b'risk.ContinuedchangeinbehaviorcanpreventPartoftheissueistheneedformoreAfrican complications and deaths, she said. Americanhealthcareproviders,whocanidentify withculturaldifferencesandaBlackwomans African American women can lead the way. concerns, she said. Have a health care provider who is familiar with your baseline health status, who will African American mothers should make sure younglistentoconcernsandrecommendanappropriate children who cant decide for themselves are protectedwork up, Dr. Bell said. whileeducatingandencouragingyoungadultsto protect themselves, Dr. Bell said. Dr. Bell provided these tips for women to follow to African Americans in the 20- to 30-year-old categorypreserve their health:remainamongthegroupswithlowvaccinationGet routine cancer screenings, including a rates. They need voices they respect and trust to helpcolonoscopy, pap smears and breast screenings. overcometheirdistrustorsimplytheirbeliefthatWe should know our family histories of these theyarenttrulyatrisk.Weneedtoenhanceourconditions, she said.ownhealthcareseekingbehaviorandweneedtoDont smoke. Smoking contributes to enhance that influence we have over our loved onescardiovascular disease and cancer.and communities, Dr. Bell said. Participate in regular physical activity, but dont be too hard on yourself; its OK to not go to the gym Give Ourselves the Grace to Take Care ofor run on a treadmill. Do things were more likely Ourselves to sustain and enjoy; walking, gardening and line While African American women are more likely todancing can be great exercise.Anything that will seek care than their male counterparts, they still haveget your heart rate up for about 30 minutes each a higher rate of worse outcomes from conditions likeday will help you mentally and physically, she breast cancer, cervical cancer and heart disease. said. It doesnt have to be hard.OneofthecontributorstothatIfBlackwomenaregoingto is they are often diagnosed late inhelp others, they must first care thecourseoftheseconditions,for themselves, Dr. Bell said. Dr.Bellsaid,addingthatearly detectionandtreatmentleadtoWeaswomenespeciallydont bettersurvivalfromtreatablegiveenoughattentiontohow conditions. muchthingssuchasstressin ourlivescontributetopoor Shealsosaidtherearetimeshealth,shesaid.Ithinkwe whenBlackwomenseekingcareneed to give ourselves the grace dont get the same level of care astotakecareofourselvessowe womenofsomeotherraces.Acan take care of our families and Blackwomancomplainingaboutbe a model for other people.indigestionorfatiguemightbe told to lose weight and they will be fine, while others might be given a full cardiac workup to detect heart disease.Follow IMARA WomanMagazine on Twitter!'