Today we're talking to DeWone Bennett about racial trauma. We chose the topic in light of the recent protests across the country over police violence towards black Americans. Dr. Steven Schwartz tells us about the Influenza pandemic of 1918.  We ask what we've learned about pandemics since 1918. Short answer - not much.

Racial Trauma

Protests are going on across the nation in response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. We asked DeWone Bennett, a long-time guest of One Life Radio, to help us understand what's going on in the country.Bennett explains that people are frustrated for a number of reasons. There have been hundreds of unnecessary deaths of black Americans at the hands of police officers. Frustration brought on by racial inequality has been building for a long time in this country.  Add the financial and health concerns brought on by COVID-19, people have become angry and are taking action to make change.As a black American male, Bennett has experienced several instances of discrimination and racism in his lifetime. One instance he sites is being assaulted by police officers as a teen while at his summer job at an amusement park. Events like this have a lasting effect. They can lead to overall feelings of inadequacy and distrust towards the system meant to protect us. Bennett says instances like these lead to racial trauma.Racial trauma is the cumulative effects of racism on an individual's mental and physical health. Racial trauma can't be fixed overnight, but can be addressed. Bennett says the purpose of counseling is to focus on perspective and what the person’s reality is. A therapist can help a person to change how they feel about themselves and thus build a sense of resilience to deal with and address  discrimination in the future.Bernadette asks how we can all help to repair the damage caused by years of racial inequality. His recommendations are simple and profound:

• Treat people how you want to be treated.

• Empathize with people of all races.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

• Place ourselves in situations with more diversity.

To talk to DeWone, or learn more about him, follow him on instagram @dewone.bennett_counseling or visit his website at prestonplacecounseling.com.

Did we learn anything from the Influenza pandemic of 1918?

Not really. Next we have Dr. Steven Schwartz discussing what we learned from the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to help deal with COVID-19. Over 30 million people worldwide lost their lives from the influenza pandemic, compared to 20 million who died during WWI that was going on simultaneously with the pandemic.The recommendations in 1918 were to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart. Sound familiar? Dr. Schwartz says we haven’t learned much about viruses and how they are spread since 1918. He believes transmission studies are key to learning how to properly respond to a potential pandemic threat. Air flow and ultraviolet light studies are also important. Vaccines are not the only answer. We have to look at ways viruses are spread before we’ll find the key to containing them.If you enjoy this show, tune in next Tuesday when Dr. Schwartz discusses ways to prevent and treat allergies. You can also visit stshealth.com to learn more about him and his homeopathic preventive flu spray, FluNada.

Thank you!

Thanks to all of our One Life Radio listeners. We truly appreciate each and every one of you!  We'd love to hear your thoughts about what is happening in the world today.  Email us any time with questions, thoughts and ideas at info@oneliferadio.com. Bernadette loves hearing from you and will answer any question you have.Also, thank you to our sponsors. We couldn't do the show without you; Sunwarrior, Enviromedica, NED Hemp Oil, STS Health, VEGWORLD Magazine, Paleo Magazine, the Well Being Journal and the ISSN. Visit our sponsor page for some great offers just for One Life Radio listeners!