By: Shecondria Duncan
Self-care is becoming a new hot topic in healthcare. It involves the intentional act of taking care of your body, mind, and spirit in a way that improves your overall health. That means that beyond your regular health checkups, you are creating space in your life for building habits like eating nutritious meals, getting regular exercise, and nurturing your mental and emotional well-being.
Self-care is beneficial for everyone; however, it is critical to improving the state of health in the African American community.
It is no secret that disparities exist for African Americans. For example, there are inequalities in education, income, and health. These are all factors that play a role in the overall health of an individual. Inadequate education can lead to low employment rates and low income, resulting in a lack of healthcare coverage and access to quality food sources. Because of this, African Americans often develop chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes at a higher rate than other races.
Moreover, the ongoing exposure to police-related deaths among African Americans is damaging our mental and emotional health.
While we strategize and organize to effect change in these areas for our community, we can also plan as individuals to improve the overall quality of our health. How? By establishing a weekly self-care routine. Self-care places you at the center of your health. Thus, giving you the power to better your health by exposing yourself to one healthy activity after another. It can be as simple as eating more fruits and vegetables, spending at least 30 minutes a day walking or meditating, or writing in a journal about your thoughts and emotions.
In addition to that, self-care can look like sitting in silence for 15 minutes a day, spending quality time with your family and friends, reading your favorite book, or watching your favorite tv show.
When it comes to self-care, the options are endless. What is important is that you start to indulge in the activities that cultivate a healthier body, a calm mind, and a peaceful spirit.
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