Urban Views Weekly February 4, 2015

Feb. 4, 2015 Scholar of the Week - Charisma Clark

Dynamic Duo Leads Charge against Heart Disease

2 Urban Views Weekly | February 4, 2015 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

The Deal

Letter ToThe Editor

VOL. 8, ISSUE 5

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By Jason Alderman

A first-time global financial literacy study shows that the keys to successful personal finance education are student perseverance and an openness to problem solving.

That’s one of the main findings in the inaugural financial literacy portion of the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) test (http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-volume-vi.htm), which evaluated the skills and knowledge of 29,000 15-year-olds in 18 countries and economies in 2012. Final results were released in September, and PISA officials announced that the assessment of financial literacy will be offered as an optional component in 2015 testing.

PISA was launched in 2000 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which promotes policies that support economic and social well-being around the world.

U.S. students earned an average score of 492 out of a possible 700, which ranks

those teens between eighth and twelfth place among all 18 participating countries and economies, according to the PISA study. Other findings from the U.S. results:

About one in 10 U.S. students is a top performer – 9.4 percent, compared with 9.7 percent across OECD countries. The report said this means they can “look ahead to solve financial problems or make the kinds of financial decisions that will be only relevant to them in the future.” It added that top performers “can take into account features of financial documents that are significant but unstated or not immediately evident, such as transaction costs, and can describe the potential outcomes of financial decisions.”

More than one in six U.S. students – 17.8 percent, compared with 15.3 percent across OECD countries – do not reach the “baseline level of proficiency in financial literacy.” The report explained that “at best, these students can recognize the difference between needs and wants, can make

Financial Literacy and U.S. Teens: Global Study Offers Path for Improvement

continues on page 5

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Network with other African American business owners, managers, and professionals. This is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and

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3 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com Urban Views Weekly | February 4, 2015

Heart disease and stroke are the two leading causes of death in the world. Although these killers affect all ethnicities, the African American community is particularly vulnerable. They have the highest incidence of high blood pressure in the world due to many factors including genetics. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, and it can cause permanent damage to the heart before you even notice any symptoms. That’s why it is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Not only is HBP more severe in blacks than whites, but it also develops earlier in life.

The African American church has historically been the cornerstone of the African American community, and Pastors serve as much more than simply spiritual leaders. In some instances, congregants will take to the advice of their Pastor before that of their doctor.

Understanding the critical role and platform that these Pastors have in their communities and churches led to the American Heart Association’s EmPowered to Serve Faith™ (ETSF) based initiative. ETSF is a national strategic initiative partnering with faith based organizations to impact health and improve health outcomes in multicultural communities while also achieving the American Heart Association’s goal of reducing deaths and disabilities caused by cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The American Heart Association chose 17 mega churches across the country to participate as a foundational site for this initiative. St. Paul’s Baptist Church was chosen as one of those sites to strategically work with the American Heart Association to improve the health of their church by building a culture of health starting from the pulpit.

Pastor Dr. Lance D. Watson, Senior Pastor and Chief Dreamer of St. Paul’s Baptist Church, has a vision for a congregation with a renewed focus on their physical temple. Pastor Watson employed two of his foot soldiers, Kim Ketter and Shaun Rivers, identical twin sisters and nurses, to lead the charge. As nurses, both Kim and Shaun are dedicated to improving the health of their church family; however, their passion comes from a very personal place.

In May 2009, at the age of 40, Kim began feeling fatigued and tired at work. An ER

nurse, she wasn’t incredibly alarmed until she suddenly became ill at work with chest pain and shortness of breath while climbing stairs. Kim met with her doctor who referred her to a cardiologist for a stress test. However, Kim, nor her doctor, thought there would be any serious findings. Kim arrived at the cardiologist and as the technician began administering her stress test, she couldn’t complete it. As the technician went to get the cardiologist, Kim was in shock. “As a nurse of over 20 years, I know what that heart disease looks like, and that’s not what I look like,” said Kim.

Kim’s diagnosis was cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Kim did not have high blood pressure, wasn’t overweight and generally ate a healthy diet so she knew this must be genetic. One week later, at Kim’s urging, her identical twin sister Shaun went to the doctor and received devastating news. She too was experiencing heart failure and her

numbers were nearly identical to that of her sister.

Kim and Shaun both take several medications daily that they have coined their “keep Kim and Shaun alive pills”. They also closely monitor their sodium intake. This is important for heart health because when there’s extra sodium in the bloodstream, it pulls water into the blood vessels, increasing the total volume of blood inside. With more blood flowing through, blood pressure increases. It’s like turning up the water supply to a garden hose — the pressure in the hose increases as more water is blasted through it. Over time, high blood pressure may overstretch or injure the blood vessel walls and speed the buildup of gunky plaque that can block blood flow. The added pressure also tires out the heart by forcing it to work harder to pump blood through the body.

Kim and Shaun use their testimony to save the lives of others, especially their church family. They urge everyone to put on their red clothes and join them for a Go Red Sunday event at St. Paul’s on Feb. 22nd to learn more about preventing heart disease and stroke.

If you are interested in learning more about the American Heart Association’s EmPowered to Serve Faith program or hosting a Go

Red event at your church, please contact [email protected]

HealthBy Michelle McLees

American Heart Association

St. Paul’s Baptist Church chosen for EmPowered to Serve Faith initiative

Saint Paul’s Baptist Church Creighton Road Campus

Kimberly Ketter, Shaun Rivers

Photo Credit: American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate


Just like a tree that’s planted by the water…We shall not be moved is the refrain for an old folk song that became an anthem of the Civil Rights era and also a rallying cry for solidarity by union organizers in the struggle for workers’ rights. As we enter the month designated as Black History Month and acknowledge the contributions of African American people to the establishment of the United States of America, as well as the formative historic contributions African people have made to civilization on a global scale, we also pause to take stock of where we are now, how far we have come, and where we are going from here?

Race in America, as a point of discussion, has been brought to the forefront of critical discourse like never before, especially within the socio-political arena, in large part due to the candidacy and election (twice) of President Barack Obama. Having a Black man as the leader of the “free world” and the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s most elite military forces has contextualized race and racial discourse in America as integral to addressing the systemic and institutional barriers that have paralyzed our progress in tackling inequality, injustice and the growing economic stagnation of the middle class. Recognition and acknowledgement of how fundamentally intersections of race, class and gender effect our national disposition and historic legacy is essential when speaking about the disparities that disrupt America’s relationship with its citizens of African descent.

On February 4th, 1991, Rodney King was brutally beaten by a group of white LA Police Officers. The beating of Black men and women in America is an insidious and shameful part of this nation’s racial history even to the present day. What makes this

event significant as a moment in Black History is that the beating of Rodney King was videotaped and released publically as an objective witness to the brutalization bringing the LAPD under intense scrutiny nationwide, while at the same time igniting a firestorm of racial unrest and violent demonstrations, including looting, rioting and mass arrests. The video documentation was featured on mainstream media sources and just like the photojournalism that seared the consciousness of white America during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s; when Black men, women and children were brutalized by state sponsored terrorism, the entire world watched the brutalization of Rodney King on the nightly news. Fast forward to the summer and fall of 2014, only 23 years later, when the world

watched Eric Garner choked to death by the NYPD and 12 year-old Tamir Rice gunned down on a neighborhood playground by the Cleveland police, only weeks after unarmed teenager Michael Brown, Jr. was shot dead in broad daylight in Ferguson, MO just days before he was to begin his first college class. The accumulated video witnesses, social media posts, and real time public Instagram photos projected around the world of the aforementioned atrocities have once more exposed our nation’s bedrock principle of a society governed by equal protection under the law as severely flawed and our criminal justice system in need of intense interrogation

and complete reconstruction. Calls for justice and a newly engaged activist movement #BlackLivesMatter challenge us all to recognize that unless we remember our history we are bound to repeat it. “Black and white together…we shall not be moved.”

Up Next Week: Can WRONG be made RIGHT?

We Shall Not Be Moved

TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly PollAmericans’ reports of being sick with the flu in December are among the highest since 2008. Flu reports typically peak in January or February, which indicates that this may be one of the worst flu seasons in at least seven years. The CDC still recommends getting a flu vaccination this year, because it lowers the severity of the illness.

How about you? Has anyone in your household had the flu this season?

Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2pm on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com.

ViewPointsBy Dr. T

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D.Founder and Artistic DirectorThe Conciliation Project andAssociate ProfessorVirginia Commonwealth UniversityDrT@Margins2theCenter.comwww.theconciliationproject.org

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simple decisions on everyday spending, and can recognize

the purpose of everyday financial documents such as an invoice.”

About 50 percent of all U.S. 15-year-olds said they had a bank account and were found to perform better than those who did not. But the report said the performance gap vanished after accounting for socioeconomic status; only 32 percent of students in the lowest quartile of socioeconomic status had accounts, while 70 percent of those in the highest quartile did.

Countries with students who scored better than their U.S. counterparts seem dedicated to a nationwide, mandatory personal finance curriculum, though most programs have not been in place for very long.

The top scorer, Shanghai-China, has a history of placing financial education topics in its national curriculum that dates back to the 1970s, according to the report. It added that beginning in 2009, the Shanghai-China system has introduced “regular training on finance” throughout its

“primary and lower secondary schools.”

In the Czech Republic, a working group for the nation’s ministry of finance developed financial literacy standards in 2007, defining lesson content and outcomes for education in topics ranging from “money and household budget management to financial products and consumer rights.”

Furthermore, in Australia, the nation’s education authorities “have endorsed three iterations” of the country’s National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework since 2005. According to the PISA report, Australia’s framework helps structure consumer and financial education throughout the country’s educational system and the program has worked with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission to create MoneySmart Teaching a resource portal for K-12 educators.

In America, more teens could improve their financial literacy if states chose to require mandatory personal finance training as a requirement for high school

graduation. The Council for Economic Education reported that as of 2014, only 17 states required students to take a high school course in personal finance or that personal finance be included in an economics or civics course as a graduation requirement (http://www.councilforeconed.org/news-information/survey-of-the-states/). That’s compared to 13 states in 2011. However, only six states (Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Missouri, Michigan, and Texas) required testing of that material last year. The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy reported that only four states (Missouri, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia) require at least a one-semester course devoted to personal finance.

Bottom line: The results from the first-ever global high school financial literacy test show that organized and systemwide personal finance training helps students excel at money management.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

From Pros & Cons page 2

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Monday, February 96:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

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The presentation will include the overall financial aid process and specifics about filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Call (804) 527-7772 if you have any questions.

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Mental Health & Heart Health The connection between mental and physical well-being is being researched at great lengths by the medical community. Researchers are busy trying to find tangible connections between mental health and heart health. Research shows there could be physiological links, the American Heart Association reports, between a person feeling down and their efforts in seeking relief from smoking, drinking, or eating fatty foods. The same biological and chemical factors that trigger mental health issues and could also influence heart disease.

Depression While the American Heart Association states that there is no firm research linking stress to heart disease, there are signs pointing to it as an additional risk factor. Being stressed or unhappy can increase hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can both impact your blood pressure and heart rate.

You should monitor yourself and your loved ones closely, especially those dealing with rehabilitation and recovery from heart disease or stroke. The American Heart Association reports that having heart disease or a stroke can cause anxiety or depression, which can get in the way of rehab or other aspects needed to regain physical health.

An estimated 1 in 10 of Americans, ages 18 and older report depression. The American Heart Association cites studies that show that up to 33 percent of heart attack patients end up developing some degree of depression.

What to DoStart by discussing how you are feeling, both physically and mentally, with your healthcare provider. He or she will be able to help, or refer you to the most appropriate care, or provide the best place to start.

It may take a combination of counseling and medication to help deal with depression. Patients may be taught methods of dealing with relaxing and relieving stress, including breathing exercises, meditation, or a focus on healthier lifestyle changes.

Stress & Your Heart Health How do you react to a stressful situation? Do you shut down or lash out? Take to unhealthy habits to deal with the pressure building up inside of you? How you handle life challenges can have a major impact on factors that have been proven to negatively impact your heart health.

Stress may affect behaviors and factors that increase heart disease risk, including high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity, and overeating. So step back and take a deep breath — for your heart’s sake.

Overall Body ImpactBodies react to stress in different

ways. You may experience a headache, back strain, or

even stomach pains if you’re stressed out.

Your energy level can be greatly

reduced and your sleeping patterns disturbed. All of these factors can set

off a chain of events that leads

to a potentially compromised

cardiovascular system.

When you’re stressed, your body releases adrenaline, a hormone

that temporarily causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise. Depending upon how long you’re stressed, your body may experience this set of circumstances off and on for days at a time.

And although the link between stress and heart disease isn’t clearly defined by organizations like the American Heart Association, chronic stress may cause some people to depend on

unhealthy lifestyle habits, like drinking too much alcohol, which can increase your blood pressure and may damage the artery walls.

Dealing with StressManaging stress is a challenge, but a necessity if you hope to be a picture of good health. A few studies cited by the American Heart Association have examined how well treatment or therapies work in reducing the effects of stress on cardiovascular disease, and the results have shown positive links.

The best place to start when dealing with your stress is a qualified professional. Speak to your physician about how you’re feeling. They will be able to refer you to a specialist who can offer effective treatment or preventive strategies.

Signs of Heart Failure While you’re not afforded the convenience of crystal clear warning signs for heart failure, there are many symptoms that may appear. From shortness of breath to fluid buildup, it is important to educate yourself on the most common indications. Any one sign of heart failure may not be cause for alarm, but according to the American Heart Association, if you have more than one of the symptoms outlined below, you should report them to a healthcare professional and ask for an evaluation of your heart.

If you have been diagnosed with heart failure, it’s even more important for you to keep track of symptoms and report any sudden changes to your healthcare team.

Shortness of BreathAre you running out of breath performing

6 Urban Views Weekly | February 4, 2015

February is American Heart Month Show yourself some l ve

You may know your blood pressure

numbers, but do you truly

understand them?

activities that you used to consider routine? Maybe you’re waking up suddenly, struggling to breathe? These factors can be caused by blood backing up in the pulmonary veins because the heart can’t keep up with the supply. Other related warning signs include waking up feeling tired, anxious or restless, or having to prop up your body while resting because of difficulty breathing. Take these signs seriously and consult your physician for their expert medical opinion.

Fatigue Often related to breathlessness, a perpetual tired feeling and difficulty with everyday activities, such as shopping, climbing

stairs, carrying groceries, or walking may be a warning sign.

These instances can occur when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of body

tissues. The body diverts blood away from less vital organs, particularly muscles in the

limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain. This makes it harder to exert physical

energy to perform daily tasks.

Fluid Buildup Symptoms of fluid buildup include swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen or weight gain. One telltale sign may be an inability to fit on your shoe because of significant

swelling.

As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood

returning to the heart through the veins

backs up, causing fluid to build up in the tissues.

Additionally, the kidneys are less able to dispose of sodium and

water, also causing fluid retention in the tissues. These factors show up as swelling in your body and should be checked by a medical professional.

Understanding Blood Pressure Numbers You may know your blood pressure numbers, but do you truly understand them? Typically recorded as two numbers written in a ratio, such as 117/76 mm Hg, your blood pressure measurement is a vital one that can alert physicians of an issue going on with your body, specifically your heart. The American Heart Association recommends a blood pressure screening at your regular healthcare visit or once every two years if your blood pressure is less than 120/80.

The Numbers Systolic: The top number of your blood pressure reading represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or when the heart muscle contracts. This is the higher of the two numbers.

Diastolic: The lower of the two numbers, this bottom measurement records the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats, which is when the heart muscle relaxes and refills with blood.

Typically, more attention is given to the top number as the major risk factor for heart disease, especially for people over 50 years old. This systolic figure generally rises steadily with age because of many factors, including plaque buildup and increasing stiffness of larger arteries.

Healthy MeasurementsA normal blood pressure reading,

defined by the American Heart Association, is

less than 120/80. Numbers that

may signal a warning sign for a heart issue are measured and defined as the following:

Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89

Hypertension Stage 1: 140-159/90-99

Hypertension Stage 2: 160 or higher/100 or higher

Hypertensive Crisis (Emergency Care Needed): Higher than 180/Higher than 110

Dealing with High ReadingsA single high reading does not necessarily mean that you have high blood pressure. However, if readings stay at 140/90 or above over time, your doctor will likely recommend a treatment program that may include lifestyle changes and prescription medication.

7 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

February is American Heart Month Show yourself some l ve

You may know your blood pressure

numbers, but do you truly

understand them?

By Bernard Freeman


Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a galvanizing force in the Civil Rights

Movement. This “drum major for justice” used non-violence to help bring

about freedom and equality not just for African Americans, but for everyone.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day E s s a y C o n t e s t

To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Urban Views Education Digest is sponsoring an essay contest that is open to public school students in Richmond and Petersburg.

Students are invited to write a 250-500 word essay answering the following question:

What do you think Martin Luther King, Jr. would say to encourage Black youth if he were alive today?

Please provide your:NameAgeSchoolGradeParent’s phone numberParent’s email address (if parent has email).

Parent’s Signature

Send Essays to: Monica Haynes, Urban Views Education Digest, 6802 Paragon Place, Suite 410, Richmond, VA 23230 or email to [email protected]: MLK Essay Contest

Deadline to submit: February 6, 2015. Winners will have their essay printed in Urban Views Education Digest and receive dinner for a family of four at a local restaurant.

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Part one of a two-part series

We were recently caught off guard when Dr. Todd Robinson, a FUNdraising Good Times! reader, shared with us that he raises over $75,000 using information from this column. We had to learn more so we could share his story with you and inspire you to achieve your fundraising goals. We asked Robinson a few questions and with this two part series we share his story with you.

But first, a little background. Dr. Robinson is the son of Earnestine Rodgers Robinson, the renowned, barrier-breaking, classical composer. She has created her third oratorio Exodus which will have its world premier at Carnegie Hall in New York City on February 16th. An oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, usually based on scripture such as Handel’s Messiah.

The Exodus premier will include 200 choir members from across the country. And so the fundraising question arose: how will the choir members afford the travel and accommodations that accompany this great honor?

We asked Dr. Robinson to share his fundraising needs and goals.

“This started out as a “one-time” project. We needed to raise funds to underwrite the costs of bringing together a 200-member adult and children chorus from around the country for a performance at Carnegie Hall. The members of the choir were being recruited from schools, churches, and community choirs. Since the recruitment was primarily “grassroots” in nature (and not some established symphonic choir), all those participating would be responsible for covering all of their costs without

the benefit of corporate sponsorship. This meant that each individual would pay a required fee to the Carnegie Hall production company, plus airline travel, and the expensive cost of living charges of Manhattan (taxis, food, hotel, etc). Of course, there were other costs outside of the chorus that we needed to cover.”

“Being ‘grassroots’ in nature, we knew that many choir members were dealing with modest budgets,” Robinson continued. “As a result, the dream of performing on the famed stage would be out of reach for most, especially the children. However, we wanted a multi-cultural choir with members with diverse, varied backgrounds. Therefore, it was our mission that we wanted to make this incredible opportunity a reality for every person who wanted to participate no matter their financial standing.”

The Robinsons made a pledge to raise the $140,000 to $170,000 needed to make the dream a reality. This became both their mission and their challenge. And then Robinson recalled a FUNdraising Good Times! column that included a discussion of fundraising and creativity.

Next week: More about Dr. Robinson and how he raised $75,000+ without starting a nonprofit.

Visit www.earnestinerobinson.com for more information about the life and work of Earnestine Rodgers Robinson.

Copyright 2015– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising, visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

FUNdraising Good Times

The “Carnegie Hall or Bust” Fundraiser

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Scholar of the Week

Describing herself as fun, outspoken and serious about the things that she wants to do, honor roll student Charisma Clark ranks second in her senior class at Petersburg High School with a 4.0 GPA. As the oldest of three children, Charisma will be the first person in her family to attend college. “Hard work and dedication has brought me this far so I do not plan to stop at a high school level,” Charisma stated in an essay.

Charisma said school has always been imperative to her and as a senior, she is preparing to go to college soon. With an interest in computer and apps, she hopes to continue her education by majoring in computer engineering. Her top college of choice is Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. “Engineering is a good field to go into; it’s just starting to pick up and I want to work with computers and apps and things like that,” Charisma said.

To prepare for college, Charisma is already involved in numerous extracurricular activities at her high school. Along with working, her favorite activity is cheerleading. She is also a majorette, in dance and JROTC. Some organizations she is involved in include the Beta Club, Key Club, and Future Business Leaders of America. With some of her organizations, she participates in a wide range of community service. Her most recent community service activity was assisting runners at a 5K run where she passed out water with Future Business Leaders of America. In the past, she has helped with “Walk for Hunger,” “Feed the Hungry”, and many other activities. “As busy as my schedule

seems, I always find time to do community service,” Charisma stated.

Charisma not only does well at her high school, but she is also already studying at Virginia State University by participating in the G.R.O.W.S. (Gaining Real Opportunities with Students) program. She was also a member of the Explorers Program at SRMC (Southside Regional Medical Center). In a letter of recommendation, her math

teacher, Zorica Skoro, stated she was impressed with Charisma’s understanding of some of the difficult Mathematical concepts she is learning at VSU and her curiosity to know more than a curriculum is offering. “Charisma’s strengths are her work ethic, her determination, and her personality,” Skoro wrote. “She is highly respected, as both a person and a student, by the classmates and her teachers.” Another mathematics

teacher, Rayala Sharmila, said Charisma is a student who will make the most out of opportunities presented to her. She said her desire to learn, excel, and challenge herself is what makes her stand out. “Charisma is a self-motivated individual whom I envision would bloom in the setting provided by any college,” Sharmila said.

While working, participating in community service, and staying involved in extracurricular activities, Charisma continues to maintain her good grades. When asked who inspired her to succeed, she did not hesitate to name her grandmother. “She just always told me that it’s good for scholarships school wise, and she told me to just stay humble and do well in school,” Charisma said.

By Janeal Downs

Charisma Clark of Petersburg High School

GPA: 4.0

College of Interest: Georgia Institute of Technology

Major Community Service: 5k run, feeding the homeless

Strong Interests: Computer engineering

Favorite Activity: Cheerleading and working

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You know smoking is bad for your health, but it isn’t an easy habit to quit.

It can cause cancer and other problems. Second-hand smoke has been proven to be harmful to others. People addicted to tobacco products spend a small fortune each year to maintain their habit.

Quitting isn’t easy, but it is possible. Thousands of smokers stop the habit each year. As a result, they gain health and confidence. Former smokers have a sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming a serious problem.

If you are thinking about quitting, that’s an excellent first step. Some people decide to quit and never look back. It’s rare but stopping “cold turkey” can work.

But honestly, a tobacco addiction is difficult to conquer. Every smoker is different, so a single method doesn’t work for everyone. Different people respond in different ways to various treatments. Keep your options open until you find the right solution that works for you.

ClinicsA specialized clinic can help you become a former smoker.

Clinics approach treatment using various methods. Some might specialize in using medical treatments, while others focus on emotional and mental aspects of addiction. You might need a support group or a holistic approach to kick the habit.

When deciding on a clinic, ask about their services and prices. Inquire about the background of the staff, including medical licensing, counselor training or other credentials. Rates will vary depending on the clinic you choose and the services offered.

Check with your insurance provider to see if your policy covers clinics for people who want to quit smoking.

Medical HelpAsk your physician for resources and assistance. A family doctor should have information readily available. He or she also knows your medical history and personality.

Your doctor may have a prescription treatment. Nicotine replacement options include lozenges, patches, gum and sinus sprays. They might also give you certain prescriptions, including Chantix or Zyban.

Speak with your physician to find out which treatment would work best in your situation.

CommunitiesSometimes, people get excellent results from support groups. Finding people who face similar problems can be a powerful tool for stopping undesirable behavior. Not everyone can quit on the first try. A community can help you understand

danger signs of relapse and provide incentive for stopping.

Choose a group that is convenient for you to attend. Find one near your home or office that meets at an opportune time.

Hospitals, doctors, employers and even churches have information on various groups in your area. Some support groups focus on all types of addiction, but the best ones will focus on tobacco specifically.

By looking at all of your options, you can find a method that will help you transform yourself into a non-smoker.

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Urban Views Weekly February 4, 2015