The Book · Archway Publishing · 2025
A comprehensive guide to Black health in the age of precision medicine
An illustrated, family-friendly reference that explains why many health conditions look different in African Americans, and what you can do about them, from conventional medicine to proven natural approaches.
Available in hardcover, softcover, and eBook.
Why This Book
Health advice that starts with who you are
African Americans have worse outcomes than other groups for many of the most common diseases. That gap is often blamed on habits or income alone. The fuller picture includes genetic variations that are easy to overlook, environment, culture, gaps in what clinicians are taught, and a long history of mistreatment that still shapes trust in medicine.
Better Black Health brings those pieces together through precision medicine, an approach that considers genetics, environment, and lifestyle. It covers more than 150 conditions, from major cancers and heart disease to menopause, erectile problems, and getting ready for surgery, with a focus on prevention and practical next steps.
Gregory L. Hall, MD, wrote the book because his patients kept asking for one. Many were interested in natural and holistic options too, so the book covers what works, and flags what does not.
“Everyone assumes that the poor health of the Black community is due to either bad habits, poverty, or a combination of both. In reality, the situation we see results from overlooked genetic variations, environmental influences, cultural differences, unawareness among medical providers, and systemic oppression. Precision medicine, which incorporates genetics, environment, and lifestyle, will pave the way to improved overall health for the Black community.”
Gregory L. Hall, MD
What’s Inside
Six areas, one resource for the whole family
Understanding health disparities
Why heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental health conditions affect African Americans differently, including genetics, environment, and chronic stress.
Navigating the healthcare system
How to prepare for appointments, talk with your doctor, understand lab results that may read differently for Black patients, and advocate for yourself.
Precision medicine and personalized care
Why one-size-fits-all medicine falls short, and how genetics, environment, and lifestyle should shape your care.
Nutrition and natural remedies
Common deficiencies, foods that help, supplements worth a second look, and where traditional remedies fit.
Mental and emotional health
Breaking the stigma around therapy, Black perspectives on mental wellness, and practical ways to manage stress.
Surgery and procedures
Why complication rates are higher for African Americans, and how to prepare, lower your risk, and recover well.
The Authors
Written by a physician and his family
Gregory L. Hall, MD, is a Cleveland internal medicine physician who has practiced for more than 30 years and is the author of two Springer Nature clinical textbooks on caring for African American patients. He wrote Better Black Health with his family, combining medical training with lived experience so the information is both sound and relatable.
Are you a clinician? The companion textbook, Precision Medicine for African Americans (Springer Nature, 2nd ed., 2025), covers the clinical evidence in depth.
View on Springer →- Gregory L. Hall, MDInternal medicine physician and lead author
- Melanie Y. Hall, MSN, APRN, FNP-CFamily nurse practitioner
- Nicholas C. Hall, BACo-author
- Gregory L. Hall Jr., BACo-author
- Alexander J. Hall, MSCo-author
Get Your Copy
Keep it on the coffee table. Share it with family.
Available in hardcover, softcover, and eBook from Amazon and from the publisher, Archway Publishing. Learn more at BetterBlackHealth.net.
