The story of Black women in America is one of triumph and grace, even with odds stacked high against them. Health First! The Black Woman’s Wellness Guide provides you with a comprehensive guide to your #1 resource: yourself. Today, as Black women face an unprecedented health crisis, denial and self-neglect are no longer viable options. This groundbreaking volume is rooted in the pioneering work of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the nation’s only nonprofit organization devoted to advancing the health and wellness of Black women and girls. It offers a core health philosophy—too long denied Black women—based on putting your health first. Health First! explores Black women’s most critical health challenges, connecting the dots through honest discussions with experts and the uncensored stories of real women—from adolescence through elderhood. The focus is on prevention and awareness, across generations and circumstances—from candid conversations about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS to frank explorations of Black women’s Top 10 Health Risks, including cancer, obesity, and violence. No matter what your age or health status, this unprecedented health reference will become a trusted ally as you seek accessible and relevant information to help you navigate your most pressing health needs. In an age of uncertainty, it’s time to take control and truly discover the vitality, power, and joy that can be yours when you learn how to put your health first.

From the African-American community's trusted authority, Essence Guide to Healthy Living, is an interactive manual designed to help black women care for their bodies, minds and spirits. Covering both major health issues such as diabetes and heart disease and tackling everyday concerns from weight loss to balancing work and life, this handy guide has a reader-friendly tone, actionable service and chapters packed with checklists, inspiring real-life examples, space for journal entries and worksheets for readers to execute their own personal wellness plans. Developed with expert advice from leading physicians, nutritionists, fitness instructors, psychologists, spiritual gurus and other healthcare experts, ESSENCE GUIDE TO HEALTHY LIVING is designed to help black women lead healthier and better lives.

Studies show that black men are more likely to seek medical attention, follow a healthy diet, and take prescribed medications if there is a woman in their lives. In short, black women play a key role in keeping their men healthy. The first of its kind, THE BLACK WOMAN'S GUIDE TO BLACK MEN'S HEALTH is a comprehensive guide packed with valuable medical information, prescriptive advice, and personal stories from celebrity and non-celebrity women about their men's health issues. Divided into chapters covering key health issues that overwhelmingly affects black men, including prostate and colon cancer, obesity, diabetes, and substance abuse, to name a few, this book provides strategies for building healthy partnerships within the home and community, as well as invaluable guidance for finding the right healthcare and health insurance providers.

An interactive resource for African-American women offers a guide to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being that covers both major health issues and everyday concerns and includes step-by-step exercise plans, recommendations on nutritional supplements, and weekly menus.

From the African-American community's trusted authority, Essence Guide to Healthy Living, is an interactive manual designed to help black women care for their bodies, minds and spirits. Covering both major health issues such as diabetes and heart disease and tackling everyday concerns from weight loss to balancing work and life, this handy guide has a reader-friendly tone, actionable service and chapters packed with checklists, inspiring real-life examples, space for journal entries and worksheets for readers to execute their own personal wellness plans. Developed with expert advice from leading physicians, nutritionists, fitness instructors, psychologists, spiritual gurus and other healthcare experts, ESSENCE GUIDE TO HEALTHY LIVING is designed to help black women lead healthier and better lives.

Today seven million African American women are living in their prime, experiencing the joys and challenges of middle age. Now, at last, here is the book that addresses ourtotalhealth needs—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Written by a distinguished physician and a clinical psychologist,Prime Timeis the first complete guide that empowers us to take charge of our lives and attain the well-being we deserve. In many ways, it’s true that we are better off today than our foremothers were: We earn more money, command more respect. Yet in spite of these advances, we still experience more chronic health problems, endure more stress, and live shorter lives than women of other races. That’s whyPrime Timeis both urgent and essential. This groundbreaking book not only lays out a detailed, practical plan for overall healing and for maintaining wellness, it also addresses the underlying attitudes and assumptions that lead so many of us to neglect ourselves and undermine our own health.Prime Timewill help you • Reframe priorities to put yourself and your own health needs first • Interpret the latest medical findings on the Big Four killers and how they affect black women in middle age • Profile your current health with worksheets, quizzes, and assessment tools • Renew sex at midlife by eliminating restricting myths and taboos and finding new paths to pleasure • Reduce anger and “attitude” that block you from attaining good health • Identify the nontraditional signs of depression and anxiety common to African American women Comprehensive, straight-talking, and grounded in science and spiritual truth,Prime Timeis at once a guide to total health in middle age and a celebration of the strength, wisdom, and beauty of African American women in their second half of life.

Written by black women for black women and sponsored by the National Black Women's Health Project, here is an honest, straight-from-the-heart guide reminiscent of Our Bodies, Ourselves that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual health issues and concerns of black women today. Linda Villarosa is a senior editor at Essence magazine. 175 photos and illustrations.