An index measuring poverty, health, and social mobility reveals that the most disadvantaged places in the U.S. are not major cities like Chicago or LA, but rather rural counties in Appalachia, the South Texas border, and the Southern Cotton Belt.

While you inherit a small fraction of your genetics from your parents, the vast majority of your genetic material comes from the 38 trillion microorganisms in your gut. This microbial DNA is dynamic and shaped by your environment and lifestyle choices, giving you significant influence over your genetic expression.

People tend to marry and befriend those who are genetically similar, a process that amplifies genetic inequality in the next generation. This is compounded by geographic sorting, where individuals with genetic propensities for success migrate away from disadvantaged areas, leaving them 'doubly disadvantaged, genetically and environmentally.'

A physician was forced to add "environment" as a third pillar of health after a patient, who perfectly managed her diet and exercise, remained ill due to significant environmental exposures. This challenges the conventional two-pillar model of health.

A 7-year study of healthy individuals over 85 found minimal genetic differences from their less healthy counterparts. The key to their extreme healthspan appears to be a robust immune system, which is significantly shaped by lifestyle choices, challenging the common narrative about being born with "good genes."

Your outcomes are influenced not just by your own DNA but by the genes of those in your social environment, a concept called 'genetic nurture.' A spouse’s genes can affect your likelihood of depression, and a child's genes can evoke specific parenting behaviors, showing that the effect of genes doesn't stop at our own skin.

Health equity is often misconstrued as being solely for racial minorities. Its true definition involves intentionally designing interventions to remove specific barriers for *any* underserved group (e.g., rural, poor, specific gender/disease cohorts) so they can achieve outcomes equal to the majority.

Despite the emphasis on genes from the Human Genome Project era, large-scale modern studies show genetics determine only about 7% of how long you live. The remaining 93% is attributable to lifestyle, environment, and other non-genetic factors, giving individuals immense agency over their lifespan.

In restrictive environments where choices are limited, genetics play a smaller role in life outcomes. As society provides more opportunity and information—for example, in education for women or food availability—individual genetic predispositions become more significant differentiators, leading to genetically-driven inequality.