World Health Day; Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures

 

Today is World Health Day acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness of major global health concerns. The WHO was founded April 7, 1948, "To promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. We work to ensure that all people, everywhere, have the opportunity to live healthy lives. Our goal is to achieve a world where everyone can live in dignity and well-being. We lead global efforts to respond to health emergencies, promote health and well-being, and prevent disease. We work with governments, partners, and communities to strengthen health systems and provide access to quality health care for all. Our vision is a world in which everyone can live healthy, productive lives, regardless of where they live or who they are."  

Every year, the WHO Assembly meets in Geneva, Switzerland to choose a major global health concern and promote it through World Health Day to increase it’s awareness and prevent more cases.

This year, their theme is “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” beginning a yearlong campaign on maternal and newborn health. Current studies have shown 300,000 women lose their life due to pregnancy/childbirth each year and over 2 million babies die in their first month of life. These records indicate that 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet global targets for improving maternal survival by 2030. 

Health systems need to evolve to better support women physically and emotionally at every stage of their lives to have good outcomes with childbirth and beyond, with their health care continuing beyond simply surviving childbirth. The postpartum period after birth lacks critical care from health providers, a significant and important stage of birth that goes unnoticed or ignored. Our families and communities are built on the foundation of mothers; therefore, it is crucial to provide effective care for these women. Without protecting our mothers, we lose our foundation, and our civility morality and equal rights and we must join them in advocating for improved and effective care from our health systems.

Ayurveda provides a holistic, natural and personal approach to women's health at all the stages and aspects of her life, including personalized food plans are recommended for women that are pregnant that include nutrient-dense, warm, and grounding foods, Ayurvedic massage and bodywork, such as the Abhyanga Massage, are beneficial during pregnancy as the warm oils and smooth and steady strokes promote deep relaxation and improve circulation, which can help calm areas of stress and anxiety that come with pregnancy and postpartum and are nourishing and rejuvenating, refreshing and revitalizing at any stage of life. 

For more information on how Ayurveda can help you, make an appointment with Chaya

https://chayaveda.com/services
For more information on the WHO campaign visit: https://www.paho.org/en/campaigns/world-health-day-2025