HOW CULTURE AND COMMUNITY SHAPE OUR WELLNESS

As doctors, we talk about health, we often focus on diet, exercise, or doctor visits. But what about the roles of culture and community? These two powerful forces influence our wellness in ways that are deeply personal—and often overlooked.

Culture: A Blueprint for How We Heal Culture shapes how we define health, illness, and healing. For some, wellness means feeling physically strong. For others, it includes emotional, spiritual, and even ancestral balance.

Culture informs:
– What we eat and how we prepare it (think soul food, herbal remedies, or fasting traditions).
– How we respond to illness—Do we go to the doctor, the church, or both?
– How we communicate about mental health—Is it okay to talk about anxiety or depression, or is it considered a weakness?

For example, in many African American, Latino, and Asian communities, there can be stigma around mental health. But there are also strong traditions of resilience, storytelling, music, and collective care that support healing in unique ways.

Community: The People Who Carry Us Community is about connection. It includes family, neighbours, churches, barbershops, block clubs, and support groups. Research shows that strong community ties can improve:
– Mental health—Just having someone to talk to reduces stress.
– Chronic disease management—People are more likely to follow treatment when encouraged by those around them.
– Longevity—Social connection is a key predictor of long life.
Communities also shape access—do we live near a grocery store or a liquor store? Is there a clinic we trust? A gym we can afford? A walking trail that feels safe?

Wellness is More Than an Individual Journey When we understand how culture and community affect wellness, we realise that health isn’t just about willpower or personal choices—it’s about environment, tradition, and shared experience. That’s why health equity work matters: we must build systems that respect cultural practices and empower communities, not erase them.

The importance of elder. Many a time in my practice, my competition for control of the medical issue is the grandmother.

So What Can We Do?
– Listen to the voices of the community. They know what works and what doesn’t.
– Honor cultural practices that support wellness, from drumming circles to dance classes.
– Invest in community-based health resources that are built by and for the people they serve.
Because when culture is respected and communities are strong, our chances for true wellness go way up.