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Event Series Event Series: African Heritage and Health Week

African Heritage and Health Week

February 1 - February 7

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African Heritage and Health Week

Celebrate African Heritage and Health Week during the first week of Black History Month. It’s a great way to begin the traditional February observance of Black History Month. African Heritage and Health Week celebrates the healthy foods, flavors and cooking techniques of African ancestors that lived on the African continent and later in South America, the Caribbean, and the American South. In addition, it’s an observance held by Oldways, a nonprofit organization that helps people rediscover and embrace healthy, sustainable joys from the “old ways” of shared cultural traditions. The colors associated with African Heritage and Health Week are black, red, yellow, and green.

African Heritage Health week celebrations focus on the following topics. Later, we will offer some advice on how you can support the Black community.

Celebrating African Heritage and Health Week

This week allows African-Americans to explore healthy traditions. Celebrations will include cuisine infused with herbs, spices, and lean proteins. Though these items are healthy choices, they’re usually combined with American cooking styles. These techniques involve frying or adding high amounts of salts to ingredients. It’s not the best choice to prepare food like this all the time.

Trying out the traditional African diet may allow you to make better choices. Take a look at a few African diet must-haves that you can include daily:

  • Steamed veggies like okra, cabbage, green beans.
  • Lean beef, lamb, goat, camel, poultry, wild game.
  • Pigeon peas, black beans, kidney beans.
  • Fish, eggs, poultry, yogurt, and healthy oils.
  • Tamarind, plums, dates, figs, pomegranates.

Health Issues Within the Black Community

Black Americans face more health issues than their white counterparts. Black people are less likely to have insurance and they do not always receive the best healthcare treatments. This puts the Black community at a higher risk for heart diseases, stroke, and diabetes.

Poverty and injustice also play a huge part in healthcare inequality. Most times, it’s harder for Black communities to access their everyday health needs. Also, poor communities lack the necessary information that could help them prevent diseases.

Healthcare inequality is a very real and important issue. Helping others is the first step in working towards an equal healthcare system.

  • Have conversations to bring attention to the health issues that affect Black Americans.
  • Organize events to support those close to you.
  • Share resources that help the Black Community.
  • Donate to African Heritage and Health programs.
  • Reach out to your loved ones when they are struggling.

Talk About Health History During African Heritage and Health Week

African Heritage and Health Week is also a good time to learn more about your family’s health history. Some conditions like breast cancer, diabetes and heart disease have strong ties to genes that can be passed down through generations. Black Americans have higher rates of some of these conditions. For example, African Americans men are 1.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men. And while African American women and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at about the same rate, deaths rates from the disease among African American women are 40% higher than death rates in white women. Charting family health history can make you better aware of your risk for certain conditions. It’s always beneficial to consult with your doctor to determine the best personal health plan for you.

Check-in With Your Doctor

Checking in on your health is one of the best ways to support your community. African Heritage and Health Week is the perfect time to get in touch with your doctor. Seeking out preventative care helps diagnose health problems while they’re still treatable. By staying on top of your health, you can increase the chances of recovery.

You should also encourage your friends and family to get checkups, too. If they are facing struggles with their health, be sure to offer you support as well. Driving your loved ones to appointments or even offering to run errands are great ways to show you care.

(Image: Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)

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Details

Start:
February 1
End:
February 7
Series:
African Heritage and Health Week