The Grand Rapids Times
3-28-2008
Thin 'N Noun
By Myrna Granderson
 Dear
Readers,
Stand up and be happy for many of us are still here. Thank you Dear
God for it is only by your love and mercy.
Today we will do a self-exam, we have our own bodies to take care
of. We are the first person on the scene for our own body
emergencies. Our bodies are wonderfully made, yet if we leave them
alone without checks a few things could go wrong.
The information that I am going to give you can be proven by medical
books that I have studied. I am a registered nurse and the state of
Michigan has given me a license. I am not a doctor and you must
consult with your doctor. I want you to know that there are some
things that we see and feel that may not be normal with our bodies.
Just remember, “the body you save may be your own.”
Are you ready or has fear got a grip on you? Kick fear out. God
wants us to choose life.
Good News: Have you seen the list of prescriptions that only cost
$4.00. It is true. (Ask Syreeta Nelson who was researching this area
and has several sheets of medication names).
By the way do you have a doctor and if not do you know how to get
one? Write me here at the Grand Rapids Times. I know having
insurance is a big thing but there are clinics and other referrals.
Women who need a (free) pap smear or mammogram need to contact the
Health Department.
Get a flashlight, go into the bathroom and close the door. Don’t
answer the phone unless it’s an emergency. Get a pen and paper and
take some notes on your findings so you can take your concerns to
the doctor. Write down all of the medications that you take even the
ones over the counter. Just peel off the labels from old medication
bottles and paste them on a card. This will prevent mistakes, and
the information on the drug given to you by the pharmacy is good to
have.
Self-Exam, Head To Toe
Let’s start with your head. How is your scalp? Part your hair and
see. Is that dandruff or are those lice eggs? Head lice continue to
be a problem, (African Americans this goes for us too). We no longer
press our hair down to the roots with hot pressing combs. When women
and men have fancy hairstyles that cost a lot of money, water and
soap can ruin a good hairstyle, so we tend not to wash our hair.
There are times when we don’t mind borrowing other people’s combs.
Remember the old tetter that many boys use to get and it left bald
spots in their heads? I use to feel sorry for these kids. The
medical name is Tinea Captus (ringworm). It’s not a worm but a
fungus. Lots of men get another form of this called Tinea Cruris or
jock itch. In the feet it is called Tinea Pedis (athletes feet),
same bug. Boy does it itch. Don’t panic there are medications to
stop this. Now stop borrowing other folks combs and hats. Now let
your doctor tell you this because early diabetes can also cause
itching.
Eyes: Check your eyes to make sure the whites of you eyes (called
the sclera), are not turning yellow. No it is not true that many
African Americans eyes are yellow. Sometimes the liver can be in
trouble and break down and will cause the yellow bile to escape in
your eyes blood system. Pink Eye: There is a drainage on your
eyelids and drainage around the eye and the white of the eye is pink
and painful. Don’t rub your eye, just wash your hands and call the
doctor. Keep your pillowcases washed. If the doctor gives you
medication do not let the tip of the medication bottle touch the
infected eye. Do not let the medication run into the other eye. Put
the drop of medication in the eye as directed, then wash, wash, wash
your hands.
Nose: Take your finger and flashlight and make sure the tissue is
without lumps, bumps or sores. Did you know that a severe nosebleed
that won’t stop needs to be seen in the ER? One of my kids had a
nosebleed and I did all of the first aid things and the blood kept
flowing. I called 911 and my doctor said it was the right thing to
do. Do you feel any lumps or bumps in your nose? Be careful what you
put into the nose, it has a direct link to your lungs and brain. No
huffing or puffing, smoke and chemicals can destroy nasal tissue.
Mouth: Is that a cold sore on your lip? Be sure to wash your hands.
Cold sores are like blisters. (herpes means blister on the lip, It
is simplex #1) Wash your hands before you touch your genital area as
this simplex #1 can turn into genital herpes, which there is no
cure.
Neck: Gently feel behind your ears and under your neck and in front
of your neck. I have met two patients who noted hard lumps in the
thyroid area and went to the doctor in good time. I forgot the
mouth, get your flashlight, your mouth tissue should be nice and
pink, (Not white gums). Check your teeth for cavities or white spots
on your cheeks. What is the odor? Any broken teeth or old abscess
that are full of lots of germs. Your tongue should be nice and pink.
Check it for lumps and bumps. You might like hot coffee, but your
mouth and throat do not. Do your dentures fit well, are the gums
tender, or the partial hooks digging into the gums? Do you dip snuff
or chew tobacco? Please Stop! Throat cancer is so ugly, so mean. See
the dentist yearly. If you dip you will slip. Take care of your lips
and do not borrow others lipstick, lip-gloss, lip-balm, or carmax.
You cannot see what germs are growing, waiting to hop on your lips.
The Breast: Men, this goes for you too. Men have 2% breast cancer.
Women check your breast every month 5-10 days after your period. Now
if you don’t have as period, check on your birthday, every month.
Stand in the mirror and note if you see and dimpling or changes in
the nipple.(Nipple may invert) Check your bra for drainage. When I
worked at the YWCA Encore Plus I informed the women of this and I
received several calls on breast drainage. One female said, “I
thought it was my perfume until I noted it was blood”. Quit looking
scared if you find a lump. Keep in mind that 80% of breast lumps are
NOT cancer. So don’t go into torture and ghost stories. Like my old
doctor, Wild Bill Johnston said when I found a lump, “Well I see you
have already brought a coffin. Does it have ‘Going Home’ on it? (His
voice was so big and booming.) Many women get lumps doing their
menus, but according to you as soon as you found this lump you went
into action and wrote your last will and testament. I love church
people and their faith.?” We both laughed. I now always use this
story from my good doctor, Wild Bill Johnston.
Belly Button: Go ahead and clean your belly button. Old folks use to
say, “don’t mess with that.” Well it gets dirty, so clean it out!
Women
Women, I am going to be honest because if we don’t know, we suffer
from lack of knowledge. When I went to nursing school we had test
questions. You go ahead and answer them.
#1. How many openings does the female have? One, Two, or Three? Most
of you are right. We have three openings. Vagina, Meatus (mouth of
the bladder), and Rectum. I wrote down Two and I was humbled. I was
wrong.
#2. How should a female wipe? Sideways, Front to Back, or Back to
Front? Never wipe back to front for you will bring bacteria from the
rectum into the bladder and vaginal areas. Stop it now! Many women
suffer bladder infections due to their poor wiping habits. Don’t let
your soiled feet or shoes touch the inside of your underwear. Clean
your feet before stepping into the bathtub. Signs of bladder
infections are: Urgency (need to go), Frequency (keep going with
just a few drops of urine), and Pain and Burning. Call your doctor
and follow his orders.
Pap Smears: Have pap smear yearly. Many doctors feel women who have
gone through the change should have a Pap Smear every two (2) years.
Cervical cancer is not nice and you can help control any tissue
changes by getting your Pap Smear yearly.
Continues Next Week |
The Grand Rapids Times
3-28-2008
By Richard Pulliam
On my visits and tasting tours of four restaurants in Grand
Rapids, I found culinary delights with that down home taste that can
satisfy any appetite.
In this feature, the owners — Bruce Crudup, Ursula Sandifer, Lola
Barnes and Gary Gray, — share why they opened their businesses,
standards for customer service, and their concerns about community
issues. They also invite Times readers to stop in to enjoy good
soulful dining.
You have the option to dine in, carry out or use catering services.
Crudup’s Restaurant
When opening the door and entering into Crudup’s soon to be Famous
Bar-B- Q & Catering Restaurant, you may ask yourself, “What is that
smell?”
The smell of soul food is definitely in the air —the smell of down
home bar - be - que chicken and ribs, candied yams, greens, polish
sausages, catfish, red beans and rice, meat loaf, and chicken and
dumplings.
The man responsible for these incredible aromas is long time
professional chef, Bruce Crudup.
Originally from Saginaw, MI, by way of Arkansas, Bruce has been
perfecting his craft as a chef for over thirty years, and has
numerous plaques, awards and trophies to prove it.
 “I
started out teaching kids how to cook Thanksgiving dinner, for the
homeless, in a mentoring program that I was involved in. After I
received professional training, I worked for the Zenders, a famous
German restaurant in Frankenmuth, MI. I then opened a Carribean food
and catering restaurant in Saginaw, MI. After moving to Grand
Rapids, I worked as a chef for several years at the Crown Plaza
Hotel, but I had dreams of opening my own restaurant hear in Grand
Rapids. I started handing out menus way before I even had a building
for my restaurant. I just had a lot of faith in God, that it would
eventually happen,” said Bruce.
Believing also in the concept that successful restaurants need good
business people, he teamed up with two investors. WJNZ talk show
host Robert S. and Cal Butcher.
“Bruce brought some of his food down to the radio station and I
tried it on the air. I am not a pork eater; but, man, the ribs were
so good that I ate them everyday for a week straight. After that, I
told Bruce that I had to be a part of his new restaurant, and signed
on as a business partner. Bruce has thirty years experience in the
cooking business, with unmatched quality and food preparation. He is
the real deal; he is truly a chef. Bruce is very humble, even though
he has worked at some of the finest restaurants. He has the final
say so, I am merely a financial investor. I think the lesson that
people can learn in this situation, is to take the time to invest in
your dreams,” said Robert S.
Crudup’s employs about twelve people, including Bruce’s oldest son
Bruce Jr. and youngest son, Chris.
Bruce says, “A lot of people wonder why I picked Oakdale Street to
open my restaurant, but I saw an opportunity to make a change in
this part of the community. Even though the neighbor hood is known
for drugs and violence, God put it on my heart to show this city
that it can be known for positive things as well.”
His faith is at the heart of his motivation to chose the location.
[read more
about this restaurant in the print edition of the Grand Rapids Times or click
here to log in if you have a subscription or want to buy a
subscription]
Lo Lo’s Cafe
How does a young lady from Houlka, Mississippi grow up to own her
own soul food restaurant? The answer for Lola Barnes is, “with a lot
of prayer and help from family and friends.” She is owner of Lo Lo’s
Café, located in the Towne and Country Center at 4301 Kalamazoo.
“My children got together and got this restaurant for me. I had been
wanting to open my own restaurant for years, but due to illness, my
dream was postponed. The first thing that I wanted to do was to
create an environment that reminds you of eating at your mother’s
house,” said Lola.
Aimed at just that, the menu lists tasty items such as smothered
pork chops, mac and cheese, greens, yams, cornbread, green beans,
black-eyed peas, fried okra, chicken and dressing, fried chicken,
baked chicken and catfish.
After moving to Grand Rapids, Lola attended South High School and
then went on to attend Davenport.
Cooking has been a constant companion of hers for as long as she can
remember.
 “My
grandmother taught me how to cook when I was 9 years old. Like many
people, I built a reputation cooking for my family and some friends.
Before long, everybody was telling me that my cooking was too good
for just my house. People started asking me when I was going to open
my own restaurant. One day through the grace of God, I was able to
open the doors to my own café. As I said earlier, my first goal was
to make people to feel like they were eating at their mother’s
house. This is a Christian atmosphere, you won’t here people cursing
or disrespecting one another here,” says LoLo.
The advice that she has to share with others who aspire to own their
own business is, “Put God first in everything that you do. Believe
in yourself and don’t get discouraged. Put forth your best effort to
make your dream comes true; that way, at least you can say that you
did try. Try to surround yourself with loving and positive people. I
am very grateful to people like Tyrone Bynum, Pat Pulliam, and
Gertrude Croom, who have been there for me, anytime that I was in
need of their help.”
[read more
about this restaurant in the print edition of the Grand Rapids Times or click
here to log in if you have a subscription or want to buy a
subscription]
Sand-mann’s
Anyone living in Grand Rapids, MI, within the last eight years, can
attest that this restaurant has become an icon.
For eight years, it has been one of the premier places that provides
that down south tasting Bar-B-Q. It’s soul food Sunday dinner menu
is among the best in the city, consisting of chicken and gravy,
smothered pork chops, candied yams, cornbread, smothered chicken,
fried chicken, mac and cheese, and other entrees to numerous to
mention.
Sand-mann’s, located at 1200 Wealthy Street, is owned by Ursula and
Randall Sandifer.
 Ursula
was born in Chicago, Illinois, but raised in Bangor, MI. She came to
Grand Rapids to attend Davenport College. She worked at Clark’s
Grocery Store for thirteen years and in Holland, MI, at the Prince
Corporation before entering into the restaurant business.
“My husband and I would get a lot of positive feedback from friends
and relatives about how good our food tasted, so the owning a
restaurant was something that we just sort of fell into,” she said.
“We got our start cooking at a lot of festivals, like The African
American Festival, The Holland Tulip Festival, and the Rockford
Summer Festival to name a few. I started out wanting to be a wedding
planner. People in my family told me that they always knew that I
would have my own business. I had no idea that it would be a bar-be-que
restaurant,” said Ursula.
As to what the key has been for the businesses eight year survival,
Ursula says, “Being consistent has been very important. We want
people to have the same delicious experience with the food that we
serve whether or not it is purchased at the restaurant or at a
catered event. There is a recipe that we follow every time we
prepare our food, to help maintain consistency.”
Having good and trust-worthy employees has also made the difference,
she said.
[read more
about this restaurant in the print edition of the Grand Rapids Times or click
here to log in if you have a subscription or want to buy a
subscription]
Big “G’s” Restaurant
There is no wonder why this restaurant is quickly creating a buzz
around Grand Rapids.
Located at 2921 Eastern SE, this soul food restaurant is the brain child
of Mr. Gary Gray.
Known as Big G's, the restaurant has a wide range of entrees like
grinder sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, pizza, burgers, fries,
BBQ wings, polish dogs, beef rib tips, and sides like Mac and
cheese, yams, greens, and Jambalaya.
Originally from Mullins, South Carolina, and a six-year U. S. Navy
veteran, Gary moved to Saginaw, MI with his wife in 1995. He found
employment with a small outsourcing company that made turn signals
for General Motors.
 When
his wife’s cousin found employment in Grand Rapids, Gary also moved
here and found employment at Sysco Frostpack, where he worked for
twelve years.
On December 30, 2007, he partnered with Bruce Crudup as a financial
investor in Crudups soon to be Famous Bar-B-Q Restaurant.
Big “G’s” came to existence when the two parted ways in January of
2008.
“I always wanted a business to call my own, I think that we need to
teach our kids not to be slaves for someone else, but to become
entrepreneurs, running their own businesses. If I am going to work
ten or twelve hours a day, six days a week, I would rather do it for
myself,” said Gray.
With no previous formal training, Gray uses self-taught cooking
skills to achieve his own unique style.
“When it comes to family functions, I was usually the grill master
or fish fryer, so I got pretty good at it. That is where I developed
my cooking talents. After awhile, I began to build a reputation for
being a pretty good cook from friends and family who had eaten my
cooking,” said Gary.
Not just your average businessman, G is also concerned about Black
America and problems within our communities.
“We as Black Americans, have to take the initiative to do things for
ourselves and stop depending on others to do things for us,“ he
said. “Being an entrepreneur gives me a chance to show others that
you can have your own, and that it is possible. If I can do it,
anyone with some determination can also. It really is not that
expensive to get started. The average renting of a building for a
business is about $1,000 to $1,500 per month. Having a dream and
finding out how to make it a reality, is what life is all about,”
said Gray.
[read more
about this restaurant in the print edition of the Grand Rapids Times or click
here to log in if you have a subscription or want to buy a
subscription] |
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