Talk! with Audrey

Did you know? That Black Americans are up to 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure when compared to other racial and ethnic groups, and Black/African American men have the highest rate of uncontrolled blood pressure? Joining me to talk about the importance of controlling blood pressure in midlife (particularly for Black men ages 28 to 45 who are most at risk) to help reduce the risk of having a stroke and developing dementia and Mind Your Risks® campaign, Dr. Richard T. Benson, Ph.D. – Director, Office of Global Health and Health Disparities at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Despite representing a large proportion of the general population with a high disease burden, racial and ethnic minority populations have been consistently underrepresented in clinical trials. Dr. Elizabeth Ofili, professor of medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine and a practicing cardiologist with Morehouse Healthcare in Atlanta has information about a collaboration between Amgen, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) and the Morehouse School of Medicine.

According to PETA, a Harvard Medical School experimenter is permanently removing newborn monkeys from their mothers and depriving them of normal visual input, and students, faculty, and scientists—Including Dr. Jane Goodall— are demanding an end to outdated, curiosity-driven experiments. Katherine Roe, Ph.D., former NIH neuroscientist and chief scientist with the Laboratory Investigations Department at PETA, joins me to talk about the Harvard experiments and what PETA is doing to stop them.

33 Million Americans suffer from bothersome over-active bladder symptoms or OAB, a highly stigmatized condition, and many patients may feel embarrassed to talk about it or assume it is a normal part of aging. You don't have to suffer unnecessarily, actor Holly Robinson Peete started having OAB symptoms several years ago and she joins me today to share her story.

There are over 4,000 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from this year. It can be overwhelming, and confusing trying to understand if you need Parts A, B, C, or D. With the deadline looming it's easy to make hasty decisions but that can all be avoided with careful planning. Medicare expert Fran Soistman, CEO of eHealth, joins me with tips to help you beat the clock and make smart coverage selections.

In California, the largest use of all urban water happens outdoors while watering landscapes. Master Gardener and Community Restoration Ecologist, Cris Sarabia has tips to help you transform your yard and outdoor space with beautiful native, water wise plants this fall.

A recent survey shows that rising out of pocket costs are preventing people from accessing the important and necessary dental care they want and need. Bobbi Rebell is a certified financial planner and founder and CEO of Financial Wellness Strategies has some advice on how people can plan ahead to better manage dental costs.

Even though it affects nearly two-thirds of U.S. women, talking about bladder leaks, incontinence has always been taboo. Something to be embarrassed about. Well it's time to talk about this very common condition and take control. Laura Gimbert is a certified doula, understands female biology, the challenges woman can face, and what they can do to help themselves.

At 31-years-old, Meghan McKee was the picture of health. She worked as a physical therapist, ran, biked and did yoga, often exercising twice a day. She also ate a healthy diet filled with raw, unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, her healthy lifestyle wasn't enough to stop a stroke. Meghan McKee, Stroke Survivor and Dr. Sheryl Martin-Schild, Stroke Medical Director at Touro Infirmary join me to talk about why everyone needs to learn the signs of a stroke.