Real Health Spring 2014

REALHEALTH YOUR GUIDE TO BLACK WELLNESS

Hep C A Silent Killer

SPRING 2014 $2.99 US REALHEALTHMAG.COM

Best Ways To Grow Healthier Longer Hair

How Actress and Mom

Tia MowryHardrict Fights The Flu Without Taking A Shot

More Good News About Sunlight

CONTENTS

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this month on REALHEALTHMAG.COM For black girls in many correctional facilities across the country, getting a good education may need a court order to change the system.

Health Basics A—Z

10 5 10 10

Want to lose weight, exercise smart, eat right, find good health care, sleep better or just get healthy? For tips, click on “Health Basics A–Z” on the realhealthmag.com home page.

She’s Beat the Odds

When Hydeia Broadbent was born with HIV, her doctors predicted she wouldn’t live past age 5. Today, she’s 29 years old and still going strong.

Cannabis Conversations There’s a movement afoot to legalize marijuana for recreational use, but is puffing on pot riskier than downing a few drinks?

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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editor’s letter

17 26 COVER STORY

it’s still flu season

Blabbing our business: Why do some of us overshare?

Busy actress and mom Tia MowryHardrict hates shots, so she found a pain-free way to beat the bug.

buzz

Bullying issues; how the common cat contributes to HIV research; one device may protect against pregnancy and HIV; steer clear of Lyme disease; gene therapy for treating sickle cell; sun benefits

sex

When newborns aren’t clearly boys or girls they may have a common condition that’s called a disorder of sexual development; Ask Doctor Dee: A Q&A

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the hep C crisis

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condiment care

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length retention

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thoughts

nutrition

Quality calorie counting; what’s killing the bees?; science shows there is a connection between what we eat and how we feel

Wayne Starks always tested negative for hepatitis C; when that changed so did his life.

Will contaminants found in spices make consumers lose their appetite for these tasty seasonings?

The secret to growing hair long is easy: As locks lengthen, avoid breakage. Plus: Stuff We Love

How to stop procrastinating and get yourself motivated...now!

Real Health Question of the Month

What’s your plan for improving your life this year?

I plan to get out of my comfort zone and do exciting things, such as traveling and exploring new business opportunities, and nothing will stop me from pursuing my goals!

— Dorothy Horton, PsyD

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) COURTESY OF D’ANDRE MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOXING GLOVES, FRIES, HAIR, HALLWAY AND MARIJUANA) THINKSTOCK; (BROADBENT) UNTIL.ORG/MICHAEL COLLOPY; (HORTON) COURTESY OF DOROTHY HORTON, PSYD

The Halls of Learning

EDITOR’S LETTER

Too Much Information

T

REAL HEALTH

he tendency to divulge everything about ourselves to anyone we think might be listening is a phenomenon that’s called oversharing. Just check any social media platform, and you’ll find plenty examples of this. Wall Street Journal writer Elizabeth Bernstein called the tendency “BYB: Blabbing Your Business.” “In the culture we live in, it’s hard to remember that some things should be private,” she declared.

Why do some of us feel compelled to share each and every detail of our lives?

Turns out, scientific studies have examined the proliferation of loose lips, and one found that dropping personal information about ourselves to people we don’t know simply gives some folks a pleasant feeling.

Another study found that the anonymous nature of the Internet makes self-disclosure online easy and appealing to many. Some relish the act of letting it all hang out because these true—or often untrue, for those who practice deception—confessions work like therapy. Once we spill our guts, somehow, we feel better. I call that the “confession effect.”

A 2010 study also reports that people divulge too much about themselves in an effort to re-create their image. Online, we can change ourselves into that sexy, smart, cool, daring and interesting person we yearn to be. So what if the colorfully,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kate Ferguson MANAGING EDITOR

Jennifer Morton COPY EDITOR

Trenton Straube EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Casey Halter ART DIRECTOR

Mark Robinson ART PRODUCTION MANAGER

Michael Halliday LEGACY ADVISOR

Megan Strub

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)

SMART + STRONG PRESIDENT AND COO

Ian Anderson

VICE PRESIDENT, SALES/PUBLISHER

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CDM PUBLISHING LLC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Here’s to your health,

JOAN LOBIS BROWN

Issue No. 37. Copyright © 2014 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.

outrageous tales we tell about our adventures are merely wishful thinking.

Fantastic fabrications that recount our walking on the wild side can transform us into celebrities online.

When measured against obscurity, being talked about and getting noticed may seem infinitely more appealing to some of us. At last, we can be somebody popular, a personality with a life other people discuss. But the possible negative consequences of all this soul baring are foolishly ignored.

In addition, this willingness to expose every nook and cranny of ourselves doesn’t only apply to what we say. Many people post notorious images of themselves online—doing goodness knows what.

Sometimes the pictures are taken by others, and we approve them for publication.

Other times, the photographs are those we snap of ourselves—the ubiquitous “selfies”—that have become a meme in our social media-obsessed life and times.

Today, the line that separates what constitutes our public and private selves and lives has become blurred. Some trace it back to the arrival of reality TV. Where we are today in the art of self-exposure is an expansion and growth of a culture that thrives on what may qualify as a corrupted and unhealthy expression of self-love.

Sure, there’s an upside to being willing to disclose our personal information.

This is a way to affirm our connection to others, a way to say we’re all in this together. I think that can be a good thing.

But there is a difference between sharing our experiences with others in a self-respecting way and thoughtlessly disrespecting ourselves by simply saying too much. As with most actions in life, moderation is key.

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

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BUZZ

Not for Children Only

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lthough bullying is often commonly seen as a children’s issue—big kids shoving small kids against lockers, spiteful girls and boys slinging gossip, or teens systematically assassinating each other’s character online—the fact is that people of all age groups can suffer physical and psychological damage from this type of behavior. Indeed, according to health experts, bullying is linked to a wide range of health problems.

Studies show that bullying behavior affects victims and perpetrators alike.

Those bullied, and those who bully, complain of headaches and stomachaches, have difficulty falling asleep and fall victim to psychological symptoms, most notably depression, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse and self-inflicted or accidental injuries and suicidal behavior, says Jorge C. Srabstein, MD, medical director of the Clinic for Health Problems Related to Bullying at the Children’s National Medical Center.

What’s more, symptoms associated

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with bullying often appear in a cluster.

For example, people affected by bullying often get headaches accompanied by anxiety, stomachaches and depression, Srabstein explains. Meanwhile, adults bullied at work tend to suffer from many of these same problems and other serious physical and mental disorders.

When symptoms like these appear together, they’re labeled a medical syndrome. But, Srabstein says, at this point, there’s not enough evidence for doctors to declare these types of symptoms a “bullying syndrome.” So, is this a public health issue or what?

Well, public health officials warn that Adults bullied these groups of sympat work toms affect the health can suffer and development of mental and physical bullying victims and disorders. perpetrators, and that they poison the quality of life for everyone in our communities.

A big challenge is that many people view bullying as a normal part of childhood development. “This is a

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dangerous and erroneous assumption,” Srabstein stresses.

For one thing, bullying is not restricted to children in school. This behavior can also affect children in the home, adolescents in relationships and even adults in the workplace. What’s more, “the consequences of bullying extend into adulthood,” Srabstein says, noting that “there is evidence of a significant association between childhood bullying behavior and later psychiatric illness.”

But realistically, even the most vigilant public health campaigns can’t be expected to end bullying. That’s why health officials must treat the symptoms of bullying, Srabstein advises. This means using a public health approach to the problem and creating interventions that promote sensitivity, mutual respect and a tolerance of diversity.

Those interventions should also document and monitor bullying behavior on all levels, identify effective programs and policies and include continued research to assess the problem.

Plain and simple, Srabstein says, bullying can lead to death.

THINKSTOCK

Many feel that bullying is a public health issue that can affect anyone, regardless of age.

BUZZ B

Feline Favors The common house cat might hold the key to an HIV vaccine.

BOTH IMAGES: THINKSTOCK

Scientists recently discovered that a protein from a virus that causes AIDS in cats also sparks T cells in the blood of HIV-positive people to defend against the virus. Researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Southern California, San Francisco now believe they may be able to produce a vaccine based on T cells to fight HIV infection and help the body build up an immunity to the disease.

T cells, which are part of our immune system, attack cells infected with viruses and trigger our body’s immune system to fight disease. A T-cellbased HIV vaccine would work much like other vaccines that are produced by using weakened strains of a germ. In theory, scientists believe the vaccine would cause the body to produce compounds called viral peptides that can induce T-cell activities to destroy HIV. “Surprisingly, we have found that certain peptides of the feline AIDS virus can work exceptionally well at producing human T cells that fight against HIV,” says Janet K. Yamamoto, PhD, a professor of retroviral immunology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and one of the study’s authors.

Researchers believe that by studying the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), scientists may be able to identify regions of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that they could designate as targets for a potential vaccine.

Scientists say the study’s finding is important because the resemblance of FIV to HIV allows researchers to make important observations about T-cell reactions to the virus.

This isn’t the first time researchers considered creating a T-cell-based vaccine. In previous studies, scientists combined a variety of HIV proteins to create a vaccine. But none of these combos worked.

Cats and humans are staying tuned. Why? Because the vaccine wouldn’t just defend people against HIV, it would also help cats fend off the virus.

Triple Threat

A novel contraceptive device that is now being tested would simultaneously protect women against HIV and herpes.

Women are known for their ability to do many things at once. And now scientists are preparing to test a multitasking intravaginal ring that would offer women even more control over their sexual health.

The innovative intravaginal ring was presented at a meeting of pharmaceutical scientists last October in San Antonio, Texas. The device is the first multipurpose pregnancy and disease prevention technology of its kind to be clinically tested.

The ring combines the contraceptive drug levonorgestrel with the HIV med tenofovir. The two drugs would team to stop unwanted pregnancy and protect against HIV and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2)

for up to three months.

The ring dispenses a specific, controlled amount of the meds in the body for up to 90 days. “Our hope is that this ring will offer a solution to increase adherence, and therefore provide greater protection against HIV while also preventing pregnancy,” says David Friend, PhD, the product development director at Contraception Research and Development, a leading reproductive health research organization based in Arlington, Virginia.

Doctors are optimistic that the ring would protect the health of women and their partners, especially in locations where HIV prevalence is high, such as sub-Saharan Africa.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, AGES 13 AND OLDER, ESTIMATED TO BE LIVING WITH HIV. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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BUZZ

Let the Sun Shine!

Ticked Off Yes, these tiny bloodsucking bugs can transmit Lyme disease.

Soaking up the rays may benefit your blood pressure.

(HANDS AND TICK) THINKSTOCK; (BLOOD CELLS) CDC/JANICE HANEY CARR

Nothing beats a bright, sunny day with golden sunshine kissing all it touches with comforting warmth. Although doctors say that a little sunlight is good—for example, it helps your body produce vitamin D—and that too much puts us at risk of skin cancer, recent findings suggest that the benefits of basking in the glow may outweigh this drawback.

For the study, researchers from the University of Edinburgh evaluated the blood pressure of 24 volunteers they seated under tanning lamps for two 20-minute sessions.

One session exposed participants to ultraviolet (UV) light and heat from the lamps. The second exposed volunteers only to the heat but blocked their exposure to UV rays.

Scientists found that when sunlight touches our skin, it triggers a release of the compound nitric oxide into the blood vessels. The result? Lower blood pressure.

(Heat-only exposure didn’t alter participants’ blood pressure.) “We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer,” says Richard Weller, MD, a senior lecturer in dermatology at the university.

Weller says these findings also explain why just popping vitamin D supplements alone can’t replace the health benefits of absorbing those golden rays.

But, please, indulge responsibly.

Like vampires, ticks feed on a host’s blood.

When ticks cling to unsuspecting passersby to continue dining, an infected insect, at any stage of its growth, may give its meal ticket Lyme disease.

To avoid these creepy critters, steer clear of wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. In addition, walk in the center of trails, apply chemical insect repellents that contain DEET or permethrin to exposed skin and clothing (follow the instructions carefully) and thoroughly check your family’s and pets’ bodies, clothing and gear after they spend time outdoors. What’s more, take a bath or shower, and wash and dry clothing on high heat for at least one hour—this should kill any ticks you don’t find.

If left untreated, Lyme disease— named after a town in Connecticut, where it was first reported—can cause a variety of heart, brain and nerve problems, as well as arthritis. The good news is that Lyme disease responds to antibiotics. A full recovery is possible if it’s caught early.

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH LYME DISEASE ANNUALLY. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

It’s All in the Genes

What if the cure for sickle-cell sufferers was found in their own bodies?

The current treatment for sickle-cell anemia is a bone marrow transplant that carries serious risks the body will reject donor cells. Only a small number of patients—usually kids with severe symptoms—undergo the procedure.

In this inherited blood disorder, unhealthy red blood cells are shaped like sickles (not like the healthy, round discs pictured at right).

This limits their movement through vessels and causes pain and damage to limbs and organs.

But a new stem cell gene therapy is being studied by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. The scientists added an anti-sickling gene into patients’ blood-producing stem cells. Then, doctors transplanted these anti-sickling blood-producing stem cells back into the patients’ bone marrow to make red blood cells that don’t sickle. The disease affects about 100,00 Americans, many of them people of color. —Kareema Charles realhealthmag.com

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SEX

Ask Doctor Dee Dorothy Horton, PsyD, answers your questions.

Born This Way What happens when a baby’s sex can’t be clearly identified?

When an infant’s sexual organs don’t look like the typical male or female genitalia, doctors usually diagnose the child as having a disorder of sexual development (DSD). Just a few years ago, these variations of sexual development prompted parents and children to suffer in secrecy and, sometimes, shame. But recently a new website, dsdgenetics.org, launched to tackle the misconceptions about this relatively common inherited condition.

“The resource we have developed provides accurate information to help people understand the molecular basis of typical sex development and how changes to this pathway can result in various types of DSDs,” says Andrew Sinclair, PhD, a professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Melbourne and the deputy director of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia.

Although babies may develop sexually along a different pathway than is usual, these variations are not an illness. In medical science, the term “disorder of sexual development” simply reflects the need for doctors to become involved with those who are 2 0 REAL HEALTH S P R ING 2014

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born this way because of the possible physical complications they may face.

But many people born with any of these variations may prefer to be called “intersex,” another term doctors use. The website’s mission, Sinclair says, is “to provide clear, accessible, scientifically based and up-to-date information about DSD to help patients and their families better understand these complex conditions.”

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF BABIES BORN WITH GENITALS THAT CANNOT EASILY BE CLASSIFIED AS MALE OR FEMALE.

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Source: American Psychological Association

Having a discussion about personal hygiene with a loved one is never easy. First, consider your lover’s personal habits. Is this a one-time offense, or is his or her lack of hygiene a chronic issue?

Ask your lover if there is something wrong. Maybe your partner is falling into a depression, or maybe the offensive smells—body odor or bad breath, for example—signal a serious health condition. If your partner smells bad because he or she is wearing unclean clothing, bypassing a shower after playing sports, or simply becoming sweaty, then bring up the subject in a way that says you care.

If the problem is chronic and you decide to discuss the matter, make sure you and your partner are in a private setting. When you approach the issue, be diplomatic, sensitive and understanding, but be candid. Share with your partner that you’re concerned because proper personal hygiene can prevent the transmission of germs that cause sickness.

You can also share with your partner that good personal hygiene is important because you love being intimate with him or her. Be playful and take showers or baths together.

Compliment your partner on his or her appearance. All these tactics should help make your partner feel loved and appreciated—and more aware and concerned about their hygiene.

(RATTLES) THINKSTOCK; (HORTON) COURTESY OF DOROTHY HORTON, PSYD

What’s the best way to approach a lover about his or her personal hygiene without hurting that person’s feelings?

NUTRITION

We Must Bee Careful Fewer honeybees might create a big threat to our food supply.

In recent years, large numbers of honeybees died. Indeed, new evidence shows a drastic increase in the death rate of the familiar black and yellow insects. According to environmental advocates, if their demise goes unchecked America’s agricultural ability to pollinate crops may also follow them to the grave.

Today, many scientists support the idea that pesticides toxic to honeybees—and bees in general—are a likely culprit.

At the beginning of last year, the journal Nature published a report that cited a number of scientific studies possibly linking insecticides called neonicotinoids and the declining bee populations. The studies created a huge buzz by showing that neonicotinoids disrupted bees’ immune systems and made them susceptible to viral infections the insects could normally swat aside.

In a position paper on the issue, scientists from the Xerces Society, a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization, concluded that without clear evidence that neonicotinoids aren’t causing long-term harm to bees, the pesticide should be restricted.

Quality Matters

Staying slim and healthy requires more than just counting calories.

In simple terms, every piece of food we put in our mouths counts. But three common myths beaten into our brains reflect a basic misunderstanding of how calories affect our physical health and appearance.

First, advice to simply eat fewer calories and exercise more is misleading, says Jonathan Bailor, a health and nutrition expert who authored The Calorie Myth. “If you eat less and exercise more, then eat higher quality food and do higher quality exercise,” Bailor suggests. “That changes everything about the weight loss and health game.”

Second, all calories aren’t the same. Think of it this way, Bailor says: If you feed a child a soda and Twinkies, the quality of those 400 or more calories is much different than the same amount of calories that comes from a serving of non-starchy veggies, healthy fats and nutrient-dense protein. “I call these SANE foods,” Bailor says, meaning Satiating, Aggressive, Nutritious and Efficient foods that keep you full, release consistent levels of energy slowly into the bloodstream and help burn body fat instead of store it.

Third, calories aren’t the only factor to consider. “Genetics and hormones matter immensely too,” Bailor says. “We all know that if we ate the same way we did 15 or 20 years ago, we’d get different results today compared with when we were younger.”

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO WENT ON A DIET IN 2012.

ALL IMAGES: THINKSTOCK

Source: Marketdata Enterprises Inc.

A Taste of Sadness?

Food and mood interact to flavor our physical and mental health.

Ever feel so low you lose interest in eating?

Or maybe you’ve dealt with the blahs by eating unhealthy foods. Both behaviors are common ways people respond to feeling down.

But your diet also directly affects your mood and can raise your risk of depression, says nutritionist and author Cynthia Sass, RD. In her personal picks for the biggest diet and weight loss stories of last year, Sass cites recent findings published in the British Journal

of Health Psychology that showed young adults who “ate more fruits and veggies felt calmer, happier and more energetic.”

What’s more, in the British Journal of Psychiatry, findings showed that middle-aged women who ate mostly whole foods were more protected from depression than those who ate mostly processed foods.

Every food choice, Sass says, can influence how we feel, physically and emotionally.

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(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

She’s very funny, but Tia Mowry-Hardrict gets serious about the flu.

TENDER

LOVING

(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

CARE Not trying to scare anyone, but the flu can land you or your child in the hospital. It can even kill you.

By Kate Ferguson

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Tia’s adult image is built on health, beauty and style.

LIKE MANY PEOPLE WHO HATE NEEDLES, TIA MOWRYHARDRICT PREFERS GETTING THE FLU VACCINE VIA A BLAST OF MIST FROM A NASAL SPRAY. that’s sprayed into each nostril is perfect for Mowry-Hardrict because the process is “very quick and easy,” she says.

“It’s almost like someone is just spraying water up your nose, but since it’s a mist there’s not a lot of pressure, so it’s not like there’s a lot of something going up your nose. It’s simple and light, doesn’t burn at all and doesn’t even tickle.”

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Despite recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that everyone age 6 months and older get vaccinated each year, less than half of adults and just over half of children in the United States get a flu vaccination. This is why Mowry-Hardrict says she wanted to help parents learn more about a differ-

(THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS PAGE) COURTESY OF D’ANDRE MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY

ou may remember Tia Mowry from the sitcom Sister, Sister that featured her and her real-life twin, Tamera. The series stressed relationships and was perfectly aligned with Tia’s focus on the importance of family and protecting your loved ones from harm.

Today, the actress, author and entrepreneur has a hyphenated last name.

She’s Tia Mowry-Hardrict, married and the mother of one son, Cree Taylor Hardrict. He’s one of the main reasons she is currently a spokesperson for FluMist Quadrivalent, a nasal flu vaccine.

Recently, Mowry-Hardrict starred in FluMist’s humorous video campaign, “I Insist on the Mist,” playing a mother and career woman rushing around like crazy during a busy day.

The video shows how convenient the nasal spray vaccine is for multitasking women with families.

Her matchup with FluMist was a “no-brainer,” Mowry-Hardrict says.

After all, as a wife and mother, she understands how the flu can have a huge effect on everyone in the family.

“Flu vaccinations have been a part of my life ever since I was a child,” Mowry-Hardrict explains. “It was something that my mom, and my family, felt was important. To me, it’s really critical to make getting the flu vaccine part of my family’s annual routine.

“But I really was never a fan of needles at all,” she adds. “When I grew up, since my mom wasn’t taking me to the doctor to get flu vaccinations, I decided I’m just not going to do it. But then I started to realize how the flu can affect your family in really bad ways.”

After Mowry-Hardrict learned that there was a pain-free way to get vaccinated, she embraced the mist.

FluMist Quadrivalent is a nasal spray that’s described as the first and only FDA-approved, needle-free flu vaccine for people ages 2 to 49 who aren’t pregnant. The one-time application of mist

ent way to get family members vaccinated. “I know several people who have been knocked out by the flu—some even thought they were going to die,” she says. “I know that may sound a little harsh. But the point that I’m trying to make is that the flu isn’t just a bad cold.”

Mowry-Hardrict is right. Although viruses cause the common cold and the flu, influenza can be deadly. According to U.S. health officials, even a healthy child can die of the flu. Most often, the reason this happens is because the more severe strains of the influenza virus can trigger serious, life-threatening complications.

According to the CDC findings published in the journal Pediatrics, flu complications killed 830 healthy children between 2004 and 2012. Of those kids, 35 percent died before they were hospitalized or within the first three days of developing signs of illness.

“I think people have this assumption that the flu is just a bad cold,” Mowry-Hardrict repeats. “But it’s not.”

Besides children, other population groups

are at high risk of developing flu complications that may result in hospitalization or death. This includes adults ages 65 and older, pregnant women, American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Also vulnerable, says the CDC, are people with certain serious medical conditions, including asthma, heart disease, weakened immune systems, and kidney, liver or blood disorders.

Typically, flu season begins in the fall and peaks in January or February.

But seasonal flu can occur as early as October and as late as May. “We start to see it settle down usually around March or April,” says Amisha Malhotra, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. “But last year and the year before, we saw the flu last even longer than that.”

Malhotra stresses that the flu is unpredictable. “Its severity can vary widely from one season to the next,” she says.

“As such, the single best way to protect yourself and your family from influenza is by getting an annual flu vaccination.”

Flu vaccines prevent the illness much like other vaccines: by exposing the body to weakened versions of the virus

so the immune system can build a natural defense against the disease.

There are numerous types and strains of influenza virus. Seasonal flu vaccines, such as FluMist, protect against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. “This is the first year we’re including four strains of the flu virus in the vaccine,” explains Malhotra, adding that the vaccine usually prompts a vigorous response in children.

Nonetheless, some parents express concern about ingredients in flu vaccines that might spark allergic reactions. But FluMist is preservative free, Malhotra explains. And the preservatives used in other vaccines are usually “minuscule,” she says. “I don’t often hear of significant reactions.”

When there are mild side effects— such as a runny nose, a bit of a cough or a low-grade fever—parents shouldn’t necessarily be concerned. “I just think parents should know about these side effects so they’re not surprised,” Malhotra stresses.

Typically, children who take FluMist may experience similar side effects. But the makers of the nasal spray do caution parents that kids with a history of wheezing should not use FluMist.

According to some studies, African-American parents are more likely to have concerns about the flu vaccine.

Some believe the vaccine can actually cause the flu. But plenty of information sources—including insistonthemist.com and cdc.gov—are available for anyone with these concerns.

“As a pediatrician, I recommend that we do try to protect our families,” Malhotra says. “We have seen sick kids admitted [to hospitals] because of something that’s preventable, so I’m a big advocate of getting vaccinated for the flu, and I encourage parents to get educated about it because you have to be knowledgeable.”

Indeed, Mowry-Hardrict is one mom who insists on being totally prepared for flu season. “Some people just seem to think they’re immune to the flu, and they don’t get vaccinated,” she says. “The best thing you can do for the flu is to protect yourself and your family and get that flu shot.” ■

Beat the Bug During flu season, it may seem as if you’re surrounded by the enemy: people coughing, blowing their noses or otherwise spreading the contagion. Vaccinations remain the best defense, but these other common-sense precautions can also help.

■

Lather up often and well.

Wash your hands with soap and water, or rub on an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

■

Don’t spread germs.

This means don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth and then handle any objects without first observing the previous suggestion. What’s more, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue—not your hands, please—when you cough or sneeze. Then toss that tissue!

■

Stay away from sick people.

Avoid close contact with people sneezing, coughing or showing other signs of illness.

■

Maintain good health.

This means get enough sleep and exercise, keep stress levels down, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy.

■

Stay home if you’re sick.

Avoid going out for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone and you haven’t been using fever-reducing drugs.

■

Consider taking antiviral drugs.

This applies only if you’re not sick but have been exposed to someone with the flu. First, talk with your doctor about whether antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu and Relenza, are appropriate for you. These medicines can prevent you from getting sick, especially if they’re used early.

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A QUIET KILLER Many years ago, Wayne Starks dreamed he should spread the word and educate folks in high-risk communities about hepatitis C, a sneaky and shattering, yet curable, disease.

(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

By Serusha Govender

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(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

“One of my best friends, Manny, had hep C,” Starks says. “He warned me that since we’d used drugs not to be surprised if I came up with hep C.” Shaken, Starks talked to his doctor.

He learned that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) caused widespread damage and scarring to the liver. His doctor told him that those living with hep C showed very few symptoms and often didn’t know they were infected until it was too late. Still, for years Starks’s blood tests showed no sign of the virus, so he continued living his life as usual.

He believed he’d dodged a bullet.

What he didn’t understand was that he represented several groups considered at extremely high risk of contracting the disease.

Hep C is a blood-borne virus spread most commonly through sharing needles and syringes during drug use, through tattooing, and through blood transfusions and organ transplants that took place before 1992, when sensitive screening tests for hep C were developed. Less commonly, HCV is spread from mother to child during childbirth and through sexual contact (particularly through rough sex among gay men).

Health care workers are also vulnerable through accidental needle-sticks.

What’s more, the baby boomer generation—those born between 1945 and 1965—is at elevated risk because they may have been exposed to the virus through unscreened blood transfu3 4 REAL HEALTH S P R ING 2014

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sions. (About 75 percent of adults already living with hepatitis C come from this group.)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C is the most common bloodborne disease. More than 3 million people are currently living with it, and another 17,000 become infected every year in the United States alone. But the most vulnerable group is African Americans who, experts claim, are twice as likely to contract HCV than the general American population.

Why is this? John Ward, MD, the CDC’s director of the viral hepatitis division, speculates that it “could be because [African Americans] work in more professions that result in injuries that put them in the health care settings where they need blood.”

Starks was sure he’d picked up his infection through intravenous drug use, from shared needles and syringes.

But he wouldn’t have known his status if he hadn’t been told to ask his doctor.

Until recently, doctors would only test for hepatitis if a patient specifically requested it, and most simply didn’t know to ask.

This is one of the reasons doctors often

brand HCV “the silent epidemic.” Another reason is that the disease is underestimated because there’s an absence of visible symptoms for many

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years. In fact, most people can live with hep C for decades without feeling sick. When symptoms do appear, they include fever, nausea, jaundice, severe abdominal pains, vomiting and very dark urine. But by this time, the liver is often already severely damaged.

When the hepatitis C virus enters your bloodstream, it invades the liver then multiplies rapidly, effectively going to war with your healthy liver cells.

Charles D. Howell, MD, director of hepatology research at the National Medical Association, explains that the body’s immune system tries its best to fight off the virus. But during this battle, the liver becomes so inflamed and swollen that the organ suffers severe damage. As combat continues undetected for several years, the body often shows no symptoms.

But “the body, in an attempt to heal itself, deposits a lot of scar tissue,” Howell explains. “That’s basically what [liver] cirrhosis is. Over time, the function of the normal liver cells is lost.”

By the time Starks’s doctor noticed elevated enzyme levels in his liver and gave him an HCV antibody test, Starks knew his luck had run out. The test came back positive, so his doctor referred him to a specialist who did a confirmatory test and then delivered the results to Starks. “My first thought was, ‘Oh my God, I gotta take more medications,’” Starks says. “I wondered how damaged my liver was. I was relieved

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hen Wayne Starks tested positive for hepatitis C 14 years ago, at age 50, the former New York City bus driver was devastated but not entirely surprised.

Starks had already been diagnosed with HIV and was on antiretroviral treatment. He’d been going through a tough time and was regularly abusing drugs and alcohol. Many of his friends at the time already had contracted hep C and warned him that he probably had it too.

when he took a biopsy and said I had scarring but it wasn’t that bad.”

The diagnosis was just the reality check Starks needed to kick his drug habit for good. He started living a healthy life; preserving his liver became his No. 1 priority. “I watched what I ate, I didn’t have too many greasy or fried foods…and I tried to buy fruits and vegetables during the week,” Starks says. “There are also foods that are good for the liver; I tried to eat a lot of those.”

Most important, Starks ditched alcohol completely after finding out how much damage the booze was doing to his liver. “Liquor is a really powerful accelerant,” Ward says.

“It’s like throwing alcohol on the embers of a fire. Booze really inflames hep C.” Meanwhile, Starks discussed treat-

ment options with his doctor. At the time, HCV treatment involved regular injections of a drug called interferon several times each week for between 24 to 48 weeks. The regimen was extensive and had numerous side effects that would have put tremendous strain on Starks’s health. He and his doc decided to hold off on medication until something better was available.

Today, treatment drugs for hep C are much improved. In fact, HCV is considered a curable disease.

Newly licensed drugs can cure upwards of 90 percent of patients with just several pills each day taken for a few weeks (depending on the degree of infection). It’s even possible to cure patients who have severe HCV-related liver scarring.

And, for the first time, it’s possible to treat the disease with a purely oral regimen (meaning no injections are required). “These newer therapies are requiring shorter durations of treatment, 12 to 24 weeks, with fewer side effects,” Howell explains. “And another advance, in terms of being available to a large percentage of the population, is treatment is much safer.”

Previously, drugs like interferon were too aggressive for many pa-

Get Screened for Hep C WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that hepatitis C is still widely underdiagnosed.

But new health care protocols (most came into effect at the start of the year) require doctors to offer the hep C test to all patients from the baby boomer generation—those born between 1945 and 1965.

“We’re working with clinicians to understand the importance of testing,” says John Ward, MD, a hepatitis specialist with the CDC. “We’re also looking for ways to use the advances in electronic health records across the country.” For example, when patients check into a clinic, if they’re from the baby boomer generation, then a popup alert will tell the clinicians to test the patients for hepatitis C. There’s also a need to screen for hep C outside of traditional medical settings, explains Charles Howell, MD, of the National Medical Association. “The majority of the patients with HCV are male. But, unfortunately, males are not into health care,” he says. If you peeked into to a doctor’s waiting room, you wouldn’t see a lot of men, Howell adds. “Since folks won’t come in to get tested, health providers must take the tests to the people.”

This means going to church events, community centers, rallies and other social gatherings. In these settings, health care workers can use what are called rapid tests. Typically, these handheld devices use a simple finger-stick procedure that can draw and test blood and deliver a result in 20 minutes.

The CDC emphasizes the importance of educating groups considered most at risk, particularly African Americans. “Possibly one in every five people with hepatitis C in the United States is African American,” Howell says. “If we really want to have an impact in decreasing the burden of HCV on the health care system, we need to focus on these disproportionate groups.”

—SG

tients. Almost 70 percent claimed they simply couldn’t tolerate the med, which can cause severe flu-like side effects. Now, this shorter treatment schedule means more people can receive care that won’t make them feel sick.

But Starks isn’t ready for treatment just yet. He’s still holding out for even better, safer medications, which doctors agree may be here in the next year or two.

Starks and his doctors believe he can afford to wait. His early diagnosis and healthier lifestyle kept the scarring on his liver to a minimum.

Now, at age 63, Starks says he’s very lucky to feel healthy. What’s more, he adds, he’s almost undetectable for both HIV and HCV. Luck aside, part of the reason Starks is doing well is that he had almost immediate access to decent medical care through his clinic (at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt in New York City). He also advocated for his own health. He knew to ask the right questions about his HCV status, ones most people “wouldn’t even know about,” he says.

The government has recognized that

hep C treatment can only be truly effective when coupled with adequate screening procedures. Now, state health departments, prompted by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force and the CDC, are requiring that all health care providers offer the HCV test, at least once, to any patient from the baby boomer generation and high-risk groups.

Starks does his part as director for Vocal-NY, an advocacy group. He lobbies for better housing for highrisk groups, and he works on a campaign to boost hepatitis C awareness.

Twice a year, the group runs events that offer HCV education and free screenings to the local community.

“This disease is nothing to play with,” Starks says. “It will kill you if you don’t know you have it. But you can live a productive life once you find out. It’s not a death sentence.”

Wayne Starks, after all, is living proof of that. ■

SEASONING THE FDA SAYS THAT 12 PERCENT OF IMPORTED SPICES ARE CONTAMINATED WITH “FILTH.” BUT DOES THIS UNAPPETIZING FINDING POSE A HEALTH RISK?

By Kate Ferguson

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(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

SAFETY

(POGUE) THINKSTOCK DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

Tasty spices of all hues and textures have become a must for American lovers of ethnic cuisine. realhealthmag.com

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There are big bucks in the buying, selling and making of spices. These botanicals—the ground-up plant seeds, dried leaves, barks, stems or roots that flavor our foods—comprise a global enterprise that’s also a billion-dollar business in the United States.

In 2012, market research reported the spice industry’s revenue at $9 billion with an estimated gross profit of a little more than 35 percent. Import of spices

expect their foods to be seasoned and well balanced with variety and exciting tastes,” writes author Susheela Raghavan in the Handbook of Spices, Seasonings and Flavorings. “Ethnic foods with their multidimensional flavor and texture profiles will provide this, especially cuisines that include a variety of spices, seasonings and condiments.”

But all this fascination with spicy foods and flavorings has a downside.

As recently discussed in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration report, spices commonly used by Americans may arrive with unwanted contaminants.

The report’s executive summary opened

with an unappetizing introduction.

“In light of new evidence calling into question the effectiveness of current control measures to reduce or prevent illness from consumption of spices in the United States, the FDA developed a risk profile on pathogens and filth

and other mammals; and other yucky, inedible materials in spice shipments.

In addition, researchers found decomposed body parts, feathers and other structural components of birds’ wings, as well as stones, twigs, staples, wood slivers, plastic, synthetic fibers and rubber bands mixed in with the spices.

In response to the report, the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) issued a statement stressing that imported spices routinely undergo extensive cleaning, processing and treatment for pathogens, such as salmonella.

But the association also admitted that spices—classified as “raw agricultural commodities”—“are commonly exposed to dust, dirt, insects and animal waste before they are harvested, and there are additional opportunities for contamination during primary processing, storage and transportation.”

The issue is of growing concern because contaminated foods are a common cause of foodborne illnesses that

was valued at $1.2 billion from 100 countries. What’s more, the demand for many of these colorful seasonings is increasing as the public craves new flavors to tickle their taste buds and tempt their appetites. People are going gaga for exotic flavors and ingredients, spurring the growth of many ethnic cuisines that specialize in spice-laden dishes. In addition, a growing awareness of the possible health benefits of spices is sparking much interest from the organic food and beverage industries.

“While many Americans enjoy traditional foods, at the same time they 3 8 REAL HEALTH S P R ING 2014

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in spices.”

The FDA findings reveal that about 12 percent of spices arriving stateside included “filth.” The FDA defined spice to mean “any [dried] aromatic vegetable substance in the whole, broken, or ground form” used to season foods—including dehydrated onion and garlic and other kinds of dried veggies used as seasoning. More pressing, undoubtedly, is what the agency means by “filth.” According to the FDA, it found insect parts; live and dead whole insects; animal, bird and insect excrement; hair from humans, rodents, bats

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sicken millions and even kill thousands each year.

In media interviews, Robert E. Brackett, PhD, a professor and interim department head of the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute for Food Safety and Health, has called spices “stealth ingredients,” adding that a dash of contaminated spices could create huge medical issues for those who eat them.

“These ingredients are used in small amounts, so people tend to forget about them,” Brackett said. “In fact, what we’ve seen over the past few years is that many of the foodborne out-

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ALTHOUGH U.S. COMPANIES CAREFULLY CLEAN, PROCESS AND TREAT IMPORTED SPICES TO RID THEM OF DISEASE-CAUSING GERMS, THE FDA IS WILLING TO ACCEPT A LEVEL OF DEFECTS IN RAW FOODS.

breaks have been traced back to some sort of dry ingredient.”

The FDA report identifies three outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States attributed to spices.

Those outbreaks occurred between January 2007 and April 2010. According to the report, all three outbreaks were associated with spices contaminated by salmonella.

But the American Spice Trade Association says these three incidents stand “in contrast to hundreds of such incidents during the same period attributed to [illnesses caused] by leafy green vegetables, cantaloupes and other fresh produce.” In other words, the FDA data actually prove that dried spices are not a significant cause of foodborne illness in the United States.

Currently, the FDA allows for certain

maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods for human use. In fact, it created a handbook listing “food defect levels”—a.k.a. the amount of filth that is OK for people to consume. “The FDA set these action levels because it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects,” explains the agency. But the FDA also notes that “products harmful to consumers are subject to regulatory action whether or not they exceed the action levels.”

And although many may find the existence of food defect levels uncomfortable, the agency maintains its commitment to ensuring the safety of America’s food supply.

In 2011, President Obama signed the agency’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law. FSMA directly affects the handling of spices, and as the act undergoes continued implementation, many preventive measures are being put into place to ensure that the country’s spice supply is safe for consumers.

Michael Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, stresses that the agency isn’t suggesting that consumers avoid spices. But the United States imports more than 80 percent of its spices, and only 1 percent to 2 percent of all

imports at American borders and ports are inspected. That’s why, according to Iowa State University’s Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the FDA views foreign and domestic food safety as a critical public-health issue.

The risk profile report was a way to address the increased potential for foodborne illnesses generated by spices imported into the country. To further address safety concerns, ASTA stresses that it’s willing to team up with the FDA and other companies on this issue. The association created an industry manual that establishes standards for the safe shipping and handling of imported spices. These guidelines work together with FDA regulations already in place and the newer standards currently being implemented. “ASTA shares [the] FDA’s commitment to safety,” says Cheryl Deem, the association’s executive director.

But consumers can also help themselves. To help reduce the chances of becoming sick from contaminated spices, Taylor suggests that people add seasonings to their food before cooking meals, not after.

In addition, Jim Lynn, the corporate com-

munications officer from McCormick & Company, the world’s largest maker of seasonings, suggests that people buy their spices from trusted resources.

“Whether they’re [spices] grown in the United States or other parts of the world, McCormick exercises the same high level of quality control throughout our supply chain,” Lynn says.

That said, the FDA believes it is possible to significantly reduce the risk of illness from consuming contaminated spices in the United States. More comprehensive FDA scrutiny places spice producers on the hot seat. These companies are charged to better police the complex supply chains their ingredients pass through. This means the companies that import spices from small farms in a variety of different countries must better understand and oversee the methods and processes used in these locations. That, perhaps, will be the most important ingredient in this recipe for successfully safeguarding the purity of our spice supplies. ■

For Medicinal Purposes The heart-healing power of spices Although people have used dried seeds, fruits, roots and barks to flavor and preserve food for centuries, many also use spices to treat illnesses.

Spices are rich in antioxidants, and scientific studies suggest they are also effective treatments against tissue damage and inflammation, say Hannah R. Vasanthi and R.P. Parameswari, biochemists at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai, India.

In an issue of Current Cardiology Review, the two scientists commented about the role spices play in treating and preventing heart disease.

The researchers note that garlic, pepper, coriander, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon—common spices used in India—have a variety of “natural phytochemicals” that complement and overlap ways the body addresses metabolic diseases and age-related degenerative disorders such as heart disease.

“Adding spice to our life may serve as a delicious and sensible way to maintain a healthy heart,” the researchers say.

The biochemists note that more research is needed to look into spices and herbs as sources of antioxidants.

But despite the lack of definitive evidence, they believe the suggestion to eat spices makes sense. That’s because these botanicals are rich in bioactive compounds, very low-calorie and relatively inexpensive.

“With time,” the researchers predict, “we can expect to see a greater body of scientific evidence supporting the benefits of spices in the overall maintenance of a healthy heart.”

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GOING TO

GREAT LENGTHS If growing longer tresses is your mane mission, then you must stop strands from snapping.

By Gerrie E. Summers

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(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

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nutrients from nonessential areas such as the scalp and sends them to vital organs. Also, some prescription drugs can be harmful to hair.

A healthful diet with foods that have a good balance of vitamins and minerals encourages the hair to grow strong and healthy. Fad diets that restrict certain food groups can lead to hair problems, as does avoiding healthy unsaturated fats that, along with omega 3 fatty acids, help the body absorb vitamins.

Another key to optimal health, and hair lengthening growth, is getting plenty of rest, drinking an adequate amount of water and exercising to cut down on stress and to keep the body functioning properly.

In general, moisture is essential to hair growth. But this is especially key for African-American hair. Because of black hair’s curly nature, it’s difficult for the natural oils produced by the scalp to move down the hair shaft. This is why it’s crucial to keep African-American hair moisturized.

To support the growth of long, luscious locks, moisturize hair several times a week or when it feels dry. Use water-based moisturizers that are free of mineral oil and petrolatum. DavisSivasothy suggests that if you can’t find products without these substances, at least make sure they are low on the ingredients list.

The best times to moisturize the hair are prior to combing or styling, before going outdoors and after you’ve rinsed out the conditioner. In addition, be sure to focus on the ends.

What’s more, moisturize and tie up your tresses at night—with a silk or satin scarf—to reduce friction.

Finally, always remember that black hair requires tender loving care, so avoid anything that further weakens and damages your locks. This means limit heat styling, always apply thermal protectants on tresses and set your appliance’s controls on the lowest setting. And don’t go crazy with chemical processes, such as perms, relaxers and permanent hair color.

Take these measures every day, and you’ll find that you’ve unlocked the secret to growing black hair that’s strong—and long. ■

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LONG SHOTS For hair to get longer, strands have to get stronger. These tips will pump up your plaits.

Get your vitamins. Eat foods rich in vitamin A to promote a healthy scalp, vitamin C to strengthen the hair shaft and follicles, biotin for blood circulation and hair growth, vitamin E to help blood flow to scalp and to prevent hair loss, vitamin D to aid the hair follicles, iron to help carry oxygen to the scalp and promote hair growth, and B vitamins to help hair growth, reduce hair loss and increase thickness.

Keep scalp clean. Shampoos remove dead skin cells and product buildup.

But don’t use too many products, especially stuff with harsh chemicals. And do massage your scalp to stimulate blood circulation.

Know your hair type. This way you can choose the right products.

Give your hair a break. Use protective hairstyles such as twists and loose braids that protect fragile ends and reduce manipulation.

Don’t brush hair. But if you must do this, use a soft boar bristle brush on dry hair that’s well moisturized.

Transition to natural hair. A return to your roots does give your hair a break from chemical processes.

Get hair trimmed. Dust the ends by a quarter to a half inch about every six weeks, or every six months, depending on the condition of your hair.

Let hair air-dry. But if you must use a dryer, let hair air-dry a little and then use the dryer on a cool setting.

Moisturize hair before styling. Use a light oil on locks before and after washing. And oil those ends before heat styling!

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ll hair types go through three stages of growth and shedding. The first stage is called the anagen, or active, phase and lasts from two to six years. The longer the hair is in this phase, the faster and longer it grows. The length of this phase varies from person to person and is determined by genetics.

The second stage of hair growth is called the catagen phase, which is a “transitional stage” lasting from two to three weeks. Then the hair enters the final stage, called the telogen, or resting phase, which lasts from one to four months. During this phase the hair shaft doesn’t grow. Instead, hair strands already present are pushed up and out, a process called shedding.

This makes way for a new hair shaft to form, and thus—unless a medical issue is present—the hair growth cycle begins again.

Essentially, our hair strands—the part that we see and wash and style— are lifeless (that’s why strands don’t hurt when they’re cut). But this dead hair needs special care. And lacking that, the ends can break off and seemingly grind the growth cycle to a halt.

Specifically, if you use chemical relaxers and permanent hair dyes, and if you subject your hair to heat, styling tools and damaging hair styles such as too-tight extensions, then your beloved—but dead—strands will disappear. (Translation: You’ll be bald!)

To avoid this nightmare and take the first step to hair growth and retention, maintain a healthy, clean scalp, free of infections and product buildup.

The scalp is the birthplace of hair, and if kept in proper condition, it will provide an optimal environment for the follicles to produce quality tresses, writes Audrey Davis-Sivasothy, author of The Science of Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair. The scalp should remain “clean, toned, pliable and positively stimulated,” she stresses.

The key to creating a healthy environment for the scalp is to maintain an overall healthy body. Illness, stress, hormonal changes and vitamin deficiencies can all lead to poor hair health.

When the body is suffering from disease and needs to heal, it takes

PhytoSpecific’s Baobab Oil (3.3 fl. oz., $40) and Phytogrowth Spray (50 ml, about $48) If having long, luscious, healthy locks is your goal, look no further than these nourishing, hydrating treatments.

Nufoot (a variety of styles, $14.99 per pair) This colorful, waterproof, neoprene footwear works like protective socks to help stop slips and slides on indoor surfaces.

Stuff We Love

Kitchen Table Bakers’ Aged Parmesan Cheese Crisps (3 oz. pack, $5.99) Crave a snack? These super crunchy, low-carb crackers are made entirely of cheese and contain no gluten, wheat, trans fats or sugars; eat them like chips.

Cocopotamus Truffles (5 pieces, between $10 and $12) Indulge your sweet tooth sensibly with these scrumptious, guilt-free confections, in 32 gluten-free flavors, some vegan.

A ROU ROUNDUP OF THE LATEST, M MUST-HAVE FINDS FOR HA HAIR, SKIN, HEALTH, SE BEAUTY AND MORE. THESE TH PRODUCTS ARE WORTH EVERY CENT.

Wahl’s Hot-Cold Therapy Massager and Massaging Gel Pack ($24.99 to $59.99) Hit pain with a one-two punch to speed recovery from muscle swelling and inflammation.

3G Stepper ($179 to $1,999) Try this cool cross between a bike and a low-impact step machine for a really fun, challenging and effective full-body workout.

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THOUGHTS Move On! Don’t delay: Get that cheater outta your life.

I’ll Get to It Later How to stop procrastinating and act—now!

About 10 years ago, I was embroiled in a very unhappy, live-in relationship with a certain someone. After Mr. Man and I had been together for almost four years, I found yet another piece of proof that I was being cheated on.

I actually found out that he’d been cheating for most of the time we were together. He was a chronic cheater. After each catch, I presented him with my proof and he denied it. That would go on until I’d find incontrovertible, undeniable proof that he just couldn’t weasel out of. And then the merry-go-round would begin once again.

After that fourth year, I’d had enough. It was time to move on. To prepare myself, I kept a journal about everything that had happened. Sure enough, constantly reading and re-reading those passages strengthened my resolve. This was something I needed to do—sooner rather than later.

So one day, I confronted this gentleman and told him we were through. I allowed him to pack his belongings and told him I was changing my locks. What he couldn’t take with him, I stowed in the garage and allowed him to pick up later.

And so days without him turned into weeks and then months and then years.

Motivation is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

—As told to Kate Ferguson

Yes, people, it’s March. Many of you are busy preparing for your tax filing that has to be done by April 15. Then again, many of you aren’t. You know it has to be done, but you can’t just seem to summon the energy to find and organize all your paperwork and mosey on down to your tax man. What’s more, this is the way you’ve been rolling for years. You’re like Mark Twain, who famously advised, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”

“We all put tasks off, but my research has found that 20 percent of U.S. men and women are chronic procrastinators,” says Joseph Ferrari, PhD, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago and author of the book Still Procrastinating: The No Regret Guide to Getting It Done. “They delay at home, work, school and in relationships.”

Does that sound like you? “These 20 percent make procrastination their way of life, so of course they procrastinate when filing their Joseph Ferrari, PhD, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, spoke to income taxes,” Ferrari adds. “We are the American Psychological Association about procrastination. Here’s a snippet: a nation of ‘doers,’ but we are also, like people from other industrialized What are the personality differences between people who get things done and those who don’t? nations, a people of ‘waiters.’”

Let’s remember that while everyone puts off an occasional task, it is the person who does Ahh, but isn’t that why you’re that habitually, always with plausible “excuses,” who has issues to address. reading this article? You want to stop being a “waiter.” Try these steps to Has modern technology helped reduce or enhance our tendency to procrastinate? “cure” yourself, suggest folks at the Today’s technology can help us not procrastinate if we use it wisely. We don’t have to surf Academic Skills Center at California the Web for hours on irrelevant tasks. We can get systems that time us out after 10 minPolytechnic State University: Realize utes. Use technology as a tool, not as a means of delay. you are delaying something unnecessarily, discover the real reasons for How does being unable to make decisions connect with procrastinating? your delay and list them, vigorously Procrastination is a decision to not act. It is very useful to gather information to make dispute those real reasons and an informed decision, but when one gathers beyond the point of adequate resources, overcome them, then start the task. then that’s indecisive and counterproductive.

Um, what are you waiting for? We said, “Start the task!”

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THINKSTOCK

The Expert Says

READER SURVEY

SPEAK YOUR MIND! (And Win Free Stuff)

Today, our attitude toward aging is a lot different than even just one decade ago. How important to you is maintaining an attractive and youthful appearance, and to what lengths will you go to keep your looks? According to a recent survey, Americans have debunked a lot of myths about aging, beauty and its connection to gender. RH wants to hear what you think.

Get ready to look good coming and going!

As a thank you, we’ll select two winners at random whose surveys we receive and send them a fitness DVD (suggested retail price $9.99 to $13.55). For official contest rules, visit realhealthmag.com/survey.

1. Do you consider people to be “old” when they reach age 50?

11. What is your household income?

❑ Yes

❑ $15,000–$34,999

❑ No

❑ $35,000–$49,999

❑ Under $15,000

❑ $50,000–$74,999

2. To keep your looks youthful, would you be willing to have plastic surgery?

❑ $75,000–$99,999 ❑ $100,000 and over

❑ Yes

12. What is the highest level of education attained?

❑ No

❑ Some high school

3. Do you think staying active keeps older people’s outlook young?

❑ High school graduate

❑ Yes

❑ Bachelor’s degree or higher

❑ Some college

❑ No

13. What is your ethnicity?

4. Do you believe men age better than women?

❑ American Indian or Alaska Native

❑ Yes

❑ Arab or Middle Eastern

❑ No

❑ Asian ❑ Black or African American

5. Do you think Americans are too obsessed with looking young?

❑ Hispanic or Latino

❑ Yes

❑ White

❑ No

❑ Other

6. Do you judge people because they have gray hair and wrinkles?

14. Where do you get Real Health?

❑ Yes

❑ My doctor’s office

❑ No

❑ My church

❑ Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

❑ I’m a subscriber

❑ A community or college organization

7. Do you believe older people should act and dress a certain way?

❑ It was mailed to me ❑ Other:_______________________

❑ Yes

15. Do you have Internet access?

❑ No

❑ Yes

8. Do you think older people can’t learn new skills?

❑ No

❑ Yes

16. Name:___________________________________________ 17. Organization (if you represent one):______________________ 18. Street address:_____________________________________________ 19. City & state:_________________________________________________ 20. ZIP code:____________________________________________________ 21. Email:_______________________________________________________ 22. Phone:_____________________________________________________

❑ No

9. What year were you born?_________ 10. What is your gender? ❑ Female

❑ Male

❑ Transgender

❑ Other

Spring 2014