Dr. Cheryl L. Holder
Cheryl L. Holder, M.D.
President
James Wilson Bridges, M.D. Medical Society
“Doctor Holder, please come to Room 2 now!” my nurse asked. Hearing the urgency in her voice, I immediately excused myself from the patient in Room 1 and rushed to the other room. Upon entering, my nurse reported the patient was a woman with hypertension who had been recently discharged from the hospital after treatment for a suspected heart attack. Continue reading
Kelli Michelle
By Kyoto Walker
The music is infectious and the energy is high in Kelli Michelle’s Zumba class at the LA Fitness in Palm Beach Gardens.
Latin rhythms pulsate and the floor vibrates during the hour-long aerobic/dance exercise class, which works the core muscles of the body.
It is a sweaty, high-energy workout that somehow transcends the traditional notion of exercise drudgery into, well, fun. Continue reading
Dr. Danette Arthur
By Dr. Danette Arthur
Each year 46 million Americans smoke and 12 % of them are African Americans. In
terms of dollars each year African Americans spend 11.2 billion dollars on cigarettes.
Death due to cigarette smoking kills more people than traffic accidents, illegal drugs,
alcohol, fires, falls and AIDS combined. Most smokers want to quit but find it difficult.
It’s hard because smoking is a real addiction, just as real as cocaine and heroin addiction.
So let’s be clear that this is a real disease and it is called nicotine dependence. We would
never minimize cocaine dependence. It is about time that we aggressively confront
nicotine dependence. Continue reading
Dr. Alix Lanoue
By: Jean Sebastien Rowe
Dr. Alix Lanoue studied Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and received his Gastroenterology training at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is one of the leading gastroenterologists in South Florida. Dr. Lanoue is the current president of the Florida chapter of the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad and is an active member of the James Wilson Bridges M.D. Medical Society, the South Florida chapter of the National Medical Association. Continue reading
Dr. Deborah Holmes
By Deborah Holmes, M.D.
Medical Director
AIDS Healthcare Foundation – Miami Clinic
(Magic Johnson Healthcare Center)
The AIDS epidemic continues to thrive in 2011 despite multiple new medications including single tablet cocktail regimens and tremendous research. Continue reading
Dr. Nadeen S. White
By Nadeen S. White, M.D., FAAP
In Miami on Oct. 15, 2011, a record breaking 23,000 people participated in Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure, including thousands of black female supporters and survivors. It occurred to me that day: Are black women aware of the significant differences between how this disease affects our race versus white women? Continue reading
Carl King
By Kyoto Walker
Palm Beach County Bureau Chief
In today’s economy, gym memberships can be very expensive and oft times we let them expire before getting the full benefits.
However, there is a place where you don’t have to spend a dime for better health and fitness, and free music, movies and books are available, too.
The West Palm Beach Public Library is offering free fitness classes, which include yoga, Pilates and Latin Cardio, at various times throughout the week. Continue reading
Dr. Michelle Kirwin
By Michelle Kirwin, M.D., FAAP
Childhood obesity is a serious medical concern in the United States and has risen to epidemic proportions. Over the last thirty years the number of obese children and adolescents has nearly tripled. According to the Centers for Disease Control approximately 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents age 2 – 19 years old are obese. Continue reading
Jennifer Harvey
By Jennifer Harvey
I’ll never forget the day six years ago when my doctor informed me that my blood cholesterol level was borderline high. Well, that was not news – my previous doctor had said the same thing a year before, acknowledging that 13 percent of African American women have high cholesterol. Continue reading
Dr. Gina Morgan-Smith
By Dr. Gina Morgan-Smith
Many years ago, early in my career as a pediatrician, I was called to the home of an African-American infant who was not responding. I remember the anxiety I felt as we rushed to the home where the infant was located. As I approached the house, I was hoping that this was a one of those familiar calls where I would end up reassuring a frantic mom with a very stuffy and congested child. Instead, as I walked through the door I was confronted by an unfamiliar smell and a sense of gloom. Continue reading
Jahan Sharif
By Jahan Sharif
Northeastern University- IAF 2013
When I was in high school I realized that I was not the male version of Tyra Banks. Recently I was on Facebook when I noticed someone had tagged me in a photo from a recent function. While admiring myself and my friends– with our high cheekbones, straight teeth, and nicely tanned skin– I noticed that their cheekbones lacked the little “chicken pox-esque” black and dark brown spots that I had. Continue reading
Dr. Henry Lewis III
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius recently appointed Florida Memorial University (FMU) President Dr. Henry Lewis III to the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The secretary expressed “delight” in Lewis’ appointment in a formal invitation letter. He hopes his appointment inspires others.
“I am truly humbled and honored to receive this appointment,” Lewis said. “I hope this appointment inspires our students to leverage all of their available resources and opportunities so that they may achieve their dreams.” Continue reading
Natalie P. McNeal
By Natalie P. McNeal
Ok, so 2012 is a few days away and I have to ask about your New Year’s resolution. Everyone who has made a resolution to lose weight or focus on their health this year, raise your hand. I bet there are more than a few of you holding your hands up. Count me in, too.
Part of being frugal and fabulous definitely means realizing that your health is your wealth. Continue reading
Dr. Juandalyn Peters
By Juandalyn Peters, M.D.
Have you ever noticed how easy it is for total strangers to acknowledge that they have migraine headaches, or are being treated for high blood pressure? Contrast that with discussions about mental health issues. Somehow, we all have the idea that talking about mental health is completely off-limits. We are afraid to think about it sometimes, let alone discuss it or seek necessary treatment. Continue reading
Dr. Barbara Montford
By Barbara Montford, M.D., P.A.
These are exciting and stressful times in health care. New technology and declining reimbursements are cause for concern for all urologists. As a member of the Dade County Medical Association Board of Directors, I see the challenges for all physicians, not just urologists. Continue reading
Dr. Gina Morgan-Smith
Long gone are the days when patients played a passive role in health care. The traditional models of health care, where patients “sit still as the doctor instills” are being replaced by models that place patients at the center of their health care. With access to the many search engines within the internet, many patients are able to retrieve massive amounts of health care information. Continue reading
Dr. Anthony J. Hall
By Anthony J. Hall, MDCM, FACS
Surgery of the spine has dramatically changed over the last 15 years. The realization that many patients undergoing spinal surgery are not satisfied with their outcome has fueled a search for improvements in the practice. Continue reading
JWBMS inspires the African American communities in South Florida to improve Health and Nutrition
The James Wilson Bridges Medical Society (JWBMS), an organization of local physicians who share the mission of the National Medical Association, the 116 year old association of African American physicians, launched the second part of its two pronged efforts to address the obesity epidemic in communities such as Miami Gardens and Overtown. Continue reading
M. Athalie Range
By Suzan McDowell
M. Athalie Range, also known as “Ma Range”, broke ground in the 1960’s as the first African-American elected to Miami’s City Commission. And in the 70’s she became the first black — and woman — in Florida’s history to serve in a high state government post. Spurred by a deep passion that blacks preserve a sense of their heritage, in her 80s Range started a cultural arts foundation. Continue reading
Dr. Michelle Kirwin
By Michelle Kirwin, M.D., FAAP
Adolescents and young adults are engaging in risky sexual behaviors, often without concern for the many possible unintended health outcomes. A 2009 survey showed that 46% of high school students had had sexual intercourse. Studies show that 1 in every 4 of them will contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) every year. Continue reading