Wellness

Black-Owned Health and Wellness Businesses to Support Now and Always

By Diana J. Smith 6 months ago

As the country is still grappling with the tragic death of George Floyd and the ongoing protests in its wake, musician and activist Calvin Martyr has launched #BlackOutDay2020 on July 7. This campaign calls for an economic boycott where the Black community pauses on buying to highlight their economic spending power. If they do spend money, they are encouraged to buy from Black-owned businesses only.

Just like the fashion and beauty industries, the wellness and health space is full of brands that are founded and run by Black women and men. Whether they’re selling aromatherapy candles, producing fitness-minded podcasts or shattering stigmas of what it means to be “well” for Black women, each of these companies was once just a dream and is now a hard-earned reality.

But don’t just shop these Black-owned businesses today, or this week. Support them regularly, engage with them on social media and spread

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Wellness in the COVID era

By Diana J. Smith 7 months ago

Before long, wellness will be measured by more than the macabre checklist of curve-flattening behavior that’s defined life under Covid-19. Soon our well-being will demand more – the presence of a positive, not just the absence of a negative.

It’s a golden opportunity to restart life down a healthier path. But how? Before the coronavirus, 2020 actually had been a good year for wellness in medical journals. As we regain mobility, these studies are worth recalling. Wellness is closer than you might think.

According to leading lights, our long-term welfare is tied in no small part to having friends, exercising regularly and drinking coffee. Laughter, lunges and lattes – could it really be that simple? I think so.

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal cited a Harvard study focusing on the importance of male friendship. According to the research, the single best predictor of a man’s health and

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