National Public Health Week 2010 has a focus on the special role communities play in building a healthier America, and the American Public Health Association is encouraging each one of us to make changes – both big and small – in our families, neighborhoods, workplaces and schools. As you know, strong, healthy communities are dependent upon strong public health systems. If every one of us took just a few small steps towards a healthier lifestyle, the next generation could quite possibly be the healthiest in the world!
For ideas on how you can get involved and take action to help create healthier communities, please see the suggestions below:
Spread the Word, Inspire Others
Check out the new video titled A Healthier America. Building on the success of last year’s Generation Public Health video, this year’s video shows how small changes can lead to major improvements in public health and create healthier communities nationwide. Find out more at www.generationpublichealth.org.
Become a Health Champion
Health Champions advocate, organize, encourage, and inspire health improvements and an overall healthy lifestyle for themselves, their family, their communities and sometimes the entire nation. Health Champions lead by example. If we all work together, we can create a ripple effect of communities that are championing healthy living. Post a personal “Health Champions” commitment to your Facebook page, your blog or Twitter account and answer the question: How will you make a difference in your neighborhood or community to move toward creating a healthier America?
Take Action
Tell the Senate to Support Food Safety Reform. Every year, millions of Americans are sickened from consuming contaminated food, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized, and thousands die. Continued outbreaks of foodborne illness over the last several years have demonstrated that these outbreaks are due to widespread problems with our broken food safety system. Please send a letter urging your Senators to support the FDA Food Modernization Act.
By promoting good health in our communities, we can create a ripple effect from coast to coast!
