The brain is an important gateway by which the social environment impacts on people's health through the mind.

Health inequalities and the social determinants of health are not a footnote to the determinants of health. They are the main issue.

Empowerment of individuals and communities is absolutely central. Getting the community involved in organising their own destiny has got to be a key part of it.

We have to put reduction of health inequalities at the centre of our public health strategy and that will require action on the social determinants of health.

The lower you are in the hierarchy the worse your health, the higher you are, the better your health.

Saying we can't afford to invest in early child development means we're storing up bigger costs in the future.

Your position in the hierarchy influences your behaviour.

Once you get off the ladder you'll never get back on.

Health and health inequalities tell us a great deal about the good or bad effects of social policies.

General improvements in health/decline in mortality do not affect all classes equally. As mortality rates fall, social inequalities commonly widen.

Our elected politicians do what they judge is the right thing to do. And if we disagree then I'll show them the evidence of why I disagree.

The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for them.

Courage is the most important of all virtues because without it we can't practice any other virtue with consistency.

The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil.

Art-school girls are very nice.

What art was to the ancient world, Science is to the modern; the distinctive faculty. In the minds of men, the useful has succeeded to the beautiful.

One of my favorite songs is by Mavado. The song is called "Progress." It's something that I work out to every day. Progress is definitely the answer.

Suppose you meet me in the woods.

I think we do not need to send more jobs to low wage countries. I think corporate America has to start investing in this country and create decent paying jobs here.

Well that's what I generally do with books - I read them.

Islam doesn't need reform, we need to reform the Muslim mind.