Healthy Tips: Pride Edition
Happy Pride! Here are some healthy tips to keep in mind for the month of Pride.
Pride is an exciting time with many parades, events, and festivities happening to celebrate the historical strides that the LGBTQIA+ community has made. But being in the scorching sun for long periods of time and consuming alcohol can lead to dehydration and sunburn.
While you're out celebrating with your friends and family, remember to drink plenty of water—electrolyte replacement drinks are great too—and wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater, reapplying every 2 hours.
Nohemy Aguirre, Wellness Center staff/newsletter contributor, writes:
"Being openly gay, I've been exposed to how unhealthy gay standards can be during this time of year, particularly for gay men. It's not surprising to hear about people starving their bodies so they can meet unrealistic standards of beauty.
This mentality is actually commonplace in the gay community year round. Too much emphasis is placed on physical beauty that people feel motivated to look a certain way to feel accepted. It's sort of ironic."
Being part of a month-long celebration is already taxing on your body, so adding to that the fixed notion of what you believe your body should look like has its own repercussions that you should be mindful of.
Try not to be so hard on your body while exercising and remember to eat. Remember that Pride is all about love and acceptance; the first person that should starts with is yourself.
Instead of under-eating, opt for a well-balanced diet instead. It's great for your body and it will provide you with the energy to keep celebrating with your friends!
Eat A Well-Balanced Diet
Balanced meals consist of:
- 1/4 carbohydrates for energy
- 1/4 protein for muscle growth
- 1/2 leafy vegetables to get the vitamins and minerals the body needs but does not make itself
Proper diet and exercise are the safest way to gain a healthy physical appearance. A calorie-deficient diet might help in the short-run, but it can have detrimental effects to your mind and body in the long-run if you are not feeding your body the appropriate nourishment it needs to function.
Health Mind, Healthy Life
Mental health is just as important. Taking time to reflect on the achievements and strides the LGBTQIA+ community has made in the last few centuries can boost your morale and overall mental well-being. Reaching out to health providers is strongly recommended (Visit our office for a referral).
Be Proactive: Get Tested
Last but not least, sexual education is another important pillar of health. Not using proper protection can result in acquiring sexual transmitted diseases (STD) and/or sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
