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Biles, Osaka, Phelps Spoke on Mental Health Issues: Has Anything Changed for the Paris Olympics?

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Lydia Jacoby was a star in the U.S. pool at the last Summer Olympics, winning gold in the 100-meter breaststroke and silver in the relay. What involves mind from those heady days in Tokyo? “People talking about post-Olympic depression,” she said.

She was 17 at the time, and her first response when other athletes brought up the subject was, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me.”

“I didn’t really understand depression,” she said. “It wasn’t until after the Games that I was like, ‘Oh… OK. Yeah, I feel that a little bit.’”

Jacoby, who didn’t qualify for the 2024 Olympics, is now fully aware of the phenomenon, has lived through it, overcome it and speaks freely about it. All of this is a sign of how much the mental health landscape has modified in only a number of years.

As the Paris Olympics begin Friday and the Paralympics begin Aug. 28, athletes have more access than ever to resources on this once-taboo sphere, and so they seem more willing than ever to make use of them. That seems especially significant provided that Jessica Bartley, senior director of psychological services for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, says about half of the nation’s athletes at the past two Olympics have been flagged as having a minimum of one in every of the following conditions: anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, eating disorders, substance use or abuse.

“Now we’re really just part of the conversation,” Bartley said, “not something on the back burner or something we think about when someone’s struggling.”

Among the key questions now: Will everyone seek the help they need? And is there enough help available?

As for the former, Bartley said: “I’d prefer to think we have gotten past that time, but we’re not quite there yet. I feel like there’s still some stigma. I believe there’s still some associations with ‘weakness.’

And the second? “I think there could be more,” said track and field star Gabby Thomas, “but, I mean, they are.”

Olympians Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and Michael Phelps opened the door

Three Olympians — Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, who competed in the last pandemic-delayed Summer Games and are returning, and former swimmer Michael Phelps, who has more medals than anyone else in any sport — are amongst the loudest voices in an evolving global conversation in sports and society about the importance of protecting, evaluating and improving the mind as much as the body.

Phelps has spoken about having suicidal thoughts at the height of his profession and helped produce a documentary about depression amongst Olympic athletes. He has also called on the International Olympic Committee and the USOPC to do more.

“I think there’s something to be said for a lot of really, really good athletes talking about the same issue. I know not all athletes feel the same way; you have to be a certain type or have a certain state of mind. Some people just feel things differently,” said Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1-ranked player who lit the pot in Japan.

She has been open about her struggles with anxiety and depression, and was one in every of the first sports figures to take a break from competition for mental health reasons, paving the way for others to do the same.

Osaka, for her part, said she felt “very heard” when listening to Biles and Phelps.

“I’m sure a lot of different athletes felt heard as well,” Osaka said. “They didn’t feel like it was a weakness or anything like that, so I’m really glad we all talked about it.”

Biles, who redefined excellence in gymnastics and won seven Olympic medals along the way, drew attention, and a few criticism, for withdrawing from the Tokyo competition due to a mental block — known in the gymnastics world as “the twisties” — that left her afraid to perform certain dangerous moves.

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The indisputable fact that her explanation of what went improper got here in such a public setting as the BIGGEST star in Tokyo made all of it the more meaningful to other athletes.

“She didn’t have to,” said WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart. “She used her position to help others.”

What Biles did resonated with athletes like Tokyo gold medalist kayaker Nevin Harrison, who said that “anxiety, fear, stress… are going to play a huge role in competing at that level.”

Biles showed them that a way out of the situation was possible.

“I was in that situation once,” said boxer Morelle McCane, “when I just thought, ‘Do or die! Do or die!'”

How different is that this from the Olympic Games today?

Janet Evans won 4 gold medals in swimming at the 1988 and 1992 Games and recalls the relentless pressure to prove herself. In her day, she says, there was nowhere near the empathy or support available to Olympic athletes today.

“We didn’t talk about struggle. Nobody taught me that it’s OK to lose, right? You know, I was Janet Evans, and when I went to the swim meet, I was going to win,” said Evans, the chief athlete officer for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. “We’re talking about it now and recognizing it in our athletes. And I think that’s an important first step.”

That means even 38-year-old rugby player Perry Baker has noticed changes since his Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

“You had to wait it out. You felt a little lonely. You felt like you couldn’t talk to anybody,” said Baker, who played briefly for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Evans admitted that national Olympic committees have to search out a balance between caring for athletes as people and ensuring that medals accumulate, which is a “difficult task”.

“We should go to the Olympics and Paralympics and win medals. But I don’t think that should come at the expense of how we prepare our athletes for the future,” Evans said. “Both can happen.”

That’s where Bartley and her counterparts from other countries and the IOC are available in.

The Beijing Winter Olympics two years ago were the first to provide national Olympic committees additional powers to ask athlete welfare employees—registered mental health professionals or qualified safeguarding experts. More than 170 representatives from greater than 90 countries can be in Paris.

“We didn’t have that in Tokyo, and now it’s going to be implemented at every Games,” said Kirsty Burrows, head of the IOC’s unit on athletes’ mental health. “Because we’re really seeing the impact.”

There can be a 24-hour mental health hotline with counselors who speak greater than 70 languages, a program that was launched for the Beijing Games but is now available to each Olympian and Paralympian for as much as 4 years after the event, artificial intelligence that monitors athletes’ social media for cyberbullying, and a “mind zone” in the athletes’ village with a yoga space, dim lighting, comfortable seating and other tools “dedicated to disconnecting, to decompressing,” Burrows said.

The USOPC has gone from six mental health providers 3 1/2 years ago to fifteen now; 14 can be in France. Last 12 months, 1,300 Team USA athletes participated in greater than 6,000 therapy sessions organized by the USOPC.

“I expect the numbers to be even higher,” Bartley said, “particularly in an Olympic year.”

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

Health matters: WNBA star Napheesa Collier on her commitment to women’s reproductive health

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Minnesota lynx

Napheesa Collier will not be only a WNBA superstar for the Minnesota Lynx and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, but additionally the mother of her daughter Mila and an advocate for women’s reproductive health rights.

It recently decided to partner with Opill®, the primary and only every day contraceptive pill available over-the-counter within the United States. This breakthrough represents a major step forward in women’s health care by providing a convenient and accessible contraceptive option. With Opill, women not need to visit health care facilities for prescriptions, making it easier than ever to take control of their reproductive health.

The collaboration relies on Opill®’s long-standing partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). “One of the reasons Opill® partnered with the WNBA is the great passion of players who use their platform to support causes they believe in,” said Leila Bahbah, leading women’s health brand at Perrigo within the US. “Napheesa exudes this passion, and together we plan to educate and empower people to take control of their reproductive health.”

Collier advocates for girls and says she is willing to have conversations, even in the event that they are difficult. “I just truly believe in everything they do at Opill®. I believe it’s important to talk to people who may become pregnant and to women about the reproductive health and contraceptive options available to them,” Collier tells ESSENCE.

He continues: “I want people to know that if they want contraception, Opill® is a great option. It is the first over-the-counter drug approved by the FDA. It is inexpensive, available. You don’t need a prescription to get it. I think that’s a key thing in today’s climate.”

Collier notes that within the off-season, he tries to travel to various colleges to talk to students about their reproductive freedoms. “Talking about this topic is essential to remove the stigma as it should not be considered a shameful topic or something that should not be discussed openly. My mother was a nurse, so it was casual to talk about it in our house, and I want to pass it on to other people too, so I’m very excited about it,” she says.

In the present political climate, many ladies with daughters are concerned about their future and reproductive health. Collier, included. “Especially because I am the mother of a young girl, it is very important to me to be able to raise her in an atmosphere where she knows her reproductive rights and health, that she has access to affordable health care and contraception if she wants it and that she can ask me these questions and have open conversations.”

Collier continues: “It’s back to education. Again, I think it’s harmful that we can’t have open conversations about birth control and other issues that are usually taboo. I think it’s harmful. I think this does a lot of harm to women. It hurts. This is harmful to our society. Being able to talk about these issues and empowering women to learn about their rights and bodies creates a safer and healthier society.”

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

Yes, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok, you still need to use sunscreen

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Summer is nearly here. But as an alternative of using sunscreen, some TikTokers just do that encouraging followers throw it away and forgo sunscreen.

They argue that it’s healthier to forgo sunscreen to get the complete advantages of the sun.

Here’s what the science really says.

How does sunscreen work?

Due to the acute UV environment in Australia, most individuals with pale to olive skin or other risk aspects for skin cancer must accomplish that protect yourself. Applying sunscreen is a key approach to protecting areas that aren’t easily covered by clothing.

Sunscreens work by absorbing or scattering UV rays before they reach the skin and damage DNA or supporting structures corresponding to collagen.

In this photo I (Katie) apply sunscreen only to the appropriate side of my face. Sunscreens absorb and scatter UV light (right side), although it can’t be seen with the naked eye (left side). The photo on the appropriate also shows where sun spots (dark spots) accumulate on my skin and where I do not care to apply sunscreen evenly – under the attention, on the cheek and completely missing the ear.
The creator provided/UQ

When UV molecules hit DNA, the surplus energy can damage our DNA. This damage might be repaired, but when the cell divides before the error is repaired, it causes a mutation that may lead to skin cancer.

The energy of the UV particle (photon) causes the DNA strands to break and reconnect incorrectly. This causes a tumor within the DNA strand, which makes accurate copying difficult and might introduce mutations.
NASA/David Herring

The most typical skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Melanoma is less common but most definitely spreads throughout the body; this process known as metastasis.

Two against three At least the Australians will one skin cancer during their lives they usually reconcile 80% all cancers in Australia.

About 99% of skin cancers in Australia are attributable to overexposure to UV radiation.

Excessive exposure to UV radiation also affects the looks of the skin. UVA rays are able to penetrate deep into the skin, where they break down supporting structures corresponding to elastin and collagen.

This causes signs premature agingcorresponding to deep wrinkles, brown or white spots and broken capillaries.

Sunscreen may also help prevent skin cancer

Consistently used sunscreen reduces the danger of skin cancer and slows skin aging.

In Queensland studyparticipants either used sunscreen day by day for nearly five years or continued their usual use.

After five years, the danger of squamous cell cancer was reduced within the day by day group 40% compared to the second group.

Ten years later, the danger of developing invasive melanoma was reduced within the group of individuals taking the drug day by day 73%

Do sunscreens block the health-promoting properties of sunlight?

The answer is a little more complicated and involves a personalised risk-benefit trade-off.

First, the excellent news: spending time within the sun has many health advantages don’t rely under the influence of UV radiation and aren’t affected by the use of sunscreens.

A woman applies sunscreen
Sunscreens only filter out UV rays, not all light.
Ron Lach/Pexels

Sunscreens only filter UV rays, not visible light or infrared light (which we feel as heat). Importantly, a number of the advantages of sunlight are obtained through Eyes.

Visible light improves mood and regulates and possibly reduces circadian rhythm (which influences the sleep-wake cycle). myopia (myopia) in children.

Infrared light is being researched as a treatment for several conditions skin, neurological, psychiatric AND autoimmune disorders.

So what is the good thing about exposing your skin to UV radiation?

Sun exposure produces vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bones and muscles.

Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common amongst Australians, peaking in Victoria at 49% in winter and lowest in Queensland at 6% in summer.

Fortunately, individuals who deal with sun protection can avoid vitamin D deficiency taking a complement.

Skin exposure to UV radiation could have advantages independent of vitamin D production, but these haven’t been proven. It may reduce the danger of autoimmune diseases corresponding to multiple sclerosis or cause the discharge of a chemical that may lower blood pressure. However, there aren’t enough details about these advantages to say whether sunscreen can be an issue.

What does this mean for you?

Exposure of the skin to UV radiation may provide some advantages that could be blunted by sunscreens. This determines whether it’s value giving up these advantages to avoid skin cancer how susceptible you have skin cancer.

If you have pale skin or other aspects that increase your risk of skin cancer, try to use sunscreen day by day on all days when the forecast UV index reaches 3.

If you have darker skin that rarely or never burns, you might want to skip using sunscreen on daily basis – although you’ll still need protection when you’re outdoors for prolonged periods of time.

For now, the balance of evidence suggests that it is healthier for people susceptible to skin cancer to proceed using sunscreen, supplementing with vitamin D as needed.

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

Recipe for change: eliminating health disparities and economic empowerment – the essence

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Via Griffin/Getty Images

Throughout the 12 months, the Global Black Economic Forum held quite a few select conversations focused on solutions to the most pressing economic and social issues facing marginalized communities. One of those issues – too often missed – is the link between Black health and wealth. If we do not start eliminating health disparities and inequalities today, we cannot give you the chance to construct wealth for the future.

This intersection was the focus of an event we hosted in August as a part of our cooking talk series. It was held on Martha’s Vineyard, round the corner National Medical Scholarships (NMF), the Black World Economic Forum had the opportunity to satisfy with NMF’s unapologetic leader, Michellene Davis. Recognized by Modern Healthcare magazine as certainly one of the 25 most influential minority leaders in healthcare, Michellene’s profession has involved policy advocacy and social change.

Her organization is devoted to increasing the variety of Black, Indigenous and physicians of color through fellowships, service-learning programs, mentoring opportunities and clinical research leadership training.

The conversation revealed two easy and interconnected data points: In the next decade, the United States will experience:huge shortage of doctors while becoming a majority non-white nation. These two trends highlight the need for greater diversity on this field. Studies have shown that patients of color see racially and ethnically diverse physicians. Treatment results are frequently higher.

However, the percentage of black doctors in the US is growing at an alarmingly slow rate – it has only increased by 4% over the last 120 years.. In the face of conservatives’ regressive and destructive attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, there has never been a greater need for us to redouble these efforts. The more we are able to improve health outcomes, the higher we’ll give you the chance to seize and compete for economic opportunities in the future. Given the urgent need to deal with health care workforce disparities and their direct impact on Black economic outcomes, it’s equally essential to acknowledge the broader economic opportunities that may drive wealth creation in our communities.

The competition for certainly one of the best economic opportunities in the history of tourism and hospitality – the 2026 FIFA World Cup – was the focus of our other curated conversation. Organized round the corner East Point Congress and Visitors Bureau, we sat down with its president, Chantel Francois. In her position, she is responsible for the development of the tourism industry in the city of East Point, Georgia. Previously, she led economic development and tourism promotion efforts in Atlanta, Trinidad and Tobago.

Francois described how local businesses run by entrepreneurs of color can leverage global events like the FIFA World Cup to extend their brand visibility, increase sales, and even start their very own businesses. She emphasized the importance of partnerships with event organizers, teams and athletes in constructing company awareness. This cooperation can also be crucial as the city government works with many stakeholders to make sure the safety of tourists and maximum economic opportunities for the area people.

When it involves such major events, it is usually essential to instill a way of community pride in each sector wherein an organization competes. This pride translates into a robust bond with travelers that may make them proceed to interact with small businesses or spark curiosity in them to learn more about the community. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has the potential to place tens of millions of dollars into the pockets and communities of individuals of color, and it’s crucial for businesses to begin planning now in the event that they have not already.

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