Hope & Wellness 's Podcast

Dr. Nancy Young , Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, joins us to discuss how parents can help their college student navigate university campuses successfully, and ultimately, graduate. Preparing for college these days starts before the move-in day with conversations on alcohol use, nutrition, and the importance of a adequate sleep schedule . Parents remain important sources of wisdom and advice, even to college students, and can help them access services, academic advisory and mental health, on college campuses. Millions of college students live with medical diagnosis that require continued care and support during the school year. During college visits, parents and students should ask about the services and health care professionals available in university health centers. We discuss HIPAA, FERPA, and unexpected student health emergencies during the college years with our guest on the Hope and Wellness Show.

On this day , we remember and honor the victims , survivors and responders of the September 11,2001 attacks on New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The World Trade Center Registry, in New York, is a voluntary registry that continues to identify and monitor the health of those affected by these attacks. So far, an increase in asthma, PTSD , heart disease and certain cancers have been noted. For the victims and their families, the costs of care were covered , to a degree, by the September 11 Victims Compensation Fund from 2001-2004. Now, the 9/11 James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act , signed into law by President Obama in 2011, offers financial assistance for healthcare costs for all those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks. Continued awareness and permanent funding is necessary to cover the health related costs of all those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks.

Guest Changa Bell is a yogi and health coach, who learned yoga from his father as a child. Fast forward to today, and Mr. Bell teaches his six children and community members yoga ,as well. Through his work with foster children and juvenile offenders, Changa Bell has learned that yoga offers children an opportunity for calm and peace in their otherwise uncertain environments. Through his nonprofit, The Black Male Yoga Initiative, Changa Bell understands the necessary role that yoga plays in individual and community health benefits to men , women, and children, in inner city Baltimore. We speak with Changa Bell and discuss his road from the campus of American University as a student, to the White House , where he received the President's Volunteer Service Award.

For millions of students in the US, back-to-school means the return of students , as well as medications to backpacks and the nurses office. The recent increase in the cost EpiPen to treat allergic reactions has resulted in a sticker shock at the checkout line and parents are fighting back .Not far behind, the cost of insulin also continues to surge for over 5 million children with Type 1 diabetes. And for college students , parental access to education and health information stops once the child reaches the age of 18. We discuss FERPA, and HIPAA ,and the steps parents can take to assist their adult children during their college years- including conversations on consent. WIth the recent rape controversy involving actor Nate Parker, parents, and other role models, can help young adults understand the importance of consent and mutual respect .

Chef Herbert Holden, chef and SNAP-educator at the University of the District of Columbia,shares tips on keeping you , your family and guests safe during family meals and family reunions. From what to look for in a caterer to keeping food poisoning at bay at home, Chef Holden knows, from years of experience, the do's and don'ts for making school lunches and staying food safe during power outages. And our MoveMusic for the week? Jidenna and his new release,Chief Don't Run, delivers a funky beat mixed with poignant childhood memories and a powerful message.

And history is made at the Rio 2016 Olympics! Simone Manuel swims to two gold medals in the Rio 2016 Olympics. Simone Biles' precision moves in the same Olympic games lands more gold medals for the US gymnastic teams. In Baton Rouge, record flooding has devastated homes , families and communities. The city of Milwaukee, the most segregated metropolitan US city, is burning after another fatal police involved shooting. A gas explosion, in Silver Spring, Md ,displaced hundreds of families, as the search continues for victims and answers. Marion Christopher Barry, son of former DC Mayor Marion Barry and a community activist, died of an overdose on August 14,2016. We discuss the impact of these victories, and tragedies, on the Hope and Wellness Show.

One of the members of the Growing Healthy Families sessions, at the Anacostia Library ,has lost over 100 pounds through a variety of lifestyle changes. This weekly class, by 5 A DAY CSA, emphasizes vegetable and fruit intake as part of a healthy plate, as well as other lifestyle changes. We discuss the challenges of eating a balanced diet in food deserts ,and the dense landscape of fast food outlets in food swarms. For some with extreme obesity, bariatric surgery can help manage obesity as well as uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes , and heart disease. The basis of all options in obesity management, however, require lifestyle changes that remain elusive for some.

This July, a heat wave , the Zika virus, and mental health, take center stage. As the summer heat wave continues, young people across the nation participate in football conditioning camps and team practices, in preparation for the upcoming season. The risk of exercising in the intense summer heat has resulted in the death of one child from a heat stroke . Education and increased awareness of parents, visitors and coaching staff , can help prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke in young athletes. In Florida, local Zika virus transmission has resulted in infections in at least 4 people. July is National Minority Mental Health Month, and we discuss the importance of staycations, vacations and successfully managing depression with your healthcare provider.

Raising a child with autism can be challenging for parents and families.Our guest, Mrs. Janel Diggs, is the mother of a son, now a young adult, with autism spectrum disorder. Recognizing communication delays when her son was two years of age, Mrs. Diggs notified her pediatrician, who recommended a "wait and see" approach to care, despite her concerns. Instead, this mom contacted Child Find and a developmental pediatrician for early screening , intervention and therapeutic services. Mrs. Diggs continues to advocate for services for her son, now a young adult. We discuss early detection,and challenges in the educational system for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Behind the Headlines- Endemic Structural and Gun Violence in America

Dr. Joseph Richardson joins us to discuss an important root cause for gun violence-structural violence. As the director of the Capital Regional Violence Intervention Program at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland, Dr. Richardson researches the impact of structural violence in the escalating numbers of gun and state violence victims in the US. Mr Bristol Mayo is a resident of Baton Rouge, La., and recently, a peaceful protestor in the march for justice for Mr. Alton Sterling, a father of five fatally shot by the Baton Rouge police. Mr. Mayo joins us to discuss the conditions, and dangers marginalized communities face in North Baton Rouge in the midst of economic development throughout the rest of the city. From Baltimore to Baton Rouge, structural violence remains a daily threat to public health and safety.