We live in a world that loves to talk about how to be “healthier” but, often times those conversations are surface level and to not take into account people’s actual lived experiences. As QPOC, we are often left out of conversations around wellness, and most articles or conversations do not take a realistic approach on how to match wellness practices with our everyday lives.
It can be difficult to start these conversations, so we have gathered here 4 things we can do to begin thinking about wellness. Hopefully, this can be a starting point for us to think about how to bring other wellness practices that work for us into our day to day life.
Make time to eat.
Life can get hectic and sometimes it’s hard to find the time, and for some, the motivation, to eat. Sometimes in the middle of a busy work day, or when studying for school, or trying to care for family or depression, it can feel too difficult or too much of a bother to take the time to just sit and eat, but this time is important. Sometimes just blocking out the time in your schedule, or setting aside a specific time in your day can help you remember to take the time to get food. Along with this is: make sure to drink enough water.
Coffee or Tea
There are pro and cons to both. Studies have shown that people who drink tea are at a significantly lower risk of stroke and heart disease. Both of which impact POC communities at a higher rate, with heart disease and stroke being the first and fourth, respectively, leading causes of death for Black/African Americans and the second and fourth for Latinx/Hispanics in Travis County. While coffee has been shown to slow down the onset of Parkinson’s, liver disease, and may prevent colon cancer from returning after treatment. The difference being: coffee has more caffeine and tends to be paired with more sugar and cream, which may offset any health benefits. Cutting out the additional sugar and milk can allow you to get those health benefits from coffee.
Process
Make sure to take the time to process your day. As QPOC we can, and do, encounter violence against us daily. It is important that we take the time to allow ourselves to process our day, whether it be through meditation, music, journal keeping, talking, or any way that works for you. By taking the time to process we allow ourselves the time to heal so that we do not take the negative with us into our personal relationships. It also allows us the time to process the good that happened to us that day, and raise those experiences in our hearts.
Sleep
Sleep can be complicated. One of the first things to be affected by depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as many other physical and mental statuses, is our sleep cycles. Depending on your age the suggested amount of sleep can change, with between 7-8 hours of sleep a night being the most common numbers people know, but for many people that can be difficult. Some people can require more sleep and others require less. Find what works for you, and talk with a local healer or provider if your sleep cycle isn’t working out for you, they may have recommendations or ways to assist.
These are just a few ways we can bring wellness into our everyday life. What about you? What ways to do bring wellness into your everyday life? Let us know in the comments below
