Three factors tend to stand out when it comes to obesity in African Americans. The first is their culture. Studies have shown that African-Americans tend to have a better acceptance of larger body sizes than other cultures. This can be good and bad. Because of their tolerance for larger body sizes, obesity has become the norm leaving African-Americans with more obesity/health-related illnesses when compared to other cultures. African-Americans tend to feel less guilty about overeating. They also tend to shy away from dieting.

The second factor is the environment. Not necessarily where they live, but what is available to them in regards to nutrition. There are nutritious foods available, but the cost is overwhelming for many African-American people, especially if they are feeding their entire family. In many African-American neighborhoods, there are fast-food restaurants on every corner. These fast-food restaurants offer fried, fatty foods that are full of sodium, and then you have the sugary drinks to wash the food down.

The third factor, which seems to be repeated from generation to generation, is family and upbringing. Many African-American families do not make nutrition a top priority. One popular tradition is “soul food,” which is fine if done in moderation, but this food has a very high-fat content, sugar, and sodium content for flavor. Continuous consumption of these foods without exercise causes our system to gain weight continuously.

African-Americans can decrease the obesity trend by significantly decreasing their intake of fast foods and increasing the amount of physical activity. This will not only decrease the effects on obesity but can also decrease the possibility of becoming a diabetic, which is also prevalent in African-American communities. Statistics show that compared to the general population, African-Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes, 13.2% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diagnosed diabetes. African-Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes when compared to the Hispanic population.

© EthLeen

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The people of Africa as well as other areas of the globe can enjoy some of the same freedoms as the people in the United States of America due to a London-based human rights organization known as Article 19. Article 19 was established in 1987. It takes its name from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, ‘Everyone has the right of freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impact information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.” Article 19 monitors threats to free expression around the globe and provides legal counsel for all whose rights have been violated.

Article 19 has a strong presence in Africa. Recently, it helped Kenya get a victory for freedom of speech. Here is what article 19 accomplished for the people of Kenya;

Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court, which declared eight sections of Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 unconstitutional. “Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court that several sections of the Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 are unconstitutional, in particular those which unduly restrict freedom of expression.

You may wonder how this helps Africans who already reside in the United States. The answer is simple. Having the peace of mind of knowing that being an African that once lived in Africa and now having the ability to learn all that is happening in their home country with very few restrictions, with the help of Article 19, gives them peace of mind and hope that things will continue to change for the better and that they can always stay in contact without restrictions.

©EthLeen

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But first, Umar Abdullah-Johnson gives an interesting definition to the term ADHD. He states, “With nearly most Black children being reared in single parent households it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the ADHD diagnosis has been on the rise, which in most cases has nothing to do with any neurologically-based brain dysfunction, but rather a family-based emotional dysfunction that I refer to sarcastically, but truthfully as “Absence of Daddy from Home Disorder,” which is the real ADHD.”

Here are some of Umar Abdullah-Johnson’s reasons for African-American marriage failure in the U.S.:

Searching for Security: Unmet Emotional Needs from Childhood – Because many come from dysfunctional families or had relationships that were dysfunctional they tend to search for things they never had such as security, attention, acceptance, intimacy, love, approval and trust. This is done unconsciously. You must become consciously aware of how your poor relationships continue to show in your romantic behavior.

Self-Hatred: Looking for Someone to Love You – Many African-American people replay old abusive memories in their mind when something goes wrong in their lives. You tend to spend a significant portion of your life trying to find love, but then fail. You cannot reciprocate that love because you do not love yourself. Until you are able to love yourself, you will never be able to give love in return.

Material Meltdown: Buying Happiness – Umar Abdullah-Johnson states, “Money buys pleasure, it can never buy happiness .In fact, the pleasures that money buy often lead to addictions that destroy relationships.”

Escaping Misery: Looking for a Way out of Your Pain – You tend to reach for a new relationship to help you with your pain. You do not have the discipline our resolve to ease your own pain or problems. As soon as that relationship no longer gives you which you need, you disregard it. You must develop a relationship with yourself first.

Post-Traumatic Relationship Disorder: The Ghost of Relationships Past – Umar Abdullah-Johnson states, “Between relationships we all need a period of fasting, where we give our minds and souls the opportunity to heal and rest, before we attempt to “get it right the next time.”
These are a few examples of relationship failure, according to Umar Abdullah-Johnson. If any ring true for you, seek therapy before a relationship.

©EthLeen

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If you and your family find yourself in this situation there is a way to survive. Here are some poverty survival tips.

According to Joel John Roberts, a homeless services and housing executive, the first thing you need to consider is housing. His advice is finding one house and sharing it with family. This needs to be done until you are able to save enough money to afford your own home or a place to stay.

The next thing is food. Shopping in the supermarket is now considered a luxury. You must prepare yourself to stand in long lines at your local food bank for foods such as big blocks of cheddar cheese, dented vegetable and meat cans and expired bread from grocery stores.

When it comes to clothing, shopping in the malls is a thing of the past, at least for now. You will purchase your clothing at thrift stores such as Goodwill. Goodwill monitors the clothing that comes in and provides you with their best secondhand clothing. You will appreciate this on cold days and nights.

Going to eat is possible, but you must do it in a more humble way. This does not include a trip to McDonald’s. The choices you have in survival mode are a soup kitchen or your local faith group. This is not as bad as it sounds. This food is made with loving hands and can include things like fresh turkey, mashed potatoes and a vegetable. This will keep your stomach full and help you stay on your survival budget.

Next, you must sell your car. There is no room in your budget for gas, insurance or maintenance on your car. The public bus is much more affordable and you can think of it as having your own chauffeur for wherever you need to go.

All kids feel like they will just die if they do not have access to the Internet. They can use the Internet at your local library for free.

Being broke does not mean you can’t have fun. You can play in the park or take a stroll on the beach. It’s free.

As long as your family stays strong in faith and your love for each other you will survive this turbulent time.

©EthLeen

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A good example of this, according to Robyn Silverman, a New Jersey-based child and teen development specialist is in the following example:

“You say, ‘I made this commitment to go to the PTA meeting, but I’m really tired. I don’t want to go. So this is a real hard choice for me, but commitment is really important for me,'” and so on. “They hear your process.”

Experts also state that the world is your classroom. Lessons can arise from books your children read, movies they watch or from interacting with their peers.

“This strategy of explanation and engagement is what psychologist Eileen Kennedy-Moore calls “modeling plus”—essentially, taking role modeling to the next level. That’s because simply doing something on its own doesn’t always drive the message home to your kids.”

As I’m sure you are well aware, this may not work with every child or every time. But, as I am sure you have experienced, the idea of do as I say, not what I do will never work with kids. Remember, your kids are watching you even when you think they are not. You always want your messages to be consistent and positive. They will always model your behavior. If you want your children to exercise and eat well you must follow that same philosophy. Make it fun by doing it together.

It is important to note that as your children get older the form of the message you are trying to convey must match their age and comprehension skills. One psychologist refers to this as her “30 year plan.” The characteristics that parents should instill in their children include empathy, integrity and honesty. By displaying these qualities yourself and instilling them in your children they will grow to be good parents, good partners and good citizens of the world.

Whether we are adults or children we are all looking for the same things in life. We are looking for happiness, connection with others and inspiration. By using the modeling plus technique this is possible.

©EthLeen

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Women are married into a family

Marrying a Tanzanian man implies that the woman is married to the man’s extended family. The woman becomes one among siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and other distant relatives. The brothers of the husband are by extension husbands of the newly-wed woman (although not in the sexual sense) and must be obeyed and respected. In essence, the woman should expect conflict since some of these relatives may make unrealistic demands on her.

In the words of John Azu in Allafrica.com: “Marriage cannot be complete without in-laws. In fact in-laws are an essential part of your spouse’s life and by extension, your life. Perhaps they are a crucial string required to pull your family into harmony as a result of our African culture which emphasizes on building bridges of extended relations.”

The husband is loyal to the family

In a typical traditional Tanzanian set up, the husband will take the side of the extended family whenever there is a conflict. The woman is expected to follow suit. This implies that a woman who disagrees with her husband does not expect much support from her adopted family.

Children belong to the extended family

Tanzanian children belong to the larger family. All children a woman bears are regarded as children of their uncles, just as woman married into a family becomes a mother to the children of her husband’s siblings. This gives in-laws the right to discipline children and guide them in life. For example, aunts are very instrumental in bringing up their nieces.

Changing times

According to The African Seer, “In recent years, modern life, industry, and cities have brought changes to African marriages and to the roles of men and women.” In-laws are losing their influence as nuclear families become more independent. But one thing is sure: Tanzanian in-laws will always find time to visit nuclear families of their relatives and stay for as long as they wish!

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