April is National Minority Health Month

What is Minority Health Month?

National Minority Health Month is an initiative that addresses the health needs of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and other minorities. The goal is to eliminate the disproportionate strain of premature death and preventable illness in minority populations through prevention, early detection, and control of disease complications.

April 2020 is about getting active and healthy!

Simple changes to one’s daily routine can transform lives and reduce the risk of chronic diseases and other conditions that often are more common or severe among racial and ethnic minority groups.

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Set Aside 30 Minutes Everyday

Your goal for physical activity should be 30 minutes each day. Walk, jog, or dance!

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Choose Activities You Love

 If you want to become and stay active, you need to practice the physical activities you love and that you want to repeat as often as possible! 

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Move Throughout the Day

The best way to stay active in your everyday life is to integrate exercise into your routine. For instance, do some squats during your 11 a.m. break.

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Focus on Having Fun

Remember that great feeling of being active, the feeling of accomplishment. Find something fun for you!

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Clean the House

Cleaning your home regularly is a great way to stay active. Plus, it makes you feel good to get some chores done!

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Exercise During TV Time

Try some jumping jacks, pushups, or other fat-blasting moves during commercial breaks! The kids will love it too!

Importance of Being Active and Healthy

Understanding the benefits of physical fitness and knowing how active you should be can help you maintain good health and improve your overall quality of life. Here are a couple of benefits of regular physical activity.

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

There are numerous health advantages to physical fitness.

Staying active can also help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and reduce your risk for some cancers.

IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE

 Exercise, however, has been shown to improve mood and mental health, and provides numerous health benefits. 

Of course physical fitness also allows you to do things that you may not otherwise be able to do.

REDUCE YOUR RISK OF INJURY

Regular exercise and physical activity increase muscle strength, bone density, flexibility, and stability. Physical fitness can reduce your risk for and resilience to accidental injuries, especially as you get older.