Aging is an Honor

            It is Healthy Aging Awareness Month. As I reflect on human life in the last few years, from my personal point of view, I feel like many middle age and younger people are dealing with more health issues or succumbing to these medical conditions as compared to the older generations. The older generation were those who had less access to healthcare treatment, yet many of them are living well into their 80’s and beyond. The leading causes of death for women in general are cancer and heart disease and as Black women, this is also the top along with stroke according to the CDC. With stroke being the only difference here, some of the causes of the condition are stress, uncontrollable high blood pressure, overtreatment of medication, obesity, diabetes, and race/ethnicity.

          In the Scientific America Journal, a recent study has shown that after many years of a declining death rates for Black people, these numbers are now starting to increase once again. So, the question to ask is what happened? The most recent thing was COVID-19, as a large portion of black people in the U.S. lost their lives to the virus. Then, there is the continued issue of black women dying during or after child birth and many living in low income communities with decreased access to good healthcare and healthy food.

          Now the biggest task for us is to figure out how to improve our longevity in this world? I know I want to live to see 100 years old, so if you’re with me, here are some recommended steps to help:

• Get lots of sleep: Aim for 8-9 hours, but if you can get 7 hours of sleep that is good as well.
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables: Fresh, frozen, or even canned is still a good way to get nutrients.
• Drink lots of water: The amount depends on your body and lifestyle, but 4-6 cups is optimal.
• Reduce your salt intake: To help keep blood pressure down, which is a precursor to conditions such as a stroke. Recently, researchers have discovered a possible genetic marker for Black people that makes us more sensitive to salt.
• Reduce your stress: Meditate, do deep breathing, or find other outlets to keep your mind, body, and soul stress free
• Exercise or stay active: walking, climbing steps, going to gym, or playing sports are all ways to keep you in motion.
• Take multivitamins or other supplements: sometimes based on what we eat, we are not getting enough of our daily recommended doses of certain vitamins.
• Visit the doctor: get your annual checkups including mammogram/colonoscopy/EKG to make sure your body is functioning up to par.
• Visit the dentist: gum disease has been linked to heart disease and stroke. Sometimes our mouth lets us know about other medical conditions such as kidney disease and cancer before other symptoms arise.
• Find a hobby: gives you purpose and keep you sane as our daily responsibilities often bring along many pressures.
• Limit alcohol consumption: No more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 for men, but even less is better.
• Quit smoking: The more years of smoking cigarettes the more you age and increase the risk for disease; seek help from a professional.

          I often joke around about my age because I look younger than what I am, but aging is a honor and I always confess to my age in the end. So, whether you are 21 or 65, the next time someone asks you how old you are, be proud because not everyone lives to see that age.