Health education met faith last month ar The Church of Christ Ladies Lectureship annual retreat held at the Hilton Americas downtown in Houston. Our Health Our Wellness (OHOW) was an important part of their “Saddle Up Your Health” Community Health Fair” which attracted more than 300 women. We provided presentations that helped attendees make their wellness a priority.
The Health Fair featured more than 30 exhibitors, including Research Includes Me, which educated attendees about the importance of their participation in clinical trials, particularly for communities of color.
Attendees also had an opportunity to receive invaluable information about wellness. Topics included mental health, cardiovascular wellness, and breast and cervical health. These presentations provided practical information that was prevention-focused.
Chiamaka Nwachukwu (below), APRN-CNP, from the MD Anderson Cancer Prevention Center “Colon Cancer: What You Should Know About Prevention,” featured some key insights on how the disease impacts the Black community and steps that could be taken to lower their risks.
Some key insights included:
- Black people have a higher risk of developing colon cancer, a lower risk of survival, and a higher likelihood of dying from the disease.
- If we have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or offspring) who has colon cancer) we have twice or three times the risk of developing the disease.
- Although there are nonmodifiable risk factors that can’t prevent us from developing the disease, there are many steps we can take to lower our risks by changing some of our lifestyle habits. They include:
- Increasing our intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and whole grains.
- Lower our consumption of red meat and processed food.
- Eat more plant-based food
- Limit alcoholic beverages
- Those of us who have obesity can work on losing weight
- Quit smoking and avoid tobacco-related products
- Get moving with exercise
Nwachukwu pointed out the importance of screening starting at age 45. And although there are other colon cancer screening tests, she noted that colonoscopies are still the best bet. One reason is that polyps can be removed during the screening process.
Attendees of these workshops felt more empowered to advocate for their health and wellness and were more prepared to speak with their HCP about these subjects, which is an essential part of the OHOW mission.