Is the Surgeon General Nominee too Fat to serve?

I say she is absolutely NOT too overweight to serve as Surgeon General. But that doesn't make her weight a non-issue as we've seen in the media the last few days.

What does her weight have to do with anything? Well the Surgeon General is the leading spokesperson on matters of public health. Obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Does her own struggle with weight leave her at a disadvantage when trying to get her point across to the U.S. Public? Maybe. I've often wondered how physicians who struggle with obesity or have packs of cigarettes in their shirt pockets are able to tell their patients to lose weight or quit smoking.

I hope Dr. Benjamin is confirmed soon. I also hope she takes this unique opportunity to address the issue of obesity in America.

"Public Service" Announcement for the Day: Finger in the Bottom

I went to a street fair today in my neighborhood, and saw booths for organ donation, and prostate cancer research. I was very happy to see both. Several black women worked the organ donation booth and I had a nice chat with them. However, the prostate cancer booth was being avoided by black men like it was the entrance to Hell.

Black men in America have the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world at 180.6 per 100,000 population (read all about it in an article I found on Medscape dealing with cultural barriers black men face about their own health care, here). The article states that during a 4 year period in the late 90's the death rate for black men was 73.0 per 100,000, which was double the death rate for Hispanic men. It's unknown why black men have higher rates of prostate cancer (there are some hypotheses, but I won't address these in this post), but it's thought that the death rate is associated with late detection.

The American Cancer Society recommends screening for prostate cancer starting at 50 years-old, or earlier if you are of African descent or have a family history of disease. Click on the title for more information from a site with good information.

Pediatrician Takes on the Anti-Vaccination Movement

A stumbled upon KevinMD's Blog while I was Googling for information on the anti-vaccination movement, which in turn lead me to the L.A. Times article. Apparently this movement seems to be catching on in the online black community (or maybe just the nutty sites to which I've found myself strangely attracted lately). As there is already a fair amount of mistrust of the medical establishment by the black community due to past unethical behavior such as Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, I think it's important to speak up to address the current rumors and conspiracy theories.

I'm considering starting a series of posts addressing some of the most common medical misconceptions/conspiracy theories floating around. Since the "Natural Remedy" industry is near and dear to my heart (my mother gravitates towards this movement), I will start there on my next post. But I'll take requests.

Haven't been here in awhile

I should probably try to make some effort to fill this space. I'm not going to pretend that I'm some sort of gifted writer, or even well read. But I'll try to write something at least once a day for the next month. Right now I'm interested in the Health Care Reform debate, but it's been difficult to get anyone else (especially other physicians) involved. Maybe I need to do more?

Double Standard

WHY IS NOBODY CALLING JOHN McCAIN ARROGANT, PRESUMPTUOUS, OR UPPITY??

Barack Obama goes to Berlin and gives a speech, people cheer. The media are all over him from "acting Presidential", " he's being presumptuous".

John McCain USURPS the roll of the current President of the United States, threatens a foreign power, doesn't know his roll. He's showing "strength".

And people are attempting to tell me race is in no way involved in this Presidential election. I recall my grandmother saying, "...just because you pour syrup on dogshit, that still doesn't make 'em pancakes"

If white boys doin it, well, it's success
When I start doin, well, it's suspect...

Mos Def "Mr. Nigga"

Returning

Wow, so much has happened since I last posted my insignificant views. I'll make an effort to post at least once a week. I wish I'd had time to post during the Obama-Clinton duel...that would have been fun. So far McCain has not disappointed. I only need see a picture of him now and I collapse in a fit of laughter.

"...I'm going away tonight"

James Brown was probably some of the first music I was introduced to as a child. The Godfather is dead. Music seems to be dying. Nina Simone, Ali Farka Toure, John Lee Hooker. Yet another legend I was not able to see live. How depressing. I've been playing James Browns Funky Christmas all day. Santa Claus go straight to the ghetto...James Brown is singing in Heavens ghetto tonight.