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wellness

Boos and Boobs: The Facts Behind Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Briana Tracy 10/25/2015

written by Briana Tracy

While October is highly anticipated for costumes and free candy during Halloween, it is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In 1985, the American Cancer Society created Breast Cancer Awareness Month to bring more awareness to the disease and the importance of early detection.

According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women behind skin cancer. It is mostly associated with women however in more rare forms can affect men. The most common type is ductal carcinoma, which starts in the breast tissues surrounding the milk ducts. If left untreated, it can worsen and spread from its point of origin to surrounding cells.

Women are encouraged to conduct their own breast examinations at home on a monthly basis, in order to identify changes within their breasts. These three symptoms can be indications to go and talk to your healthcare professional:

A change in how the breast and nipple feel.
A change in how the breast and nipple look.
Any discharge from the nipple if you are not breastfeeding.

Along with self-examinations, it is imperative that women get mammograms from a healthcare provider on a yearly basis. A mammogram is an X-ray image of your breast used to detect and evaluate changes in breast tissue. It plays a key role in early breast cancer detection and helps decrease the number of deaths. However, many women do not go in to have a screening because of factors that include low income or lack of access to care facilities.

For African-American women the risk of getting breast cancer is lower than for white women, yet the chances of dying from breast cancer are higher. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a non-profit organization founded in 1982, found that in 2011, African-American women had a 44 percent higher rate of breast cancer mortality than White women.

A study by researcher Lu Chen from the Division of Public Health at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports that African-American women are also more likely than white women to be diagnosed at later stages for all types of breast cancer. Chen states in TIME that, “there are a lot of reasons why these women have a higher incidence of particular subtypes of breast cancer that may have something to do with genetics and biological factors, but being diagnosed at a later stage and not receiving treatment — these disparities we think have more to do with social, cultural and economic factors.”

This statement reiterates that economic and cultural factors do have an effect as to how women, especially women of color, approach the matter. It’s very important that women, especially women of color, start having clinical breast exams (CBE) regularly, preferably by a health professional every 3 years, and then getting yearly breast exams starting in their 40s (American Cancer Society).

10/25/2015 0 comments

Obesity Is Disproportionately High In Afrikan-American Women

by admin 12/18/2013

written by admin

A new study published in Ethnicity and Disease has found that Afrikan-American women consume vast amounts of fast food and sugar-sweetened soft drinks and are more likely to become obese in the future. According to the findings made by a research team at Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center, higher intakes of unhealthy foods and sweetened drinks were associated with a greater risk of obesity.

The study, which began in 1995 lasting approximately 14 years, involved the analysis of questionnaires submitted by 19,479 Afrikan-American women between the ages of 21 and 39. “Information on the participants’ weights was collected every two years from the study’s start until 2011,” reports the research team.

While previous studies have looked into the link between restaurant food and obesity, this report went one step further to determine what type of restaurant food could be the causal link. The participants were asked how often they indulged in six types of food from a restaurant or fast-food place that included fried fish, pizza, Chinese food, Mexican food, fried chicken, and burgers.

After analysis, the researchers concluded in their study, “Burgers from restaurants and sugar-sweetened soft drinks were independently associated with an increased risk of becoming obese.” Burgers, however, had a stronger association to the increased risk than sweetened soft drinks. The research also found that this correlation was greater among women below age 30.

According to the Boston University Public School of Health, “Women who ate burgers from restaurants at least twice a week were 26 percent more likely to become obese by the end of the study, [and] women who drank at least two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per day were 10 percent more likely to become obese.”

In addition to obesity rates being highest among Afrikan-American women, the study also noted that Afrikan Americans have a particularly high intake of meals prepared outside the home and sugar-sweetened beverages. It is important to note that at the beginning of this study, none of the women were obese, yet the dietary habits of some led them to an increased risk of obesity.

In the end of their study the researchers wrote, “Awareness needs to be raised that even young women who have healthy weights are at risk of becoming obese if they frequently consume these food items.” By being more considerate about your food choices you can lower health risks in the future.

Author: Colleen King

Nommo Staff

12/18/2013 2,733 comments

Is Your Hair the Reason You Don’t Exercise?

by 11/21/2013

written by

Hair or exercise?

Afrikan-American women are passionate about their hair. They can spend a decent amount of time and money to achieve a hairstyle they enjoy sporting in public. However, an Afrikan-American woman’s hair may be the reason for her lack of exercise.

Dr. Amy J. McMichael, a dermatologist at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, noticed that many of her Afrikan-American female clients were overweight or obese and decided to investigate why. “I’m treating them for dermatology related issues, but as a doctor [the high rate of overweight or obese Afrikan-American women patients] was even more concerning, because excess weight puts these women at risk for hypertension, diabetes and other serious problems,” said McMichael in a written statement.

In the study published this year, 103 Afrikan-American women were surveyed on their hair care practices and physical activity. 50 percent of the women surveyed had modified their hairstyles to accommodate exercise, and nearly 40 percent avoided exercise at times due to hair-related issues.

McMichael’s research noted that previous studies show Afrikan-American women as the least likely group to meet the proper levels of physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and American College of Sports Medicine. More than half of the women in the study exercised less than 75 minutes a week, which is less than half the recommended 150 minutes per week.

Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin also recognized the importance of this issue. “Oftentimes I hear women say, ‘I can’t exercise today because I don’t want to sweat my hair out or get my hair wet,’ ” explained Benjamin in The New York Times. “When you’re starting to exercise, you look for reasons not to, and sometimes the hair is one of those reasons.”With this knowledge, Benjamin dedicated part of her time bringing more awareness to the problem and participating in efforts to rectify it during her term. ß She did so through media outlets like NPR and participating in events promoting the cause.

Dr. Antronette Yancey, the late professor of Health Services at UCLA, shared Benjamin’s sentiments. In August, 2011 Yancey told CBS news, “It’s definitely true that hair is a barrier to exercise for many Afrikan-American women. A white woman can shower and shampoo and blow dry her hair and get it back into style. It’s not that easy for Afrikan-American women who may have spent $100 or $150 on a hairstyle.”

It is important for individuals of the Black community to take part in physical activity, especially women. According to The Office of Minority Health, 4 out of 5 Afrikan-American women are overweight or obese.

In an effort to remove this barrier and get Afrikan-American women to begin exercising, despite their hair, UnitedHealthcare and the Bronner Bros. International Hair Show joined forces and began hosting an annual “Hair Fitness” competition. The third annual Hair Fitness competition took place in August 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. These competitions involved hairdresser creations of exercise-friendly, yet fashionable hairstyles.

Surgeon General Benjamin attended the past two Hair Fitness competitions. According to The New York Times, Benjamin noted that Black men and women pay more attention to their health when their barbers and hairdressers reinforce the importance of healthy living. So getting hairdressers involved with hair fitness seems like a clever way to reach their clientele.

After taking a random poll of 20 Afrikan-American female students on the UCLA campus, I too found that this is a common behavior. All except four women said they do, or have, put off exercise in order to preserve their hair. Janae, a first year Business-Economics major, explained that when she does her hair she does not want to mess it up, but if it is not done exercising it is not an issue.

This appeared to be a popular sentiment among other women involved in the poll. “That’s my excuse,” reasoned a second year History student, referring to why her hair sometimes stopped her from exercising. While the reasoning behind one’s hair being an exercise barrier can vary, it is still present in a number of women. If these habits are present now, it is reasonable to assume they may persist and possibly escalate in the future.

It is understandable that after spending hours and sometimes hundreds of dollars on a hairstyle, one would not want it ruined in a 30-minute workout. But, the importance of exercise cannot be overlooked because of this. Instead, find a compromise that works for you so that you can maintain your hair and your health in equal measure.

Author: Colleen King

Nommo Staff

11/21/2013 64 comments