National Public Health Week is the first full week of April and it’s the perfect time to prioritize making an impactful difference on your personal, familial and communal health.
What is National Public Health Week?
Each year in the United States, National Public Health Week is dedicated to celebrating the advances made–and acknowledging the work that still needs done–in the nation’s public health. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live long, healthy lives. To do so, those who work in public health strive to provide equitable access to quality health education and resources.
What can I do during National Public Health Week?
Spend the first week in April intentionally pursuing personal and community health goals. Doing so can help push ourselves, our communities and our nation to achieve greater health. Try some of these ideas:
Personal:
- Challenge yourself to eat at least one fruit and vegetable every day of the week.
- Book yourself a counseling appointment for mental health spring cleaning.
- Try a new recipe from a cookbook.
- Attend a health class or event put on by your local health department or community health organizations.
- Schedule the annual health screening or dentist appointment you’ve been putting off.
- Renew your CPR/AED certification.
Family/Workplace:
- Donate some of your sick leave to a co-worker who may need it for health or family emergencies.
- Request “Lunch and Learn” presentations at your workplace. Most health departments or organizations will do this free of charge!
- Sync your watches (or pedometers) and have a workplace walking challenge. The employee with the most steps through the week doesn’t have to answer the phones for the day or gets treated with a healthy lunch.
- Take an “active” family weekend vacation: pack a healthy picnic, play a game of disc-golf, bike local trails, jump around a trampoline park or kayak down a river.
Community:
- Donate food, money or time to a local food bank program. Filling donated food bags is a wonderful family-friendly volunteer opportunity!
- Attend a city council meeting to support health initiatives such as adding sidewalks, gardens or parks to the community.
- Sign a national petition that supports inclusive, accessible health policies.
- Become a certified suicide prevention counselor, lactation consultant, personal trainer, CPR instructor or any other type of health advocate.
- Start a food drive or donation jar at your workplace and donate the proceeds to a special cause.
By purposefully participating in National Public Health Week and promoting accessible health education in your community, you can make a difference!
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