Have you seen this article in the New York Times: Surgeon General Calls for Health Over Hair? At first I had to look twice -- I could not believe the Surgeon General of the United States was talking about Black women, hair and exercise!
Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General, recognizes that hair styles and hair maintenance can be factors in how often Black women exercise, and that can ultimately have an effect on our obesity rates ond overall health. (According to the NY Times article, a recent study of Black women showed that third exercised less because they were concerned it would jeopardize their hair -- and of those women, 88% did not meet basic government exercise guidelines.) She says that removing obstacles to excerise -- including worrying about hair -- is important to all women's health, and especially Black women.
It's so encouraging to hear this discussion coming from Dr. Benjamin, who is at the top of the medical profession!
The article also talks about how one African-American doctor, Rebecca Alleyne (pictured at right), stopped exercising her own self when she went from hair extensions to pressing her hair -- and she gained five pounds in six weeks. Then she started wearing her hair natural and started exercising again.
And it's so wonderful to see Dr. Alleyne wearing and promoting natural hair styles and really focusing on the main goal -- which is exercise and healthy lifestyle. The old mindset is that doctors in our community have straightened hair, so she's a great role model.
I am loving that this story is coming from doctors, and especially Black women doctors! It shows that these women are not just health professionals, but real women who understand what it's like to juggle busy schedules and have to make choices about what to do about our hair. I'm so glad the NY Times is talking about this.
Something else interesing in the article -- it's not just us. "It's not just African-American women," says Dr. Benjamin. "I’ve talked to a number of people, and I saw it with my older white patients too. They would say, 'I get my hair done every week and I don’t want to mess up my hair.'" Hey, who knew?
As the Natural Hair Coach, I can't promote healthy hair without discussing overall health. Exercise and healthy eating promotes healthy hair growth. Not just that, but exercise reduces your stress level and we all know that lots of stress can cause hair breakage and hair loss.
Healthy hair helps you look and feel good, but there's no substitute for the kind of feeling good that you get when you move your body regularly.
Tell us, has your hair style (natural or not) ever part of your decision to exercise or not? Would you exercise more, or do different kinds of exercise, like swimming, if you never had to think about your hair? If you exercise now, what styles work best for you, and how do you work it all into your schedule? Please post your Comment below.
To your health (and your hair!)
Kirigo
Your Natural Hair Coach
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