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Early 21st century fashion trends popularized by black culture

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Paris Hilton’s 21st birthday dress stands out as the poster child for fast fashion retailers in every single place, but two years before the “original” debuted, style maven and actress LisaRaye McCoy wore an identical chain mail style to the 2000 Video Music Awards (micro bag, tow bag ). Before model Bella Hadid decided that oversized cargo and gradient sunglasses were a necessity, famous R&B singer Aaliyah was already giving them her signature look. And while Juicy Couture has definitely turn out to be a household name in velor tracksuits, the plush ensemble was preceded by styles from none aside from Kimora Lee Simons’ Baby Phat empire.

Sisqo with actress LisaRaye arrives on the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards live from Radio City Music Hall in New York. 07/09/2000 Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect

Considering that the aforementioned early 21st century fashion trends have gained popularity in 2020, it seems mandatory to provide credit where it’s due: in black culture.

Not with the ability to fully take part in trends the primary time around, I treated this return to maturity as a likelihood to completely reveal myself. As I looked through every tank top, Kangol hat, and jersey dress I’d never had the pleasure of owning, I quickly realized that it was almost not possible to debate the resurgence of early trends without acknowledging the influence of black culture. Growing up, I remember video vixens wearing the denim looks that you simply now see in every single place on Instagram. Closely following the archetype of Lauren London’s “New New” character from the classic film, ATL convinced me to take a position in a pair of huge name earrings that each black girl owned. Long before Carrie Bradshaw popularized her beloved monogram necklace, which she called “ghetto gold” jewelry.

“I soon realized that it was almost impossible to discuss the resurgence of early trends without acknowledging the influence of black culture.”

But everyone knows that “The ghetto is nothing more than creativity that has not yet been stolen” – a phrase coined by an Ohio designer and philanthropist, Ron Blassingame. Of course, now you would be hard-pressed to scroll through your timeline and find an influencer or celebrity without their very own nickname hanging proudly around their neck. We have proven that trends that were considered controversial twenty years ago are trendy today.

Scroll through the list of early 2000s trends that undoubtedly gained popularity due to their rise within the Black community.


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

Matcha is having a moment. What are the health benefits of this green tea drink?

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Matcha’s popularity has increased in recent months, resulting in reports of: global shortages and price increases.

If you are not crazy yet, matcha is a powdered version of green tea. On the cafe’s menu, chances are you’ll see a hot or iced matcha latte, and even a matcha-flavored cake or cookie. A fast Google appears countless recipes containing matcha, each sweet and spicy.

Retailers and cafe owners they suggested The predominant reasons for matcha’s popularity are its Instagrammable appearance and alleged health benefits.

But what are the health benefits of matcha? Here’s what the evidence says.

First of all, what is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves that come from the plant. It is the same plant from which green and black tea are produced. However, production process distinguishes matcha from green and black tea.

In the case of matcha, the tea is grown in the shade. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed and dried, and the stems are removed. The leaves are then fastidiously ground at a controlled temperature to acquire a powder.

The production process for green tea is simpler. Leaves are collected from unshaded plants, heated and dried. We then soak the dried leaves in hot water to make tea (whereas with matcha, the whole leaf is consumed).

In the case of black tea, the leaves are exposed to air after being picked, which results in oxidation. This turns the leaves black and offers the tea a different flavor.

In countries similar to Japan, matcha is traditionally whipped with water and served in a stone bowl.
Charlotte May/Pexels

Source of phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are chemical compounds present in plants which have a number of benefits for human health. Matcha comprises several.

Chlorophyll gives plants, amongst others, green color. There is some evidence that chlorophyll can have health benefits – amongst others anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-obesity – as a result of its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage our cells.

Theanine has been shown to improve sleep AND reduce stress and anxiety. Only other known Mushrooms are a dietary source of theanine.

Caffeine is a phytonutrient that we all know well. In addition to increasing alertness, caffeine has also been shown to extend alertness antioxidant effect and a few protection against a range of chronic and neurodegenerative diseases. However, an excessive amount of caffeine can have negative unwanted effects.

Interestingly, the plants seem like shading during cultivation change the dietary composition leaf and should result in higher levels of these nutrients in matcha in comparison with green tea.

Another compound value mentioning are catechins, of which there are several differing types. Matcha powder similarly comprises more catechins than green tea. They are powerful antioxidants that have been shown have a protective effect against bacteria, viruses, allergies, inflammation and cancer. Catechins are also found in apples, blueberries and strawberries.

What are the real health benefits?

We know that matcha comprises a variety of phytonutrients, but does this translate into any noticeable health benefits?

A review published in 2023 identified only five experimental studies that gave people matcha. In these studies, participants received roughly 2–4 g of matcha per day (reminiscent of 1–2 teaspoons of matcha powder) in comparison with a placebo, in the form of a capsule, tea or food. Matcha reduces stress and anxiety and improves memory and cognitive functions. It had no effect on the mood.

AND newer study showed that 2 g of matcha in elderly people aged 60 to 85 improved sleep quality. However, in younger people aged 27 to 64, in one other study matcha had little effect on sleep.

AND research in individuals with obesity found no difference in weight reduction observed between the matcha group and the control group. This study didn’t randomize participants, and other people knew which group they were placed in.

One could hypothesize that, given that you’re going to eat the whole leaf and that levels of some nutrients could also be higher as a result of growing conditions, matcha can have more dietary benefits than green tea. However, to my knowledge, there has not been a direct comparison of the health effects of green tea versus matcha.

Matcha latte in a black cup on a brown table.
Matcha has gained popularity, but evidence of its health benefits is still limited.
Usanee/Shutterstock

There is a lot of evidence about the effects of green tea

Although a limited number of studies have examined matcha to this point and none have compared matcha to green tea, there is quite a bit of research on the health benefits of drinking green tea.

AND systematic review of 21 studies on green tea showed similar benefits to matcha in improving memory, in addition to evidence of improving mood.

There is also evidence that green tea provides other health benefits. Systematic reviews have shown that green tea results in: weight reduction in individuals with obesitylower level some types of cholesterolAND lowered blood pressure. Green tea can too reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

So for those who cannot reach for matcha right away, drinking green tea may be a good option to get your caffeine fix.

Although the evidence for green tea gives us some clues about the health benefits of matcha, we cannot ensure that they will probably be the same. Nevertheless, in case your local coffee shop has a large supply of matcha, there is nothing to say that you should not still enjoy matcha drinks.

However, it is best to save lots of the matcha croissant or cronut for special occasions. Adding matcha to foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat may negate any health benefits which may be attributed to matcha.

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

Get nostalgic with this vintage look: Rep. Maxine Waters – Essence

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Maxine Waters is a political titan. Waters, a Democratic House representative representing California’s forty third Congressional District, is currently serving her seventeenth term. She was re-elected last night. This powerhouse is the oldest of all Black women currently serving in Congress. Waters has gained respect as an advocate for ladies, children, people of color, the poor, veterans and the elderly. Congresswoman Waters was the primary woman and Black to chair the House Financial Services Committee. Notably, she chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 1997 to 1999.

This beloved representative has been revered across generations for her infectious personality and policy changes that move America forward. Throughout her political profession, Waters has also been a mode aficionado. Power jumpsuits have at all times been her selection to specific her commitment to making a wardrobe suitable for somebody who’s always on the go but additionally has time for business. She wore different jackets in lots of her style moments. Sometimes she wears blouses that exude femininity and elegance. When it involves red carpet appearances, she prefers statement dresses. Otherwise, her favorite solution can also be slim mid-length skirts.

One of our favourite photos of Congresswoman Waters is from the Nineties. In it, she poses in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., wearing a double-breasted red jacket with gold embellishments, a black crew-neck dress underneath, large gold earrings, an identical watch and a press release ring. This look exudes strength, change and resilience. Emulating this key ’90s style effortlessly channels Congresswoman Waters’ energy. For over twenty years, Waters has been making a difference in our community.

Get nostalgic with this vintage look: Rep. Maxine Waters
Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

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

Singer Shanice reveals breast cancer story and urges others not to skip mammograms; “If you can get there early, you will survive.”

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Shaniuce, Shanice Wilson, Shanice Wilson-Knox, Shanice breast cancer, Shanice mammograms, Shanice mastectomy, DCIS breast cancer, What is DCIS, breast cancer in Black women, mammograms, dense breasts, theGrio.com

Mammograms can be scary, but as R&B singer Shanice knows, not taking them can lead to rather more terrifying results.

A mammogram in his 40s led to the misdiagnosis of an ultimately benign cyst as a cancerous mass. Although the result was positive, the health concerns were enough for the “I Love Your Smile” singer to skip further mammograms, that are advisable yearly after the age of 40.

“Because of the fear I had when they thought they saw something, I didn’t go there for eight years,” said Shanice, whose full name is Shanice Wilson-Knox.Good morning America” during a recent speech.

Overcoming her fear of further misdiagnosis, the 51-year-old singer finally returned for one more scan in March when she felt a lump in her breast. The results revealed one other terrifying – and this time accurate – diagnosis. The mother of two children was diagnosed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)an early type of breast cancer that will develop within the milk ducts of 1 or each breasts.

Although DCIS is non-aggressive, normally non-invasive and easy to treat, it is usually common and accounts for 20% to 25% of recent breast cancer diagnoses annually, according to data Cleveland Clinic. Risk aspects include dense breast tissue it’s more common in black women and can make mammograms harder to read because dense breast tissue and tumors are similarly visible in the photographs. It is price noting that the variety of DCIS cases is increasing, and experts consider that this trend is due to lower rates of diagnosis and treatment.

In Shanice’s case, the diagnosis led her to determine to have a double mastectomy, a procedure she underwent in May. The surgery turned out to be more essential than initially thought, because it revealed a one-centimeter grade 1 tumor in a single breast.

“When I had surgery and was told I had cancer, I literally lost my smile,” she told GMA host Michael Strahan. For months, she didn’t reveal either her diagnosis or her double mastectomy. In September, she split her Instagram storyincluding a video of her within the hospital before surgery.

“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to face in my life, but I know God is with me and everything will be fine,” she said within the video.

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In the post’s caption, she detailed her diagnosis and treatment, thanking each her medical team and her community of family, friends and additional health care professionals, including her longtime husband and former reality TV co-star, actor and comedian Flex Alexander. “Thank God I caught it early… I wasn’t ready to talk about it then, but now I’m strong enough to talk about it,” she wrote, encouraging others to be vigilant about their breast health. “Everyone please check.”

In an interview with GMA, she echoed that advice, telling the show’s hosts, “I just want to tell women how important it is to get a mammogram… If I had gone earlier, I could have caught (breast cancer) just in time at stage zero.”

“Put that fear aside,” she continued. “If you get tested earlier, you can beat this disease. This is not a death sentence. If you can get there early, you will survive.

Shanice assured viewers that she is now cancer-free and that there is not only life but joy on the opposite side of a breast cancer diagnosis. “I wanted to be on the show to encourage women to smile,” she said. “I got my smile back.”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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