One of my favorite memories of going to Trinidad as a teenager was seeing my little cousins come out to say good night like little \u201cbakes ready to fry.\u201d<\/strong> So cute. Clean and powdered up to the neck with a little white spray that extended to their cheeks and chins.\u00a0 Powder helped them to sleep comfortably and smell like sweetness. Many of us use it between, under, and around our breasts, in the genital area, as well as between our thighs to reduce friction and absorb sweat \u2013 we use it on our babies to keep them comfortable and to fight off diaper rash. Powder is even a big part of mas celebrations in Trinidad.<\/p>\n Photo of powder by Eva Wilson.<\/em><\/p>\n Studies of the effects inhaling talc based powders used at home have conflicting results. The concern with inhalation was that many years ago, powder could contain asbestos, and cause cancer if inhaled. Today, talc products used in the home do not contain asbestos, but have been recognized as a lung irritant when inhaled. The real problem is ovarian cancer and its link to talc use.<\/p>\n In a recent study of African American women, scientists concluded that \u201cbody powder use was significantly associated with\u201d epithelial ovarian cancer risk.[i] The study also found that use of genital powder resulted in a 44% increase of that risk. Those of you who are regular readers have probably drawn many parallels between the Caribbean culture and African American culture. Use of plenty powder is one of them.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cForty-five years ago, British researchers analyzed 13 ovarian tumors and found talc particles \u201cdeeply embedded\u201d in 10. The study, published in 1971, was the first to raise the possibility that talcum powder could pose a risk. In 1982 a study in the journal Cancer<\/em>\u00a0by Daniel Cramer, an epidemiologist at Brigham & Women\u2019s Hospital in Boston, showed the first statistical link between genital talc use and ovarian cancer.\u201d[ii]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This study>[iii] was the basis for many of the complaints against companies like Johnson & Johnson who were made aware of the risks and continued to market the product as safe and gentle for women, children, and infants.<\/p>\n \u201c[I]n the 1990s, even as the company[iv] acknowledged concerns in the health community, it considered increasing its marketing efforts to black and Hispanic women, who were already buying the product in high numbers.\u201d[v]<\/p>\n In 2016, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay millions as the result of lawsuits[vi]<\/a>, and many are still pending. Those who have been injured may have the opportunity to obtain a lawyer and take part in a settlement with the company if they have developed cancer after using products like Johnson\u2019s Baby Powder and their product marketed to adults, Shower to Shower.[vii]<\/p>\n You can check into using a corn starch based powder since they haven’t been linked to cancers, but be sure to also look into the other ingredients to be sure that they are safe.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: This Website Does Not Provide Medical Advice<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n FOOD COLORINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n Caribbean people LOVE bright colors. I know that sounds like a stereotype \u2013 prove me wrong and I\u2019ll stand corrected.<\/strong> Our love of color extends beyond clothing, wall paint, and home d\u00e9cor, and also includes many of the foods and snacks that we love. Fruit preserves like mango, plum, and cherry, as well as various candies contain bright color additives that have been found to be cancer causing and linked to hyperactivity, hypersensitivity, and behavioral problems in children.<\/p>\n Read also:\u00a0How to Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month at Home<\/a><\/p>\n Photo of curry powder by Eva Wilson.<\/p>\n Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial because of safety concerns. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals or inadequate testing. [A]ll of the nine currently US-approved dyes raise health concerns of varying degrees. Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. At least four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions.>[viii]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Read also:\u00a0Meet the Antiguan Mom Behind Barnola<\/a><\/p>\n The researchers who published this study concluded that\u00a0 since the dyes did not add to the safety or nutritional value of the food and that \u201call of the currently used dyes should be removed from the food supply and replaced, if at all, by safer colorings.\u201d[ix]<\/p>\n There are food colorings that are derived from natural sources (including insects) that may serve as an alternative to those synthesized from sources like petroleum. Check labels for annatto which is a reddish-orange dye made from the achiote seed, caramel coloring made from sugar, the red dye carmine, derived from the cochineal insect, elderberry juice, lycopene from red fruit and vegetables like tomatoes, red carrots, watermelons, gac, and papayas, paprika extracted from the fruits of\u00a0capsicum<\/em>, and turmeric which gives curry that great yellowish orange color.<\/p>\n When making candies, jellies, jams, drinks, and snacks, consider what colors you are using and where they came from. There may be a more natural alternative that can satisfy our love of color.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: This Website Does Not Provide Medical Advice<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n MUSIC WITH SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE OR EXPLICIT LYRICS<\/strong><\/p>\n Different genres of Caribbean music have different types of sexual content. Soca and calypso music have plenty of sexual references in the lyrics, and until recent times, used double entendre to hide much of it from youngsters\u2019 comprehension.<\/strong> Today, the lyrics of soca and dancehall are much more\u2026 to the point.<\/p>\n Read also:\u00a0Radial Brings Soca to the World with Curated Family Friendly Playlists<\/a><\/p>\n Public domain mage is trademark of RIAA.<\/em><\/p>\n According to a study[x] of adolescents in Jamaica published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences dancehall music has a significant impact on adolescent behavior including sexual activity. In another study of school children who listened to dancehall on public buses and in taxis \u00a0in Jamaica found that the children would sit on each other\u2019s laps and either imitate the gyration movements described in the song or act out the sex acts from the song\u2019s lyrics while on the public transportation.<\/p>\n \u201cUnprotected sex is the most common cause of HIV among young people\u2026. Adolescence is often associated with experimentation of risky sexual \u2026 \u00a0behaviours, increasing a young person’s vulnerability to HIV.\u201d [xi]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n While the most powerful influence on sexual activity of teens was peer pressure, the influence of sexually suggestive or explicit music was significant. \u00a0In some cases, adolescent sexual activity leads to pregnancy and STI\/HIV infection, and this outcome is not limited to Jamaica. While the dancehall and soca originated in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the AIDS epidemic isn\u2019t the most prevalent in these island nations.<\/p>\n About 1 percent of adults in the Caribbean have HIV, and about 3 percent of adults in the Bahamas are infected. The countries that account for the majority (96%) of the infected population are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Fifty-nine percent AIDS-related deaths in the region during 2013 occurred in Haiti. While new infections are declining significantly, thanks in part to educational programs aimed at vulnerable populations (youth, sex workers, MSM) there are nearly a quarter of a million people living with HIV in the Caribbean. [xii] Studies have been done on the correlation of the sexually charged lyrics and the effects on HIV infection rates in young populations, with the results showing that \u201c[t]here is a correlation between hard-core dancehall genre and the sexual \u2026 behavior of adolescents.\u201d[xiii]<\/p>\n Music and dance are often considered inextricable parts of Caribbean culture, and when much of that music is centered around risky sexual behaviors, it is possible that it can pave the way deadly viruses and other sexually transmitted diseases in the region and in Caribbean communities abroad where the music is often used as a means to stay connected to the culture.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: This Website Does Not Provide Medical Advice<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n MENTAL HEALTH<\/strong><\/p>\n In a discussion with two of Radial\u2019s founders (Radial Brings Soca to the World with Curated Family Friendly Playlists<\/a>), I mentioned that when Caribbean people move to America and other locations, the feeling of being disconnected is often overwhelming.\u00a0 A 2007 study examined the mental health of black Caribbean immigrants, and the results were astounding.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cCompared with African American men, Caribbean Black men had higher risks for 12-month rates of psychiatric disorders. Caribbean Black women had lower odds for 12-month and lifetime psychiatric disorders compared with African American women. Risks varied by ethnicity, immigration history, and generation status within the Caribbean sample. First-generation Caribbean Blacks had lower rates of psychiatric disorders compared with second- or third-generation Caribbean Blacks, and, compared with first-generation Caribbean Blacks, third-generation Caribbean Blacks had markedly elevated rates of psychiatric disorders.\u201d [xiv]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This study seems to suggest that the further removed that Caribbean people are from their culture, the more likely they are to suffer from psychiatric disorders. While the main cause of death among people with psychiatric disorders is not suicide, worldwide, suicide is one the three major causes of death among young people. \u00a0When psychiatric disorders are combined with substance abuse and other socioeconomic factors, the possibility of death by suicide increases.[xv]<\/p>\n Today we are dealing with what seems like an epidemic of police brutality and killing aimed at black Americans. The study concluded that:<\/p>\n \u201cIncreased exposure to minority status in the United States was associated with higher risks for psychiatric disorders among Black Caribbean immigrants, which possibly reflects increased societal stress and downward social mobility associated with being Black in America.\u201d[xvi]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Read also:\u00a0Inspired Mobility: Finding Inspiration Amid the Chaos<\/a><\/p>\n When we come here, we come with an accent, that affords us some type of status that identifies us as something other than African American. As generations live in the United States, the accent is gone and we are easily assimilated into African American culture \u2013 just seen as black \u2013 a status that, in many cases, leads to discrimination, and feelings of isolation. When African Americans are being shot on sight, the accent doesn\u2019t provide any protection from discrimination as is would in employment and other situations. This is a case where distance from the culture can be detrimental to your health.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: This Website Does Not Provide Medical Advice<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ALCOHOLISM<\/strong><\/p>\n I remember going to an event in Trinidad a couple of years ago with children playing steel pan and they had a large cooler full of drinks. There were Chubbies, Solo, and various other drinks that children enjoy, along with the alcoholic beverage, Shandy. I asked why this was available to children, and they looked at me as if I was crazy to even ask. Never have I felt so American.<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo by Eva Wilson.<\/em><\/p>\n When I was younger, I knew that it was there, but I wouldn\u2019t dare touch it. The Shandy looked no different than the other drinks and came in bright colors that appealed to children. It reminded me of wine coolers in the 90\u2019s that seemed to appeal to a crowd that was years below the drinking age.\u00a0 Now that I\u2019m a mom, I think I am more sensitive to it, but it could be that growing up, the idea of a drink that tasted like beer and kool aid wasn\u2019t that appealing.\u00a0 It seemed like everyone except me was drinking it.<\/p>\n In a study on alcoholism among Indo and Afro-Caribbean populations in Trinidad and Tobago, the researchers found that some of our most popular cultural traditions that extend into many Caribbean nations may contribute to alcohol dependence.<\/p>\n One popular pastime called \u201climing\u201d consists of the act of congregating and socializing with friends, usually in public places, and taking turns paying for a \u201cround of drinks.\u201d Liming traditionally begins on a Friday night and continues throughout the weekend. Carnival and pre-Carnival represent a time of the year when heavy alcohol consumption is socially sanctioned. Alcohol is also present in many other social activities, including christenings, weddings, social parties, celebrations of birth, and funerals.[xvii]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The study also found that some contributing factors to alcoholism were the low price availability of alcohol, traditions such as making brandy part of the layette to calm infants and help with teething, and use of rum to treat stomach ailments in young children<\/strong>.[xviii] Alcohol is part of daily life of Caribbean people starting from birth and carrying into old age.<\/p>\n Read also:\u00a0Alcoholic Beverages as Part of the Layette<\/a><\/p>\n The study explored many other cultural and societal factors that could contribute to alcohol abuse in order to find culturally sensitive means to combat the problem.\u00a0 One of the issues that the study found was that there was not as close of a link to violence and alcoholism in the Caribbean, which may lead Caribbean people to believe that it isn\u2019t that much of a problem, or that the effects of alcoholism on the family unit and society are cultural rather than a byproduct of alcoholism.[xix]<\/p>\n Alcohol abuse has deadly effects on the body. The liver is responsible for breaking down alcohol and can be irreparably damaged in people who drink large amounts over a long period of time. Alcohol abuse can lead to the development of deadly liver inflammation and cirrhosis of the liver. Alcohol affects the parts of the brain that control judgment, movement, walking, speech, and memory, causing permanent damage.\u00a0 Heavy, long term drinking can also cause heart disease and high blood pressure, both of which, if untreated, can lead to death.[xx]<\/p>\n There is good news on the blood pressure front. If there is not too much damage to the heart, after a few months of quitting, the blood pressure, absent other factors, has been known to return to normal.[xxi]<\/p>\n Disclaimer: This Website Does Not Provide Medical Advice<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ENDNOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n [i]<\/a> M. Schildkraut et al.,\u00a0Association between Body Powder Use and Ovarian Cancer: the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES), Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention (2016).<\/p>\n [ii]<\/a> Susan Berfield, Margaret Cronin Fisk & Jef Feeley, Johnson & Johnson Has a Baby Powder Problem Bloomberg.com (2016), http:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/features\/2016-baby-powder-cancer-lawsuits\/ (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [iii]<\/a> Henderson WJ, Joslin CA, Turnbull AC, Griffiths K. Talc and carcinoma of the ovary and cervix. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw. 1971 Mar;78(3):266-72<\/p>\n [iv]<\/a> Johnson & Johnson<\/p>\n [v]<\/a> Susan Berfield, Margaret Cronin Fisk & Jef Feeley, Johnson & Johnson Has a Baby Powder Problem Bloomberg.com (2016), http:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/features\/2016-baby-powder-cancer-lawsuits\/ (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [vi]<\/a> http:\/\/injury.findlaw.com\/product-liability\/johnson-and-johnson-talcum-powder-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits.html<\/p>\n [vii]<\/a> Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits – FindLaw, Findlaw (2016), http:\/\/injury.findlaw.com\/product-liability\/johnson-and-johnson-talcum-powder-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits.html (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [viii]<\/a> Sarah Kobylewski & Michael F. Jacobson,\u00a0Toxicology of food dyes, 18 International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 220-246 (2012).<\/p>\n [ix]<\/a> https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23026007<\/p>\n [x]<\/a> Alexay Crawford,\u00a0The effects of dancehall genre on adolescent sexual and violent behavior in Jamaica: A public health concern, 2 North American Journal of Medical Sciences 143 (2010), https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3354427\/ (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [xi]<\/a> Young people, adolescents and HIV\/AIDS | AVERT, Avert.org (2016), http:\/\/www.avert.org\/professionals\/hiv-social-issues\/key-affected-populations\/young-people (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [xii]<\/a> Id.<\/p>\n [xiii]<\/a> Alexay Crawford,\u00a0The effects of dancehall genre on adolescent sexual and violent behavior in Jamaica: A public health concern, 2 North American Journal of Medical Sciences 143 (2010), https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3354427\/ (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [xiv]<\/a> David R. Williams et al.,\u00a0The Mental Health of Black Caribbean Immigrants: Results from the National Survey of American Life<\/em>, 97 American Journal of Public Health 52-59 (2007).<\/p>\n [xv]<\/a> Facts About Mental Illness and Suicide – Mental Health Reporting – UW School of Social Work Depts.washington.edu (2016), http:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/mhreport\/facts_suicide.php (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [xvi]<\/a> David R. Williams et al.,\u00a0The Mental Health of Black Caribbean Immigrants: Results from the National Survey of American Life<\/em>, 97 American Journal of Public Health 52-59 (2007).<\/p>\n [xvii]<\/a> Cindy L. Ehlers L. Karelia Montane-Jaime,\u00a0The Clinical Course of Alcoholism in Trinidad and Tobago<\/em>, 69 Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 834 (2008), https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2583374\/ (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n [xviii]<\/a> Id.<\/p>\n [xix]<\/a> Id.<\/p>\n [xx]<\/a> NIHSeniorHealth: Alcohol Use and Older Adults – How Alcohol Affects the Body, Nihseniorhealth.gov (2016), https:\/\/nihseniorhealth.gov\/alcoholuse\/howalcoholaffectsthebody\/01.html (last visited Sep 30, 2016).<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/powder_socamom.jpg\")
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