Health + Wellness

In September 2013, a Wilder Foundation conversation,” Community Matters,” was held at the Wilder Center in St. Paul, starting with a bevy of statistics compiled by Wilder Research on the state of poverty in St. Paul, where 67,000 people live in poverty; of that, 25,000 are children. This computes to 24 percent of St. Paul’s […]

What are kidney stones? Kidney stones are small stone-like objects formed from the crystallization of dietary minerals found in the urine. Most kidney stones have calcium as a major component. One in 10 people will experience kidney stones in their lifetime. Four out of five people with kidney stones are men. Without preventive measures, 50 […]

Africans are living with a memory that is laced with a brutally profound pain emerging from the time of our ancestors’ enslavement. Black people have been traumatized deeply as a people. The first traumatic experience is from being torn from our mother/homeland. The second traumatic experience is from a twisting of our nature through the […]

By Charles Hallman Staff Writer A locally based restaurant chain recently raised money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help support its youth sports and other related programs. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Buffalo Wild Wings donated 100 percent of the money raised from “paper pinups” purchases by patrons for its Team Up for […]

By Frederick H. Lowe Contributing Writer Approximately 4.7 million African American households will see their monthly food stamp allotment dramatically reduced beginning this month. Bread for the World, a non-partisan, Christian citizens’ movement in the United States to end hunger, determined the number of Black households that would  be affected by cuts in food stamps […]

What is gout? Gout is an extremely painful, inflammatory condition that commonly affects the joints of the large toe, but can affect any joint. About two percent of all Americans experience gout; however, approximately twice as many African Americans (three to four percent) suffer from gout. Chronic gout can cause joint deformity and joint destruction. […]

You don’t have to have celiac disease to benefit from avoiding gluten   By Ginny Grimsley Contributing Writer  If there’s one downside to fabulous, food-filled holiday celebrations, it’s the gurgles and groans of post-feasting indigestion. “We assume it’s because we overate, but for a lot of people, that pain and sick feeling may not be […]

What is a concussion? A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury. Why should I care about concussions? Concussions are becoming more and more common in contact physical athletics involving all ages, children to adult professionals. A recent government report estimates that over four million sports-related concussions […]

A year has passed since I began my weight-loss journey. I’ve made tremendous progress, but at times it didn’t feel that way.  In fact, halfway through the year I became complacent with my workouts. I was discouraged. My energy levels seemed to be dropping and I wasn’t losing weight, but I had no idea why. […]

Yes, you have read the title correctly: Let’s talk about sex. No, not in the extremely fun and wild way. No, not in the extremely boring high-school sex-education way, either. I want to share some views on sex that really get you to think logically and critically. I would like to talk about sex in […]

What are red birthmarks? Red birthmarks are actually proliferations or growths of blood vessels carrying red blood. Sometimes these birthmarks are present at birth; sometimes they will develop shortly after birth. They are termed “vascular lesions” by doctors. Why should I care about red birthmarks? Approximately 25 percent of all people have vascular birthmarks. In […]

Help is available for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who will see two changes in their benefits amounts during October and November 2013. On Oct. 1, benefits increased slightly for some SNAP recipients to reflect the costs of living. On Nov. 1, most recipients will see their benefits decrease due to the end of […]

Recently, I participated in a discussion on how to develop leaders of color in today’s workplace environment. While times have certainly changed, there are some strategies and tips that have been time-tested, and each yields opportunities for professional success. In addition, when one finds fulfilling work, it is easier to withstand established obstacles that many […]

“On the plantation where I grew up in the forties were some tough people and mean people and hardworking people; they could load more cane, plow a better row, control their women — most of them would brag about having more than one woman.” — Ernest J. Gaines, African American author (b. 1933) “Hooking up” […]

Every minute of your doctor’s visit should count. Most typical medical visits, especially in primary care, last about 15 minutes. To optimize your visit with the doctor, you need your visit to be as efficient as possible. Here is a list of 10 steps to ensure your medical visit goes well and gives you the most benefits. […]

Memorial planned for final Rondo neighborhood building on November 2 Memorial services are being planned by Rondo Avenue, Inc. (RAI) for one of the last two remaining members of the original Rondo neighborhood family of buildings in St. Paul, which succumbed suddenly to the wrecking ball on Saturday, September 18. The building at 820-822 Rondo […]

Child lead poisoning remains a threat   While significant progress has been made in recent decades in decreasing children’s exposure to lead, several thousand Minnesota children last year still had elevated levels of lead in their blood. What’s more, recent research has led health experts to conclude there is no safe level of lead in […]

Many women have been asked the dreaded question from a stranger, “Can I touch your hair?” Or they may have taken a risk and reached out and touched your hair before asking or not asking at all. Would you say this is a sanitation issue, a violation of personal space, an insult, okay, or just […]

I am a volunteer member of the speakers’ bureau for the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. I and one other speaker were asked to present our stories at the University of Minnesota—Mankato campus to a classroom of students taking a class titled as above. On one aspect of this class, I asked them: “Why does a […]

Keloids are a very common type of scar that can be unsightly, painful and itchy. Anyone can develop keloids, but people of color develop them 15 times more frequently than others. Keloids may also run in families. They commonly occur on the ears but are also seen on the upper chest, back and arms. These […]