I often wonder why people do not show appreciation for their physician as they do for their pastor. Our work is similar when you think about it. A physician who goes beyond what he or she is taught in medical school is difficult to find nowadays. I recently...
Do you remember when Trump declared that he knew more about war than known by the military generals collectively? Believe it or not, there are some patients with this mindset and I refer to it as the Trump Syndrome. It does not occur frequently, but they will...
It was recently reported that Oscar nominated, director John Singleton, experienced a stroke that resulted in hospitalization. The CDC reports that strokes occur two times more frequently in African American men than in Caucasian men. My experiences with...
One of the main reasons I have continued Closing the Gap in Health Care is to decrease the myths and untruths in the African American and underserved communities. One myth that I do not often hear is placing moss in your shoes to control hypertension. The...
isSeveral years ago, the editor of Closing the Gap in Health Care died from a massive heart attack, while sitting on stage, awaiting an award from her high school. The pain of her sudden death continues to haunt me because we had recently discussed health...
The bucket list is a collection of things that you would like to accomplish within your lifetime. Frankly, I never thought of a bucket list until the death of my youngest daughter, Tonisha Bell Alston. She decided to take matters into her own hands and...
This time of the year, I am guilty of many reflections on the vicissitudes of my life. The sudden death of my young son is still painful. The circumstances of his death were not managed well by my colleagues who did what they could to save his life. I do not...
The epidemic of obesity, a major health issue in the African American community is occurring among black women between the ages of 20 and 39. Recently, medical literature has revealed that 57% of black women in this age group are obese. This issue has to be...
During the Christmas season, overindulgence of alcoholic beverages is possible. These drinks can wreak havoc on your health and can cause a trip to the ER, result in being admitted to the hospital, and possibly death. The intake of excessive alcohol can cause...
Closing the gap in health care for African Americans and the underserved (CTGIHC) is 15 years old! Fifteen years ago the idea of CTCIHC was born and we became a 501c3 organization. When I pitched the idea to others, it received minimal enthusiasm. Happy to say...
It is well documented that the social determinants of health play a major role in the health outcome of African Americans and the underserved. Recently, I witnessed this with a young, African American woman, who at age 33, had experienced a massive stroke that...
It is a heartbreaking experience to see someone, you love, with dementia. I have seen, as a physician, this phenomenon occurs among many patients and recently, personal friends. I am not convinced that black people understand, in many cases, vascular dementia...