Obesity is a truly worrisome problem the United States and the world are facing today. It is estimated that overall obesity will be the number one killer ahead of tobacco in the United States. The reason why obesity is a concern is because of its link to other ailments that can prove fatal. In particular obesity and is associated with high blood pressure. It is a known risk factor for hypertension. In fact an increasing number of people are developing high blood pressure because of obesity in their childhood years. Combined with blood pressure obesity can be a lethal sentence for heart disease.

For Blacks, heart disease and hypertension are life threatening conditions that are directly associated with obesity. Being overweight in childhood as noted is related to plenteous chronic diseases that typically manifest later in adulthood. These include type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Studies have noted that 60 percent of overweight five-to-ten year-old children had at least one additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Apart from disease, overweight children are also at heightened risk for lower self-esteem, depression, self-blame and social rejection by both peers and adults.

Studies note that in the United States in the last 25 years, the prevalence of children and adolescents who are overweight has tripled to reach 17.1% between the years 2003 and 2004. It is further discovered in research that the obesity epidemic is taking a hold of both girls and boys regardless of which state they are in, their racial and ethnic background and their socioeconomic status. However it has been observed that subgroups including Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans are disproportionately affected. In other words, it affect us as Blacks MORE than the average.

There are particular environments that influence the choices that children make regarding food and physical activity. These environments are namely home, work, school and clinical environments. It looks clear that if no interventions that are effective and targeted are taken, this will turn out to be a massive health problem going forward into the future as many adults will emerge with all types of diseases. The opportunity to halt the this trends remains at key points in the life and interaction of kids. Of particular note are the foods that kids are fed at the cited environments above.

Let me be clear about what I am saying..If WE as parents don’t teach our children proper eating habits now, they will have these issues by the time they become adults, if not sooner.

Health eating and regular activity will need to be inculcated at an early stage namely at school and at home. Teachers and parents alike have a duty to ensure a healthy eating lifestyle in these kids. Children spend much of their childhood times at school and at home. Programs in schools that are sponsored and managed by the federal government are necessary to help our children make better eating choices.

If you want more information about making smarter, healthier eating choices, click here.

The attack of diabetes on African Americans has reached almost epidemic proportions. Data from the National Diabetes Education Program indicates that the African Americans population constitutes one of biggest ethnic groups in the US that heavily suffers from Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, Type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of disability and mortality among African Americans in the country.

Causes
There are a number of causes of Type 2 diabetes. Genetic factors, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes during pregnancy and high cholesterol are some of the factors that are believed to cause some 95 percent of all cases of Type 2 diabetes. Although unsupported by scientific data, the genetic make up of African Americans is suspected to provide links to their vulnerability to the disease. Estimates place the number of diabetic African Americans at 3.2 million, with an astounding 33 percent of them believed undiagnosed.

The Haves and the Have-Nots
Research data further indicates that the chances of giving in to complications brought about by diabetes are higher among poor African Americans than other ethnic blocs. This raises the possibility that the lack of access to health care services and helpful information with respect to the disease might be the chief reason why attack of diabetes for a certain segment of the African American population is on the rise, that segment being lower income Blacks. The possibility of contracting the disease is relatively lower for more affluent African Americans and equal to that of other ethnic groups.

McDonalds, KFC, and Mom & Pop’s Chicken and Fish
Aside from lack of health care, inability to afford prescription drug coverage, and inadequate information on diabetes, most people who belong to poor communities are exposed to foods that may lack nutritional value. The mushrooming of fast food chains and restaurants that serve predominately fried, fatty foods seem to target ethnic groups like African Americans. Foods served by fast food restaurants are often high in fats and carbohydrates, but low in nutrients that really matter. An example is French fries, which lead among food items that are not recommended for diabetics. Unfortunately, French fries have become almost synonymous to fast food restaurants. French fries are carbohydrates-rich and also high in fat, but wanting in protein. Low-income class households patronize these fast food restaurants because they have cheap menu choices, which meets the immediate needs of families with limited incomes.

An Ounce of Prevention…
If you belong to high-risk groups, then education and awareness can be your best defense against the effects of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, while a serious health threat to African Americans, can be prevented, managed, and maintained. Here are some suggestions you can start right now:

1. Change your diet – Find out from the Glycemic Index the list of foods that should be avoided by diabetics and avoid them at all costs.

2. Exercise – Consult a physician and develop a serious exercise routine. I know I just talked about the lack of affordability, but every community has a free or community clinic that bases their fees upon your income, so the costs are minimal at best. If you are obese, make getting rid of extra weight one of your exercise key goals.

3. Get screened - Once again start utilizing the local community health clinics and make a habit of getting screened for diabetes on a regular basis, particularly if you are over 40 as this is the time when you start becoming more susceptible to the effects of “bad living.” These tests are sometimes crucial to providing timely medication that may yet prove effective for otherwise hopeless cases.

Suggestions addressed directly to African Americans include resisting fast food restaurants. Unhealthy foods are not only suspected of giving rise to diabetes, they also lead to heart diseases and even cancer. They must realize the urgent nature of the problem. Type 2 diabetes has marked African Americans as relatively easy prey.

Learn the truth about curing your diabetes here:

Well guys, I’m back from my reality and have returned to cyberspace ready to wreak havoc on issues designed to enlighten, inform, and make you aware.

But I brought some baggage with me as well.

During my hiatus, I went to the doctor where I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension. Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on your arteries as it flows through your body. If you have high blood pressure it means that your blood is exerting too much force on your arteries and is making your heart’s job–pumping blood–more difficult than it should be.

When I was a teenager I suffered from massive headaches and I thought they were just that, headaches. I was pretty active in high school with sports and martial arts, but I couldn’t excel because of the headaches and blurred vision. I had a temper when I was younger, not to the point of extreme violence, but I would yell and scream. When I resorted to this type of behavior, I noticed that my heart rate would increase and could literally feel the blood trying to explode out of my veins.

In my twenties I started smoking and I would never stop eating. I always loved the fact that no matter how much I ate, my weight would always stay at 220 lbs. I had a super metabolism – I could eat up the house but burn it off in a couple of hours, with never a second thought of what I ate.

When I reached my thirties, my metabolism slowed and by the time I was 35, I gained a whopping 100 lbs! You would think that would be a wake-up call, but it was easy to ignore because of my height. I am 6’3″ so the weight gain was not noticeable on the outside. The only noticeable difference was a slight gut.

But as I slowed on my exercising and increased my smoking (I went from a pack a week to a pack a day), I noticed that I was out of breath, I started experiencing chronic pain and fatigue, and my headaches got worse.

Around July of this year, my headaches became one constant headache and I found relief sparingly. I was popping any kind of pain reliever I could find – aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, all with no effect. I was consuming 6-10 pills at a time, up to three times a day. I started taking sleeping pills just to escape the pain.

I was hospitalized in November and was told that I had high blood pressure and if I did not make some immediate changes, I would end up on medication (which blackballs you for insurance and job purposes) and was at high risk for a heart attack or stroke. You think I wasn’t scared? Until that moment, I had NEVER been to the hospital except for injuries, and never imagined that I would actually be admitted to one.

That’s when I realized this was serious and I needed to change

As  I began researching the treatments and remedies available, I made a shocking discovery – the medications that are supposed to help have a heap of side effects that will make me worse than I already am. Depending on what stage of high blood pressure you have and what type of medications you are prescribed, the side effects will vary and can include rashes, fatigue, incontinence, dizziness, coldness of hands and feet, bleeding gums, inability to hold urine, constipation, and sleeping problems.

Wow!!  Really?

Since HNIC was started to make you aware, enlighten, and inform, it is important to discuss why this is so. Allow me to let you in on a well-kept secret of the medical community.

Because of the mighty influence of the pharmaceutical industry, doctors DO NOT treat patients with a holistic approach. What this means is that doctors treat only symptoms that you either complain about or they diagnose. This means that you’re gonna get a pill for every symptom you complain about. That could be a lot. Doctors are not trained to diagnose and locate the REASON for the symptoms and seek a cure for whats causing the symptoms. This is dangerous because all those pills you take not only have side effects, but no one has done extensive enough testing to see how all those pills interact with one another in all the possible combinations. Although the FDA tries to regulate and require extensive testing, the conspiracy theorists will readily tell you that with enough money (which the pharmaceutical has plenty of) the regulations can be gotten around.

Translated? After a few years of trials and testing, the only way they can really find out how these drugs interact with other drugs is to market them to the masses of ‘sheeple’ – meaning the general public. It’s the reason you have so many recalls and malpractice lawsuits.

This is not to blame doctors  - for the most part they genuinely care about your health and want to cure you. But their hands are tied by Big Brothers Pharmaceutical, Insurance, and Hospital Administration whose only purpose is to get paid. Needless to say, I am not taking medications.

So I did further research and I discovered a book that changed my life dramatically.

Since my hospitalization, I have stopped smoking, started becoming more active and exercising regularly, and changed my diet. although it’s only been a few weeks, I can tell you that I feel a lot better than I did and the best part is that I don’t have to take those medications!

In the future as I learn more about High Blood Pressure and treatment options, I will be posting articles relating such findings. In the meantime, if you would like to know more about the book I have and how it changed my life, click here.

Well people, it’s that time of year again.  You’re gonna eat enough chitlin’s and collard greens over the holidays and you will be looking at yourself in the mirror trying to figure out how to get rid of those extra pounds you took on.  With the impending arrival of the spring and summer months, if you are like everyone else, you start to have those wistful dreams of walking down the street or along the beach, turning heads everywhere you go…skin taut and muscles ripped. So you make what I call ‘phase II’ of your New Year’s Resolutions – to get in shape and be ready for the summer.

Only to have summer end and you’re still dragging those pounds around, wondering how the season ended so fast.

If this describes your yearly workout routine, you are not alone. The reason is simple – lack of motivation. Most of us never get past the goal-setting stage because life hits us 24/7. Work, school, home presents challenges to completing our goals and if faced with cutting something out, hard work is usually the first on the list.  It takes discipline to stay committed to anything and that seems to be a dying art in this day and age of instant, right now, and get it quick.

Here are 7 steps that you can implement today to help you stay committed and motivated to your goals.  It is not easy, but if you take a few minutes each day to review these steps, the benefits in the long run will possibly add years of happiness to your life.

Be realistic

One of the biggest reasons we fail to reach our goals is because we make them impossible to reach in the first place. Having unrealistic expectations can have an effect on our drive, desire, and self-esteem. It is physically impossible to lose 100 lbs in a few months, so why set that goal?

A more realistic goal would be 10 pounds in a month. That breaks down to about 2 pounds a week, which has a far greater chance of success than 25 lbs a week.

Since we did not get out of shape overnight, we will not get in shape overnight, so take it easy, give yourself a break and start small.

Make sure your goals are measurable

This requires us accepting the fact that we are our own worst enemy, because we have the ability to rationalize, justify, and make excuses.

Suck it up and honestly make a list of where you are NOW before you implement your program.  Weigh yourself, get measurements of your BMI (Body Mass Index), cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and times of how long you can stay on a treadmill, bike, rope, whatever your primary source of cardiovascular activity will be.

Repeat this process every four weeks.  This is probably the greatest motivator you will have towards reaching your goals – real, tangible progress.  It’s also important to keep track of your workout program. The greater your success, the greater your effort will become.

Join a group or get a training buddy

We all know that when we are going through tough times, sometimes the only thing that pulls us through is support from others. Getting a friend to start with you or joining one of the many classes at the gym is the best way to achieve this. You will not only get support from others who have similar goals, but it’s a great way to meet new people and possibly make new friends.  Also, tell everyone what you are doing and what your goals are. It will be much harder to give up or cheat.

Schedule and be prepared.

Decide on a schedule and stick with it.  A lot of workout routines are now geared towards people with busy, active lifestyles, so decide where in your day you want to commit that 15-45 minutes to work out.  Some prefer early in the morning as a great day to start their day. Others prefer the evening as a great way to end their day.

Whether you workout first thing in the morning or after work, it will be much easier if you prepare in advance. If you are anything like me, you get up in the morning, can’t find your running shoes, and then just go back to bed. PREPARATION IS KEY. If your life is hectic, then prepare your food and pack your gym bag the night before. By being prepared you take another obstacle out of your way to get to your goal faster.

Fall down and get back in the saddle.

Everyone, including YOU, will from time to time just not be in the mood to go to gym. We’ll want to have a nice big meal with the family or hide in the closet to devour that Hershey’s with Almonds. These things will happen but don’t let it stop you.  Realize that guilt is the enemy here and if you allow it to, it will keep you from continuing to reach your goals.

If you want to take a day off, then do it and enjoy it, but comes tomorrow get back in your saddle and continue your program.

Make it fun

Probably the hardest part of reaching your goal, but not impossible.  When you first go to the gym, you will see miles and miles of equipment. That’s is not your focus starting out.  Start with something you like to do, whether its the treadmill, elliptical machine, rowing, exercise bike, something.  Something you don’t like? Don’t do it.

Don’t like any of it? Pick something and pretend to like it until you actually do!!

It also helps to vary your workout routine. Each aspect of your workout has literally dozens of exercises that produce the same result.  So mix it up! This not only keeps you from being bored, but will also keep your body from having the ‘plateau effect’ (your muscles reaching a certain level of strength or losing a certain amount of weight and stopping), thus helping you achieve better results faster.

Just do it!!!

There will be many, many days that we won’t feel like working out, or sticking to our routine.  Change is hard!  However if you continue to give in to those feelings, you will just fall right back into the way you used to be.  In the future, it will be twice as hard to start again.

The best way to defeat those thoughts are to go to the gym or start your workout.  Doesn’t matter the effort you start with because you will find that once you get started, an amazing thing happens…you will be ready to workout!  I don’t have any scientific explanation for it, I just know it happens to me everytime.

So equip yourself with these seven steps and let’s make 2011 the year you make everyone’s head turn!