Celebrating the 75th World Health Day
Originally published on the I Earned It Blog.
Three Tips for Celebrating World Health Day
April 7, 2023, is World Health Day! World Health Day is a global health awareness day sponsored by the World Health Organization. This year is the 75th anniversary of WHO. To celebrate, WHO is looking back at “public health successes that have improved quality of life during the last seven decades” and motivating “action to tackle the health challenges of today — and tomorrow.” This year’s World Health Day theme is “Health For All.”
Here are three ways to celebrate World Health Day:
1. Take care of your physical and mental health
Supporting your physical and mental health requires taking a holistic approach to your health. A holistic approach means focusing on you as a whole by tackling the health of your body, mind and spirit.
Operation Red Wings Foundation suggests, “One of the main benefits of holistic medicine is that it can help you achieve and maintain optimal health.” Having optimal health means you have achieved long-term well-being. Here are some tips for taking a holistic approach to health:
- Get enough sleep: Get at least seven hours per night.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet: Make sure your diet includes a balance of carbohydrates, dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein.
- Exercise regularly: To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you should complete 150 minutes of exercise per week.
- Practice good hygiene: Clean your body daily, brush your teeth twice daily, and practice healthy habits like washing your hands frequently and covering your cough or sneezing.
- Manage stress: Try activities like meditation, yoga or talking to a therapist.
- Stay connected: Check in regularly with friends and family.
- Find ways to relax and unwind: Try listening to music, reading or taking a bath.
- Prioritize self-care: Make time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
2. Spread awareness about health issues.
Increasing awareness about health issues is imperative for improving access to healthcare. Unfortunately, often people are unaware of diseases and don’t know the symptoms of said diseases. This makes it difficult for people to take preventative actions to protect against certain conditions.
Roche states, “Awareness is essential for prevention, early detection, targeted therapy and is key to ensuring effective treatment.” When people know about a health issue and its symptoms, they can quickly identify the signs and take action. There are several ways to spread awareness about health issues, such as:
- Social media: Use social media platforms to share information about health issues and their impact on the community.
- Community events: Organize health fairs, workshops, and seminars to educate people about health issues.
- Public service announcements: Create and distribute public service announcements to raise awareness about health issues.
- Collaborate with local organizations: To spread awareness about health issues, such as schools, hospitals, and community centers.
- Personal connections: Talk to friends, family, and colleagues about health issues and encourage them to spread the word.
Remember, spreading awareness about health issues is vital to help prevent and manage health problems in our communities.
3. Support healthcare initiatives
Supporting healthcare initiatives can improve healthcare quality and ensure people get the necessary services and treatments. Additionally, supporting healthcare initiatives enhances healthcare quality by decreasing disparages and strengthening the healthcare system.
According to Wellcome, “Global Health Initiatives have contributed to enormous progress in protecting lives and improving the health of people globally, including significant progress against individual diseases like polio, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, and increasing coverage of specific interventions like vaccines.” There are multiple ways to support healthcare initiatives, such as:
- Donate: Donate to healthcare organizations or charities that focus on healthcare issues.
- Volunteer: Volunteer at local hospitals or clinics.
- Participate: Participate in research studies or clinical trials.
- Advocate: Advocate for healthcare policies that benefit the community.
- Educate: Educate yourself and others on health-related issues and promote healthy lifestyles.
Get involved this World Health Day by caring for your physical and mental health, spreading awareness about health issues and supporting healthcare initiatives.