Health Inequities and the Importance of Self-Care
Did you know there’s a difference between health and wellness? Health is a state of being. It refers to a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being. Wellness, on the other hand, is the state of living a healthy lifestyle. It is a holistic combination of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Wellness can be affected by factors that vary, but some characteristics that cannot be changed is one’s race and ethnicity.
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Inequities
Health disparities have affected the health and wellness of Black people for centuries. Where you’re born, live, work, and play can determine how long you live.
A 2016 article from U.S. News and World Report states, “Being Black is bad for your health.”
Research shows we get sick earlier and are dying younger than Whites. It is attributed to the stressors of life, lack of access to quality efficient care, exposure to environmental racism, noise, and pollution. Other factors include lack of proper care and attention and negative relationships with medical providers, who do not listen when we speak. We are affected by chronic diseases, high infant, and maternal mortality rates.
And while these challenges are factors that touch many Americans in various parts of the country, the gravity of them is uniquely seen in the South, and among the African American population.
In the South, African Americans are disproportionately represented. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, 58 percent of the African American population lived in the South as of 2017.
They are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured. Southern states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia are home to the largest shares of uninsured and underinsured African Americans. They, as a group, are more likely than the rest of the nation to have chronic illnesses and to experience worse health outcomes.
Additionally, we are constantly bombarded by daily stressors such as racism, past and current traumatic experiences, daily exposure to the news and other social media platforms and stress on the job.
Throw in the stereotypical myth that Black Women are strong, aggressive, and resilient and all Black Men are dangerous, no wonder Blacks are filled with feelings of hopelessness and sadness.
The COVID-19 Pandemic On Marginalized Communities
After months of isolation, a financial toll that mostly affected marginalized communities, and the loss of loved ones have created a mental health crisis. As a result, the number of Americans reporting mental health distress symptoms, substance and alcohol use has increased over the past year.
Currently, we all need healing and restoration and in order to be well, we must intentionally pursue wellness. Here’s how:
Solutions
Wellness begins with a commitment to heal. African Americans must incorporate intentional healing from past traumas into their daily lives. It is a way of intentionally recommitting to the “I” or me. We are now discovering and exploring wellness within ourselves and our communities. We must also unlearn what we have been taught about our existence and the ways we were taught to take care of ourselves.
Let’s stop the self-medication, and say no to binge shopping, sex, harmful eating habits, and substance abuse. Limit intake of news from television and social media platforms. Set aside daily time to rest, relax and reflect.
It is important that we develop small networks, or support systems and carve out our own wellness spaces with people who look like us.
Practice Self-Care
Practicing self-care allows you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself rather than beating yourself up over the little things. We all know how uncomfortable it feels when we’ve worked non-stop and had no time for ourselves other than quickly eating, showering, and jumping into bed. Practicing self-care helps you enjoy its benefits.
Self-care is loving yourself or taking the time to nurture yourself on a deeper spiritual, physical, and emotional level.
What’s so important about self-care? You spend time discovering what it is that makes you happy or makes your day or life just a little bit better. It’s not a cure-all for mental illnesses like depression or anxiety. It’s something to add to your routine to reduce stress and anxiety that will help you improve your immunity, build resilience, and bounce back from trauma.
Self-care and self-love practices are tiered, must be diversified, range from free to expensive and luxurious. If you’re living in a small town and want to find fun things and self-care activities to do on a budget you can create your own unique staycation, get out the house and stroll around downtown, go work out, take a drive around town, and see what’s new. You can look for new experiences such as motoracing or hiking trails. You can even help out in your community or start a journal.
Let today be the first day of your journey to wellness, you can begin with a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is a record of things that you personally appreciate or are thankful for in your life. Overall, it helps you look on the bright side of life.
It can include an analysis of:
Why you are grateful for particular things
Why certain good things happen to you
How you express gratitude towards others.
Some Benefits of Journaling
Writing in your journal has many benefits:
Being more optimistic and happier
Less stress
Better sleep patterns
A healthier immune system
More energy and focus
A new perspective on what is important to you and what you truly appreciate in your life
Decreased anxiety
Better understanding of yourself
To learn more about the benefits of journaling or if you need help in starting a journal, please reach out to info@thebeacademy.org.
For more information on our life coaching services, please visit The Born Educators Academy at thebeacademy.org.
At The Born Educator’s Academy Mental Wellness Space, you’ll find various directories and networks whose goal is helping African-Americans find therapists who are African-Americans, or from other marginalized races. This list is not exhaustive, and some of these online resources are free.