Black History Month: Celebrating Life, Liberty, and Our Health

Black History Month: Celebrating Life, Liberty, and Our Health

By Lashonda L. Jones, MPT, CPT

Black History Month is a time of reflection, celebration of our freedom, and recognition of just how far we’ve come as a Black community. It is also a time of heightened awareness. Are you aware of these alarming facts in regards to our health? According to the CDC, in the U.S., 72% of Black males and females over the age of 18 are obese. This means that 3 out of 4 Blacks have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more. Equally worrisome is that 20% of Black teenagers between the ages 12-19 are overweight, and this number appears to be rising. The leading causes of death include heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These statistics may or may not be alarming to you, but they should propel you to take action.
The great news is that you have the ability to reverse these unhealthy trends! Just as we’ve fought hard for our civil rights and our freedom, we must now fight equally as hard for our health.
Here are just a few resolutions that will seize your heart and mind to take better control of your health.

Power of CHANGE. Deciding that now is the time for a change is the first and most essential step. If you don’t find it necessary to change your poor health habits, you will be less willing to invest the time and energy it takes to make a change. For the sake of optimism, let’s just say you are ready. You are now in the perfect place to begin changing your future by making healthier choices and seeing better results.
Freedom of CHOICE. Being a statistic does not have to be in your future. You have been blessed with the freedom of choice. You have the ability to choose the healthier food options, to be more physically active, and to invest in your health and happiness. If you are lacking energy or are unhappy with the way you look and feel, evaluate your lifestyle. Getting rid of poor habits and other things that weigh you down can be liberating not only for the body, but also for your mind.

Knowledge is POWER. People perish from a lack of knowledge, but we don’t have to. The key to having a healthier, longer life begins with obtaining the right tools. Valuable resources such as the library, internet, and health professionals are available to help you become better educated about your body and your health. Look at how computer savvy and skillful our younger generations have become. We must take advantage of these skills and teach them to become more educated about their health.

Great internet resources like BlackDoctor.org (www.blackdoctor.org), and the 50 Million Pound Challenge (www.50millionpounds.com) are available for Black health, nutrition, weight loss, and fitness information. Joining programs like the 50 million pound challenge is a great way to not only improve your health, but also improve the health of your family members, community, and future generations to come.

Power of ONE. Divided we fall, united we stand. The statistics noted above are not just a you or a me problem, it’s a WE problem. We can not afford to pass on life threatening diseases to our future generations. There comes a time when we must take a stand against unhealthy family traditions and habits, and the time is NOW! We can be the difference.