The CDC and the Black Heart Association are partnering to raise awareness of heart health self-care among Black women.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, especially black women.

“It kills more women than all types of cancer combined,” Dr. Leandris Liburd, acting director of the Office of Health Equity (OHE) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told theGrio. “When you think about black women, we know that black women are 60% more likely to have high blood pressure. The morbidity rate is high and the mortality rate from stroke is high.”

But, Rivard says, “this doesn’t have to be the case.”

Liburdo said there is a lot we can do as a community to change these statistics together, but the first step is to ” [as Black women] We need to decide that it is worth taking care of ourselves and putting our health first. ”

During American Heart Month, CDC’s Live to the Beat initiative, which aims to engage Black women in their heart health, is partnering with the Black Heart Association to raise awareness of this urgent concern. Rivard and Black Heart Association founder Tara Robinson sit down with The Griot to discuss this partnership, the issues at hand, and what Black women most need to understand about heart health today. I did.

These alarming rates can be attributed to “systemic factors over which women have little control,” such as economics, environment, family history, and access to health care and insurance, Librud said, but mental health also plays a role. He said that it plays a big role in the health of people. health.

“We really want to give Black women permission to prioritize their own self-care and start thinking about self-care,” she explained.

Robinson, who with her husband founded the Black Heart Association in Texas after surviving three heart attacks in three days at the age of 40, is sounding the alarm about what can happen if stress and anxiety are not managed. . After spending her entire life in “fight-or-flight” mode, dealing with tremendous stress and caring for others, Robinson suffered a heart attack. She is currently working on educating the Black community about managing their well-being.

When you feel stressed or anxious about something, your body goes into fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline and increasing cortisol levels, she said.

“[Your body] “Adrenaline is released, your heart rate increases, your blood pressure increases,” she continued. “It was a very long-term thing, and it was a long-term thing for me, but can you imagine doing that for 40 years? And all of a sudden, it becomes like a ticking time bomb. And that’s what I… It’s life for many of us.”

Robinson said one of the first things she asks people when doing outreach through the association is, “Are you okay?” “Then let’s dig a little deeper,” she said.

Given how many Black women are heads of households, primary breadwinners, and work demanding jobs with grueling hours, many could stand to take a serious approach to self-care, Robinson said. Mr. Rivard understands.

“That’s why this campaign is so important. We want to be proactive rather than working from behind and being caught by surprise,” said Robinson, who also lost a brother-in-law to heart disease. said.

Adopting new health approaches, such as lifestyle or dietary changes, can be difficult, so the Heart2Heart Challenge encourages people to take small steps instead, Rivard said. These simple, small steps toward better self-care are similar to taking deep breaths, journaling, stretching, and ultimately resting when you’re anxious or stressed. It doesn’t have to be a major part of someone’s schedule.

“Just find 15 or 20 minutes of free time and take a short break,” Rivard says.

The idea is that over time, 15 or 20 minutes can become even longer, and one or two small steps can become a complete self-care routine.

Another element of the challenge is going for professional testing and seeking professional mental health resources if needed. The campaign also seeks to destigmatize seeking professional help for mental health, as mental health has a lasting impact on overall health. The final part is to share what you’ve been doing so far with at least one other person who can encourage you to develop your own self-care habits.

Liburd said she wants Black women to “reimagine their health possibilities.”

“I’ve also observed places where people assume that whatever happens in their community, that’s what will happen to them,” she said. “So when you grow up with a lot of chronic illnesses, people start to think it’s inevitable. If other people have had diabetes, it’s inevitable that I’ll get diabetes too. It’s inevitable that you won’t survive after a certain period of time. It’s inevitable that you’ll develop high blood pressure. It’s not.”

Robinson reiterated that Black women need to know they matter.

“Their lives matter and they have a right to be happy and well and live and dance and smile and laugh here. We deserve it,” she said.

When it comes to black women taking their health seriously, Robinson simply said, “The time has passed, it’s past.”

Kay Wicker is a lifestyle writer for theGrio, covering health, wellness, travel, beauty, fashion, and the myriad ways Black people live and enjoy life. She has created content for magazines, newspapers, and digital brands.

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