Real Health Spring 2012

REALHEALTH THE GUIDE TO BLACK WELLNESS

Queen Latifah Beauty Biz Body Image Standards Don’t Rule Her!

SPRING 2012 $2.99 US REALHEALTHMAG.COM

Simple Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance

When It’s Best to Skip a Workout

Nail Salons, Barbershops and Hep C Risks

Hair Politics

Relaxed vs.

Natural: An Unhealthy Debate?

CONTENTS

On the Ball

Check out our exclusive interview with WNBA basketball star Candice Wiggins, who discusses why empathy for people living with HIV is key to ending stigma.

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editor’s letter

9

buzz

Real Health Tips

Want to lose weight, exercise smart, eat right, find good health care, boost nutrition, sleep better or just get healthy?

For tips, click on “Health Basics A-Z” on the realhealthmag.com home page.

Looking for Love?

Get relationship advice from RH blogger Jeff Carroll, “hip-hop’s first dating coach.”

Real Health Hair Center

How’s your hair health? Visit the RH Hair Center to catch up on the latest news and trends to keep your tresses in tip-top shape.

Digital Real Health

Read Real Health magazine online exactly as it appears in print. Go to realhealthmag.com/ digital to view the current issue and the entire Smart + Strong digital library.

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Unemployed, uninsured and sick

Does your salon put you at risk of hepatitis?; living with HIV and kidney disease; uncontrolled HIV can cause headaches; cleansing regimens: healthy or not?; breaking through mental health care barriers; the truth behind the vitamin scare

16 COVER STORY

beauty essentials

Actress Queen Latifah doesn’t base her body image on what others think of her size.

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back to the land

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hiv r&r

The African Heritage Diet Pyramid stresses the traditional foods of the black diaspora.

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fitness

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nutrition

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tangled thoughts

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sex

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thoughts

Get a workout boost with music; when to go to—or skip—the gym

Organic vs. conventional produce; eat these for healthy hair, skin and nails; all-natural sugar substitutes

Self-reported sexual behavior is not always reliable; Ask the Sexpert

Summer camps can provide some kids with a respite from HIV-related discrimination and stigma.

The natural hair movement has generated a great debate about self-esteem and black identity.

Ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance

Contributor Question of the Month How do you mentally prepare for the spring season?

Spring is all about fresh starts. I clean out my closets, mop my floors and reorganize my files. Plus, I add extra lunges, push-ups and crunches to my workout routine so I can feel good in my new clothes. —Katie Karlson

reach out & click!

At realhealthmag.com, you can read more articles; access exclusive, online-only special reports; meet other health-minded black singles; and subscribe ($9.97 for four quarterly issues; you can also call 800.973.2376). Plus, sign up for the Real Health email newsletter to get the latest black health news!

(COVER) KEITH MAJOR; (WIGGINS) COURTESY OF KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION/VIGILANTE; (CARROLL) COURTESY OF JEFF CARROLL; (ILLUSTRATION) ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/CATHERINE LANE; (VITAMINS) DREAMSTIME.COM/CHARLOTTE LAKE; (TOMATO) DREAMSTIME.COM/LERTSNIM; (WOMAN) DREAMSTIME.COM/KALEENAKATT; (KARLSON) COURTESY OF KATIE KARLSON

this month on REALHEALTHMAG.COM

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EDITOR’S LETTER

REAL HEALTH

Health vs. Ego

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kate Ferguson MANAGING EDITOR

A

Jennifer Morton SENIOR EDITOR

re you currently unemployed, uninsured and sick?

Recently, a friend called me to chat. She’d been out of work for almost one year, and now she was nursing an injury. She’d begun experiencing excruciating pain in her right arm—the one she used most often. But what made a bad situation worse was she’s both unemployed and uninsured.

During the next several weeks, my friend’s pain worsened. After doing research online, she attempted a self-diagnosis. She said she thought she had bursitis, so she tried every home treatment she could find. As time went on, though, her pain got worse.

To help, I volunteered to do some research. I began looking for quick and effective ways she could access care. Soon, it became clear: There’d be no speedy results for her.

In many aspects, my friend fit the profile of the almost 59 million people estimated to have no health insurance for at least part of 2010 (up nearly 4 million from 2009). She was formerly clocking a middle income paycheck; she was between the ages of 18 and 64; and now she had a chronic condition and was forgoing needed medical care. What the hell was she supposed to do?

Well, if you’re unemployed, uninsured and have a health problem that needs medical attention, here’s what some experts advise: Make an ally in the health care system—a doc, nurse, patient rep—because he or she might work with you; if you qualify, apply for

Laura Whitehorn ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Cristina González COPY EDITOR

Trenton Straube RESEARCHER

Kenny Miles ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR

Eric Minton EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Lauren Tuck, Reed Vreeland ART DIRECTOR

Mark Robinson ART PRODUCTION MANAGER

Michael Halliday PUBLISHED BY

Smart + Strong Publishers of POZ and POZ.com PRESIDENT AND COO

Ian Anderson

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

Megan Strub

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Regan Hofmann COMPTROLLER

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Ross Zuckerman

DIRECTOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR

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Arnie Lewis

CDM PUBLISHING LLC

Jeremy Grayzel, CEO ADVISORY EDITOR

Sean Strub

ADVISORY BOARD

Lee SaintMartin, MS, IIPA, CN, ND, naturopath; Goulda Downer, PhD, RD, CNS, and Nutrition Services, Inc.; Yuan Wan, licensed acupuncturist and doctor of traditional Chinese medicine; Dr. Rachael Ross, MD, PhD, sexologist; Lovell Harris, MD, internist; Terrie Williams, mental health advocate; Xavier Artis, campaign creator, Stay Strong: Healing Starts With Us (HSWU)

Here’s to your health, JOAN LOBIS BROWN

Issue No. 29. Copyright © 2012 CDM Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. If you are an individual or organization and would like to subscribe to Real Health, go to real healthmag.com or call 800.973.2376.

Send feedback on this issue to info@ realhealthmag.com or Real Health, c/o Smart + Strong, 462 Seventh Ave., 19th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.

state assistance (it’s not a handout—your tax dollars help fund this!) through the Department of Health and Human Services; if you need prescription meds, find out if you can use generics, as those are cheaper; and if there are alternative over-the-counter drugs you can safely substitute, try them.

In addition, patient advocate Elizabeth Bailey, author of The Patient’s Checklist, advises folks to remember that everything is negotiable. This means be sure to negotiate fees with hospitals and doctors so you never pay full price.

Admittedly, part of the difficulties my friend experienced getting health care stemmed from her reluctance to request help. Pride and poverty are twin evils that stop many people from letting others know they need assistance.

As I helped my friend navigate through the maze of the medical bureaucracy, I could sympathize. Who would want to expose themselves to the possibility of contempt that might accompany requesting charity care?

What’s more, many health care facilities are peopled by uncaring workers who, for any number of reasons, dish out attitude and brusque treatment to those who need care and are at their most vulnerable. Indeed, my friend told me about a few spirit-crushing incidents she’d endured that had made her think twice about reaching out for help.

Still, when you’re faced with failing health and the prospect of making a bad situation worse, I think a reality check is always in order.

What’s worse? Having to put up with nasty attitudes to get your body back to wellness, or not getting your illness treated and then maybe ruining your health forever?

Here’s what I say: Always put your health before your ego.

Kate Ferguson, Editor-in-Chief katef@realhealthmag.com

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BUZZ

Risky Businesses

DREAMSTIME.COM/SVETLANA VITKOVSKAYA

Salons and barbershops must nail safety precautions to reduce customers’ hepatitis risk.

illions of men and women get manicures, pedicures and haircuts every day. But there’s a lot more to these grooming services than just picking a nail color, deciding how much hair to trim and chatting with your favorite stylist. While you’re in the chair, flipping through a gossip magazine or watching a sports event, aestheticians and barbers are wielding instruments that could, in some cases, transmit hepatitis, according to a report from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).

The scary review found that reusable instruments, such as razors, clippers and nail files, posed a potential risk of transmitting the hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) if technicians didn’t scrupulously clean and disinfect the items after using them on each client.

Hepatitis viruses are transmitted through contact with infected blood, and they cause inflammation of the liver, which, in turn, leads to other liver problems. In fact, viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer, the most common reason people need a liver transplant.

From a public health perspective, one of the most important elements regarding the safety of salon and barbershop services is whether workers follow sanitation procedures, says David Johnson, MD, a professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

In at least one documented case, an acute HCV infection was clearly related to a manicure or pedicure treatment.

“No one should accept on blind trust that a business is

taking the necessary steps to prevent transmission of blood-borne infections,” Johnson says.

As a result of the report, the ACG proposed new guidelines to eliminate the risk. These include education and training for all technicians, and stricter requirements regarding hygiene, inspections and disinfection and storage of tools and other equipment.

But although this is a step in the right direction, currently there are no specific national guidelines in place to prevent HBV or HCV infection in nail salons and barbershops. What’s more, the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) has yet to issue a recommendation about hepatitis prevention at these businesses. In addition, neither the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System lists manicures, pedicures or barberSuspect grooming ing as risk factors for hep B and C. services.

But, Johnson warns, “The true magnitude of this risk has yet to be defined, and it clearly needs further study.”

In the meantime, he suggests you protect yourself by doing the following: Only visit reputable professionals you trust, and find out if tools and equipment are cleaned and disinfected after each use. Or, better yet, Johnson says, always bring your own clippers, razors and nail files whenever possible.

—Cristina González For more info on hepatitis, view hepmag.com.

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BUZZ

We’re Not Kidding

Living with HIV? Check your kidney health. up to 50 percent. Doctors think HIV may aggravate the higher risk already present in people with two copies of APOL1. And having hepatitis B or C along with HIV may add to kidney disease risk.

But HIV-positive people of all ethnicities lower their kidney disease risk when they take HIV medications. So taking those meds faithfully both supports general health and lowers kidney disease risk. If you have diabetes or hypertension, controlling your blood sugar and monitoring blood pressure promote kidney health too.

More good news: Detecting kidney disease early allows more flexibility in treatment. “People newly diagnosed with HIV should be tested [right away] for chronic kidney disease,” says Bryan Becker, MD, former National Kidney Foundation president.

Simple blood and urine tests at your regular checkups can test kidney function.

For more, watch video interviews with HIV specialist Theresa Mack, MD, and Mechelle Jones, who is living with HIV and kidney risk, at poz.com/kidneys. —Reed Vreeland

12,734 vs. 15,106

Number of U.S. deaths in 2007 from HIV versus hepatitis C, respectively, showing that hep C killed more people.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

HEADACHES?

People living with HIV get them more.

If you have HIV/AIDS and are plagued with chronic headaches, researchers offer this remedy: Take your HIV meds—every dose, every time.

Well, it’s not quite that simple.

But a recent study of women and men with HIV—74 percent of them African American—concluded that 1 0 R E AL H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

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people whose virus is uncontrolled experience more headaches, especially migraines, than those whose HIV is well-controlled. In the study, 88 percent of the participants were on HIV meds, so researchers think people who got headaches probably missed doses or used an ineffective regimen.

The people with lower CD4 cell counts (averaging 327 compared with 586) had more severe, frequent and disabling headaches—but had been positive a realhealthmag.com

shorter period of time—than those with higher CD4 counts. As Todd Smitherman, PhD, a lead researcher, told Real Health, “Strict adherence to prescribed HIV regimens is critical, as is keeping regular follow-up visits with physicians to monitor [health] status.”

If you are an HIV-positive headache sufferer and you smoke, here’s another remedy: Stop. As Smitherman explains, “For some, smoking may act as a [trigger] of migraine.” —Laura Whitehorn

(KIDNEY) DREAMSTIME.COM/BOBYRAMONE; (MAN) DREAMSTIME.COM/ZURIJETA

African Americans with HIV are about nine times more likely to develop kidney disease than positive people from other racial and ethnic groups.

Why does HIV, which targets the immune system, promote kidney damage in one group more than others?

Researchers are trying to figure that out, and they’ve found one link.

Because of a genetic mutation that occurred in sub-Saharan Africa around 5,000 years ago, people of African descent with two copies of a gene called APOL1 carry a heightened lifetime risk of developing kidney disease.

And if an HIV-positive person has two copies of APOL1 (one inherited from each parent), but is not on HIV medications, the risk of developing a form of kidney disease called HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) increases by

BUZZ DETOX DILEMMA

(JUICER) DREAMSTIME.COM/MARK AMY; (DEPRESSED WOMAN) DREAMSTIME.COM/VEDRAN VIDOVIC; (VITAMINS) DREAMSTIME.COM/CHARLOTTE LAKE

Do cleansing diets deliver a healthier you?

Detox programs promise to remove toxins from your body, increase energy and prompt fat loss—all after a few days of fasting, juicing and dieting. Just what you want...right? Sure, but are cleansing regimens healthy?

“A moderate cleanse may be a step in the right direction, but it won’t fi x long-term bad habits,” says Alison Massey, RD, MS, a dietitian at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

The truth is your body is already adept at expelling toxins, and because detoxes restrict your food options, they may be harmful if you have specific dietary needs, Massey explains.

Not to mention that many of the programs cause unpleasant side effects such as dehydration, dizziness, fatigue and nausea.

What’s more, some of these popular diets boast benefi ts without the medical research to back them up.

But talk to your doctor, Massey says. He or she can help you mix the best aspects of a detox into your diet, such as eating more antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies.

After all, what you want are long-term benefi ts, not just a quick fi x.

—Katie Karlson

Secrets, Shame and Stigma

How one agency challenges minorities to break through these mental health care barriers About 7.5 million African Americans have a diagnosed mental illness. But almost the same number of black people go undiagnosed and untreated because of stigma.

When it comes to mental health issues, African Americans tend to rely on religious figures, friends and family for emotional support instead of turning to health care professionals—in fact, mental illness is often stigmatized and misunderstood in the black community. What’s more, African Americans often lack social and economic resources to access mental and medical health care.

But the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division of San Mateo County in California is working to change the way minorities view mental health disorders.

The agency’s Anti-Stigma Initiative has recruited a diverse volunteer group that consists of mental health clients, individuals recovering from substance abuse, family members, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and other community members to dispel mental illness myths through entertainment and education.

Members of the group perform in plays that clearly teach audiences how cultural barriers can contribute to stigma and stop people from seeking mental health care when they need it.

Let’s hear some applause for their efforts!

—Lauren Tuck

A Bitter Pill?

Recent findings may make vitamins hard to swallow, but there’s a mouthful yet to say.

According to a recent University of Minnesota study, some common dietary supplements increased the risk of death in older women, a finding contrary to most data available. Can a multivitamin marketed to improve health actually harm you?

Probably not, says Victor S. Sierpina, MD, a professor of integrative medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

According to Sierpina, researchers didn’t take into account several physical, biological and environmental factors that could affect the study’s outcome. And the findings failed to definitively establish or prove the link between vitamins and increased risk of death.

So instead of trashing your supplements stash, Sierpina suggests taking a more balanced approach: Eat lots of fruits and veggies and see your doctor before you stop taking vitamins. Says Sierpina: “A multivitamin is cheap insurance against trace deficiencies.”

—Cristina González

THE PERCENT OF U.S. ADULTS WHO POP AT LEAST ONE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT. Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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FITNESS Let the Music Play!

Can tunes make you exercise harder and help you get fit?

Over the past 12 years, this question generated a number of studies to discover just that. The conclusion?

Listening to the right kind of workout music can take you there.

“Just like music, exercise is about the frequencies and the rhythms that contribute to the beats per minute (BPM) [in a song],” explains Galina Mindlin, MD, PhD, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and coauthor of Your Playlist Can Change Your Life. “Songs on a playlist based on a tune’s BPM can be very effective for boosting your alertness level and motivating you during athletic activities.”

According to Mindlin, the best exercise tunes have hard-driving, easy-to-follow beats that activate the brain and allow muscle movement to match the music’s rhythm. In general, she suggests the following BPM guidelines: slow workouts, warm-ups and cool-downs: 100; strolling, 115 to 120; power walking and cardio, 130 to 140; jogging, 135 to 160; running at moderate speed, 150 to 175; running fast and sprinting, 175+.

(You can find free BPM apps online.)

Adds Mindlin: “And for best results, pick songs you really like.”

—Kate Ferguson

Gym Pass

Sleepy? A lack of shuteye reduces the amount of growth hormones needed to boost your immune system and build muscle. That can be counterproductive. If you get to bed late, it’s better to postpone your morning workout and sleep in.

THE PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO ABANDON THEIR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT. Source: President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition

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Tired? Fatigue can be a sign you should take a day off. “But if you are tired from a long day and had adequate sleep, sometimes a workout can actually give you energy and make you feel better,” explains Heather Gillespie, MD, MPH, of UCLA’s sports medicine division.

Injured? Different injuries have different requirements, so do some research first.

The biggest mistake Gillespie says she sees is that people with injuries “return too soon to the activity that caused their injury, or they begin exercising too soon [after an injury].”

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Sick? If you don’t have a fever with headache, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and sore throat, then exercise in moderation. But if fever is accompanied by aches, chest congestion, stomach cramps or vomiting, wait 48 hours after symptoms disappear before exercising. —Eric Minton

(MAN) GETTY IMAGES; (WOMAN) ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/STÍGUR KARLSSON

When to push yourself to work out or just fuggedaboutit

NUTRITION

Organic vs. Conventional Best-bet fruits and veggies to buy on either side of the green divide When it comes to produce, we’re often torn between healthy versus inexpensive. But half the battle is knowing when to splurge and when to save on healthy eats. Here’s advice from registered dietitian Angela Hermes, of Nourishing Transitions Nutrition Services.

Consider going organic for: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches and spinach. “The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found these produce to be those most contaminated with pesticides when not grown organically,” Hermes says.

Consider conventionally grown fruits and vegetables for onions, sweet corn, pineapple, avocado and asparagus. “These produce are considered the safest to buy when they are grown conventionally,” Hermes says. Why? Because thick-skinned foods, such as pineapple and avocado, are protected from absorbing pesticides, while thinner-skinned produce, such as berries, are more vulnerable.

And, she points out, “Consuming conventionally grown produce [of any kind] is better than not eating any at all.”

—Courtney Balestier

THE PERCENT OF CONSUMERS WHO BOUGHT ORGANIC PRODUCTS IN 2010.

ALL IMAGES DREAMSTIME.COM: (TOMATOES) LERTSNIM; (BRAZIL NUTS) SIMON KRZIC; (STRAWBERRIES) ALEXMAX; (LENTILS) PEPMIBA; (WALNUTS) VALENTYN75; (SUGAR) SERGEY RUSAKOV; (WHITE FLAG) ROCKSTARIMAGES

Source: TABS Group Inc., a market research company

Beauty From the Inside Out

SWEET STUFF

What to eat for healthy hair, skin and nails

With these all-natural sugar substitutes, you can have your cake and eat it too!

Certain vitamin-rich foods can give you the same health benefits that many bottled beauty elixirs promise—but usually at a cheaper price (and with a better taste)!

“To start, look for foods rich in antioxidants and containing selenium, zinc, omega-3s and vitamins C, E and A,” says Mary Hawkins, a registered dietitian with OhioHealth. “They help support the growth of healthy hair and nails and keep skin looking great.”

Want more? Keri Gans, RD, and author of The Small Change Diet, divulges four delicious snacks guaranteed to promote health on the

Looking for a spoonful of sugar that will be good for both you and your waistline? Look no further, we have a delicious solution: organic sweeteners. These natural substitutes pack all of the taste of sugar without the added guilt (or the controversy) of the artificial stuff.

To start, try replacing the chemical sweeteners with these popular (and easy-to-find) plant-sourced substitutes: molasses, stevia, and date, coconut and maple sugars. Or try a swirl of these sweet nectars: honey, agave, yacon, or brown rice and barley malt syrups.

And in the future, look out for sugars made from oats and monatin, an amino acid found in the root bark of a All South African plant.

Natura l!

How sweet!

—Kate Ferguson

inside and beauty on the outside.

Brazil nuts: These savory crunchies are rich in selenium, a mineral that’s key for thick, shiny hair.

Lentil soup: A small serving is packed with biotin, a vitamin that banishes dry skin and brittle nails.

Strawberries: These juicy red berries are bursting with powerful antioxidants that fight wrinkles, destroy free radicals and promote skin’s healthy glow.

Walnuts: Of all the nuts, this flavorful favorite boasts the most omega-3 fatty acids, which support scalp health and keep tresses strong.

—Janna Leyde

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SEX

Ask the Sexpert Sexologist Rachael L. Ross, MD, PhD, a.k.a.

Dr. Rachael answers your questions.

What exactly is reproductive coercion?

“No-Sex” Sexually Transmitted Infections

(LOVERS) DREAMSTIME.COM/FANNY71; (ROSS) COURTESY OF RACHAEL ROSS, MD

Yup, some really unbelievable stuff can happen when youngsters self-report their sexual activity to researchers.

Well, exactly what happened is more than 10 percent of these young adults who tested positive for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported they’d not had sexual intercourse (defined as penile-vaginal sex) during the previous year, according to a 2011 study analysis published in the journal Pediatrics.

For the study, researchers interviewed almost 21,000 teen participants in 1994 about engaging in sexual intercourse and continued to survey them over time in different stages (or waves). In 2001 and 2002, scientists talked to about 15,000 of these teenagers again. Of this number, about 14,000 also provided urine samples researchers tested for three commons STIs—chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomonas. The results? Out of all participants who tested positive for any of these STIs, about 6 percent reported they’d never once had sexual intercourse.

Obviously, there’s a disconnect. Why did young adults who reported never getting busy test positive for diseases that are usually transmitted through penilevaginal sex (though all three STIs can be spread through oral and anal sex as well)?

Well, first researchers considered the possibility test results were inaccurate.

Then, they suggested participants couldn’t recall they’d had sex because too much time had passed between the sexual act and when they reported the encounter.

What’s more, the study showed no differences by gender, race, age or education for the young adults who said they’d had no sex but still got an STI. What does this prove? According to scientists, just one thing: Self-reported behavior is not always a reliable indication of STI risk.

Jessica McDermott Sales, PhD, one of the study’s authors, says: “Given this and the high rates of [STIs] observed among young people, perhaps it’s ideal to screen all young people for prevalent [STIs] during medical visits.”

—Reed Vreeland

The percent of young adult study participants who got a sexually transmitted infection, STI, but said they’d never had intercourse.

On television, this is a popular image: The materialistic gold-digging woman gets pregnant by an unsuspecting man to trap him in the relationship or stake a claim on his money.

But in real life, this happens far less than imagined.

Instead it’s more common for men to pressure their partners—directly or indirectly—to become pregnant, which is what reproductive coercion is.

In reproductive coercion, a man might threaten to leave unless his partner gets pregnant; he might hide birth control pills or poke holes in condoms or refuse to use them; he might even rape her.

Reproductive coercion is perhaps the least discussed form of intimate partner violence, and most women I’ve spoken to seem unaware it exists.

Still, despite these misperceptions and the lack of awareness, a recent survey of callers to the National Domestic Violence Hotline indicated that 25 percent of them were victims of reproductive coercion.

Editor’s note: for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 800.799.SAFE, 800.799.7233.

Source: Pediatrics, Vol. 127, No. 2, February 1, 2011

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BEAUTY ESSENTIALS FOR QUEEN LATIFAH, EMBRACING WHO YOU ARE PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHERS THINK, LEADS DIRECTLY TO A BETTER BODY IMAGE.

By Kate Ferguson Photographed by Keith Major

writer once asked Queen Latifah what she thought was the biggest misconception people might have about her. Her answer? “I don’t really know; I don’t really care.”

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Tellingly, this royal proclamation also sums up her attitude toward social pressure to look a certain way. Latifah simply refuses to allow other people’s viewpoints about her looks to affect her body image and sense of self. Her confidence allows her to feel good about herself no matter what she looks like. That’s tough to do, especially when you’re an entertainer whose every move makes headlines and you’re the driving force behind a popular cosmetics collection in the beauty business.

Looking good!

Whether or not she’s all dolled up, Queen Latifah doesn’t relate feeling beautiful to wearing a small dress size.

But as the saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” When Latifah and her female costars in Living Single, the popular Fox-TV series that aired from 1993 to 1998, got leaned on by execs to lose weight, she refused. “I realized a long time ago that I definitely did not want to be measured by my waistline,” Latifah says. To her, a decision to lose weight was one she’d make for herself, not for somebody who told her she needed to drop pounds to conform to the network’s idea of what these women’s appearances should be.

But don’t get it wrong. Latifah has nothing against paying attention to

not “about getting skinny.” What was important to her was getting healthy via proper nutrition and fitness and not giving other people’s opinions about her appearance any weight.

s Latifah’s career progressed, she won even more fans because of her willingness to talk about weight loss and other issues many women found relevant. Over the years, she built a solid reputation

she can and not obsess about her weight “to the point where I want to chop and cut and suck everything out.”

But long before women reach their forties, they face body image issues. Most young girls at home watch the rituals that women go through to improve their appearance and render themselves socially acceptable. “We internalize the message that as women, we will be defined by our looks and our size, not by our character, smarts or accomplishments,” write the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective in Our Bodies, Ourselves.

Still, sometimes what happens is

your body. She’s definitely health conscious, and she regularly works out with a personal trainer and on her own. In 2007, she signed up as a weight loss spokesperson for Jenny Craig. By 2008, Latifah had lost 20 pounds. But some fans felt betrayed by their favorite queen. They accused Latifah of turning her back on plus-size women, especially

as a “real woman” celebrity. She told women to believe in their inner and outer beauty no matter what size they were, and urged them to keep their self-esteem strong.

Last year, Latifah told Fashion Magazine that when she turned 40, in 2010, she was excited about her birthday. Although many entertainers keep their true age a secret,

women get a break. Something, somewhere or someone who enters their lives works to deflect this negative message. When Latifah was a young girl, she received encouragement from her mother, friends and acquaintances she met while trying to establish her career. Later, when she established herself on a national TV show, she inspired many women to feel good about themselves regardless of their size. Her success, she says, made them feel that if she could do it, so could they.

But, Latifah adds, it’s also important that people educate themselves about how to get and stay healthy. She stresses they must try to build confidence so that other people’s opinions won’t

I realized a long time ago that I definitely did not want to be measured by my waistline. since she had previously stressed being comfortable with her curves.

Unfazed by the criticism, Latifah responded. Her weight loss goal was 1 8 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

Latifah said her only comment on aging was that she wants to age naturally, maintain her body, make sure she looks good for as long as

(FROM LEFT) MOTOWN RECORDS; TOMMY BOY RECORDS; GETTY IMAGES/JEFF KRAVITZ; GETTY IMAGES/FRAZER HARRISON; GETTY IMAGES/ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ

Then and now (from left): Queen Latifah in an early publicity picture; artwork for a track from her 1989 album All Hail the Queen; at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards; honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and with Dolly Parton at the 2012 premiere of Joyful Noise.

color how they see themselves. And, indeed, Latifah has cemented her philosophy with actions that support her position.

According to an interview in Parade magazine, when clothing manufacturers approached her to consider a signature clothing line, Latifah bristled about the lack of plus-size selections for consumers.

“There’s no way that I could’ve come out with a clothing line and not have it be for girls who love their curves who happened to be a size 10 or better,” Latifah said. “I’ve always tried to represent for all women and not just one particular vision of what beauty is.”

True to her word, Latifah launched her Queen Collection clothing line exclusively on the Home Shopping Network. The comprehensive line includes dresses, skirts, pants, tops, coats, jackets and accessories, plus fragrances, all sold with a tagline urging buyers to “embrace who you are—at every moment.”

atifah’s “real women” fans quickly weighed in with their online comments. Said one reader, “Wow, it’s time, Queen! We need a real woman’s clothing line that fits women as they are as opposed to an ideal-type.”

Eight years earlier, Latifah endorsed a line of intimate apparel, Curvation, made by Vanity Fair Corporation. Latifah appeared in Curvation ads, packaging and instore merchandising. In addition, she also helped develop a limitededition collection of lacy body shapers, rear-end lifters, strapless bras and tummy-smoothing thongs that testified to the sex appeal of plus-sized women.

But because today’s mass media still primarily promote idealized images of young, thin females, people’s perceptions of what makes a woman attractive remain distorted.

“The body ideal remains the same,”

stresses Our Bodies, Ourselves authors. “Skinny and large-breasted with long hair—leading some women of color to judge themselves by that norm.”

Years ago, Latifah filled in a personal questionnaire for Tommy Boy Records. One question asked what she’d change about herself. Just a young adult at the time, Latifah wrote down an intriguing answer: “I would like to quit smoking and become a stronger person inside.”

Whether or not the last part of Latifah’s response reveals difficulties she may have had with reconciling her outer image as a strong female rapper with how she really felt inside is anyone’s guess. But like most women, she has faced body image pressures.

Such pressures start early. Fiftythree percent of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies” by age 13, and this grows to 78 percent by the time girls reach 17, according to one study by the National Institute on Media and the Family.

What’s more, for Latifah, being in the entertainment business can create insecurities about how you look unless you’re strong enough to shut down those inner voices. The pressure is there, she says. “As a kid starting out [in the music business], I definitely thought about how I looked. I thought I should probably get into shape and train,” Latifah reveals.

For young girls in particular, another ugly side to lookism is that they are relentlessly targeted by those who profit from—and purposely cultivate—girls’ body-image insecurities. “The combination of self-consciousness and spending power makes young people prime targets for corporations,” observe the authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves.

“Girls in particular represent an important and powerful revenue source, and savvy marketers make it a point to sell them on the same messages of insecurity they’ll hear throughout adulthood, ensuring their lifelong role as consumers.”

What does Her Majesty say to women about these unscrupulous profiteers? Don’t let advertisers tell you how you should look, or be! ■

WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT LOOKING GOOD? Nothing. But when social conditioning, media images and interactions with family, friends and peers cause girls to have hang-ups about their looks, that’s just plain ugly.

When black girls receive their first doll—in most cases a white doll, which may or may not be Barbie—the image-making begins, says Mary Pender Greene, a psychotherapist in New York City. “A Barbie [doll] is the example of what a beautiful person looks like. Barbie is white, she’s blond, she’s thin, and she’s privileged in that she gets all the goodies.”

Last year, skin and body products giant Dove released findings of a survey it commissioned. The report revealed that only 4 percent of women around the world consider themselves beautiful—and anxiety about looks begins at an early age.

The study surveyed more than 1,200 girls, ages 10 to 17, worldwide.

Of these youngsters, 72 percent said they felt tremendous pressure to be beautiful. What’s more, only 11 percent of the surveyed girls felt comfortable using the word “beautiful” to describe their looks.

But mothers and other women can counter the attack on girls’ self-esteem, and in the process help youngsters reach their full potential later in life. How? Well, according to a panel of self-esteem experts, women should practice the following behaviors with girls: ■

■

■

■

■

Adopt a healthy and balanced approach to appearance and time spent on beauty routines Celebrate the diversity of other women’s beauty Review and discuss media images of women Focus on girls’ accomplishments instead of their looks Emphasize girls’ health rather than their weight.

—KF

SP RIN G 2012 RE A L H E A LTH 1 9

BACK TO THE LAND To avoid diet-related health problems, some say African Americans should return to our traditional way of eating.

BY REED VREELAND

he statistics are unappetizing. In 2009, African Americans were 1.5 times as likely to be obese as nonHispanic whites. And although researchers don’t fully understand the complex relationship between unhealthy eating, weight gain and disease development, what they do know is that unwise food choices contribute to the high incidence of obesity and related health conditions in the African-American community.

2 0 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

Nutritionists say that unhealthy, fast-food fixes have done much more harm than good to the black community. For tasty and healthy alternatives, try wholesome foods like these.

many African Americans did just that. They could walk outside and pick what they’d eat right from their garden. That means the vast majority of a person’s diet came from locally grown plants.

oday many African Americans no longer have a direct connection to that agrarian heritage, especially those who live in innercity areas that are virtually fresh-food deserts. In these neighborhoods, produce isn’t widely available. Often, the only easily accessible meals are unhealthy fast foods—a long way removed from the nutritious plantbased diet of an agricultural people.

“A lot of folks don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables because of their economic situation,” Opie observes. “But you’ve also got a generation of people who just don’t know what it means to grow their own food, who aren’t exposed to rural farm life.

yams. Above these, there are spices and herbs used in different cultures’ cuisine to make marinades and traditional sauces. Fish and seafood follow, then eggs, poultry and other meats.

Oils are listed too, but only healthy ones, such as olive, sesame, canola, red palm or extra virgin coconut oil, for use in small quantities.

Nutritionists recommend that families and individuals who want to adhere to the African Heritage Diet include several meals with fish or seafood into their weekly meal plans. It’s also advised that certain meats, such as beef, pork and chicken, be eaten less frequently and in smaller portions. This is the way people ate these special-occasion delicacies so many years ago. “Most people used to eat fried chicken only on Sundays—that’s why it’s known as the Gospel bird,” Opie explains.

Back then, large portions of meat weren’t generally consumed on a regular basis, and neither were cakes, pies nor desserts. But sweet, fatty and rich foods that used to be reserved for special occasions are now often indulged in daily, or maybe several times a day. “Eating cakes, pies and desserts every day just wasn’t a reality for the majority of people,” Opie says.

But trying to change your dietary habits is hard for most everyone, even if you have access to fresh produce. Tosha Baker, 34, heard about the pyramid from a coworker and is trying to follow its directives.

Baker grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, but now lives in Boston. There, she is a nutritionist for a Women, Infants, Children (WIC) program at a local hospital.

Baker’s grandparents were farmers—her father’s parents were sharecroppers, and her mother’s parents owned their own farm—and she has fond memories of their garden. “They had a little parcel [of land] set aside where they grew hot peppers, bell peppers, lots of greens, tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, beans,

As recently as 75 to 100 years ago, obesity was extremely rare among African Americans, but that changed when blacks began eating, working and playing differently. reason? Because African Americans were essentially an agricultural people, and “they lived in an environment where your basic necessities required you to exercise and move,” Opie says. “To have good health, you must have a combination of holistic food [and lifestyles] along with exercise.”

At the start of the 20th century, 2 2 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

That makes a big difference.”

The edible foundation of the African Heritage Diet Pyramid shows foods that every meal should have. Its base includes the leafy greens previously mentioned as well as mustards and turnip greens. Stacked on top are whole grains such as brown rice, along with beans, nuts, fruits and tubers such as sweet potatoes and

ALL IMAGES ON PREVIOUS PAGES: DREAMSTIME.COM: (LETTUCE) PAVEL RAIGORODSKI; (DORADO FISH) ALEXSTAR; (RED ONION SLICE) ROBYN MACKENZIE; (SPELT PASTA) ELENA SCHWEITZER; (FRESH CARROTS) OLGA POPOVA; (POTATOES) ALEX67; (MELON) JANET HASTINGS; (ROMAINE LETTUCE) CHRIS LEACHMAN; (OKRA) CHERYL DAVIS

In response to this health crisis, a group of historians and dietitians proposed that black people return to eating the way their ancestors did.

They created the African Heritage Diet Pyramid, a tool to help African Americans reconnect with the healthful culinary traditions of the African diaspora—eating foods from not only the African continent but from the American South, the Caribbean and South America.

The pyramid incorporates staple foods such as sweet potatoes, okra, eggplant, and rice and beans, as well as leafy green vegetables such as collard greens and spinach. In addition, the pyramid’s base stresses being physically active and using mealtimes as a way to enjoy socializing with others.

“This is a food pyramid that would help somebody decrease their chance of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

But it’s one that’s rooted in our own culture and history,” explains Frederick Douglass Opie, PhD, a history professor at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Opie is a culinary historian tapped

by Oldways, a nonprofit, healthfocused organization that received a grant to develop the pyramid almost one year ago, to be on its experts panel.

According to him, as recently as 75 to 100 years ago, obesity was extremely rare among African Americans. The

purple-hoe peas, black-eyed peas and other vegetables,” Baker recalls. “We ate a lot from the garden when I was younger and we went there to visit.”

Sometimes there’d be fresh eggs or meat, chicken or fish too. “But I do recall many times when greens were the main [component of the] meal,” she adds.

Baker is also finding more ways to be physically active despite a hectic work schedule. She has made an effort to walk at least one hour each day. To get her walk done, she gets off the train several stops early while commuting to or from work. Because she lives in a city, Baker doesn’t own a car. “I definitely can say I feel better when I follow this diet and add in more vegetables, whole grains and fish,” she says.

For Baker, the most difficult thing about the African Heritage Diet is eating sweets in moderation. “I’ll get a craving for ice cream and other snack foods,” she admits. But even this is manageable. Baker found that tasty, more healthy and natural alternatives can satisfy her cravings. So instead of indulging in a candy bar she’ll mix together different nuts, dried cranberries or pecans, or she sautés an apple with a bit of cinnamon, brown sugar and some raisins.

“I’m not saying I succeed [in eating healthy] all the time,” Baker says, “But I’m mindful of it.” Because this awareness has helped Baker feel better about her health, she’s also spread the word about the diet to her family and friends.

or their annual family reunion, Baker’s goal is to introduce family members to the African Heritage Diet. “There’s always lots of

food [at the gathering],” she says.

“But there are more vegetables on the menu now.”

Baker notes that although her family has agricultural roots, many of her older relatives developed hypertension and diabetes. She thinks this might be because her aunts and uncles grew up eating farm produce but moved away from home and became too busy with work and raising children to focus on their diets.

Now, some of Baker’s younger cousins are starting to change their eating habits. “Our family has been receptive to it,” Baker says.

But helping others transition to the African Heritage Diet is challenging.

Some people don’t understand why

it’s healthier to cook with olive oil instead of butter, or how affordable the diet is and that both fresh produce and frozen veggies are great to use. For some, it may be helpful to teach them how to shop for healthier groceries. Another way to inspire others is to serve them a nice meal, or, as Baker discovered, transform high-calorie recipes into healthier alternatives and offer folks a taste.

Baker keeps the African Heritage Diet Pyramid in her kitchen and uses it as an ingredients list when planning her meals, but she knows some people won’t respond to it like her.

Still, she’s optimistic. Says Baker, “At least you planted the seed, so they may come back to it later.” ■

Want to Eat Better?

Check out MyPlate, a new USDA icon that helps Americans eat healthier foods in balanced amounts.

In June 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled the familiar visual of a plate to illustrate five essential food groups—fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy— and how much of each we should eat.

Previously, the government used a pyramid (MyPyramid) to categorize food into groups. But MyPlate’s simpler message has been far more popular: If you fill your plate with foods from each group in portion sizes as shown, then you’ll get the healthiest nutrients and avoid overeating.

Essentially, that means half your plate should consist of fruits and veg-

etables, the other half grains (whole and refined) and protein. What about quantity? That depends on age, sex and level of physical activity. But what’s also key is instead of eating until you’re stuffed, eat until you’re satisfied. (For example, one oversized restaurant plate has enough food to feed two people, so no need to clean your plate in that instance!)

For more details, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov. The site offers healthy options to get the proper nutrients. For example: When it comes to carbohydrates, whole grains such as grain-based cereal or brown rice or whole grain pasta have the most nutritional value; for dairy, skim and 1 percent milk are the healthiest options; for protein, choose seafood and lean or low-fat meat and poultry; and for seasonings, sprinkle on tasty herbs and spices instead of salt.

What’s best about MyPlate? This simple visual offers a deeper understanding of nutrition and how to balance calories to avoid just mindlessly filling your plate.

—RV

SP RIN G 2012 RE A L H E A LTH 2 3

R&R

Thirty years after this country’s first HIV/AIDS reports, stigma against people living with the virus persists.

That’s why some children find a temporary home away from home—a home away from discrimination and prejudice—at summer camp.

BY AIMEE SWARTZ

wimming. Archery. Arts and crafts.

Camp Totokett looks like your typical summer camp, but it serves a higher purpose. That’s because all the campers here have had their lives touched

by HIV. On a Sunday afternoon last July, everyone has just spent the morning kayaking in picture-perfect Long Island Sound off the coast of Branford, Connecticut. Lively counselors and their fresh-faced charges wear brightly colored T-shirts—red for the youngest campers, blue for the tweens and so on—fostering a sense of group pride and providing a reminder that at Camp Totokett, everyone belongs.

Founded in 1996, Totokett is one of several summer camps across the United States created in response to the growing number of children affected by HIV/AIDS in the early and mid-1990s. While some of these special camps focus solely on recreation and others lean toward creating a therapeutic community, they all share a common goal: creating a space where kids impacted by the virus can just be kids.

2 4 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

A week at Camp Totokett is a far stretch from the lives the campers lead the other 51 weeks of the year.

Most campers are bused in from neighborhoods of New Haven and Bridgeport, places with Connecticut’s highest rates of HIV and AIDS along with poverty and violence. Not all campers are living with the virus.

Some have HIV-positive parents or siblings, or they’re grieving the loss of family members to the disease. Other campers were born with HIV. “At a young age, these children are confronted with their own illness and that of their parents or loved ones— often in the isolation and silence that typically surround AIDS,” says Linda Smith, who founded Camp Totokett.

“They have enormous responsibilities and usually quite a lot to worry about. Camp Totokett gives these kids a place free from the burdens HIV brings, where they can be with others who face the same challenges.”

Nestled along the pristine Connecticut shoreline, Camp Totokett is staffed by a multi-generational team of volunteers. Senior citizens

For children whose lives and families are affected by HIV/ AIDS, special summer camps provide help, support—and a chance to act like the kids they are.

supposed to in childhood. I’d like to say it’s home away from home, but really it’s the home I never had.”

At the encouragement of her counselors, Tequea began participating in the camp’s year-round teen leadership programs. Counselors also encouraged her to empower herself by getting involved with communitybased programs to prevent teen pregnancy and stop the spread of HIV. One counselor even paid for Tequea’s first year of college. “[Normally,] people didn’t expect me to prosper because of where I come from. But at camp, they saw something different,” Tequea says. “I finally felt sup-

Tequea, now 23, began going to Camp Totokett when she was 11. At the time, she was unaware that her mom had just been diagnosed with HIV—a secret designed to protect Tequea from being treated differently by friends and family. Because of stigma, many people involved with Camp Totokett hide their status from family, friends and neighbors. Many campers Friends take the plunge together. like Tequea are unaware that their families are affected by HIV/AIDS—in fact, some campers don’t even know that they themselves are living with the virus.

After Tequea attended camp, her mother disclosed her own status. Before her stay at Totokett, Tequea says, she was “very ignorant” about HIV/AIDS. At camp she got the support she needed to face how her family was affected. “When my mom told me she had HIV, I accepted her, of course, but I knew other people would not. I heard people and kids at school make stupid comments about AIDS ported, so I began to and the kind of people who get grow, to thrive. I see AIDS, so I knew it was not some- what I’m capable of thing I could talk about,” Tequea now, and I am able to says. “I’d never had much family make something of support, but this made me feel even my life.”

Like many campers more alone. At camp you are accepted and loved 100 percent, and nothing and counselors at can ever change that—not HIV, not Totokett, Tequea says the best moments of AIDS, nothing.”

Camp offered Tequea an escape her life have been at from more than just HIV. “It’s pretty camp. And she has tough to grow up where I did,” she returned as a counsays. “You don’t have a lot going for selor to the kids. “I’ve you. It’s not always safe, so you have been in their shoes. If to harden yourself. I used to fight a I can make their life lot, basically with anyone who better like people did looked at me wrong. As soon as I got for me, then that’s to camp I felt like I could leave all what I’m here for,” that behind and act silly like you’re Tequea says. “I didn’t 2 6 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

Making perfect s’mores takes practice and patience.

AT CAMP YOU ARE LOVED 100 PERCENT. OTHING CAN NO CHANGE THAT. NOT HIV, NOT AIDS, NOTHING.

Waiting to catch the next pass

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work alongside area high school students preparing and serving meals.

A nearby community church provides financial support and the use of its waterfront property. By all accounts, Totokett is truly a labor of love. Just ask Tequea Landy.

have a childhood, but it doesn’t have to be like that for them.”

A SHARED EXPERIENCE

Today, an estimated 33.3 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and there is an entire generation of young adults who have never known a world without the disease. Rob (who prefers not to give his full name), an 18-year-old counselor and former camper at Camp Sunrise—another camp for kids affected by HIV, based in Columbus, Ohio—is among them.

Like many children born with HIV in the 1990s, Rob was not expected to live beyond childhood. But thanks to the development of powerful HIVsuppressing drugs, the outlook soon began to change. “I was given six months to live way back when I was little, but here I am today. My nurses say it’s a miracle that I’m so healthy, and people who know about my disease say you can’t even tell something is wrong with me,” says Rob, now a college student. So far, he has beaten the odds, although living with a compromised immune system means that normal illnesses could knock him down for weeks.

Other odds are challenging too.

Rob also had to handle the social consequences of HIV stigma. “Where people are educated, the perception of HIV/AIDS has improved,” he says.

“However, I still face ignorance. It is not directed at me, but it still bugs me that I have to live in a world where a joke about AIDS/HIV is considered humorous.”

Rob began his education about HIV and its stigma at a young age.

When he was 5, he started attending Camp Sunrise, along with his brother and sister. Like Tequea at Totokett, all three siblings went on to become volunteer counselors at Sunrise.

Originally founded in 1994 to serve children affected by AIDS, Camp Sunrise has had to adjust as a generation of kids who were not expected to see their 10th birthday are now living into adolescence and beyond. In addition to regular camp activities, Camp Sunrise teens take part in leadership- and skills-building activities. There is also plenty of

downtime to hang out with friends.

Surrounded by peers who know exactly what they’re going through, teen campers often divulge their most guarded secrets while gathered around a campfire.

“I wish I could tell everyone [my status] and have the exact same social life I have now. But that’s not possible,” Rob says. “How people react can be overwhelming—like, ‘Whoa, I’ve known you this long and you have AIDS?’” Outside of Camp Sunrise, Rob has disclosed his HIV to five people. Two remain close confidants; three he never heard from again.

Rob seems to take these losses in stride, relying on his Camp Sunrise friendships to help him cope. “I have had some of the best conversations I will ever have about HIV/AIDS at camp, whether it be about how we deal with the virus or the stigma surrounding it,” he says. “Sunrise is the one place where you can share your feelings. Camp Sunrise is the reason I do not look at myself with shame.”

Cheryl Foley, RN, Camp Sunrise’s executive director, calls Rob’s experience typical. “A lot of these kids have pretty lonely lives outside of camp,” she says, “mostly because the secrecy around HIV/AIDS still keeps them isolated in their schools and communities. One of the most common things we hear is that they don’t have many people they trust or consider friends outside of camp.

They have few people to talk to.”

And that gives rise to the camp’s mission. “Our goal is to create an environment where they can experience the joys of friendship without fear,” Foley says. “For many of these kids, these friendships become so important that they maintain them year-round.”

Asked whether it makes sense to direct funds and resources to camps like Sunrise and Totokett instead of toward medicine and other necessities for people living with HIV/AIDS, campers and staff alike give a resounding “Yes!” Rob explains in a teenager’s terms: “Camp Sunrise has the magic of Disney World and the love of a family. These camps show the children their reality does not have to suck.” ■

HIV/AIDS by the Numbers HIV camps will be present until the epidemic is past.

In 2009, the last year surveyed, 3,022 children younger than 13 were living with HIV/AIDS in the United States; 707 of them were diagnosed with AIDS. In the same year, 660,062 adults and adolescents older than 13 had HIV and another 479,161 had AIDS. In total, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV—and that one in five don’t know their status.

The number of children living with HIV has fallen sharply since the use of HIV drugs to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the virus. However, African Americans and other ethnic and racial groups have been disproportionately affected since the dawn of the epidemic—a disparity that has only deepened.

In 2009, for example, black teens represented 17% of the U.S. teenage population but more than 70% of HIV cases in their age group. And black children account for more than 75% of diagnosed cases but represent only 15% of the total U.S. population younger than 13.

Even more troubling is that many African-American teens are only diagnosed late in the course of HIV, when it may be too late to fully benefit from HIV treatment. One recent study showed that 20% of AfricanAmerican youth progressed to AIDS within one year of receiving an initial HIV diagnosis, compared with 14% of their white counterparts.

For more information on HIV/ AIDS, go to poz.com.

—AS

The natural hair movement is spawning a debate about self-esteem and black identity.

By Gerrie E. Summers

f you visit black hair care forums on the Internet, you’ll find more than helpful tips and useful information—you’ll also discover often volatile hair disputes.

Case in point: Pi Nappa Kappa is a natural hair sorority founded as a support group for black women committed to sporting unrelaxed tresses.

As one visitor in CurlyNikki.com’s forum put it, “I regarded [Pi Nappa Kappa] as another group helping women to embrace themselves in their natural states by using a clever marketing ploy. It’s not that deep!”

But, for some, Pi Nappa Kappa’s provocative name and perceived exclusivity did hit deep. The sorority’s launch renewed the seemingly never-

SP RIN G 2012 RE A L H E A LTH 2 9

3 0 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

Ready, Set, Go! Test your natural hair knowledge.

1. All black hair in its natural state has a curly or kinky texture. a) True b) False 2. Shampooing natural hair too often can dry it out. a) True b) False 3. What is the best way to shampoo natural hair? a) Lather the hair only, not the scalp b) Lather the hair and scalp, then rinse until squeaky clean c) Saturate the hair with water first then rub shampoo only on the scalp 4. Kinky hair has a coarse texture. a) True b) False

Answers 1. b/False. Natural hair simply means “hair in its original state.”

This can be wavy, curly, kinky—or straight.

2. a/True. Curly/kinky hair already has a tendency to be dry since the curl pattern makes it harder for natural oils to reach the hair shaft.

3. c/Scalp only. Shampoo is really meant to clean the scalp (where hair roots are). It’s better to concentrate on cleaning the scalp once a week to remove dirt and product build-up. As you rinse, enough shampoo will get on the hair. If hair feels dirty or has excessive product buildup, rinse it with water. Always use conditioner; concentrate on the ends and then apply to the rest of your hair.

4. b/False. All hair types can reflect the three major textures: coarse, medium and fine. What’s more, people may have a combination of all three hair textures on different parts of their head.

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ending debate about natural hair versus relaxed hair.

“In the African-American community, hair has everything to do with our identity, and identity issues are a huge topic of concern in African-American culture,” says Soroya Bacchus, MD, a licensed physician and triple-boarded psychiatrist in Santa Monica, California. “African Americans need to be happy with who they are, and an unhealthy focus on how their hair looks can lead to further issues of low self-confidence and self-esteem.”

Although American society definitely still exhibits bias against and ignorance about natural hair styling options, these negative attitudes hurt even more when they’re expressed by others in the black community.

Del Sandeen, About.com’s black hair guide, hasn’t had many problems with having natural hair. But she freely admits her family is “very Southern and into ‘good hair.’

“So as long as my hair wasn’t too kinky, it was OK with them,” Sandeen says. “Sad, but true.”

No doubt a good portion of our self-esteem (or lack of it) begins in the home. “It starts with setting a good example for your children, and pointing to good role models for them to admire,” Bacchus says. “African-American parents need to demonstrate self-confidence themselves so their children model that behavior and in turn become confident with their own identity.

I’ve seen 4-year-olds worry so much about their hair that they have it chemically straightened. Obviously, there is a huge identity issue [related to hair texture] in the African-American community.”

For some women, like Sandeen, many hair issues spring from ignorance about how to work with black hair. But natural hair care websites and groups offer service, support and tips to women who want to learn more about how to handle their hair.

Although Sandeen says she’s received no negative feedback from anyone since returning to her natural texture, she did come across other challenges, such as how to style and maintain her healthy natural hair. Gradually, Sandeen learned what her unrelaxed tresses needed. But during the process, she noticed something else. Some sistas who’d gone natural seemed to adopt a superior attitude toward women with straightened hair.

What’s more, debate about the topic has triggered heated discussions online. A woman signed in as “Donna” in the CocoandCreme.com forum commented that there “should be a point when being natural becomes a natural (pun intended) part of your life and more second nature than something you have to learn to embrace.”

Another visitor, “Just Hair,” expounded on the underlying conflicts in the hair debate: “The crazy assumption that women wearing relaxers or weaves [are doing so] out of some sort of self-hate is absurd. I was not some enlightened being when I kept [my hair] 100 percent natural.”

Sandeen has followed some of the exchanges in a number of hair care forums. She observed that many of the naturalistas who criticized women with relaxed tresses were relatively new to wearing their hair natural. “There tends to be a great sense of empowerment when you leave relaxing behind,” Sandeen says. “And I think some women get caught up in that feeling so strongly that it translates into a feeling of superiority toward anyone who still straightens her hair.”

For Sandeen, after 11 years of sporting natural tresses, she really believes hair is just something covering your head. “I don’t believe that a woman with a ’fro is more ‘down for the cause’ than a woman with a relaxed bob,” she says. “You need to get to know someone before making a judgment like that.”

But out of the very vocal disagreements some healthy responses to the issue have emerged. “My best advice is to really focus on true [inner] beauty, rather than the aesthetics [of outer] beauty,” Bacchus suggests. “I would encourage people to look at the bigger picture, and really be vocal about their opinion and engage in discussions about why we really care so much about our hair. People who make a big deal over such a small issue draw away focus from what’s more important: building a positive self-image.” ■

stuff we love A roundup of the latest, must-have finds for hair, skin, health and beauty, these products are worth every cent.

Smooth ’N Shine Curling Mousse (9 oz., $3.49) Stroke natural curls with this moisturizing, frizzfighting, lightweight foam—and get extra body and bounce too.

Aubrey NuStyle Organic Detangler & Shine Booster ($9.95 to $21) This natural blend of quinoa protein, rice syrup and jojoba oil promises a smooth, strong hold minus chemical damage to hair.

Aubrey Crème de la Shave ($5.77) Slather skin with this nourishing nick-stopper and reap the benefits of natural apricot kernel and white camellia oils and aloe vera.

Goody Ouchless Headbands and Elastics ($4.50 to $7.99) These flexible, no-metal styling helpers do the job without snagging or breaking tresses!

Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo (4 oz., $7.99 or 1 oz., $2.99) Have dirty hair but no time to wash? Then try this. Just spray, brush and go!

Tresses get refreshed with no trace of unsightly white residue.

Dole Real Fruit Bites, Fruit Smoothie Shakers and Frozen Fruit Single-serve Cups (Prices vary.)

These tasty morsels double as nutritious snacks or meals, and all make for healthy skin and hair.

SP RIN G 2012 RE A L H E A LTH 3 1

THOUGHTS

Art Helped My Daughter Heal When a 7-year-old boy’s grandmother wrote to tell me he’d fallen in love with my daughter’s self-portrait, I took a look.

Move to the Rhythm Keep a healthy balance between life and work.

The first time I saw one of my daughter Amaranthia’s digital drawings, I was awestruck. After she returned to the states from Tokyo, where she attended preschool and kindergarten, she found it extremely difficult to fit into a mostly white environment.

Amaranthia is African American, but her early and total immersion in Japanese culture made her feel Japanese on the inside. We discussed what it was like to be African American in this country, but nothing could prepare her for its full reality.

One day, the school nurse summoned me.

For one so young, Amaranthia’s blood pressure was high. A doctor confirmed the nurse’s findings that same day and referred me to a cardiologist. Months later, he diagnosed her with hypertension. In search of stress relief, Amaranthia turned to art.

Today, my daughter is 12 years old. Her art is an extension of who she is and how she expresses herself. She’s found a kind of worklife balance that’s helped her.

Essentially, Amaranthia’s art has healed her. And like that little boy who loved her drawing, I couldn’t be a more ardent fan.

—Cheryl Gittens-Jones

Overtime at the office may seem beneficial, whether you are fighting for a promotion or need the extra cash, but the trade-off for coming in early and clocking out late may not be worth it in the long run.

Most experts agree that increased fatigue can decrease productivity, and that skipping time with family and friends can make you unhappy— not to mention that it can ruin those relationships. What to do? Take a deep breath and reevaluate your priorities. This is the first step to achieving a better work-life balance—and a healthier, happier you.

But sometimes the push to achieve equilibrium may turn into another stressor. If that happens, Jon Gordon, author of The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work, suggests we remember that Many people spend more time working than any other activity, but it’s importhe dance between work tant to dedicate a few hours every day to relaxing, reflecting and interacting and life is more about rhythm and there is a time with family and friends, says master certified coach Marcia Reynolds, MA, MEd, and a season for everything. author of Outsmart Your Brain! and OutsmartYourBrain.com.

“Look at your life on a weekly, monthly and yearly take a long, full breath. Also, take a quick Why is it important to maintain a work-life basis. Schedule times to walk, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of balance for overall mental health? work hard, recharge, nuts, make a phone call to a loved one, If you don’t balance your energy, you’ll renew, play and engage look at pictures that make you smile, or likely experience exhaustion and stress. with your family and read something funny or mindless. Give This causes you to view things negatively, friends,” Gordon advises. your brain and body a rest. worry more, get irritated easily, struggle “Everyone’s rhythm is a litwith weight and have a hard time relaxing. tle different, but when you When should you seek professional help? find the right one for you If you feel you can’t stop working, or have What can we do to keep ourselves from and your life, you’ll be able to fill in every second with a task, then you overworking? to achieve a lot more at Throughout your workday, set your phone or should get help to break this pattern. No work and at home.” one has to live this way.

—LT computer to remind yourself to stop and —Lauren Tuck 3 2 RE A L H E A LTH S P R IN G 2012

I

realhealthmag.com

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/GEOFFREY HOLMAN

THE EXPERT SAYS

READER SURVEY

SPEAK YOUR MIND!

(And Win Free Stuff)

As a whole, the health care industry is relying more and more on information technology—in particular, ways to collect, store, retrieve and transfer information electronically—to improve health outcomes and reduce care costs. But how savvy and comfortable are consumers with this? Tell us by filling in the survey below. To say thank you, we’ll select three winners at random whose surveys we receive and send them a fitness DVD (suggested retail price, $14.98), like the one pictured left.

Get fit with a cardio workout.

To enter our drawing, take the survey at realhealthmag.com/survey or fill out this form and mail it to Real Health, c/o Smart + Strong, 462 Seventh Avenue, 19th Fl., New York, NY 10018 or fax it to 212.675.8505. For official contest rules, visit realhealthmag.com/survey/rules.

1. Have you ever searched online for information about a doctor? ❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Unsure

2. Have you ever filled a prescription online? ❑ Yes

❑ No

9. Name:_______________________________________________________ 10. Organization (if you represent one):______________________ 11. Street address:_____________________________________________ 12. City & state:_________________________________________________ 13. ZIP code:____________________________________________________ 14. Email:_______________________________________________________ 15. Phone:_____________________________________________________

❑ Unsure

16. What year were you born?_________ 3. Have you ever used a health-related mobile phone application?

17. What is your gender?

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Female

❑ Male

❑ Unsure

❑ Transgender

❑ Other

4. Have you ever requested an electronic copy of your personal health records?

18. What is your household income? ❑ Under $15,000

❑ $15,000–$34,999

❑ Yes

❑ $35,000–$49,999

❑ $50,000–$74,999

❑ Unsure

❑ $75,000–$99,999

❑ $100,000 and over

5. How concerned are you about the privacy of your personal medical records?

19. What is the highest level of education attained? ❑ Some high school

❑ High school graduate

❑ Very concerned

❑ Some college

❑ Bachelor’s degree or higher

❑ No

❑ Somewhat concerned ❑ Not at all concerned

20. What is your ethnicity? ❑ American Indian or Alaska Native

6. Does your doctor use a computer during office visits?

❑ Arab or Middle Eastern

❑ Yes

❑ Asian

❑ No

❑ Black or African American

❑ Unsure

❑ Hispanic or Latino

7. If you’ve never used the Internet to access or manage your health information, are you interested in doing so? ❑ Yes

❑ Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander ❑ White ❑ Other

❑ No

❑ Unsure

8. How interested are you in learning how to use different tools or devices at home to provide information directly to your doctor’s office?

21. Where do you get Real Health? ❑ I’m a subscriber

❑ My doctor’s office

❑ My church

❑ A community or college organization

❑ It was mailed to me ❑ Other:_______________________

❑ Very interested ❑ Somewhat interested

22. Do you have Internet access?

❑ Not at all interested

❑ Yes

❑ No

Spring 2012