| INTRODUCTIONIt is my pleasure to
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| | eliminating all of the colon cancer, they
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| introduce to you, a new Diabetes
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| | eliminated the toxins from their bodies
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| Prevention Education, Public Relations
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| | through sweat and perspiration. They may
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| Campaign established under the name
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| | have been tired, but they had healthy
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| Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, started by me,
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| | bodies. So all of these diseases that
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| Lyndia Grant-Briggs, after the loss of my
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| | are out of control today, like Diabetes
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| mother who succumbed to Type 2 Diabetes
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| | came along later due to the many
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| on Christmas Day, December 25, 2000. I
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| | lifestyle changes of Americans.Let us all
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| noticed a fire burning in the Diabetes
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| | learn a very important lesson from this
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| health arena, and it is still burning out
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| | bit of history: According to all
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| of control. The diabetes prevention and
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| | legislations and laws today, African
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| education public relations campaign was
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| | Americans can Be whatever they want to
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| started in an effort, to "Fan the
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| | be, they can Do whatever they are capable
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| Flames", and put out the fire.Fannie
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| | of doing, and they can Have whatever they
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| Grant was 73 years old, a homemaker, who
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| | can manage to work hard enough to
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| loved her family very much, and she
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| | achieve. We know that this is a true
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| believed in preparing wonderful
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| | statement, when you look around and you
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| home-cooked meals for the family. You
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| | see such role models as Oprah Winfrey,
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| name it, and we had it. We would have
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| | the queen of talk shows, Bill Cosby,
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| desserts any day of the week. Mama
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| | Michael Jordan, we have had several black
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| enjoyed cooking, cleaning and washing
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| | Miss America's, including the current
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| clothes, and although she raised nine
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| | reigning queen, we have Tiger Woods, the
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| children of her own, she always had room
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| | best golfer of all times and The Williams
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| for other needy children.In our early
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| | Sisters, who have broken all records.
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| years, from 1945-1965, Mother was the
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| | The list goes on and on. Today, we live
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| wife of a sharecropper in North Carolina,
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| | in fabulous homes; our children can now
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| but they moved the family to Washington,
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| | go to college, (sidebar: yet we have
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| D.C. in 1965. So for more than 30 years,
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| | more African American men in prison
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| Mother Grant, our father and all of us
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| | today, over 900,000 than we have in
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| children called the Washington
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| | college today, only 600,000, that's
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| Metropolitan Area home.Our family learned
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| | another article.)The trouble with this
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| that Mother had Type 2 Diabetes after a
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| | whole thing is, African Americans
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| major stroke she had back in 1988-89.
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| | continue to enjoy many of the delicious
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| She lived 11-12 years after the
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| | foods handed down to us by our ancestors,
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| diagnosis. Lyndia and her Sisters, (The
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| | our diets haven't changed very much, but
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| Grant Sisters) pledged to begin the
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| | we've forgotten one very important
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| educational prevention campaign while
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| | ingredient, our ancestors worked 12-16
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| they visited with and/or cared for their
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| | hour days, performing physical labor.
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| mother during her last year of life.After
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| | They received the necessary exercise
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| moving back home to North Carolina,
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| | daily, therefore, they didn't get sick
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| Mother Grant enjoyed her latter years in
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| | with diabetes, and all of the fat was
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| a very peaceful way. Us children
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| | burned off in blood, sweat and
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| purchased her a new home, took over all
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| | tears.Today, in order for us to get
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| of the mortgage payments, and she was
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| | proper exercise, we must plan to have
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| happy. Mother Grant enjoyed living on
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| | physical exercise at least 30 minutes
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| this wonderful 227-acre farm, near
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| | daily, one-hour is preferable, but no
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| Kinston, North Carolina. She was one of
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| | less than 30 minutes. That's not a lot,
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| the heirs to this wonderful farm left to
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| | compared to the amount of time our
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| her family by their father, and my
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| | forefathers worked, but according to
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| grandfather, Floyd Hill.She enjoyed
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| | studies done by the National Institute of
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| walking around the farm, following my
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| | Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases,
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| father, Bishop Benjamin Grant, around the
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| | the little time we manage to put in,
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| garden as he worked. She enjoyed
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| | while exercising for 30 minutes, 3-4 days
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| shopping with her sisters going to yard
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| | week can prevent the occurrence of
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| sales. Shopping gave her considerable
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| | Diabetes.Today, we continue in the
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| joy near the end of her life.Mother
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| | tradition of eating our "soul food"
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| suffered numerous strokes, seven to ten
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| | diets, very much the same as we did 200
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| to be specific. During one stoke, she
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| | years ago, except today, most of us don't
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| lost the use of her tongue and couldn't
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| | use lard, and we can eat all we want.
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| speak at all. Mother Fannie's kidney
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| | We've graduated to vegetable oils like
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| failed, she was receiving kidney dialysis
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| | Crisco and other vegetable oils. (Olive
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| for the last two years of her life, she
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| | Oils are better for us, less
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| had high blood pressure for many years,
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| | cholesterol). Families today still enjoy
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| and both of her legs were amputated above
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| | foods, which include far too many
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| her knees.The ProblemWe wanted to know
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| | carbohydrates like macaroni and cheese,
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| more about the disease that took our
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| | desserts, and lots of bread. We have
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| mother in such a brutal fashion. There
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| | enjoyed these foods for hundreds of
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| was so much pain and suffering prior to
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| | years, but now, we sit at computers, walk
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| her death. Mother Grant was a Christian,
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| | out to our cars, drive everywhere,
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| she was an Evangelist who preached the
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| | including to the grocery stores, we don't
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| gospel in churches throughout the
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| | have to walk to school for miles any
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| Washington D.C. Area, and everyone loved
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| | longer, we can ride the school buses, and
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| her and called her Ma.Our mother was very
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| | exercise has all but been eliminated.
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| special, and as her oldest daughter, I
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| | America is overwhelmingly FAT, even our
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| promised to carry out a public awareness
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| | children in many cases are overweight and
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| campaign, to educate millions of people
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| | or obese.It's a simple problem, bad diets
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| regarding the causes and preventions of
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| | that includes too much junk food from
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| Type 2 Diabetes. In educating the
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| | fast food restaurants, and a lack of
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| general public, I feel a lot better,
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| | strenuous exercise. How many times have
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| because my mother's living shall not be
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| | you pigged out, after a hard day, then,
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| in vain. My sisters and I have been
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| | you fell asleep? That food is fattening
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| blessed over the past 20 years, we've had
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| | you up, just the way that it does for
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| lots of success in publicizing several
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| | newborn babies. Remember how babies eat
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| major events, we coordinated a major
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| | and sleep, and soon, you notice their
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| festival, called Georgia Avenue Day in
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| | little legs beginning to get a little
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| Washington, D.C. The festival and parade
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| | meat on their bones. But you can almost
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| attracted more than 200,000 people, major
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| | look at them grow and gain weight. But
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| corporate sponsors and celebrities. We
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| | they are still babies, and that's what
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| worked for two Presidential Inaugural
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| | they need, nutrition to grow.For adults
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| Committees, one was for the Republicans,
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| | though, it's a different story, we have
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| George Herbert Walker Bush and for other
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| | already grown up, and all we can do now
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| for the Democrats, President Bill
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| | is grow OUT!!! We just keep getting
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| Clinton, for two D.C. Mayors, Marion
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| | BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER! We look
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| Barry and Sharon Pratt Kelly, and three
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| | bad to ourselves and to others, we can't
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| D.C. City Councilmembers, Charlene Drew
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| | fit into our nice clothing, we have to
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| Jarvis, Frank Smith and Eyde Whittington.
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| | keep buying fat clothes. And worst of
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| Another major achievement was an
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| | all, our hearts cannot stand this, and
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| appointment that I received as project
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| | neither can the rest of our organs. (I
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| director by Councilman Frank Smith, to
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| | give a speech entitled "Let Not Your
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| erect the Spirit of Freedom Memorial, a
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| | Heart Be Troubled" - How to have a
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| new national African American Civil War
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| | healthy mind, body & spirit). It's no
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| Memorial located in Washington, D.C.
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| | wonder that our starvation genes are
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| This monument pays tribute to 209,145
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| | reacting the way that they have, this
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| United States Colored Troops who fought
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| | so-called "thrifty gene" that is found in
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| in the American Civil War.As you can see,
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| | African Americans seems to store even
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| Mother Grant passed down some strong
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| | more of this foreign food that we
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| self-worth values. She taught us that we
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| | continue to ingest into our bodies. We
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| can do anything that we want, and that we
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| | came from strong, lean backgrounds,
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| can be the best at whatever we choose.
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| | Africa has never been a "fat" nation, but
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| The business of public relations is "in
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| | as African Americans, we have
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| my blood." There was no way that I could
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| | Americanized our bodies so badly, that
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| see the devastation caused by Diabetes
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| | our health problems are out-of-control!If
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| and understand this disease, and do
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| | you take a look at the stats provided by
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| nothing about it. I wanted to know "what
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| | the National Institute of Health, Today,
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| happened to Mother, how did this happen,
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| | diabetes mellitus is one of the most
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| could we have done something differently,
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| | serious health challenges facing the
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| if only we had known that an improved
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| | United States. The following statistics
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| diet and regular physical exercise could
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| | illustrate the magnitude of this disease
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| have made a difference."I know that I've
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| | among African Americans.2.8 million
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| been chosen to get the word out regarding
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| | African Americans have diabetes.On
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| this disease that's burning "out of
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| | average, African Americans are twice as
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| control" in the African American
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| | likely to have diabetes as white
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| community. It has been extremely hard to
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| | Americans of similar age.Approximately 13
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| continue to live without our Mother, but
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| | percent of all African Americans have
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| in sharing this information with others,
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| | diabetes.African Americans with diabetes
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| it gives me some relief from my grief.So,
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| | are more likely to develop diabetes
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| what exactly is Diabetes? Diabetes
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| | complications and experience greater
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| mellitus is a group of diseases
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| | disability from the complications than
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| characterized by high levels of blood
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| | white Americans with diabetes.Death rates
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| glucose. It results from defects in
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| | for people with diabetes are 27 percent
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| insulin secretion, insulin action, or
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| | higher for African Americans compared
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| both. Diabetes can be associated with
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| | with whitesNational health surveys during
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| serious complications and premature
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| | the past 35 years show that the
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| death, but people with diabetes can take
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| | percentage of the African American
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| measures to reduce the likelihood of
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| | population that has been diagnosed with
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| such, according to recent studies found
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| | diabetes is increasing dramatically. The
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| by the National Institute of Health.
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| | surveys in 1976-80 and in 1988-94
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| Some researchers believe that African
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| | measured fasting plasma glucose and thus
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| Americans, (Hispanic Americans, Asian
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| | allowed an assessment of the prevalence
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| Americans, and Pacific Islanders were
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| | of undiagnosed diabetes as well as of
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| also included in the study) inherited a
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| | previously diagnosed diabetes. In
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| "thrifty gene" from their African
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| | 1976-80, total diabetes prevalence in
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| ancestors. Years ago, this gene enabled
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| | African Americans ages 40 to 74 years was
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| Africans, during "feast and famine"
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| | 8.9 percent; in 1988-94, total prevalence
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| cycles, to use food energy more
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| | had increased to 18.2 percent--a doubling
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| efficiently when food was scarce. Today,
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| | of the rate in just 12 years.Prevalence
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| with fewer such cycles, the thrifty gene
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| | in African Americans is much higher than
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| that developed for survival may instead
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| | in white Americans. Among those ages 40
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| make the person more susceptible to
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| | to 74 years in the 1988-94 survey, the
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| developing type 2 diabetes.The problem
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| | rate was 11.2 percent for whites, but was
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| dates back to the beginning of the slave
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| | 18.2 percent for African AmericansRegular
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| trade, documented as beginning in 1790,
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| | physical activity is a protective factor
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| and for those enslaved ones, food was
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| | against type 2 diabetes and, conversely,
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| still scarce, thus the "thrifty genes"
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| | lack of physical activity is a risk
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| protected them. If you research the
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| | factor for developing diabetes.
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| documentations found on record at the
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| | Researchers suspect that a lack of
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| National Archives and Records
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| | exercise is one factor contributing to
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| Administration, slaves received rations.
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| | the high rates of diabetes in African
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| It really doesn't matter what the diets
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| | Americans. In the NHANES III survey, 50
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| were of African people hundreds of years
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| | percent of African American men and 67
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| ago, as they roamed around freely on the
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| | percent of African American women
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| African continent, in townships like
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| | reported that they participated in little
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| Johannesburg, Freetown, Rwanda, Sudan,
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| | or no leisure time physical
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| South African and Sierre Leone. What
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| | activity.ConclusionIn furthering the
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| does matter is the fact that those
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| | causes of this Diabetes Educational
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| Africans who managed to survive the slave
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| | Prevention Campaign, the first order of
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| trade here in America, arrived on the
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| | business has been to make my very own
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| shores very strong. The majority of them
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| | Lifestyle Change. My Mother was buried
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| worked in the fields from sun-up to
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| | on December 30th, 2000. When I returned
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| sundown, six days per week, and in many
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| | home to Silver Spring, Maryland, it took
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| cases, seven days/week. Slaves ate
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| | a few months before I could go on, the
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| scraps, like hog mauls, chitterlings,
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| | grief period was extremely hard, but the
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| pigtails, pig feet, pig ears, and they
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| | first order of business, was to begin a
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| drank milk from a trough along side other
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| | regular exercise routine. Walking became
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| animals.African people became
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| | my exercise of choice -- two to four
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| Americanized, they were no longer in
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| | miles three to four days each week. Some
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| their homeland, so to live, they had to
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| | weeks I walked, and continue to walk,
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| eat whatever was made available to them,
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| | five days, even six days a week, and
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| they were fed last, after the horses and
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| | recently, I've added "walking up and down
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| the pigs had been taken care of, whatever
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| | the stairs in five minute increments, for
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| was left was given to those enslaved
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| | 12-15 minutes. There is an extreme
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| people -- scraps, left-overs, garbage.
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| | difference in the way that I look and
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| In an effort to create a delicious meal,
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| | feel. The pounds and inches have been
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| the women worked at creating recipes that
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| | steadily coming off.I've changed my diet.
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| they could all enjoy. They loved collard
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| | I'm now drinking green mineral drinks
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| greens with fat back meat, and learned to
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| | each morning, (you can buy green drinks
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| bake sweet potato pies, cleaned
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| | at organic stores); and I'm no longer
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| chitterlings and made them into a
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| | eating white bread. In fact I don't eat
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| delicacy to be eaten on special
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| | very much bread at all, but when I do, it
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| occasions. They made pots of beans
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| | is whole grain or wheat bread, brown
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| seasoned with ham hocks, or pigtails, and
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| | rice, more fresh fruits and green leafy
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| they seasoned with pork.They made
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| | vegetables. I enjoy using my juice
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| home-made biscuits from self-rising,
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| | machine for fresh green spinach and
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| white flour and lard, and they learned to
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| | carrot drinks.Recently, I found myself
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| make hush puppies, candied yams, lots of
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| | with excellent health results from my
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| potatoes, and they ate plenty corn bread,
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| | physical examination. My cholesterol
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| so even until this day, African people
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| | level was low, at 126, and my glucose
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| who became African Americans beginning in
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| | levels were average. My blood pressure
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| the late 1700's, had a very different
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| | was 120/80, which is fine for me, and I
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| diet than Euro-Americans. Even though
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| | feel wonderful too. There is one area
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| this wasn't a "good" and "healthy" diet
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| | that I'm still working on, and that is my
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| for the slaves, they ate it, they enjoyed
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| | Ideal Body Mass, IBM. I'm still
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| it, and they were able to sustain
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| | overweight, but I've lost 30 lbs., and
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| themselves easily. They worked so very
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| | still counting.If you are reading this
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| hard in the fields 12-16 hours a day.
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| | article, and you're at risk for Type 2
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| But of course, since they had the
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| | Diabetes, consider making a major
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| so-called "thrifty genes" which allowed
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| | Lifestyle Change. It's very simple:
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| their bodies to preserve food in an
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| | 1-Change your diet, eliminate most of the
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| appropriate manner, when food was scarce,
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| | carbohydrates from your diet; 2-Exercise
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| seems that was probably a good thing,
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| | regularly for the rest of your life, and
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| since the enslaved didn't always have
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| | 3-Get rid of the extra pounds, work
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| ample food supplies.There is a bright
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| | toward maintaining your ideal body
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| side to this though, as they worked, they
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| | weight. If you make this promise to
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| were receiving strenuous daily exercise,
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| | yourself, to change your life, you will
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| which kept them healthy. It really
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| | be "Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes
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| didn't matter what the slaves ate,
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| | Epidemic in America," and soon the fire
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| because what they ate, in today's
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| | will be put out, but it will take
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| standard would have fattened them too,
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| | millions of people to join this fight.
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| but it didn't, because they burned it off
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| | Won't you begin today? You don't have to
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| every day out in the fields working. It
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| | get Diabetes, it can be prevented, you
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| was a vicious cycle. They ate, and they
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| | don't have to lose one limb to this
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| worked off the carbohydrates. They ate
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| | vicious disease, nor do you have to lose
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| and they worked off more carbohydrates,
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| | your kidney. Change your life, and enjoy
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| and they didn't die from diseases back
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| | your Thanksgiving Dinner - with all of
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| then, as they do today, diabetes or
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| | the trimmings, but the next day, get back
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| cancer, and don't think that their bowels
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| | to the business of getting fit and
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| didn't move regularly as well, thus
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| | staying healthy.
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