Women's LifeStyle Magazine - January 2021 - Dr. Abha Gupta Varma

Grand Rapids|Holland|Grand Haven

Dr.Abha

JANUARY 2021

G U P TA VA R M A

Caring for the

Mind,

Body, &

LOCAL WOMEN, INSPIRATION, LIFESTYLE & COMMUNITY

FR EE

Soul

NOMINEES JANUARY 14TH, 2021 VIRTUAL EVENT Carlos Sanchez Director Latino Business and Economic Development Center

Aarie Wade Founder, CEO The Black Book Exchange Box Abha Gupta Varma, MD Cherry Health Ace Marasigan Founder and Executive Director Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival Adnoris “Bo” Torres Latinx Community Advocate Adrian Wiley Owner Queens Hair and Beauty Supply. LLC Alejandro Quiroga Chand Senior Vice President Population Health Spectrum Health Alvin Hills IV Business Developer City of Grand Rapids/The Midwest Tech Project/Endless Opportunities Ana Jose Program Manager West Michigan Hispanic Chamber Annemarie Valdez President First Steps April Ruiz Owner, Lead Mastermind Mosaic Masterminds Ashley Diersch Senior Development Director Kids’ Food Basket Benjamin Robinson Owner Robinson’s Popcorn Bing Goei CEO Eastern Floral / Goei Center

Chris Sain Founder & Executive Director Grand CITY Sports, Inc. / Chris Inc. Ciarra Adkins Equity Analyst City of Grand Rapids Ciciley Moore Program Officer W.K. Kellogg Foundation Cole Williams Co-Founder The Delta Project Corinthia Croom Lead Creative #C3TalkToMe D.L. McKinney Director of Drop In AYA Youth Collective Danah Montgomery Community Program Specialist Spectrum Health/Defund the GRPD Dante Villarreal Vice President of Business & Talent Development Grand Rapids Chamber Darel Ross Director/Owner Start Garden/Forty Acres Daryle Rostic Owner/Lead Instructor Smart Shooters DeAndre’ Bridgeman Founder Dre Inspires Devin Rittenhouse Donor Relations Manager Grand Rapids Public Museum Dilli Gautam President Bhutanese Community of Michigan Dondrea Brown Founder 1428 Financial Wellness

Brandon Davis Director of Oversight and Public Accountability City of Grand Rapids

Doug Booth Chief Operating Officer Health Net of West Michigan

Brian Chandler Owner and lead inspector Chandler Inspections

DR. ANDREA BLUE Founder, CEO B & J Enterprises, LLC

Camie Castaneda Northern Office Supervisor Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi

Dr. Kimberly Barrington Founder 100 Shades of disABILITY L3C

Candace Smith-King (1) Pediatrician (2) Vice President, Academic Affairs and (3) Designated Institutional Official (DIO) Spectrum Health

Duy Vu Marketing & Sales Training Manager Land & Company

Eddie Tadlock Assistant General Manager DeVos Place/Van Andel Arena (ASM Global) Elizza LeJeune Clinical Social worker Pine Rest Christian Mental Health / Elizza Lejeune Counseling and Services L.L.C Emilee Petersmark Emmarene Smith Sr. Specialist Priority Health Erick Picardo Culture Ambassador Picardo Colors Erika VanDyke Program Officer Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Janathan Austin Owner/President Ministry of Diamonds

Laura Hopson President & CEO EM Services, LLC

Jason Ross

Lee Moyer Sr. Project Specialist Spectrum Health

Jeffrey Augustine Songco Artist Jennifer Pascua Owner/Creator Halo Halo Multimedia, LLC Jessica Lopez Owner Tacos el Cunado-Alpine Jessica Ann Tyson President & CEO The JA PR Group, LLC Jim Roberts President/Member Jim Roberts Enterprises LLC Jonathan Wilson Regional Manager DTE Energy Jose Jimenez Candor Media

Levi Rickert Publisher/Editor Native News Online

Loanna Abreu Youth Services Librarian and Bilingual Therapist Grand Rapids Public Library and River City Psychological Services

Suriya Davenport Owner/Operator Cool Guy Lawn Co

Peter Hahn President and CEO Metro Health - University of Michigan Health

Lynn Todman Vice President of Health Equity Spectrum Health Lakeland

TaLawnda Bragg Internal Medicine Hospitalist/ Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Spectrum Health

Preston Sain Founder- President- Director Black Wallstreet Grand Rapids

Marco Bulnes President CEO Mayan Industries LLC

Rafael Castanon Partner Engagement Manager Health Net of West Michigan

Mark Washington City Manager City of Grand Rapids

Reyna Garcia Owner-Director Reyna’s Gallery Latino Cultural Art

Terry Rostic Founder&CEO/Human Resources/ Founder&President Black Calder Brewing Company/ Mary Free Bed/Alpha League

Meochia Thompson Publisher/Host Blessed Pen Ink/Life Chats

Reyna Masko Friend of the Court Investigator Ottawa County

Thao Tran Owner Capital Nails

Meurry Romero ACCESO VIP

Rhae-Ann Booker Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Metro Health - University of Michigan Health

Tiffany Townsend Licensed Midwife , Certified Professional Midwife, Certified Lactation Counselor De la Flor Midwifery, LLC

Riaka Shackelford Senior HR Business Partner Advisor Spectrum Health

Valencia Agnew, PhD Owner Adolescent & Family Behavioral Health Services

Robyn Afrik DEI Director Ottawa County

Valeria Scheid Instituto Crece Latino

Juan Fernandez VP, Marketing and Communications Bethany

Floriza Genautis CEO Management Business Solutions

Juan Daniel Castro Community Programs Specialist 2 Spectrum Health

Francisco Ramirez Admissions and Enrollment Coordinator Grand Rapids Community College

Juanita Bocanegra Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office

Fridah Kanini Founder A Glimpse of Africa

Julian S. Newman Founder and CEO of Culture Creative Culture Creative

Mike Verhulst Vice President Rockford Construction

George Bayard III Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives

Kamara Sudberry DEI Specialist Spectrum Health

Gloria Lara Executive Director Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance

Minnie Morey Executive Director West Michigan Asian American Association

Karen Kennedy Regional Medical Director Mercy Health Physician Partners West Michigan

Hashim Muridi Director Africania Center Henrietta Hadley OutReach & Affiliate Coordinator WINC Women Injured in Combat Hyung Kim President Mercy Health Saint Mary’s India Manns Community Advocate Isabel Lopez-Slattery Owner Dreams By Bella Photography Jacob Brown Creative Manager General RV Center

Michael Voss Residential Program Supervisor Wedgwood Chrisitan Service

Mirabel Umenei Motherland House Concerts Miranda Recollet Education Specialist, The Native American Education Program GRPS

Keyuana Rosemond Chief Innovation Officer Health Net of West Michigan

Misti Stanton Assistant Vice President Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Mercantile Bank of Michigan

Kim Powell Executive & Marketing Support Administrator Supply Chain Solutions

Monica Sparks Kent County Commissioner Kent County

Krashawn Martin Supervisor or Recreation City of Wyoming

Monica Zavala Site Coordinator Affinity Mentoring

Kris Mathis Owner Raise A Glass Wine Tours

Nicole Smith Career Development Services Manager Mercy Health Saint Mary’s- Trinity Health MI

Kurtis Trevan CEO Gun Lake Investments Latesha Lipscomb Engagement & Relationships Manager Amplify GR

Sungjin Yoo In-House Counsel Ottawa Avenue Private Capital

Paula Collier Host Neighbor Seeds of Promise

Evette Pittman Special Events Manager City of Grand Rapids

Guillermo Cisneros Executive Director West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Paola Mendivil Catering Coordinator El Granjero Mexican Grill

Stephen Smith Owner Muse GR

Paul Doyle Founder & CEO Inclusive Performance Strategies

Erika Gonzalez Managing Director The SOURCE

Kayla Morgan CEO Resilient Roots Wellness

Ovell Barbee SVP of HR and Chief Diversity Officer Spectrum Health

Stacy Stout Director of Equity & Engagement City of Grand Rapids

Suresh Patel Co-Founder & Durectier of Operations Shri Krishna Pranami Culture Center

Lisa Lowery Section Chief of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine AND Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Initiatives at MSU-College of Human Medicine Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Spectrum Health Medical Group

Joseph Matthews IV Vice-President, Purchasing & Diversity Officer Gentex Corporation

Gricelda Mata President/CEO Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano

Omar Cuevas VP of Sales and Marketing Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce

Nisha McKenzie Owner Women’s Health Collective Nkechy Ezeh Founder/CEO Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative

Sara Elisa Motta Kent District Library Sasha Zidar Zidar Weddings & Events Scott Ayotte Director of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Equity Grand Valley State University Shaloria Mitchell Parent Support Partner Network 180

Terry Sylvester Owner Sylvester’s Luxurious Mobile Dettailing

Valissa Armstead Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Spectrum Health Verónica Quintino-Aranda Urban Program Coordinator Michigan State University Extension Veverly Austin Founder Veverly austin enterprises

Shannon Blackmon-Gardner Vice President of Community Impact Heart of West Michigan United Way

Victor Sturgis Senior Manager/CEO Action Racial Equity Fellow Crowe LLP/CEO Action Racial Equity Fellowship

Shayna Harris Owner & Chief Editor SIX Magazine

Vincent McIntosh Founder/CEO Irie kitchen

Skot Welch Founder & President/Managing Partner Global Bridgebuilders/New Community Transformation Fund

William Jackson Community Health Worker Spectrum Health

Sonali Allen SVP Chief Compliance & Community Development Officer Mercantile Bank of Michigan Sonya Hernandez Vice chair/ Commissioner Hispanic Latino commission of Michigan

Yah-Hanna Jenkins Leys Director of Community Impact/ College Success Coach Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area Yuka Oba-Muschiana Principle Dancer Grand Rapids Ballet

THANK YOU

A letter from the Publisher and Founder:

TO OUR SPONSORS

The MPWRD Influential Awards, are the only awards to center Hispanic, Asian Pacific, Black, and Indigenous Native Americans (HABI+) that are shaping culture, community, business, and humanity in Grand Rapids, and West Michigan.

We believe that one of the critical missing elements in advancing the HABI+ in our workforce and in entrepreneurship is the visability, awareness, and connection that we are going to help to create with our platforms.

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Contents

womenslifestyle.com

January 2021 ISSUE # 274

PUBLISHER Women’s LifeStyle, Inc CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

FEATURES 10

Dr. Abha Gupta Varma - Caring for the Mind, Body, & Soul

16

Q&A: Dr. Xi Chin

Allison Arnold Jason Otto PHOTOGRAPHY

LEARN & DO

Evan Krummel

5

Join In!: Community Volunteer Opportunities

6

The Many Benefits of Houseplants

8

Her Legacy: Eva McCall Hamilton

14

Reader’s Lounge: Staff Picks 2020

Two Eagles Marcus WOMEN’S LIFESTYLE, INC PRESIDENT

Ethnic and Cultural Festivals in Greater Grand Rapids EthnicFestivalsGR.com

Two Eagles Marcus SALES sales@womenslifestyle.com

HEALTH 18

Ways to Improve Cervical Health

(616) 951-5422 CALL (616) 458-2121 EMAIL info@womenslifestyle.com MAIL 3500 3 Mile Rd NW, Ste A Grand Rapids, MI 49534

IN MEMORIAM Victoria Ann Upton Founder 1955 - 2018 To extend an uplifting, inclusive and vibrant invitation to enjoy life, every day, in our community.

ABOUT THE COVER Dr. Abha Gupta Varma Photo by Two Eagles Marcus

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

Spotlight on Community Initiatives

Join In

Sponsored by Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Ele’s Place

Be a figure of support for grieving children by volunteering at Ele’s Place.

The nonprofit provides support for children and their families dealing with the loss of a loved one and is seeking compassionate and dedicated volunteers. Applicants must be able to commit to a minimum of 9 to 12 months. Visit elesplace.org to sign up.

Catherine’s Health Center

Catherine’s Health Center is a nonprofit, community-based health facility serving those who are under-insured and experience lack of access to health care. They provide screenings, education, treatment and referrals.

Volunteer opportunities are plentiful for primary care professionals, nursing professionals, clerical and administrative support, data entry, communications, marking, event coordination and more. To apply, visit catherineshc.org.

Urban Roots

A thriving urban farm located in the Madison Square area, Urban Roots is a nonprofit with a mission to provide healthy food access, economic development and ecological stewardship to one of Grand Rapids’ most disinvested neighborhoods. The organization is seeking volunteers to help at the community market, open Tuesday through Thursday in the winter months. Additionally, they are accepting applications for new board members. Visit urbanrootsgr.org for more information.

Heartside Gleaning Innitiative

By providing access to healthy food and nutrition education, the Heartside Gleaning Initiative empowers Heartside and the surrounding areas to live healthier. Volunteers are needed to collect excess produce from farmer’s markets, deliver food to prep kitchens, run education workshops and more.

Apply at heartsidegleaning.org

Scholarships are available to fuel your impact.

Each year the Community Foundation awardss more than $1 million in scholarships to Kent County students like Vanessa. More than 500 scholarships are available for undergraduate and graduate students attending college or trade school..

Apply by March 1 at grfoundation.org/scholarships.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

5

The many

benefits of

Houseplants

BY METRO CREATIVE

T

he lines between the outdoors and indoors are being blurred. Homeowners build extensive outdoor living spaces so they can relax on weather-resistant furniture and even cook in lavish kitchens in their backyards. In addition, indoor three-season rooms full of bright, open windows that showcase outdoor vistas challenge the boundaries between outside and inside.

For those working with limited budgets, there are some easy, inexpensive ways to enjoy the majesty of natural landscapes indoors. Houseplants can be used to improve indoor spaces, and they also provide various health benefits.

Help with allergies According to WebMD, rooms with houseplants tend to have less dust and mold in them than those without any foliage. Leaves and other parts of the plants serve as natural filters, catching airborne particles and allergens. Plants with textured leaves might be especially effective at trapping particles.

Put more oxygen into the air The human respiratory system works by bringing in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite during photosynthesis. They absorb carbon dioxide and then release oxygen. Plants can put much more oxygen into the air, improving indoor conditions.

Increase indoor humidity and reduce illness Studies from the Agricultural University of Norway found that indoor plants can increase humidity in indoor spaces, which decreases the incidences of sore throats, dry coughs, dry skin, and the common cold. Higher absolute humidity can decrease the chances of survival and transmission of the flu virus.

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Filter the air Researchers who presented their work at the 252nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society found certain houseplants can combat the potentially harmful effects of volatile organic compounds. Plants may help filter out VOCs like benzene, acetone and formaldehyde, which can enter indoor air via cleaning supplies, dry-cleaned clothes, furniture, printers, and paints.

Improve interior atmosphere Prevention magazine says plants can be used to screen unattractive areas, moderate room temperature by shading spots from the sun and even reduce noise. Plants also can improve ambiance and create a pleasing atmosphere in a room.

Can improve mood Growing and caring for plants can alleviate everyday stress. A nationwide study from UK Magazine Gardeners World found 80 percent of gardeners declared themselves satisfied with life compared to 67 percent among non-gardeners.

Gardeners were more positive mentally. Greenery can help people feel more at home and improve mental health. A rehab center in Norway found patients reported a greater increase in well-being four weeks after having greenery added to their surroundings. Houseplants can improve indoor areas and positively affect personal health.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

WHAT WE BELIEVE i understand suicide is an effect of an illness i understand mental illnesses are treatable i understand stigma is the #1 reason why someone would not seek treatment for mental illness; education and awareness are vital to saving and changing lives i understand reaching out to those who are suffering could save a life; let someone know you are available and treat them with respect and compassion i understand most people who are suicidal do not want to die; they want their pain to end i understand speaking out about suicide may empower others to share their stories i understand feelings of guilt are part of the grieving process on the way to finding peace and acceptance i understand those who die by suicide do make it to heaven

They are sometimes called “rescue dogs”, but we truly believe that we are the ones being rescued by them.

We want to hear your dog rescue story.

Call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1.800.273.8255 If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

From abuse and neglect, to hope and happiness.

dogs@womenslifestyle.com

iunderstandloveheals.org

Connect from home.

Treating anxiety, depression, and more Teletherapy is available for all ages.

200+ licensed, West Michigan clinicians.

Visit pinerest.org/telehealth or call 866.852.4001.

Virtual walk-in psychiatry now available for adults from the Psychiatric Urgent Care Center. Call 616.455.9200.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

7

Eva McCall Hamilton, Centennial Senator ARTICLE BY: JAYSON OTTO, FOR THE GREATER GRAND RAPIDS WOMEN’S HISTORY COUNCIL ILLUSTRATION BY KIM NGUYEN HEADER ILLUSTRATION BY LIBBY VANDERPLOEG

WOMEN WHO RAN! Eva McCall Hamilton took her senate seat in January 1921!

Read more about her on our new web page--Women Who Ran-and place her among 46 other Grand Rapids women who ran 82 campaigns for public office between 1887 and 1920. Not only will you find more detail and documentation about Hamilton, you will discover four other women who also ran for state offices, including the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the UM Board of Regents. Three women even ran for national positions, although most campaigns were local. You can sort alphabetically, chronologically, by political office, occupation, marital status, reform activity, and party affiliation. Learn that there were political parties other than the usual. Have you ever heard of a Farmer-Labor Party in Grand Rapids? Visit ggrwhc.org!

In 1920, Eva McCall Hamilton persuaded Grand Rapids to elect her as their senator in the Michigan legislature.

That she was seated in January 1921 after the first election when women could compete for the office, thirty years before another Michigan woman would win a seat in the senate and a century before a Grand Rapids woman would, testifies to her political acumen. How did Hamilton pull this off?

Recently, Eva McCall Hamilton had deftly maneuvered the social and political landscapes of Grand Rapids.

Suffragists had certainly used creative modern tactics during their final push, but they also recognized that the radical strategies of England’s extremist suffragettes would not work in Grand Rapids. One 1911 news article explicitly distinguished between those“wildeyed” suffragettes in “freakish clothes” and the “home and mother”-type of women pushing for the vote in Michigan. Hamilton did embrace her role as a protector of the home, but she also insisted that women could manage domestic life properly only with “a chance to participate in the public enterprises which affect the home so intimately.”

An inaugural member of the 1910 Grand Rapids Equal Franchise Club, Hamilton and other women “elbowed their way” into Lansing’s legislative halls. After the failure of a 1912 women’s suffrage referendum and when one newspaper called Hamilton a “suffragette,” she fired back about the hypocrisy of legislators who had pledged their votes and then “turned tail.” She promised that in two years she would “get on the stump” and “tell the people of their districts just what kind of men” they were. And she did.

This non-“suffragette” wasn’t afraid to throw words! And she wasn’t afraid to throw herself into an education or later passionate engagements in civic life and politics.

Two years at the Ferris Institute, a pioneer school in the emerging field of physical culture, led to Hamilton’s promotion of athletics for girls; and her courses in banking and business helped in fights for fair property rights for married women, the protection of vulnerable widows and retired schoolteachers, and for fresh food at affordable prices. Appointed by the mayor to the High Cost of Living Commission in 1917, Hamilton helped to establish farmers’ markets in Grand Rapids, gained a reputation as a powerful speaker, and suffered derogatory remarks from the aldermen she had “whipped.”

Hamilton built on her extensive civic work in her campaign for the state senate. And, once seated in Lansing, she continued to promote herself staunchly as a woman first. While her fellow male senators appreciated this, some of her early supporters did not. Hamilton was defeated after only one term; and one reporter suggested that her moderate political stances in Lansing had disappointed her early followers.

During Hamilton’s one term as a senator, however, she saw through about fifteen bills and made good use of those courses in banking to promote “modern business methods in every department of the State Government” and to increase teachers’ salaries through increased local taxes. For the rest of her life, this trail blazer continued fighting for child labor laws and mother’s pensions and worked with the League of Women Voters.

Watch for more centennials in the wake of the of the Nineteenth Amendment! On our website’s new page, Women Who Ran, the GGRWHC turns to the history of Grand Rapids women running for electoral office. Follow them--and us--on Facebook and in WLM, and sign up for our hard copy and electronic newsletters at ggrwhc.org!

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

No One GROWs It Alone Kent County Business Owners, GROW's ReStart Kent working capital loan is available directly to those impacted

by COVID-19 to help your business stay afloat.

Learn more and view all loan details at www.growbusiness.org or call us today 616-458-3404.

www.grandrapids.org

Get Involved with ELNC at:

community connections business leaders policy

(616) 608-0754 info@elncgr.org

Read more local stories online

womenslifestyle.com Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

9

PHOTO BY TWO EAGLES MARCUS

Dr.Abha G U P TA VA R M A

Caring for the

Mind,

Body, &

Soul

BY ALLISON ARNOLD

P

hotographs, quotes and affirmations decorate the walls of Dr. Abha Gupta Varma’s office. “We are what we think, we do what we believe, and the outcome rests upon thoughts and deeds,” is just one of the pieces of wisdom she regularly shares with her patients and friends.

While a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend, Dr. Varma says being a physician is the most important label to her. “At my heart, I think I’ve always been a healer, much as my father was a healer.”

Both of her parents were immigrants from India and physicians, but her mother was also a great cook. “She derived her strength and energy and joy from food and feeding and I think I’m exceptionally blessed to have a healthy dose of mom and a healthy dose of dad,” she says.

In May, she started making live Facebook videos, first on mindfulness, meditation and gratitude, and then of her making chicken curry.

It was when someone told her that she was watching her videos instead of the news, Dr. Varma began to realize the impact she was having. When that friend wanted to make chicken curry, Dr. Varma dropped off all of the spices so that she could prepare the dish. Soon after, her YouTube channel, Culinary Karma, was born.

PHOTO BY EVAN KRUMMEL

For 16 years, Dr. Varma practiced acute care and hospitalist medicine before joining Cherry Health in 2017, where she now works as a primary care doctor. In this role she’s not treating acute issues such as heart attacks or strokes, but she has the opportunity to prevent them through her holistic approach to health care and mindfulness.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

“My goal throughout YouTube has been good news. How do we change the conversation from politics and disease to inspiration and joy?” says Dr. Varma. “It’s apolitical. Everybody’s got to eat and so food has its reach and has no borders.”

“At my heart, I think I’ve always been a healer, much as my father was a healer.”

— DR. ABHA

She recites a quote by Alice Mackenzie Swain: “Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go. It is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.”

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“It is to be able to flourish even in the face of adversity, not merely to stand erect and survive it, but to flourish through it, and that’s what YouTube has been for me,” says Dr. Varma. “It became that blossom that opened in the snow.”

With nearly 200 subscribers, the Culinary Karma YouTube channel not only radiates Dr. Varma’s positive energy and love of cooking, but celebrates the beauty of her culture. From chana masala, a mix of curried chickpeas in a tomato-based sauce, to lessons on Indian spices, Dr. Varma’s videos capture her passion and talent for making meals.

Learn more about Dr. Abha at

doctorabha.com

In addition to the physical threat of COVID-19, months of social distancing coupled with stress and anxiety, has made the virus a threat to mental health, too.

“What primary care allowed me to do with COVID is use years of experience and knowledge and empathy to then try and design a way to interact with patients by phone early on, that gave them comfort and how-to tips so that they wouldn’t succumb to COVID,” says Dr. Varma. Beyond wearing masks and social distancing, she has encouraged her patients to tap into artistic and musical interests, to go for walks and to think positively.

“Mental fitness and physical fitness is something that I feel cannot be impressed upon enough.”

As with every new year, January is a time for reflection and renewal, from tossing bad habits to setting diet or exercise goals, but Dr. Varma says that the one thing that we have to have as a foundation is a positive outlook.

PHOTO BY TWO EAGLES MARCUS

“As long as we are the ones who are in control, not our current state, then we can say ‘I’ve got some tools that have always been in my belt, that of the way we think, the way we eat, the way we move, the way we interact, the way we learn how to adjust to calamity, strife, or difficulty.”

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Allison Arnold is a writer and avid adventurer who loves hiking, traveling and trying new foods. She loves writing about food and culture on her blog, For the Love of Tacos.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

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Granting Wishes for 35 Years At Your Service:

PAWS With A Cause Womenʼs Resource Center

GET SCREENED!

New Beginnings for Felons

Kristen Nauss

Breast Cancer Survivor Shares Her Journey to Support and

Charisse Mitchell

Inspire Others

CEO of the YWCA West Central Michigan

Singer/Songwriter Sunghee Ryu

Her Legacy: Eleanor Girodat

Recipes: Apples to Apples

We’re Out There Event Photos

10 Ways to get Cozy this October

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

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READER’S

STAFF PICKS 2020 Staff members from Kent District Library share the best book they read in 2020.

Here’s to You, Jesusa!

by Elena Poniatowska

Let’s Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook

by Hugh Amano

During quarantine, I found myself drawn to cooking more at home and reading graphic novels.

Let’s Make Ramen is the perfect marriage of the two. Not only are there tasty ramen recipes and great shopping guides, there are also beautiful illustrations and even the history of ramen all thrown in one beautifully designed book.

If you’ve always wanted to cook ramen at home but didn’t know where to start or just want to look at gorgeous illustrations of food, then this is a great book for you.

Hannah, Wyoming Branch

The Sundown Motel

by Simone St. James

You don’t run into a ghost story/ serial killer murder mystery very often. The Sundown Motel read like a multigenerational, paranormal episode of Dateline. It was everything I could hope for!

Based on a series of interviews conducted over several years by Elena Poniatowska, Here’s to You, Jesusa! is the story of an extremely poor and illiterate woman whose remarkable life coincided with some of the most important events in Mexican history. Overlooked and shunned by society, Jesusa’s true spirit lies buried beneath her rough manner and appearance.

Poniatowska’s affection for her friend radiates through this fine work, and gives a voice not only to Jesusa, but to everyone who’s been marginalized and cast aside.

This classic of Mexican literature deserves wider recognition here in the States.

Mark, Krause Memorial Branch

Tricia, Cascade Township Branch

The Summer that Melted Everything

by Tiffany McDaniel

“2020. The year that has melted everything into uncertainty, fear, and so much anger. That isn’t to say there haven’t been moments where I have noticed bits of dappled sunlight that sneak their way through the trees and attempt to warm my cheeks. But you guys!

This book. Oh my. This book. This is the book that melted everything.

I feel as if I need to be pulled back together after reading it, but I am afraid that some pieces of me that melted will never be found again. For better or worse, this is the best book I have ever read. It seems fitting that it would come to me this year, like the Devil in the summer of 1984. One could argue the Devil came this summer too in a world of no apostrophes... a world with seemingly no hope.

Disclaimer: do not read this book if you have strong trauma triggers.”

Abby, Wyoming Branch

Red at the Bone

by Jacqueline Woodson

A beautifully written story of three generations of a middle class black family in Brooklyn. I learned more about the underlying sorrow present at all the occasions of joy, and how hard it is for a black family to hold on to what they have to fight so hard to achieve.

Penni, Cascade Twp. Branch

2021 WINTER READING CLUB FOR ADULTS AND TEENS January 4 - March 31 Read six books and receive a Let It Snow prize mug. Read an additional four books to be entered into a drawing for an iPad or a winter cap. kdl.org/snow

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

FRONTLINE WORKERS

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

Q&A:

R

ecently, World Parkinson Congress named Van Andel Institute research scientist Xi Chen, Ph.D., as a WPC 2022 Science Ambassador.

In this role, Chen will work with seven other Science Ambassadors to increase outreach among global communities and encourage other scientists to attend the 2022 Congress in Barcelona, Spain, June 7–10, 2022.

Held every three years, World Parkinson Congress provides an international forum for dialogue on the latest scientific discoveries, clinical practices and care partner initiatives related to Parkinson’s disease. Each Congress aims to be inclusive of all those touched by the disease.

We caught up with Dr. Chen to discuss her role as a WPC Ambassador and what it means for her research at VAI and Parkinson’s research as a whole.

Q: What does your role as a WPC 2022 Ambassador mean to you?

XC: After the 2010 WPC in Glasgow, the organization began selecting Parkinson Ambassadors for each Congress from a pool of applicants who all live with Parkinson’s

Dr. Xi Chen

Van Andel Institute Research Scientist World Parkinson Congress 2022 Science Ambassador

and who had previously attended at least one WPC. These Ambassadors drum up support within their communities and help others understand the value in attending a World Parkinson Congress.

The 2022 WPC will be the first year featuring Science Ambassadors, and I’m thrilled to be part of the first cohort. The goal — to spread information about WPC to relevant communities across the world — remains the same, but as a Science Ambassador, I will help to explain to other scientists why WPC should be on their list of conferences to attend in 2022.

As Science Ambassadors, we will meet monthly from now until the Congress to collaborate on how to successfully increase outreach and make WPC 2022 the most wellattended yet. We want to make sure local communities know about this conference and, while VAI and other West Michigan scientists are very aware of WPC, I’m working to expand that awareness to other universities and organizations across Michigan and hopefully beyond.

Q: What was your first experience at a World Parkinson Congress like?

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XC: I first attended a WPC in 2019 in Kyoto, Japan. I have plenty of remarkable memories from that year, but most powerful were my exchanges with representatives from different organizations from across the globe, and especially with people living with Parkinson’s.

During the opening ceremony, a group of people joined my table, and a young man in his early 20s sat next to me. As we talked, he shared with me his experience of being diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s when he was only 16 years old. What inspired me most were his positivity and his determination — to stay active, to serve as an advocate for those with Parkinson’s, to experience the world.

Meeting this man and others with stories like his at WPC makes the small fraction that I contribute to the collective research feel all the more meaningful. Each year’s Congress is a huge collective of very diverse people — patients, clinicians and researchers alike — but the insights provided by the patients truly enrich what I do every day in the lab. (continued on page 19)

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

17

Health & Beauty

Ways to improve cervical health

BY METRO CREATIVE

T

he female reproductive system is a model of ingenuity, but it is not infallible. Women who want to maintain their personal health need to be aware of their unique needs, paying particular attention to maintaining function in key areas of their bodies.

Cervical health is something that may not immediately come to mind, but it is worthy of consideration.

According to Verywell Health, the cervix is the lower portion of the uterus. The cervix essentially serves as the gatekeeper between the open vagina and the inside of the womb. It is sometimes referred to as “the neck of the uterus.” The cervix is susceptible to various health conditions, including polyps, dysplasia, cancer, and inflammation, according to Patient Info, a patient health information resource. In order to improve cervical health, women are urged to learn more about the cervix and how to identify potential abnormalities.

The cervix looks like a small, pink button with a dimple on the end. It should feel smooth and firm, like the end of the nose. Mucus discharge is normal depending on the time of the month in the menstrual cycle.

When a woman is not pregnant, the cervix serves to keep germs, water, tampons, and other foreign matter from reaching inside of the body. The cervix helps keep a fetus in place while it grows in the uterus, according to Women’s Health magazine. The cervix will thin out (efface) and widen (dilate) when childbirth is imminent.

Due to its location, the cervix is often the first site of an identifiable infection of the reproductive system.

Malodorous or off-colored discharge may indicate infection.

18

There are various ways a woman can keep her cervix healthy.

• Be observant. Changes in discharge or pain in the region of the cervix can indicate a problem.

• Exercise caution during intercourse. According to Sherry Ross, M.S., an obstetrician-gynecologist, repeated deep thrusting during intercourse can cause bruising or tearing of cervical tissue. Speak with a physician if you feel pain deep inside after intercourse.

• Protect yourself from STDs. Sexually transmitted infections, particularly those from human papilloma virus, can contribute to cervical cancer.

• Schedule routine screenings. A doctor will suggest a first Pap test at age 21. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if you’re 30 years old or older, you have three options. You can continue getting a Pap test only. If your test result is normal, you can wait three years for your next test. You can get an HPV test only. If your test result is normal, you can wait five years for your next test. You can get both an HPV and Pap test together. If your test results are normal, you can wait five years for your next tests.

• Live a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutrition, adequate sleep, frequent exercise, and reduction of stress can go a long way in regard to maintaining overall health.

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Getting the facts about the cervix can help women take the steps necessary to stay healthy.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

(continued from page 17)

Q: What would you tell a scientist who is considering attending WPC for the first time?

XC: Although plenty of each Congress focuses on people living with Parkinson’s, there is also high level of basic science sessions. Scientists often worry that the clinical aspects will outweigh research, but WPC’s planning committees make sure there is a balance.

Each Congress is built around a four-day-long, top-level Scientific Program and Wellness Way Program. It’s extremely educational and worth the time of any scientist studying Parkinson’s.

For me, it’s encouraging when people with different passions and different cultures who all have a connection to Parkinson’s gather to share their stories, experiences and insights. There are roundtable discussions available, as well as wider exposure to diverse specializations that scientists don’t often encounter when attending meetings in only their own country or community.

OVER $200,000 WORTH OF COVID RELIEF AID

was shipped to Grand Rapids’ sister city, Zapopan, Mexico, on September 23rd.

Get involved or Give online: amawithoutborders.org Text “AMA” to: 24365 Cash app: $AMAUSA ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.

DR. XI CHEN IN THE LAB AT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE

Q: How will your experience as a WPC Ambassador support or inform Parkinson’s research in the future?

XC: I want to work as best as I can to encourage as many scientists as possible to attend.

If we can get a higher number of scientists who study Parkinson’s to gather in one location, as one group, who knows what breakthroughs may surface?

I am excited to connect with scientists who may have reservations about finding the time or funds to attend an international Congress, and to share with them my own experience and how worth the time and money it is for them to attend.

Years ago, when I decided to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship, I discovered VAI and quickly knew I wanted to apply because I was ready to learn something new and expand my understanding of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. At the Institute and with my mentor Dr. Darren Moore, I had the space to learn and grow, and at WPC 2019, I found a similar atmosphere that encourages learning, collaboration and the exchange of ideas. I want other scientists to experience that.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at the 2022 WPC? XC: It’s rewarding to know that my actions as a Science Ambassador will have a direct impact on WPC 2022. Being a participant in 2019 was incredible but having a hand in the event’s success and working with others to spread awareness for the Congress adds a new layer of excitement and pride for me. I’m looking forward to what will come of our cohort’s hard work and dedication.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • January 2021

19

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