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Alphonso Gibbs, Jr. (Courtesy Photo)

Alphonso Gibbs, Jr., LCSW-C, LICSW, Advisory Board MemberMens Health Networkwww.MensHealthNetwork.org

The six weeks encompassing Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Yearscollectively called the holidaysare for most, a magically unique time of year, filled with holiday carols, reunions, displays of colorful lights, love, and affection, often expressed through gift giving.

For the better part of 2020, we have all been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the stresses brought on by racial tensions, and the political dramas of the 2020 election. Now, we have to make hard decisions on whether to gather with our loved ones for the holidays, or continue to socially distance from them until we get the all clear.

For some, the holidays bring hurt. Caused by factors such as those already mentioned, along with the weather (seasonal depression); extended separation, death, financial stress, unemployment, unrealistic expectations, hyper-sentimentality, guilt, or overspending. Holiday depressionalso called the holiday bluescan zap the merriment out of even the most wonderful time of the year. Now, one must make hard decisions on whether to visit, whom to visit, and how to prepare for the visitsuchas getting a COVID-19 screen prior to the visit.

The holiday blues only seem to get worse as we near the end of the year.

Holiday depression affects one million people every year. Men and women, young and old, all fall victim to feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, and fatigue during this emotionally charged time.

Mens Health Network offers the following 10 suggestions to help you identify and ward offor at least better cope withpotential sources of holiday depression.

Resources and Helplines

SAMHSA Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

800-662-HELP (4357)

http://www.samhsa.gov

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

800-273-TALK (8255)

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Your Head: An Owners Manual

http://www.YourHead.org

ULifeline.org Online resources for students

http://www.ulifeline.org

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

https://www.pcori.org/topics/mental-and-behavioral-health

Mens Health Network

Mens Health Network (MHN) is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. Men can learn more about their health through MHNs online resource center, http://www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com

Learn more about MHN at http://www.MensHealthNetwork.org .Follow us on Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/menshealthnetwork

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American 1531 S. Edgewood St. Baltimore, MD 21227 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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The rat being inflated and installed in lower Manhattan by District Council 16 of the Cement and Concrete Workers on November 18, 2020. Amanda Aronczyk hide caption

The rat being inflated and installed in lower Manhattan by District Council 16 of the Cement and Concrete Workers on November 18, 2020.

Maybe you've seen them around some bigger towns and cities: Giant inflatable rats with red eyes, and sharp teeth, gross-looking scabs on their belly, standing up on their hind legs with their claws out. Unions put them out in front of businesses they're fighting with. Which is why Scabby the rat has been spotted outside stores, in front of factories and even on HBO.

The rats have a name Scabby and a weird history. They started as suits. But recently, Scabby has also been in the courts. The National Labor Relations Board is trying to limit what they consider aggressive union tactics, and the question is whether Scabby counts as one. On today's show: the rise and possible fall of Scabby the Rat.

Thanks to Rebecca Kolins Givan, Associate Professor at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations; Mark Gaston Pearce, former NLRB Chairman and Executive Director of the Workers Rights Institute at Georgetown University Law Center; Joe Scopo, head organizer of District Council 16 of the Cement and Concrete Workers; Wally Zimolong of Zimolong Law; Dale Pierson and Ed Maher of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150.

Music: "Parisian Jaunt," and "Greetings Programs."

Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts and NPR One.

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Athletico is committed to keeping employees and patients safe during COVID-19 and has taken several measures including additional screening procedures, enhanced cleaning practices and appropriate distancing of patients during treatment sessions. In addition to in-clinic treatment at the Okemosclinic, Athletico is also offering telehealth virtual treatment options where patients can connect with a Physical Therapist through a secure online video chat.

"I am incredibly excited to take my career as a Physical Therapist to the next level with Athletico by continuing to grow as a clinician and leader, said Joe Pantino, PT, DPT and Clinic Manager of Athletico Okemos. "I love how active the Okemos community is and how much pride they have in their school districts along with Michigan State University. I look forward to growing a new Athletico clinic into a successful part of this community."

Services available at Athletico Okemos include:

Additionally, Athletico Okemos:

Athletico Okemos2090 Grand River Ave., Ste. COkemos, MI 48864P: 517-827-6550F: 517-208-0162www.athletico.com/Okemos[emailprotected]

ABOUT ATHLETICOAthletico Physical Therapy provides the highest quality orthopedic rehabilitation services to communities, employers and athletes in over 525 locations throughout twelve states with more than 5,000 employees. Athletico is committed to our patients and referring physicians through our patient-centric focus, positive work environment, attention to quality and high standard of care. Athletico measures patient outcomes and satisfaction and is dedicated to continuous improvement.Athletico was named #1 Workplace in Chicago, "Best Physical Therapy Practice in the Nation" by ADVANCE magazine, Top Workplace in the Nation and has been recognized as a leader in employee volunteering and charitable giving. Our services include physical and occupational/hand therapy, workers' compensation, women's health therapy, concussion management and athletic training. For more information, or to schedule a free assessment in-clinic or now online with our virtual free assessments, visit http://www.athletico.com and follow us on Twitter at @athletico.

CONTACT:Mandy Pasquale630-575-6269 | [emailprotected]

SOURCE Athletico Physical Therapy

http://www.athletico.com

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The December 2020 Rec of the Month is East Carolina University (ECU) Campus Recreation and Wellness (CRW).

Mission: To engage the Pirate Community in diverse recreational and wellness experiences by providing exceptional facilities, programs and services.

Departmental Values: Inclusivity, learning, innovation, fun, tradition (I LIFT)

CRW manages four flagship facilities including two indoor and two outdoor locations.

The Eakin Student Recreation Center was built in 1997 and is located on ECUs main campus in Greenville, North Carolina. In November 2020 the Student Recreation Center was officially renamed the Richard R. and JoAnn M. Eakin Student Recreation Center (ESRC). The Eakin Student Recreation Center honors Dr. Richard Eakin who was ECUs fourth chancellor and the eighth chief administrative officer who served numerous leadership roles at ECU for 26 years before retiring in 2013.

Dr. Eakin was instrumental in the creation of the Student Rec Center in 1997. The 150,000-square-foot facility has six basketball courts, a 27-foot rock-climbing wall, an adventure center, indoor and outdoor pool, more than 12,000 square feet of free weight and fitness floor area, indoor track, dedicated indoor cycling zone, mind and body zone, resistance training zone, functional cross training zone, three racquetball courts, three multipurpose studios, the cardio zone with premier networked cardio, a fitness performance center, wellness center, well-being coaching room, classroom space, a family changing room with shower, and a newly added athletic training facility.

The Health Sciences Recreation Center opened in April 2017 and is located on ECUs Health Sciences Campus in Greenville, North Carolina. CRW operates a 25,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center inside of the 76,000-square-foot student center on the health sciences campus. The two-story, open-concept facility can accommodate a variety of movement activities, lectures, banquets and various other events. The first floor houses a multipurpose gym space that can accommodate two smaller basketball courts, one full-size basketball court, two volleyball courts and two badminton courts. Theres also more than 10,000 square feet of space dedicated to strength equipment and free weights. Locker rooms and a family changing room provide space for members and guests to prepare for the workout and prepare for their return to their day.

The second floor dedicates more than 4,000 square feet to cardiovascular equipment and is also the home of a multi-purpose studio, a functional cross-training studio and a fitness performance space. In addition to the recreation and fitness center, you will also find a 1,000-square-foot Wellness Center in the Health Sciences Student Center. The Wellness Center provides a zenful experience for students and faculty staff to access resources, utilize massage chairs, or have a cup of tea and meditate.

The North Recreational Complex (NRC) is an outdoor recreation complex located approximately five miles northeast from ECUs main campus and features eight multipurpose activity fields. The fields can be sized to accommodate soccer, flag football, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee and rugby. A field house overlooks the fields providing equipment storage and a covered seating area with restrooms. Parking is provided adjacent to the field house. The property also includes six acres of water for fishing and boating, a sunbathing sand beach, fitness equipment, a half mile trail around the lake, sand volleyball, corn-hole, and an 18-hole disc golf course.

The Odyssey High Challenge Course, also located at NRC, is approximately 40 feet tall and has eight distinct high elements. The main course is 12 feet long with two 300-foot zip lines as an option to finish the course. The NRC also features six walking/jogging trails and one 5K running trail. Free kayaks, disc golf discs, sand volleyball, corn hole and sunbathing are available for all ECU students, faculty/staff, members and guests.

The Blount Recreational Sports Complex is an outdoor recreation complex located across the street from the ECU Grady-White Boats Athletic Campus. It is home to intramural and club sports, some challenge course groups and select special events. The facility offers numerous opportunities in a variety of sports such as flag football, soccer, softball, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee, rugby, lacrosse and field hockey. A field house with restrooms is also on-site for convenience to members and guests. The fields can be reserved for use by campus groups with advance notice. The citys greenway also is adjacent to the complex encouraging a symbiotic relationship with the university and the city.

ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness employs 25 full-time team members, 13 graduate assistants, and more than 450 part-time student and contracted employees each year. The department is led by an executive team consisting of a director and four associate directors who each manage one of the following areas: administration and finance, facilities and operations, leadership and programs, and wellness and fitness. Out of all the programming the department offers, here are a few highlights:

Adventure and Team Training

Athletic Training

Sport and Youth Programs

Special Events

Group Fitness

Les Mills OnDemand

Personal Training

Virtual personal training allows the client to train when and where they like. Each client receives 30 days of individualized exercise programs designed specifically for the client. Personal trainers meet with each client virtually for an initial consultation and then design weekly workouts tailored to the goals and preferences. During the 30 days, the client has regular contact with their assigned trainer via text and video right from the app on their phone where the workouts are delivered. ECU provides online personal training through the Trainerize App.

30 Day Workout Programs are also available to folks who dont have the time or energy to create their own program. Clients can select from one of the various programs with a specific goal in mind such as strength, endurance, mobility and more, and then receive 30 days of workouts right at their fingertips via the app. All personal trainers are certified through ACE, ACSM, NASM or NSCA. The two fitness coordinators and the senior assistant director of wellness and fitness are all completing the Online Trainers Academy certification. ECU partners with the American Council on Exercise to provide a non-credit instructional program to recruit and train personal trainers.

Small Group Training

Meet Them Where They Are Campaign

Employee Well-Being Institute

Well-Being Coaching

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Work-related fatigue is related to a range of negative consequences, including poor productivity. This study investigates the extent to which exposure to a workplace exercise intervention affects employees health and wellbeing trajectories throughout the intervention and their experiences of the exercise regime.

It finds that sufficient exposure to the programme, and optimal exercise experiences, contribute to the success of the intervention for fatigued employees and that these beneficial effects are visible at an early point in the programme.

De Vries J D et al. Process evaluation of the receipt of an exercise intervention for fatigued employees: the role of exposure and exercise experiences, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, published online 6 October 2020.

Doctors are required by law to notify suspected work-related Covid-19 deaths to the coroner and employers also have a legal duty to report such work-related deaths (and incidents) to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). About 9,000 cases of Covid-19 disease attributed to exposure at work including at least 125 deaths have been reported to the HSE so far, according to its second summary.

This study aims to assess the adequacy of these statutory means of reporting and investigating suspected workplace Covid-19 transmission and finds that the coroners guidance allows a wider range of reports of deaths due to the virus than the HSEs regulatory provisions.

The author concludes that current HSE guidance for reporting work-related Covid-19 may miss many thousands of cases and needs further iteration. Coroners have very limited experience of inquiry into occupational disease caused by biological agents compared with the HSE. Concerns regarding national policy such as on protective equipment warrant a full public inquiry.

Agius R M. Covid-19: statutory means of scrutinizing workers deaths and disease, Occupational Medicine, published online 21 September 2020.

People with Parkinsons disease exit the workplace on average five years earlier than workers without the condition, due to motor, cognitive, communicative and affective symptoms. However, there are few employment resources available for employees and employers designed to support people with Parkinsons in work.

This study, based on focus groups involving 16 workers with the condition and 10 clinicians and a literature review, identified three key needs for a workplace approach to the condition: knowledge about the available employment support options, the need for a clinician to start discussions about working with the condition and an individualised and flexible approach to employment-related interventions.

Rafferty M et al. Employment resources for people with Parkinsons Disease: a resource review and needs assessment, Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, published online 6 October 2020.

Workers can be exposed to a range of carcinogenic agents at work but most studies focus on the prevalence of a single one, resulting in knowledge gaps regarding the extent of multiple exposure, according to this Australian study. It finds that 81% of exposed workers were assessed as being exposed to more than one carcinogen and 26% reported exposure to five or more carcinogens. Multi-carcinogen exposure was more likely among men, but less likely amongst older workers.

McKenzie J F et al. Prevalence of exposure to multiple occupational carcinogens among exposed workers in Australia, Occupational & Environmental Medicine, published online 18 September 2020.

A therapeutic exercise programme is effective in improving the muscle strength and low back symptoms of nursing assistants, according to this randomised controlled trial involving 129 hospital-based staff.

The programme lasted 12 weeks and included warm-up, strengthening and stretching exercises and, on average, participants attended 17.5 sessions. Results showed increased trunk flexor muscle strength, improved pain threshold for dorsal longissimus and reduced low back symptoms.

However, no differences were observed between participants and the control group for back extensor muscle strength or flexibility. The authors conclude that exercise programmes can form part of a low-cost strategy in a hospital setting to avoid the progress of disability among active nursing personnel.

Moreira R F C et al. Effects of a workplace exercise program on physical capacity and lower back symptoms in hospital nursing assistants: a randomised controlled trial, International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, published online 16 September 2020.

Leadership interventions on workplace mental health that incorporate both reflective and interactive components in a group setting are effective in a healthcare setting, according to this systematic literature review. After an initial search revealed 11,221 hits, seven studies were deemed eligible for detailed review. All studies showed at least a moderate global validity and four showed statistical significant improvements in employee mental health as a result of leadership interventions involving seminar days on maintaining and fostering mental health.

Stuber F et al. The effectiveness of health-oriented leadership interventions for the improvement of mental health of employees in the health care sector: a systematic review, International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, published online 4 October 2020.

New child welfare recruits experience a significant worsening in their perceptions of physical and emotional wellbeing in the first six months of their careers, according to this study of 578 employees. Data on physical health included self-reported indicators and information on sleep disturbance, whilst measures for emotional wellbeing included psychological distress.

Information was collected in four waves during the recruits first 18 months in the job and suggested that physical wellbeing appeared to stabilise over time after the initial six months but that emotional wellbeing continued to decline.

Wilke D J. Examining occupational stress in early-career child welfare workers, Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, published online 11 September 2020.

Employee financial wellness programmes are a relatively new type of employee benefit but evidence on their effectiveness in addressing workers financial challenges and financial stress remains thin. This study of three caregiving organisations suggests that in-person, face-to-face promotion of a programme, together with active support from senior management, are key factors in encouraging take-up of financial wellness.

Frank-Miller E G et al. Financial wellness programs in the workplace: evidence from employers in the caregiving industry, Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, published online 5 October 2020.

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Occupational Health & Wellbeing research round-up: December 2020 - Personnel Today

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MSUs ROTC program executed their Field Training Exercise (FTX) beginning Thursday, Nov. 19.

The FTX consisted of training exercises designed to provide new instruction and to test the training cadets have received throughout the fall 2020 semester and prior years. These exercises occurred over a four-day operation, with cadets sleeping on-site and training nearly nonstop from start to finish.

The exercise took place at Camp Crowder, a National Guard base near Neosho, Missouri. Approximately 61 students participated, including students from MSU as well as cadets who are in the Bear Battalion but are enrolled at Evangel University, Drury University, Ozark Technical Community College or Southwest Baptist University instead of MSU.

The FTX began with two UH60L Blackhawk helicopters landing in front of the battalions rappel tower on MSUs campus and transported the junior cadets to Camp Crowder. Upon arrival, the cadets began establishing living quarters and an operating center, according to Captain Peter Michalak, the battalions executive officer.

Cadets hit the ground running, climbing and shimmying on Friday with an obstacle course. Senior-year cadets provided instruction and safety measures to the junior cadets and underclassmen.

The purpose of the obstacle course is to build confidence through teamwork, both physically and mentally, said Cadet Wyatt Groves, a sophomore studying anthropology. Groves entered the program through the National Guards Simultaneous Membership Program, with five years of prior enlisted service, including a deployment to Qatar.

Its about overcoming mental barriers so when you come to a life-or-death situation, you know you can already do it, said Cadet Andrew Balkenbusch, a sophomore student who entered the program as the recipient of a three-year scholarship out of high school and is pursuing a degree in communications.

A senior cadet aids and instructs a junior cadet operating a M240B automatic machine gun. The senior cadet fills the role of assistant gunner by feeding the ammunition, providing feedback on targeting and clearing jams.

The M240B machine gun land navigation courses also occurred on Friday.

According to senior Cadet Sarah Butcher, the battalion commander within the cadet chain of command, the focal point of the FTX took place on Saturday as cadets participated in Situational Training Exercises (STX). Each squad of six to eight cadets carried out four different STX missions, each lasting about two hours.

The STX missions were organized in an operations center run by Butcher and her staff. Senior Cadet Laura Cox, Butchers executive officer, coordinated personnel, accountability, timelines and other mission-essential factors for the exercises from an operations center nearby.

These exercises are like the walk phase to prepare cadets for the spring FTX and for the juniors summer cadet training, which lasts four weeks and takes place at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Cox said.

In the field, the six squads rotated the position of squad leader between junior cadets, who were assessed on their performance by senior cadets after each STX mission. Cadets being assessed will attend the competitive Cadet Summer Training next summer at Fort Knox, KY, where their performance will affect which assignment they are given upon commissioning.

Mission types included ambushes, reconnaissance patrols and assaults on enemy objectives.

Each squads simulated enemies in the STX lanes were played by senior cadets who provided feedback on the squads performance from the perspective of the enemy. Cadets were armed for the exercise with low-velocity paintball guns and protective masks worn at all times.

While the FTX was the crescendo training event of the fall semester, the battalion will participate in a larger joint FTX with ROTC programs from Lincoln University and Missouri University of Science and Technology in the spring semester, according to Butcher.

The last major ROTC event in the fall semester will be the commissioning of five cadets on Dec. 11 as they are awarded their degrees and receive the rank of second lieutenant in the Army. The remaining ten cadets in their year group will graduate and receive their commissions in the spring semester.

Further information about the Bear Battalion and their exercises and events can be found by contacting the programs enrollment and scholarship officer Phillip Rob Roberson at 417-836-5793 or by email at proberson@missouristate.edu.

Follow Scott Campbell on Twitter, @ScottCa81380794

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Author Irene Richardson - November 30, 2020November 30, 2020Exercise is an important step in preventing type 2 diabetes. Photo via Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (photo taken in 2019)

As we close out National Diabetes Awareness month, its important to remind ourselves of the risks attached to diabetes. By changing a few habits, you can prevent type 2 diabetes and manage it. We caught up with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabamas senior medical director, Dr. Anne Schmidt, to learn what resources are available.

One of the things that always stands out to me is when you look at national statistics from the CDC, they state if we changed diet and activity level along with peoples use of tobacco we could prevent 80% of type 2 diabetes.

You read that right80%. A 2019 report from the CDC states that from the over 34 million Americans who have diabetes, approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Lets look at how we can lower this statistic.

Diabetes isnt just about blood sugar. It affects kidney health and can cause higher rates of kidney failure and dialysis. Diabetes also affects blood sugar and how your body metabolizes fat. There are all kinds of different impacts of diabetes beyond just blood sugar. So, thats why its really important we help patients manage that.

Most people look at any lifestyle change as a daunting task. Even getting up 10 minutes earlier than your normal routine can prove difficult.

Its true that redirecting daily habits isnt always as easy as it appears on the surface. But, in order to prevent type 2 diabetes, these modifications wont require a complete overhaul of your life.

Incorporate changes into your daily life. We know if you lose 5-7% of your body weight and get 150 minutes of physical activity a week, it can make significant improvements.

This might look like finding ways to add in an extra green vegetable at lunch and dinnertime as you begin to develop new healthier habits.

In terms of exercise, its the same deal. You hear it over and over for a reasonuse the stairs, park a little further away, walk around the block on your lunch break.

When it comes to 20 minutes of exercise a day versus kidney disease, Ill side with the former. We even rounded up 19 trails in Birmingham you can enjoy while also staying socially distanced.

A common myth Dr. Schmidt says people tend to believe is that if diabetes runs in your family, youre doomed. Too often, people give up trying to prevent type 2 diabetes with the notion that their fate is already crystal clear.

Even if you already have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, its not unrealistic to manage it and live a comfortable life.

Its possible to manage diabetes. Some people who have relatives with diabetes might have a fatalistic attitude of, I might as well give up because Im going to end up like my aunt or dad or grandfather.'

While you cant prevent type 1 diabetes, BCBSAL has great resources like lifestyle management programs for living with type 1 diagnosis that well talk about later. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is avoidable. Prevention practices should take place as early as possible.

We are seeing Type 2 diabetes in elementary school-aged children now. Its never too young to start thinking about preventing the diagnosis.

Its really about exercise, in addition to your diet. Exercise changes the way your body processes the sugar that you eat.

Whether youre hoping to prevent diabetes or looking to navigate your condition, BCBSAL has many valuable resources for its members including myBlueWellness. This program provides important information about making better choices when it comes to managing habits and becoming compliant with a treatment plan.

BCBSAL offers chronic condition coaching programs. Type 2 diabetes is one of the diagnoses most prevalent in our state. We use clinical guidelines and offer educational materials and self-management support strategies for members.

If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, BCBSAL ensures youre on the best track to managing it.

If you manage your diabetes well, you can live a long and healthy life. BCBSAL can definitely help through diabetes prevention programs and chronic condition coaching. We also have lifestyle management programs.

Its also imperative you maintain routine doctors visits. If youre not comfortable heading into the doc right now, take advantage of BCBSALs telehealth services.

Related

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Its a snapshot thats being replicated all over the world. Athletes at the height of their physical powers, training for the next Olympics. By turns, they are imbued with both a sense of anticipation and a sense of uncertainty. The goal is to stay conditioned and sharp, without peaking too soon.

Again and again theyve been assured that the Tokyo Games, delayed for 2020, will be staged next summer. But theyve also been warned that these Games will be like no other, and, as the clich goes, to expect the unexpected. Likely, there will be no fans in the stands. Maybe there will be no athletes village. Maybe the format for the competition will be altered.

David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated

In these ways, Siphiwe Baleka is like nearly all his fellow Olympic aspirants. A swimmer, he usually arrives for training early, 4:45 a.m. on this day; other times he arrives late at night. But each time he jumps into the pool and begins an hours worth of laps, his arms and legs working in synchronicity, his motion at once economical and extravagant. He is trying to stay in shape and bend time, shaving down his personal best. He is also cautious of rationing his energies, saving what he calls my best self for when he enters the pool in Tokyo the last week in July, 2021.

The comparisons, though, between this Olympic hopeful and thousands of others worldwide, effectively end there. For one, he represents the country of Guinea-Bissau, a West African republic with a population of less than two million, its Olympic profile so modest that it has never sent a delegation of more than five athletes to the Games and has never won a medal of any kind. Without the benefit of a federation to help fund his training, he has to work full-time, which, until recently, the former AllIvy League swimmer did by driving an 18-wheeler.

And theres this: the guy knocking off all those early morning laps in the pool? This upcoming April, months before the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, he will turn 50 years old.

***

Baleka typically trains at Drury University in Springfield, Mo., near his home. Pool time is tight, which means he usually hits the water at 4:45 a.m.

David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated

A native of Oswego, Ill., in the early 90s, Tony Blakeas he was known thensliced through water faster than all but a small handful of college swimmers. At 5 8 and 148 pounds, Blake was a sprinter but he would also train in distance lanes. At Yale, he would swim the 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle, the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke anda bit of symbolism for the fiercely singular competitorthe 200-meter individual medley.

As a sophomore, Blake finished fifth in the Eastern Seaboard Championship and became the first Black swimmer to be named First Team AllIvy League. Then, as a junior, he entered the 1991 U.S. Open Swimming Championships with hopes of qualifying for the 1992 U.S. Olympic team that would compete at the Barcelona Games.

Like most competitive swimmers, Blake had harbored Olympic ambitions for most of his life. He funneled his training into the 100-meter freestyle event. His times were off, but not by much. If everything broke right, who knew? It was my last, best shot of ever qualifying for the Olympics, he says. "I got myself to a point where I felt good about my chances.

But when the day came, he swam a poor race. In the 100-meter freestyle, Blake says, he missed qualifying by .8 seconds. It wasnt just that he had failed; its that, up to that point, his life had been a constellation of successes and falling short had barely occurred to him. A consoling friend said he could always try again for the Atlanta Games in 1996. But Blake knew that hed be 25 by then, practically geriatric, he reckoned, in the dog years of swimming. Right there in that Minneapolis cool-down pool, he tearfully administered last rites to his dream. I was heartbroken," he says. "This was the first time I wanted to do something and couldn't do it.

Blake returned to campus, but had lost his buoyancy. After a roommate found him passed out near bottles of pills, he was sent to the psychiatric ward of YaleNew Haven Hospital. Blake says it wasn't an earnest suicide attempt"It was more of an academic exercise," he saysbut he wasn't allowed to check out until a few days later, when his coach came and vouched that Blake wasn't a danger to himself.

Blake kept swimming, and swimming well. As a senior, he led the winning relay team when Yale beat Harvard and Princeton to win a share of the Ivy League swim title. Then, a few weeks after thatand a few weeks short of graduationBlake dropped out of school. He had been reading about towering figures in history. He figured it was time to go searching for truth away from campus. "All of this is garbage if you don't actually do it, he says. Yale wasn't helping me; it was stifling me. I know people thought I was nuts for leaving when I did, but I didn't want to be there."

In 2014, Sports Illustrated caught up with Blake. But he was no longer Blake. In the 20-plus years since hed been a college athlete, he had traveled the world, including stops in Ghana, Benin, Togo, South Africa and Ethiopia, using money he had saved, he says, making wood furniture and doing desktop publishing. In South Africa he met with tribal elders. They said that when a son of the soil returns home, a new name is conferred on him. They dubbed him Siphiwe (pronounced seh-PEE-way), a name common among the Xhosa and Zulu tribes. They said it means Gift of the Creator. For a surname, they chose Baleka, an anagram of A. Blake that variously (and appropriately) means fast and he who had escaped.

Though Siphiwe Baleka had returned to Yale to pick off those last few credits, graduating in 1996, he ended up finding a line of work that required no college degree. In 2008, he became a long-haul trucker. From his base in Springfield, Mo.the headquarters for Prime Inc., one of the countrys largest commercial fleetsBaleka climbed into his steel whale and drove around the country. One week hed be delivering steaks to Seattle; the following week, it could be appliances to Miami.

Soon, driving was only the half of it. A former elite athlete, he was appalled by what trucking could do the human body. Because of the rigors of the road, truckers have some of the highest obesity and morbidity rates of any profession. The worlds unhealthiest profession, Baleka called it. And he couldnt abide by this. He would pull into truck stops to exercise, often using his cab for resistance.

He would run sprints around his rig. In the rare instances he wasnt feeling time pressure, he would go for rides mid-route on a fold-up bike he kept in the cab. For every driver who flashed him a funny look, 10 would ask for tips. Soon Baleka, effectively the Jane Fonda of the long-haul set, was leading exercise classes and designing fitness regimens specific to drivers. (Full disclosure: He and I collaborated on a book, Four Minute Fit.)

Baleka is nothing if not a searcher. And around the same time, he spat into a tube and sent his DNA to African Ancestry, which specializes in the genealogy of people of color. The results came back after a few weeks: on his paternal side, Baleka descended 100% from the Balanta, an ethnic tribe from West Africa. While the Balanta span several countries, in Guinea-Bissau they represent the largest ethnic group and roughly one-quarter of the population.

I started looking for information on the Balanta just as a curiosity, he says. There wasnt much there because they never had leaders or kings. Western scholarship was never interested in them. I started compiling and writing anything I could. This is heritage. Eventually, I founded the Balanta History and Genealogy Society.

When he wasnt maneuvering an 18-wheeler across ribbons of interstate, when he wasnt helping his colleagues get in shape, and when he wasnt going down what he calls the rabbit hole of my history, Baleka was back in the pool. He realized that swimming, not unlike bike-riding, is a skill that cannot be unlearned. The strokes and rhythms felt instantly familiar in the water, his natural habitat. Shedding body fat and time in equal measure, he came within a few pounds of his college weight and a few seconds of his college times.

Appalled by how difficult their work is on the body, Baleka developed fitness and health programs for truckers.

Karen Kuehn/Sports Illustrated

In the meaty years of his 40s, he began swimming in masters events, and his competitive fire flickered at first and then burned steadily. He began winning events, turning in times comparable to the best masters swimmers, including Rowdy Gaines. I wanted to be the best in the world, he says. It was like, I wanted it in my 20s and I want it again now.

In 2017, Baleka entered the World Masters Championship in Budapest, ranked first in two events. He ended up winning four silver medals, but no golds. He wasnt the best in the world. He got a little of the same sting he felt at the U.S. Olympic trials more than a quarter-century before. But it wasnt as intense. It helped that he proposed to his girlfriend on the medal stand. He also emerged with a new goal: swimming in the next Summer Olympics.

Like many of Balekas ideas, it sounded, at first, crazy. Until it didnt. In the course of studying his ancestry, Baleka came to learn a great deal about Guinea-Bissau. Its the fifteenth-poorest country in the world, with an average per capita income at around $800. (For comparison: in the United States, its around $65,000.) According to the United Nations Human Development Index, it ranks among the least developed countries in the world.

The United States has no embassy in Guinea-Bissau. So Baleka has reached out directly to government leaders and tribal elders. Baleka tells the story of a conversation he had with Balanta elders. He had asked a simple question: What do you need most urgently? The response surprised him. The elders said: We need solar panels for this pump and we need taps. When Baleka asked why, they explained that people have to pull water from a well and carry it home.

He also learned that there were only a handful of swimming pools in the entire country. Im thinking, says Baleka, that if I became a citizen, I would probably be the best swimmer in the entire country.

Then he thought of Eric Moussambani. Remember Eric the Eel? He had taken up swimming after high school in Equatorial Guinea, a small country in central Africa. At the Sydney Olympics, he represented his country in the 100-meter freestyle. When two competitors in his heat false-started, he had the pool to himself. It was the longest distance he had ever swum, as his native country had no Olympic-sized facility. Mid-race, he began struggling. The crowd sensed this and cheered him on. His time was irrelevant; he finished the race. It marked one of the great heartstring moments in Olympic history, fodder for a classic NBC spirit-of-the-Games vignette.

With some digging, Baleka realized that the same program that enabled Moussambani to compete in Sydney was still in effect. Under the International Olympic Committees universality system, spots are reserved for smaller countries with developing programs in select sports. Not only does universality exist for swimming, but the standards have been eased for the Tokyo Games, on account of the pandemic.

Suddenly galvanized by the not-unrealistic goal of becoming an Olympic swimmer, Baleka stopped driving his truck and cut back on his trucker fitness programs and trained with a single-minded pursuit. Last October, he competed in the first International Masters Swimming Championship in Cairo. He won six gold medals. He swam with his body painted in traditional African designs. He took the medal stand draped in the Guinea Bissau flag with the word Balanta written across it.

He did some quick math in Cairo. His time of 24.96 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle was less than a second off his best time as a college swimmer. He is not in the same time zone as, say, Brazils Csar Cielo, who holds the world record in the 50 free at 20.91. Then again, had Baleka competed in the Rio Games, he would have swum faster than 27 competitors. Says Baleka: Im realisticwhich is not something I say often. Im not winning an Olympic medal. Im not coming in first. But Im not coming in last either.

In January, Baleka visited Guinea Bissau, the first member of his family to return since they were forced to leave during the Middle Passage 250 years and 10 generations ago. He was already a minor celebrity in his motherland, the image of him wearing the Balanta shirt in Cairo having rocketed around the country. He was assured that gaining citizenship would not be a problem.

The Ledger Hotel in the capital city of Bissau is home to one of the nations few pools, and the manager made a barter deal with Baleka: If he gave swimming lessons to the locals, he could not only use the pool for training, but also stay in a room free of charge.

Baleka returned home to southwestern Missouri fired up with more confidence than ever, only for COVID-19 to hit. In some senses, its been a curse. He is unemployed, no longer working for Prime, and his finances have been battered. Hes also struggled to find pool time. (He usually trains in the pool at Drury University on Springfields north side but the only available slot is 4:45 to 5:45 a.m.) Then again, the pandemic has also allowed him an extra year of training and extra time to make his appeal to swimming authorities.

As it stands now, Baleka needs the fundsand COVID-19 travel clearancesto return to Guinea Bissau so the country can grant him citizenship and so that its National Olympic Committee can formally submit a universality places application on his behalf. Baleka and Guinea Bissau must then appeal to Dr. Mohamed Diop of Senegal, the FINA Bureau Member and president of the Senegalese Swimming Federation, who is highly influential in the approval process for the universality swimming slots.

Diop has thus far responded tepidly to Balekas unusual quest and request, informing the Guinea Bissau Olympic Committee that Baleka needed to prove himself by competing in a series of races in South Africa. This is nearly impossible on such short notice, and quite impossible when the lockdown began, says Baleka. He also responded that, by competing in Cairo, he had already proven himself at an international swimming event held on the African continent. Diop, he says, did not get back to him. (Diop did not return SIs messages seeking comment.)

As Baleka has studied the history of his ancestral home hes realized that the notion that Guinea Bissau has no swimming history isnt really accurate. When Europeans first came to West Africa, it was the West Africans who were the best swimmers. A sign of the effects of the last 500 years is how Europeans went from being the worst swimmers to the best and Africans went from being the best to the worst, including a drownings crisis among African American and African European swimmers, he says. [Imagine] what this would mean to the people of Guinea Bissau, especially if this could lead to a national swim program.

Then theres the full circlethe flip-turn, as it wereaspect of Balekas personal swimming journey. When he was in his early 20s and failed to make the Olympic team, he did not think his ambitions were simply being deferred for 28 years. When you dream about making it to the Olympics, you dont imagine yourself there at the age of 50, he says. But, trust me, life takes you to different and exciting places, and sends you in directions you never expected.

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Donna M. Murphy| Wicked Local

Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you find yourself starting a task and then forgetting what you were going to do? Do you find yourself consumed with worry about your own health, or your family, friends or loved ones? The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives in unprecedented ways, and seems to have created a pandemic of anxiety. Anxiety can be an everyday response to any unexpected blip in your routine, sparking a perception that something is wrong; it is a signal to be on alert and do some planning. A fear or anxiety response is a natural, typically brief response to an accurately perceived danger. When that response becomes ingrained in our thought process, or becomes an unspecified fear of something that might happen in the future, anxiety can interfere with our thinking and actually prevent us from making an accurate assessment of the situation.

Anxiety manifests in different ways. At its most extreme, it can overwhelm our thinking, such that the perception of danger becomes preoccupying; it can lead to behaviors like obsessive cleanliness, repetitive questioning, a need for constant reassurance, agitation or insomnia. It can also manifest physically, with symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, feeling a shortness of breath, tension, restlessness, stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite or vomiting. These physical symptoms themselves can become a source of anxiety, compounding the anxiety experienced.

Chronic anxiety differs from a natural fear response in its doggedness. When we are unable to stop thinking about the worrying situation, or when the worry impacts our daily activities, our concentration or our sleep, it has morphed from its natural function as a fear response into a misplaced attempt to plan for an unpredictable future.

While we wait for the commercialization of the COVID vaccines, we need to take care of our mental as well as our physical health. Everyone should follow established guidelines wash your hands, wear a mask, social distance whenever possible, and limit exposure to people outside your household. Beyond this, take steps to reduce the anxiety that you feel. Limit your media consumption constant exposure to reports of illness and death tolls increase anxiety. Listen to music rather than the news. Exercise. If you dont feel comfortable going outside, find an activity you can do inside that moves your body. Dance, even if youre alone. If you cant even get out of your chair, exercise your fingers and toes (they need it too!) Moving your body will not only make you feel better, but it will take your mind off COVID, and help you combat anxiety. Be verbal. Remember that smiles, grimaces and other facial gestures are that much harder to detect when someone is wearing a mask. Say hello rather than nod when the opportunity arises. Laugh out loud if the situation allows (but only behind a mask). Sing! Practice good sleep hygiene. Go to bed at a regular hour. Turn off devices. Entice sleep. Allow it to arrive. Anxiety can wreak havoc on our sleep.

Remember that crippling anxiety creates tunnel vision, and often puts us in a constant state of fight or flight. Try to tell yourself that its okay to let go of the struggle. You dont have to fight or flee. Find that little ember of hope within yourself and let it glow.

And this Thanksgiving, wherever you are, and however you celebrate, try to focus on that for which you are truly thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.

The Council on Aging and the Newton Department of Senior Services will host a seminar on Mental Health at 7 p.m. Dec. 1. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3kW9ppO. And remember that both the Newton Department of Senior Services and the Newton Department of Recreation offer a wide variety of exercise programs for people of all ages and abilities. See https://bit.ly/2J9B3Co and https://bit.ly/2Vb7tQ1.

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OPINION: The anxiety pandemic - Wicked Local

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Theres a new workout spot in Jersey City that is adjusting to the times of COVID-19, and its in the Heights. Dyamond Fitness, located at 317 Central Avenue, is a predominantly outdoor and virtual workout experience focusing on more than just exercise to accomplish any fitness goal in mind. We chatted with owner and trainer, Dyamond Ruffin, to learn more about his business and his experience in the industry.

{Photo credit: @dyamondfitness}

Dyamond has been in the fitness industry for about five years now, but his love for staying in shape and working toward goals started long before becoming a business owner.

I played football my whole life and fitness was a part of staying in playing shape, and I enjoyed the fitness part just as much as playing. I played collegiate football and really got started in fitness then, Dyamond shared with Hoboken Girl.

Read More: Easy Solo Workouts to Do at Home to Keep Moving

Dyamond graduated from Wesley College with a bachelors degree in kinesiology, and while obtaining this degree, he learned why he wanted to get into the industry in a big way.

{Photo credit: @dyamondfitness}

For my senior research project, I interned at a physical therapy clinic and realized I enjoyed helping people recover and reach their goals. So I combined my passion for fitness and helping people into one.

{Photo credit: @dyamondfitness}

Now, through Dyamond Fitness, he is able to help people of all ages with varying goals achieve them. He says that his most common request is weight loss, but a mental improvement is actually what he wants for his clients. I hope that people gain the confidence they have always wanted and for them to feel like the best versions of themselves. The results will come, but how you feel is what is most important.

Dyamond is able to help his clients achieve their goals through more than just exercise, knowing that both physical and mental health play a role in full transformation.

{Photo credit: @dyamondfitness}

I tell my clients to focus on creating a habit of exercising instead of the end goals initially. Short term goals and habits lead to the overall outcome goal and habit change is most important.

In order to continue to offer the highest quality of training and information to his clients, Dyamond is continuing his pursuit of knowledge through higher education. He is currently working on a masters degree in Applied Kinesiology and Physiology to stay on track with the latest trends and gain a further understanding of the science behind fitness results.

{Photo credit: @dyamondfitness}

The Dyamond Fitness mission is to push people to be their best selves through fitness. Dyamond offers a variety of training options, including personal training sessions, semi-private training sessions, and small group classes.

For small group classes, clients can pick from options such as Bootcamp Class, High-Intensity Interval Training class, and Boxing. Sessions and classes can be adapted for all ages and fitness levels. Dyamond says when people sign up for his classes they can expect fun, no judgment, high energy, a lot of sweat, and good music.

See More: All About Base: A One-Stop-Shop Gym in Jersey City

In response to COVID-19 restrictions, Dyamond has made sure to conduct many of his classes outside and limit the number of guests inside. Despite these changes, he says that his business has actually grown in 2020. The pandemic has helped my business tremendously. I have decided to focus on growing my business and take the initiative instead of rolling over.

To learn more about what Dyamond Fitness has to offer and to book a session, head to http://www.dyamondfitness.com, or email train@dyamondfitness.com.

Jordan and Joelle are true Jersey Girls. Originally hailing from down the shore in Hazlet, NJ, the girls made their "rite of passage" move to Hoboken a few short years after graduating with degrees in Communications from Loyola University. Outside of their 9-5 as senior publishers in NYC, the twins can be found walking their yorkie-poo Chica, working out at the best hot yoga studios, or trying out the best restaurants in town. Like many 20-somethings, Jordan and Joelle are balling on a budget and know how to score the best deals around town!

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Dyamond Fitness Opens in Jersey City - hobokengirl.com

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