Today it is time to talk gymnastics and hair. So what does this have to do with health and fitness?
More than you think.
Nearly two weeks after the 2012 Summer Olympic Games ended, U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas announced that she is teaming with famed New York hair stylist Ted Gibson after she was criticized mostly by black women about her hair while winning the women's all-around title.
Making black hair look like white hair is a sad badge of honor for many black women. They spend billions on weaving in hair mostly from Asia and India to look right. If you want to know more, "Good Hair," comedian Chris Rock's documentary on the $9 billion black hair care industry, is a must watch.
So once again, what does this have to do with health and fitness?
Plenty.
Many believe that black women would rather look right in the hair salon than go to the gym to work on their bodies. According to Minority Health, black women have the highest obesity rate of any group on the United States. In a study done from 2007-10 black women were 70 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites.
Hair plays a big role.
The issue is so important that two women — Alexandria Williams and Whitney Patterson — started a website called sportyafros.com to educate black women about exercise and taking care of their hair. Sportyafros.com became an important website during the Olympics after mostly black women told Douglas her hair looked greasy and needed a brush taken to it.
"According to the Office of Minority Health, 4 out 5 African-American women are overweight or obese," the women wrote on sportyafros.com. "It is our personal mission to change this statistic by providing the tools to empower and encourage black women to lead healthy, active lifestyles."
The words of criticism hurt Douglas, and it caused a huge Internet spike in the black community. One of the themes is: We take care of our hair but not ourselves. Locally, one of our friends was irate that her child took an F in swimming.
Why?
She did not want to mess up her hair.
My daughter Celine plays soccer, and during big tournaments, we braid her hair so she does not have to maintain it. But we are going to make sure she swims, runs and kicks a ball around. That is more important than having a great 'do.
I will repeat this one more time. We are making ourselves sick with our lack of movement. Michigan is the fifth fattest state in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three more states (12 total) have an obesity rate of 30 percent or higher. Michigan is at 31.3 percent.
We've got to do better. And you cannot allow your hair to stand in the way of good health.
