World Health Day
Today is World Health Day, so I became a little thoughtful.We live in a world ravavged by disease. Although obesity is making headlines, many parts of the world are battling TB,malaria,AIDS and Hepatitis. It is disease that stops nations from progressing. In Africa, entire villages have been wiped out by AIDS and that means that the remaining few never get a chance to smile.
One author that made me think about world health is Jeffery Sachs. In his book The End of Poverty, he talks about the economic possibilities that could lead to upliftment of poorer nations. Poor nations are being held back by a variety of factors and disease is one of them.
TB is a preventable disease and lack of awareness and medicine make saving lives all the more impossible.Malaria is another example. By using mosquito nets, malaria can be lessened. The thing is that there is so little money out there. Even buying nets is impossible. Who would think about mosquito nets when there is no food?
health, World Health Day, TB, malaria, AIDS, hepatitis, obesity
April 7th, 2007 at 12:57 am
I share your heart for the disease in the 3rd world we cannot fathom. A child dies every 30 seconds from malaria.
On the other hand, I am sickened that we, with are wealth, are neglecting our own health to such a great degree.
Last week we had the opportunity to drive throughout the Yucaton Pennisula. We saw poverty most people in the U.S. have only seen on TV, with large families living in doorless, dirt-floor bamboo huts with none of the amenities we are so accustomed to. Yet, they had gardens of vegetables, and papayas and mangos were abundant. Despite their poverty, their diet consisting of many fruits and vegetables, and some fish, was much better than that of most Americans. The life expectancy there is only two years behind the U.S. Now, I know why! We are an impoverished society based on our dietary intake of junk food.
Lynne Eldridge M.D.
Author, “Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time”
http://www.avoidcancernow.com
April 7th, 2007 at 10:50 am
[...] World Health Day! April 7th, 2007 by Summer Minor Healthy B.P.M. has a great post up about today being World Health Day. Because good health is impotant to everyone I thought I share some great links for healthy lesson ideas. [...]
April 8th, 2007 at 5:33 am
Lynne: I completely agree with you. Awareness is the most important tool to tackle malnutrition(be it a result of poverty or of excess).