{"id":23758,"date":"2024-02-29T01:14:49","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T01:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sc101.org\/?p=23758"},"modified":"2024-02-29T01:20:25","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T01:20:25","slug":"3-things-billy-garrett-jr-does-to-have-a-better-lifestyle-with-sickle-cell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sc101.org\/3-things-billy-garrett-jr-does-to-have-a-better-lifestyle-with-sickle-cell\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Things Billy Garrett Jr does to have a better lifestyle with sickle cell"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by Nnenna Kumenda<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Billy Garrett Jr. is a Chicago native, basketball player who played for The Winchester Knicks and the NBA\u2019s New York Knicks with sickle cell (Genotype- SC).<\/strong>
He spent his formative years challenging the walls put in front of him due to living with sickle cell and with his perseverance became the first NBA player diagnosed with sickle cell.<\/strong> This Black History Month we honored NBA player, Billy Garrett Jr and discussed the trials and triumphs in his career due to living with sickle cell.<\/strong>
Billy hasn\u2019t had the most traditional trajectory in his NBA career, in our chat he talked about his decision to withhold information about his sickle cell in his early years as he knew the stigmas that would come with it. Despite this he was in a loving home, where his parents instilled the fact that he could do and achieve anything if he worked for it. Sickle Cell was not a setback; it was his power. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tip 1: Diet<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Now we know how hard it can be to change up your diet especially when you\u2019re comfortable snacking and eating whatever you like, but sometimes change is good. We\u2019re not saying have an athlete\u2019s diet which is strict, we’re just saying what about putting that Pepsi down and drinking more water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Billy describes improving your diet as:<\/p>\n‘trial and error’<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Figuring out what is causing a crisis and what meals make your body feel better and works for you. Yes, you because not everyone\u2019s body is the same, what works for one person may not work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Billy encourages that you should \u2018oxygenate\u2019 your body through food. Granted, yes, an athlete may work with a nutritionist to achieve this, but you can always try and keep informed by researching different fruit and vegetables and their benefits for your body. For example, cucumbers and tomatoes are filled with water to keep your body hydrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Billy\u2019s case he states that his diet consists of:<\/p>\n\u2018High vegetable intake\u2019\u00a0 and ‘A gallon of water a day, lot of salad, lot of fruits [and] a lot of vegetables\u2019<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tip 2: Exercise <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We all get busy with work, passions and life that it\u2019s easy to put exercise on the bottom of our priority list. Keep your body active, whether it\u2019s just for a 10 min walk or swimming in your local swimming facility. Keeping fit is beneficial to everybody and often gets you ready for the day in the morning or ready for a good night\u2019s rest in the evening. It doesn\u2019t have to be boring, maybe try out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n