Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Hello,
I am Dr. Marie Beatrice Hyppolite. I hold a doctorate in Health Science with emphasis on Global Health and master’s degree in social work. I have over 14 years of experience in the field of health and human services.
This podcast is primarily focused on mental health and the quality-of-life elements that affect it such as divorce, death, domestic violence, trauma, toxic relationships, and single parenthood to name a few. It is no secret that mental health challenges continue to profoundly impact modern society although not enough discussion is given due to stigma. Research has shown an increase of 25 % in mental health crises after COVID-19. It is important to have honest, uncomfortable conversations about mental health while being supportive. Although we are interdependent, change begins with the individual, hence “your world.”
I welcome you to join me on my journey and look forward to your responses.
Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Mental Health Unfiltered
"Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what's left of you." This profound statement anchors our conversation with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite about the evolving landscape of mental health awareness and the critical importance of comprehensive self-care.
The stigma surrounding mental health has dramatically decreased in recent years, allowing more open conversations about emotional struggles. Viodelda Contreras shares her personal approach to mental wellness through transparency and authentic expression, while acknowledging the importance of discernment in what we share and with whom. Music, movement, and even culinary appreciation feature in her toolkit for stress management—a reminder that self-care takes many forms unique to each individual.
A particularly moving moment comes when we discuss an unexpected encounter on public transportation, where a stranger's spontaneous unburdening became a meaningful connection. This powerful anecdote illustrates how making ourselves available to others—offering just a minute of genuine attention—can potentially save a life. Yet the conversation emphasizes balance: we must care for ourselves to effectively care for others, just as airplane safety instructions remind us to secure our own oxygen masks first.
The discussion expands beyond mental health to encompass holistic wellness—from dental hygiene and skincare to nutrition, adequate sleep, and protecting our eyesight. Both hosts share personal experiences with weight management, acknowledging challenges while highlighting the profound impact of physical wellness on mental health, mobility, and independence as we age. Prevention emerges as a recurring theme; addressing health proactively rather than reactively saves not only personal suffering but also reduces burdens on loved ones.
Ready to revolutionize your approach to self-care? Join our conversation to discover practical strategies for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing that will help you show up as your best self—not just what's left of you. Subscribe now and make wellness a priority in your daily life!
Hello everyone. I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolite and this is your World. How do you think mental health stigma can be reduced in our society?
Speaker 2:Well, you're so right. There has been a stigma until, thank God, recently, where all of us are realizing how important mental health is. And if you don't feel at peace, if you feel confused, stressed, depressed, you know, whatever the quote unquote, negative feeling is that it's okay. Negative feeling is that it's okay. It's okay to speak to someone. That's gonna help you get in tune with your feelings, because it doesn't always mean that person's not always gonna be just talking. Sometimes they just want to listen to you and you and speaking about it. Okay, release a lot of that stress, you know, and even come to terms with some of what is making you feel depressed. You know, and I always say that I'm an open book, sometimes a little too transparent.
Speaker 2:You know my children will say TMI, ma, tmi you know, but I believe that when I do that, I release a lot of it. Yes, you know, and it's great, and especially when you're coming from the truth, because that's another thing that I find very important. If you can't tell the truth, don't say anything. It's better not to say anything. But if you're going to speak to speak the truth, better not to say anything. But if you're gonna speak to speak the truth, you know, because one of the things I have read from reading the word that God hates is a liar his lies, and so I try to be transparent as much as I can, and I'm learning also that you don't really need to speak everything and you need to have some things private, and so I am really working on that, you know.
Speaker 2:But I find that that has helped me a lot. You know, I don't get stressed like that or depressed, you know, if it is, it's for a minute, not much longer. Um, and I didn't mention also that of course I love to dance and I love music and that helps me a lot. I put on my favorite songs in the house, in the car, on the radio gospel worship, sometimes, salsa, sometimes reggae, sometimes, you know, soul, sometimes hip hop, even you know not the word the music I love, you know, and that is great and I love it. And you know, of course, one of my sisters in Christ, who the I guess you would say entrepreneur as well, in the same field I would say I'm a foodie. She said stop saying that. So then I said, ok, I'm a food connoisseur and I feel like I am, you know, and that also helps me relieve my stress, except when it comes to calories. You have to watch are you preaching?
Speaker 2:to the choir.
Speaker 1:So you mentioned something earlier and I want to kind of pick up on it. Yes, it's something that you said. Now you know you kind of learn not to talk everything. Sometimes it's important to release, you know, to have a conversation, to release whatever that is bothering you, but it's important to know who you're sharing that information with. So I was never like a big talker and many people around me sometimes may think that I am different or, to conserve, not conservative. So I consider myself as an introvert, so I don't need to draw energy from others to function. However, when I was like around 12, 14, 16, I had a really rough childhood but my childhood friend so she was a talker everything, everything that was bothering that girl she will come to my house and whether I wanted it or not, I had to listen and sometimes she realized that I was up to the neck with situations but I would not talk and she would say after she spoke she said okay, I'm done your turn. Who said that?
Speaker 2:I have anything to say?
Speaker 1:I don't have anything to say, and she was like yes B, she called me B. Yes B, you do, I'm listening. So you know, it took me a while to really kind of like open up to people and I think until today she's the only person that I feel comfortable to talk about everything and anything, because so she was very, not judgmental, right, and I really admire that from her. It can be rough, yes, and that's why, you know, therapy tend to play a major role. Yes, because it's like you may not trust a friend, you may not trust a family member, but if you go to therapy, so hey, as a therapist, I don't know you Exactly, but we can work toward whatever that is going on in your life, you know, to solve it. And after we're done with whatever session that we may have, so you go your way and I go my way you probably will never have to meet me again and you won't have to worry about your secret being let out, so you know.
Speaker 1:so it's important, you know, to have people in your life that you can. Hey, if anything you know is bothering you, you can pick up the phone and I say, oh, let me call this person, let me call that person. But we really have to be careful because you know, unfortunately people are people. Yes, you know, there are people that you know. The minute that you know you, right after you have the conversation with that person, he or she will pick up the phone and call somebody else oh yes, guess who just called you know oh?
Speaker 1:boy, girl. This girl has a lot of problems, so so this man has a lot of problems. So it's like I'm not saying that for people not to trust their friends and family members because that's what we have them. You know that's what friends are there for. You know to lean on when we need a shoulder, but when you know we know what to disclose and when to disclose, but you're absolutely right, beatrice.
Speaker 2:And how much to disclose. Yes, because once upon a time it was a stigma to have a therapist, whether group or individual, and now it's common. Everybody has a therapist, everybody has someone that they can release and not worry about whether or not they're gonna hear it back or be criticized or judged, and so the stigma that used to be once upon a time is no longer.
Speaker 1:You know, I remember one time that, probably 15 years ago, I was riding the J train and a lady came, you know, and sat next to me and said do you want to talk? And I look around, I thought it was somebody that I knew and I'm like when I realized that I don't know the lady all out of nowhere, and I turned my face around and she started talking and it was only the two of us in the cabin wow. So I listened I listened you know.
Speaker 1:So I listened, I listened. You know the crazy part I listened until I wished her stop, oh, her stop Okay. I left my stop behind Because I felt the need to listen to her. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Because, for somebody who don't know you, out of nowhere and started to really talk about really deep personal things, I'm like you know that person, she was dying inside but needed that person and I thank God the fact that you know and at that time I said yeah, at that time I was already a social worker, I was equipped. You know, I'm glad that I was a social worker and I was equipped with the appropriate tools to assist her. Thank.
Speaker 2:God.
Speaker 1:And when she I never met that lady. Maybe if I seen her on the street I probably would not recognize her, she would not recognize me, but that day, you know. So she got a free session, you know's like and, and, and she felt comfortable.
Speaker 1:So it was like so, so amazing the way that she said you know, hey, you wanna listen, you wanna talk, right, and I'm like you know. So, hey, I opened the door and let her in, and and whatever that you know she wanted to pour out, she did Just let it out. You know, she just let everything out.
Speaker 2:God really, used you that day. God used me that day.
Speaker 1:Yes, God used me that day.
Speaker 2:That's a beautiful thing, and you know what?
Speaker 1:I'm glad that you mentioned that Sometimes God can use you at any given time. So don't feel that I'm in a worry, yes, time. So don't feel that I'm in a worry. Yes, because it's like that day maybe if I didn't listen to her only God knows what could have happened to her God probably used me that day to save her. Amen. You know, sometimes we have to make ourselves available to be that vessel. Yes, you know, to be there for the other person. Yes, because you never know. You never know, you never know what somebody may be going through. Amen, you know. So it's like one minute of your time can save someone's life.
Speaker 1:Yes, one minute of your time can save someone's life if we can do it, let's just go out there and do it. So I understand. So we can be busy. We have a zillion of things to do. We have our lives, we have our family, we have our job, we have this, we have that, but it's significant that we make ourselves available for others and take care of ourselves, because if we don't, in order for me to provide for you, I have to be in the right shape amen just like on a plane, everybody hears exactly.
Speaker 2:they tell you put your seat belt on first before you help anybody, before exactly. It's so true.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because if I'm not the best of myself, I cannot go over there and try to help anybody around, exactly, so I have to be my best first. What self-care practice do you prioritize in your daily life, and why? Okay, besides praying?
Speaker 2:and getting ready. Okay, yes, yes, okay. So, of course, dental health is important. Wow, that's a big one, very important. And so you know the first thing when you get up, you know make sure you take care of your oral hygiene and brush your teeth. You know learn the proper way because there is a proper way using, you know, mouthwash, whatever it takes, floss, I use it all and take pride in you know making sure that I go to the dentist.
Speaker 1:Whatever needs to be fixed or they do, cleaning every six months Every six months, I do get a cleaning.
Speaker 2:You know, if you have to seek health care or insurance some kind of health care insurance, even if it's to invest a little in it, it's important to have that dental care health care. I also use a special regimen that I follow for my skin care. I also use a special regimen that I follow for my skincare. Every morning and night, I have a regimen that I follow and I also, of course, take my shower and I love shower gels as well. I love them and it's important for your hygiene because when you feel good and, I believe, smell good, it puts you in a different frame of mind.
Speaker 1:I want to add something to the dental that you just mentioned.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:After you floss, you brush, you rinse with whatever Listerine or whatever mouthwash you may prefer. Oh, you're confident of your smile. Yes, you're confident. You know you are confident of everything. I love smiling, me too.
Speaker 2:Me too yes.
Speaker 1:So I have to keep them clean Right, and it's never too late.
Speaker 2:If you have issues dental wipes, it's not too late.
Speaker 1:One day at a time, yeah, and one thing that I want to point out.
Speaker 1:You know you have to take care of your mouth or your teeth, not only in the morning, but at night too. Also, you eat in the breakfast, you eat lunch, you eat dinner. Yes, so it's like, don't get comfortable and just go to bed without washing. No, by the time you turn 50, you're going to lose half of them. No, it's true, you know, because you have to take. You know you have to take care of that Because every part of your body, you know, is important.
Speaker 2:If you have dry skin, you want to moisturize every day. Every day, yeah, because before you know it, your skin will be looking wrinkled and you'll be aging before you know it. Exactly, you know, nobody wants to age, but we all have to age. But why can't we age gracefully, as it is said Exactly? Taking care of your skin, because the worst thing dry skin is itchy, yeah, and it's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable, yeah. So all of this helps you, like I was saying at night.
Speaker 1:You know, floss, brush and rinse. You know, probably every six months go to your dentist. Yes, you know, have that cleaning. Some people sometimes say, oh, I don't have the time. No, most of us have insurance and for those who don't have insurance I understand that it can be a challenge, but find a way yeah you know, if you cannot make it to the dentist every six months, at least do it every year.
Speaker 1:But every night, the same way that you brush in the morning, you rest, you know, appropriately, floss at night. Yes, wash up, don't go to bed after you ate that pizza, you ate that Kentucky Fried Chicken or what have you. Don't go to bed like that, especially, you know, for people who are smokers. You know you smoke and you want to go to bed without taking care of your mouth. Oh, that's a bad combination.
Speaker 2:So you know and hopefully it's part of self-care is to you know, try to stop smoking, because it's definitely been shown not to be good for your health and um, not to put anyone down that smokes, but it's just it's been known not to be good for your health and so you know, I believe prayer helps, that God will help you to stop Um. And so you know, I don't have to go through the statistics, everyone knows, you know, so that's also important. And um, and what you eat, um, it's big time. You know. I don't even want to get into that because we'll be here all day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's very important what you eat. Yes, you know what you drink, the amount you eat, the amount you drink.
Speaker 2:Yes, my master's degree. When I did it, my thesis was on the effects of diet and how it leads to some of the incidences of cancer. So there are so many carcinogens in the foods that we eat and I'm not saying because, you know, at the end of the day there's something about everything you'll not be eating anything. However, wisdom tells you that there are certain foods, okay, that are definitely a no-no, and you know I'm not going to go through that right now. But people are doing themselves in and also letting their children indulge in some of these things that affect them. That's why you're hearing children are being diagnosed with cancer at an early age.
Speaker 2:I just heard someone at 12 years old just passed away from cancer. So you have to be careful, and also those around you loved ones and family. You don't have to be negative or nag. You know you could just plant a little seed. Like you know, too much of that is not good for you, you know, and um then work on, or if it is something that need to be avoided, just avoid. Amen, I didn't want to say that Thank you for saying that.
Speaker 1:No, no, Thank you for saying that Sometimes you know we have to love ourselves more than that food Exactly, we have to love ourselves more than that drink Exactly, you know, because at the end of the day you may have the money to buy like a dozen bottles of that drink, but your health you cannot put a price on it.
Speaker 2:You can't and you don't want to wait till the doctor says oh, you have this liver issue or this kidney issue, or be on dialysis. You don't want to wait till then. We always say prevention is better than cure exactly and I'm glad that you mentioned that.
Speaker 1:You have people who ended up being in, you know, in dialysis just because they were not taking care of themselves. You know they were engaging in those bad behaviors like smoking, drinking and eating, you know, inappropriately and you can. I see people you know who are in their 30s, you know are going to Dallas easily, you know, like almost every day. Simple thing that you could have done to avoid that, but you were comfortable to engage into reckless behaviors that lead you to that and unfortunately so it's like for those people, not only you know I feel for them, but I feel for the families as well, because whatever sickness that they are dealing with, it can be a burden for the families.
Speaker 2:And they transfer those practices onto the infants and the children and the teenagers and young adults, et cetera. Yeah, you know, and so we can learn from an early age. You know how to eat properly, not to have so much sodium and salt in your diet, you know to avoid excess sugar, et cetera.
Speaker 1:If I'm having a cup of coffee, I don't need to put, like you know, like, like a spoon of sugar in it, because at the end of the day so you know there will be an impact on your body.
Speaker 2:Exactly. I have a perfect example. My mom suffered and my dad suffered with hypertension Talking about tea.
Speaker 1:let me enjoy some.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 2:It's no sugar added Good, good, and so, yes, both my parents had hypertension and Therefore my mom cooked with very, very little salt, and so I was used to that diet with very, very little salt to this day, and I praise God for it, because I have never had an issue. Thank God, praise I never do. Pray God, I never do with hypertension, and it's because of the practices that, as a child, right now, if someone makes a dish and to them the salt level is great, for me it's just a little too salty, you know, and it's OK because I found that that that is one of the things that have helped you know me to stay healthier and there are some habits I understand, so when people already got caught off with them, so it's not easy to kind of get with.
Speaker 1:So you really, you, someone really really has to have that willpower yeah, you know, to cut that you know like right away, but it's not easy, oh, but yeah I understand it's not easy, but we can do that, you know, like step by step and especially when you think of the consequences of not doing it later in life.
Speaker 2:You don't want to be, you know, challenged health-wise and depend on people to take care of you. You can't go anywhere, you can't walk, because you know when you think about those things you'll think twice, Exactly things, you'll think twice exactly.
Speaker 1:So if I, if I like my coffee really sweet and I know sooner or later where that lead me, where that gonna lead me, I meant to say so. Okay, I used to get you know to have three to four cups per day, so I'm not gonna stop on sweet coffee, but let me cut on the amount. You know. Instead of taking four cups, I'll do three, I'll do two. It's important, yeah, you know, to have a good sleep. Happen with human. I've seen, especially like young people, some adults too will stay up until 4 am playing video games.
Speaker 2:Yes, Meanwhile have to get up at 6 to go to school or work.
Speaker 1:Exactly and I'm like so you're not doing yourself any favor. That is really detrimental to your own self, your own health. So we can do better. And all of those are part of self-care. Self-care is not only just go out there, take a shower, put your makeup on and put you know no. So those are also considered as self-care and we have to pay attention, we have to take them into consideration Because they are very important. And I remember a couple months ago I had a biologist in the show and Dr Joseph spoke about Alzheimer. And Dr Joseph spoke about Alzheimer's and he mentioned that the way that we sleep, what we eat, what we drink, the sport we play, you know, all of those can contribute for somebody to have Alzheimer's at a very early age. Remember, alzheimer's used to be an old-people disease. Now it's no longer an all-people disease. No, longer.
Speaker 1:Because you know it's all the bad behaviors that we got involved into, so very, very, very important.
Speaker 2:I just want to mention your eyes also. My mom. She would never let us leave, leave the house or wherever without her sunglasses, and if we forgot them we had to go back home to get her sunglasses. And she says you have to protect your eyes from the sun. And I used to think, oh, you know, but she never had an issue with her eyes, never. And so since she's resting in peace now, I remember that and I now, too, make sure. Even today I had left and I said, no, let me go back and get my sunglasses, because it's very sunny, so you have to protect your eyes and get checkups also Every year Regular checkups Every year.
Speaker 1:Yes, because you won't understand or you will not value the importance of it until you lose it.
Speaker 2:Amen, absolutely. And sun protection also for your skin and your body. The sun is beautiful, but it's not our friend when it comes to aging. The sun ages us, and so you want to use sun protection protection. I know a lot people like to look tanned and burn, but it's really not healthy. You should use at least at least some SPF in your skin care, in your facial body care exercise.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know yes you all the junk foods that we eat. So we need to release those bad toxins.
Speaker 2:And to you know so true, you know a lot of people suffer with their knees and and if, um, and not always, but in a lot of cases, is the weight, the weight that those knees have to to carry. And you find that you know, even myself, as, as I had lost weight, I found what a difference oh, yeah, you know no aches, no pains.
Speaker 2:You know, um, the minute you gain weight, you start feeling those aches and pains. You know I have. I have someone in my life who she, she was excessively overweight and she suffered with so many pains. She went and, well, long story, she lost a lot of weight and all of that went away.
Speaker 1:Yeah so, yeah, it's important that's why doctor always would come, you know, with comment people you know to lose weight, because myself you know, so I'm considered to be obese.
Speaker 2:You're not alone. No, no, no.
Speaker 1:Because, compared to my, height. I'm supposed to be a certain weight which I exceed.
Speaker 2:I'm working on mine every day.
Speaker 1:And I'm working on it, the 25 pounds that I put extra pounds that I put on. I'm working on it so, and I want to lose them, and I can feel the difference when I used to be like 140 pounds with you know so, and and compared to you know, when I added that 25 pounds extra on it, so it's, it's a lot, so it's like even you know so. I did sustain some injuries, you know, due to an incident that happened to me recently. Oh girl, I'm telling you, everywhere hurts, everywhere. I cannot wear heels, I cannot walk even two blocks, so it's's a misery. And the first thing the doctor told me Beatrice, you need to lose some weight yeah and I said, yes, I'm working on it.
Speaker 1:So don't get me wrong, it's not easy. It's much easier to put the weight on, you know, but I have to make the effort to lose the weight. I know now we live in a, you know, like in the era, like it seemed like body. You know, like you know people, you know so it's like some people like to go the fast route. Yeah, you know, go and do the the body. Yes, you know, especially it's among women. I don't know if men do it too, so, which is a beautiful thing. So, you know, if somebody have the money, you can afford it, you can taking care of yourself after you do the surgery. By all means, I respect that, yes, but if you can do, do some exercise and change your diet to lose the weight, naturally, you know, I would recommend that.
Speaker 2:If you change your eating habits then you can keep it off. You know, I actually recently, in the past couple of months, was fasting, so I lost about 12 pounds and I feel so good. But I see where I can easily fall back into my old eating habits. You know, I'll be honest, I love pastry I don't mean just Twinkies or I mean good baked pastry, and I know some of the best bakeries, okay, okay, and so I had to pull. Well, I actually was fasting, so I wasn't having any of it, and Now that I'm off the fast, I have to be careful not to go back into that, because I don't want to regain that weight. I still need to lose more, and so I'm working on it and as well as with my Zumba etc. But to change, you know, my cravings and my desires, to be able to pray about it, to be disciplined, indulge every now and then, but not binge, and not, you know, to remember how I'm feeling now compared to, you know, in the past, and I think that helps.
Speaker 2:That would help one to know if this is going to help my health, if this is going to make me feel better. I can walk, walk. I don't have to worry about later using a cane or a walker you know.
Speaker 1:Yes, it makes a difference if you think about these things it will stop you yeah because you don't want to be dependent on anyone no, you know no yeah, so no, that's, that's very important and we have to, hey, we have to consider all of all of those things and work on them, because, at the end of the day, so our lives, you know, matter it, does you know it?
Speaker 2:does.
Speaker 1:Our lives matter, so we have to take care of our lives. Amen. If we don't, nobody else will. Nobody else will. That's our own responsibility, that's my responsibility to taking care of Beatrice, that's your responsibility to taking care of yourself, and it's the same for all of you watching or listening. Yes, absolutely Okay the same for all of you watching or listening.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely okay, man, and it brings us back to your first statement, your opening statement of taking care of ourselves the best, so no one gets our left. What was it?
Speaker 1:oh, self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what's left of you.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's true, yeah.
Speaker 1:Very, you know, it's true, so I cannot stress that enough for people to understand. You know, when you're taking care of yourself, you will see the benefit of it both physically and emotionally and mentally and mentally. Yes, you know. So if I were to add, uh, that third, that third component to it, so it's and spiritually and spiritually yes and when you're good, you feel good.
Speaker 1:You is going to benefit from it, because when you don't feel good, you're not going to be able to spread any positivity around you. So it's going to be all complaining, and who wants to deal with other people complaining all the time?
Speaker 2:No one.
Speaker 1:Not me. Other people complaining all the time no one, not me, you know. So I may make myself available, you know, to listen to you one or twice or even more, but I always tell people okay, I'm going to listen to your problem the first time, the second time, the third time. The fourth time.
Speaker 2:And you're running the other way.
Speaker 1:It's like then? What are the possible solutions that you wanna you wanna consider? Yes, you know, because if you're calling me every day about your knee pain and the doctor already told you to lose some pounds, but all I'm seeing, you know you love peanut butter and bread. You kept on adding peanut butter and bread every day.
Speaker 2:Yes, you know, that's baking every day, oh that that you know. That will add whatever that you're already dealing with?
Speaker 1:no, absolutely so, basically. So it's like I want to hear about you know your knee problem, but at the same time talking what steps are you know you? Know, yeah, you know, but you have to tell me the steps that you are taking you know, to toward losing weight. Yes, because you know that's one way that will help you feel less pain.