Did You Know?

*One out of two African American women between the ages of 20 and 44 is overweight, versus about one out of four white women.

* One in two black women age 40 and over is obese. Nearly one-third of all black women suffer from high blood pressure with one in five deaths due to hypertension.

* One in four black women age 55 and older has diabetes, and black women are more likely than their white counterparts to develop complications from diabetes, including kidney failure, blindness, and heart disease.

* Black women are nearly three times as likely as white women to die from stroke and twice as likely to die from breast or cervical cancer.

*Although the above statistics are alarming, the good news, according to Rovenia Brock, Ph.D., "Dr. Ro," America's most renowned African American nutritionist, is that simple lifestyle changes can drastically improve them. In her book Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy, published by Bantam Books, Dr. Ro addresses the health crisis in her community by drawing on her twenty years of experience as a nutritionist -- on and off the airwaves - to tackle the issues that most affect African American women today.

Her solutions begin with identifying the cultural differences that often prove to be the biggest obstacles black women face in keeping their weight under control and forming healthy living habits. In the book, Dr. Ro outlines:

* The differences between black and white women's bodies and how understanding these distinctions can mean the difference between living a long, productive, healthy life and dying early.

* Suggestions on how to solve specific challenges African Americans face with the current Food Guide Pyramid. For example, 1 in 3 African Americans is lactose intolerant, but the Pyramid suggests 3 servings of dairy a day. Dr. Ro offers practical solutions to this and other problems.

* The origins of "soul food" and how it can be good for you--with a few slight modifications.

* Tips on eating out - and eating at home using Dr. Ro's healthy and delicious recipes.

* A life plan that will help break the multi-generation cycle of bad health by telling black women how to eat and exercise for maximum well-being and fitness.

Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy focuses not only on obesity but also on all the main health challenges facing the African American community - including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Rather than the outdated Food Guide Pyramid or the calorie-counting approach used by the vast majority of nutritionists, Dr. Ro has developed the Color Plate System. According to Dr. Ro, this simple menu planning system "is a very basic, no-nonsense system of eating that requires no calculation and no counting of calories or fat grams, and removes the guesswork from your meal plan. It focuses on the consumption of ample quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, soy, and whole grains-many of which are traditional staples with origins in our African homeland."

Dr. Ro has been featured in the following publications: (click the name of each publication to see)

Oprah Magazine (January 2005)

Ebony Magazine (October 2004)

Essence Magazine (January 2005)

Today's Black Woman (March - April 2004)

Upscale (January 2004)

The Daily Progress (Wednesday, February 18, 2004)

Self Magazine (March 2004)

Vibe Magazine (not available)

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