The Health In Harlem Podcast

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
 
 
 
    

Influenza Vaccination in the COVID Era: It's Flu (and COVID season) and time to roll up Your sleeve

Flu season is upon us once more, and unfortunately it's COVID season too!  According to the CDC, in any given year, only 45% of the United States population gets vaccinated against influenza. Ladies and gentlemen, I commend you all for following through with social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing great hand hygiene, but we should all strongly consider taking that additional step and getting a flu shot this Fall. With the combined threat of COVID-19 and Influenza, there is a chance for an increased number of serious illness amongst large numbers of people that could overwhelm our health system and resources. In this episode, we discuss the possible threats and give you the information you need to make an informed decision about this important public health intervention. 
Johns Hopkins Medicine Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vs. The Flu 
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu
Vaccine Information Statement
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/flu.html
Who Needs a Flu Vaccine
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm
 

Colon Cancer Awareness and Prevention

We must thank the wonderful talent that was Chadwick Boseman. While he shared many a gift with us on the big screen, perhaps his greatest gift to us was his experience in living with colon cancer. We must be forever grateful for Mr. Boseman and his family sharing the story of his struggle with colon cancer as it was clearly aimed at ensuring that his death was not in vain. While deaths from colon cancer have been in decline amongst all age groups, the rate of new colon cancer diagnoses in people younger than 50 years of age has been steadily increasing, along with an increase in deaths among these younger individuals. It is for this reason that awareness and prevention of this disease are key. In this episode, Maurice Selby, MD and Georgio Malouf sit down and pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman and discuss colorectal cancer, risk factors for the disease, and most importantly, how we can the reduce of risk of developing colorectal cancer through simple lifestyle modifications and appropriate screening. Please check out the links below for more information. 
 
Washington Post- Chadwick Boseman's Death is Making Young People. Think About Colon Cancer. Here's What to know:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/colon-cancer-chadwick-boseman-tips/2020/09/03/13d224f2-ed29-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html
American Cancer Society- Colorectal Cancer Facts and Figures: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures-2020-2022.pdf
New York Times- More Young People Are Dying of Colon Cancer:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/well/live/more-young-people-are-dying-of-colon-cancer.html
Mayo Clinic- Colonoscopy:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/colonoscopy/about/pac-20393569
 
 
 

How to Choose a Primary Care Physician/Provider

Primary care providers save lives! With that said, we all need a competent, compassionate and accessible health professional to provide primary care services. This is essential to healthy living as these professionals can provide everything from preventive health services, general health counseling, access and referrals to specialists, counseling and even assistance with many of the social factors that can affect our health and well-being. We had a discussion with Dr. Alexa Mieses-Malchuk, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a Family Medicine Physician on the importance of having a primary care provider and tips on how you can find the best provider for you and your family! Enjoy the program and please check out the resources below so that you can find your match! 
 
National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging: How to Choose a Doctor You Can Talk To- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-choose-doctor-you-can-talk
American Medical Association DoctorFinder: https://doctorfinder.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/disclaimer.jsp
American Board of Medical Specialties' Certification Matters Database: https://www.certificationmatters.org/
National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus Physician Directories List: https://medlineplus.gov/directories.html
Medicare.gov Physician Compare Tool: https://www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare/