Something Tangible: Wholesome Wave

 

I escaped my daunting three hours of British literature and Baylor’s opening week of Sing to spend the week in the lovely town of Crested Butte, Colorado.  I have been getting inspired by the Olympics and skiing overly ambitious runs with my dad – this week is just what the doctor ordered!  This spontaneous vacation has provided the perfect escape for me to continue thinking about global health and working on my book review, but I have decided that I am tired of the theoretical, philosophical, moral, political (and so on) topics …for now. 

Between my experiences in Honduras and my reactions to current topics in global health reflected on this blog, I have hammered the idea that health inequalities that currently exist are not okay and that we have a very real, very urgent role to play in this fight for justice.  But I am ready to focus on the tangible.  I want to discover what is being done to foster health equity in various communities, and I want to learn how people of diverse backgrounds and skill sets can get involved.

So, today, I want to highlight the FVRx program started by Wholesome Wave.  One of the greatest health disparities in the United States is quality of nutrition.  Families of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to access fruits and vegetables for various reasons, including high cost.  Trim and fit bodies have now become symbols of affluence.  Even more alarming is the prevalence of childhood obesity; many economically disadvantaged children eat poorly and lack exercise, and they never grow up knowing how to live healthy lifestyles.  Wholesome Wave decided to address this particular health inequity.  Here is the description of this organization found on their website:

“Wholesome Wave fosters strong linkages between local agriculture and under-served communities.  Our goal is a more vibrant and equitable food system for all people.”

FVRx produce prescriptions allow doctors to address this need for good quality nutrition when it comes through their offices.  An FVRx prescription for fruits and vegetables allots obese children and pregnant women one dollar per day of subsidized money for each person in their household to spend at the local farmers market.  The program includes monthly visits with a nutritionist and office visits to refill the prescription and set new goals for health.  FVRx stands out to me because it allows people the capacity to control what they eat, directly addressing the inequity in access to natural, healthy foods.  FVRx is innovative, and it has proven to be effective in communities around the U.S.  Check out this link to see the 2012 results: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9xO2Xo4OIC4elJQZTlRSkR3VDg/edit?pli=1.

To read more about FVRx and Wholesome Wave (pictured above), visit www.wholesomewave.org/fvrx.  If you are as convinced about this work as I am, there are several ways to take action listed on the Wholesome Wave website.  Personally, I plan on staying current with Wholesome Wave’s work and spreading the word about this incredible organization to communities where it may be relevant.

Global Health Equity – What Do We Mean?

As I dig into the subject of global health equity, I am realizing that this term is really quite elusive.  I think we can all get on board with the idea that “global” implies universal.  But what do we mean when we say “health”?  And what level of health would be considered equitable?  These are fundamental questions because I think that most people would say global health equity is a goal worth fighting for, but we must develop a common definition of this cause for which we stand.

What is health?

This seems like a silly question, and I would venture to guess that most people have never felt the need to define “health.”  But I am also confident that most people assume a narrow understanding of health.  The absence of disease or the presence of physical fitness is certainly a part of good health.  But I would submit that health encompasses more than simply the physical.  The World Health Organization has a holistic definition of health in their Constitution:

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

This definition of health implies that people of all backgrounds and skill-sets are essential in bringing about global health equity.  Medical professionals are only one piece of this puzzle, which requires interdisciplinary action.  I, for one, am thankful that a holistic definition of health can spark conversations and interactions with all kinds of people – this fight will never be boring, and there is no excuse for sitting on the sidelines.  

What is equitable?

This, I believe, is a much more difficult question to answer.  Clearly, developed nations have more resources and more opportunities for various forms of health – and I do not believe that nations without access to nose jobs necessarily have inequitable health.  But what are the essential components of health that must be present for “equity” to be satisfied?

I think we should start by turning our attention to the most basic needs.  Access to good primary health care, preventative care and treatments for diseases is an essential part of equitable health care.  And just consider the infrastructure and equipment needed to make that happen – clearly this is no easy task.  But can we all agree that, in a world with as many resources as the one we live in, human beings should not die of treatable illnesses?  Basic services to provide for physical health needs are a start to achieving equity. 

Furthermore, equity calls for social action.  Oppression comes in numerous forms, and this is where the fight for global health equity gets interesting.  The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, found at http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/, provides an outline of the fundamental dignities each human should realize.  I am not interested in describing them here, but I would encourage anyone concerned with equity to read this document and take note of blatant violations of these rights in our current communities and around the globe.  If professionals would address injustices in their own fields, this would be a start to achieving equity.  

I now understand global health equity as an interest much broader than the medical community – and that excites me.  I hope the idea of creating healthy communities, in all senses of the word “healthy,” and expanding the capacity of people who currently live under oppression invigorates you as much as it does me.  Global health equity is clearly a complex issue, but I hope we can agree that this is something well worth our time, expertise and resources.  

 

A Time to Study, a Time to Dream.

Ecclesiastes 3

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
² A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
³ A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

As I look back on my own short life, I am keenly aware of seasons.  I am thankful for the gift of seasons because each has the potential to cultivate growth and new wisdom if we would only stop to meditate on the value of our experiences.  I am also thankful for the hope that a new adventure could always be just around the corner. 

I have had a wonderful, difficult experience in college.  Much of the difficulty came from an overloaded schedule and unrealistic hours of studying.  Needless to say, I was not always healthy or sane being a high achiever in loads of science courses.  But I was able to persevere because I knew it was a season.  Somehow, I had enough passion stored up inside of me that I faced school (and college life) with such vigor that I found myself completely emptied and profoundly relieved when I finished the bulk of my responsibilities in December.

And now I enter a new season, undoubtedly crafted by the Father and handed to me with a giant bow.  I have a semester with minimal school and ample time to dream again.  My main responsibility is writing a journal article on Reimagining Global Health.  In other words, I get to do work that I love.   My cup is being filled.  I am smitten with my new season.

So, I thought I would start writing on this blog again.  I have lots of thoughts, and I finally have time to put them on paper.  I know this will be temporary, since I start PA school this summer.  But as long as I have time to be a regular in a coffee shop, write blogs and live a completely unrealistic, commitment-free life, I will.  I’ll cherish every moment of this season and, hopefully, restore enough passion to fuel me for more years of school.  Bring. It. On.