Black Wellness Barriers: Understanding The Root Cause Of Disease Vulnerabilities As A Pathway Towards Restoring Health

The answer extends beyond biology. It lies in the cumulative impact of history, structural racism and health, chronic stress and disease, and generations of systemic inequities that continue to shape Black public health today.

In Black Wellness Barriers, Dr. Tawainna Houston-a licensed Naturopathic Physician, author, and cultural wellness educator-examines the root causes of chronic disease through the lens of Black health disparities, African American wellness, social determinants of health, and Black history and health equity. Blending historical research, public health, and holistic medicine, she reveals how centuries of racialized oppression have become biologically embedded, contributing to present-day disease vulnerability across generations.

Drawing on the science of epigenetics and health, Dr. Houston connects historical trauma and health, anti-Black racism in healthcare, and the physiological effects of chronic stress to explain why health outcomes cannot be separated from historical and structural context.

More than an explanation, this book offers a pathway toward restoring Black health. Grounded in cultural wellness, racial trauma healing, and wellness through historical understanding, it provides a compassionate framework for healing rooted in resilience, community, and holistic well-being.

• Understand the root causes of chronic disease beyond genetics and personal lifestyle choices.
• Recognize how historical trauma, racial stress, and systemic inequities contribute to disease vulnerability.
• Explore the relationship between epigenetics and health and how stress can influence future generations.
• Understand how social determinants of health continue to shape Black health disparities.
• Reclaim wellness as a birthright-not merely the absence of disease.
• Break cycles of illness through culturally grounded approaches to healing and wellness.

Whether you are a reader, healthcare professional, educator, caregiver, or policymaker, Black Wellness Barriers offers a transformative perspective on health equity, chronic disease, and the historical forces that continue to shape Black health today.

Recipient of the International Impact Book Award, Black Wellness Barriers is helping readers, educators, and healthcare professionals rethink the relationship between history, biology, and wellness while inspiring a more comprehensive approach to healing.