-Cardiovascular Disease—The #1 killer of all Americans.
Several studies show it is far worse for Blacks due to poor nutrition, lack of exercise, cigarette smoking and family history coupled with high blood pressure and cholesterol concerns.
Eating heart healthy means filling your plate with vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, tomato, arugula, bell peppers, carrots and asparagus.
Soluble fiber is an important component of a heart healthy diet. Eating soluble fiber can help lower your cholesterol level and better manage blood sugar levels.
Aim for about 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day; you can find it in: Oats, beans, berries and flaxseed.
Omega 3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Eating fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, herring, sardines, walnuts, ground flaxseed, and hemp seeds are all heart healthy foods.
The good fats in these foods can reduce blood pressure, decrease triglyceride levels, slow the growth of plaque in the arteries and reduce the risk of arrhythmias.
Omega-3 supplements is another option for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
-Diabetes— 4.9 million Blacks have diabetes. Your chances of having diabetes go up if you’re overweight, don’t exercise, and have high blood pressure.
Low glycemic foods will help stop diabetes in its track.
Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber are healthy foods for diabetes like dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, berries and tomatoes.
-Vitamin D Deficiency— 80% of Black people are vitamin D deficient.
Low Vitamin D has been associated with several types of cancer as well as certain autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus.
Blacks have melanin which filters sunlight and decreases the absorption of the sun’s rays necessary for Vitamin D production.
The body cannot make vitamin D naturally, so you have to get it from sunlight, milk and supplements.
Since a high percentage of Blacks are lactose intolerant to milk, the sure way to get adequate amounts of vitamin D is from the sun and supplements.
-Cancer—Lung, Breast, Colon, Prostate
Black men are 35% more likely to die from prostate or colon cancer than any other race and Black women are 18% more likely to die from breast cancer.
Screenings such as a mammogram, colonoscopy, chest x-ray and blood tests for these diseases on a regular basis is essential.
Early screening can improve a person’s ten year survival rate by 80-90%.
A cancer diet includes plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as one that limits sugar, caffeine, salt, processed foods and alcohol.
-The trajectory of these diseases can be changed with comprehensive annual physical examination and nutritional counseling.
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