Staying
Healthy
Healthy
Community
149
Healthy
Family
Healthy
Individual
Most of this book describes health problems and what
to do about them. But many of these problems can be
prevented (stopped before they start) by better nutrition,
cleanliness, rest, and by meeting women’s basic health needs.
So in this chapter we describe some of the things a woman,
her family, and her community can do to prevent illness.
It is not always easy for women to prevent illness.
Although they do a lot to keep their families and communities
healthy, many women have difficulty finding the time, energy,
and money to pay attention to their own health needs. Since
women are often taught to put the needs of others first,
they have little time left for themselves after caring for their
families. And the family’s limited resources are often spent on
the children and men first.
Yet, in the long run, it saves a lot of pain and stress to
prevent health problems before they start rather than
treating them later. Some of these things do not take much
time or money. Others take some extra time, effort, and
money—at least in the beginning. But since prevention
builds the health and strength of a woman, her family, and her
community, life will be easier and better later on.
➤ Healthy
communities help
women stay healthy.
Healthy women can
care for their families.
Healthy families can
contribute more to
the community.
165
eating for good health
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012