Daughter of supermodel, Iman, talks about her weight issues in Glamour Health and Fitness

In this article of Glamour Health and Fitness, Zulekha Haywood, daughter of supermodel Iman, talks about being 330 pounds and getting gastric bypass surgery. The irony is that being smaller has bigger problems…

"It’s hard to explain how it feels to lose so much weight so fast. I tell my friends that it’s like becoming famous overnight—suddenly all eyes are on you. But there’s more to it than that. The difference between Stacked Zu and Slender Zu is like being a fluffy Angora cat and then suddenly being shaved. Being naked feels really naked now. I’m slender, but there are lots of folds and limpness where the voluptuousness used to be. No amount of clever lighting and push-up bras can disguise the fact that my breasts fall to my abdomen when I take off my bra, and men want to know why. The old me was unabashedly voluptuous and sexy, no explanations necessary."

Imagine You Are the Daughter of a Supermodel.

Now imagine you weigh 330 pounds. That was real life for Zulekha Haywood, and this is how, somewhere between size 26 and size 6, she found body happiness.

March 3, 2010

by Zulekha Haywood

I awoke the morning of my twenty-eighth birthday determined to make it my most fabulous year yet. Tonight, I thought, I’m painting the town red in that slinky cap-sleeve number that shows off my décolletage.

I opened a birthday card from my ex-boyfriend Eric,* who had remained a close friend. Inside was a top-five list of why I was the most wonderful woman he knows. Number three: “Because you always let me shower first—in case the hot water’s tricky.” When Eric used to spend the night, I’d tell him to shower while I made the bed and put on coffee. “The hot water’s tricky sometimes,” I’d assure him, flashing him a smile.

But the plumbing in my building was fine. The truth: At 330 pounds, I had developed heel spurs and swollen knees that made it excruciatingly painful to stand up after lying down for eight hours, so getting out of bed was always an orchestrated event. I’d send any man who slept over off to shower, and once the coast was clear, I’d swing my legs out and put my feet on the ground gingerly, allowing the blood to return to my feet and legs. After a minute, I could stand. After another minute, I was comfortable enough to start walking.

Reading Eric’s card was a powerful reminder that, while I’d done my very best to love my super-plus-size body, I couldn’t keep lying to myself or anyone else. The physical pain I’d endured in my twenties could not continue into my thirties. I had to lose weight.

But how? I have more or less been on a diet since I was eight years old. None of them worked. An overweight kid and already dining for sport, my first was the “Basta” diet. At home, my mother, Iman, a beauty icon and devotee of clean eating, would whisper basta (“enough” in Italian) when I was in danger of overeating. The choice was always mine, and I usually put down the fork. But I also got hip to late-night snacking, raiding the refrigerator and cupboards after midnight. At school I routinely traded lunches, and when I was old enough to buy my own, I would pass over apples for Hostess Apple Pies. We always had plenty of nutritious snacks at home, but there was nothing more satisfying than savoring a secret Twinkie that I exchanged homework answers for. In the end, all I learned from basta was how to make PB&J in the dark.

“Eat Like a Pig, Run Like a Horse” was my second diet—this one courtesy of my father, NBA legend Spencer Haywood, who might eat his weight in turkey bacon, then burn it off by spending more hours on the court than he did sleeping. Convinced I just needed a sport that I loved, my Olympic-gold-medal-winning father tried to groom me as a power forward. When it was clear that I had no natural aptitude for the game, we tried tennis camp. I actually enjoyed tennis and didn’t mind practicing four hours a day every day. (Not to mention all those cute boys in tennis whites!) It was so hot and sticky that summer I subsisted on cold watermelon and lemon ices. I dropped 30 pounds and returned to school in skintight Guess jeans, thrilled by the squeals and high fives my girlfriends gave me. I gained the weight back by Christmas, plus another 20 pounds. Turns out I had to keep exercising four hours a day or seriously watch what I was eating to sustain the weight loss. My father blamed my lack of discipline; I blamed the Dairy Queen. We were both right.

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10 Ways the New Healthcare Bill May Affect You

Source from Yahoo

10 Ways the New Healthcare Bill May Affect You

by Katie Adams

Friday, March 26, 2010

provided by INVESTOPEDIA

The Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act, more commonly referred to as the "healthcare bill", has taken over a year to craft and has been a lightning rod for political debate because it effectively reshapes major facets of the country's healthcare industry.

Here are 10 things you need to know about how the new law may affect you:

1. Your Kids are Covered

Starting this year, if you have an adult child who cannot get health insurance from his or her employer and is to some degree dependent on you financially, your child can stay on your insurance policy until he or she is 26 years old. Currently, many insurance companies do not allow adult children to remain on their parents' plan once they reach 19 or leave school.

2. You Can't be Dropped

Starting this fall, your health insurance company will no longer be allowed to "drop" you (cancel your policy) if you get sick. In 2009, "rescission" was revealed to be a relatively common cost-cutting practice by several insurance companies. The practice proved to be common enough to spur several lawsuits; for example, in 2008 and 2009, California's largest insurers were made to pay out more than $19 million in fines for dropping policyholders who fell ill.

3. You Can't be Denied Insurance

Starting this year your child (or children) cannot be denied coverage simply because they have a pre-existing health condition. Health insurance companies will also be barred from denying adults applying for coverage if they have a pre-existing condition, but not until 2014.

4. You Can Spend What You Need to

Prior to the new law, health insurance companies set a maximum limit on the monetary amount of benefits that a policyholder could receive. This meant that those who developed expensive or long-lasting medical conditions could run out of coverage. Starting this year, companies will be barred from instituting caps on coverage.

5. You Don't Have to Wait

If you currently have pre-existing conditions that have prevented you from being able to qualify for health insurance for at least six months you will have coverage options before 2014. Starting this fall, you will be able to purchase insurance through a state-run "high-risk pool", which will cap your personal out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. You will not be required to pay more than $5,950 of your own money for medical expenses; families will not have to pay any more than $11,900.

6. You Must be Insured

Under the new law starting in 2014, you will have to purchase health insurance or risk being fined. If your employer does not offer health insurance as a benefit or if you do not earn enough money to purchase a plan, you may get assistance from the government. The fines for not purchasing insurance will be levied according to a sliding scale based on income. Starting in 2014, the lowest fine would be $95 or 1% of a person's income (whichever is greater) and then increase to a high of $695 or 2.5% of an individual's taxable income by 2016. There will be a maximum cap on fines.

7. You'll Have More Options

Starting in 2014 (when you will be required by law to have health insurance), states will operate new insurance marketplaces - called "exchanges" - that will provide you with more options for buying an individual policy if you can't get, or afford, insurance from your workplace and you earn too much income to qualify for Medicaid. In addition, millions of low- and middle-income families (earning up to $88,200 annually) will be able to qualify for financial assistance from the federal government to purchase insurance through their state exchange.

8. Flexible Spending Accounts Will Become Less Flexible

Three years from now, flexible spending accounts (FSAs) will have lower contribution limits - meaning you won't be able to have as much money deducted from your paycheck pre-tax and deposited into an FSA for medical expenses as is currently allowed. The new maximum amount allowed will be $2,500. In addition, fewer expenses will qualify for FSA spending. For example, you will no longer be able to use your FSA to help defray the cost of over-the-counter drugs.

9. If You Earn More, You'll Pay More

Starting in 2018, if your combined family income exceeds $250,000 you are going to be taking less money home each pay period. That's because you will have more money deducted from your paycheck to go toward increased Medicare payroll taxes. In addition to higher payroll taxes you will also have to pay 3.8% tax on any unearned income, which is currently tax-exempt.

10. Medicare May Cover More or Less of Your Expenses

Starting this year, if Medicare is your primary form of health insurance you will no longer have to pay for preventive care such as an annual physical, screenings for treatable conditions or routine laboratory work. In addition, you will get a $250 check from the federal government to help pay for prescription drugs currently not covered as a result of the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole".

However, if you are a high-income individual or couple (making more than $85,000 individually or $170,000 jointly), your prescription drug subsidy will be reduced. In addition, if you are one of the more than 10 million people currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan you may be facing higher premiums because your insurance company's subsidy from the federal government is going to be dramatically reduced.

Conclusion

Over the next few months you will most likely receive information in the mail from your health insurance company about how the newly signed law will affect your coverage. Read the correspondence carefully and don't hesitate to ask questions about your policy; there may be new, more affordable options for you down the road.

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One Order of Health Care Reform Coming Right Up!

Urban Chameleon news

Over the weekend at this party, some man just broke out and said, "Obama just needs to just punch somebody in they face already."

"Pray tell what do you mean?" Someone asked.

I immediately knew that this man was referring to his frustrations with the ridiculous amount of hoopla the President has been going through with the Republicans for Health Care reform. After watching Bush for 8 years thug his way through his presidency not given a damn about democracy why shouldn't one be ready for President Obama to b*tch slap somebody already and lay down the law. Well thank goodness it didn't have to go there...

Health Care Bill: House Passes $938 Billion Bill, Sweeping Legislation on Its Way to Become Law

The House of Representatives passed the sweeping health care bill 219-212, securing a significant victory for President Obama, who lobbied hard this week for the controversial legislation.

The vote was certain after the House Democratic leadership finalized a deal this afternoon with anti-abortion Democrats to vote for the Senate-passed health care bill in exchange for an executive order from Obama affirming no federal funding for abortion.

Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden, chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel and some 40 staffers.

When the measure passed, Obama high-fived Emanuel and hugged legislative affairs director Phil Schiliro as everyone in the room burst into applause.

"This is what change looks like," the president said in a brief speech after the House vote.

"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," he said. "We proved that this government -- a government of the people and by the people -- still works for the people.

The House today voted on two separate pieces of legislation. In addition to the Senate health care bill, lawmakers passed a second, the amendments to that bill made by House members and Obama, by a vote of 220-211.

The bill now goes to the president's desk to sign, after which it will become law. Obama is expected to sign the health care bill Tuesday, after which the Senate will debate and vote on the "fixes."

As the last speaker before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said that by passing the bill, Congress would be taking a historic step.

"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans," Pelosi said.

"It is with great pride and great humility that we undertook this great act of patriotism that occurred on the floor of the house," she added.

Republican opponents of the bill continued to argue against it right up until the vote was counted.

"We have failed to listen to America," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio said.

"Can you say it was done openly, with transparency and accountability -- without backroom deals, struck behind closed doors, hidden from the people?" Boehner questioned. "Hell no, you can't."

"Some say we're making history. I say we're breaking history," Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana said.

What has been an arduous journey for the health care bill is anything but over. Once the president signs the bill, the Senate has to pass the "fixes" and the fight in that chamber has already begun.

"We shouldn't do a victory dance ... until the reconciliation bill is signed," Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said on MSNBC.

House Democrats, distrustful of their Senate counterparts, wanted iron-clad assurances that the Senate would pass the bill with the "fixes" the House Democrats had proposed, before they themselves voted on it.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered that assurance to House Democrats on Saturday, telling them that 51 senators had signed a letter promising to make "fixes" to the Senate bill that House members want. The names of those senators were not revealed to the press.

After the House vote, Reid released a statement promising to complete the work on "this historic effort."

"As the Senate prepares to complete our work on this historic effort, Senate Democrats reaffirm our commitment to reform because we know it's good for middle-class families, seniors and small businesses in Nevada and all across America," Reid said.

But Republicans are vowing to get the "fixes" thrown out by using a Senate procedural motion. Today, Senate Republicans said Democrats would not meet with them and the parliamentarian, a charge that Democratic staffers called "absurd."

The Senate is expected to take up the bill as soon as Tuesday, which will set in motion a week or longer of floor battles on parliamentary procedures.

If Republicans can get the parliamentarian to agree with them even once, whatever ultimately passes the Senate will have to go back to the House, much to the chagrin of Democratic lawmakers.

Democrats in the House quietly admit that it is very likely they will have to vote again on the reconciliation fixes at some point down the road.

The Congressional Budget Office predicts the bill will cost $938 billion and will reduce the federal deficit by $142 billion in the first 10 years, which the president has hailed as the "most significant effort to reduce the deficit since the Balanced Budget Act" of the 1990s.

Most Americans would be required to purchase health insurance. Small businesses and the uninsured would have the option of shopping for coverage in health insurance exchanges, a marketplace in which people would be able to shop for and compare insurance plans. Those would be implemented in 2014.

The bill also greatly expands Medicaid and subsidies to the poor. Insurance companies would not be able to place lifetime caps or deny coverage to patients based on pre-existing conditions.

Obama's executive order is likely to irk many of his supporters who favor abortion rights, but it gave Democrats the votes they needed to pass the health care bill.

"I'm pleased to announce that we have an agreement," Rep. Bart Stupak D-Mich., said shortly after the White House released a statement regarding the executive order. "We have assurances from the president and others that he will not rip this up tomorrow."

Anti-abortion Democrats had been hesitant to commit their support unless a deal was struck, but the executive order guarantees that the House Democratic leadership will have enough votes to pass the health care legislation.

"We're well past 216," Stupak told reporters, referring to the minimum number of votes House Democrats need to pass the bill.

The executive order will provide "additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.

The president's order is to ensure that current law that restricts federal funding from going toward abortion, known as the Hyde amendment, is maintained. It will extend those restrictions to the newly created health insurance exchanges.

"It is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that federal funds are not used for abortion services," the executive order states. After months of negotiations, closed-door meetings and persuasion by the president, members of the House of Representatives today will vote on the controversial $938 billion health care bill.

The path for the health care bill to pass in the House was not easy. The debate today on the House floor was heated as Republicans assailed Democrats for moving ahead with the health care bill without any bipartisan support.

"My colleagues shame us," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. "Freedom dies a little bit today. Unfortunately some are celebrating."

Rowdy visitors in the House gallery disrupted the session several times. One protestor yelled "The people don't want this!" and was escorted out by security. Some Republican lawmakers were spotted on the Congressional balconies, cheering on the protestors.

On Capitol Hill and in the halls of Congress, protestors chanted "Kill the bill!" and confronted lawmakers. Some hurled racial and homophobic epithets, and one even spit on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who is openly gay, encountered homophobic comments as he walked through a crowd of protestors Saturday in the halls of Congress.

Even as they move ahead with the health care legislation, Democrats are fully aware of the political ramifications of voting "Yes" for the bill that has furthered the divide not just between Republicans and Democrats, but among the Democratic caucus itself.

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus acknowledged on "This Week" that some members of the House could lose their seats as a result of their support for the legislation.

"Every time you have a mid-term election, you risk the chance of losing members," said Larson, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House. "But it isn't about how many members are going to lose their seats. ... It's about this moment, it's about the truth, it's every reason why you were elected to come and serve in Congress.

ABC News' Jake Tapper, Dean Norland, Michael S. James, Rachel Martin and David Kerley contributed to this report. source from abcnews.com

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Is celebrating obese women giving the wrong message to young black women?

by today's Urban Chameleon contributor Aireka Muse

Now that the Oscars are over and we don’t have to be politically correct, can we start getting real and talk about Gabourey Sibide’s weight? Gabby, the lead actress in Precious, is not “full figured”, “voluptuous” or “curvy”. She is obese. Publicly using her body as a symbol of confident body image is not only dangerous for her but gives the wrong message to black women struggling with weight.

At 350 pounds, Gabourey is nearly 200 pounds overweight. Being only 20% overweight increases the chances of heart disease dramatically. Gabourey is 50% overweight. At only 25 years old, her life is drastically limited. She can’t ride a bike, take the stairs, or sit comfortably in a restaurant chair. Her lungs, heart, and joints are working overtime just to support her getting out of bed and walking out the door. If health risks such as heart attack, kidney failure, and diabetes are not scary enough, obesity reduces your life expectancy by 10 to 12 years. Gaborourey at the size that she is will be lucky if she lives to be 60 and that of course will not come without a couple joint replacements and multiple daily medication.

By using the words such as “curvy” and “full figured” to describe Gabourey, the same words to describe Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Jordan Sparks, is saying that being 200 pounds is nothing more than a preference. But it is not. Especially when according to the Center of Disease Control, 79.8% of African American women are either overweight or obese. My question is, by ignoring the health issues plaguing this beautiful woman’s life and pretending her weight issues are trivial? Is it possible that celebrating Gabourey for being “full figured” is just as dangerous as celebrating the waify arms and protruding hipbones of an anorexic?

What are we saying to the 79.8% of African American women struggling with their weight? The sentiments that this is ‘Just her size” is ludicrous. Regardless of what people might believe, no one is born obese. Obesity is not hereditary. Poor diet choices and other lifestyle behaviors are hereditary and we must stop enabling unhealthy lifestyles in our community.

In November, Gabourey discussed her confidence with Oprah. “One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body." But Gabourey, why does loving yourself have to compromise taking care of your body the best way possible? Could loving yourself actually be the opposite of putting whatever you crave in your mouth? Could loving yourself mean making a conscious effort to support your body with best foods and nutrients?

Even Monique, Gaby’s co-star, for years screamed, “ I am fat and fabulous” and recently lost weight in the pursuit of being healthy. At 262 pounds, close to 100 pounds lighter that Gabby, doctors worried about Monique’s health and she made the decision to lose weight to be the best version of herself for her husband and children. Queen Latifah, another beautiful confident black woman, has publicly spoken about the health benefits of exercising and eating right. She is far from being considered skinny and her decisions about her weight have had nothing to do with what other think but everything to do with taking care of herself. 


I am not at all suggesting that the praise and accolades that Gabourey has received from her acting role in Precious are not well deserved. She is shining example of what is possible in your life if you believe in yourself. Nor am I suggesting that Gabourey needs to be publicly shamed or condemned. She is a beautiful woman with enormous talent. All I am suggesting is that weight issues, regardless of what size they come in, anorexic or obese, is not a laughing matter, nor should it be ignored. Gabourey, as well as the public figures surrounding her and missing an opportunity to change millions of black women’s lives by seeing that we all struggle with weight and even in the most dire situations, health is always obtainable.

On Tuesday, after the Oscars, radio shock jock Howard Stern and his sidekick Robin Quivers, made harsh and cruel comments regarding Gabourey’s size. The rant included calling her the “most enormous fat black chick I’ve ever seen” and suggesting that Oprah and others who support the actress are lying “She’s telling an enormous woman the size of a planet that she is going to have a career”. He returned on Friday to suggest his comments were only to bring light to the seriousness of obesity in our country. Howard’s comments caused a public stir of emails and phone calls in defense of Gabourey. Both Whoopi Goldberg and Jessica Simpson made public statements calling Howard disrespectful and inaccurate.

Howard’s comment regarding Gabourey’s career has already been proven wrong since Gabby has already booked a recurring role on a TV show and two feature films but Howard was correct in stating that her weight should not be considered normal or okay. Somehow because we like Gabourey talking about the ungodly truth about her size has become just as taboo as telling a new parent their child is ugly. Somewhere in 2009, being politically correct has become more important then telling the truth. Quickly, we must get over this and save this poor girl’s life. Gabourey Sibide is obese. As a talent confident woman, she deserves the help she needs to not only lose the weight but to combat the behaviors that lead her there. She deserves a lengthy career and healthy life and her chances are greater if she looks in the mirror and says it’s time to make a change. That change has nothing to do with what others think about her and everything to do with a chance to really live life.

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Dear Obama heckler are you smarter than a 3rd grader?

Urban Chameleon news

I definitely have a theory that people never mature beyond third grade. Some of us just do a better job at controlling ourselves but I find that the same visceral instincts that existed then still exist when you’re grown. Sometimes instead of telling someone that you like them- you act weird. Sometimes when someone hurts your feelings you get back at them and sometimes when someone says something you don’t like you boo and shout “LIER!” even if it's to your president in the middle of his Health Care Reform speech.

I ask you Joe Wilson, are you smarter than a 3^rd Grader? and get this! people are actually making contributions to dumb ass (read below)

Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) shameful screed from the back-benches of the congressional gallery last night has made him a cause célèbre for the far right. The “freeper” posters at the Free Republic called for donations to Wilson (that post was subsequently removed). Republican activist Patrick Ruffini encouraged his Twitter followers to contribute to Wilson. Calling the South Carolina congressman a “great American hero,” RedState.com’s Erick Erickson posted this fundraising solicitation on his site:

Joe Wilson has been identified as the Republican who yelled out that Barack Obama was a liar.

He gets a drink on me!

CONTRIBUTE TO JOE WILSON HERE. Joe Wilson’s opponent raised $11,000.00 in an hour after Joe Wilson stood up to Barack Obama. We must help Joe Wilson.

While the far right circled the wagons around Wilson, Democratic activists quickly opened their pocketbooks for Rob Miller, “an Iraq War veteran who unsuccessfully challenged Wilson in 2008 and is seeking a rematch next year.” By 10 am this morning, nearly $60,000 had been donated on Miller’s ActBlue’s page.

News source from thinkprogress.org

President Obama's Health Care Reform Speech

Should You 'friend' Your Doctor on Facebook?

Urban Chameleon news

I just find it amazing that these days it's easier to even get a hold of your doctor on Facebook than through an emergency phone line- not to mention I don't trust Facebook to be all that private! (click here for: Marketing companies sells clients Facebook friends)

Former NBA player Walter Jordan uses Facebook to get in touch with his physician, Dr. William Cooper

Frustrated with closed offices, unreturned phone messages and other aspects of the sometimes-slow pace of doctor-patient communication, Jordan came up with a solution: He now sends his doctor messages on Facebook. He says that communicating with his cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. William Cooper, on the social networking site has been easy and efficient. full article on cnn

Africa is Suffering from an Obesity Problem

Urban Chameleon news

The "index of affluence and power is linked to one's size." In other words, bigger is better, even if its unhealthy.

Women, especially in black populations, think being overweight is "something that is beautiful and attractive."
full article at Newsweek

Interesting topic considering people are re-thinking the current BMI levels as the standard to measure obesity. Now if they would only make this adjustment to SAT's (not that I'm condoning people being unhealthily overweight)

BMI is used to determine weight categories: 18.5 and below is considered underweight; 18.6 to 24.9 healthy; 25 to 29 overweight; and 30-plus obese. “This scale was created years ago and is based on Caucasian men and women,” says Dr. Molly Bray, associate professor of pediatrics and nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. “It doesn’t take into account differences in body composition between genders, race/ethnicity groups, and across the lifespan.”

Strictly for the Uninsured Hustler... Guidance on Healthcare

by today's Urban Chameleon contributor , courtesy of $ave Money Honey

Being that pressure is coming down on Obama's health care plan we must get creative with our alternatives. Let's start here:

Teeth. They are such an integral part of our overall health and well-being. If there's a problem in the grill, it affects the way we eat, the way we laugh, the way we kiss...not to mention the physical damage bad teeth can impose on the rest of the body. Living in a society where almost all toothpastes are infused with "whitening" (what the hell is whitening, anyway??), where photoshop-happy photo editors artificially brighten celebrity smiles and where coined terms such as "meth mouth" exist - there is a lot of pressure to keep them pearlies white.

Our teeth aren't frozen in time while we await the outcome of healthcare reform in the US. How many out there by a show of hands do not have full dental health coverage?



Join the Masses, Take a Dental Vacation!
Crowns, root canals, fillings, veneers...that stuff can really add up if you're forced to come out of pocket. Do the math, with root canals averaging $800 and crowns going as high as $3100 a pop...why not make the most of your spending by taking a dental vacation? Believe it or not, there are countries out there whose governments actually care about the well-being of humanity and exhibit this concern by providing free or very affordable healthcare.

Some friends of mine just came back from a trip to Thailand...with brighter smiles. It's not a new concept, there's a whole industry surrounding this phenomenon.
Check out some of these options:
dental-offer.com
healthcaretrip.org
medcentrek.com
healthmedicaltourism.org
overseastreatments.com

And if you haven't already, check out Michael Moore's film SickO. It highlights Americans who travel everywhere from Canada to France to Cuba in search of affordable (or FREE) healthcare - and it sheds light on the shortcomings of the existing health insurance providers stateside. And what a sad state we are in. Just sad.

But keep smiling! We could all use a vacation anyway.

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Urban Chameleons and Their Dogs

by today’s Urban Chameleon contributor

Black Urban Chameleon’s and their dogs are no joke. Like most pet owners they have a powerful bond with their doggies but don’t play when it comes to cleanliness. I know my mom would wipe her own dog down with alcohol wipes before letting her back into the house. My white friends not so much, they will have a full out game of touch football in the mud with their doggies and then allow them all up in the bed. Uhhhm not Black folks and don’t even get me started on Caribbean’s- most of them don’t even understand how the animal can actually be living inside the house with the people. This was definitely a compromise my Jamaican dad made for my American mom.

I was recently out to dinner with a friend of mine and her husband having a great time catching up on life. The night was coming to an end and they had to excuse them selves to hurry home and wash their puppy, Precious. They had just picked her up from the puppy sitter upon their return from Hawaii. My friend told me she was very concerned about Precious as she was cuddled up by a corner when they went to pick her up and was worried that she had been violated. “Why is she so tired?” She had asked the pup sitter who just shrugged. Still concerned that Precious had been tampered with they were off to give her a bath and re-boost her chi.

Now, they don’t play when it comes to cleaning their Precious. She ran down the routine they were about to embark on which included soaking Precious down with a lavender scrub then conditioned her with a rose shampoo that was to sits on her for 5 to (probably in this case) 10minutes

and then combing and blow drying Precious like the Dominican’s at the hair salon.

Her feeling was if Precious was going to be back in the house with them she needed to not be funky and get fly.

Work it out Ms. Precious! Fierceness

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My Cousin’s Opinion on Health Care (episode 2)

by today’s Urban Chameleon contributor

Today I gotta call from cousin who was heated.

“DENISE.” She says. “The mother fuckin’ Health Care system is flawed!”

“What happened now,” I said.

“Check this shit out. You know how I’ve been trying to apply for disability payments to help deal with this cancer right?”

“Right.”

“After all this time I’ve been waiting to hear back don’tchu know the mother fuckas turned me down today. And I’m thinking how the fuck is that possible? I’m at work part time ‘cause my ass has to be in chemo three times a week!? Not to mention the bitch in the cubicle next to me got full coverage disability wit no mother fuckin’ problems AND working from home and I can’t for the life of me figure out what the fuck her disability is. So today I was able to catch her ass finally, you know between my chemo schedule and her coming in once a week for her pay check ‘cause she manages to come in for dat, I calmly walk over to her to see how is it that she’s privy to these advantages ‘cause clearly I put down the wrong disability.”

“Well what she say?”

“Denise, guess what the fuck that Bitch's disability is?”

I paused, waiting for her to tell me.

“GUESS!!!”

“I have no idea. What?”

“She’s just fat. That bitch’s disability is that she’s a FAT FUCKIN’ BITCH! Here I am with cancer and that fat fucking bitch is sitting over there doing nothing but cookie up, cookie down and getting disability checks out her fat ass to buy more cookies and shit. Now what sense does that make? Oh Obama is about to get a letter about her ass.”

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My Crazy Ghetto Cousin

by today's Urban Chameleon contributor

Every now and again my crazy, ghetto, cousin who has cancer might I add, will call me up to thank me for the pictures of our new born daughter. Although she is a bit ghetto and crazy she appreciates our gestures of trying to stay connected as a family since we live in different states and don't see each other often. 

However, my cousin never fails to catch me of guard. One minute we’ll be talking about the importance of family, love, support, faith but the next minute she’s be telling me how some bitch tried to play her. 

"Denise" she says to me. 
"Don't you know this bitch tried to cut in front of me at the mothaf*cking fax machine line today!" 


And I'll usually respond with something to make her feel supported like, "Oh no they didn’t.” 
"I had to tell that bitch, BITCH did you not see me standing here waiting to motherf*ckin facsimile bitch?" "Bitch gonna tell me that she didn't realize I was waiting and that she sorry." "I said Bitch how you going stand there and lie like a mothaf*ckin rug telling me you didn't realize, I was standing right there holding the motherf*ckin cover sheet. Bitch is like-" 


Finally interrupting her I say, "Deyon this can't be good for the cancer I think you should try and relax." 


"You right, I can't be letting these bitches get the best of me." 


"Did you get the Jasmine tea I sent you? That really helps to calm the spirit, why don't you make yourself a pot?" 


"Can't, no kettle." 


"What happened to your kettle?" 


"I had to beat this other bitch's ass wit it last week who might I add TRIED TO PLAY ME."

There is nothing like having ghetto cousin.

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