When it comes to your health, bigger isn’t always better. In the Black community, we love our hips, curves, and extra junk in the trunk. It’s naturally on us and beautifully a part of our genetic makeup. However, when is it too much? What is the cutoff point of excess weight?

In the eyes of mainstream society, people who carry these extra curves and genes are in fact considered “obese.” As confusing and as hard for Black communities to understand, the bodies we’ve known to have all our lives, are simply not healthy for us.

Doctors have long known that obesity raises the risk for heart disease later in life, but new research reveals it can damage even young hearts.

British scientists found that young adults who had a higher body mass index (BMI) – an estimate of body fat based on height and weight – had higher blood pressure and thickened heart muscle.

“Our results simply suggest that any reduction of body mass index to a normal, healthy level from a young age is likely to prevent the development of adverse cardiovascular health in later life,” said study author Kaitlin Wade, a research associate at the University of Bristol Medical School.

“If the obesity epidemic increases, or indeed maintains its current trajectory, it is likely that the future risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke and coronary heart disease will increase,” she added.

For the study, Wade and her colleagues used a new genetic analysis to determine if an unhealthy BMI causes spikes in blood pressure or structural changes in the heart. Their analysis included several thousand healthy 17- and 21-year-olds who are participating in an ongoing study.

The researchers found that higher BMI caused higher blood pressure or more force against the artery walls during and between heartbeats. Being overweight also caused the left ventricle, which is the heart’s main pumping chamber, to become enlarged.

Excess weight can make the heart work harder, increasing the amount of blood it has to pump and the pressure it needs to pump against, the researchers explained.

These changes can trigger an increase in heart muscle mass, explained by Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson- UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles.

Usually, the thickening of blood vessel walls is the first sign of atherosclerosis, a disease commonly known as “hardening of the arteries” that causes fatty plaques to build up within the arteries and block blood flow.

But the new study shows that young people who are overweight may develop even earlier warning signs of heart trouble.

“Our findings suggest that higher BMIs cause changes in the heart structure of the young that may precede changes in blood vessels,” Wade explained.

Obese young people are at higher risk for heart failure and diabetes, and they’re also more likely to have a heart attack or stroke at an earlier age, said Fonarow, who is also co-director of UCLA’s Preventative Cardiology Program.

“If current trends in obesity continue without effective interventions, prior gains in reducing cardiovascular events and extending life may be lost,” he said.

But losing weight can help protect the heart — even later in life. Shedding extra pounds could slow or even reverse these worrisome heart-related changes among young people, Wade said.

Fonarow added that regular physical activity, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and not smoking can also help improve heart health.

By The Milwaukee Times Weekly

The All of Us Research Program is a large research program that may last for at least 10 years. It is collecting information for the largest ever data bank of information. The goal is to help researchers understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy. People who join will share with us information about their health, habits, and what it’s like where they live. By looking for patterns, researchers may learn more about what affects people’s health. We hope you will get involved.

The All of Us Wisconsin consortium is asking you to get involved as the information you share will be contributing to research that may improve health for everyone and for generations to come. All of Us will ask you to share basic information like your name and where you live; questions about your health, family history, home, and work. If you have an electronic health record (EHR), All of Us may ask for access. You may also be asked to give samples, like blood or urine.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has created a national educational tour with a bus load of information. The All of Us Journey Bus will tour in Milwaukee. We invite families from across the Milwaukee community to visit the All of Us Journey Bus while it’s here in Milwaukee at one of the following locations:

Wednesday, August 7, 2019
94th Annual Session – Community Resource Fair General Baptist State Convention of Wisconsin Way of the Cross Missionary Baptist Church
1401 West Hadley (corner of Center Street and Teutonia Avenue)
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Thursday, August 8, 2019
United Community Center (UCC)
1028 South 9th Street
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Friday, August 9, 2019
Milwaukee Health Services
2555 North Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
1 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 10, 2019
UMOS
2701 South Chase Avenue
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sunday, August 11, 2019
St. Ann’s Intergenerational Care- Bucyrus Campus
2450 West North Avenue
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

If you are interested in learning more about the All of Us Research program, we invite you to a community lunch and learn on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. For details and reservations, please call (414) 264-6869 no later than Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

To learn more and to enroll:

Visit us at: JoinAllofUs.org
Email us at: [email protected]
Call: 414-955-2689

By The Milwaukee Times Weekly

The relationship between race and the outcome for a number of cancers among whites, Hispanics and blacks in the United States have certainly started to become more evident and clearer. A new study finds, poverty is a major reason why black and Hispanic children with some types of cancer have lower survival rates than white patients.

Researchers examined U.S. government data on nearly 32,000 black, Hispanic and white children who were diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2011. For several cancers, whites were much more likely to survive than blacks and Hispanics.

Rebecca Kehm and her University of Minnesota colleagues wondered whether those differences were due to socioeconomic status – that is, one’s position based on income, education and occupation.

Their conclusion: It had a significant effect on the link between race/ethnicity and survival for acute myeloid leukemia as well as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, neuroblastoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

For blacks compared to whites, socioeconomic status reduced the link between race/ethnicity and survival by 44 percent and 28 percent for the two leukemias; by 49 percent for neuroblastoma; and by 34 percent for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

For Hispanics compared to whites, the reductions were 31 percent and 73 percent for the two leukemias; 48 percent for neuroblastoma; and 28 percent for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Socioeconomic status was not a major factor in survival disparities for other types of childhood cancer, including central nervous system tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Wilms tumor and germ cell tumors, the researchers said.

“These findings provide insight for future intervention efforts aimed at closing the survival gap,” Kehm said in a journal news release.

“For cancers in which socioeconomic status is a key factor in explaining racial and ethnic survival disparities, behavioral and supportive interventions that address social and economic barriers to effective care are warranted,” she said.

“However, for cancers in which survival is less influenced by socioeconomic status, more research is needed on underlying differences in tumor biology and drug processing,” Kehm added.

For more information on acute myeloid leukemia, visit the Health Conditions page on BlackDoctor.org.

SOURCE: Cancer, news release, Aug. 20, 2018

On Saturday, May 25, 2019, Melva Henderson Ministries presented the “Woman in Worship Collage,” at the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd. Women in Worship was a two-day gathering for women to pray, worship and hear the word of God. As part of the event a Marketplace panel featuring some to the community’s most notable female business leaders who talked about how their faith has helped and guided them to both spiritual and business success.

The panel featured Maures Development Group, LLC founder and president Melissa Goins; author Megan Westra; Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Director of Public Affairs and Community Engagement Faithe Colas; Social Development Commission Marketing and Social Media Specialist Chantell Sain; TMJ4 News Anchor Shannon Sims, who served as event MC; and Melva Henderson Ministries founder and president Pastor Melva Henderson, who hosted the event.

This article originally appeared in Milwaukee Times Weekly

Midwest Bible College (MBC) celebrated another wonderful school year at its 16th graduation on Friday, June 7, 2019. Forty-five students received their Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Biblical Studies. Three of these students completed their studies online. Six additional students will receive their degrees at a special ceremony in Uganda, Africa at the end of June. With the addition of this year’s graduates, a total of 578 students have earned a degree or certificate from Midwest Bible College since 2003.

The curriculum taught at MBC is Bible based and developed by the college. Students find it to be a unique, challenging and an intense study of the Bible. Despite the hard work, graduates highly value their time as students. They describe their year at MBC as “encouraging”, “amazing”, “transformative” and “insightful”. Through their studies at MBC, each student not only gains a deeper understanding of the Bible, but is also equipped with the ability to apply it to their daily lives.

Midwest Bible College seeks to build the Kingdom of God by supporting local pastors and their ministries. Forty-two churches from across southeastern Wisconsin were represented in this year’s student body and many pastors joined in celebrating with their graduates. Professor Nicole Bowen, M.A., addressed the pastors in attendance and stated that “Midwest Bible College is here to help you achieve the vision and the goal that God has set before you in your ministry. Our vision is to train students to go back to their churches and to be more effective and to help and to assist you and support you and to be an armor bearer for the Kingdom of God.”

Dr. Dorothy Huston, founder and CEO of Technology Management Training Group, from Huntsville, AL, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Huston reminded the students that success is a “do-it-yourself ” project and challenged them to find a way to use what they have learned to change the world. She encouraged them not to be stopped by any roadblock they may face but to follow the path God has given them. Dr. Huston reminded her audience to do their best even when no one is looking and to depend on God. “Trusting in Him is a win-win partnership,” she stated.

Every born again believer is called by God to make a difference and to be a minister and representative of Jesus. MBC prepares students to engage in ministry whether full time as pastors and leaders in their communities, or part time as lay leaders in their church or individual representations of Jesus in their workplaces. MBC offers a flexible schedule of classes. Students have the choice to enroll in either weekly, morning or night classes. Those unable to attend weekly classes may enroll in online classes and work at their own pace.

Midwest Bible College invites you to take the next step in your understanding of the Bible. For more information, contact Midwest Bible College at 414-546- 1248 or visit www.midwestbiblecollege.org. Midwest Bible College is fully accredited through the Association of Independent Christian Colleges and Seminaries and offers Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Biblical Studies. Come and learn how you can make a difference in Milwaukee and the rest of the world.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Times Weekly.

On Monday, April 15, 2019, The Milwaukee Brewers celebrated the 71st anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier during their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. As part of the celebration, players donned jerseys sporting the number 42. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Brian Diggs, Milwaukee’s Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship winner.

Brian is a Milwaukee native and junior at UW-Whitewater majoring in finance. Brian is an active member on campus, serving as student leader in several organization such as the Warhawk Ambassadors.

Additionally, he continues to spend time volunteering at Running Rebels.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Times Weekly.