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Recent elections highlight need to expand voting rights to incarcerated: Reader view
USA TODAY November 12, 2019 I work directly with families who have a loved one incarcerated in a prison or jail. And on this past Election Day, I had the joy of witnessing a 9-year-old girl proudly accompany her daddy, who had been incarcerated, to the New York polls to vote. At such a young…
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Winter Skin Care Tips
The cold days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. They also result in the uncomfortable dryness of the skin of the face, hands and feet. For some individuals, the skin becomes so dry that it cracks, flakes and aggravates eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed), or leads to…
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Eight Ways to Fix the Tax Code to Improve Health Outcomes
By now everyone knows that the wealthy keep accumulating money while the lower classes keep losing. Recently, I saw a statistic that the wealthiest 1% (2000) gained $29 trillion in wealth since 1989 while the bottom 50% lost $900 billion. In 2018 the tax rate for the richest 400 families in the United States was…
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A Growing Crisis: Physician Shortage
Shortage of primary care physicians It is important to assess the capacity of the nation’s future physician workforce, to give us the information we need to optimize and deliver high-quality health care to the U.S population. With an aging general population the Association of American Medical Colleges projects a severe physician shortage, particularly in the…
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Boost your Immune System Naturally and Fight the Flu
At the first sign of getting sick, before going to your doctor, consider trying these home remedies to fight off a cold or flu. Remember, our bodies are designed to fight viruses and illnesses! We are designed to be able to fight off the flu: our immune system is there for a reason. We have…
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Chocolate Candy: Our Endorsement of Child Slavery and Labor
With Halloween rapidly approaching, I pose a question to you: what is the commonality between M&Ms, Milky Way, Swedish Fish, and Sour Patch Kids? One possible answer is that they’re all common Halloween candies, but they are also the brands that contribute to child labor and slavery. There are an estimated 240 million child laborers…
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Staying Healthy Through Flu Season
There are only four seasons; flu season does not have to be one of them. Flu viruses commonly circulates during the winter months when people are inside more, getting less sunlight, and dealing with the stress and food indulgences associated with the winter holidays. These factors make us more vulnerable to both encountering the virus…
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How Toxic Masculinity Harms Men and Society As A Whole
When you hear “toxic masculinity”, what comes to mind? Fundamentally, “toxic masculinity” is the belief that masculinity can be toxic, not that it inherently is toxic. While it is often attributed to women, particularly feminists, the origins of the term trace back to one of the leaders of the Mythopoetic Men’s Movement, Shepherd Bliss. Shepherd…
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Increasing Diversity in Health Professions Improves Health Outcomes
Increasing diversity in the health profession could mean better healthcare for minority Americans. In the United States differences in education level, social class and status, income level and geographic location contribute to the inequitable access to quality healthcare. Racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive a lower quality of healthcare than non-minorities, even when access-related…
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Microaggressions: How Subtle Bigotry Can Harm Us
Raise your hand if you’ve heard any of the following, whether it was said to you or in your presence: “You’re not like the others” when referring to your racial background, religion, or gender “Is that your real hair?” “What do you mean you don’t speak Spanish?” when referring to someone of Latino origin…
