An Awesome Author is a Brilliant Businessperson: Exclusive Interview with Mover and Shaker Mitzi Perdue On Her New Role with the Academy of Women's Health Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Mitzi Perdue
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Mover and Shaker Mitzi Perdue has branched out into new areas since we last interviewed her a couple of years ago for her book, I DIDN'T BARGAIN FOR THIS, which you all must read!
She now writes a bi-weekly blog for the Academy of Women's Health. Her assignment, which she thinks is one of the best possible jobs in the world, is to interview world authorities on women's health.
Her job is to find out, from the most current, cutting-edge research, information that will be new and helpful to health care providers. What has she learned?
In the case of migraines, for example, one of the biggest issues is people becoming dependent on over the counter medications. With breast feeding, we now know that breastfeeding is protective against breast and ovarian cancers. With osteoporosis, we know that its impact is comparable in both cost and disability to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, yet only 14% of women over 65 get the test that could help them prevent the disease.
If you'd like to read about some of the latest research on women's health issues, go to: http://academyofwomenshealth.org/blog/meet-mitzi-perdue/. Once you're there, press the red button on the right that says, "Read our blog". We love Mitzi Perdue and are thrilled to present her latest interview as a double feature in Awesome Authors and Brilliant Businesspeople as we couldn't narrow it down to one: she is amazing and she is both! Peachy Deegan interviewed Mitzi Perdue for Whom You Know.
Peachy Deegan: I Didn't Bargain for This is still one of our absolute favorite books. Has it made any bestseller lists yet?
Mitzi Perdue: I wish!
What aspects of health should people know that most do not?
I think most people know that a good diet is really important for preventing heart disease, diabetes or obesity, but it can also play a role in a whole host of other diseases including Alzheimer's. What's bad for your heart is often bad other parts of you!
What do you think of some of Mayor Bloomberg's recent health initiatives for New York City?
I love his drawing attention to the harm of sugary drinks. I wish we could get people to quit them through education rather than through the government.
What are the biggest breakthroughs for women's health over the last decade and why?
There are so many, but I suppose the over-arching one is ever-increasing recognition that women are not just smaller men; and that research that applies to men may not work for women. As just one example, women get addicted faster and their vulnerability is related to their monthly cycle. A woman is more apt to crave drugs of abuse in the days just before her period. Knowing this, we are better able to deal with substance abuse in women.
Who are some of the smartest healthcare professionals you have worked with and what should the world know about them?
I'm a big fan of health care professionals who focus on prevention. My late husband, Frank Perdue, used to say, when looking at health care programs at Perdue Farms, "Prevention is the most effective, least costly, and most humane approach to health care," and I agree with him. The practitioner I admire most is Dr. David Katz from Yale. His research is brilliant and on top of that, he is an amazingly skilled communicator.
What health tips do you have for our readers?
The best health tip I know is, find a kind of exercise that you love and will want to do. I think I was 60 before I discovered ballroom dancing, and 65 before I learned what fun Zumba is. I used to dread visits to the gym and although I did run, it was always out of grim duty. But once you find an exercise you can enjoy, it's liberating and life changing. So if you don't have an exercise program that you positively ENJOY, keep looking. Again in my case, I now look forward to exercise, so I now do it twice as much as I did before, and feel GREAT because of it.
What one word best describes you and why?
Caring. My idea of a fulfilled life is when you increase happiness and decrease misery.
If you could hire anybody who would it be and why?
I suppose the idea of hiring Peachy is off the table? Hmmm…..I would like to hire my son Zé Ayala. He's off the charts brilliant, innovative, has a great work ethic, is able to stick with a project until getting it done, even in cases where it takes years and success isn't assured, plus he has an abundance of charisma and tremendous people skills, and he's into the high tech world, which I find entrancing. However and for the record, I've got a pretty good notion that he wouldn't want to be hired by his mother!
Do you have any future literary ambitions and if so what would the books be about?
At the moment I'm busy enough with my Academy of Women's Health Blog that I'm not thinking of a future book. However, I do make additions from time to time to The MotherBook,which is a book of advice for young people. When my kids were young, and I wanted to insist on something, I'd tell them, "It says so right here in the MotherBook!" and they were then supposed to obey. It was said in a sort of joking way because there was no real MotherBook and they knew it. But then one day I thought, if there were a MotherBook, what advice would be in it? Whenever I think of a new piece of advice for young people or -- oh heck - for anyone, I add it to The Motherbook.
What is your favorite Manhattan book or favorite character in Manhattan literature?
I'd like to answer this question by inserting the word "least" before your word "favorite." My least favorite character is Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's. When I first saw the movie --I was in my teens --I thought she was fun and whimsical and kind of neat. But just recently I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's again and realized that she's a prostitute, a gold digger, and a fascinating case of being a lying irresponsible loser. She's now my least favorite fictional Manhattan character.
Other than Healthy Peachy of course, what is your favorite Whom You Know column and what do you like about it?
I like the Patriotism column. I love reading things that are inspirational.
What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
Come to the Military Ball at the Pierre on October 5th. It supports a charity I love, the Soldiers, Sailor's, Marines' & Airmen's Club, which helps support the men and women who do so much for us. For tickets, e-mail Hazel Cathers, Hazel.ssmac@aol.com.
