At a time when overweight affects over 60 percent African American women, young women are especially at risk. However, we can and must learn to recognize cultural norms and use them to "teach" young people about health. One of my twenty year old daughter/niece/sister friends is into spoken word and recited a poem to me that she'd written after interacting with a classmate. It touched me because I realized it's going to take a lot more than telling someone to eat fruits and vegetables to turn around the epidemic of overweight in the African American community. We're going to have to focus on the whole body, mind and spirit to get the message of healthy living across. For a starter I found these 5 healthy living tips for twenty-something women on the web:
1. Start an exercise routine of cardiovascular exercise and strength training to benefit your general health and well-being.
2. Eat right to help maintain your weight plus prevent chronic diseases in the future. Find what's 'right' for you, but for best results choose moderation of all foods and a variety of more fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
3. Don't smoke cigarettes for greater life-long health.
4. Drink in moderation. Have fun at the party, but be safe and don't overdo.
5. Have a great support group. Family and positive friends you hang out with can get you through the ups and downs of this very exciting time of the life cycle.
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