For years, the public has bought into the notion that the Black community is at risk of several health fatalities. Science even argues that we are disproportionately at a disadvantage health-wise. Black women have especially been the focal point of interest when it comes to discussing health issues. For instance, statistics show that Black women suffer from several socioeconomic factors, including obesity, being overworked, underpaid and overlooked. With stressors such as those, anyone’s mental health would be at risk.
After all, mental health does remain the leading cause of death in today’s world. It’s even more prevalent after going through the global COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone, regardless of their racial background, suffered during the pandemic. Though the news argues that minorities, specifically Black and Hispanic people, endured a higher mortality rate in the last few years.
Even so, new studies have revealed that Black women are living their best lives. In most cases, they’re even outliving their white counterparts. Here are three reasons why Black women are living longer and better lives.
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Faced with so many of life’s challenges and disadvantages, most people make the mistake of assuming that our mental health is shot. Slowly, discussions surrounding mental illness awareness have taken root in the Black community.
Black women have especially taken up the mantle in starting conversations about managing and combating mental health. New research reveals that Black women are living to an average life expectancy of 78 years old now. What’s causing an increase in our longevity? It all comes down to the power of positive thinking.
Back in 2016, Linda Goler Blount, president and chief executive of Black Women’s Health Imperative, stated that, “Majority of us know that we need to improve and are working on it. We also understand the importance of having a positive attitude. When Black women are asked to define what good health means, we say things such as ‘being calm’ or ‘being at peace.’” Positive thinking has always shown benefits in helping improve our mental health.
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In addition to Black women using positive affirmations to get through the day, we’re also educating ourselves on the importance of physical health. When our bodies feel good, so do our minds. The two tend to go hand in hand in many conversations surrounding health.
First Lady Michelle Obama remains a formidable voice in helping educate the Black community on the importance of physical health. Blount further reported that Michelle’s teachings on healthy eating, dieting and exercise have left a lasting impression on Black women.
Referred to as the “Michelle Obama Effect,” the former first lady has largely influenced Black women to take action in their communities. They’ve organized health programs in their churches, hair salons and sororities. Nowadays, we’re seeing more Black women leading yoga classes and walking groups in nature parks. It’s become clear that Black women are taking their health more seriously.
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Taking care of our mental and physical health remains a crucial part of our longevity. Black women nowadays are taking better care of themselves through the power of positive thinking, trying different diets and remaining active.
Additionally, we’re making plans for the future. Previous studies showed that the aftermath of the George Floyd case and the novel pandemic have encouraged Black people to start investing their money. In other words, the longer we live, the more opportunities we have to buy real estate and create trust funds for our children. Former Executive at Fidelity Investments, Deborah Owens, who coaches Black women on how to build wealth, believes that “these two contributions alone are the driving forces of inherited wealth.”
In particular, Black women are leading more discussions on inherited Black wealth. Ashley Fox, a former Wall Street analyst turned financial educator, says that it’s “crucial for Black Americans to start prioritizing saving and investing money and resisting the urge to spend it.” In times like these, saving for a better tomorrow couldn’t be more important than now.
By living longer, healthier lives, Black women have been able to accomplish a lot. It goes without saying that they are the heroes in our stories. By doing so, they’re saving lives. Talk about Black woman magic.
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