This summer, I will be attending the Food for Your Whole Life Symposium as a media blogger, along with my fellow blog partners in crime, Corinne, Janel, Jessica, and Elizabeth. The symposium will be bringing together an amazing group of internationally renowned health experts, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Mollie Katzen, Michael Roizen, David Katz, Roger Clemens, Karen Collins RD, Keri Gans RD, James Joseph, Petra Kolber, Joan Sabate, Brian Wansink, and Elisa Zied RD. These experts will be offering up their expertise on age-based nutrition for health and disease prevention during this 2 day workshop in NYC, and I cannot WAIT!

As part of our media blogging experience, the five of us will also be guest posting on the Food for Your Whole Life Blog, covering many of the age-related health issues that the symposium experts themselves will also be addressing.

This coming week, my post addresses the state of health of our nation, by focusing on the upcoming World Health Day.

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America’s Wellness: World Health Day and National Public Health Week

By Lindsey D. Toth, BS

Every year since 1995, the first full week of April (April 5^th through 11^th this year) has been dedicated to improving the health of our nation, as National Public Health Week (NPHW). Within that same week, one day has been set aside dedicated to improving the health of our entire world– World Health Day, on April 7^th, 2010.

This year’s World Health Day caters its message at overcoming health hurdles in urbanized areas, with the campaign “1000 CITIES, 1000 LIVES“. Over three billion people currently live in cities- a number that continues to rise. By the year 2030, six out of every ten people will be city dwellers, and by the year 2050, this number will increase up to seven out of ten. This rising trend in urbanization ultimately has consequences on the health of the citizens living within the urban community. Want to walk to work? Sorry, there are no sidewalks. Want to go for a run in the park? Nope, no green space available to do that. Thinking about going for a bike ride? It can get dangerous with no bike paths available.

So what can you do to make your city a healthier place on April 7^th?   Join the global movement to make cities healthier. The World Health Organization is encouraging cities around the globe to open their streets to promote health activities on April 7^th, so get YOUR city involved:

• Close down one street in your city. Work with community members to have mental and physical health activities available, such as massages and dance lessons.
• Organize a group walk or bike run. It can be five blocks, or five miles! Get the city involved so that it’s safe and fun for everyone.
• Promote local produce with a farmer’s market. Get local restaurants involved for cooking demonstrations on how to use the fruits and vegetables at the market.
• Organize a free, outdoor exercise class. If you have a park, organize an evening or morning yoga class to promote physical and mental health after a long day’s work.
• Provide health screening. Get your local clinic involved by inviting them to hold free health-risk screening sessions and a health education booth.
• Organize a “Walking School Bus.” Encourage your children to walk to school in the morning under the safety supervision of an adult.
• Make it “Bike to Work Day” at the office. Encourage everyone at work to ride their bike into work that day, or form a “car pool” of bike-riders, picking each other up on your way in to the office.

Get online and register your city today as one of the 1000 healthy cities that will be involved in World Health Day this year, and get creative with your ideas to get your city moving and shaking!

How would you make YOUR city a healthier place?

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Happy Snacking,

Lindsey