♪ CRYSTAL: HI, EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I’M CRYSTAL HAYNES, YOUR HOST.

TONIGHT, STRESS AND HEALING.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION’S 2023 STRESS IN AMERICA REPORT, THE MAJOR STRESSORS IN AMERICANS AGED 45 TO 64 RANGE FROM MONEY, THE ECONOMY TO HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES.

STRESS AFFECTS BOTH THE BODY AND THE BRAIN.

IT RAISES YOUR CORTISOL LEVELS, INCREASES INFLAMMATION, AND ELEVATES BLOOD SUGAR.

AND FOR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, STRESS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON ONE’S HEALTH DUE TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION DISPARITIES, FINANCES AND EVEN WHERE YOU LIVE.

SO THIS EVENING, WE’RE GOING TO DISCUSS HOW DOES STRESS IMPACT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE TYPE OF HEALING MODALITIES AVAILABLE.

JOINING US TONIGHT TO DISCUSS -- DR. CECIL R. WEBSTER, JR., IS AN ADULT, ADOLESCENT, AND CHILD PSYCHIATRIST AND LECTURER AT MCLEAN HOSPITAL.

MARLENE BOYETTE IS AN EDUCATOR AT THE ADVENT SCHOOL AND YOGA AND MEDITATION FACILITATOR AT JP CENTRE YOGA.

SHE IS ALSO THE OWNER OF LEELA YOGA + WELLNESS.

DR. ZACHARY HERMES, IS AN INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AND FELLOW IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE AT MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM WHERE HE PRACTICES AT BRIGHAM’S WATKINS CARDIOVASCULAR CLINIC.

HE IS ALSO THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AT WELLWITHALL, A HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMPANY CENTERED ON BLACK HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAVE DR. LUCY LOMAS, AN OBSTETRICIAN/ GYNECOLOGIST, A COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCATE, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US HERE.

I WOULD LOVE TO START WITH YOU, DR. LOMAS.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL EFFECT STRESS HAS ESPECIALLY ON FOLKS IN THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW INTERNAL RACISM AND STRUCTURAL RACISM HAS A HUGE ROLE TO PLAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

STRESS IS A NORMAL BODY RESPONSE.

YOUR BRAIN AND EVERYTHING JUST -- STRESS IS A NORMAL BODY RESPONSE, AND YOUR BRAIN AND BODY FUNCTIONS THE WAY IT IS DESIGNED.

WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER STRESS, YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UP.

YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS MAY GO UP.

YOUR HEART RATE MAY BE BEATING FASTER, LIKE MINE IS RIGHT NOW, AND IT EVEN CAN CAUSE G.I.

ISSUES, PROBLEMS WITH DIGESTION.

IT IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE ORGAN SYSTEM.

CRYSTAL: I KNOW IN YOUR PRACTICE AS A TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA INSTRUCTOR, I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TO ONE OF YOUR SOUND HEALINGS.

>> STRESS SHOWS UP IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS THAT FOLKS MAY NOT EVEN IDENTIFY IT AS STRESS.

WE DO NOT ALWAYS PINPOINT IT AS STRESS, BUT IT CAN BE ANXIETY.

IT CAN BE SHORT TEMPERED NESTS, INSOMNIA, INSOMNIA IN VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THE BODY, SO IT DOES SHOW UP IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

CRYSTAL: CERTAINLY LOTS OF WAYS TO IMPACT, AND I KNOW CARDIOVASCULAR REALLY -- CARDIOVASCULARLY, AND A LOT OF STUDIES POINT TO STRESS BEING THE WAY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK WHAT WE KNOW IS STRESS, AS WE HEARD, IS A NORMAL RESPONSE.

THE IMPACT ON THE BODY AND ITS ABILITY TO RESTORE ITSELF, HEAL ITSELF, MAINTAIN ITSELF ARE CRITICALLY CHALLENGED, SO THERE’S THIS CONCEPT OF BIOLOGICAL WEATHERING, AGING, THIS CONCEPT OF ALLOSTATIC LOAD.

OUR BODY RESPONSE TO STRESS AND BOUNCES BACK, BUT WITH THAT CONTINUOUS STRESS, WE START TO SEE ABNORMAL FUNCTION AS THE BODY DOES NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECOVER, TO RESTORE, SO THAT’S WHERE WE SEE HYPERTENSION, RIGHT?

YOU CAN EVEN THINK IN THE NAME HYPERTENSION.

WE SEE DIABETES.

INABILITY TO APPROPRIATELY REGULATE OUR BLOOD SUGAR.

THESE ARE CARDIO METABOLIC CONDITIONS FUNDAMENTALLY THAT ARE DEEPLY TIED TO STRESS.

CRYSTAL: I KNOW ONE THING IN SOME OF THE PRE-INTERVIEWS YOU ALL SPOKE TO, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, WAS REALLY CHANGING YOUR APPROACH TO THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE BODY, THE WHOLE PERSON, THE MIND AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I WONDER IF YOU WOULD TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN PSYCHIATRY, WE OFTEN THINK OF THE BRAIN AS THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR NEURONS, THE PHYSICAL, CELLULAR LEVEL OF OUR FUNCTIONING, AND OUR MINDS, HOW WE INTERPRET OUR ENVIRONMENTS, WHAT WE THINK, SEE, AND FEEL.

NORMAL STRESS LOADS, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING.

WE GO TO THE AIRPORT.

WE TALKED ABOUT KIDS EARLIER.

WE HAVE OUR KIDS RUNNING AROUND.

IT CAN BE A STRESSFUL TIME.

OUR CORTISOL GOES UP, AND WE HAVE TO MANAGE THAT.

WHEN IT GETS CHRONIC, THAT IS WHERE IT CAN AFFECT ASPECTS OF OUR BRAIN AND MIND, SO COGNITIVE DIFFICULTIES.

ABILITY TO LEARN OR REMEMBER OR REMEMBER DETAILS OR MAKE DECISIONS LIKE THOSE HIGHER-LEVEL FUNCTIONING PARTS OF OUR BRAIN.

OTHER THINGS LIKE OUR ABILITY TO INTERPRET INFORMATION, UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR ENVIRONMENT IS, HOW WE ARE EVALUATING THAT.

IS THIS AIRPORT A SAFE PLACE OR A PLACE I NEED TO FLEE, AND OFTEN TIMES WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS, THOSE PARTS OF OUR BRAINS CAN GET HIJACKED AND GIVE US FALSE INFORMATION.

CRYSTAL: ONE THING YOU HAD MENTIONED, THOUGH, IN THE THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF STUDIES DONE IN TERMS OF THE EFFECT OF STRESS OF THAT TIME ON BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> I DON’T THINK IT WILL BE ANY SURPRISE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK PEOPLE, THAT THAT TIME HAS HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND AS INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.

THERE WAS A STUDY IN 2018 ON THE EFFECTS OF THE KILLING OF UNARMED BLACK AMERICANS, AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS WHEN THERE WERE BLACK AMERICANS THAT WERE KILLED, UNARMED BLACK PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED, MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES INCREASED IN BLACK AMERICANS IN THAT STATE OR IN ADJACENT STATES.

THE EFFECTS LASTED A FEW MONTHS.

OTHER STUDIES HAVE SUPPORTED AND EXPANDED ON THE IDEA, BUT I THINK IT’S CRITICAL WE UNDERSTAND HOW SOMETHING AFFECT ONE PERSON, IN THAT CASE WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, LIKE THE KILLING OF UNARMED INDIVIDUALS, CAN REALLY AFFECT ALL OF US BECAUSE WE CAN SEE OURSELVES IN THAT.

INTERESTINGLY, IN THAT SAME STUDY, THEY FOUND THAT WHITE AMERICANS WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THE KILLINGS IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH, BY THE KILLINGS OF UNARMED BLACK AMERICANS.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS SO FASCINATING TO ME BECAUSE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE IS THIS DISPARITY IN EFFECT ON THE BODY, ON THE MIND, AND I KNOW, LUCY, WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PRE-INTERVIEWS ABOUT HOW WHEN YOU WALK INTO YOUR DOCTOR’S OFFICE, IF IT’S YOUR OBSTETRICIAN’S OFFICE, YOUR GP’S OFFICE, DOCTORS NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT IN TERMS OF HOW PATIENTS ARE SHOWING UP PHYSICALLY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN YOU WALK INTO YOUR DR.’S OFFICE AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU, AND THEY HAVE THOSE SHARED LIFE EXPERIENCES, THE PATIENT IS MORE LIKELY TO OPEN UP, BE MORE HONEST AND OPEN ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE EXPERIENCING IN THEIR BODY, IN THEIR HOME LIFE, IN THEIR WORK LIFE, AND IT CREATES A MORE MEANINGFUL INTERACTION, AND THE PATIENT GETS WAY MORE OUT OF IT.

>> I KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS, A LOT OF TIMES, THEY POINT TO THE DIET AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT NOT STRESS.

WHEN YOU SEE PATIENTS, I IMAGINE YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT LENS ON IT, BUT WHEN YOUR COLLEAGUES SEE PATIENTS, DO THEY THINK ABOUT STRESS AS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER TO A POOR OUTCOME?

>> I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A DEEPLY UNDERRECOGNIZED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED CONTEXT FOR ALL OF DISEASE AND ILLNESS.

AS YOU SAID, SPECIFICALLY CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

IT IS SO CRITICAL.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOT MENTION AND IS NOT DISCUSSED ENOUGH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PART ATTACKS, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT TRADITIONAL RISK FACTORS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ABNORMAL CHOLESTEROL, WEIGHT REALLY EXPLAIN MAYBE 60% OF THOSE CASES.

THERE’S A BIG GAP THAT WE STILL TODAY CANNOT EXPLAIN.

THERE’S ANOTHER BODY OF LITERATURE THAT DOES ASSESS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESSES AT THE ROOT OF THAT.

IT IS A REAL DISSERVICE THAT WE DON’T CENTER PEOPLE’S LIVED EXPERIENCE.

PARTICULARLY AGAIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THE LAYERS OF STRESS THAT WE NAVIGATE, AS YOU SAID, SO WHEN I SEE A PATIENT, MY FIRST CONVERSATION IS HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE, RIGHT?

HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR JOURNEY, WHAT HAS BROUGHT YOU HERE.

THAT INCLUDES, WHAT IS YOUR HOUSING LIKE?

WHAT IS YOUR ACCESS AND EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY, YOUR EMPLOYMENT, AND YOUR FINANCES.

NOT ONLY FINANCIAL STRAIN, WHICH WE KNOW IS A STRESSFUL FACTOR, BUT THE NAVIGATION OF BIG WORKPLACE.

I THINK THIS IS A REALITY THAT WE ALL KNOW.

SMALL T TRAUMAS ARE ENCOUNTERED.

THERE IS A BRILLIANT WHITE TRAUMA PROGRAM THAT SPEAKS TO EXPERIENCE, EVEN IN A HOSPITAL.

DISRESPECT FROM PATIENTS OR NURSES.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THESE STRESSORS ALSO CAN OCCUR IN A CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT.

I THINK THE REALITY IS THAT WHEREVER WE ARE ON THE SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA, WE ARE STILL ENCOUNTERING THESE STRESSORS.

AS I SEE SOMEONE, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS LIFE LIKE, BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE, BLOOD SUGAR.

CRYSTAL: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

CERTAINLY WORTH MORE THE 10 OR 15 MINUTES YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO ENGAGE YOUR PROVIDER.

WE TALKED ABOUT TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND PROGRAMS.

WHEN I FIRST WAS READING UP ABOUT THIS, I DID NOT KNOW THAT TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA WAS A THING.

>> YEAH.

I CAME INTO TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA THROUGH A STUDIO HERE IN BOSTON, FOUR CORNERS YOGA AND WELLNESS.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 2016 THAT I HAD HEARD OF IT AT ALL AND WAS VERY CURIOUS ABOUT IT THEN.

THE APPROACH IS UNDERSTANDING THAT HUMAN BEINGS IN GENERAL, AS EXISTING ON THIS PLANET, WILL ENCOUNTER VARIOUS LEVELS OF TRAUMA, JUST EXISTING.

FOR ME AS A FACILITATOR, MY INTERPRETATION AND THE WAY I HAVE FORMULATED THIS TO MY OWN TEACHING IS TO ALSO OBSERVE MANY OF THE THINGS YOU SPOKE ABOUT, THE WAY PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE ENCOUNTERING TRAUMA IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIFE, IF IT’S RACIAL TRAUMA, ECONOMIC TRAUMA, HOUSING, FOOD -- YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE PART OF HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY FROM WHITE-BODIED PEOPLE.

WHEN I’M TEACHING, I’M TAKING ALL THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, AND THEN INVITING PEOPLE TO COME BACK INTO THEIR BODIES BECAUSE THESE TRAUMAS SEPARATE US FROM OUR BODIES, RIGHT?

THEY SEPARATE YOU FROM EXPERIENCING THINGS.

THEY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IS TRAUMA, AND TO NOTICE YOUR BREATH, WHICH WE ALSO ARE VERY SEPARATED FROM.

EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING A BREATHING PATTERN, FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF STRESS, WHERE YOU ARE FINDING YOUR BREATH, EVEN COMING BACK TO YOUR NATURAL RHYTHM CAN BE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.

THE PRACTICE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA IS TO WELCOME PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO THEIR BREATH, WELCOME PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO THEIR BODIES, TO GRADUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE VARIOUS THINGS THEY ARE FEELING, IF IT’S TENSION IN THE VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THEIR BODY OR PAIN.

AND THEN BEGIN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR THEM IN TERMS OF MOVEMENT OR STILLNESS.

>> WE KNOW THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES LIKE EXCLUSION FROM HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC RESOURCES.

EXPERTS SAY THAT THESE DISPARITIES CONTRIBUTE TO WORSE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND, IN FACT, I ACTUALLY DROPPED IN ON A YOGA CLASS THROUGH 4CORNERS YOGA AND WELLNESS IN DORCHESTER WHERE THEY AIM TO USE THIS AS A PROACTIVE TOOL FOR HEALING.

>> I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT OUR BODIES KEEP THE SCORE OVER TIME, AND OUR EXPERIENCES START TO SIT IN OUR BODIES, AND OVER TIME, IT IS DETRIMENTAL TO OUR NERVOUS SYSTEM.

>> FOR DECADES, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CHRONIC STRESS FROM RACISM AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS IS TOXIC TO LATIN BROWN PEOPLE.

EVERYTHING FROM THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM TO MENTAL HEALTH IS AFFECTED.

IN THIS CLASS IN DORCHESTER, THESE STUDENTS ARE WORKING TO CHANGE THOSE OUTCOMES THROUGH YOGA AND MEDITATION.

FOUR CORNERS IS A BLACK-OWNED YOGA AND WELLNESS ORGANIZATION AIMED AT EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE PRACTICE AND CREATING SPACES FOR EQUITY CONVERSATIONS.

QUICKSET GAVE ME PERMISSION THAT THIS IS FOR ME.

I THINK YOGA CAN REALLY BE THE TOOL OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO THRIVE AND GROW AND HEAL.

>> I JOINED ONE OF THE CLASSES AND INSTANTLY FELT A CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY.

>> LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.

>> IF NOT A LITTLE BIT OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE.

>> WE SEE SOME FOLKS AND HOW THEY AGE AND LIVE THESE LONG, HEALTHY LIVES.

THAT IS FOR US, TOO.

>> THE STUDENT AND YOGA INSTRUCTOR SAYS SHE BEGAN TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE STRESS SHE WAS CARRYING FROM WORK AND WHEN SHE SAW MORE AND MORE OLDER BLACK WOMEN IN HORROR COMMUNITY -- IN HER COMMUNITY RAISING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.

>> ALL THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE YOUR CAPACITY TO BE, NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, TO BE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING YOUR FAMILY.

THAT’S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE.

>> HOLD PEACE IN YOUR BODY, MIND, AND SOUL.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED WAS THIS IDEA OF, LIKE, YOU CHOOSE YOUR PRACTICE, WHAT YOU NEED IN THAT MOMENT.

THAT WAS A YIN CLASS, SO WE STAY IN POSITIONS LONGER, AND YOU CAN FEEL THE STRESS MELT AWAY.

ONE THING I HEARD WAS IT IS OK TO TAKE THIS TIME TO REST.

>> THE WAY I APPROACH TEACHING IS INVITATION RATHER THAN DIRECTIVE.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN SPACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE TELLING US WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO MOVE AND HOW TO FEEL AND, SO, ALLOWING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AS THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE OR TO BE AS STILL AS THEY NEED TO I THINK IS JUST AS IMPORTANT SOMETIMES.

PEOPLE JUST NEED TO REST.

I DON’T THINK THERE IS ENOUGH SPACE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR US, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND BEING ABLE TO COME TO A MOVEMENT CLASS, AND SOMEONE TELL YOU THAT IT IS OK IF YOU SKIP WHAT I’M OFFERING AND JUST PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN REST, I THINK CAN BE EMPOWERING FOR PEOPLE.

THE AUTONOMY IN THE PRACTICE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

CRYSTAL: I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT USING THESE MODALITIES AS A WAY TO SORT OF TREAT PATIENTS, BUT ALSO HELP THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE LOWER THAT STRESS LEVEL THAT SEEMS TO BE AT A CONSTANT HOME, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN REST.

I THINK THAT WAS A WORD USED.

I THINK IS IT’S VERY IMPORTANT.

PART OF THAT IS ALSO UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT, AND PART OF THAT HAS TO DO VERY MUCH WITH COMMUNITY.

IF YOU CAN BE IN YOUR BODY, NOTICING YOUR BODY AND STRESS, HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONTROL OVER HOW YOUR BODY REACTS TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT CAN SAY, YEAH, THAT WAS PRETTY RACIST, OR, YES, I’M STRESSED OUT.

MY BLACK SON HAS GOT HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE AND WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT HIM.

I THINK THERE IS AN IMPORTANT WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT MIGHT BE, THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ALONE AND THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY AT LEAST TO SAY, YEAH, THIS IS NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION, AND IS BASED ON HISTORY, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH YOU.

CRYSTAL: IS IT SOMETHING YOU WOULD PRESCRIBE TO YOUR PATIENTS, YOGA OR MEDITATION, THAT KIND OF THING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AS WE THINK ABOUT THE HOLISTIC CONTEXT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, INTEGRATING THESE NONPHARMACOLOGIC COMPONENTS ARE SO CRITICAL.

AGAIN, AS A FIELD, WE DO A DISSERVICE IN EDUCATING EXPLICITLY RECOMMENDING THIS TO OUR PATIENTS, AND AS A RESULT, PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATE THESE ARE EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES THAT ARE ALSO VERY EMPOWERING.

THAT BALANCE OF FINDING MODALITIES THAT HELP YOU MODULATE YOUR RESPONSE TO STRESS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S ANOTHER BIG POINT.

AGAIN, WE ENCOUNTER STRESS, BUT WHERE IT BECOMES TOXIC IS HOW WE RESPOND TO THAT STRESS, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN START TO DEVELOP TOOLS AND CONTROL OF THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL.

SIMILARLY, WHAT WE EAT, RIGHT?

WE DON’T THINK ABOUT HOW ULTRA PROCESSED FOOD, THAT IS A STRESSOR FOR OUR BODY AS OUR BODY IS ABSORBING AND TRYING TO PROCESS THAT, IT IS STRESSFUL, SO BEING MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT WE ARE PUTTING IN OUR BODY IS POWERFUL, BUT EVEN JUST WALKING.

IF YOU CAN FIND A SPACE THAT IS RELAXING, WALKING FOR 20 MINUTES, THAT IS A DISTRESSING -- DE-STRESSING PROCESS AND EXPERIENCE.

I ALWAYS BRING THE FRAMEWORK ABOUT HOW WE HAVE OUR MEDICINES, BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE IDENTIFYING STRESS BECAUSE MANY OF US DON’T THINK WE ARE EXPERIENCING STRESS.

WE GOT IT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN, BUT UNDERSTANDING, AGAIN, THAT IMPLICIT STRESS IS ALMOST ALWAYS THERE, SO MODULATING OUR BODY AND MOVEMENT.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAUMA TEAM AND PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH STRESS IS THESE ALTERNATIVE MODALITIES -- PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH STRESS.

IT IS THESE ALTERNATIVE MODALITIES PART OF THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT ALLOWS THE BLACK PHYSICIANS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MICRO-AGGRESSIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITHIN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

WHAT I HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED IS THAT I CAN SHARE THE TOOLS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THIS GROUP WITH MY PATIENTS, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD, AND WHEN WE GIVE OUR PATIENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT AND IDENTIFY WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, WHAT KIND OF EMBODIMENT EXERCISES, IF THAT’S YOGA OR WALKING OR EXERCISING OR GOING FOR A RUN -- WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?

WHAT FOODS ARE WORKING FOR YOU AND HELP YOU FEEL BETTER?

I THINK JUST GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EMPOWERED, UNDERSTAND HOW THE BRAIN AND BODY WORKS, AND BE REFLECTIVE SO THAT THEY CAN JUST GRADUALLY MAKE THOSE SMALL CHANGES CAN REALLY MAKE A BIG IMPACT.

CRYSTAL: YEAH.

I KNOW YOU WERE WORKING WITH 4 CORNERS YOGA.

YOU STARTED THERE, BUT I THINK WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING WAS THE QUOTE FROM AYLA WHO SAID GROWING OLD AND BEING HEALTHY IN THAT OLDER AGE IS FOR US.

THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME.

>> I THINK SO MANY OF THOSE MODALITIES, WE DON’T CONNECT WITH THEM BECAUSE WE DON’T THINK THEY ARE FOR US, RIGHT?

I THINK THE WAY WELLNESS HAS BEEN COMMERCIALIZED IN THIS COUNTRY OR IN THE WESTERN WORLD, IT DOES NOT SHOW US.

IT DOES NOT REPRESENT US, SO REMINDING FOLKS FOUNDATIONAL HE THAT THESE PRACTICES ACTUALLY WERE DEVELOPED BY BROWN PEOPLE, RIGHT?

THAT YOGA COMES FROM INDIA AND FROM EGYPT, THAT THESE ARE HISTORIC PRACTICES THAT DO BELONG TO US AND THAT WE ARE DESERVING OF, IT IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE EARNED.

IF WE THINK ABOUT HOW OUR ANCESTORS WERE IN TOUCH AND CONNECTED TO LAND AND MOVEMENT, LIKE EVERY DAY AND GETTING OUTSIDE AND BEING IN THE SUN AND GETTING OUR FOOD FROM THE EARTH AND JUST MOVING, RIGHT?

IN VERY NATURAL WAYS.

IF WE COULD RETURN TO THAT IN SOME WAY, RIGHT?

NOT ALWAYS BECAUSE IT’S NOT REALISTIC, RIGHT?

BUT IF WE COULD GRASP SOME OF THAT AND KEEP SOME OF THOSE JEWELS, THERE’S HEALING IN THAT.

>> DOUBLE TAP ON THAT POINT.

LONGEVITY, AGING WITH WELLNESS AND HOW IT IS FOR US, WE RIGHTFULLY FOCUS ON THE DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES WE FIND, BUT THERE ARE UNTOLD STORIES, RIGHT?

ONE OF OUR MOST ESTEEMED CARDIOLOGIST, WHO IS NOW BASED IN ATLANTA, HAS REALLY BEEN THE LEADING PROPONENT OF, AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING ACROSS THE SOUTH, ACROSS THE U.S.

THERE ARE POCKETS OF ELDERS.

MANY OF US KNOW THEM IN OUR FAMILIES.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN JIM CROW, APARTHEID, SEGREGATION, BUT THEY HAVE THRIVED.

WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WAY THEY LIVED THAT ALLOWED THEM TO NAVIGATE ALL THIS TRAUMA AND STRESS?

IT IS EXACTLY MANY OF THE THINGS WE JUST REFLECTED ON.

>> I KNOW THERE ARE A BUNCH OF RESOURCES, BOOKS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND OF COURSE, EACH OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES AS WELL.

IN OUR LAST 30 SECONDS, I WANT TO ASK YOU TO GIVE FOLKS A QUICK CHECK-IN.

WHAT IS ONE THING THEY CAN DO TO CHECK IN WITH THEMSELVES?

>> I THINK TAKING A MOMENT, EVEN IF IT IS JUST AT THE START OF THE DAY TO CHECK IN WITH YOURSELVES, AND I DO THIS IN THE STUDIO WITH PEOPLE WHO COME IN TO PRACTICE WITH ME.

CHECK IN, ACKNOWLEDGE HOW YOUR BODY IS FEELING, ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATE YOUR HEART IS IN, AND WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED FOR THAT DAY, THAT IS A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE EVERY DAY.

CRYSTAL: YEAH, AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, BUT THAT IS THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND END OF OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS, AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

NOW STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.

♪