining how transformational experiences can affect behavior, we hope to contribute to the event of simpler treatment of addiction and other mental health conditions.

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

Tina Knowles reveals the diagnosis of breast cancer and reminds people not to “bend over mammograms”

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Tina Knowles reveals the diagnosis of breast cancer and reminds people not to

Ghettos

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Tina Knowles revealed that she was fighting breast cancer. The 71-year-old learned that she had cancer in stage 1 in July 2024. She learned about her diagnosis at a time when she launched the Cécred hair care line along with her daughter Beyoncé.

“It is important not to slow down to your mammograms,” she said during an interview with people. The creator also revealed that she missed mammography. Task group of American preventive services recommended That women aged 40 to 74, who’re exposed to the average risk of breast cancer, receive mammography every 2 years, but you may also get one yr.

“I forgot that I did not go to the test for two years before I thought I did it,” she said – “Because Covid came, they called me and canceled and said, we would call you when we started testing again. I just thought that I did it. So you can’t play with it.”

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Tina revealed a message about her meeting with breast cancer in her diary, which he published on April 22.

“I fought with whether I would share this journey [in the book] Because I’m very private. But I decided to share it because I think these are many lessons for other women – he says. “And I believe that as women sometimes we’re so busy and we’re so wrapped and running, but you’ve got to go to the test. Because if I did not get the test early, I mean, fascinated with what could occur to me.”

While the news of a loved one could be devastating, Knowles said that her daughters had a realistic response to listening to her diagnosis.

She said that Beyoncé “took it well, remaining positive, and I already felt her mind racing, focusing on this as a task with precision.” Tiny’s second child, Solange said: “Mom, we’ll deal with it.” Additionally, Kelly Rowland who’s close to the matriarch, and her niece Angie Beyinka was also at her side. “My girls have become my team,” she wrote in a newly published book.

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Fortunately, the dressmaker underwent surgery last yr to remove the tumor, and also obtained breast reduction.

“I’m great,” she said. “Without cancer and incredibly blessed that God let me find him early.”

Knowles wants women to remember about regular research – key detection is essential.

“I didn’t know that there was stage 0. I could catch it at stage 0 if I didn’t miss my mammogram,” she said.

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Mama Super Gwiazda also wants people to know you can undergo the difficult terror of health and proceed to go to the top: “I want to show people that you can go and continue to fly.”

Nowadays, the 71-year-old is doing and feels good.

“I’m healthier, I eat better, I lost weight,” she told people.

“I want to give people hope,” Knowles added. “What scares me now is not the best to use every day that I left in this life.”

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

President of HBCU will submit a request for a donor of organs in graduation

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Livingstone College, organ Donation, kidney


President HBCU prays that a member of his school community may also help him find an organ donor.

Dr. Anthony J. Davis, president of Livingstone College, has been fighting kidney failure for almost two years. Since the diagnosis, Davis has undergone almost 10 hours of dialysis treatment at night, and was also juggling the duties of institutions. During the last ceremony of starting Livingstone, May 3 revealed his tragic request for a donor of organs.

“When the Lord is a blessing, the enemy begins to play”, he shared Graduate class, on.

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Davis stays involved in lifting the college and her body, despite his medical failures. He remains to be working on increasing registration and recruitment, remaining at the highest of his goals to lift Livingstone. His term also recorded a donation of two anonymous gifts price $ 10 million per school.

Describing his health journey, he also noticed that none of his members of the family was entitled to a match because of their different blood groups.

“I said, my children, what is happiness? They have a good mother’s appearance and her blood group,” he shared the group’s laughter.

His emotional speech also inspired graduates to beat obstacles that they might encounter in their lives. Davis also began the “Be my match” campaign to assist search. The “Be My Match” initiative encourages those in the HBCU Livcustone community and out of doors of it to get to know a living donor. Davis expressed the hope and faith that his public declaration concerning the need for a donor would cause his community to seek out a match.

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Blacks are disproportionately affected by kidney disease. According to the National Institute of Health, the 2023 annual report showed that this demographic group Accounts 30% of all individuals with final kidney disease (ESKD). Black are also 4 times more exposed to death because of their ECOD than their white counterparts, because of which their ability to seek out a match is more essential than ever.

Bearing in mind these numbers, Davis hopes that his network will strengthen this campaign to the masses to assist the educator and supporter of HBCu save his life. When he finished his powerful and key message, the category of 2025 and Davis hope that in the subsequent era of their lives with latest prosperity.

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This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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