Friday, October 2

HEALTH

A Black Clinical Psychologist Explains And Offers 5 Ways To Heal From The Profound Mental Health Consequence Of Racial Trauma
MENTAL HEALTH

A Black Clinical Psychologist Explains And Offers 5 Ways To Heal From The Profound Mental Health Consequence Of Racial Trauma

Racial trauma has profound mental health consequence – a Black clinical psychologist explains and offers 5 ways to heal. Since European expansion into the Americas, white people have demonized Black people and portrayed them as undesirable, violent and hypersexual. Originally, the intent of this demonization was to legitimize the conquest and sale of African people. One consequence of this negative portrayal has been the documented psychological impact on Black people themselves. It includes self-hatred, internalized racism and an erosion of Black consciousness within the Black community. During the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. recognized the consequences of racist stereotypes and tried to change the language and symbols of racism. “Somebody told a lie one day,” King said. “They couche...
Shopping For A Bag Of Coffee Beans? It Might Be Time To Change Your Usual Beans And Buy Something More Ethical
NUTRITION

Shopping For A Bag Of Coffee Beans? It Might Be Time To Change Your Usual Beans And Buy Something More Ethical

Lost in the coffee aisle? Navigating the complex buzzwords behind an ‘ethical’ bag of beans is easier said than done. You’re shopping for a bag of coffee beans at the grocery store. After reading about the effects of climate change and how little farmers make – typically $0.40 per cup – you figure it might be time to change your usual beans and buy something more ethical. Perusing the shelves in the coffee aisle, though, you see too many choices. First up is the red tub of Folgers “100% Colombian,” a kitchen staple – “lively with a roasted and rich finish.” On the side of the tub, you see the icon of Juan Valdez with his donkey, Conchita – a fictional mascot representing the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation. Next might be Starbucks “Single-Origin Colombia.” One side of the green bag t...
Poll Sheds Light On Sexual Harassment Or Assault At Work The Place By Nearly Half Of Women With Disabilities
SELF-CARE

Poll Sheds Light On Sexual Harassment Or Assault At Work The Place By Nearly Half Of Women With Disabilities

Almost half of women with disabilities have experienced sexual harassment or assault in the workplace, according to a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll that is one of the first to explore the issue. The number, 48 percent, compares to 32 percent of women without disabilities who reported experiencing sexual assault or harassment at work. While there is a growing body of research and reporting on the sexual violence faced by people with disabilities, little of it has delved into the workplace. Monika Mitra, director of the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, said some describe sexual violence against people with disabilities “as a silent epidemic.” Mitra has done research on sexual violence against people with disabilities, but not in the workplace. To her knowled...
A Neuropharmacology Expert Explains How Cannabis Holds Promise For Pain Management, Reducing The Need For Opioid Painkillers
SELF-CARE, VIDEO REELS

A Neuropharmacology Expert Explains How Cannabis Holds Promise For Pain Management, Reducing The Need For Opioid Painkillers

Cannabis holds promise for pain management, reducing the need for opioid painkillers – a neuropharmacology expert explains how. Drug overdose deaths from opioids continue to rise in the U.S. as a result of both the misuse of prescription opioids and the illicit drug market. But an interesting trend has developed: Opioid emergency room visits drop by nearly 8% and opioid prescriptions are modestly lower in states where marijuana is legalized. Marijuana is produced by the cannabis plant, which is native to Asia but is now grown throughout the world. Individuals use marijuana for both its psychoactive, euphoria-inducing properties and its ability to relieve pain. Chemicals produced by the cannabis plant are commonly known as cannabinoids. The two primary cannabinoids that occur naturally i...
Psychology — The Darker Side
MENTAL HEALTH

Psychology — The Darker Side

The Darker Side Of Psychology When you think about psychology what first comes to mind may be that 101 class you took in college to satisfy a requirement, or perhaps an article you have recently read or a snip-it you saw on Youtube. Which usually characterizes a group of psychologists, somewhere, who have done a statistical analysis of humans doing whatever. Predictably, you would have found that most of their subjects fell within the fat lump of the bell curve. While a few individuals, are probably out there right now, doing anything and everything you can imagine. It has most likely always been that way. Primates are curious, if nothing else. It’s been a hallmark of our species, and may stem from our perennial desire to transcend the limits of our experience. Moreover, a shrinking numbe...
Coffee Or A Nap? — Why There’s No Substitute For Shut-Eye
SLEEP

Coffee Or A Nap? — Why There’s No Substitute For Shut-Eye

Can coffee or a nap make up for sleep deprivation? A psychologist explains why there’s no substitute for shut-eye. There is no denying the importance of sleep. Everyone feels better after a good night of sleep, and lack of sleep can have profoundly negative effects on both the body and the brain. So what can be done to substitute for a lack of sleep? Put another way, how can you get less sleep and still perform at your peak? As a psychologist who studies the ways in which sleep benefits memory, I’m also interested in how sleep deprivation harms memory and cognition. After some initial research on sleep deprivation and false confessions, my students at Michigan State University’s Sleep and Learning Lab and I wanted to see what interventions could reverse the negative effects of sleep depri...
A Nutritionist Explains The Science Behind An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away
NUTRITION

A Nutritionist Explains The Science Behind An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? A nutritionist explains the science behind ‘functional’ foods. We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how true is that? Apples are not high in vitamin A, nor are they beneficial for vision like carrots. They are not a great source of vitamin C and therefore don’t fight off colds as oranges do. However, apples contain various bio-active substances – natural chemicals that occur in small amounts in foods and that have biological effects in the body. These chemicals are not classified as nutrients like vitamins. Because apples contain many health-promoting bio-active substances, the fruit is considered a “functional” food. For years, I have taught university classes on nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbs, prot...
‘Calories In, Calories Out’ It’s Time To Bust The Weight-Loss Myth
SELF-CARE

‘Calories In, Calories Out’ It’s Time To Bust The Weight-Loss Myth

It’s time to bust the ‘calories in, calories out’ weight-loss myth. If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, there’s a good chance you’ve been told it all comes down to a simple “calories in, calories out” formula: burn more calories than you consume, and the kilos will disappear. And it’s easy to see the appeal of breaking weight loss down into simple maths – just follow the formula, and you’ll achieve success. It’s also believable because many people do lose weight when they first adopt this approach. Indeed, the diet industry’s reliance on the “calories in, calories out” concept is why society blames people for being overweight. Anyone who can’t follow this simple energy formula is only overweight because they lack the willpower to eat less and exercise more. But the only simple truth he...
Staying Safe As A Young Black Woman Living On Her Own
SELF-CARE

Staying Safe As A Young Black Woman Living On Her Own

Seeking Safety as a Black Woman in New Cities. I have moved three times in the past 13 months. My academic career-climbing has propelled me across the country from my longtime residence near Washington, D.C., to the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area, followed by a brief return to living New York City–adjacent. Now that I’ve finally secured a coveted tenure-track job, I have landed in upstate New York—Syracuse, to be precise. With each new move, I think about my safety as a young Black woman living on her own. The first rule is to never look too out of place; my vigilance is heightened in areas where I know I look like I don’t belong. “Belonging” is a complex concept, but I try to stay in areas that have rich diversity, from race and ethnicity to age, dress, and gender identity. When I first ...
You’re Not Alone If You’re Hearing Voices
SELF-CARE, VIDEO REELS

You’re Not Alone If You’re Hearing Voices

Hearing voices? You’re not alone. From the little voice telling us we’re no good to the one offering advice, the experience of hearing voices is more common than you might think. It is estimated that 13.2% of the adult general population are subject to it, yet this experience still carries much stigma. Whom can you turn to when you’re no longer alone in your head? For several decades now, the international Hearing Voices Movement (HVM) has been campaigning to improve the way this condition is perceived. Two recent studies conducted at the University of Lorraine in eastern France have assessed how its support groups have impacted the French health care system. Changing textbooks You’re hearing voices and in one fell swoop, the gavel falls: you’re mad. How could it be otherwise? You don’t...