According to the New York Times, “from 2019 to 2020, Hispanic people experienced the greatest drop in life expectancy — three years — and Black Americans saw a decrease of 2.9 years. White people experienced the smallest decline of 1.2 years.”
Why the discrepancy?
Many publications talk about the discrepancies in health care but the glaring fact is that the environment is not set up for health for all.
I know a Black family who lived in a multigenerational home in NYC who lost family members due to COVID but they also were obese and dealing with a lot of health issues prior to COVID. In my view, COVID accelerated what was already happening in their bodies.
The data shows us this. The CDC website lists cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung diseases, dementia or other neurological conditions, diabetes, heart conditions, HIV infection, liver disease, overweight and obese, smoking (current or former) as conditions that make individuals more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.
These are issues that are prevalent in Black and Brown communities. The studies on longevity say we need to:
🏃🏿♀️ Move naturally as the longest living communities in the world walk frequently to all the places they need to go but in the neighborhood I grew up, folks don’t feel comfortable walking around due to fear of gun violence. I do blame the news for this fear but gun violence is real. I never walked in my neighborhood where I lived in Chicago. Folks were getting robbed by gunpoint in the neighborhood where my store was on the Northside on Palm Sunday at 3 pm in the afternoon. Violence of this type at this time of day especially on such a sacred day seemed even more out of control than NYC where I grew up.
🍑 Eat a plant based diet but healthy food access is an issue in Black and Brown communities. One out of every 5 Black households lives under food apartheid (lack of access to fruits and vegetables) yet they are living in food swamps (areas full of liquor stores, convenience stores and fast food restaurants). This is not because the community wants that. It is because the cities and their urban planners allow that to happen. This is why I encourage you all to really speak up to your local politicians and let them know what you want and need in your neighborhood.
On this episode of the Raw Food Health Empowerment Podcast, Jamila Alfred explains how she and two other Black women vegan activists saw a need in the vegan space and decided to pool their resources together to fill it. Now, they are hosting a conference to discuss this very issue of creating a just society.
Make sure to register for AfroVegan Society’s NAVCON happening Saturday, November 13th.
Episode Resources:
🥭 Check our Afro Vegan Society on IG and FB
💞 Join the Facebook Group for support on your wellness journey
🧘🏿 It’s not just a certification. It’s a movement. Learn more about The Plant Protocol.
📖 My book, You Can Afford to Be Healthy
📧 E-mail me to submit a question and get featured on the Raw Food Health Empowerment Podcast
Book Recommendation:
// HOST Samantha Salmon
Certified Integrative Nutrition Coach and Ambassador of Health and Happiness
// CO-HOST Dorrell Hylton Salmon
Mom, Wife, Hair Doctor, Beauty Parlor Counselor, and Prayer Warrior
The information provided in this broadcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration, or the equivalent in your country. Any products/services mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
RawFoodMealPlanner.com © 2021
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