The Health In Harlem Podcast

Marvel and Misery: Allergy Season 2022

It's Spring!!!!! With trees budding and flowers blooming, the world is teeming with life! But amidst the beautiful weather and optimism of nature reborn, there is suffering. Millions of Americans (including some of our very own on Health In Harlem) suffer with seasonal allergies and it can be a challenge getting through each day as the sneezing, coughing, congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, etc. can be unbearable. In this episode, Dr. Maurice Selby and Reid Vero break down the science behind allergies and hypersensitivity reactions and the things we can do personally, in our homes, and outdoors to reduce symptoms and get the most out of this wonderful time of year. 
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Allergies and Pollen
https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/allergen.htm
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pollen and Your Health https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/pollen-health.htm
 
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: Allergy Facts and Figures https://www.aafa.org/allergy-facts/
 
Cleveland Clinic: Food Allergies        https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9196-food-allergies
 
Mayo Clinic: Drug Allergy                                                https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/drug-allergy
 
  
                                        
 
 
 
 

Living Beyond COVID-19 II: To Mask or Not to Mask

Despite the widespread relaxation of mask mandates and social distancing measures, the SARS-CoV-2 Virus is still circulating amongst us and there are still people dying from the illness. On Health In Harlem we too agree that it is time to move forward, but living life with abandon and not acknowledging the fact that COVID still kills will only lead to more unnecessary deaths and more closures, mandates, and restrictions when the virus surges again. Thus we crafted this episode to discuss the best ways of protecting yourself, your family, and friends from SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID Data Tracker https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Use and Care of Masks https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
COVID.gov
https://www.covid.gov/tests
 
 
 
 
 

Go The F@^K to Sleep: World Sleep Day 2022

In observance of World Sleep Day and paying homage to the "children's" classic Go the Fuck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, our title for this episode says it all; get some sleep! The health implications of sleep disruption and sleep deprivation are real and can lead to not just poor quality of life and mental health challenges, but possibly serious disability and even death from myriad chronic diseases. In this episode we discuss everything from why we sleep to strategies and tips that can allow us to get more regular, restful, quality sleep. As always, rather than be talking heads, we'd much rather engage you all in this conversation thus we look forward to addressing any comments, questions, or concerns you have about our program! Sleep tight (after the program of course 😁)!
 
Johns Hopkins Medicine- The Science of Sleep: Understanding What Happens When You Sleep 
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
World Sleep Society- World Sleep Day 
https://worldsleepday.org/
CNN: Sleep Myths that May Be Keeping You From a Good Night's Sleep
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/18/health/sleep-myths-wellness/index.html
The New York Times: How to Get a Better Night's Sleep
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-sleep
The New York Times: The Pandemic Messed With Your Sleep. Here's How to Feel Rested Again
https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-sleep-better.html
 
 

The Mind-Heart Connection: How Stress Affects Your Cardiovascular Health

Its American Heart Month, and on this episode of Health In Harlem we are going to focus on the "Mind-Heart Connection" as there is more information being learned about how our mental health and cardiovascular health is so intertwined. As we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, social upheaval, looming war, it's easy to feel stressed, anxious, depressed, etc. However that is not the end of the damage being done as the our mood and emotions lead to physiologic changes in our bodies that could be detrimental to our cardiovascular health and long-term health and well-being. With that said, the Health In Harlem team is here to bring awareness to this problem as well as provide realistic tips, strategies and solutions to mitigate stress and other negative emotions and improve our heart health. As always folks, please hit us up with any questions, concerns, or comments about the program. 
 
American Heart Association: Stress and Heart Health
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/stress-and-heart-health
Johns Hopkins Medicine: Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Don't Underestimate Stress
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/risk-factors-for-heart-disease-dont-underestimate-stress
Harvard Health: Mindfulness Can Improve Heart Health
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/mindfulness-can-improve-heart-health
 
 
 

Living Beyond COVID-19

It seems we have moved on from the idea that SARS-CoV-2 might someday be eradicated. Rather, it is likely that this will be an endemic disease that we learn to live with indefinitely. While this might sound like admitting defeat, our team on Health In Harlem believe that we can all still triumph and live beyond COVID-19. With lessons from the past and extraordinary advances in scientific knowledge and technology, there will be a day where we can live happy, productive, and safe lives despite SARS-CoV-2 being present amongst us. The best thing is that it might not require much beyond what we have been doing already, just a better understanding of the necessary steps to truly live beyond the fear, anxiety, and isolation that dominated our lives with this virus up to this point. In this episode of Health In Harlem, we outline 5 steps that will be key to living and thriving in a new post-pandemic world.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The Possibility of COVID-19 after Vaccination: Breakthrough Infections
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/effectiveness/why-measure-effectiveness/breakthrough-cases.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Your Guide to Masks
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How to Use Your N95 Respirator
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/use-n95-respirator.html
The New York Times Wire Cutter Magazine: 12 Signs You Have a Fake N95, KN95, or KF94 Mask
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/12-signs-you-have-a-fake-n95-kn95-or-kf94-mask/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Counterfeit Respirators / Misrepresentation of NIOSH-Approval
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html
The New York Times: Track Coronavirus Cases in Places Important to You
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases-deaths-tracker.html
 
 
  

No More Fad Diets: AHA 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health

In November 2021, the American Heart Association (AHA) released its latest Dietary Guide to Improve Cardiovascular Health. Gone are the proclamations of the "best diets" and the focus on taking out saturated fats and the preachy 'eat this, not that' ethos. In this most recent set of guidelines, the AHA expands the notions of what is considered a "healthy diet" and discloses 10 features of a heart healthy diet that many people, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnic background, spiritual beliefs, can follow. In this episode of Health In Harlem we discuss the guidelines and lay out the highlighted features of heart healthy diets. Enjoy folks and please hit us up with any questions, comments or concerns about the show!
 
New York Times: Your Heart and Diet: A Heart-Healthy Way to Eat 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/well/eat/heart-healthy-diet-foods.html
 
American Heart Association: 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031
 
New York Times: 10 Lessons We’ve Learned About Eating Well
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/01/well/eat/diet-nutrition-tips.html
 
United States Food and Drug Administration: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label
 

2022 New Year’s Resolutions: Tips and Strategies for Success!

Happy New Year! For much of recorded human history, the start of a new year has been the time to start anew with good habits and lifestyle practices that could lead to future good health and well-being. Unfortunately, the number of people that are successful in realizing their resolution is so low! In this episode, we share with you the things we want to change and improve upon in 2022 and share with you the best evidence-based tips and strategies to optimize the chances of success! I promise you, by the end of this episode, you will be ready to tackle any resolution that you have made with a clear and positive mind and with your future success in mind! Enjoy, best of luck, and we wish everyone much peace, love, and blessings in 2022!
 
History Channel: The History of New Year’s Resolutions (Intro)
https://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions
 
Business Insider: A Psychotherapist says there are 3 common reasons so many people’s New Year’s resolutions end in failure (Intro)
https://www.businessinsider.com/new-years-resolutions-failure-advice-jonathan-alpert-2018-12
 
Popular Science: How to Trick Your Brain Into Keeping Your New Year Resolution (Moe)
https://www.popsci.com/how-to-accomplish-new-years-resolution/
 
Hidden Brain: Creatures of Habit 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?i=1000546269429

2021 Recap

Happy New Year!!!!! We made it through another 365 and as we get ready for 2022, we decided to recap some of the really important shows and topics we discussed this year. As always, the goal is Health in Harlem is to Empower you and give you the tools you need for success  Enjoy and please be safe in brining in the New Year. As always, this program is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Gloria Thomas! Harlem, take care of yourself!

Chronic Low Back Pain

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of adults have reported having low back pain within the last 3 months. Low back pain is the most common type of pain reported in the United States and while the majority of people will recover fully from low back pain within 12 weeks, 2-8% of individuals will go on to have chronic low back pain. Chronic low back pain is among the leading causes of disability in the United States and around the world. In this episode, we talk about the causes of chronic low back pain, diagnostic challenges, and the recent breakthroughs in our understanding of chronic pain and the best ways to go about treating chronic low back pain. This program is the second in our five-part series on back pain, so be sure to check out the past and future episodes to learn even more!
International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP): The Global Burden of Low Back Pain
https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/the-global-burden-of-low-back-pain/
 
The Cleveland Clinic: Low Back Pain
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7936-lower-back-pain
 
WebMD: Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain
https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/ss/slideshow-exercises
 

The Great American Smokeout 2021!

In 1970 in Randolph Massachusetts, Arthur P. Mullaney, then the Director of Guidance at Randolph High School, asked people in town to give up smoking for one day and to donate the money saved to a scholarship fund for graduating seniors. The event was a resounding success and before long gave rise to "D-Day" aka Don't Smoke Day in Massachusetts in 1974. Today, thanks to Mr. Mullaney, we have the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, a nationwide event to bring awareness to the health risks associated with smoking and to empower smokers with information and resources to get on the path to smoking cessation. In this episode of Health In Harlem, we sat down with Dr. Daniel Fridberg, a researcher, clinical psychologist, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago to discuss why it is so important to quit smoking as well as the methods and resources available to ensure success. Please check out the resources below regarding smoking cessation. We've also including resources on harm reduction from overdose as discussed in the introduction to the program. Please be sure to share Health In Harlem with your family, friends, colleagues, etc. and hit us up with feedback, questions, comments and concerns regarding the show. Much love, peace and blessings to you all and enjoy the program!
American Cancer Society: Great American Smokeout
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/great-american-smokeout.html
Department of Health and Human Services Better Health Channel: Smoking the Financial Costs
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/smoking-the-financial-cost
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/smoking-nyc-quits.page
Smokefree.gov
https://smokefree.gov/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prventing an Opioid Overdose
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/patients/preventing-an-opioid-overdose-tip-card-a.pdf
National Harm Reduction Coalition: Safer Drug Use
https://harmreduction.org/issues/safer-drug-use/