The D (Death) Word
Several weeks ago, a friend asked me to talk with a friend of hers about dying. I have received some strange requests, but none comparable to this request. The person was not my patient and even though I am skilled at dealing with this type situation, it is not...
Wives Notice When Men Don’t
It is often a challenge when the physician receives two versions of the medical history of a patient’s illness. The male version, in my experience, is often not as accurate as the version of the significant other. Recently, one of my patients was experiencing...
A Funeral Reflection
Several weeks ago, I attended the home going service for an older friend. During a light hearted moment of the eulogy, the pastor stated “when you get to heaven, you will need a Dr. Thaddeus John Bell closing the Gap in health disparities for African Americans...
Let’s Get Serious About Obesity, Part 6
We know that obesity is a serious medical disease among African American women. It is recognized as an epidemic throughout the United States and can be prevented if the causes are recognized early and measures taken to prevent it. Obesity is not connected to...
Let’s Get Serious About Obesity, Part 5
Obesity is a major health issue, especially in our community and it appears to be getting worse. Physicians are having difficulty dealing with obesity among black women because it is a sensitive subject. As a result, many of them never receive the proper...
Let’s Get Serious About Obesity, Part 4
Obesity is a major foe of the heart. It is apt to occur early among African American women and the medical community is seeing heart disease earlier and worse in these women. The obesity epidemic is raging and early death and major disability will be seen in...
Let’s Get Serious About Obesity, Part 3
Recently, I saw a good friend who had lost a significant amount of weight at the urging of her personal physician. She was amazed that many of her African American friends thought she was sick because of the weight loss. This thinking is common in the African...
Let’s Get Serious About Obesity, Part 2
I hope you heard the health tip that addressed obesity as a major health issue among African American women. Obesity is not associated with our cultural heritage. Many African American women become very upset when physicians talk to them about their weight. ...