Just noticed this tweet and it reminded me to write a blog
on health and transition.
Professionals in healthcare (NHS) and public health
(independent Directors of Public Health and Departments of Public Health in
Local Government) are getting political; for example denouncing the aspiration
that food and drink corporates can regulate themselves with ‘responsibility deals’.
Whilst it is now well established that the social aspects of our lives affects our health and
length of life (social determinants of health), a new
concept has emerged; the corporate determinants of health. This concept is more
outspoken indicating that large corporates, including multinationals, almost
inevitably, are blind to the detriments to health that their activity causes.
It’s another argument to reinforce the view that the global capitalist, neoliberal, model is
not benefitting the majority of people, in health terms, as well as other living standards. I see Transition Movement as a 'viable alternative', if you like, to corrosive capitalism.
I was really pleased that
Transition Network have chosen to focus on Health and Wellbeing as it’s theme
of May 2014. Here’s my thoughts on how transition initiatives could consider how
they currently benefit health of their locality, and how health benefits could
be maximised.
Let’s start with what’s currently happening out there in Transitionland...
I’ve been involved on and off with several Transition
Initiatives in England over the last 6 years. My feeling is that many of the
projects may already have benefits for health and wellbeing which may not be explicitly
recognised and valued. I’ll just run through 2 of the most common examples;
food and home insulation.
Growing food primarily may have nutritional benefits,
but there may be further benefits from the whole project; the physical activity
of horticulture, vitamin D from being out in the sunshine (but wear a hat and
sunscreen in intense sunshine!) Then there are social and mental wellbeing
benefits of interacting with fellow gardeners, a feeling of productivity and self-sufficiency,
and a tendency to direct attention to nature for a while, rather than the self-absorption
that consumerism encourages. Most tenuously, perhaps, using a permaculture type
approach may reduce rainwater run-off and hence protect from flooding and the
negative impacts of health that this causes.
How many transition food projects
value and shout about the many health and wellbeing benefits that they bring?
(Five Ways to Wellbeing can be a useful way of capturing these benefits). I
should add that gardening is not only for those who are fit and able, as the paragraph above might
imply, but should aim to be inclusive. Gardening programmes have enabled
people with disability or dementia, for example, to benefit.
Home insulation can improve housing conditions. Poor housing
is a key factor for ill health, recognised as one of the social determinants of
health. Damp can lead to mould spores and irritation of breathing difficulties.
Excess heat or cold can worsen health conditions and lead to premature death
for vulnerable people. Poor energy efficiency leads to money wasted on energy
that could otherwise be spent on improving nutrition or necessary medicine. No surprises
that poor housing leads to poor mental wellbeing. So do your housing projects
capture benefits for health and wellbeing? As mentioned the social determinants
of health may be the best approach for estimating these benefits.
In next blogs I'll go on to discuss:
Healthy communities and prevention
Influencing sustainability of local health and social care
services
Adaptation to protect health
Wider political aspects and Language
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