Historically, Black people have faced many health gaps. This is due to multiple factors including: food, lack to accessible health care, education, finances, etc. Access to healthy options in many Black communities is limited. This is primarily due to systemic racism and having no access to healthcare which is a method to keep historically stigmatized people at the bottom.
Here are 5 reasons it is important to focus on your health and wellness!
- Safety – The society we live in has a history of attacking historically stigmatized people. One of our founders, Brianna, heard a story from a Black woman who described why she runs daily. She said she keeps up with running so, if necessary, she can run away for safety purposes. Society tends to view Black people as being of a lower status or caste. Throughout history, many hate crimes have been committed against Black people for being Black. This violence continues today. It is difficult to think about, but understandable as to why this woman focuses on running so she is prepared if it is something she faces.
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- This is emphasized in an article by Maggie Heyn Richardson. Speaking on the organization Black Men Run, she states “Baton Rouge’s Black Men Run chapter has also signaled the importance of safety for Black runners after the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery…” (225batonrouge.com).
2. Health Concerns – There are health concerns which tend to affect Black people more often including; heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and many other health problems. Centrastate.com writes “socioeconomic factors have a significant impact on how African Americans are able to prevent and treat certain conditions.” Black communities often are not provided access to catch and treat these conditions early. Therefore, this may be a factor in why Black youths are diagnosed with conditions earlier than others. It is a basic human right for people to have access to the proper and necessary care. Yet, historically stigmatized people are not receiving this care, causing them to pass away at a scary high rate.
3. Food– In an article by Maya Feller, she states “It’s no accident that today our neighborhoods are flooded with the fast and processed versions of soul food.” In predominantly White communities it is common to see a Whole Foods or vegan restaurant on each corner. Whereas, in Black communities it is common to see liquor stores or corner stores which contain items with low or no nutritional value. These stores are rampant in stigmatized communities and continue to pop up. Feller states in her healthline.com article “There are…structural and systemic inequities…the nutrition and health-related impact within the Black community has been devastating.” With markets being “redlined” and access to these resources being unavailable, this method to keep Black people down continues to be a problem.
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- History.com defines Redlining as as “…actual red lines on maps that identified predominantly-Black neighborhoods as ‘hazardous.’ …in the 1930s, the government-sponsored Home Owners’ Loan Corporation and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board used these maps to deny lending and investment services to Black Americans.” This practice happed throughout history and remains an issue.
4. Mental Health – Many people suffer from mental health issues. Some are diagnosed and receive care for these issues, but many do not. An article by Thomas A. Vance states “Research suggests that the adult Black community is 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems… Black emerging adults (ages 18-25)…experience higher rates of mental health problems and lower rates of mental health service utilization…” Vance also discusses how the Black community is not the majority of the population, but are higher than average in high risk populations. With the high rate of historically stigmatized people incarcerated, homeless, etc. this means the Black population is not receiving proper access to mental health care.
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- Throughout history a stigma has been present in asking for help regarding mental health concerns. It is viewed as a sign of weakness. This stereotype is one which we must continue to work on to overcome. Trauma from older generations tends to get passed down to younger generations. Without this trauma getting addressed, it will continue to go through each generation. Therefore, it is important to make healing a priority. Getting help is a positive step forward, and we should never be afraid to ask for it. Asking for help should be viewed as a strength versus a weakness.
5. Natural Remedies – Herbs and natural remedies have a history of providing health and wellness organically. Many recipes using herbs, fruits or vegetables provide a natural healing process for some ailments. One example would be eating a watermelon to help with rehydrating and curing a heat headache. Another would be bananas helping a hangover by replenishing your body with potassium and magnesium. These specific remedies and others can be found in Revived Prosperity’s “Herbs and Natural Home Remedies” ebook. Interested in seeing more? Sign up for our newsletter to receive a copy! Learn more tips and tricks on achieving health and wellness naturally!
