July 30, 2014

Women’s Role in Men Health

Not to generalize all men but I know that the guys around my house used to absolutely despise going to the doctor because they felt like it was a waste of time. They believed that ALL could be healed with anything in the medicine cabinet and band-aids. This was my Dad before he suffered from a heart attack. These days I feel like our family dynamic is a little different. My Dad definitely doesn’t mind going to the doctor now and instead suggests healthy options at the dinner table.

My Mother and I are the only two females in my household and although my Dad has taken a different role in the health of our family, at the end of the day, the women keep things realistic and rational. There are many food options that my Dad brings to the table, but we (the women) figure out how to make these things work for our family or how to politely tell him “No, we’ll pass on that one”. From incorporating more fish, chicken and turkey into our diets and working out pork and beef to even starting our own family garden, our family has been made a complete lifestyle change. What’s an idea without someone to put it into action? Right, just an idea.

I believe that women play a huge role in men’s health. Typically because women are more aware of the signs of pending health issues thus sending up a red flag and ensuring that the men (in our families) see a doctor. So let's just face it, we are the backbone!

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July 22, 2014

Twitter Chat: Snapchat & Technology Obsession

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July 22, 2014

Black America’s Silent Epidemic – Outtake of @OWNTV @Lisaling – Our America

We watched the June 26, 2014 Our America series on OWN.  In this series, journalist Lisa Ling covered the HIV epidemic in Black America. Our team watched intently and followed the Twitter hashtag during the show.  What would be different about this coverage?  How would the Black community be portrayed? Would this be, yet, another depiction of all things wrong in and with the community?  How would it reach young people, the millennials?

Here are comments below from the research scholars (millennials) on the MyHealthImpact team and their thoughts on the series. Comments have been shorten for this blog post.

Follow us @myhealthimpact on Twitter.  See myhealthimpactnetwork.org for additional content and health information.

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July 20, 2014

Snapchat and Technology Obsession Amoung Youth

When thinking about the word “technology”, I’m pretty sure the younger generation comes to mind. Nowadays, there is an “app”, short for the term application, for everything. In a world filled with iPhones, Androids, and all other types of smartphones, you can almost do anything you want on your mobile device. For some youth, this use of technology has become an obsession. When I begin to conceptualize that one piece of technology has the ability to preoccupy and intrude one’s mind for such a long period of time, it frightens me. I will admit- there are some pros and cons to technology usage in today’s society.

Youth are using technology more to complete homework assignments. A research paper or a group project may require some extensive outside research and the Internet is usually the “go-to” spot. Online encyclopedias and dictionaries come in handy and often times yield quick results. On the other hand, technology can be used for the wrong purposes and can be viewed as a hindrance versus an advantage. Some students are busy moving their fingers to reply to a text message during class rather than being actively engaged in the classroom. Being mindful that an assignment is upcoming, technology gives youth more of a reason to procrastinate. They would rather focus on tweeting, updating their status on Facebook or sending videos to their friends. By the way, this new Snapchat application is something serious.

For those who may not know, Snapchat is an application that allows you to send short video clips and/or pictures to contacts in your phone. The interesting concept is that you only have a certain amount of time to view the “snap”. The viewer has no more than ten seconds to view the picture or video that has been sent to them. Actually, that time can be shortened at the discretion of the sender. Snapchat also includes a component called “My Story”. At any time, you have the ability to allow other viewers into your world by posting pictures or videos to your story. Keep in mind; this information is made visible to those who are your friends on Snapchat. Users have the ability to keep adding to their story at any time they want. This means their own personal story can potentially be up to two minutes long, all composed of one to ten seconds pictures or video clips. Within twenty-four hours, the entire story disappears.
From my understanding, users enjoy the spontaneity of Snapchat. It allows them to capture a particular moment in time and send it to whoever is on their friends list. After the allotted time of one to ten seconds, the viewer is no longer able to open up that particular “snap” again. This keeps for constant communication between the two parties involved. Okay I will admit it- yes I do have a Snapchat. Am I obsessed with it? No. But, I do believe that the youth in this upcoming generation ARE becoming obsessed with it. You can always tell when someone is adjusting their phone, trying to get that perfect shot using their front camera on their iPhone. More than likely, this is because they are on Snapchat.

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July 20, 2014

The Next Leg of the Journey

Working with MyHealthImpact made me realize that settling for just my bachelor’s degree and that mediocre was not acceptable and that not following my hearts desire was not ok.
By the end of my junior year of college, I knew that working in my field (business) as soon as I graduated undergrad was not what I wanted to do…directly anyway. This caused me to do a bit of soul searching. In soul searching, it led me back to the only thing I talked about doing as a kid, which was being an educator.

I did my research on what I needed to do, what programs to apply to and I went to work early on in my senior year. Initially while applying, getting out of North Carolina was my only goal. I applied to different school types and in different areas. Amazingly, I ended up right where I never thought I would be; 30 minutes away from home at East Carolina University. This made me realize, that everything happens for a reason and exactly how it’s supposed to regardless of the plans I thought I had for myself. I will be working towards my Masters in the Art of Teaching starting in June and if everything goes according to plan, I’ll be someone’s fifth or sixth grade teacher starting August 2015.

At first I wasn’t sure how to feel about going to a school so close to home but it began to grow on me. Once I met with some of the faculty and staff in my program, it slightly began to feel like home…exactly where I should be and exactly what I sh ould be doing. I’m completely excited about the next leg of life’s journey!!       
          

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July 17, 2014

When Gaming Is Too Real

There’s been a recent spike in in virtual gaming; virtual reality (VR) gaming that is. One of company at the forefront for VR gaming is a company named Oculus VR. Oculus VR’s leading product is the Oculus rift, which has the potential of bringing the world of virtual reality gaming to our very own living room. Oculus rift has received so much positive feedback other company’s such as Avegant gyph, Infinite Eye, and even Sony are already refining their R&D departments for this exploding market. Though a very cool concept what is it actually doing to your brain? Will our brain even be able to decipher between real and virtual?

To understand this, we must understand how virtual reality units like Oculus rift succeed. The rift comes with a headset that fills the user’s range of vision. This essentially means using your peripheral sight as well as determining depth and translating that to natural responses. These natural responses can then create data used to interact with the video game. To create a sense of real time motion a gyroscope and accelerometer are built into the headset collecting data. The user also wears a set of headphones which allows the user to hear everything that happens in gameplay.

The real “magic” of the rift is how it creates a sense of presence in our minds. This sensation is made by our brains prior experience of what of something is and sensory detail of what something’s supposed to do. Omni is another application of virtual gaming, but this takes a more physical approach. Omni essentially allows a player to run, walk, and jump while in their virtual reality experience. The device itself is stationary, but a harness and slick low friction grooved surface allows the player to almost move seamlessly through a virtual reality gaming environment.

So what’s the problem? Well, nothing at this point.  Some are even looking into how devices such as oculus rift have the potential to treat mental disorders like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). VR bring a whole new world of treating mental health disorders or even improve someone’s mental abilities.

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July 10, 2014

Road to Medical School

With less than one week until I take my MCAT, I’m starting to understand the importance of staying mentally sane and stress-free. My whole summer has been leading up to this point. Though my road to Medical School is far from over, performing well on this exam will make the process a little bit smoother. For the last week, I have made sure to take time out for myself. Though I have maintained the same study habits and schedule, I have made it an addition priority to take time to relax and not overwhelm myself with everything the MCAT entails.

Sometimes knowing all the information does not automatically mean you will do well. It means you are prepared with understanding the majority of the topics. As I reflect and count down the days, I continue to tell myself over and over again, that all things are possible through Christ. I continue to build confidence in myself and in my ability. If I continue to have a positive attitude, then I shall receive positive results. At the end of the day, there are going to be some concepts I may not fully understand or certain areas I may need to excel better in; either way, I have to remain confident and not allow those struggles to hinder my success.

Nevertheless, I can honestly say that I have taken all the necessary steps to prepare for the MCAT. I’ve purchased review books, taken several practice tests, hired a tutor, improved my time management and study skills, and most importantly, asked for help when I needed it. At the end of the day, on July 12th, 2014, I am going to walk into my exam with confidence.  For anybody preparing for the MCAT and applying to Medical School, know that the journey is not easy. If it was easy, anybody could do it. Just remember that you have to stick to a schedule and a plan that works best for you. Seek help and advice when necessary, but DO NOT compare yourself to others. When you do that, you become more worried about others and how you compare to them, and not what you need to do to improve yourself. Remember that your happiness comes first. If you find yourself struggling or becoming overwhelmed, take a step back, refocus, and find what work best for you. Medical School and the MCAT are not going anywhere. Take all the time you need to prepare and build the confidence you well need to do well and be successful on your road to medical school.

In closing, I leave you with this: 2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

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June 25, 2014

Here We Are Again

Here we are again.  June 27 is National HIV Testing Day.  Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV.  The data are even more pointed – as Blacks/African Americans account for 44% of the population living with HIV.

Michel Martin of National Public Radio (@TellMeMoreNPR) discussed HIV and the Black church during a December 2013 segment. Listening to the segment with the @myhealthimpact research scholars who were, then, undergraduate college students raised many reactions.  These reactions are shown below:

The diagram speaks to the following reactions; some of which were of surprise to the young adults:

• Wow. Half of million!
• My church has never talked about HIV/creates stigma
• Great that this TX pastor (in the NPR segment) is offering HIV testing
• OMG! The ratio of black mean affected with HIV is almost the same of black men in the jail (1/16 and 1/15)
• What IS this stigma surrounding HIV…statistics do not lie because the facts are there!
• Why is the congregation ahead of their leadership—bold statement!

After recently watching the HBO special, The Normal Heart, I asked the team what did they learn?  While the special was described as graphic and provided a “visual”, one of scholars offered a few parting words:

“What I learned about HIV awareness has come from this project.  We were born in the mid-90s, so the visuals and impact of the virus is not with us.  We were not born when Magic made his announcement.  The connection is somewhat difficult and missing for us”. 

Powerful and even more reason to “Know Your Status”.  June 27 is National HIV Testing Day.  See the myhealthimpactnetwork.org link to HIV testing centers in your area.

Follow us @myhealthimpact on Twitter and on Tumblr.

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June 24, 2014

National HIV Testing Day

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June 19, 2014

Songs for the Summer

I had a hard time finding new songs that describe my feel for the summer but I’ve also found deep comfort in some of the “oldies but goodies” in my ITunes library.

Everything is Everything – Lauryn Hill

• “Everything is everything. What is meant to be, will. After winter, must come spring. Change, it comes eventually”. For me this talks about the inevitable change from one part of life’s journey to the next.

Blessed – Jill Scott

• “I woke up in the morning feeling fresh to death. I’m so blessed, yes yes. I went to sleep stressed, woke up refreshed. I’m so blessed, yes yes”. This song is nothing but a reminder for me.

Just Fine – Mary J. Blige

• “Got my head on straight, I got my mind right. I aint gonna let you kill it. You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just fine”. I love this upbeat Mary J. song. It just puts a smile on my face that matches the brightness of the summer time sun.

These songs describe how I feel about everything that’s going on around me right now. The feel is just soulful and peaceful. Everything is everything. I’m so blessed and believe me when I say that I’m just fine!!

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