The recognized, despised, (but still open wide) disparity gap

I took a fellow pub health doc and a patient to Anacostia today to look at the Healthy Corner Store initiative at work & to see the environment that constitutes some part of the city. Life expectancy in DC from NW to SE can vary by as much as 10 years. That variance is primarily based on income and race.   No matter where you live, the "disease approach" to improving health outcomes is not working. Placing the health of communities solely in the hands of a system designed to only care for you once you are sick is nonsensical. Creating more value for prevention, & funding the right combination of social justice (not all healthcare) partners can create the force needed to disrupt the current mode of operation. It's time to deviate from paths that perpetuate poor outcomes. The ACA's a start, but our health is well beyond the purview of health insurance & the healthcare system. 

Keep On Moving...

We are half-way through the year, and you have been unstoppable on this CardioSwag journey. I know the heat and the cook-outs threaten to take you off course, but I also know that you've got the strength to handle all that. Just remember to keep aligning actions with your intentions and you'll be fine. You've got a plan, you know what you need to do, and you've visualized the outcomes.

It might be a good time for you to take inventory of your space/environment. Your environment includes what's in your fridge. You have to get rid of all the temptations in your pantry that you know work against you. If you don't buy it, you can't eat it (at least not at home).  Next, you have to decide "who you with?" Friends don't let friends drive drunk, nor do they get in the way of your health goals, so neutralize the negative influencers in your circle, then do as Soul II Soul instructed in '89 and "keep on movin'"... don't stop.