Exclusive: Queen Latifah Explains How She Prioritizes Health & Wellness
"We all want to live a long, healthy life."
Queen Latifah's admittance is something most people can easily agree with, but in order to help make that an everyday reality, it's important to get more connected to ourselves.
The Equalizer star recently shared with Parade, exclusively, a couple of ways in which she does just that, opening up about two simple things that are often taken for granted: breathing and sleeping.
"I try to get sleep, it's something I've been chasing for a very long time," the cultural icon—who first made waves as a prominent female hip-hop artist in 1989 with the release of her debut rap album, All Hail the Queen—divulged.
"Rest is very important. We got a lot of phrases for sleep—that's because we don't get a lot of it," she jokingly quipped, making sure to double-down on her statement with, "Your body does a lot of good things while it's resting, it needs its rest."
In the event she can't get a good amount of consistent shut-eye, though, the Golden Globe winner takes time to breathe—but not just any type of breathing, the intentional kind. "In lieu of getting eight hours or more of sleep, for myself, when I wake up in the morning, I sit on the side of the bed and I just breathe. I take a few breaths and I enjoy just the quiet for one minute, even if it's just a minute," she said of the centering practice.
"I feel my body, stretch a little bit; sometimes I try to say 'It's gonna be a great day.' And I don't always feel like that, but I just say it, and then I get into my day," the Just Wright star explained, insisting that "it has made such a difference" when she keeps in mind to "return to the breath when [she's] stressed out."
The Living Single alum is not only adamant about her own wellness, but actively advocates for inclusive healthcare for others, joining forces with It’s Bigger Than Me in its launch of the Inclusive Obesity Care Initiative, which aims to help improve the future of healthcare for the obesity community by spotlighting the importance of inclusive, compassionate care, and calling upon healthcare providers to better manage overall health by working as a collaborative team.
Novo Nordisk/IBTM
"We don't realize sometimes that when we speak for ourselves, we're speaking for other people who will not say those words; people who will not speak for themselves; people who will laugh things off, or pretend like they're not bothered," the "Ladies First" artist explained.
As obesity has been something that is "personal" for her, the actress takes pride in her work to help change the "stigma and shame" around the health condition, which she noted is sometimes a "bigger, clinical issue" versus "some sort of character flaw."
In aiming to "achieve building more of a community of support; more understanding across the medical community as well as the public," the Hairspray actress remains optimistic on the subject.
Novo Nordisk/IBTM
She hopes that the awareness campaign for the new Inclusive Obesity Care symbol—which is the world’s first symbol designed to signal safe spaces, free from bias, and care without judgment for people living with obesity—will be a sign of hope for those dealing with weight-management. It was thoughtfully designed with different hues of blue paint splattered together signifying respect, compassion, attentiveness, and personalized care.
"When you see this symbol you should know that you're in a safe environment, that you're welcome, understood; you'll be treated with compassion."
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