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March is National Nutrition Month, a powerful reminder of the vital role nutrition plays in our health—especially during pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout childhood. Proper nutrition is more than a personal choice, it’s the foundation for lifelong well-being.
For expectant mothers and pregnant people, good nutrition supports a healthy pregnancy, reduces the risk of complications, and nurtures both parent and baby. During postpartum, balanced nourishment aids recovery, boosts energy, and supports breastfeeding. For children, proper nutrition fuels growth, strengthens immunity, and sets the stage for lifelong health.
In a world where disparities in food access persist and chronic diseases continue to rise, prioritizing nutrition is an act of both self-care and collective responsibility. Every meal is an opportunity to build a healthier future—for ourselves, our families, and our communities.
This National Nutrition Month, let’s commit to making informed, nutritious choices and advocating for equitable access to healthy foods. Because when we nourish ourselves, we empower future generations to thrive. Let's continue, together in health.
Juntos en salud,
Dr. Diana Ramos
California Surgeon General
| | Improving Cardiovascular Health Summit | |
Thanks to everyone, including our generous sponsors, who participated in our successful Maternal Health Summit: Improving Cardiovascular Health held on February 20 in Sacramento.
During the summit, healthcare, community, and technology leaders and partners tackled the rising crisis of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths and explored scalable solutions. Insights will be shared soon.
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Afshan Hameed, MD
University of California, Irvine
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Rosie Buclatin
Patient Story
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Joelle Donofrio-Odmann, MD
Emergency Services, Eagles
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Martin Cadeiras, MD
UC Davis Promotora Program
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Brittany Mbong NM, WHNP
BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center
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Karen Mark, MD
Department of Health Care Services
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Monica Alleje
American Heart Association
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Ryan Natividad
California Department of Public Health
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Holly Morrell
Heartfelt
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Sarah Vaillancourt
DNP, WHNP-BC, RN
California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative
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Stephen Bruso
Morningside Ventures
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Maneesh Jain, PhD
Mirvie
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Jesus Saucedo, MD
Trust.Care
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Bonnie Zell, MD, MPH, FACOG
Delfina
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Ramin Mousavi
Cathworks
| | National Nutrition Month 😋 | |
This March, explore resources on food and nutrition that support mothers, pregnant people and families in California:
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American College of Lifestyle Medicine
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine is a medical professional society leading with lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a redesigned, high-value, patient-centered, equitable healthcare delivery system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that prescribes lifestyle intervention to treat chronic conditions such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity, as well as select autoimmune conditions.
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LA84 Foundation
Born out of the 1984 Olympic Games, the LA84 Foundation moves communities forward by ensuring every child has access to the benefits of sports. As a nationally recognized leader in youth sports, they are action oriented, supporting, funding, and elevating programs that drive youth development, promote equity, and inspire future generations.
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Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
California WIC knows how important it is for you to give your family a healthy, happy start. They are here to provide support every step of the way, whether you or a member of your household is pregnant, caring for a new baby, or raising young children. California WIC is the largest WIC program in the nation, helping families stay healthy and active by providing access to healthy food, expert advice, and resources.
| | | | CALL TO ACTION: Share PreMA | | |
In January, our office released the Preconception Medical Assessment (PreMA), an eight-question tool designed to help individuals assess their health before pregnancy and outside of the healthcare setting. PreMA is now available in Spanish!
Download a copy for yourself or someone else today. With permission, leave a few at your local grocery store, laundromat, or beauty shop. Add resources specific to your area. Because the quiz has been validated, the questions and recommendations cannot be modified.
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Strong Start & Beyond: Partnering for Progress Webinar
Registration is now open for next month’s partner webinar on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 12PM with guest speakers:
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Dr. Erica Pan, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FAAP – California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer
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Dr. Bernadette (Bernie) Lim, MD, MS – Founder and Executive Director Freedom Community Clinic
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Dr. Atul Nakhasi, MD, MPP – Transformational Physician Executive
Unable to attend? The webinar will be recorded and published to our YouTube channel.
Have suggestions on collaboration or interested in being featured in an upcoming newsletter or other communication channel? Contact us for consideration at strongstartandbeyond@osg.ca.gov.
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