Where people live can determine their overall health. Our neighborhood conditions can make us healthy or make us sick. So what exactly does that mean? Many contributing factors in our neighborhoods limit the ability to live a healthy life. The air we breathe is one. Some areas expose residents to harmful air quality or toxic[…..]

Doctors treat us when we are ill.  Though our health conditions could sometimes be linked to our family health history, that is not always the case. Research shows that social conditions—the jobs we do, the money we’re paid, the schools we attend, the neighborhoods we live in—are as important to our health as our family[…..]

There is a link between health and the environment. Are you asking yourself how? Not every person has that ability to live in a community that makes it easy to get healthy and stay healthy. There are obstacles that get in the way of better health. However, small changes can push your community towards better[…..]

Our fight has just begun! When we work towards health equity, we are working towards giving everyone the opportunity to live his or her healthiest life. Not all Individuals live in fair conditions.  We are getting closer, but we still have some gaps to close, mostly with families with low incomes and families of color.[…..]

What does a community health champion look like? Do they need to be a doctor? Can they be a community health worker? Can a local clinic be a community health champion? The answer is yes to all! A community health champion is any person or organization that goes the extra mile to improve the health[…..]

Long-lasting stress wears down our bodies and increases the risk of disease. What we might not realize is that stresses from living in our neighborhood or from our home are contributing factors. When we experience this, we are not able to live our healthiest lives. Where you live can increase the risk of stress. Long[…..]

Where we live can greatly affect our health. It can increase our risk of health problems. It can make our health problems worse. People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes face challenges when managing their disease. This is partially because of health inequities.  You might think that the only barrier to being healthy is not having[…..]

  Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, and is something we should strive for as a society. We all want to live our healthiest and happiest lives. We all want access to good food, health care, and safe spaces to live. That’s why it’s[…..]

      Social determinants of health focus on how we live, grow, work or play. These include key factors like income, neighborhoods, education, and jobs. For some of us, there are still long strides to take to live in a place of good health. You are a key piece to the larger puzzle. It[…..]

It’s time for our communities to move the needle toward health equity. To begin, we must understand the social determinants of health to address health equity. These determinants of health are factors such as where a person is born, where they work and where they live. These factors closely affect one’s overall health. We all[…..]

What is health equity? Health equity is a fair and equal chance for everyone to have a healthy life. This means equal access to healthy foods, a healthy living environment and access to good health services. In a perfect world, we would have health equity. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles that keep some groups of[…..]

Did you know that 1 in 6 children in the U.S. are obese? Reasons for this can stem from things like their family’s income, race, ethnicity, and where they live. These conditions, known as the social determinants of health, address why some communities are not as healthy as they should be. Health equity means everyone[…..]

We want to live in a place that is good for us. We want to live in a place that we feel good about. A person’s health can be influenced by where they live. Health and environment is a factor that is often linked. Not every person has that ability to live in a community[…..]

Considering having a baby? Give your little one a fair chance at health equity! Health equity means that everyone has an equal opportunity at living their healthiest life. Every parent wants their child to live a happy and healthy life. That is why it is important to ask yourself whether your living situation is healthy[…..]

Bullying is never acceptable, especially when children are involved. Kids often get bullied in school, on sports teams or at other social gatherings. The reason some kids are bullied is often because of their lack of health equity. Bullies might target other kids based on their social status, parents’ income, housing, appearance or other things[…..]

Every individual should have the opportunity to live in a community that provides safe places to walk and play. Daily walks in a park or bike rides around the block can improve the health of the individual and the health of a community. A walk on a guided path can instantly improve your health and[…..]

Zip codes matter. It may be no fault of your own, but where you live has a lot to do with your health. People who live in one zip code can have a poorer quality of life than people in the zip code right next door! Find out how your neighborhood could be affecting the[…..]

Health Equity is all about giving everyone an equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible. In a perfect world, we would have health equity. Unfortunately, various facets of inequality such as race or social class keep certain groups from achieving a healthy life. One factor that frequently prevents health equity is equal access to[…..]

Health disparities can happen to anyone at any time in anyplace. A health disparity is when you experience a disadvantage or difference in access to health facilities and services because of your social, economic or environmental status. Now, what exactly does that mean? Let’s pull an example for each of these categories to better help[…..]

We all know that eating the right kinds of food helps maintain a healthy weight. It helps improve our mental health, makes us feel good, and gives us energy. Where we work, live, and play explains why some individuals are healthier than others. These conditions, known as the social determinants of health, address why some[…..]

Getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies can be difficult. Most kids, however, love to be involved in the food making process, and will enjoy the food more if they play a part in creating it. Here are some cute recipes to make with your child that will encourage them to eat their fruits[…..]