Healthy Women Lead

Lakeisha Stringfellow- Author, Speaker, and Marketplace Mentor  I have battled with my weight for the last 20 years. Now listen, I am only 25, so don’t try and do the math, you’ll never figure it out.  LOL! I remember having the perfect “coke bottle” shape in my younger days, but after my first son and side effects with the Depo Provera shot, all of that changed.  At first, I didn’t really notice it.  But four children later, I found myself at almost a whopping 300 pounds. I was so uncomfortable and dealt with a lot of digestive issues as well as knee pain.  I am only 5’ 7” and by medical definition, I am considered ‘Morbidly Obese’.  I couldn’t even wrap my mind around that diagnosis after seeing the Gastroenterologist. My cholesterol was borderline “high”, acid reflux was trying to kill me, I had severe anxiety and depression issues.  LORD, I felt like I was dying. At the end of 2016, I had enough.  I started to consider everything that I wanted.  All the things that God

There are millions of women every year who suffer from heart disease. According to the American Heart Association heart disease is the number one  killer for all Americans, and stroke is the  leading cause of death. This is something that has absolutely devastated the African American community and we must take control of it now! I had a chance to sit down and speak with one of my coaching clients Telisa King. Telisa is on a mission to change the lives of women, helping them to live healthier lives. Telisa shares her story on how her life changed after she found out she had high blood pressure. Telisa King- ID Life Rep What is your definition of health? Telisa: I believe that being healthy is not just about being free of physical illness or disease. I believe to be completely healthy it requires 3 key elements. It includes physical, mental, and spiritual health, I believe when we connect the three that's when we are truly healthy and whole. Most of the time we onl

There are millions of women affected by Breast Cancer every second of the day, and so many have survived and conquered this awful dreadful disease. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her life time. This statistic shows the importance of  women get annual mammograms and performing self breast exams. In spite of the latest technology and more women being proactive there still remains that cold hard truth, the incidence of breast cancer increases annually among black women. Why is that? Well here are few reasons this statement still remains true. One major reason behind this is that there are so many women who have no insurance or are under insured. Because of this, it causes many women not to get mammograms or even see a physician. Other barriers include lack of access to good health care, low income or worried about the cost, and the fear of bad news. Working as an oncology nurse for years have

Who is on your medical team or do you even have a medical team? Working as a registered nurse I have had the opportunity to work all over the healthcare spectrum. I've worked in medical surgical, emergency medicine, intensive care units, oncology, currently as a nurse education, and even on the corner of "happy and  healthy" lol! One common thread that I notice in all the different healthcare areas are individuals who don't have a primary care physician or have even seen any doctor in a number of years for that matter. I have heard people say, " When I get sick I just go to the emergency room" which is totally an issue for the patient and a even bigger one for the pockets of the patient. I know there may be many reasons for this decision, like limited access to good healthcare, no insurance or underinsured, and one of the main reason may be not having full knowledge of the healthcare system. I want to educate my readers on the importance of having a prim

  DARVECE A. MONSON: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & FOUNDER OF "More Than Your Kidneys      A couple of months ago I had to the pleasure of being honored for my work in the health care industry by the Chicago TACTS Organization for the 2016 Henrietta Lacks Award at Mercy Hospital. I was in complete shock when I received the call saying that they wanted to honor me for my work with women and my contribution to the healthcare industry. Little did I know when I went to the reception to be honored that I would meet this amazing nurse by the name of Darvece  Monson. We connected right away because she had such an amazing spirit and energy. We both talked about our work in health care and how much we love what we do. During the award's presentation I had a chance to hear Darvece's story and how she turned her trails into a testimony and her pain into passion for helping others. I sat down and talk to Darvece so she can give me more insight about her story and her mes

The Brain is a very powerful tool and functions better then any computer system ever could. The same way you shut down your Mac computer so it can rest and re-boot when it needs too, is the same way you have to shut down your brain and rest. Your brain controls everything in your body. It controls your organs, your thoughts, it tells you when to speak and when to shut- up. The brain is one of the most sophisticated organs in the body. You can't live without a brain. People can survive without a kidney, a liver, a limb, and even live with an artificial heart, but you can't survive without a brain. This is why it is so important to give the brain the rest it needs to function properly. If you don't give the brain rest and take time for you to relax , then you will experience mental burn out. Are there times you are feeling overwhelmed, sad, or can't properly think? You may be experiencing what's called mental burnout. You may need a  complete mental break. I can per