Organ Donation: Living & Saving Lives

Leave a comment May 2, 2022 Larrell Wilkinson

By Kimberly Baldwin | MAEd Student, UAB Community Health & Human Services

Photo by Puwadon Sang-ngern on Pexels.com

There are over 100,000 people waiting to receive a life-saving organ transplant. Another person is added to the national waiting list every 10 minutes. A single organ donor can save 8 lives, and impact over 75 through bone and tissue donation. Those waiting for a kidney transplant make up the vast majority of the national transplant waiting list, and experience the longest wait times due to the shortage of available organs for transplant.

Unlike those waiting for other organ transplants, kidney and liver transplant candidates can receive a life-saving organ one of two ways: from a deceased donor or from a living donor. Through living donation, a healthy person can donate a portion of their liver or one of their kidneys to someone in need, and continue to live a normal, healthy life.

About 600,000 people in the United States live with kidney failure, and require dialysis treatments to remove waste from the body. Hypertension and Diabetes disproportionately affect those living in the South, and contribute to a host of chronic disease processes including chronic kidney disease (and ultimately, kidney failure). Alabama has some of the longest kidney transplant wait times in the nation, where 18% of those listed will have to wait more than 5 years for a kidney transplant (OPTN 2022). Receiving a kidney directly from a healthy living donor can drastically reduce this wait time, as a living donor can be evaluated and cleared for donation in as little as 4 weeks (National Kidney Registry 2019). According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS 2022), kidneys from living donors function better and last longer. A kidney from a living donor will function for an average of 15-20 years, compared with a kidney from a deceased donor which will function an average of 10-15 years. Increased awareness about living kidney donation can positively impact the number of those willing to donate, thereby improving the lives of those in need of a kidney transplant.

A living kidney donor must be:

Over the age of 18
Mentally and physically healthy

Living donors go through a thorough evaluation to determine if they are healthy enough to donate their kidney. Once approved, the surgery is scheduled, and both donor and recipient are admitted to the hospital. The average hospital stay for living donors is only 2-3 days, and most donors return to regular physical activity within 4-6 weeks.

Donors are often willing to help, but are concerned about their own health, job security, and finances during recovery. In order to alleviate these concerns and to increase the pool of living donors, many private organizations, states, municipalities, and the federal government offer their employees paid leave benefits for living organ donation and bone marrow donation (American Transplant Foundation 2020). The cost for the transplant surgery is covered by the recipient’s insurance company; however, donation-related expenses extend beyond the surgery itself. The National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC 2021) can help donors cover travel expenses, lodging, lost wages, and dependent care expenses. Increased awareness about living kidney donation can help to bridge the gap between those waiting and those willing to give.

Frequently Asked Questions about living donation:

Will donating a kidney shorten my lifespan?

Donors tend to live a longer life because they are even more health-conscious post-donation, and hence have a better quality of life.

Should I follow a special diet following donation?

A kidney donor should eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, but there are no dietary restrictions following donation.

Will I still be able to exercise and participate in sports?

A kidney donor should be able to return to regular activities and exercise about 4-6 weeks after surgery.

After I donate a kidney, will I have to take medications for the rest of my life?

A kidney donor will be given prescriptions for pain medication and stool softeners at discharge from the hospital, which are only for use during the immediate post-operative period (1-2 weeks). After that time, a donor does not have to take medication. A kidney donor does not have to take anti-rejection medications (National Kidney Register, 2019).

References

National Living Donor Assistance Center. 2021. How NLDAC Helps. Retrieved from: https://www.livingdonorassistance.org/How-to-Apply/How-NLDAC-Helps

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). 2022. Living Donation. Retrieved from: https://unos.org/transplant/living-donation/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 2022. Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). Retrieved from: https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/state-data/

American Transplant Foundation. 2020. Living Donor Laws: State by State and Federal. Retrieved from: https://www.americantransplantfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Living_Donor_Laws_Federal_And_State_By_State.pdf

National Kidney Register. 2019. Get The Facts About Kidney Donation. Retrieved from: https://www.kidneyregistry.org/for-donors/i-want-to-learn-more-about-living-kidney-donation/kidney-donation-facts/ National Kidney Register. 2019. Am I Qualified to Donate a Kidney? Retrieved from: https://www.kidneyregistry.org/for-donors/am-i-qualified-to-donate-a-kidney/

Reducing Stroke Risk in the South

Leave a comment May 1, 2022 Larrell Wilkinson

By Tyler Cook | MAEd Student, UAB Community Health & Human Services

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Stroke is also preventable and treatable. Being intentional about your daily activities can minimize or increase your risk of having a stroke. Knowing your family’s health history and engaging in health promoting activities are some of the few approaches to minimize your chances of having a stroke. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “The brain controls our movements, stores, our memories, and is the source of our thoughts, emotions, and language. The brain also controls many functions of the body, like breathing and digestion (CDC, 2022). It is important to keep our brain and body healthy in order to reduce our risk for stroke.

A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks blood supply to a part of the brain or happens when a brain’s blood vessel bursts (CDC, 2022). The leading cause of strokes are high blood pressure, followed by high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and sickle cell disease. These conditions are commonly found in
individuals within the southern regions of the United States and is the main reason why stroke risk high in the South. According to the CDC (2022), “People with a family history of stroke are also likely to share common environments and other potential factors that increase their risk. The chances for stroke can increase even more when heredity combines with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and eating an unhealthy diet.” However, if those lifestyle
choices are poor choices, it can increase the chances of having a stroke. Those lifestyle choices including eating high in fat foods, lack of physical activity, alcoholism, and constant use of tobacco products.

Not only do unhealthy lifestyle choices contribute to stroke risk, but risk is also greater with older age, male sex, and certain racial/ethnic minority groups (i.e., African Americans, Latino Americans). Another major contributor to stroke risk is stress. Constant and increased stress can raise blood pressure and thusly increase risk for stroke. For these reasons, consider the following healthier lifestyle practices below and let’s lower our risk of stroke in the South.

Health Tips from the CDC:

Eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol.
Limit salt (sodium) intake
Keep a healthy weight in consultation with your doctor
Be physically active, getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as a brisk walk, each week.
Don’t smoke
Limit alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day for men, 1 per day for women.
Manage your medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease in consultation with your doctor.
Work with your health care team, including health coach, pastor/spiritual advisor, counselor, etc.
Let’s support our family, friends and neighbors in the adoption of the health tips above

College Students: Why does Sleep Matter?

Leave a comment April 6, 2022 Larrell Wilkinson

By Alliemarie Humphries | PhD Student, UAB Community Health & Human Services

Did you know college students are more susceptible to poor sleep hygiene and sleep quality? Over the last decade, studies have found that college students reported having poor sleep and poor sleep behaviors (Kloss et al., 2015; ACHA, 2020; Gipson et al, 2019). Getting a good night’s rest can improve your cognitive performance and capabilities, your mood, and overall health. The cited health risks include potentially developing a sleeping disorder, low sleep hygiene and practices can lead to a myriad of both long and short term adverse health outcomes. Health ailments include: high blood pressure, depression, and obesity have been linked to poor sleep quality and quantity. In extreme cases, individuals can be fatally injured while driving if they are experience poor sleep. An annual report by the Traffic National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that more than 697 accidents are as a result of falling asleep behind the wheel that resulted in fatal injuries (2020). This is an issue that places the individual driving and members of the community at risk.

It is recommended that adults receive 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night (CDC, 2017). To compare, young adults are recommended to receive 8 to 10 hours and infants are recommended to receive up to 16 hours of sleep nightly (CDC,2017). A growing need to review the lifestyles and behaviors in the college context is necessary, especially regarding how students perceive their own wellness as a means of sacrificing healthy behaviors to achieve academic goals. The past 20 year of scientific literature explains that college students experience higher rates of poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation (Hicks et al., 2001). So which is more important, quality or quantity of sleep. Neither, they are both important. As college students, there are already numerous factors that must be balanced to ensure success towards graduation. How could one possibly add another item to the already many demands of college life? Remember, college is a period in your life, but sleep is a part of your whole life and is thusly important to your quality of life.

Sleep hygiene is a combination of an individual’s sleep quality and sleep habits. The regular maintenance of routine and consistency are found at the rudimentary comprehension of sleep (NHLBI, 2009). To improve this area of your health, specifically your relationship and perceptions towards your sleep, it’s helpful to consider what your current sleep hygiene routine and behaviors look like. To do this using a sleep journal can help to navigate what your behaviors are throughout the day and their influence on your sleep schedule and ultimately the quality of sleep. Additionally, some tips are below in support of sleep wellness.

For a healthier sleep, avoid:
– Avoid exercising within a 3-hour window of when you plan to go to bed
– Avoid eating heavy meals before bed
– Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and over the counter stimulants
– Do not use screens or other digital items with blue light before bed
– Avoid stimulating activities before bed
– Avoid drinking caffeine 8 to 10 hours prior to going to sleep

For healthier sleep, try:
– Daily physical activity (more than 3 hours before your bedtime)
– Implement a sleep schedule; going to bed and waking up at the same time each day
– Embrace a cat nap; keep your naps between 15 and 20 minutes
– Keep your sleeping environment clean and calming space
– Only use your bed for sleep and sex; avoid doing homework from your bed
– If you like to read before bed, read in a different space than your bed

If you have trouble sleeping, try:
– If you are unable to fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and engage in a light activity until you feel sleep once again
– Breathing techniques, such as meditation or light yoga stretches
– Journaling

References
American College Health Association (ACHA). (2020, May). The Healthy Campus Framework. Healthy Campus. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.acha.org/healthycampus 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, March 2). How Much Sleep Do I Need? Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html

George, D., Dixon, S., Stansal, E., Gelb, S. L., & Pheri, T. (2008). Time Diary and questionnaire assessment of factors associated with academic and personal success among University undergraduates. Journal of American College Health, 56(6), 706–715. https://doi.org/10.3200/jach.56.6.706-715

Gipson, C. S., Chilton, J. M., Dickerson, S. S., Alfred, D., & Haas, B. K. (2018). Effects of a sleep hygiene text message intervention on sleep in college students. Journal of American College Health, 67(1), 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1462816 

Kloss, J. D., Nash, C. O., Walsh, C. M., Culnan, E., Horsey, S., & Sexton-Radek, K. (2015). A “sleep 101” program for college students improves sleep hygiene knowledge and reduces maladaptive beliefs about sleep. Behavioral Medicine, 42(1), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2014.969186 

Hanson, J. A., & Huecker, M. R. (2021). Sleep Deprivation. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547676/

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). (2009, August). At-A-Glance: Healthy Sleep. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ 

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, December). Overview of motor vehicle crashes in 2019. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 813 060). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

We Believe You: The Harsh Realities of Sexual Violence

Leave a comment February 6, 2022 Larrell Wilkinson

By Lacey George | MAEd Student, UAB Community Health & Human Services

Photo by Duanu00e9 Viljoen on Pexels.com

Conversations surrounding the controversial topic of sexual violence, and its effects on survivors, their loved ones, and our society, have been increasing over time. In light of the
#METOO movement, sexual abuse, assault, and violence survivors are finally given a voice to tell their story, sometimes years later. Because of this, we are finally confronting the
realities of what those brave women, men, and children have endured.

Sexual Violence is too Common

Each year, sexual assaults occur in approximately 463,634 Americans, which is roughly 1 every 68 seconds.
More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence, including physical contact in their lifetimes.

Sexual Violence Starts Early:

1 in 3 females will experience rape between the ages of 11-17 years of age, and 1 in 8 experience it before the age of 10.

The effects of sexual violence are long-lasting and far-reaching. Sexual violence negatively affects the survivor’s quality of life, psychological wellbeing, and social opportunities, such as dating and social isolation. Sexual violence intersects with many chronic health problems, such as sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, depression, and sexual health problems. Moreover, sexual violence is linked to adverse health behaviors. For example, victims are more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol, use drugs, and engage in risky sexual activities.

Stopping sexual violence before it has the chance to occur has become the primary focus of sexual violence prevention efforts. This type of prevention effort focuses on changing out-of-date beliefs and victim-blaming attitudes and framing sexual violence as a significant public health problem. To effectively prevent sexual violence, we must make the connection between all forms of oppression (including racism, homophobia, sexism, adultism, and many others) and how oppression has created a culture in which inequality thrives, and violence is seen as the norm.

Actions to Prevent Sexual Violence:

Promoting social norms that protect against sexual violence encourages men and boys to be allies for others.
Teaching skills that can prevent sexual violence, such as teaching safe-dating and intimate relationships skills, promoting healthy sexuality, and teaching healthy coping mechanisms to adolescents.
Creating protecting environments, such as improving safety and monitoring in schools, community centers, and workplaces.

Alabama & Local Resources for Support:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Crisis Centre
Darkness to Light
National Sexual Assault Hotline @ 1-800-656-4673
Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Prevention strategies. Retrieved on February 2, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/prevention.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.) Sexual Violence. Retrieved on February 2, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/index.html

Cherniavsky, E. (2019). Keyword 1: #MeToo. Differences, 30(1), 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1215/10407391-7481176

Jaffe, S. (2018). The collective power of #MeToo. Dissent, 65(2), 80-87. https://doi.org/10.1353/dss.2018.0031

Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. (2020). About sexual assault. Retrieved on January 29, 2021, from https://rainn.org/about-sexual-assault

Smith SG, Zhang X, Basile KC, Merrick MT, Wang J, Kresnow M, & Chen J. (2018). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2015 Data Brief— Updated Release. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on January 28, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/2015data-brief508.pdf

Balancing Me When Stressed to Be a Better Mom

Leave a comment October 8, 2021 Larrell Wilkinson

By Khalia Wilkinson, M.Ed.

Are you an over-extended mom who has not felt like herself lately? Maybe getting out of bed and getting moving in the morning has become difficult. Maybe you have begun stress-eating or you find yourself eating and drinking more and more of the unhealthy foods and beverages that do not refuel your body. If this is you, let’s work to understand what may be going on.

Multiple factors may be at the root of having low energy and/or feelings of stress and anxiety. In order to recognize these causes, let’s ask ourselves the following questions:

What is the real cause(s) of the stresses I am experiencing?
How do I hit the pause button in order to positively cope and regain self-control?
What can I implement today to take a step towards a healthier me?
Who are the trusted friends and/or resources that can support, encourage, and comfort me?

So what might this process look like?

Exploring the real causes of stress and then hitting the reset button may not be as easy as it sounds. Doing so requires focus and intentionality! If you are finding it difficult to process through your challenges and reset on your own, consider finding a positive and healthy accountability partner, mentor, or professional counselor. You may also consider journaling to get your thoughts and feelings out on paper where you can see them. Examine your journal over the next 30 days to find patterns in your thought processes, especially those that may trigger certain poor behaviors. Finally, know that you are not alone. Many of moms experience times of stress and frustration, but be encouraged but this season of stress will become a moment in the past.

Being Mom…

As you work through your processes…you are continuing to be a good mom. No one is perfect…No one! Continue to love your children; help your children to live life to the fullest; support your children; provide food; provide shelter; make time to have fun with your kids; and be a good model for your children. Of course, this is not exhaustive a list…but it sure is what we do as moms! You are great…you are a mom!

Try the DASH Diet to Lower Your Blood Pressure & Promote Heart Health

1 Comment July 12, 2021 Shayna Bryan

by Shayna Bryan, Intern & UAB Community Health & Human Services Student

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America. In addressing this national challenge, researchers created the DASH diet after following participants in a rigorous 5-year intervention called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study. Hypertension, also known as high-blood pressure, is a major risk factor for heart disease, but can be managed with a healthy diet. The DASH diet was designed to be a nutrition-based approach to address the high rates of hypertension and heart disease associated with the typical high-sodium American diet. Most studies on nutrition use dietary recalls, looking at past diet history. In contrast, the DASH study participants were provided with food and their sodium intake was carefully controlled and monitored. The results of the DASH Diet Study demonstrated that diet alone is effective at reducing blood pressure!

The CDC recommends the average adult consumes less than 2,300 mg sodium per day. The DASH diet sets this as the beginning maximum, but about 90% of Americans are consuming far more than this. The average sodium consumption per day is an astounding 3,400 mg for U.S. adults! Just lowering one’s daily salt intake down to the CDC recommendation will be a major improvement for most people and will result in blood pressure reduction in a matter of weeks. The even more ambitious low-sodium DASH diet aims to gradually reduce your intake to 1,500 mg per day.

Most of the sodium we consume comes in the form of salt, which is added to processed foods for preservation and flavor. We can drastically lower our salt intake by focusing on whole foods which are naturally low in sodium.

The DASH diet emphasis the consumption of:

Fruits
Veggies
Whole grains
Lean protein
Low-Fat dairy

This combination is high in potassium, magnesium and calcium, and fiber, while low in saturated fats. All of these nutrients, particularly the potassium (which is abundant in vegetables) help naturally lower blood pressure and counteract the effects of excessive sodium. The DASH Diet also discourages foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, as well as sugary beverages.

The DASH Diet is recommended by the American Heart Association and is ranked the best heart-healthy diet and second-best diet overall (it has often traded places with the very similar current #1 spot, the Mediterranean Diet, which you can read about here) by the U.S. News and World Report.

Gradual change is the key to success whenever making a positive change in life.

Here are some small changes you can make to ease yourself into DASH-style diet:

Add one serving of vegetables to your existing meals
Go meatless for 2+ days a week
Switch out some of your grains to whole, such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta
Add more herbs and spices to your meals, instead of salt
Snack on more whole foods, such as nuts or fruit

Below are some full meal plans designed by experts and more detailed resources.

Week on DASH

DASH Meal Planning Chart

Detailed DASH Eating Plan

Sources:

DASH Diet. (n.d.). Retrieved June 03, 2021, from https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/dash-diet

Dash eating plan. (n.d.). Retrieved June 03, 2021, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan

How to make the dash diet work for you. (2019, May 08). Retrieved June 03, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456

Sodium. (2020, September 08). Retrieved June 03, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/sodium.htm

Dry Eye Awareness Month

Leave a comment July 8, 2021 Shayna Bryan

by Taylor Sullivan, M. Ed. | UAB Community Health & Human Services Alumni

Dry eye is caused when the eyes do not make enough tears to stay moisturized or when the tears do not work correctly. Dry eyes can make your eyes feel uncomfortable and, in some cases, cause vision problems.

Dry eye is common and affects millions of Americans. There are several options available to help with dry eye while keeping eyes healthy and comfortable.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

Scratchy feeling as if something is in your eye
Stinging or burning feeling in your eye
Eye redness
Sensitivity to light
Blurry vision

Risks of Dry Eye

Anyone can get dry eye, but some are more at risk than others.

Those 50 years of age and older
Women
Contact lens wearers
Lack of Vitamin A
Certain autoimmune conditions
Too much screen time

Treatment depends on what causes your symptoms. Artificial tears are the most common treatment for mild dry eye. For severe dry eye, prescription medication may be necessary, but moisturizing gels and ointments are also available without a prescription.

Talk to your eye doctor today about dry eye and treatment and prevention options.

REDUCING DISTRESSING PREGNANCIES AMONG BLACK WOMEN: TAKE ACTION

1 Comment June 30, 2021 Shayna Bryan

By Jaelyn Copeland (Community Health and Human Services Student), with contributions from Shayna Bryan (Intern & Community Health and Human Services Student)

Original photography by Mario Testino for *Vogue* magazine

Maternal mortality rates in the United States have been increasing steadily year after year, placing the country 56^th on the World Health Organization’s worldwide data set, which is near the bottom of the developed nations. This disproportionately affects black women, who face not only the typical health hazards that come with childbirth, but must also wrestle with racial bias in the medical industry

Did you know black women are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy-linked causes than their peers?

According to the CDC, for every 100,000 births, 37 black women died in comparison to 15 white women and 12 Hispanic women. The causes of these racial differences are numerous. One of the issues is a lack of access to health care and poor quality of service. However, CDC data shows that even college-educated black women die at higher rates from pregnancy-related causes than white women who did not graduate from high school.

Look no further than Serena Williams, one of the greatest professional tennis players in history and an overall acclaimed athlete with a net worth over $200 million, whose pregnancy story demonstrates that these issues penetrate every level of society. In an interview with Vogue, Williams recalls battling with major problems shortly after the birth of her daughter. After her daughter was born through Cesarean section, Williams became short of breath. Knowing her own history of blood clots in the lungs (called pulmonary embolisms), she instantly alerted a nurse to her symptoms. However, staff were slow to respond to her concerns. The resulting complications ended in Williams needing a filter inserted into one of her major veins. It took six weeks of bed rest before she eventually returned home.

Serena’s traumatic story places her among the 50,000 women in America who face dangerous or life-threatening pregnancy-related problems each year.

However, researchers suggest this estimate may still be too conservative. Racial bias in the medical industry is a systemic issue that is becoming more recognized. The CDC has launched the Hear Her campaign to spread awareness and education on the complications associated with pregnancy. The lesson for the medical industry is to listen to patients more and make sure their needs are addressed. For the rest of us, the lesson is to learn to be your own best advocate.

Here are steps you can take:

Enroll in pre-natal care early, 1 month before pregnancy if possible
Take pre-natal vitamins as early as possible, even before becoming pregnant
- Vitamins like folate are essential to brain and spinal cord development which occurs during the first few weeks of pregnancy
Learn the warning signs of common complications, particularly those you are at high risk for and those in your family medical history
- Check out the CDC’s list of Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
Make stress management a priority
Speak up!
- Create a list of questions to ask your doctor, make your concerns heard!
- Keep a written record to help you and your doctor stay on track and accountable during appointments

PSA developed by Brittany Reynolds, Shayna Bryan, and Larrell Wilkinson

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, November 25). Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 24). About the Campaign. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/about-the-campaign/index.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 11). Urgent Maternal Warning Signs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html.

Fernandez, M. E. (2021, February 10). Why Black women are less likely to survive pregnancy, and what’s being done about it. http://www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/02/10/why-black-women-are-less-likely-to-survive-pregnancy-and-whats-being-done-about-it.

Haskell, R. (2018, January 10). Serena Williams on Motherhood, Marriage, and Making Her Comeback. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-vogue-cover-interview-february-2018.

Lockhart, P. R. (2018, January 11). What Serena Williams’s scary childbirth story says about medical treatment of black women. Vox. http://www.vox.com/identities/2018/1/11/16879984/serena-williams-childbirth-scare-black-women.

Testino, M. (September 2017). Photograph of Serena Williams. Vogue.

WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and United Nations Population Division Trends in Maternal Mortality: 2000 to 2017 Geneva: World Health Organization, 2019. Retrieved from: https://data.worldbank.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND ITS BENEFITS

2 Comments June 16, 2021 Shayna Bryan

By Shayna Bryan, Intern & UAB Community Health & Human Services Student

If you’ve ever spent time looking for healthy diets to follow, but wanted to avoid a highly restrictive diet (like vegan) or a commercial diet plan (like Weight Watchers), you probably have come across the Mediterranean Diet. It has been the subject of research for over 50 years and has been ranked the best overall diet by the U.S. News and World Report for four years running. The American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the World Health Organization have all endorsed the Mediterranean diet as a healthy and sustainable eating style that reduces risk for heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. The Mediterranean Diet also may assist with weight loss in obese people and is associated with lower rates of depression, cognitive decline, cancer, and all-cause mortality.

This diet has a lot of major endorsements! So then, what’s up with this diet and why is it so special?

The Mediterranean Sea is a meeting point of three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. When health experts and researchers recommend the “Mediterranean Diet” they’re not talking about the food of just one people or one culture, but the common shared characteristics of the simple everyday meals made for centuries in this region of the world. Meals are built around plant-based foods, heavily seasoned with herbs and spice (though not tons of salt). These meals are made, shared, and enjoyed amongst a community of families and friends.

Here’s are the common characteristics of the Mediterranean Diet:

High consumption of vegetables, often raw or slightly cooked
Beans, nuts, legumes, seeds, potatoes, and unprocessed or whole grains
Olive oil as the principal source of fat
Fruit treated as a dessert
Moderate consumptions of fish, poultry, and dairy (mostly in the form of yogurt and cheese)
Low consumption of red meat
Moderate alcohol consumption, often in the form of red wine

Please check out the source below to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet. Please also share your thoughts about the Mediterranean Diet in the comments section of this post or via our page on Facebook @WilkinsonWellnessLab.

Sources:

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2019, June 21). Mediterranean diet for heart health. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/previous-dietary-guidelines/2015.

U.S. News & World Report. (n.d.). Mediterranean Diet. U.S. News & World Report. https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/mediterranean-diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet? http://www.heart.org. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/mediterranean-diet.

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