The 7th Annual Greenville Health System Minority Health Summit was held at the Bi-Lo Center on Saturday.
The focus of this year’s event was obesity and the toll it takes on African-Americans in Greenville County.
“Greenville County alone has a 67% obesity rate – yet weight has a way of faking us out,” said Summit Organizer Melinda Hudson Gillispie, BSN, RN, Coordinator GHS Community Relations. “Most of us may think we could ‘stand to lose a few pounds,’ but very few of us realize where we actually stand in relationship to being obese or overweight.”
For the first time, the Summit targeted “Wellness” screening stations so participants could learn on-site their body mass Index (BMI) and waist measurements. These two reliable tools are remarkably effective indicators of weight categories and risk for chronic diseases such as Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease, and Diabetes.
The first speaker was Ann Kulze, MD, (Dr. Ann), a best-selling author and motivational speaker. She spoke on the topic of “Take Charge of Your Health.”
Dr. Ann said, “You should see color in vegetable products, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the thinner you will be.” She stated that eating dark-colored vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, beans, kale, broccoli, and spinach act like disease busters.
She closed with saying, “That exercise and physical activity such as 30 minutes of moderate or brisk walking each day will work wonders on your body.”
U.S. Swimmer Cullen Jones spoke about “Overcoming Adversity.” At age 5, I almost drowned because I did not know how to swim.” My mother said I had to learn how to swim.
Jones was a member of the 2008 US Swim Team and won the 100 meter free style event. He did not make the 2011 swim team.
He ate better meals, trained better, took better care of his body and competed in several swim events and, finally, he made the 2012 Olympic Swim Team. He competed in the 2012 Olympics in London and won one Gold Medal and two Silver Medals.
The blessing of the luncheon meal was given by the Rev. Thomas Simmons, Pastor, Reedy Fork Baptist Church. Pastor Julio Sotero, Pastor of International Christian Center, spoke in Spanish.
After a short intermission for lunch, the program continued.
Thaddeus J. Bell, MD, a lowcountry physician and founder of “Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc.” spoke on the topic: “Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions about Weight Loss.” Dr. Bell said, “Water can help speed up one’s metabolism and suggested a glass or two before meals.”
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD., was the keynote speaker.
Dr. Carson urged those in attendance to take responsibility of their own health issues.
Dr. Carson stated that his mother and father divorced while he was very young. His mother only completed the third grade and worked two or three jobs to support her young family.
She did not believe in the welfare system, because once you are part of the system you never want to get off the system.
As a young child growing up, Ben Carson was not a very good student but his mother soon had a solution to this problem. He and his brother had to read several books each month and write a book report and give it to her. The boys did not know at the time that their mother was unable to read their book reports.
Ben Carson realized that he could gain a lot of knowledge from reading books. He kept reading and studying until he graduated from high school. He later also graduated from Yale University and then graduated from a medical school.
At age 33, Dr. Carson was appointed the Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
In 1987, Dr. Carson completed the first and only successful separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head. The two boys grew up in the US and later became successful farmers in North Carolina.
Dr. Carson stated that he is as transparent as he can be, sometimes to the point of upsetting people. Sometimes I offend people but I do not do it intentionally. I also don’t believe in political correctness.
Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr. was presented with a framed concurrent resolution from the South Carolina General Assembly welcoming him to Greenville, SC as keynote speaker at the 7th Annual Greenville Hospital Systems Minor Health Summit.
SC Sen. Karl Allen, District 7, initiated the action for the concurrent resolution for Dr. Ben Carson.