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Deltas go ‘Red’ to fight heart disease

The Grambling Alumnae and Delta Iota chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. held a workshop to make people aware about the dangers of heart disease. 

In conjunction with the American Heart Association’s (AHA) National Wear Red Day, the Deltas asked area residents to join in the AHA’s fight against heart disease in women.  

Heart Disease is still the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year.  More women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined.

Nurse practitioner Lucy Douglas facilitated the workshop. She said, “I am a nutritional evangelist. ” 

In order to improve their health, she encouraged attendees to drink water, get more active and eat healthier. 

Many people often complain about how expensive it is to eat healthy. 

“What I am going to tell you will not cost you money. It will save you money. Drink water. You can afford good water. If I told you, you had cancer and the cure was water, you would be drinking it,” she said.

When people start eating better their health problems will start disappearing. “You are not going to put anything in your mouth from a box, package or can. Keep your food as close to the dirt as possible,” said Douglas.

Parents and grandparents are passing bad eating habits on to children. Adults cannot continue with their bad habits and believe they are only affecting themselves. 

“Stop it. The buck stops with you with what your family is going to eat,” she said.

Two others topics that Douglas addressed were diabetes and obesity. She said that diabetics do not have free reign with sugar, not even artificial sweeteners. 

“Health care costs are skyrocketing because of obesity, which leads to all of the other chronic problems,” she said. 

Douglas, who once weighed  240 pounds and has been on her own journey in health, said she is sympathetic to others who struggle. 

“I was a fat, sick food addict,” she said. However, after changing her eating habits and getting more active, she lost 65 pounds.

She encouraged everyone to eat organic foods, vegetables every day – in a variety of colors and lean protein 

“Think differently about this one body you have. We take better care of our cars,” said Douglas. 

“We want to eat to nourish the body, not for taste. Be intentional about your eating. Drink water and walk, if you do nothing else,” she said.

This year Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,  Incorporated’s (AKA) national president, Carolyn House-Stewart,  asked members of her sorority to partner with Delta Sigma Theta to bring awareness about the dangers of heart disease.

Many of the members of the Epsilon Psi Omega Chapter of AKA joined the Deltas in their fight against heart disease.  

Chapter president, Annie Hamlin, said normally the sorority does Pink Goes Red for a Day, one of their national initiatives to raise awareness of women facing heart disease.

Hamlin said, “I thought the activity was nice.  The presenter made us all think about what we eat. It opened my eyes to organic foods. They are expensive but not according to our health,” she said.

GAC member and Grambling Councilwoman Kathy Holmes read proclamations from the city of Grambling and  state senator Rick Gallot. 

“The Deltas have a tradition of hosting very worthwhile community activities. I gave them the resolution as a show of support for their activity,” Gallot said.

Marvette Thomas, GAC’s  Program and Development chair, said the sorority sponsored the event because it is one of Delta’s national initiatives with the American Heart Association. GAC has its own AHA  page.

Thomas said the event went really well and 67 people were in attendance. She said, “Everyone wore red, and chapter members had on Go Red pins. We received many donations.”