On March 11, 2023, UAMS Culinary Medicine participated in a community health fair hosted by Little Rock Chapter of Links, Inc and Longley Baptist Church. Healthcare professionals emphasized the need to increase awareness in Black communities about Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). A whopping 33% of dialysis patients are African American! This percentage is huge considering that African Americans account for only 13% of the general population.
The health fair was a full day of educational information focused on living a healthy lifestyle, how to manage high blood pressure, and how to eat nutritiously. Culinary Medicine’s Dr. Richard-Davis gave a talk on the implementation of culinary medicine into one’s lifestyle and the many health benefits that result. She specifically talked about how the use of culinary medicine can prevent certain conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Other healthcare professionals also touched on the importance of early detection when it comes to Chronic Kidney Disease. They provided ideas about how to reduce daily stress that contributes to CKD, along with how to prevent certain conditions that lead to CKD (picture below).
The event was a huge success, and made possible by The Black Kidney Awareness Education and Research (Black KARE) Grant from Baxter Pharmaceutical through the Central Area Links, Inc.
