My grandfather, mother, uncle, and brother have all had problems with heart disease. That kind of family history might be considered motivation enough to keep a 42-year-old woman on the treadmill and as far away from trans fat and tobacco as possible. But it’s not that easy, right? While I’ve never smoked cigarettes, I am challenged to find the time and energy to exercise, and eat right. I use the word exercise on purpose, because the reality of my life, with two boys in tow, is that I am quite physically active. But the kind of physical activity that goes along with raising children (up and down stairs to do laundry, squatting to pick up toys, carrying grocery bags, mowing the grass) isn’t enough to keep my weight in a healthy range. As we know, being overweight is an underlying cause of heart disease, including the possibility of heart attack and stroke. READ MORE

[DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT]

[DROP THE POUNDS!!]

There is 3500 calories in 1 pound. Cut 500 cal/day for 7 days through diet and exercise and you could safely drop 1 pound a week.

[DROP THE INCHES!!]

You don’t always drop pounds as fast as you would like. Look at inches or how loosely your clothes are fitting.

[DROP THE EXCUSES!!]

I don’t belong to a gym, I don’t have time, exercising is too hard, I have bad knees…there’s an exercise for everyone no matter what kind of
shape you’re in.

[DROP THE STATISTICS!!]

Resources say overweight and obesity rates are at an all time high among minority women.

[DROP THE ATTITUDE!!]

Stay positive…YES YOU CAN!!

[DROP THE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!!]

THE GOAL IS 120/80. Have you had yours checked??

[DROP THE CHOLESTEROL!!]
The goal is under 200. Have you had yours checked??

Join us for the Girlfriends Workouts every other Saturday at the Northside YMCA.
Click Here for our schedule
- Nicole (Seals) Towns

“Let me introduce myself; my name is Chef Deborah and I am so excited to be The Girlfriends Health Guide For Women of Colors very own Executive Chef.

I am looking forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions in the upcoming months. If you have any questions regarding this menu I have selected for you in this issue, email me at: chefdeborahserve@yahoo.com I can’t wait to hear from you. Because what are Girlfriends for!” READ MORE

Ladies…It’s all in the Feet
There are a number of women, 30 years of age and older, who are looking for a man who can do more for them than take them out to dinner. One of the best ways of evaluating their potential is to check out their feet.

The feet are further from the heart than any other part of the body, being the first place to detect poor circulation. Offer to give a good foot rub. If you don’t see any hair growing on the toes, that’s a sign of poor blood flow. Certain body functions require good blood flow to work properly.

If you got skills, check for one pulse on the top of the foot, just in front of the ankle, slightly closer to the big toe side. The other is right behind the ankle bone on the big toe side toward the back of the heal. One out of two pulses per foot is not bad, but no pulses can be a sign of declining health in more than one way. READ MORE

Gwen Janda, Gwen Janda, At The Institute of Beauty and Wellness you can experience a rejuvenating facial that takes a holistic approach to skincare, treating the skin through relaxation, aromatherapy, massage, and education. Since our skin is continuously changing, each facial is customized to your current skin condition. Education on using the proper cleanser, toner and moisturizer is also provided.

One key fact is that you should not cleanse your face more than twice a day as excessive cleansing will break down the acid mantle, which is our skin’s protective barrier. If a simple face refresher is needed try Aveda’s Botanical Kinetics Toning Mist. The toning mist can also be used to set your makeup application. Try to avoid anti-bacterial bar soap, which can irritate your skin and increase the aging process.

Prior to your facial do not self extract blemishes. An esthetician will assess the cause of your acne and properly extract blemishes. Estheticians have access to more concentrated skincare products or “back bar” products which more effectively treat breakouts.

Be cautious of the exfoliant you use. Facial scrubs that contain crushed nut particles are too harsh for the face and may cause premature aging, microscopic tears and epidermal cysts (white bumps made up of dead skin cells). Try Aveda’s Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant, a gentler alternative to exfoliation.

Be sure to apply a product containing SPF to exposed skin before starting your day. Most sun damage occurs before the age of eighteen; however, the damage can take years to surface. Vitamins A, C, E are helpful in fighting off free radicals, such as sun, pollution or cigarette smoke, that are harmful to skin cells.

People with darker or olive skin tones are more prone to spots from acne or sun damage, due to more active skin pigment. The Aveda brightening line is well-suited for skin with hyper-pigmentation.

Your skin is you largest living organ, pay attention to it!

- Sarah Fierek

When I hear the word minority– struggle and growth come to my mind. Carmen Alicia Murguia is a minority in more than one way. She is the definition of a woman who has found her voice and her walk of passion through hardship to joy, she isn’t ashamed to bring her whole self to the table with her friends, familia, clients, and colleagues at Jack Safro’s Infiniti North Shore.

From growing up with “brown skin”, to working in sales in a male dominated business, she utilizes the essence of herself to define, inspire, empower, connect and achieve. Carmen paints with words as a poet. She has published pieces in “Between the Heart and the Land: Latino Poets in the Midwest” and “The Voices Inside” and is working on her next collection, “Brown Skin”.

“It kept coming up as a theme of inspiration. “Brown Skin” comes in so many different colors. Looking at my work over the past couple of years has everything to do with being brown and going through life and work as a brown person,” said Carmen.

Carmen always thought that certain careers that demanded a lot of her time would hinder her writing. She realized that she is blessed with a gift, and it is not going to go anywhere. Coming from a job as a receptionist of 18 years, the big move was having to follow her heart, and listen to her gut while deciding what she wanted to do.

“It means really stretching out and listening to your potential and saying, you know, it’s already here, you just have to find something that interests you.”

She found just that when she was hired as a Sales Consultant for Infiniti, making for one of three women who work for the company in the Midwest and the only minority woman in sales in the Midwest. She has excelled in the business of luxury car sales and was the recipient of the 2007 Infiniti G35 “Walk Around” Competition as well as the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show’s 2006 award for customer excellence.

She seeks support from friends, familia and Leo Finley at Infiniti. “He is a great manager, he is constantly in my corner and I don’t think I have ever experienced that, a constant without a doubt,” said Carmen. “It’s the one place I can bring my whole self to work. Carmen, all of me; my Mexican self, my female self, my business self…it’s like I was preparing my whole life, including the poetry because I present myself and the vehicles.”

Carmen encourages women to open their heart and let love in and expresses the power behind using all of your potential.

A A healthy financial outlook is as important as being physically healthy. Legacy Bank recognizes the importance of building wealth. Individuals who do not have financial worries are less likely to have stress or other diseases that impact their physical well being. In our market place, many of the consumers don’t have a banking relationship. Senior management recognized this was a niche that the bank could fill. Our Marketing Department developed a checking account for individuals, which offers training for our future customers, especially individuals who have never had a banking account or, have a history of account abuse.

On the third Saturday of every month, our Audit and Compliance Department hosts a financial literacy training class for perspective customers. The message is geared towards account responsibility and building a relationship with a banker. The two-hour class, created by our Compliance Officer, discusses the various components of being a good customer. Perspective customers are required to practice balancing an account, writing checks, understanding ATM and debit cards. They also receive banking fee information, in comparison to the fees charged by payday loan merchants or check cashers. READ MORE

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup diced lower-sodium, low-fat ham
  (about 4 ounces), all visible fat discarded
• 3 cups frozen fat-free southern-style diced
  hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt-free Cajun or Creole
  seasoning blend
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

READ MORE

Ahhh – summer! Nature’s healing sigh after winter; the sunny glow of everyone’s top travel season is the perfect time to explore great moments in Wisconsin. Like the old adage says, we tend to overlook the treasures in our own backyards –– so take another look at Wisconsin. You’ll be surprised at what you can find to experience and enjoy while stimulating all your senses. Feed your inner thespian with the art of theater, from outdoor stages set among the beauty of forests, to an evening under the stars. Wisconsin has three talented companies to choose from: Spring Green’s American Players Theatre, American Folklore Theater and Peninsula Players, both in Door County. Wisconsin also hosts nationally acclaimed summer art festivals, including Madison’s Art Fair on the Square and Green Bay’s Artstreet festival. Communities like Cedarburg, Minocqua, Delafield and Door County offer spectacular art studios, displays and shows all season long.

Now that it’s warm outside, pack the hiking shoes and bug-repellant, and get in touch with nature at a Wisconsin campground or national park. Camping is a great way to reconnect with family in a hands-on setting. Wisconsin has an abundance of trails, streams and lakes full of fish, including some of the cleanest and family-friendly beaches around. These are prime locations to share the simple skills learned from our elders, like baiting a hook, or exploring a new adventure like kayaking or canoeing.

Wisconsin also has a reputation for holding fantastic summer festivals. You’ll always find a party going on somewhere! Check out Wisconsin’s impressive jazz and blues festivals, like LaCrosse’s Great River Jazz Fest, Milwaukee’s Third Ward Jazz Fest – Summer Sizzle, and the Dodgeville Blues Fest. Since Wisconsin “fests the best,” you’ll keep busy with the impressive food, wine, and ethnic festivals, like African World Festival in Milwaukee, and the Hmong Summer Festival in Sheboygan. Get out and enjoy the summer in Wisconsin, because it never lasts long enough!

The diagnosis of cancer is a scary thought. Cancer awareness among women has risen dramatically in the last decade, coming a long way to empower women through education and community support. According to national statistics, a large number of women still believe cancer is the leading cause of death among women. What many people don’t know is that nearly twice as many women die of heart disease and stroke than from all other forms of cancer combine.

Heart disease is an umbrella term used to describe a number of conditions, heart attack, stroke, chest pain, all of which affect the heart and blood vessels. For many people, heart disease is more closely

one in three female deaths are due to heart disease

associated with men than with women. It’s estimated that 8 million American women are living with heart disease today and that one in three women die due to heart disease. When compared to Caucasian women, African American and Hispanic American women are more likely to develop heart disease as they typically have a higher prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

There are a number of factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease. Things such as increasing age, family history, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes all contribute.

While heart disease is a life long condition, it can be controlled. It’s important to discuss heart disease with your doctor and the specific steps you can take to reduce your risk.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. There are several factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. One of these factors is race. Black women have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke than white women. Compared with whites, African-American women are more likely to die of stroke.

What can you do to prevent heart disease?

• See you doctor for a full exam at least every year.
  Your doctor can identify additional risk factors and
  treat underlying conditions such as high cholesterol,
  high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Stay away from Tobacco smoke. Don’t smoke and
  stay away from people who do.
• Be active. At least 30 minutes of physical activity per
  day will make you feel great, look better & help
  prevent heart disease. (Why not come to the next
  Girlfriends exercise event to get some activities ideas?)
• Keep your weight down. Five fruits and vegetables
  a day. Low fat & high fiber foods. Yum!
• Go easy on alcohol. Although one glass of wine
  a day can be beneficial to heart health, more than
  that can be dangerous to your health.