The Health In Harlem Podcast

To Make or Not to Make New Years Resolutions

According to the Pew Research Center, one-third to one-half of Americans make resolutions each year. Despite a desire to make important and often healthy changes in their lives, millions of people barely make it past the first month of the year before they abandon their new diets, exercise routines, and budgets. If the vast majority of us are destined to fail, then why make resolutions at all? In this episode we explore this question and begin to understand when, how, and why you should make a new years resolution and we discuss the strategies and tools you can employ at any point in time when you resolve to make important, healthy changes in your life.
 
Psychology Today: The Practice and Habit of Happiness by Jeffrey Davis
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tracking-wonder/201912/the-practice-and-habit-happiness
The Atlantic: New Years Resolutions That Will Actually Lead to Happiness by Arthur C. Brooks
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/12/new-years-resolutions-will-make-you-happier/617439/
The New York Times: This Year, Try Downsizing Your Resolutions by Christina Caron
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/29/well/live/new-years-resolutions-2021.html
The New York Times: How to Make (and keep) a New Years Resolution by Jen A. Miller
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/resolution-ideas
 
 
 
 
 

COVID-19 Vaccine Update 2: Vaccine Safety with Dr. Stephen J. Thomas

BNT162b2 by Pfizer/BioNTech and mRNA1273 by Moderna are vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 that have been granted emergency use authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Besides the efficacy and effectiveness of these vaccines, one of the major questions everyone is asking is whether or not these vaccines are safe. Dr. Stephen J. Thomas of SUNY Upstate University sat down to answer just that question. Dr. Thomas is the co-author of the paper titled "Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine) featured in the New England Journal of Medicine and he is the Coordinating Principal Investigator for the world-wide Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trial, thus he is probably the best person to answer the safety question. Special thanks to Ms. Kathleen Froio, Assistant Director of Public and Media Relations at SUNY Upstate Medical University for helping to make this happen. Listen up and enjoy! Check out the links below (including the article by my good friend and colleague, Alexa Mieses-Malchuk and my Mentor Dr. Teresa Smith) for more great information pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccines.
 
The Oprah Magazine- This Doctor Who Just Got the COVID-19 Vaccine Has a Message for Black and Latinx Patients
https://www.oprahmag.com/life/health/a35034365/covid-vaccine-doctor-experience/?fbclid=IwAR339i_YnijwWF24Im_rreWXKVdlilicTHB0LVoLNqEx4teb6GYtKl8_TIs
 
New York Daily News- Take the Vaccine Like I did: A Black doctor urges her community to protect itself from COVID
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-take-the-vaccine-like-i-did-20201223-btu5bd7bqjhtlhd3abjx53y5lq-story.html
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety.html
 
 
 
       

The Magic Pill: Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Your Health

According to Barry A. Franklin, PhD and Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH in an article that appeared in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, "there was a 64% decrease in the risk of heart disease from the least to the most aerobically fit and a 30% decrease from the least to the most physically active." Heart disease is the leading killer of people in the United States and the world (with stroke not far behind as a leading killer internationally). By being more physically active (and more specifically aerobically fit), you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease while simultaneously improving your overall health and wellness. From memory and mood boosts, to better bowel movements and even better sex, increasing your cardiorespiratory fitness will lead to tangible improvements in your mind, body, and spirit. In this episode we are joined by Leonard Kaminsky, PhD. Dr. Kaminsky is an expert in kinesiology and exercise physiology and he is the John and Janice Fisher Distinguished Professor of Wellness and the Director of the Fisher Institute for Health and Well Being at Ball State University in Indiana. In this episode we discuss the vital role that physical fitness plays in living a healthy life, the difference between physical activity and exercise, how much physical activity and/or exercise you should get each week, and why physical fitness is an important concept/point that should be addressed when individuals are being assessed by their healthcare providers. Please enjoy and also send us your questions, comments or concerns so that we could have a robust dialogue. Check out the links below for more information. Be safe, be active, and enjoy!
 
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Cardiorespiratory Fitness: An Independent and Additive Mark...
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)60486-2/fulltext
European Journal Prevention and Rehabilitation: Cardiorespiratory fitness relates more strongly to Cardiac disease risk factors in family in healthy children and adolescents: the European Youth heart study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17667650/
 
Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials: The (Many) Benefits of a Cardio Workout
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/head-toe-benefits-cardio-workout-infographic/
 
The Mayo Clinic Diet: Cardio 101: Benefits and Tips
https://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/move/cardio-101
 
 
 
 
     

COVID-19 Vaccine Update with Dr. Italo Brown

It's official, on December 11, 2020 BNT162b2, aka the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 received Emergency Use Authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration. As the first vaccine against the coronavirus approved for use in the United States, its acceptance amongst the general public will be critical in curbing spread of the virus and ending the pandemic as we know it. Is it effective? Is it safe? Is it something you should consider for yourself and your family. We discuss all of this in this episode and this will be the first in a series of episodes designed to give you the information you need to make the most informed decisions when it comes to this intervention. Check out the links below for more information:
The New England Journal of Medicine: Safety and Efficacy of an RNA-based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine 
https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577?articleTools=true
 
The New York Times: FDA Advisory Panel Gives Green Light to Pfizer Vaccine
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/health/covid-vaccine-pfizer-fda.html
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vaccine Basics
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html
 
The Undefeated: Half of Black adults say they won't take a coronavirus vaccine
https://theundefeated.com/features/half-of-black-adults-say-they-wont-take-a-coronavirus-vaccine/
 

Fire Safety During the Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year! And it's also the time where fire emergencies and burn injuries increase. In this episode of Health In Harlem, we invited one of New York's Bravest, Lieutenant John Leary of Ladder 15 of the FDNY to discuss the things you can do to safeguard your home and family when it comes to fire awareness and prevention this Holiday season. As always, we wish you the best in health and happiness and the only thing we ask is that you not be selfish with the information you learn on this program. Be safe and enjoy! 
 
Check out the following links for more holiday safety tips:
FDNY Winter and Holiday Fire Safety 
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/safety/fire_safety_education/2014/winter_fire_safety_english.pdf
FDNY Twitter
https://twitter.com/FDNY/status/1336728524535771136
FDNY Fire Safety Education: Residential Apartment Building Fire Safety
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/safety/fire_safety_education/2010_02/07_residential_apartment_fire_safety_english.pdf
Gothamist: Fatal Manhattan High-Rise Fire Caused by Overloaded Power Strip- By Jen Chung
https://gothamist.com/news/fatal-manhattan-high-rise-fire-caused-by-overloaded-power-strip
The New York Times: Trapped by a Fire on the 20th Floor- By Winnie Hu
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/nyregion/trapped-by-a-fire-inside-apartment-20d.html
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gratefulness and Good Health (Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!)

The link between gratefulness and good health is real and intriguing. Over the last two decades, there have been countless studies demonstrating the power that being grateful can have in our lives, from boosting our spirits and decreasing rates of depression and anxiety, improving sleep duration and quality, to physical benefits and overall increases in well-being and quality of life. Being grateful is clearly a crucial part of a healthy and active lifestyle. In this episode we discuss the importance of gratitude and its roles in improving our health. Finally we lay out specific tips and strategies that you can employ each day to ensure that you acknowledge and rejoice in the things we are grateful for in our lives, even when the times are rough and challenges abound. From the Health In Harlem family, we are grateful for you our listening audience and the opportunity and privilege of sharing with you what we have learned in living the happiest and healthiest lives possible.  Happy Thanksgiving and peace and blessings to you all out there!
 
Check out these links to learn more tips and strategies in practicing gratitude in your life: 
 
Greater Good Science Center at University of California at Berkeley https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ten_ways_to_become_more_grateful1
 
Forbes Magazine: 8 Ways to Have More Gratitude Everyday https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2016/07/08/8-ways-to-have-more-gratitude-every-day/?sh=45aa126c1d54
Huffington Post: 10 Things Grateful People Do Differently
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/habits-of-grateful-people_n_565352a6e4b0d4093a588538
Gratefulness.Org: How to Practice Gratefulness https://gratefulness.org/resource/how-to-practice-gratitude/
 
 
 
 
 

Battle of the Nerds: The Great Barrington Declaration vs. The John Snow Memorandum

This week it's battle of the nerds! No, this has nothing to do with the 1980s classic, nor Comic Con, and certainly nothing to do with dissecting the themes and allegorical significance of Game of Thrones. This is a battle about life and death (and essentially everything in between. In this episode, we discuss the public statements put forth by two groups of scientists and public health professionals that advocate two completely different ways of handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Great Barrington Declaration advocates reaching herd immunity by taking away restrictions and letting young and less vulnerable people lives their lives (and freely spread SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19) while using "focused protection" for those at higher risk for serious illness with COVID. The authors of the John Snow Memorandum advocate continuing to observe social distancing guidelines, policies that restrict large gatherings and other events/practices that could increase the spread of COVID-19. By the end of this program, you will see that only one approach must prevail. 
 
The Great Barrington Declaration
https://gbdeclaration.org/
The John Snow Memorandum
https://www.johnsnowmemo.com/
 

Bobbing forApples Anyone? (Halloween Safety in the COVID Era)

Halloween is here and this year's presents new challenges for parents and trick-or-treaters everywhere as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on. The CDC and other public health agencies have evolved in their messaging to the general public, from finger-wagging commands about abstaining from everything to encouraging safe practices of any activity that would lead to significant reduction in acquiring or spreading COVID-19 this Halloween. In this episode we focus on tip and strategies that will help make this Halloween as safe as possible, whether it is out trick-or treating, attending and hosting costume parties, or spending time with close family and friends at home. Oh, by the way, bobbing for apples is definitely not recommended!
 
Trick Or Treating and Other Halloween Activities https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/halloween.html
Seven Ways to be Safe and Healthy This Halloween
https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/halloweenhealth/index.html
Halloween In A Pandemic- NPR
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/09/22/915689646/cdcs-halloween-guidelines-warn-against-typical-trick-or-treating-boo
 
 
 
 
 
  

Healthcare and the 2020 Election

With less than three weeks before the 2020 United States General Election, understanding the candidates for federal, state, and local elections is more important than ever! This is especially true when it comes to this year's Presidential Election. The incumbent, President Donald Trump and his opponent former Vice-President Joe Biden have diverging views regaridng the current status and future of healthcare. In this episode, we strip away the political discourse and focus on the FACTS informing each candidates' plans for healthcare. Please check out the articles and links below for more information and to ensure that you have the right information to make your decision for you and your family at the ballot box this November.
 
Galvani AP, Parpia AS, Foster EM, Singer BH, Fitzpatrick MC. Improving the prognosis of health care in the USA. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):524-533. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)33019-3. PMID: 32061298.
Manchikanti L, Helm Ii S, Benyamin RM, Hirsch JA. A Critical Analysis of Obamacare: Affordable Care or Insurance for Many and Coverage for Few? Pain Physician. 2017 Mar;20(3):111-138. PMID: 28339427.
Comparing Trump and Biden's health care plans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMtDAk_H0LQ&ab_channel=YahooFinance
Kaiser FamilyFoundation- High Risk Pools for Uninsurable Individualshttps://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/high-risk-pools-for-uninsurable-individuals/
The Atlantic- Why Trump Has No Real Health Plan-https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/why-trump-has-no-real-health-care-plan/616523/
Health Affairs- The Non-Group Health Insurance Market: Short on Facts, Long on Opinions, and policy Disputes https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.w2.325
Healthcare Finance News- Pricing Disparities an Issue as Trump’s executive order on healthcare price transparency takes hold https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pricing-disparities-issue-trumps-executive-order-healthcare-price-transparency-takes-hold
Healthcare Dive- Election 2020: Trump and Biden’s Starkly Diverging Views on Healthcare https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/presidential-election-2020-trump-biden-different-healthcare-policies-ACA-coronavirus/585184/

Getting Fit with Thomas Johnson Jr.

On Health In Harlem, we know that physical activity and fitness can be amazingly beneficial to our health and wellness. However, we also recognize the many barriers and challenges that we all must face when trying to live  and prioritize an active, healthy lifestyle. We invited Thomas Johnson Jr. (TJ), National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and Founder, CEO, and Coach at GetUpNGetFit to share with us the keys to transforming your mind in order to transform your body and positively impact your health! From Mr. Johnson, we learn how to "choose your why" and how to establish good habits that will put you on the road to an active, healthy and productive lifestyle. Also, check out the links below to learn more about Thomas Johnson and GetUpNGetFit and to learn some additional tips and tricks on making exercise one of the best habits in your life. Enjoy!
 
GetUpNGetFit
https://www.getupngetfit.com/
WebMD- No Gym Required: How to Get Fit At https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/no-gym-required-how-to-get-fit-at-home#1
NPR- How to Make Exercise a Habit that Sticks
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/12/676142159/build-an-exercise-habit-that-sticks
Harvard Health Publishing- Why We Should Exercise and Why We Don't
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-we-should-exercise-and-why-we-dont