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Text Box: While the current economy and employment rates are enough to increase anyone’s blood pressure, some groups of Americans are more prone to high blood pressure and hypertension than others. Hypertension and associated outcomes such as stroke and cardiovascular disease disproportionately affect African Americans in the United States. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), 35% of African Americans have hypertension. Those who have high blood pressure have a higher chance of suffering a stroke and developing heart disease. Most startling, however, is the fact that hypertension is developing at a younger age. Chef Lindsey Williams, grandson of Sylvia Woods of Sylvia’s famous soul food restaurant in Harlem, is well aware of the health disparities faced by African-American families in communities like Harlem. “The traditional African-American diet can be high in sodium and cholesterol and normally doesn’t include enough fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. Unfortunately, this is the perfect storm that leads to high blood pressure.” According to Olajide Williams, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University and Director of the Stroke program at Harlem Hospital Center, “As rates of obesity and diabetes among children have risen in the past ten years, we are seeing kids as young as 10 in Harlem with signs of hypertension. We are seeing more reports of children and adolescents with pathological evidence of early atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) – a consequence of high blood pressure and a major cause of strokes and heart attacks.” In 1997, Chef Williams, who is 5’5”, weighed 400 pounds. A self described “food addict,” he slowly began making changes in his diet and his lifestyle that have helped him regain his health. “I attended support groups and really started paying attention to the foods I was eating,” says Williams. He began preparing foods and creating recipes using healthier cooking techniques like steaming instead of frying and using milk for a nutritional boost instead of water in recipes. Williams focused on nutrient-rich foods like fresh produce, low-fat dairy and lean meats and fish. In 2006, he authored the cookbook, NeoSoul, a collection of alternative, healthier soul food recipes. Next Page Chef Williams ‘Spring Recipes”

Text Box: Harlem Chef Addresses Dietary Recommendations with Nutrient-Rich Ingredients

Text Box: Spring Recipes Help Lower High Blood Pressure

In 1997, Chef Williams, who is 5’5”, weighed 400 pounds. A self described “food addict,” he slowly began making changes in his diet and his lifestyle that have helped him regain his health. “

Referring to the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association, and based on an eating plan rich in fruits and vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy,

Williams created recipes combining these ingredients for maximum effect. “This diet has been shown to lower blood pressure in just 14 days,” says Williams

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