The Lake Foundation would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

You can still indulge today whilst being healthy. Remember to include lots of vegetables with your Christmas dinner – try Brussel sprouts, parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes and  baked/grilled plantain – and for dessert try a lovely vegan cashew cheese cake.

Additionally, select white meat and fish instead of red meat and keep active – try taking a walk regularly throughout the two week Christmas and New Year period

We were delighted to be featured in this week’s Six Weeks to Fitness podcast where we were interviewed by the Vincent Ferguson, the president of Body Sculpt of New York, a not-for-profit health and fitness organisation.

In this 30 minute podcast we discuss the work of  The Lake Foundation and our plans for the future.

You can listen to our interview below.

Today, we had a great time at Croydon Tabernacle raising awareness of prostate cancer. This event was part of Prostate Cancer UK’s Engagement and Empowerment pilot which aims to reach black men with the key messages about prostate cancer and prostate conditions.

The event took the format of a presentation followed by a Q&A. Abi Begho delivered the presentation covering: what is the prostate; prostate conditions; symptoms; risk factors; and know your rights

We then moved on to what symptoms men should look out for and these included:

• Needing to pee more often, especially at night
• Difficulty starting to pee
• Straining or taking a long time to finish peeing
• A weak flow
• A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
• Needing to rush to the toilet
• Dribbling urine

It was stressed that these symptoms are associated with non-serious prostate conditions as well as prostate cancer so if men do experience any of these symptoms it could be due to a number of reasons.

Furthermore, we gave an overview of the risk factors for prostate cancer, which are:

• Increasing age (prostate cancer is more common in men over the age of 50),
• Ethnicity (black men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer than other men)
• Family history (men with father or a brother with prostate cancer are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer compared to men who don’t have a family history)

We explained that if  attendees ever experience any symptoms they should visit their GP who will conduct a series of tests to determine if there is a prostate problem. These tests will include a urine test, a PSA blood test and a digital rectal examination.

We finished the presentation by informing attendees that they have the right to more information if they are concerned and they have the right to have a PSA test if they are 50 and over.

The Q&A after the presentation led to discussions on prevention, differentiating serious symptoms from non-serious symptoms, the PSA test, diet and prostate cancer and why prostate cancer is more common in black men.

After some mingling and refreshments the presentation was repeated in a more informal format for late comers – more of a roundtable discussion.

We had a great day, the audience was very receptive and engaged and we’d like to say a big thank you to Croydon Tabernacle and Prostate Cancer UK for their help in making this event a reality.

Fibroids are benign tumours that develop from the smooth muscle cells of the womb. They are the most common tumour amongst women with an estimated 30 – 40% of women between the ages of 25-45 expected to develop them.

Research has shown that fibroids are more common in black women with an estimated 55-80% of  black women affected . In addition, black women are known to develop fibroids at a younger age, are more likely to develop larger and multiple fibroids, and tend to develop more severe symptoms.  The reason for this is unknown but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.

Through our interactions with black women we have anecdotally found that whilst fibroids are very common there seems to be a lack of information and support for women who are affected.  To explore this issue further we conducted a survey that aimed to explore the needs of women with fibroids, determine if there is a need to develop information and support and if so,  the survey aimed to inform our development of a fibroids information and support programme.

The survey explored four areas:

• The level of knowledge of fibroids prior to diagnosis
• Treatment and diagnosis
• The effect of fibroids and its treatment on quality of life
• The availability of support and information

The key findings from  our survey were:

Awareness of fibroids prior to diagnosis

• There was a general low level of awareness of fibroids amongst participants prior to their diagnosis
• There was a good level of awareness of some of the main symptoms of fibroids but a low level of awareness of other symptoms
• Participants were aware that ethnicity was a risk factor for fibroids but less aware of other risk factors

Pathway to Diagnosis

• The majority of participants delayed seeing their GP for six months or more after first noticing symptoms
• After visiting their GP, most women received a confirmed diagnosis within 4 weeks but over a quarter stated it took 12 months or more to receive a confirmed diagnosis

Treatment

• Despite 79% of participants having a discussion with their GP about treatment, 63% stated they didn’t feel they had enough information to make an informed decision about their treatment
• The majority of participants (42%) had surgery to treat their fibroids
• A quarter of respondents were very happy with their follow-up and aftercare whilst 33% stated that they were not at all satisfied.

The Effect of Fibroids and its Treatment on Quality of Life

• Participants reported that fibroids and its treatment significantly affected their quality of life, affecting them not just physically, but emotionally
• Many participants did not feel they had enough support  to assist them in managing or overcoming the  emotional, physical  and medical impact of fibroids

The Availability of Information and Support

• The biggest gaps in the availability of support were in information and peer support with a small gap in emotional support

Conclusions from the Survey and Next Steps

The survey suggests that a significant number of women with fibroids do not have access to the support and information that they require. The Lake Foundation will focus its efforts on addressingthe gaps in the availability of information and support by developing a relevant support system for women, particularly black women, with fibroids.

We have started this process with the launch of our ‘Fibroids Ask the Expert’ in October. This resource provides women with the opportunity to obtain accurate reliable information from experts in the field. In 2015 we will begin to develop a range of publications and explore a support programme for women with fibroids.

On Saturday, we were back on the set of ABN TV’s Family time to film a four-part series on belly fat, healthy eating and exercise. This was a follow-up to ourrecent appearance on Family Time in the summer.

We joined the host of the show, Nana Akousa Boateng, as well as Lillian Lartey, founder of I Want My Body Back, Eunice Adu-Appiah, a Health Promotion professional and Evelyn  Asante a behavioural specialist.

Over the course of the four episodes we recorded yesterday, we covered belly fat, its link to various health conditions and strategies for tackling belly fat through fitness, nutrition and a reduction in stress levels.  And, we also discussed belly fat, young people and body image.

Ready for the episode on the diseases linked to belly fatWe had a great time on the set of Family Time and would like to say a big thank you to ABN TV, Nana Boateng and the film crew for inviting us to take part in this series and for their very warm welcome.

Family Time’s series on belly fat will air in early 2015 so please tune in to ABN TV, Sky channel 290 or visit ABN TV’s website for more information.

On Saturday we attended Genesis, an inspirational networking event organised by Bespoke Hairstyles and Almocado which brought together black business owners and professionals for a night of sharing, positivity and empowerment, with the theme being Our Voice Matters.

This was a networking event like no other with everyone genuinely wanting to connect with like-minded people, no hidden agendas, just a willingness to ensure that we begin to create a forum for black businesses, professionals, students and charities to come together.

The evening began with mingling, snacks and the opportunity to view the products on sale by the vendors Almocado and House of Afrika.

Once we’d settled in, the main event began with a lovely introduction from Bespoke Hairstyles and Almocado who spoke about the rationale behind the event, how their businesses started and their passion for bringing all their clients together, clients who are multitalented and would benefit from being connected to each other.

Then it was over to us. Everyone in the room had the opportunity to be heard from invited guests and vendors to the caterers and cameraman. This was a night of inclusion.

We were all given a few minutes to introduce ourselves, put forward one word that encapsulates what success means to us (the most popular word that people  put forward was ‘happiness’ followed by ‘freedom’) and then show the group our happy pose – that thing that we do when we are happy with ourselves (it was great fun seeing all the poses).

We heard from lawyers, IT consultants, social workers, artists, bloggers, vloggers, financial analysts, raw food chefs, architects and many, many more. It was very motivating to hear everyone’s story and surprising to learn that so many people are juggling 9-5 jobs and their own businesses; it was a truly multitalented room of people.

This was a very enjoyable event and we’d like to say a big thank you to Bespoke Hairstyles and Almocado for organising this event and  inviting us to attend, we were truly honoured to be there and look forward to their next event.

Welcome back to our health journal. It has been months since we updated you on our efforts to get healthy. It’s been hectic but we’re still gradually changing our diet and routine to a healthier one.

Our latest success has been replacing dairy milk with cashew milk; a delicious, creamy and healthy alternative which is extremely easy to make – it’s just cashews and water! In this journal entry we discuss the benefits of cashew milk and give you a step-by-step guide on how to make it.

The Benefits of Cashew Milk

Cashew milk contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese, selenium, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and vitamins B1, B5, B6, E and K. In addition, it also contains protein, a small amount of carbohydrate and has a fairly high fat content but most of this fat, 75%, is monounsaturated fat (oleic and palmitoleic acids) which helps lower harmful LDL-cholesterol.

The presence of all these vitamins and minerals means that cashew milk can contribute towards maintaining a healthy heart, reducing your risk of stroke, building strong bones and teeth and supporting your immune system.

Cashew Milk Recipe

Cashew milk is extremely easy to make, it’s just water and cashews, and you can be creative by adding your spice of choice to add some additional flavour. You can try nutmeg, cinnamon or vanilla pods.

Ingredients

300g cashews
4 dates (acts as a sweetener)
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
5 cups of water (divided into two)

Directions

Soak the cashews overnight in cold water. Drain the cashews and then rinse until the water runs clear.

Remove the pits from the dates and then add these and the cashews to a blender with 2 ½ cups of water.

Blend until nice and smooth and then strain the mixture (you can use a strainer, cheesecloth or nut milk bag). Collect the milk in a jug and retain the pulp.

Put the pulp back into the blender and add the rest of the water (2 ½ cups) and blend. Strain the mixture, collect the milk and add it to your jug.

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence to the milk and stir. Cover the jug and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

And, that’s it!

You can use your cashew milk in place of dairy milk, so it can be used for breakfast cereal, porridge, baking, in smoothies or as a lovely drink.

Enjoy!

We’ve just finished reading ‘Eyo’ by Abidemi Sanusi, a Nigerian author we had the pleasure of meeting at the African Literary Evening.

Eyo is an excellent, but heart-breaking book that highlights, very vividly, the issue of child trafficking and sex slavery.

The book tells the story of 10-year old Eyo who is born into abject poverty in Nigeria where she lives with her parents and two siblings in the slums on the swampy marshes of the Lagos Lagoon.

Eyo is trafficked to the UK with her uncle to escape life in the slums with promises of receiving an education and bettering her life. Unfortunately, this is not to be as she finds herself trapped with a cruel family as a domestic servant and then sold into sexual slavery.

Because of the subject matter, this book is hard to read but at the same time you just can’t put it down. The story unfolds in a very interesting and captivating way and gives a disturbing insight into this horrible industry.

What struck me about this book was that it really demonstrates the consequence of not addressing the inequalities that exist in the world. At the root of this issue of child trafficking and sex slavery seems to be poverty.

Poverty means that families desperate to break free of the poverty cycle become vulnerable and easily tricked and exploited by those in the industry and become trapped in a world that can be impossible to escape from.

Another thing that struck me from the book was inaction. There were several points in the book where people noticed that something wasn’t quite right with Eyo and could have intervened and saved her but fear of offending or jeopardising their own peaceful life crippled them, leaving poor Eyo to endure the horrors for much longer than she should have done.

Another painful issue in the book was that some of the abuse Eyo suffered was at the hands of family members as well as women who themselves have children.

Even though this book was fiction it tells of the reality that many young people face and something desperately needs to be done about it. At the end of the book we are encouraged to take action and support organisations like Stop the Traffik and Africans Unite Against Child Abuse. Please do visit the websites of these organisations to find out more about what can be done to help.

This was an excellent book that raises awareness of an important issue and was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.

“….outstanding commentary on the conditions that make life in home countries unbearable, the casual cruelties meted out on strangers as they travel, and the indifference that sustains it all’ – Judging panel on Eyo, Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2010

This book is definitely worth reading and can be purchased on Amazon

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