My Mind, My Body, My Journey™ 

These next few blog posts will explore the benefits of caring for your body and making steps for physical wellness. Taking care of your body is important for your overall health. 1 Corinthians 6:19 is a popular bible verse that reminds us to treat our bodies well, noting that your body is a temple.

Many of the leading causes of premature death and disability can be attributed to chronic diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sixty percent of adults in the United States have at least one chronic disease and forty percent of adults in the United States have at least two chronic diseases¹. Chronic diseases include heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Many chronic diseases are attributed to lifestyle choices such as use of tobacco, excessive use of alcohol, physical inactivity, and poor diet.¹

Recognizing the need to care for your body at an early age can promote long-term healthy habits that can reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases and improve your quality of life. Caring for your body and healthy lifestyle habits are especially important for women of childbearing age. Given that half of all pregnancies are unplanned², it is important for women to focus on ensuring optimum physical wellness and preconception health. Poor preconception health can contribute to maternal morbidity, which has been defined by the World Health Organization as any health condition attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy and childbirth that has negative outcomes to the woman’s wellbeing³.

I think that it is difficult to make healthy lifestyle choices due to societal norms. I would argue that it is a privilege to engage in healthy lifestyle choices. Food deserts are common in underserved and rural communities throughout the country. Environmental barriers such as lack of sidewalks, parks, and unsafe neighborhoods pose as additional barriers to engaging in physical activity. Being able to afford gym memberships and/or home-based exercise videos are also privileges. Eating healthy in America depends on your neighborhood, educational background, and income level. Living in Chicago has taught me that many of the 77 communities do not have equal access to food, much equal access to healthy food options. Based on my experiences with shopping for food, I noticed price differences between healthy food choices and unhealthy food choices. It is often much more economical to purchase processed food choices which are higher in saturated fat than to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Being able to avoid stress and have restful sleep are also lifestyle habits impacted by privilege.

I think it is important to acknowledge that healthy lifestyle choices often take time as they force us to go against what is normal, what is easy, and what is affordable. I believe this may explain why so many Americans have chronic diseases and so many American women have poor preconception health. I believe that committing to small healthy lifestyle changes over time is more substantiable and realistic than committing to complete healthy lifestyle overhauls. I encourage you to reflect on areas in your life where you can improve your physical wellness, care for your body, and treat your body as your temple. Some steps include reducing consumption of soda, tobacco, and alcohol. Others can include walking more, eating more fruits and vegetables, and reducing your consumption of fast food. I encourage you to think about starting this journey to improve your preconception health and reduce the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions as you age. We only have one body, so love it, care for it, cherish it, and make it your temple of health and physical wellness.

Wishing you health and happiness

References:

1. About Chronic Diseases. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Website. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm. Updated July 21, 2022. Accessed November 19, 2022.
2. Preconception Health. Office on Women’s Health Website. https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-get-pregnant/preconception-health. Updated February 22, 201. Accessed November 19, 2022.
3. What are Maternal Morbidity and Mortality? National Institute of Health Office of Research on Women’s Health Website. https://orwh.od.nih.gov/mmm-portal/what-mmm. Accessed November 19, 2022.