In the month of June, we celebrate the men in our lives on Father’s Day. The month of June is also dedicated to highlighting health issues that men face, as well as promoting early detection and treatment of disease among men. Men’s health issues don’t affect only men.  They have a significant impact on everyone around them. Woman’s involvement with the health of the men in their lives is critical.  Because women typically pay better attention to their health than men, they can help men to adopt healthier habits.
 
This month is all about encouraging the men in your life to focus on their health by eating right, exercising, and taking steps to prevent disease.
  
The following can help you lead a healthier life:
 

1. Heart Disease is the No. 1 killer of men. Healthier food choices build a healthier heart — make fruits and vegetables half of your plate. 
2. Getting just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help you live longer and healthier. 

3. Getting regular check-ups can catch small problems before they become big problems. 

4. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease and stroke – try going tobacco free. 

5. These are some trying times, and life can get tough. When struggling with mental illness, be vigilant to continue to seek out God’s truth. Just as we seek help when we are physically ill, we should also seek help when we are struggling with our thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.

 

 
There are several health observances for the month of April, but this month we will focus on National Minority Health Month and National Stress Awareness Month.  As we know simply being black in America can sometimes be extremely stressful. So, the office of Minority Health sponsors Minority Health Month to highlight efforts to improve the health of racial/ethnic minority populations nationwide. When you look at any illness or disease that affects our community, there are four lifestyle changes that most health care providers consistently suggest:
 

1. Evaluate our diet. Less fat, less salt, less processed foods, more fruits and vegetables, and water as our primary source of hydration are what we strive for.
2. Increase our physical activity level. Just 30 minutes of exercise per day will increase your metabolism and is good for your heart health.
3. Maintain a healthy weight or losing weight. Eat smaller portions and try not to eat after 7pm. Drink more water and cut our sugary drinks.
4. Manage stress. There is a direct correlation between the brain and the stomach. Our gut contains much of our immune system and is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, and stress can trigger symptoms in the gut. Un-checked stress can cause inflammation in our gut, which can contribute to heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.

 
Stress management is vital to our overall health, so it is important to learn and practice successful ways to cope with stress. Life often presents us with stressful situations, and it is easy to allow ourselves to fall into fear, worry and anxiety, but thanks be to God! He is our source of peace, hope, strength, courage, and joy amidst all trials and tribulation. Pray, and trust in Him to supply all our needs and calm our anxious hearts with his Spirit of peace, joy, hope and love!
 

 
The kidneys are the body’s chemical factory. They filter waste from our body, balance minerals, help control red blood cell production and help keep our blood pressure in control. Over time, the kidneys can become damaged with little or no physical symptoms to warn you that your kidneys are in trouble. High blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure and being over 60 are major risk factors for developing kidney disease. Early detection and treatment can slow or prevent the progression of kidney disease.
 
The following five steps are simple ways to protect your kidneys.

1. Get Tested! Ask your doctor for an (ACR)albumin-to-creatinine urine test or a GFR blood test annually if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, are over age 60, or have a family history of kidney failure.
2. Reduce the use of NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). Over the counter pain medicines can harm the kidneys, especially if you already have kidney disease.
3. Cut the Processed Foods. Processed foods can be significant sources of sodium, nitrates, and phosphates. Try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, foods low in fat, and low in salt.
4. Control Blood Pressure and Diabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes are the leading causes of kidney disease and kidney failure. Take your medication as directed - every day. Managing high blood pressure and strict control of blood sugar levels can slow the progression of kidney disease.
5. Drink plenty of water. Not only is hydration good for your kidneys, but also for your heart health. Hydration also helps your kidneys remove waste from your body.

 
People living with kidney disease at any stage and kidney transplant recipients may not have as much protection against COVID-19, even if they are fully vaccinated. The National Kidney Foundation recommends following the same CDC guidelines for people who are not fully vaccinated, including wearing a mask in public indoor spaces.
 
   
 

 
President Biden has proclaimed February as American Heart Month. In keeping with our Black History Theme “Black Health and Wellness,” we are going to start from the beginning to gain insight into our past and give ways to improve our heart and overall health for our future wellness.
African Americans experience higher rates of illnesses and deaths across a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, when compared to their White counterparts. Our ancestors in Africa consumed a diet rich in beans, tubers, grains, roots vegetables and greens. When they consumed meat, it consisted of small amounts of wild game which was lean with very little fat content. Having access, knowledge, and the freedom to grow wholesome foods allowed them to live a healthy lifestyle. When the Africans were brought to America, they were fed a diet of cornmeal, lard, molasses, and flour. . Meat was mostly the left-over remnants that the slave owner did not want, like fat, organs, and the head and feet of chickens, pigs, and cows. These diets high in fat, sugar and starch were not nutritionally healthy, but provided the fuel needed to work from sun-up to sun-down. Over the ensuing 400 years, our diet was given the name “Soul Food” and continues to be rich in fat, sugar, and starches.  The health of slaves also suffered from poor health care. When slaves became ill, they were treated by a veterinarian or by a slave woman who had knowledge of roots and natural remedies from Africa. During the Jim Crow era, segregation and racism within the medical profession have, and continue to impact the African American community. We have come a long way, but still have a long way to go to bridge the gap in healthcare disparities.  Let us all strive to make better choices in our personal health.
4 Ways to Take Control of Your Heart Health

• Do everything you can stop smoking. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
• Manage health conditions. Work with your health care team to manage conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
• Make heart-healthy diet changes. Eat foods low in fat, low in added sugar, and low in salt. Try to eat more fresh vegetables and fruit.
• Stay active. You can break up exercise into 10-minute blocks for a total of 30 minutes per day.

 
 

Happy New Year Mt. Zion!  We are approaching the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but isn’t God good?  He made a way by giving medical experts the knowledge to create a vaccine which helps us to remain healthy and stay safe.  We also have access to information from the CDC to keep informed about how to remain healthy and stop the spread. According to the CDC vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow the transmission, and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status. This year let us stay in prayer, follow the CDC guidelines, and spread the word to our family, friends, and community about how to stay safe and healthy.  Let us also start the New Year by making healthy choices in our diet, activity level, and prayer life.  Studies show that it takes 21 days to create a habit, and 90 days to create a lifestyle change.  Remember 2022 is a new year for increased faith and abundant blessings!
 
   
Reference:  www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/self-testing.html
 

 
Due to the ongoing pandemic, many people have been working from home. Because of the sedentary lifestyle and resultant weight gain, newly diagnosed prediabetes are of concern. When it comes to prediabetes, there are no clear symptoms—so you may have it and not know it. Here’s why that’s important: Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have prediabetes—blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. You may have some of the symptoms of diabetes or may even have some of the complications. Therefore, it is important to have a yearly physical with bloodwork, or seek medical care of you develop symptoms. If caught early we can keep prediabetes from becoming type 2 diabetes (non-Insulin required). Type 1 (lifetime Insulin required).
 
The following symptoms of diabetes are typical. However, some people with diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed.

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty; Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet

 
For some people with prediabetes, prompt treatment, as well as moderate lifestyle changes like increasing daily physical activity and eating healthier can return blood sugar levels to a normal range, effectively preventing or delaying the development of type 2 diabetes. Keep in mind that, according to the CDC, having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19, so getting a COVID-19 vaccination and booster are recommended.
 
Resource: https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes
 

 
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
 
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms.  Make sure that you get a mammogram when recommended by your health care provider.
 
There are different symptoms of breast cancer, and some people have no symptoms at all. If you have any signs that worry you, see your health care provider right away.  Symptoms can include—

• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Pain in any area of the breast.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk (including blood).
• A new lump in the breast or underarm.

 
This is flu season, and the CDC is recommending COVID-19 and flu vaccines for people with weakened immune systems.  This is especially important for people undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as cancer survivors.
 

• Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time.
• Some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar and include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, vomiting, diarrhea – and with COVID-19, loss of taste and smell. Testing is needed to tell which illness it is.  As soon as you begin to feel any symptoms, get tested right away – remember COVID-19 can be deadly, especially the Delta variant so don’t try “work on yourself” at home.  Testing and vaccines for COVID-19 are free of charge and are available throughout the Metro Atlanta area. 

 
Reference:  https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/flu/index.htm
 

 
We live in a medical age unprecedented in history.  Through God’s Grace, we have eliminated many of the scourges and plagues that haunted the world. Now with the COVID 19 pandemic and it’s variants, we know what we should and must do to protect ourselves and those around us.  God gave us all free will to make decisions, and we offer this prayer to strengthen us and help us make the right decisions:
 
Heavenly Father, we thank you.  You are the Comforter and Healer of all sickness and afflictions.  We depend on you to give us insight and wisdom for greater cures,therapies, and techniques to conquer disease.  Bless all health practitioners, the methods they use, and the medicines they prescribe. Father, give us the faith and trust to cooperate with the revealed truth which you have given them to help us attain wholeness of body, and mind.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
 
What We Know
The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious Delta variant spreads.  More than 643,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.  Just 61.5% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
Vaccines are widely accessible in the United States and are available for everyone at no cost. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible.
You will find options listed for getting the vaccination via drive-through, with no appointment required, on Mt. Zion’s website under "information." 

Reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html
 
 

   
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.  Because there is a large population of people who continue to opt out of getting the vaccinations for COVID-19 and the Delta variant, this observance and education is vital. 
 
There are any number of reasons for people to resist getting their children vaccinated for childhood diseases such as polio, whooping cough and smallpox, but history proves that these diseases were eradicated due to vaccinations.  As your children head back to school this fall, it’s particularly important for you to work with your child’s doctor or nurse to make sure they get caught up on missed well-child visits and recommended vaccines.
 
Remember to take care of yourself too! Make sure to receive any vaccines you need to stay healthy. Use CDC’s adult vaccine assessment tool to see which vaccines might be right for you.
 
August is also a critical time for those who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With the Delta variant, this is more urgent than ever. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccination, check out the following websites:

• cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/your-vaccination.html
• cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/adolescents.html

 
We urge anyone who is still reluctant to get vaccinated to research, educate yourself and pray about getting the vaccination.  2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of sound mind.
 
Resource:
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) | CDC