By Denver Louis, BlackVoices.com

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) continues on its mission to bring sickle cell awareness to the masses. Each year, as part of its Be Sickle Smart Education Days, celebrities are pegged to tour and speak on the benefits of sickle-cell awareness. This year Ruben Studdard is involved with the movement and has been traveling the country bringing together sickle cell disease advocates and patients to share information about Sicke Cell Disease and iron overload caused by blood transfusions.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a blood disorder common in African Americans that sometimes requires treatment with blood transfusions. However, many people with SCD themselves don't know that having 10 or more blood transfusions over their lifetime can lead to a serious condition known as Transfusional Iron Overload.

Black Voices' Denver Louis had a chance to chat with Ruben about the movement, his marriage and his musical career.

It takes reading, writing and endurance to be successful in college. Truth is, all-nighters are as common as keg parties in campus life. Back in the day caffeine and cigarettes were the "stay awake" weapons of choice. But today's angry sounding arsenal shouts names like Red Bull and Monster. In other words, juiced up college kids are relying on energy drinks to get through the night. These students make up a significant part of the $3 billion energy drink market.

But for many of those who consume these jet fueled concoctions, there's a problem. Research has uncovered a link between heavy energy drink consumption and substance abuse and risky sexual behavior – except if you're black. ....

Milk is a recommended, highly valued staple in the nutritional life of babies and children. But these days milk allergies are common and up to 90 percent of Asians and 95 percent of blacks are lactose intolerant according to some studies.

Complicating matters even more is the need to address the lactose intolerance while also making sure that kids get the calcium and Vitamin D essential to strong, healthy development. Many children are not getting what they need.

So what's a parent to do to protect kids who have to make complicated cafeteria choices all by themselves? One company, Ganeden Biotech may have some tips that are useful. And keep reading to take the lactose intolerant quiz too! ...

By Brennan Williams, BlackVoices.com


With Bernie Mac's sudden death from pneumonia stunning most Americans last weekend, many have raised the question about the comedian's bout with sarcoidosis.

Described as a systemic disease, it was also the cause of death for former NFL star Reggie White, who died in 2004 following his long-term battle with the disease.

So what is sarcoidosis?

The disease is an immune system disorder that can inflame and scar lungs.

According to American Lung Association, severe cases can increase the risk of pneumonia, with 80% of patients with sarcoidosis having few or no serious symptoms.

Statistics show that 36 out of 100,000 blacks are afflicted with the disease compared to 11 per 100,000 whites.

Although the two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor was diagnosed with the inflammatory lung disease in 2005, Mac's publicist has said his sarcoidosis was in remission at the time of his death.

If there is anything I struggle with, it's keeping weight off. For the past ten years or so, I have pulled off the pounds only to gain them back.

Some months ago, after listening to Dr. Ian Smith on the Steve Harvey Morning Show, I decided to join State Farm's 50 Million Pound Challenge and have made some real progress. And thanks to a recent medical study, I've got new weight loss tools in my arsenal: a pen and paper.

I have committed to writing down every single thing I eat for the next 4 weeks. And I am not doing it on some whim, or just because I like to write. ...

By Shawn Johnson, BDO Staff Writer

(BlackDoctor.org) -- While African American women tend to have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than white women throughout life, they are still at significant risk of developing osteoporosis. The misperception that osteoporosis is only a concern for white women can delay prevention and treatment in African American women who do not believe they are at risk for the disease

A bill before Congress would give control of tobacco products to the Food and Drug Administration.

The bill would ban flavor additives such as mint, clove and vanilla, which appeal to young people. But menthol flavored cigarettes would still be available. Since 75% of black people who smoke choose menthol, you might say that this bill excludes blacks from a protective benefit.

And for that reason, some say it's racist . On the other hand, supporters of keeping menthol available ask what could possibly be racist about giving grown black folks access to the flavor of poison they prefer?

And why do black folks smoke menthols anyway? There's no certain answer, but Radar magazine took an entertaining stab at tackling the question:

Exercise may equal medication in easing depression, experts say

By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay Reporter, Courtesy of BlackDoctor.org


The millions of Americans stricken each year by debilitating depression may want to consider running away from their problem -- or walking, swimming or dancing it away.

"What the studies are showing is that exercise, at least when performed in a group setting, seems to be at least as effective as standard antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms in patients with major depression," said researcher James Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University in Durham, N.C.

According to Blumenthal, other studies are beginning to suggest that solitary exercise, such as workouts at the gym or a daily jog, can be just as effective as group activities in beating the blues, and that "duration of exercise didn't seem to matter -- what seemed to matter most was whether people were exercising or not."

Blumenthal was lead author on a much-publicized study released five years ago that found that just 10 months of regular, moderate exercise outperformed a leading antidepressant (Zoloft) in easing symptoms in young adults diagnosed with moderate to severe depression.

By De'Laney Rowland, BlackDoctor.org Staff Writer

New research finds that minority children and adolescents who visit the pediatric emergency department more often receive diagnoses of severe mental health disorders than their white peers.

"Diagnostic decisions may have a significant influence on the course of one's mental health care. Emergency services is in a critical position as it is often the point of entry into the mental health system for many people," said Jordana Muroff, Ph.D., the study's lead author.

Muroff, a social worker, psychologist and assistant professor at Boston University, and colleagues examined a year's worth of medical records from an urban pediatric psychiatric emergency department.

The findings, which included 2,991 patients under age 22, are in the May-June issue of the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.

By Nicole Smith, BlackDoctor.org Staff Writer


Black Americans are more likely than whites to suffer severe, untreated and disabling depression, U.S. research shows.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data on 6,082 people who took part in a national survey conducted between 2001 and 2003.

They found that 17.9 percent of white Americans had depression at some point in their lives, compared with 10.4 percent of blacks of African descent and 12.9 percent of blacks of West Indian or Caribbean descent.

Rates of depression in the 12 months before they were surveyed were 7.2 percent for Caribbean blacks; 6.9 percent for whites; and 5.9 percent for blacks of African descent. Among those who reported depression at some point in their lives, rates of depression in the 12 months before they were surveyed were 56.5 percent for blacks of African descent; 56 percent for Caribbean blacks; and 38.6 percent for whites.

Haitian-born music star Wyclef Jean is again helping his homeland, getting the word out in an effort to vaccinate more than five million children and youth against measles and rubella -- preventable diseases which kill Haiti's children in droves each year.

The producer, solo-standout and Fugees star kicked off the second phase of the ALAS project with a new public service announcement aimed at the citizens of the impoverished island nation (watch above). ... Wyclef is a founding member of the ALAS Foundation.

You know, I can't help but be frustrated about the things I hear brothers talk about on the day-to-day tip, but at the same time, never hear about them talk about the one issue that should be the most important to them: their health.

As I sit on the subway, I constantly hear women talk about the most basic to the most intimate issues concerning their health. Maybe it's part of the maternal instinct to keep one's self healthy in order to help the offspring behind.

But men are different and we pay for it. You know that saying "when the country sneezes, black folk catch pneumonia?" Well, this is one of those cases. Here's a good sampling of why we treat our bodies this way.