Exercise is a revolutionary act

What if some distant ancestor magically time traveled from hundreds of years ago and appeared on your doorstep to give you a gift… How would you treat that gift? For sure, you'd cherish it like it was some treasure that could never be replaced, and you’d pass this priceless heirloom along to your grandchildren. 

Your body, health, and DNA can be seen in the same way.

When I was in graduate school studying for my Masters in Social Work, I learned about the health disparities affecting the Filipino-American community. The leading cause of death for Filipino-Americans is cardiovascular disease. Filipino-Americans are 70% more likely to develop diabetes than other Asian-Americans, and more than half of Filipino-Americans over the age of 50 will develop high blood pressure.* 

Woah, ugh. 

I saw these health issues within my own family. My dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when I was a teenager, and other older Filipino family members struggled with high cholesterol and hypertension. 

A deeper dive into why Filipino-Americans suffered from such alarming health issues led me to learn about the structural, racial, and social inequities that led to these health disparities. Stress from immigration, chronic racial microaggressions, and internalized oppression or colonial mentality are also influencing factors. 

Filipinos experienced hundreds of years of colonization under Spanish and American rule. Not only were our ancestors trying to stay alive during this time, but they were told that their traditions, way of life, and bodies were inferior. The mental health ramifications of colonization – depression, anxiety, substance abuse, low self-esteem, poor body image – continue to trickle through the generations. These are undoubtedly intertwined with the physical health issues that Filipino-Americans face. 

This is why I chose to see exercise as an act of revolution disrupting archaic colonial narratives that once said brown, Filipino bodies were inferior, expendable, and didn’t matter. I chose to engage in activities that prove otherwise — strength training, healthy eating, learning self-defense — because they are declarations that my body matters, that my life is important, and that I have every right to be here. Just the very fact that we exist is evidence that our ancestors were warriors. Don’t let outdated beliefs dictate how you treat the treasure that your ancestors gave you – the sacred vessel of your body. Our thriving is the best rebellion yet.

* Philippine and Philippine-American Health Statistics, 1994-2018 (Stanford Medicine)