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