History of National Health Month
People have always wanted to know what makes the human body healthy. In ancient ages this revolved around spiritual beliefs; medical and scientific understanding of the body came much later. The ancient Egyptians believed that headaches were caused by demons, while the ancient Greeks believed that sick people should satisfy the gods by making pilgrimages to sacred shrines.
Everything changed around the 5th century BCE, when Hippocrates developed his concepts of medicine. The “father of modern medicine,” as he was called, was the first to document the concept of bodily health as we know it.
Gradually, as the world learned more about itself and its environment, humanity’s understanding of health also grew. The ancient Romans made some amazing (for that time period) innovations in sanitation and public health. Ancient Indians routinely performed tumor and cataract removal procedures, and much later, throughout the Middle Ages, the Muslim Empire and the Church played a role in the development of medicine .
New innovations emerged, such as vaccinations, surgical procedures, and with them came greater knowledge of what the body needed to function. In the 18th and 19th centuries, people began to determine which foods and other foods to eat (and avoid) to prevent disease. Mental wellbeing also began to be explored and mental deficiencies were no longer seen as signs of otherworldly influences.
Today, health is viewed as a holistic ecosystem of mind, body and spirit. People seek balance, and it is this knowledge that National Health Month strives to instill in everyone.
