According to the federal Office of Minority Health, African Americans 'are affected by serious diseases and health conditions at far greater rates than other Americans'. In fact, African Americans suffer an estimated 85,000 excess deaths every year from diseases we know how to prevent: heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In this important and accessible book, Dr. Michelle Gourdine provides African Americans with the knowledge and guidance they need to take charge of their wellbeing. "Reclaiming Our Health" begins with an overview of the primary health concerns facing African Americans and explains who is at greatest risk of illness. Expanding on her career and life experiences as an African American physician, Dr. Gourdine presents key insights into the ways African American culture shapes health choices - how beliefs, traditions, and values can influence eating choices, exercise habits, and even the decision to seek medical attention. She translates extensive research into practical information and presents readers with concrete steps for achieving a healthier lifestyle, as well as strategies for navigating the health-care system. This interactive guide with illustrations is a vital resource for every African American on how to live a healthier and more empowered life, and an indispensable handbook for health-care providers, policy makers, and others working to close the health gap among people of colour. Says Gourdine, 'I wrote this book to empower our community to solve our own health problems and save our own lives'.

Michelle A. Gourdine, M.D., is CEO and principal consultant, Michelle Gourdine and Associates, a health policy consulting firm. She is the former deputy secretary of health and chief public health physician for the state of Maryland, and is currently clinical assistant professor in the departments of pediatrics and epidemiology/preventive medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and senior associate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.