Hey Girlfriends!!  I’d like to welcome you to another informative issue of Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color.  I have only been in this role since January and I have been blessed to meet so many powerful women who have inspired me. Sitting down to interview them wasn’t like doing a regular interview.  It was more like talking to a girlfriend and it’s ironic, but that’s what this is all about!

Talking to women like our covergirl, Ms.Chrishirella Warthen, made me realize that growing older is something to look forward to!  These women are beautiful, intelligent, independent, and powerful!  Can we say: DIVA!!!  Being that I am now 27, I am quickly approaching 30 and I’ve realized that I’m not getting old, honey, I’m gettin’ better!!!

This issue of Girlfriends deals with the issue of mental health; something we all know a little bit about, right?  Now you know sistas, we’ve all had those moments where we go a little mental!  This issue will enlighten you on some of the different issues surrounding mental health, like depression, healthy relationships and dealing with the illnesses that sistas face.  So take this issue of Girlfriends Health Guide for Women of Color and embrace it, learn from it, and share it with your favorite girlfriend!

~NaMia Moore

Editorial Manager

My grandfather, mother, uncle, and brother have all had problems with heart disease. That kind of family history might be considered motivation enough to keep a 42-year-old woman on the treadmill and as far away from trans fat and tobacco as possible. But it’s not that easy, right? While I’ve never smoked cigarettes, I am challenged to find the time and energy to exercise, and eat right. I use the word exercise on purpose, because the reality of my life, with two boys in tow, is that I am quite physically active. But the kind of physical activity that goes along with raising children (up and down stairs to do laundry, squatting to pick up toys, carrying grocery bags, mowing the grass) isn’t enough to keep my weight in a healthy range. As we know, being overweight is an underlying cause of heart disease, including the possibility of heart attack and stroke. READ MORE

GIRLFRIENDS has exciting news! Each issue of GIRLFRIENDS will feature a guest editor. I’m happy to accept the honor of being the first guest editor of GIRLFRIENDS HEALTH GUIDE. I’m a Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and a Behavioral Health Consultant in Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL. READ MORE