Dr Joan has spent her career championing better health outcomes for underserved communities. With decades of experience working as a GP, she’s become a leading voice in diabetes education, particularly for people of African, Caribbean, South Asian, and Arabic ethnicities.

Her passion for culturally competent care stems from a simple but powerful idea: health advice should reflect the lives that people actually live. “Diabetes is a condition where you can actively work with someone to improve their health,” she says. But when newly diagnosed patients asked what they could eat, standard dietary advice often excluded traditional foods like yam, green banana, chapatis and roti. ’

That knowledge gap inspired her book World Foods, which helps people understand how traditional dishes affect blood glucose levels, making diabetes care more inclusive

Know your numbers

Dr Joan is clear: managing diabetes or hypertension starts with knowing your health status. “We’re all at risk – get your blood pressure checked, know your diabetes risk score, and don’t wait until you feel unwell to take action.”

She also busts common myths: diabetes isn’t just about overeating or avoiding sugar, and feeling fine doesn’t mean your condition isn’t silently causing harm.

Festive season tips

With the festive season approaching, Dr Joan offers practical advice for staying healthy: “Support from family and friends is key,” she says. Even small changes like lightly frying, as opposed to deep frying, can make a big difference. If healthier cooking isn’t possible, she recommends portion control and balancing indulgence with increased activity. “Go for a walk with loved ones – managing a long-term condition is a continuous journey.”

Community matters

Dr Joan recently led a workshop at the Black Cultural Centre in Islington, where she saw firsthand the hunger for culturally relevant dietary information. “People from these communities are generous with their knowledge,” she says. “As the African proverb goes: ‘Each one teach one’. Communities and health services can collaborate successfully and learn from one another.”

Her approach to creating resources is rooted in authentic engagement – consulting communities directly and respectfully. She believes health services must do more to meet people where they are, whether that’s beauty salons, religious centres or community halls.

Empowerment through education

Her final message is one of empowerment: “You can be healthy and live with diabetes.” For anyone looking to take control of their health, she recommends resources like:

• Diabetes UK
• British Heart Foundation
• Diabetes Africa.

Dr Joan delivers webinars on the Diabetes Africa YouTube channel, including practical tips and quick hacks for healthy living.

You can get a free NHS Health Check if you’re 40-74 and don’t already have conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Your GP should invite you once every 5 years, or you can contact your GP to book. You can also get your blood pressure checked for free at participating pharmacies in Islington if you’re over 40 too. Find a participating pharmacy.

Thanks to Anna Njie and Go Africa Community CIC for providing the images in this blo