CrossFit Asheville

Mama Maisha: Women’s Health Advocacy | Reta Graham, MD HGP#29

Mama Maisha is an Asheville, NC-based non-profit making motherhood safer for the Luo tribe in the Mara region of Tanzania. Mama Maisha, or “Mother Life” in Swahili, was founded to provide effective, sustainable care in challenging, resource-limited circumstances. The number one cause of death of a mother in subsaharan Africa is post-partum bleeding. Pregnancy complication-related deaths are rare in developed countries, but in Tanzania, one mother dies every single hour.

Mama Maisha is a safe motherhood intervention project founded by two doctors, Reta Graham, MD (OBGYN), and Jeff Graham, MD (General Practitioner), in affiliation with local and regional non-governmental services. Mama Maisha works at the village level, providing essential prenatal care and delivery services, as well as education and resources to empower women to make wise decisions regarding family planning, healthy pregnancies, and a safe delivery for every child.

Women in rural Tanzania have poor access to health care services, especially maternal health care. A limited number of health facilities paired with an undeveloped road system makes it difficult for pregnant women to access quality prenatal care and delivery services. Community-based maternal and reproductive health advocates are being trained to provide support to mothers in a culture where women aren’t often comfortable making choices regarding their own health and safety.

Dr. Reta Graham has been an OBGYN doctor for 15 years and currently works at MAHEC. We spend a little time talking about the U.S. healthcare system, what a comprehensive healthcare system might look like, and reproductive health access for women. Learn how Mama Maisha is making a difference in the lives of women in Tanzania and how access to healthcare is one of the most important topics for women across the globe.

Connect: FB/I: @mamamaisha | http://mamamaisha.org

CrossFit CB Coach Jordan Vance aims to have a positive impact on as many people as possible HGP#008

We have the answer to the world’s most vexing problem” – Greg Glassman [Listen to Greg give the “answer”: https://youtu.be/vPujtrae_WM]

Welcome to my very first podcast episode ever recorded! Now that I’m a few episodes in I feel like it’s important to share the birth episode of the podcast to 1) show how it all started, and 2) show how the podcast has grown. Much gratitude to Jordan Vance for helping me work out the kinks and being my official first podcast guest (before it even had a name).

My guest this week is a former executive chef turned entrepreneur and holds an MBA from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Diagnosed with AFib in his early 20’s, taking prescribed beta blockers, and plagued with side effects, Jordan Vance found himself depressed. He ultimately decided it was time to for a change. He started with his diet (Paleo), added in some functional fitness (CrossFit), and within a few months was able to get off the medication and back to “normal”.

Learn how his diverse background in hospitality and healthcare research (MAHEC) plays into his current mission which is to have a positive impact on as many people as possible. Jordan is a sought after CrossFit coach that specializes in the holistic approach to wellness, holds a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification, and works with people of all abilities and skill levels. He is currently the co-onwer of CrossFit CB and the Asheville City Soccer Club.

To get in touch with Jordan you can shoot him an email at jordan@crossfitcb.com or find him at www.crossfitcb.com. I: @crossfitcb FB: @crossfitcarolinabeach.

Be sure to check out Jordan’s Favorites: Book: “Will Power Doesn’t Work Right Now” Podcasts: 2 Brain Radio, I Love Marketing with Dean Jackson & Joe Polish, The Body of Knowledge, Barbell Shrugged, and The Ready State.