Just talking about the food that comprised a good part of his diet when he was growing up makes Keith James hungry. So James has altered his lifestyle to control his high blood pressure and keep his weight down. It wasn't fun giving up the fried foods he loved or steering away from the red meat that was a staple of his dinner table. But self-control could very well extend his life. Black men die at a younger age than women and men of any other race in America, a new book reminds us, and it was written specifically to reduce or reverse this trend.
Lifestyle changes are so important.
Heart disease, diabetes and cancer all hit black men harder than other parts of the population. Some of this is because of poverty, Reed writes, and lack of access to the health care system. Some of it is because of heredity. Some of it is controllable by making changes such as James has done. Exercise, limiting alcohol, keeping weight down and reducing stress can all help stave off illness.