April is National Minority Health Month. The Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) are working together to focus on the theme of being Active & Healthy. The objective of this initiative is to motivate the public by highlighting the tremendous benefits of maintaining an active lifestyle (“National Minority Health Month”, 2020). Minor amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity has been shown to dramatically decrease the probability of being afflicted with many of the diseases that disproportionately affect minorities, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, physical activity improves sleep, strengthens the heart, controls weight, strengthens bones, improves mood, boosts energy, promotes better sleep, and enhances your sex life (Mayo Clinic, 2019). Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is imperative and key to understanding some of the health disparities between African Americans and other populations. A central goal of the Office of Minority Health is to decrease these health disparities.
According to Census Bureau projections, the 2015 life expectancies at birth for blacks are 76.1 years, with 78.9 years for women, and 72.9 years for men. For non-Hispanic whites the projected life expectancies are 79.8 years, with 82.0 years for women, and 77.5 years for men. The death rate for African Americans is generally higher than whites for heart diseases, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide. PHYSCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH To combat these social health disparities, one of the easiest things we can do get more physical activity. Small changes to one’s daily routine can transform lives and reduce the risk of chronic diseases and other conditions that often are more common or severe among racial and ethnic minority groups (“National Minority Health Month”, 2020). According to the Department of Health and Human Services adults should maintain adhere to the following recommendations: At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity (running, swimming, walking, jogging). Strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week (i.e., include lifting free weights, using weight machines or doing bodyweight training. (Mayo Clinic, 2019) The United States Health and Human Services recommends various ways that you can exercise and add physical movement into your routine. These exercises include aerobic, muscle training, bonestrengthening, and balance and stretching activities. (“Ways to be Active” 2020) Aerobic activities cause you to breathe harder and your heart to beat faster. Aerobic activities can be moderate or vigorous in their intensity levels.
Balance exercises help strengthen your core and thus prevents back injuries and falls. Yoga and Tai Chi are great exercises to improve your balance. Exercises you can do at home are heel to toe walk, weight shifts, and one leg balance. Health and Human Services further provides ways that we can add more movement into our daily lives without much effort. These include:
• Taking the steps instead of the elevator/escalator
• Get off the bus/subway one stop earlier and walk the remaining distance
• Replace your coffee break with an outdoor walk
• Walk the golf course instead of using a cart
• Wash your car (manually & at home) • Plant and maintain a vegetable garden
• Get yardwork in (shovel snow and rake the leaves)
• Experience your inner child (Play & have some fun)
• Enjoy Nature (Go for hike or bike ride)
• Join a community Sports League
• Walking with your Sorors