Many of us already know and live every day what statistics report: that more Black families are headed by a single parent; and Blacks have lower rates of marriage and marital stability compared to all other ethnic groups. We definitely have some work to do to bring the Black family back to its strong stable roots.

Did you know HIV is the leading cause of death in African-American women between the ages of 25-34? According to statistics African-Americans account for 50% of the new HIV infections in the US. More than 1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the US and 25% do not know their status. Yes, the numbers are startling! What is going on in our community? Are we becoming more complacent about HIV... as we see many more people living longer, healthier, productive lives who infected with the virus? Are people having unprotected sex because they don't believe they can get HIV?

Let's be real... many of us women in our 20's and beyond aspire for greatness... but some of us believe we are falling short because we can't figure out how to Get and Keep it All. Well having it all is possible ladies, and everything you desire can come to you with patience, faith, a little juggling and balance, and most importantly self confidence!

Many of you know that Nelly's sister Jackie passed from leukemia. And more than 30,000 new patients are diagnosed each year with leukemia, aplastic anemia or a related blood disorder. For many of these illnesses a bone marrow transplant is the only cure. Unfortunately ethnic minorities are severely underrepresented on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDR). The NMDR lists more than 6 million donors; of this 6 million Caucasians represent 3 million donors while African-Americans represent less than 500,000 donors on the list.

Meditation is an ancient art that is usually recognized as a spiritual practice. However, researchers are discovering that there are health benefits to meditation! Through meditation a focused mind can:

1. decrease stress by restoring calm to the body
2. prevent the physical effects of stress by helping the body repair itself
3. lower blood pressure
4. reduce anxiety and insomnia
5. combat depression
6. decrease arthritis and headaches
7. alleviate symptoms from Pre-Menstrual Syndrome
8. fight obesity
9. improve post-operative healing

Did you know African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world?... 1 in 4 men. This year in the United States more than 30,000 African-American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and of those men 4,000 will die! Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in African-American men, and compared to Caucasian men African-American men are almost three times more likely to die from prostate cancer. Given these numbers you can see prostate cancer is a national health crisis in our community!

Most of us think Sickle Cell Disease is a disease of those with African heritage, but the reality is sickle cell disease is a global health epidemic! Every year in the US 1,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease, and 1 in 2,500 babies are born with the trait (54,000 babies per year). Currently more than 80,000 people in the US have sickle cell disease, and more than 3.5 million have sickle cell trait and related disorders.

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks 5th in cancer deaths among women. In 2007 it is estimated that 20,000 women in the United States will develop ovarian cancer, and 15,000 will die from the disease. It usually occurs in women over age 50, but can also affect younger women. The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown. The frightening thing about ovarian cancer is that it is hard to detect early. Many times, women with ovarian cancer have no symptoms or just mild symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage and is hard to treat.

It's time to go back to school, are your kids or loved ones up to date on their immunizations? I know no one looks forward to vaccine injections but the benefits far outweigh the risk of serious vaccine-preventable diseases. Before we had immunizations to prevent outbreaks of disease people were quarantined. Some may even remember that before there was a vaccine for rubella people were fearful of its effects including pneumonia, diarrhea, seizures, brain damage, and even death. For pregnant women the consequences of rubella on the unborn baby were even worse, ranging from deafness, blindness, heart disease, brain damage, or death. Thankfully, nowadays we have vaccines to prevent disease. And researchers are working hard to discover more safe affordable vaccines to keep us healthy and eradicate diseases like HIV!

It is absolutely true that Black is Beautiful! One of the most appealing aspects of being a person of color is appreciating the diversity of our skin tones and shades that range from the deepest chocolate brown to vanilla and olive hues. There are an estimated 35 shades of blackness among people of African descent. This week on "Keeping It Real" with Reverend Sharpton we will discuss how to keep our Black skin healthy and radiant. Dr. Susan Taylor, leading national and international dermatologist, and author of the book Dr. Susan Taylor's Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair, and Nails will be with us to teach us the facts and provide us with the guidance we need to keep our special skin at its best! And we will definitely tackle the five the most common skin issues people of color face.

Iyanla Vanzant will share with us the tools to getting, nurturing, and keeping a healthy relationship. We all want to be someone's better half. But do we really know what it takes to do that? According to the Census Bureau only 30% of Black women are living with a spouse. Between 1950 and 2000 the percentage of Back women who are married has declined from 62 to 36%. Why? Is it because they are difficult, come with excess baggage, have too much drama? Or is it that more Black women are focused on their professional growth and careers and not interested in finding a love connection? Is dating difficult for Black women because of gaps in education, high unemployment and incarceration rates among Black men?

Autism is a heterogeneous disorder that affects 1 in 150 children and typically presents before the age of 3. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. To aid us in our discussion about Autism we will have celebrity guest Tisha Campbell live on air with us to speak publicly for the first time about Autism in her family.

More than 20 million prescriptions have been written for this drug since it was approved by the FDA in 1998. And it has changed the intimate lives of many couples allowing men to obtain and maintain an erection for sexual intercourse. But now Viagra is quickly replacing party drugs like ecstasy, as many teens and young adults are abusing Viagra, using it with alcohol and methamphetamines at parties. What many don't realize is that abuse of Viagra can lead to serious health problems and even death!

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. And malignant melanoma is the deadliest of skin cancers. However, if found early it can be up to 100% cured. Over one million of new cases of highly curable skin cancers are diagnosed every year. Even in you don't bathe out in the sun, simply being out in the sun doing daily activities can expose your skin to harmful UV rays that can lead to skin cancers years later. And tanning beds are no safer than being out in the beaming sun!

Many men say their life changed once they had kids, and that it is because of their kids that they are better people. Does fatherhood make you a better man? Does it improve your-self esteem make you happier or healthier? The answer from our audience was an overwhelming YES! Men called in and told us yes, they are absolutely more confident, focused, and dependable after having little ones, and even have a new sense of purpose in life.

My neck and back are killing me… it may be Osteoarthritis (OA). Do you ever wake up stiff in the morning? Do your joints ever swell up and you can't get around? You like Bo Jackson or Ahmad Rashad may be one of the 20 million Americans suffering with osteoarthritis. And although wear and tear from aging is the number one cause of osteoarthritis, other causes of OA include obesity, excessive use (such as from playing sports), gout and diabetes. If you suffer from arthritis, you probably know that there is no cure for it. Doctors can treat the pain and discomfort you experience not only with medications but also with joint replacement.

Could it be your blood type that always prevented you from getting a cold, or is the reason you have high blood pressure or diabetes even though you eat right, diet and exercise? Dr. Peter D'Adamo, our guest this week, believes our blood type is the KEY to our whole immune system. Dr. D'Adamo is a noted naturopathic physician, researcher, lecturer and author of the book Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type. Dr. D'Adamo you can live healthy, achieve your ideal weight, heal better, and rid yourself of medical ailments including allergies and diabetes based upon eating a diet that is specialized for YOUR blood type.

We have the pleasure of hosting Lisa Price, the founding and managing partner of Carol's Daughter. The Brooklyn based company, launched in 1993, produces an assortment of nature-inspired beauty products, targeted towards African Americans. Lisa will take us through her journey from creating a name for herself with products made in her own kitchen to building a multi-million dollar business now available at a NY flagship store and in Sephora nationwide. We will also discuss the healing effects and properties of natural ingredients and even discover natural recipes for common issues like forgiving oneself and attracting love! As a tribute to Fathers, Lisa has also built three pampering gift sets filled with Carol's Daughter products just for men.

As a tribute to all mothers this week on "Keeping It Real" with Revered Al Sharpton, we will discuss the health benefits of motherhood. But wait, in order to do this we must have an expert, and who better than TV's best mom! So in studio this week Reverend Sharpton and I will be speaking with Tony Award winner, People's Choice Award winner, and two time Emmy nominated actress Phylicia Rashad, better known to millions as "Clair Huxtable." We already know motherhood is a selfless, unpaid, lifelong position, but what other joys does it bring to a woman's life? Does it make you smarter, happier, or healthier?

Dr. Sunyatta Amen, a highly sought after naturopathic Physician, Womb Yoga, Belly Dance and Sexual Tai Chi expert will teach us the history and explain the health benefits of the ancient art of belly dancing. Belly dancing is a full body workout that is graceful, sexual and invigorating. It can heal fibroids, reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms (PMS), improve flexibility and decrease osteoporosis, all while getting that sexy hourglass shape.

What do Richard Pryor, Tamia and Montel Williams have in common with 350,000 others in the United States? They have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 1 million people worldwide are affected by this debilitating neurologic illness that is the most common neurologic disorder of young adults especially YOUNG BLACK WOMEN between the ages of 20 and 40 years old.