
“I spend way too much money on my hair to be sweating it out!” “I am not trying to mess up my hair!” “Washing my hair is a pain!” Does this sound like you? Are these the excuses you use to keep from working out?
Heart disease, AIDS, diabetes, and breast cancer are some of the major health issues affecting women. It’s important that we do everything we possibly can to live a healthy lifestyle including watching what we eat and getting the proper amount of exercise. Many studies have shown that some of these diseases and/or the complications from these diseases can be prevented if women would monitor their food intake and exercise 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. I already know what you’re thinking. Exercise 30 minutes a day? 3-5 times a week? What about my hair? Well, what about it? Is looking good really worth more than being healthy?
Recently, the 2011 Bronner Brothers Hair Show was held in Atlanta, Georgia. During the hair show, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General, gave a presentation regarding women failing to exercise because of their hair. One of the things that she pointed out was that during her travels around the country, she kept hearing the same comments from women of all different races and ethnicities – blacks, Hispanics, and older white women to name a few. “I spent $50 to get my hair done and I don’t want to be exercising afterwards.” During her presentation, “she cited two studies published in the American Journal of Public Health that examined why fewer than 30% of minority women in the United States get the recommended level of exercise. The reasons were lack of time followed by ‘economic constraints, major life changes or traumas, safety issues, weather and the environment, the hassle of personal care such as showering and keeping hair looking good’.”
I will admit it. I have used my hair as an excuse not to exercise. I would say things like, “I sweat in my head too much,” “I don’t have time to wash my hair everyday,” or “I am going to wait until I get my hair braided to exercise.” Now that I am almost forty and fabulous, I have decided that it is time that I get serious about my health and stop making excuses. I have taken the plunge and joined a gym. I am happy to say that I have already lost 3 lbs and am on my way to a healthier me. What is it going to take for you to get on the road to good health?
Ladies, what’s really important here: your hair or your health? Is there a way to have the best of both worlds – good looking hair and good health?
Tonya D. Zeigler
Heart disease, AIDS, diabetes, and breast cancer are some of the major health issues affecting women. It’s important that we do everything we possibly can to live a healthy lifestyle including watching what we eat and getting the proper amount of exercise. Many studies have shown that some of these diseases and/or the complications from these diseases can be prevented if women would monitor their food intake and exercise 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. I already know what you’re thinking. Exercise 30 minutes a day? 3-5 times a week? What about my hair? Well, what about it? Is looking good really worth more than being healthy?
Recently, the 2011 Bronner Brothers Hair Show was held in Atlanta, Georgia. During the hair show, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General, gave a presentation regarding women failing to exercise because of their hair. One of the things that she pointed out was that during her travels around the country, she kept hearing the same comments from women of all different races and ethnicities – blacks, Hispanics, and older white women to name a few. “I spent $50 to get my hair done and I don’t want to be exercising afterwards.” During her presentation, “she cited two studies published in the American Journal of Public Health that examined why fewer than 30% of minority women in the United States get the recommended level of exercise. The reasons were lack of time followed by ‘economic constraints, major life changes or traumas, safety issues, weather and the environment, the hassle of personal care such as showering and keeping hair looking good’.”
I will admit it. I have used my hair as an excuse not to exercise. I would say things like, “I sweat in my head too much,” “I don’t have time to wash my hair everyday,” or “I am going to wait until I get my hair braided to exercise.” Now that I am almost forty and fabulous, I have decided that it is time that I get serious about my health and stop making excuses. I have taken the plunge and joined a gym. I am happy to say that I have already lost 3 lbs and am on my way to a healthier me. What is it going to take for you to get on the road to good health?
Ladies, what’s really important here: your hair or your health? Is there a way to have the best of both worlds – good looking hair and good health?
Tonya D. Zeigler