Health
Care
Blacks Suffer Most from
Obama Lactose Intolerance
Lifts Ban on
Travelers
A
mong those over the age of five, approximately 90-95 percent of black individuals
throughout the world will have partial or complete lactose intolerance. Milk intolerance
occurs when lactase, the enzyme required to metabolize the milk sugar lactose, de-
Infected with
creases or becomes absent in the gastrointestinal tract. Children are born with the correctly
functioning enzyme. However, when a child reaches around the age of five years old, for
HIV/AIDS
reasons unknown, black children partially or completely lose the lactase enzyme.
Children below the age of five, who have severe bouts of diarrhea or another severe ill-
O
n October 30, 2009, President Obama ness, may also develop temporary or permanent lactose intolerance. Because the level of
stated at a White House press confer- lactase deficiency varies between individuals, some will be able to drink more milk before
ence that he will be lifting a ban on symptoms occur than others. Some individuals may be able to learn to limit their intake of
people entering the United States that are milk to their body’s specific and individual limit. However, most people will need to avoid all
infected with HIV/AIDS. According to lactose-containing products.
CNN, Obama says by lifting this ban it In infants and young children, calcium may need to be supplemented. If cutting out lac-
will encourage people and their families to tose containing products is out of the question, a tablet is available that can be taken with a
get tested for HIV/ AIDS. lactose-containing food to supply the required enzyme for breaking down lactose. Dr. Hetal
“We talk about reducing the stigma of Karson, a specialist at Atlanta’s Emory University, said lactose intolerance probably hasn’t
this disease, yet we’ve treated a visitor liv- gotten a lot of attention because many policy makers and media members are Caucasian, and
ing with it as a threat,” he said at the White don’t think of it as a common problem. “It’s Caucasian bias,” said Karson.
House. “If we want to be the global leader Last year, the National Medical Association issued a special report funded by the Na-
in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act tional Dairy Council on the role of dairy in the diet of blacks. The report stated 44 percent of
like it.” Obama also states that the Ryan black adults said they eat one of more servings of dairy each day; only 66 percent of black
White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension adults get the daily recommended amounts of calcium. The group recommended blacks to
Act will allow $2.5 billion to fund the sup- consume three to four servings a day of low-fat milk, cheese and/or yogurt, while the govern-
port of HIV/AIDS in 2010 and $3 billion ment recommends for the general public to consume only three.
by 2013. The group felt that by making a higher recommendation, blacks might meet the minimum
According to the Centers for Disease guidelines, said Dr. Winston Price, a New York pediatrician and co-author of the report. Price
Control and Prevention, there are 1 mil- said the report was encouraged by recent research that suggested dairy products could help
lion people in the U.S. living with HIV/ reduce the risk of high blood pressure and other chronic diseases among blacks. Intolerance
AIDS and about 25 percent of them are adverse reactions are not life-threatening but may result in life-long discomfort.
unaware of the disease they are carrying.
As for African-Americans, almost half of
that number is infected with HIV/AIDS.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Nicole Thompson, 22, a genetics grad-
uate student at Howard University, says, “I
am glad that Obama is lifting this ban be- S
easonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects people when seasons change, typically
from summer to fall or fall to winter. According to Allison Lockard, counselor
and certified victim’s advocate at Florida A&M University’s Sunshine Manor,
cause it will now allow more of our doc- SAD usually affects those who live in places that have the conventional four season
tors to treat people with HIV/AIDS who cycle. “It’s a depression that comes with the changing of seasons,” Lockard said.
are unable to get the attention they need in Jessica Garibay, an information specialist for the National Depressive and Manic
other countries.” Travelers fighting HIV/ Depressive Association, said that the symptoms of SAD are not much different from
AIDS have been banned from entering the regular depression. “SAD symptoms are generally the same as any other form of de-
United States for a little over 20 years. pression,” she said. “This may include prolonged sadness, significant appetite change,
Health care teacher Emily Hamilton weight gain, loss of energy, feelings of guilt or indecisiveness, abnormal aches and
says, “This is longer overdue. African- pains, and thoughts of death or suicide.”
Americans need to become more aware of According to Jermaine Robertson, an FAMU psychology professor, SAD affects
this disease, especially since a large num- people in cycles and they typically feel better once the season changes to spring or
ber of blacks carry this disease. I try and summer -- the change is gradual. Lockard said light therapy is the most effective rem-
make my students aware by showing vid- edy for SAD. “The purpose of light therapy is to mimic the sun,” Lockard said.
eos and constantly going over information Robertson said the SAD cycle comes and goes with the seasons, and some may
that will make them knowledgeable of only suffer from the disorder’s cycle for a few years. “It is a transitional period, both
these issues. We must start informing the coming in and going out, and people who suffer from SAD must realize that the cure
younger children so that we can stop this is not immediate,” he said. “A person suffering from SAD will not automatically feel
epidemic,” she added. better just because the spring equinox has begun. More severe cases may need hospi-
Source: HispanicPRWire tal treatment.”
46
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