Note: This declaration, prepared in 2010, has led to the book: Healthicine: The Arts and Sciences of Health and Healthiness which expands on these concepts.
Full Version:
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Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and...";
and
Whereas the United States Declaration of Independence says "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that amount these are life, liberty and...";
and
Whereas the Canadian Bill of Rights says "the following human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely, (a) the right of the individual to life, liberty...";
and
whereas life does not exist without health, and quality of life is first measured by quality of health, and life ends when health ends;
and
whereas liberty is fundamentally constrained by health, and poor health creates a deficit in the liberty;
therefore
a fundamental right of all people is "the right to pursue healthiness".
Thus, the Universal Declaration of Health Freedom states thus:
Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of healthiness.
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These three rights are fundamental rights of individuals and do not depend upon, nor infringe upon the rights of other individuals. As fundamental rights, these rights are not dependent on any 'responsibilities', that might encumber non-fundamental rights, for example the right to property.
"The right to pursue healthiness" includes the right to seek the highest qualities of personal and community health and to take actions that improve health.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." Any action that threatens the health of an individual is a threat against the "security of the person". Therefore it can be seen that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is perfectly aligned with the Health Freedom Declaration.
The United States Declaration of Independence states that " that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". "Pursuit of happiness" a valuable right, and it can be seen that it includes the pursuit of healthiness. What could be more happy than a healthy person? Happiness might first be measured by healthiness, which includes physical, mental, spiritual and community health. Therefore, it can be seen that the United States Declaration of Human Rights is also aligned with the Health Freedom Declaration.
The Canadian Bill of Rights states that "the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property". Like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Canadian Bill of rights recognizes right to 'security of the person' and thus the right to the 'pursuit of healthiness'.
The Canadian Bill of Rights muddies the water with the right to the 'enjoyment of property'. Enjoyment of property is an important right in our society - and an important right to health freedom. However, it is not a 'fundamental right'. By its very definition, the right to the enjoyment of property, most especially when the property in question is a limited resource like real estate, infringes on other people's rights to enjoy the same property. Thus, property is a 'secondary right', not a fundamental right.
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You can find other declarations of health freedom:
International Declaration of Health Freedom from World Health Freedom Assembly 2006. A more in depth declaration of health freedom, although the text is a bit sloppy and could use a good editor. Contains information that is useful for contacting other Health Freedom organizations around the world.
2004 - NHFC Declaration of Health Freedom "National", eg. United States view. Poorly written, unnecessary emphasis on privacy and law. Some useful links and info.
Charter of Health Freedom Canadian. Wordy and specific to Canada.
Tracy is the author of two book about healthicine:
My Healthicine Page
and the book: Healthicine: The Arts and Sciences of Health and Healthiness
