It’s a brand new year, which for many people means a new opportunity to pursue goals. For those of us seeking health advice, it’s not hard to find, as there is an abundance of opinions.
Despite the flood of tips, rules, and routines you can find on social media that promise better health outcomes, not all of that information is helpful. In many instances, the advice lacks a critical element: nuance.
In this Live, I shared three health non-negotiables I want us to carry into 2026, especially as Black women and those navigating care inside imperfect systems. This isn’t about following trends, but deciding what advice to take, what to question, and when to step back altogether
1. Context Is Not Optional
It should go without saying that health advice does not exist in a vacuum.
Our access to care, energy levels, finances, geography, lived experiences, and diagnoses all shape what is realistic and sustainable for us. That means that advice that might work well for one person may be completely irrelevant, or even harmful, for someone else.
Living with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, I’ve often received well-intended suggestions like CrossFit. However, that advice ignores the reality of fluctuating energy levels and my body's recovery needs.
Thus, plans that only work under ideal conditions won’t work long-term. It’s not about finding another quick fix, but about a solution that adapts to your unique circumstances.
2. Care Has to Be Collaborative
Care isn’t a one-way street.
Whether you are working with a doctor, therapist, trainer, or coach, care works best when it is built in collaboration. That means no one person is calling the shots. Instead, shared decision-making ensures everyone is on board.
When navigating care with my medical team, I knew that they needed to be onboard with my desire to explore dietary and lifestyle changes in addition to my medication. It wasn’t about convincing them, but about ensuring we had a plan for how I could implement the approach I wanted effectively.
Through the collaboration, we ensured I had the support I needed to achieve my health goals. By tracking what worked and adjusting as needed, my team developed an alternative approach they could apply to other patients.
Therefore, care isn’t about giving directions, but staying in conversation. Regardless of where someone is on their journey, remember that care is about partnership. Good partnerships lead to long-term benefits for both sides.
3. Community Is Practical, Not Performative
Community is not just about emotional support but also about logistical support.
Recently, our community stepped in to support an older woman after a serious fall that required her to undergo major surgery. People are eager to provide transportation to her rehabilitation appointment, shop for groceries so she has fresh food, and even do her laundry, so that was one less task on her plate.
When I say the community became a lifeline for her, I don’t mean that in the proverbial sense. Unfortunately, her family is all gone, so our community is literally all she has. If the community didn’t step up, she would have had little alternative but to stay in rehab until she was able to live on her own again.
That’s what makes community powerful. It’s in those moments when we truly do need support that we find out who our “friends” really are. When family and the government support a person, the community will need to step in to fill the gap.
Final Thoughts:
Context shapes what is possible.
Care should be collaborative.
Community makes sustainability real.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not about overcoming every barrier. It’s about acknowledging barriers exist and building plans that work anyway.
If you have health non-negotiables you are carrying into this year, I would love to hear them. Drop them in the comments, and we will keep this conversation going.
And yes, Penny says hi too 🐶!
