May 2021 Health, Wellness and Nutrition Supplement

MAY 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

The Sugar Blues Tips to Ending the Nation’s Addiction to Sweets

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Adventist Medical Group

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White Gold, Black Bodies, and the Sugar Blues Dr. Shantella Sherman WI Special Editions Editor

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In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016

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PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Timothy Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Jacqueline Fuller, Hamil Harris, D. Kevin McNeir, Kui Mwai, Lee Ross, Dorothy Rowley, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright, PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. DeFreitas, Ja’Mon Jackson, Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman

The relationship between sugar and Black people remains incongruous at the best of times. Products with the unhealthiest levels of sugar, especially the processed and refined varieties that promote diabetes and weight gain, litter most Black communities as dietary staples. Still, the language of sugar – its sweetness, paints the highly addictive substance in particularly positive terms. Terms of endear5 Dr. Shantella Sherman (Photo by India Kea) ment, for instance, utilize words like sweetheart, sugar, and honey.

Blues singer, Big Maybelle even had a groundbreaking hit, Candy, that immortalized her lover’s sweetness by nicknaming him after the confection.

Sugar has been labeled by scientists as America’s drug of choice, noting that its addictive powers get introduced early and with the best intentions in mind. Millions of impoverished Black families used a combination of (ultra-sweet) evaporated (Pet) milk and water as baby formula and the backbone of nutritional development for several generations.

Sweetness is also a primal pleasure, according to Eater Magazine’s Ruby Tandoh, who writes that sugar’s sensation mimics the effects of warmth or softness to the mind.

“Our desire to find, taste, and consume it is profoundly natural, but our quest to make more of it, to cook, bake, caramelize, and fry our way to sweet — that is profoundly human,” Tandoh said.

Consequently, under stress or when hungry, consuming sweet things goes back to both the cradle and our genes in offering comfort.

But the relationship between sugar and Black people is a bit more complicated than mere diets.

The United States makes about nine million tons of sugar annually, ranking it sixth in global production. According to historian Khalil Gibran Muhammad, the Louisiana sugar-cane industry is by itself worth $3 billion, generating an estimated 16,400 jobs, with the vast majority of that domestic sugar remaining in the U.S. An additional two to three million tons of sugar are imported each year to America to answer our addictions. Americans consume as much as 77.1 pounds of sugar and related sweeteners per person per year, according to United States Department of Agriculture data – that is nearly twice the limit the department recommends, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Historically, it was the global addiction to sugar and the need for free labor to work sugar plantations that introduced fueled slavery in the New World.

“Over the four centuries that followed Columbus’s arrival, on the mainlands of Central and South America in Mexico, Guyana and Brazil as well as on the sugar islands of the West Indies — Cuba, Barbados and Jamaica, among others — countless indigenous lives were destroyed and nearly 11 million Africans were enslaved, just counting those who survived the Middle Passage,” Muhammad writes.

Kara Walker’s 2014 Domino’s Sugar plant exhibit A Subtlety: or the Marvelous Sugar Baby, in Brooklyn brought all of the pieces together for me. The very crop that fueled enslavement has become the substance that when ingested by the progeny of those toilers, destroys their bodies. The Marvelous Sugar Baby was a massive sculpture of sugar in the likeness of a Black female Sphinx. Along the path leading to the Sphinx, Walker cast sculptures of small children carrying basket loads of cane that spoke to the power, consumption, wealth inequity, and industrial might that impoverished bodies continue to endure. Only now, the enslavement comes from an addiction to sugar rather than harvesting it.

In this Washington Informer Health supplement, we want readers to unravel the truths behind sugar and learn new ways of breaking away from their addictions to it. Dr. Sophia Sparks, Lindiwe Vilakazi, and Lee Ross offer tips, insight from professionals, and tied-and-true, research-based information to help us tackle the sugar blues.

Read, Learn, Grow.

Dr. Shantella Sherman

www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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By the Numbers Lee Ross WI Staff Writer It is believed that from birth, a child’s tastebuds are underdeveloped to a point that the only thing for sure that can be distinguished is the sweetness of foods. Wired to sensory to provide feelings of euphoria and comfort, children often grow into adults with undiagnosed addictions to all things sweet. The Washington Informer wants its readers to be aware and beware of how sugar impacts both the mind and body. The first lesson requires our audiences to become acquainted with sugar… by the numbers.

74%

Research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that manufacturers add sugar to 74 percent of packaged foods sold in supermarkets. So, even if you skip dessert, you may still be consuming more added sugar than is recommended.

There are at least 61 different names for sugar listed on food labels. These include common names, such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, as well as barley malt, dextrose, maltose and rice syrup, among others.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (38 grams) of added sugar per day for men, and 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for women. The AHA limits for children vary depending on their age and caloric needs, but range between 3-6 teaspoons (12 - 25 grams) per day.

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With as many as 11 teaspoons (46.2 grams) of added sugar in some 12-oz. sodas, a single serving exceeds the AHA recommendation for men and is about twice the allowance for women and children.

Liquid sugar (sugar in beverages like soda and sports drinks) is the single largest source of added sugar in the American diet (36 percent).

Americans consume 57 pounds of added sugar each year, on average.

When we eat an apple, we may take in as many as 18 grams of sugar, but because the sugar is “packaged” with about one-fifth of our daily requirement of fiber, it takes our bodies a long time to digest that fiber, which means the apple’s sugar is slowly released into our blood stream, giving us a sustained source of energy.

Why does your food do that?

When Will It Freeze?

Why Does Bread Rise?

Why Do Apples Brown?

Register for live or pre-recorded food science classes with Giant’s Healthy Living team and learn more about everything you eat. Parents welcome, too!

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Free classes for kids 6+ and 12+ Learn more at giantfood.com/nutrition

What Is Well Care? A Formula for Life Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia Well care — often called preventive care — is health care to help prevent health problems. Well care includes ways to measure your individual health during checkups with your primary care provider (PCP) and from screenings. It also includes getting vaccines, such as receiving a flu shot each year.1, 2 Keeping current with care Even when you feel well, it’s good to see your PCP for regular checkups.

These routine visits may help you avoid health problems down the road. At these checkups, your PCP may:2 • Look for signs of a health condition. For instance, they may check your temperature and blood pressure.

• Look for factors that may be putting you at risk for a health condition.

Such factors include obesity and high cholesterol.

• Give you certain vaccines, if needed.

• Discuss ways to live a healthy life.

They might suggest a healthy diet and exercise.

• Answer your questions, such as about medicines you’re taking.

Your PCP may also want to check your health through other tests. They may want you to screen for certain conditions, like:2 • Breast, cervical, or ovarian cancer • Colon cancer • Depression • High cholesterol • HIV, gonorrhea, or other sexually transmitted infections • Osteoporosis Ask your PCP how often you should see them for a routine checkup.

to see your PCP soon if you:2 • Find changes to your skin or develop sores • Find a lump anywhere on your body • Lose weight without changing your diet or exercise • Get a fever, cough, or body aches that do not go away • Find changes or blood in your urine or stool AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) works with providers to help prevent enrollee illnesses through checkups, screenings, and other services. If you are an AmeriHealth Car-

Noticing the little things You may also help prevent health problems by noticing even small changes in your body. Call or arrange

WELL CARE FOR KIDS

itas DC enrollee and have questions about your preventive care benefits, call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 or 1-800-408-7511.

The information in this article is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your health care provider. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider. If you think you need to see your health care provider because of something you have read in this information, please contact your health care provider. Never stop or wait to get medical attention because of something you have read in this material.

#BestMe

Well care is not just for adults! Regular checkups are a healthy practice for kids, too.

Did you know?

Children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medicaid have the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. EPSDT provides comprehensive and preventive health care.3 EPSDT helps youth get appropriate screening, diagnostic, and treatment services. These may include:3

Sources: 1.

“Preventive Services,” HealthCare. gov, https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/ preventive-services.

2. “Preventive Health Care,” MedlinePlus, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001921.htm.

3. “Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment,” Medicaid. gov, https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/ benefits/early-and-periodic-screening-diagnostic-and-treatment/index.html.

All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model HS

• Physical checkups • Dental checkups and other services • Vision checkups and eyeglasses • Hearing tests and hearing aids • Screenings, such as lead toxicity screening • Diagnostic services, if a screening suggests the need • Treatment for conditions found through screening and diagnostic services • Appropriate vaccines • Health education, such as learning about accident and disease prevention

Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. • Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amerihealthcaritasdc. • ind us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.

#BestMe

Rewards Program

I got a gift card for getting my diabetic eye exam. You can too.

You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are 18 – 75 years old • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia enrollee • Have type 1 or 2 diabetes • See your eye doctor for a retinal eye exam

Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/member/eng/ healthy-living/reward-program.aspx to learn more.

Note: An enrollee cannot get more than $75 in incentives each year.

Certain limitations and restrictions may apply.

ACDC-201001070-3

www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com

All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only.

Any individual depicted is a model.

AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Safeway’s Summer Secrets Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Safeway’s Wellness Dietitian Swimsuits, smoothies, road trips and barbecues all scream “summer!”

Summer is also the best time to rediscover the produce and seafood sections at your local Safeway. Here are a few nutrition secrets to give your health a boost this summer.

MAKE THE SWITCH THIS SUMMER FROM PROCESSED MEAT TO SEAFOOD

Throw some salmon or shrimp on the Barbie instead of sausage links or franks and help your heart! Replacing just 3 percent of protein calories from processed meat with protein from seafood was tied to a 31 percent reduction in the risk of dying from heart complications or stroke, according to two large studies. There is even more evidence now to back up the recommendation the American Heart Association made years ago—for adults

to strive for two 3.5-ounce servings of fish each week.

AVOCADOS ARE DIABETES- AND CARB-FRIENDLY

If you aren’t already in the habit of buying an avocado at every shopping trip and adding them to salads, sandwiches, eggs and entrees, now is a great time to start. For starters, avocados are a heart healthy fruit filled with good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and when eaten alone, avocadoes won’t significantly raise your blood glucose levels. One-third of an avocado just adds 4 grams of carbohydrate to your meal.

ADD AVOCADOS FOR A SLIMMING SUMMER SECRET

Adding one-half of an avocado to

lunch helped participants feel more satisfied with a 40% decrease in desire to eat after the meal compared to eating the lunch with no avocado, according to new research from Loma Linda University. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may also help people control their weight, along with improving cholesterol and blood pressure. A serving of avocados (1/3 of a medium) adds 3 grams of fiber and fiber ads bulk to the diet, keeping you feeling full faster and longer. Turn up the satisfaction in your meals by tossing avocados in your sandwiches/ wraps, salads, egg dishes and entrees.

ADDING AVOCADO TO YOUR BURGER JUST BECAME THE BEST SUMMER BBQ TIP!

Avocados may be an inflammation neutralizer. Eating one-half of a fresh

medium Hass avocado with a burger (90% lean), rather than eating a burger alone, may curb the production of compounds that contribute to inflammation for four hours after the meal, according to new UCLA research.

So, top your burger this summer with guacamole instead of mayonnaise or serve it up with slices of avocado instead of cheese.

AVOCADOS HELP BOOST ABSORPTION OF KEY NUTRIENTS

Heart-healthy Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by helping increase absorptions of fat-soluble nutrients

like vitamins A, D, K and E. Good fats help the body absorb these nutrients without raising LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels when eaten as part of a healthy diet. Avocados themselves deliver nearly 20 vitamins and minerals plus 11 antioxidant and anti-inflammatory carotenoid plant compounds such as lutein and zeaxanthin (which some research suggests may help maintain healthy eyesight as we age.

The dark green part of the avocado closest to the peel is the nutrient-rich part containing most of the carotenoid compounds. To make sure and get all of this, cut the avocado into 3 wedges lengthwise then peel the skin from the avocado. HS

p u e r i F he grill!

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Celebrate

Party Platters

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Too Sweet to Be Seen Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer As Americans become more health conscious, there is an illusion that healthier labels translate into healthier choices. Consumers beware. Organic, fat-free, and reduced fat products may not be what you think. They may be an illusion that play at our flavor profiles.

Flavor profiles are universally accepted basic tastes that stimulate and are perceived by our taste buds: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. Sweetness is the most heightened – and has created a myriad of additions of sugar to foods to satisfy our tastebuds.

Sugar is listed under different names -- sorbitol, brown sugar, molasses, rice syrup, sorghum syrup, lactose, or fruit juice concentrate. And when reading labels one warning of hidden sugars is the removal of fat. Out goes fat and in comes sugar. Fat-free products have to remain palatable, or Americans will not purchase them. For instance, reduced fat ‘Nilla Wafers have sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Look for reduced

fat-free products that also have a sugar-free label to avoid those added sugars.

Other healthy snacks loaded with added sugar include flavored yogurt, canned fruit, dried fruit, peanut butter, and Nutella.

Additionally, other nut-based butters, granola, milk alternatives like Almond milk, instant oatmeal, canned soup, trail mix, teriyaki sauce, salad dressing, and some 100% fruit juices are examples. Plain yogurt with fresh fruit is the best alternative to avoid added sugars.

“It was weird for me to begin a diet but watch the pounds pile on rather than all off,” Northeast D.C. resident Tasha Gill told the Informer. “I was consuming a lot of low-fat or fat free products but had no idea the amount of sugar that was added to the products as fillers to make up for the loss of fat content.”

Gill said that after speaking with a dietician about her dilemma, she was “hipped” to the hidden sugars in most of the foods she believed were healthier options. She said she was dismayed to find that even lean

meats had sugar added to enhance the taste.

Curing foods is another process that adds sugar to products.

Sugar preserves food by attracting water molecules and allowing the product to retain its

flavor and texture due to the addition of sugar. Not only does the deli meat in your sandwich have sugar but also the bread, and those yummy condiments, such as honey mustard. Sugar interacts with other ingredients

Other healthy snacks loaded with added sugar include flavored yogurt, canned fruit, dried fruit, peanut butter, and Nutella. Additionally, other nut-based butters, granola, milk alternatives like Almond milk, instant oatmeal, canned soup, trail mix, teriyaki sauce, salad dressing, and some 100% fruit juices are examples.

to heighten or lessen flavors within a product such as barbeque sauce to create a tasteful flavor profile. It also balances the bitterness in ingredients like tomatoes. Yes, tomato-based products such as ketchup, and pasta sauce have added sugar.

But sugar is also added to other products we use daily. Elders used to lace medicine with sugar because it “helped it go down better.” Today, sweeteners are added to liquid drug formulations to reduce bitterness and are found most often in liquid forms of medication like cold and flu preparations. It is also commonly used as the placebo pill in most medication packets – particularly birth control pills.

Sugar is ubiquitous and can even be found in oral care products like mouthwash and toothpaste –listed as sorbitol. Yes, even as you clean your teeth to ward off cavities caused by sugar, you will find sugar in the cleaners.

To reduce the consumption of added sugar, reduce the serving size, read labels, and use fresh fruit and vegetables when feasible. Try brushing with natural products – like baking soda. HS

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Personal Connections to Wards 7 & 8 and Whitman-Walker’s Service to Community Submitted by Whitman-Walker Health Meet Andrè Eleazer, 53, and Michael T. Spencer, 42. Both Andrè and Michael grew up in the Washington, DC area, but specifically within the Ward 7 and 8 communities. Today, they both serve on Whitman-Walker Health’s board of directors. In their roles, they help lead the long-term strategic planning for Whitman-Walker’s healthcare operations in the District.

Upcoming plans at Whitman-Walker include moving its Max Robinson Center healthcare operations from near the Big Chair and to a new 116,000 square foot facility at St. Elizabeths campus in 2023!

Learn more about Andrè and Michael, their leadership at Whitman-Walker Health, and their collective commitment to empowering communities in Wards 7 and 8 with greater access to health, wellness and support services in Washington, DC. Where were you born and how long have you been in Washington, DC? Andrè: I was born in Columbia, South Carolina. My parents moved to the Washington, DC area in the late 1960s to seek better opportunities, as a lot of young Black families from the South did at that time. When I was about 5 years old, my parents moved to their first home in Washington, DC. It was an apartment on Naylor Road. Altogether, I have lived in the Washington, DC area for 48 years.

Michael: I was born and raised in Historic Anacostia. I am also a proud, 3rd generation Washingtonian.

What is your connection to Wards 7 and 8?

Andrè: As a child I lived, and went to kindergarten and elementary school, in Ward 8. My mother was a partner in several businesses including a store on the corner of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue. During the 1970s, she and I would frequent many of the Black-owned busi-

5 Andrè Eleazer

5 Whitman-Walker Leadership, Board Members, and DC Representatives at the May 2015 Ribbon Cutting of Whitman-Walker’s 14th Street, NW Health Center.

5 Michael T. Spencer

nesses in the Ward 8 neighborhoods. I have always had, and still have, friends and family that live in Wards 7 and 8.

Michael: Growing up, I lived throughout Wards 7 and 8 – Fort Chaplin, Chesapeake Street, and Savannah Street areas to name a few.

How were you first introduced to Whitman-Walker Health?

Andrè: I started going to Whitman-Walker Health in the late 1970s. They offered twice-a-week sexual health testing and checkups at various locations around the city. Those were the early years before Whitman-Walker established a fixed location. Later in the 1970s and early 1980s, Whitman-Walker secured locations in Washington, DC and started to offer more services to the community. They have been my primary care provider ever since.

Michael: I first learned about Whitman-Walker from living in Anacostia. Later on, one of my

Leadership Greater Washington classmates got a job there and kept me in the loop about some of the life-saving work being done at Whitman-Walker.

How did you first get connected to Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Center in Anacostia?

Andrè: I had been going to Whitman-Walker’s former Arlington, Virginia location. When the Arlington location closed in 2008, my medical provider transferred to the Max Robinson Center in Anacostia. I moved my care to Max Robinson Center too and have been going there to this day.

Michael: I visited Max Robinson Center years ago to take advantage of the healthcare services they provide, including free STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing and other sexual health resources.

When and why did you join the board of directors at Whitman-Walker?

Andrè: I joined the board of directors in the 2000s. My medical provider had asked me if I was interested in becoming a patient representative on the board and I replied in the affirmative. Whit-

man-Walker Health’s board, like other federally qualified health centers, is unique in that their patients make up 51 percent of its board director positions.

Michael: I joined the board in 2018. I love my community and know we deserve healthcare options that see us as full, worthy human beings. I’ve always respected Whitman-Walker and thought I could use my skills, insight, and strong opinions to help them better meet the care needs of my neighbors and friends east of the river.

What makes you passionate about this work?

Andrè: Throughout my life, I have been encouraged to help others. That incentive soon came to define me in a very basic way. I developed a sense of gratitude for all the advice and help given to me by family and friends growing up. And so, it became second nature for me to try to help others as I have been helped. I recall as a young boy that my grandmother would always tell me: “It is in giving that we receive.” I am persuaded that she was right. “Give and you shall receive.”

Michael: I think all people should have opportunity after op-

portunity to live their best lives.

Access to quality healthcare in an environment that serves and affirms you is a critical component of living your best life. Too often, people have little, if any, expectations for those of us from east of the river and they treat us accordingly.

Whitman-Walker is different.

Whitman-Walker literally saved one of my family members from certain death by doing an in-home intervention.

I’m passionate about this work because I know Whitman-Walker wants everyone in Wards 7 and 8 to have the opportunity to live their best lives. They are committed to being a healthcare and community partner in making that happen.

What makes you most excited about Whitman-Walker moving its Max Robinson Center care operations to a 116,000 square feet health center at St. Elizabeths campus in 2023?

Andrè: I have a deep sense of pride and happiness. I’ve been involved in helping guide Whitman-Walker’s growth these last ten years. Throughout my tenure,

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE HS10 Whitman-Walker has strived to meet its mission and provide better health services to DC communities.

Now Whitman-Walker is uniquely positioned to bring world-class health and support services to a community that has traditionally been underserved.

This is a huge achievement. But as Whitman-Walker expands, we must keep in mind that the community will in return inspire and instruct us at Whitman-Walker on how to bring even greater excellence to our work. This is a two-way street. It is my hope that Whitman-Walker and communities East of the River will become an evolving partnership. As we all grow our existing relationships, not only will the community benefit, but so will Whitman-Walker.

Michael: As a kid, I used to visit a loved one at St. Elizabeth’s. Years later, I left a law firm to accept a job at St. Elizabeth’s. I literally helped move employees and pa-

tients from the old hospital building to the new psychiatric hospital in 2010.

Although I’ve moved on from that job, I’m excited to still be a part of St. Elizabeths history and see the community redefine its legacy from something people feared to something we may all 5 Artist rendering of planned site for Max Robinson Center’s move and expansion to St. Elizabeths Campus East treasure. We deserve everything good and I’m happy to Get more information about get your COVID-19 vaccine at play a small part of making that Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Max Robinson Center, or anothhappen with Whitman-Walker.

Center move to St. Elizabeths at er Whitman-Walker location, call Learn more about Whitman-Walker www.whitmanwalkerimpact.org/stelizabeths. 202.797.4439.

Health at www.whitman-walker.org.

To access HIV/STI testing or to HS

GET TESTED WITH US! Testing is available weekly by appointment.

Call 202.797.4439 to schedule a FREE HIV/STI testing appointment at either of our Whitman-Walker testing locations.

Whitman-Walker at LIZ 1377 R Street, NW

Max Robinson Center 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr Ave, SE

www.whitman-walker.org

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Rooting Out Sugar

Health & Food Professionals Offer Advice

Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Staff Writer Daily responsibilities and financial restraints often run parents into the arms of fast-food chains, pre-packaged dishes, and a reliance on school systems to feed their little ones. But with diabetes, and other dietary issues attacking Black families at disturbing rates, physicians are urging parents to pay greater heed in how they foster their children’s relationships with food.

According to Newswise.com, Black Americans rank highest in diabetes cases and related preventable deaths in 30 of the largest U.S. cities. Even more disturbing, the D.C. metropolitan area holds the largest percent of those mortality inequities nationally, leaving a greater number of Black children vulnerable to the pattern of nutrition deficit. Sugar is a chief component.

“You have to understand that so many [Black American] adults have diabetes, so the children are learning what their parents are teaching them, and they’re also

5 Dr. Andrea Sullivan / Courtesy photo

eating what their parents are eating,” said Andrea Sullivan, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine at the Center for Natural Healing in D.C. “So, when you talk about sugar, you have to look at things like baked beans, ketchup, [and] certainly these protein bars that have a lot of sugar. You’ve got spaghetti sauce, coffee creamers, [and even the] canned fruits are probably some of the worse because they’ve got sugar.”

While most are widely familiar with the dessert menu treats commonly linked to high sugar levels, few consider the less researched foods that contain loads of sugar, including low-fat yogurt, soups, or even barbeque sauce. Often these items are coded with sugars listed as derivatives in the forms of dextrose, maltodextrin, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, or galactose.

Further, with major goods distributor Monsanto producing a large percentage of products that contain genetically modified or enhanced ingredients, the nutritional value of our daily intake grows increasingly questionable. Monsanto came un-

der fire in 2020 after allegations their Roundup Maker weed killer caused cancer in the Edwin Hardeman case.

Christina Burrell, Cafeteria Lead of Excel Academy in SE, DC has spearheaded progressive initiatives to cut down the sugar content of student meals, while simultaneously running a food service providing “Market Boxes’’ to student families. Each box contains fresh meat, or vegetarian options, coupled with rice, various pastas, collard greens, kale, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, and a myriad of fresh fruits which will last each recipient 7-10 days.

“Excel Academy serves rather nutritional meals because we have a team of nutritionists that work in the DCPS central office. They use Michelle Obama’s guidelines for the national school lunch programs [initiated when she was First Lady], and make all the meals upon those guidelines because there is a sugar, and salt level that we are not to exceed,” said Burrell. “We are as health-conscious as possible. We also have a program called FFVP, which is the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. It provides different fruits and vegetables that the kids may not get at home. Some kids have never seen fruits like watermelon radishes, or a dragon fruit before.”

Although the District may be doing their part, Dr. Sullivan continues to stress the importance of learning how to eat clean at home. Her latest book,

“Enough: When Sacrifice Has Gone Too Far,” summarizes the alarming price of overindulging in those staple foods that drive us to poor health.

“Soul food, as I say in my book,

may take you faster to your soul than you might want to go, because that’s not what we’re supposed to be eating anymore,” Sullivan said. “You have to make some [different] choices.” HS

According to Newswise.com, Black Americans rank highest in diabetes cases and related preventable deaths in 30 of the largest U.S. cities. Even more disturbing, the D.C. metropolitan area holds the largest percent of those mortality inequities nationally, leaving a greater number of Black children vulnerable to the pattern of nutrition deficit. www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Bringing Equal Health to the African American Community Dr. Michael LeNoir Special to the Informer from The African American Wellness Project

INEQUITY OF CARE, INEQUITY OF OUTCOMES

African Americans are more likely to die at early ages for all causes, namely: High blood pressure (1.5x more likely than Whites) Diabetes (1.5x more likely than Whites) Stroke (1.5x-2x more likely than Whites) Chronic disease indices from hypertension to heart failure—for many, the state of Black health in America is negative. Also within this population sector is the crucible of the African American physician whose ethos and ethnicity converge.

Studies show that Black health consumers do better when receiving care from Black Physicians, and it would stand to reason that

Black Communities as a whole do better when we organize and create a strategic plan for community health.

The question is, what can the community rely on for it’s continued healthcare needs, particularly at the time of a global pandemic?

COMMUNITY HEALTH IS ABOUT SYSTEMS, MESSAGES AND NAVIGATION

With decades of experience in direct healthcare to patients and health advocacy, I have found that health improves when there is a system that works, a strong clear messaging on health, and effective advocacy to help healthcare consumers navigate the healthcare system.

A case study in ineffective systems, messaging and advocacy is the current crisis of the COVID-19 vaccine drive.

More than half of African Americans and around 40 percent of Hispanic Americans are dis-

trustful of the vaccines and with a slow rollout and inequitable distribution, no effort seems to be made to regain that trust.

HAVING FAITH IN THE PLAN

Particularly where vaccinations are concerned, governments must work toward the goal of vaccinating Black and Hispanic communities.

Further, efficacy starts with communicating about the virus, the vaccine and how to access it. Officials have to overcome decades of distrust of the health care system among Black and Hispanic people. And they are starting with a major strategic disadvantage.

And yet, Black Americans of Faith are the most powerful community for gathering of ideas, sharing of messages, and organizing of efforts.

In any other public health emergency, governments could count on Black churches and other faith communities to get the word out, many of them currently shut

The African American Wellness Project Founded more than a decade ago, the African-American Wellness Project (AAWP) was formed to respond to inequities in the health care delivery system and is committed to informing minorities about how to take charge of the health care system in order to get the best health care possible.

AAWP works to improve the health of the African-American community by serving as a megaphone for trusted information that enables and encourages African Americans to better navigate the healthcare system, advocate for themselves, and receive improved care, regardless of insurance or circumstances.

“Health is our biggest asset, and it needs to be protected,” said Dr. Michael LeNoir, one of the nation’s top Black physicians,

AAWP Founder and past president of the National Medical Association. “At AAWP, we believe that health disparities will exist if we allow them to continue and that we must step up and take the lead to change this trajectory.”

AAWP has developed several multimedia tools, including a series of PSAs on the health issues that disproportionately affect the Black community. Please visit the multimedia page on our website to preview and download the PSA spots you find most useful for your audience. If you are interested in additional PSAs on other relevant topics, please reach out via email mlenoir@aawellnessproject.org.

“AAWP resources are targeted towards people of color and the underserved, with an emphasis on the importance of lifestyle, preven-

tion, screening and early detection and a goal of enabling these populations to be more proactive as they navigate the health care system,” stated Monique LeNoir Pittman, AAWP Executive Director.

Dr. LeNoir is available to discuss any health topics related to the PSA program to include: Asthma, Allergies, Prostate Cancer, the importance of regular doctor visits, health equity and COVID-19 and overcoming vaccine hesitancy especially in communities of color.

Together we can help eliminate disparities in health and healthcare for African Americans and change the trajectory of a higher. We greatly appreciate any programming time that you can provide.

Follow AAWP on Social Media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn

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down due to the quarantine mandates and limited capacity services now, as partial re-openings begin, churches will be germane as a trusted site and source.

We don’t have innumerable, established lines of communication nor methodologies. Thus, and until such remedy is established, the church—trusted, tried and true-remains a steady vessel.

About the Author: Dr. Michael LeNoir, is a Dallas native to is a Pediatrician specializing in Asthma and Immunology Specialist, former president of the National Med- ical Association. LeNoir is founder of the African American Wellness Project, a non-profit organization formed to address health dispari- ties in the Black community and committed to informing minorities about how to take charge of the health care system in order to get the best health care possible. HS

The African American Wellness Project serves as a trusted megaphone for the Black community and is committed to informing minorities about how to take charge of the health care system in order to get the best health care possible.

The African American Wellness Project is a good prescription for the health of Black America

Please contact info@aawellnessproject.org for partnership information and visit the AAWP website at www.aawellnessproject.org to receive timely news and updates.

A Guide to Aging Well Submitted by Adventist Medical Group We all want to live a long, healthy life. As we age, our bodies and minds need additional care. Living a healthy lifestyle can help you deal with these changes, as well as prevent some health problems and help you make the most of your life.

Making improvements and developing good health habits is possible at every age. Ogechi Anyaoku, MD, an internal medicine physician with Adventist HealthCare Adventist Medical Group in Fort Washington, MD, provides tips on healthy aging and what older adults should be including in their daily lives.

STAY ACTIVE

As you grow older, staying active becomes more important than ever to your overall health. It offers multiple physical and mental benefits including improving brain function, boosting self-confidence, reducing

the impact of chronic disease, enhancing your strength and maintaining or losing weight.

Starting a new exercise routine can seem challenging, but it’s never too late to start on a path toward an active lifestyle. Activities that can be beneficial to older adults include: • Walking. It sounds simple, but it’s a great place to start your exercise journey.

• Swimming and water aerobics.

This exercise is great for people with sore joints.

• Tai chi. Improve your balance and strength with this exercise.

• Senior group fitness classes. Not only will this give you a great workout, but it’s also a place to meet new faces.

Dr. Anyaoku suggests getting approval from your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you’re being treated for a preexisting condition. Start small and slowly increase the frequency of your workouts.

EAT A HEALTHY DIET

As you age, the diet your body requires will change. For example, you probably won’t need to eat as many calories as you once would because of a slowing metabolism. You will need additional vitamins and nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin D, which promote good bone health, preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures.

“I always tell my patients to eat the rainbow. When eating a meal, make sure you’re incorporating a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables,” says Dr. Anyaoku. A healthy meal should include: • Vegetables: leafy greens, carrots, squash or broccoli • Fruits: apples, strawberries, blueberries or kiwi • Protein: lean meats, seafood, eggs or beans • Whole grains: oats, brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat bread Make sure you’re receiving the recommended amount of fiber in your diet. Not only will this promote a

healthy digestive system, but it can also lower your risk for diabetes, stroke, heart disease and aid in weight loss. Other important vitamins and minerals as you get older include vitamins B and C, as well as drinking enough water.

FIND FULFILLMENT

After retirement, there’s plenty of time to pursue your lifelong interests and spend time in ways that bring more meaning than ever before.

However, after the initial excitement of retirement wears off, many people may not know what path to take next.

“For so much of our lives, our sense of self is connected to our professions and raising our families,” says Dr. Anyaoku, “Try to find your sense of purpose in other aspects of your life, aside from your work.”

Here are a few suggestions for finding fulfillment in post-retirement life: • Study and learn something new • Mentor or teach youth and share your knowledge • Volunteer with local groups and charities • Notice the good things in life every day

ADHERE TO MEDICATIONS

Taking your medication as prescribed is important for your overall health, as it helps to treat temporary conditions and maintain chronic conditions. This means taking the right dose of medication, at the right time and frequency.

Dr. Anyaoku’s tips to help you stay on track with your medication routine include:

• Take your medication at the same time every day • Use a pill container and refill it at the same time every week • If traveling, be sure to bring extra medication in case of travel delays Another important aspect of your medication routine is knowing what you should and should not be on.

Having a connection with and seeing your doctor regularly can help ensure that the medications you are taking are still appropriate.

VALUE KEY RELATIONSHIPS

At any age, socialization is important for people’s well-being, offering numerous mental and physical benefits. However, older people are often more susceptible to social isolation compared to their younger counterparts.

Try to make it a habit to regularly reach out to your friends and family. Whether it’s connecting via video calls or going for a walk outside, keeping in touch can help alleviate any isolation you may be feeling.

If you don’t have anyone close to you to connect with, Dr. Anyaoku suggests reaching out to your local senior community to see what group activities they offer. Book clubs, game nights, group exercises or movie outings are a great way to meet new people, along with giving you something to look forward to each week.

Think about aging in a new way.

Focusing on living a healthier life now so you can enjoy your favorite moments longer. Practicing these tips can help you age with confidence and help you stay independent longer.

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OPEN DURING

CONSTRUCTION

ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE

EMERGENCY SERVICES.

NEAR YOU. FOR YOU.

We’ve heard you. And that’s why we’re expanding.

You’ve wanted more healthcare options in your community. So we’ve recruited more emergency physicians and continue to renovate areas that serve our Emergency Department patients.

It’s just one of the ways you’ll see Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center investing in advanced technology, adding physicians, and expanding to bring you even more services close to home.

Because when it comes to your health, we’ll be here for you.

Fort Washington Medical Center Recognized for excellence in patient safety

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Sweet Talk: Understanding the Language of Sweeteners on Labels

By Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer Americans cannot figure out whether to look at the ingredients or nutritional label to decide on a product. Which one has less sugar? Many consumers do not know whether to scan the ingredient list for sugar words (words with a suffix/ending of - ose like fructose, dextrose, or sucrose) or read the total amount of sugar listed on a packaging label. Fruits and vegetables have natural sugars.

Thus, ingredients listed on the food and beverage label will include the various names of sugar.

Other sweetening additives may be listed, which do not have the same suffix as sugar words, making the ingredient section of packaging labels a difficult tool to use when choosing between multiple products to purchase.

Despite how one determines which low to no added sugar product to purchase, be mindful of the dietary guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA suggest that

men consume no more than 9 teaspoon (38 gram) and women no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day based on a 2,000 daily calorie diet. Products with an added sugar amount at or under 5 percent are considered to have a low added sugar content.

Conversely, products with an added sugar amount at or over 20 percent are considered to have a high added sugar content.

The National Institute of Health states that Americans ate 2 pounds of sugar per year per person two hundred years ago. Currently, the average American consumes over

5 pounds of sugar per year. Many Americans consume well over the recommended limit of added sugar per day. The simple calculation of

the added sugar guidance equates to no more than 10 percent of one’s daily caloric intake.

A new guidance to assist consumers in making healthier decisions with regard to sugars was proposed and implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Manufacturers were required to modify the nutritional label on food and beverage packages. The updated nutrition label lists total sugars in grams, and percent daily value (%DV) per serving. The percentage represents the amount of nutrients per serving obtained from consum-

ing that product. Total sugars include all types of sugars regardless of its source.

To distinguish sugars that are naturally found in a product from sugars added to the product, look for the term “includes”.

The amount of sugar added to the product is listed after the word includes. Consumers will also see a percentage on that same line, which represents the daily value percentage of added sugar per serving.

Take the picture of the sample nutrition

label.

A product has a total of 22 grams of sugar, which includes naturally occurring and sugars added during the processing or packaging stage.

If consumed, this product has 11 grams of naturally occurring sugar and 11 grams of sugar added.

The amount of sugar added to this product represents 22 percent of the daily value. Thus, the product has too much added sugar and should not be consumed in a day.

The AHA recommends consumers not exceed 50 grams of added sugar per day based on 2,000 calorie diet.

Recall, if the calories consumed in a day exceed 2,000, the amount of added sugar consumed should be 10 percent of that value.

Single-ingredient sugars (honey, maple syrup, and table sugar) added to prepared products are treated differently as these products are typically not consumed by themselves. Single-ingredient nutrition labels still list the total sugar amount in grams and has the line for added sugars. However, the line for added sugar is zero as these single-ingredient sugars do not have added sugars. Thus, no words may be listed here. Consumers should pay attention to the sugar %DV listed on the labels for these products. The sum of the single-ingredient sugar %DV should be added to the sugar %DV of the product to which it is being added.

The updated nutrition label on food and beverage packages seems to be the better tool when watching the amount of added sugars consumed daily. There is more information presented on a nutrition label than just sugar. Reading the entire nutrition label will help you make an informed product choice. HS

There is more information presented on a nutrition label than just sugar. Reading the entire nutrition label will help you make an informed product choice.

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GIVE YOUR BABY THE BEST HOPE FOR A HEALTHY START Our Family Caring for Yours Prenatal care & support for your whole family

GET A HEALTHY START TODAY This program is funded wholly, or in part, by the Government of the District of Columbia, Department of Health

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Recent & Recommended Books on Sugar and its Effects on the Body Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer

Empty Pleasures: The Story of Artificial Sweeteners from Saccharin to Splenda

By Carolyn de la Peña Sugar substitutes have been a part of American life since saccharin was introduced at the 1893 World’s Fair. In Empty Pleasures, the first history of artificial sweeteners in the United States, Carolyn de la Pena blends popular culture with business and women’s history, examining the invention, production, marketing, regulation, and consumption of sugar substitutes such as saccharin, Sucaryl, NutraSweet, and Splenda. De la Pena describes how saccharin, an accidental laboratory by-product, was transformed from a perceived adulterant into a healthy ingredient. NutraSweet, Splenda, and their predecessors have enjoyed enormous success by promising that Americans, especially women, can “have their sweets and their health, too.” Empty Pleasures, however, argues that these “sweet cheats” have fostered troubling and unsustainable eating habits and that the promises of artificial sweeteners are ultimately too good to be true.

Dietary Sugars and Health

By Michael I. Goran, Luc Tappy, Kim-Anne Lê Sugar consumption is suspected to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, fatty liver disease, and some forms of cancers. Dietary sugars—fructose in particular—also have a potential role in obesity and metabolic diseases. Dietary Sugars and Health presents all aspects of dietary sugars as they relate to health and disease. It provides a review of the current science related to dietary sugars, ranging from historical and cultural perspectives to food science and production to basic research, animal trials, human pathophysiology, epidemiology, and public health policy implications. Each chapter features a concise, thorough summary of the current knowledge, including an overview of cutting-edge research, controversies, and future perspectives.

Sugarproof: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar That Are Putting Your Child’s Health at Risk and What You Can Do

By Michael Goran, Emily Ventura A leading childhood nutrition researcher and an experienced public health educator explain the hidden danger sugar poses to a child’s development and health and offer parents an essential 7- and 28-day “sugarproof ” program. Most of us know that sugar can wreak havoc on adult bodies, but few realize how uniquely harmful it is to the growing livers, hearts, and brains of children. The damage can begin early in life. In his research on the effects of sugar on kids’ present and future health, Goran found that too much sugar can cause health issues in kids, including prediabetes and elevated risk for eventual heart disease, and behavioral, emotional, and learning problems that many children struggle with every day. Sugarproof teaches parents to raise informed and empowered kids who can set their own healthy limits without feeling restricted.

Sugar Blues

By William, Of, William Dufty It’s a prime ingredient in countless substances from cereal to soup, from cola to coffee. Consumed at the rate of one hundred pounds for every American every year, it’s as addictive as nicotine -- and as poisonous. It’s sugar. And “Sugar Blues,” inspired by the crusade of Hollywood legend Gloria Swanson, is the classic, bestselling expose that unmasks our generation’s greatest medical killer and shows how a revitalizing, sugar-free diet can not only change lives, but quite possibly save them.

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GET VACCINATED. STAY SAFE. SCHEDULE YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT NOW SCAN QR CODE

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Residents of Washington, DC: Ask your Councilmembers to support the Nutrition Equity Act today!

Text DCNutritionEquity to 46839 The pandemic has exposed longstanding inequities in access to healthy, affordable food and drinks. Fortunately, the DC Council is responding with a bold, common-sense solution: The Nutrition Equity Act.

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