BEING SMART ABOUT YOUR HEALTH--A BLACK PERSON'S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH & LONGER LIFE IN AMERICA

By Harriet Harris

• BEING SMART ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

A BLACK PERSON'S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH & LONGER LIFE IN AMERICA

The title speaks for itself! This book was written, primarily targeting African Americans to encourage a pro-active approach to better health & wellness. It addresse

• Language: English
• Publisher: CIRCLE OF SUPPORT, INC.
• Release date: Jul 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735316901

Book preview

"Therefore, we also, Since we are Surrounded

by So Great a Cloud of Witnesses

let us Lay Aside every Weight,

And the Sin Which so Easily Ensnares us,

and Let us Run with Endurance

the Race that is Set Before Us"

Hebrews 12:1 – New King James Version Bible

Dedication: 

This Book is Dedicated to my Grandparents,

Charlie & Georgia Bess

They Taught Me to Love Myself

& Every Living Thing!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1 – YOU ARE ONLY AS HEALTHY AS YOU THINK YOU CAN BE

Chapter 1: Beginning to Think Differently About Our Health      

Chapter 2: What Truly Motivates Us?         

PART 2 – GAINING THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE ABOUT DOCTORS AND MEDICATION

Chapter 3:  Evaluating the Role & Responsibility of Medical Professionals in Our Lives  

Chapter 4:   Medical Research—We’ve Always Been Up First        

Chapter 5: Medications—Friend & Foe          

Chapter 6: Demanding Respect for our Medical Needs       

PART 3—TAKING OUR OWN HEALTH & HAPPINESS INTO OUR HANDS

Chapter 7: Seeing Clearly is a Must        

Chapter 8: A Healthy Life Requires Maintaining Balance       

Chapter 9: Managing High Blood Pressure, the Silent Killer        

Chapter 10: Importance of Good Personal & Environmental Hygiene     

Chapter 11: The Role our Environment Plays in Infection Prevention & Control     

Chapter 12: Substance Abuse, Addiction, Depression & Other Mental Health Challenges

Chapter 13: Diabetes—Addiction’s Ugly Cousin        

Chapter 14: Our Relationships with others—The Sometimes-Toxic Fabric of our Lives 

Chapter 15: Religion Verses Spirituality           

PART 4—POSITIVE STEPS WE CAN MAKE EVERY DAY

Chapter 16: Importance of Regular Exercise, Deep Breathing & Stretching     

Chapter 17: Good Nutrition—There is No Substitute         

Chapter 18: Keeping Focus          

INTRODUCTION:

BEING SMART ABOUT YOUR HEALTH—

A BLACK PERSON’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH

& LONGER LIFE IN AMERICA

This book was written to provide helpful information to many, particularly Black folks, who may be struggling with issues of health and wellness.  It is not meant to take the place of medical communication, treatment(s) or prescriptions which may be given you by your doctor.  It is in no way meant to diagnosis, treat or cure any medical condition. 

In my long career of thirty-nine years as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), I have had the opportunity to work with and observe people at various stages of disease, wellness and even death.  The LPN has always been the bedside nurse, working directly with patients from bathing and brushing teeth, to administering medications, observing and recording signs and symptoms, treatment planning and doing CPR (Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation).  I have worked in almost every genre of the nursing field, including medical, surgical, emergency, psychiatric, developmental disabilities, substance disorders, geriatric (the elderly), and taken care of jail inmates.  I have had what I consider a ring-side seat, observing and caring for all types of people. 

The lifespan of African Americans continues to be shorter than any other race of people in America. Today, even with the addition of new, improved and innovative care and treatment mechanisms, our health continues to decline faster when compared to other races.  Therefore, since I was able to become semi-retired recently, I wanted to take the opportunity to put some knowledge of things I have learned, observed and experienced myself, into a book which I hope will be helpful to others, or at least start people thinking about ways to improve health. 

The saying: Knowledge is Power, is true! 

I hope you enjoy reading and will benefit from this information!

Harriet B. Harris, Copyright, 2020

PART 1 – YOU ARE ONLY AS HEALTHY AS YOU THINK YOU CAN BE

CHAPTER 1:

Beginning to Think Differently About Our Health

I’m Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired—Fannie Lou Hamer

Good physical health begins with obtaining good mental health.  But in the world in which we live today, obtaining and maintaining good health is not easy, in fact it’s downright hard!  Daily we are bombarded with advertising promoting everything except good physical or mental health choices.  The focus is on having us consume everything which appeals to the senses.  Our sense of delight with rich, fatty foods, our sense of adventure encouraged by the need to buy and do more, our sense of looking outside of our own selves to accomplish what others are doing.  This atmosphere of always wanting more, encourages us to stay on a proverbial hamster wheel of stress and frustration. 

The result is we finally become too tired on this ‘wheel’ to keep up, and ultimately become unhealthy, suffer and finally die sooner than any other race of people! As Black people here in America, we are dying at alarming rates!  Every day we not only hear about people being shot dead by the police, gang members and others, but we hear of relatively young people succumbing to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer, blood clots, aneurysms and a host of other ailments which can be prevented, controlled or at least maintained in such a way as to allow us to live a longer life.  Therefore, we need to ask ourselves: ‘How long do I really want to live?’ & ‘What type of health do I really want?’

Getting honest with ourselves about our health is the first step.  We must first adopt an attitude of mindfulness (the quality or state of being conscious or fully aware), about our own bodies.  Good health is like teeth, ignore them and they will go away. 

How many times have we woke up and found we notice something going on with our bodies which was not present the previous day?  We then begin to ask ourselves what we did the day(s) before which could have caused this.  We suddenly become very mindful in that moment of what is going on with our body.  This is the type of mindfulness we need to have regarding our bodies every day, not just when something is wrong. 

We should pay attention to whether we are gaining or losing weight, whether we have dark circles or bags forming under our eyes; whether our skin or hair is changing color or texture.  Have we developed pain somewhere?  And what type, intensity and duration is that pain?  (Pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis.) We should truly observe everything going on with our bodies daily.  Subtle changes which could indicate a problem should not go unnoticed or unaddressed.   

Keep in mind that everything we see advertised on media is designed to make money for someone else.  Therefore, we must begin to filter what we let influence us.  When we are tempted to run out and buy what we’ve seen, we should stop and ask ourselves if it is something which will benefit us, something we truly need, or something which has simply tickled our senses?

I was truly saddened a few years ago, when my closest friend and cousin passed away suddenly from a blood clot.  She was only forty-nine years old, the mother of two children and grandmother of six.  She passed away suddenly, one Sunday afternoon.  Her husband stated that she was experiencing pain in the calf of one of her legs, which began the day before.  She declined to go to the emergency room, however.  He stated she wanted to wait until Monday to see her personal physician. Unfortunately, Monday never came for her! 

She and her husband had gone fishing that weekend.  She had swelling and pain in the calf of one leg.  But instead of addressing the issue, sat on the back of her truck’s gate and fished for several hours, her leg becoming stiff, sore and swollen.  She then proceeded to go home that afternoon, complaining about being very tired.  She went to her bedroom to rest and was left alone in the house. 

When the family returned, she was found slumped onto the floor as if she tried to get to her cell phone which was on her bedside table.  She collapsed and died before reaching it!  In the months following her death, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve searched my memory for any complaints she may have voiced to me (a nurse) regarding leg pain.  Not one time!     

Her husband stated that her choice to delay medical treatment for this problem was twofold: 

1)  She did not want to incur a large medical bill, if she had gone to the emergency room and it was determined that it was not a true emergency.

2)  Being a strong Black woman, she did not want anyone fussing over her.

How often we as Black people feel we must make these types of choices!  Let’s face it, for practically all our existence here in America, our health has not been our priority or that of anyone else. We know well our history of just trying to survive, make financial ends meet, and many times, working literally until we drop dead!

In the case of my cousin, she had worked with me the weeks prior to her death without any complaints.  In fact, she had worked with me for eight years, and was covered by health insurance.  She had the usual colds and flu, declining to take flu shots.  But had at least an annual physical and occasional doctor’s visits for minor complaints.  She had only been hospitalized once during all that time for a hysterectomy and appendectomy. 

She was over-weight though and not interested in losing weight.  She had hypertension but enjoyed all types of food and drinks.  She was twelve years my junior and would often kiddingly say: I’m going to start eating right when I get to be your age.  If only she would have then! How many times do we meet or know people with this viewpoint?  The attitude that I deserve to eat what I   want or I should be able to eat whatever I like because I work hard.

Many times, people making this statement are over-weight and suffering from health issues, but their attitude is still unconcern about how their diet may be affecting their health.  Many times food is looked at as one of few real pleasures in life, one which cannot be sacrificed for what may be our greater good.

Yes, good health is a choice.  And how we eat, drink, and live overall plays a tremendous part in how healthy we become and/or remain. Exercise, or the lack thereof is the next huge stumbling block we face.  So often we hear people say, I don’t have time to exercise, and lack of energy too is a major reason people don’t exercise.  But amazingly, if we just get into a routine of some moderate exercise, we will find that this creates more energy for us. 

Walking 30 minutes four or five times weekly will go a long way toward helping alleviate all types of health issues, including low energy and feeling tired all the time.  Exercise has been proven to lower blood pressure, blood sugars and reduce the risk of cancer.  But motivation to just do it, is the main reason we don’t!

CHAPTER 2:

What Truly Motivates Us?

Grow Up, but Never Grow Old – Dr. Johnny Gilchrist

I heard a therapist say once: Life is about choices, make yours wisely.  Whatever direction our lives take is not just by chance, it is about consequences of the choices we have and are making daily.  Old habits many times dictate current and future actions.  If we grew up in a household where we felt deprived of something, (as is the case for many of us) our behavior may reflect a need to over-compensate in those areas.  Not having had enough food, or having food, which was not appetizing, may