New Morning Star Baptist Church

National Minority Health Month

Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) kicks off National Minority Health Month which is a time to raise awareness about the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minority communities and reducing health disparities. It is an inclusive initiative that targets the health needs of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and other minorities. 

During the month it helps to improve the health of people in minority groups through:

• Building awareness about the disproportionate burden of premature death and illness in people from racial and ethnic minority groups
• Encourages action through health education, early detection, and control disease complications.

For more information visit these websites

• https://www.cdc.gov/minority-health/features/nmhm.html
• https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/resources/nimhd-education-and-outreach/national-minority-health-month
• https://www.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month/index.html

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Stress Awareness Month

Focusing attention on your health and how you can learn successful coping strategies for dealing with life stressors. The American Institute of Stress define stress as the body’s nonspecific response to any demand – pleasant or unpleasant. This awareness empowers you to respond to challenges more effectively and improve both your well-being and overall performance.

Common issues related to stress:  

• Headaches
• Stomach disorders
• Anxiety/Depression
• Stroke
• Heart Disease

Tips for Coping with Stress

• Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, give yourself a break if you feel stressed.
• Discuss your problems. Talk with a parent, friend, or another trusted source.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Brain research now indicates that people exposed to stress are more likely to abuse alcohol or other drugs, or to relapse into drug addiction.
• Recognize when you need more help. Know when to talk to a psychologist, social worker, or counselor if things continue.
  

For more information visit : https://www.stress.org/news/stress-awareness-month-tips-for-keeping-tensions-in-check/

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Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month is a time to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol use and misuse. 

While national figures show a downward trend in the number of young people who use alcohol, alcohol remains the number one drug of choice for America’s youth and is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined. 

Alcohol misuse is linked to more than 200 diseases and injury-related conditions, meaning alcohol misuse contributes substantially to health care costs and lost productivity and affects people’s health in ways that they may not realize. Alcohol misuse can also have painful emotional impacts on individuals and their loved ones.

For more information visit

• https://www.samhsa.gov/about/digital-toolkits/alcohol-awareness-month
• https://alcohol.org/awareness-month/
• https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/announcement/april-alcohol-awareness-month