Keeping the Whole Family Healthy: Mom’s Role as the Health Advocate This Mother’s Day

In almost every Indian home, before we think of calling the doctor, we call out, “Maa!” From fever to fractured hearts, stomachaches to stress, she has a remedy, a routine, or a reassuring word.

Whether she’s applying a haldi paste on a scraped knee or reminding everyone to take their BP meds, an Indian mother is often the first line of defense and the most consistent one when it comes to family health. But here’s a thought: who takes care of her health?

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate Mom not just as the heart of the home, but as the family’s health advocate, and make sure we support her in that role too.

Most Indian mothers aren’t formally trained in healthcare, yet they somehow become the de facto family physicians, dieticians, nurses, and counselors. This emotional and mental labour often goes unnoticed but plays a critical role in family well-being.

Consider all the ways she advocates for family health:

Even in joint families, it’s often the mother who notices if Dadaji is skipping his sugar tablets, or if her teenager is unusually quiet. Her intuition is sharp, but it’s also a learned skill honed over years of observation and care.

Many of us grew up with Mom’s home remedies, ajwain for colic, tulsi for a cold, and that magical haldi doodh for just about everything. While these aren’t replacements for medical treatment, they reflect something deeper: a tradition of healing passed from mothers to daughters.

In rural India, especially, where access to formal care can be limited, this traditional knowledge becomes even more important. But it must be balanced with accurate, science-based healthcare advice.

Mothers today stand at the crossroads of tradition and modern medicine, navigating both to keep their families safe.

While mothers look after everyone else’s health, their own often takes a backseat.

A few common trends we see in Indian mothers:

This silent self-neglect can lead to long-term consequences. Heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and thyroid disorders are common in Indian women, many of which are preventable or manageable with timely care.

Let’s Flip the Script: Helping Mom Stay Well

This Mother’s Day, let’s take a page from her own book and become her health advocates. Here’s how:

1. Book Her a Health Check-up

Instead of another kurti or kitchen gadget, gift her a full-body check-up package. Many hospitals in India offer women-specific packages that screen for thyroid, cholesterol, diabetes, bone density, and more.

2. Create a Medication Tracker for Her!

She may remember everyone else’s pill schedule, but what about her own? Apps like Medisafe or even a simple chart on the fridge can be a game-changer.

3. Encourage Mental Health Conversations

If she’s feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or low, remind her that it’s okay to talk. Counselling services are now available online in Hindi and regional languages. Let her know emotional health matters too.

4. Get Moving Together

Join her on a morning walk or online yoga class. Moving as a family makes exercise fun and sustainable. It also shows her that her well-being matters just as much.

5. Share the Load

Offer to take over some health tasks, maybe it’s managing your sibling’s doctor visits or organising health files. Lightening her load helps her focus on her own health without guilt.

Today’s Indian moms aren’t just relying on intuition, they’re Googling symptoms, joining WhatsApp parenting groups, following nutritionists on Instagram, and attending webinars on women’s health.

But the overload of information can also be confusing or misleading. Help her navigate this world by sharing reliable Indian health websites like:

Encourage her to cross-check any advice with her doctor and remind her that she doesn’t have to do it all alone.

A mother doesn’t need a stethoscope to be a health advocate. Her care, her concern, and her constant watchfulness are medicine in themselves. But it’s time we helped her carry this responsibility with respect, with teamwork, and with love.

Let’s celebrate this Mother’s Day not just for what she does, but for who she is: a guardian of health, a source of strength, and someone who deserves the very care she so selflessly gives.

To every Indian mother reading this, it is your reminder: You are not just a caregiver. You are also a person who deserves care.

To every child, husband, or loved one, let this Mother’s Day be the day you return the favour. Stand by her in sickness and in health. Help her be her healthiest, happiest self.

Because when mothers thrive, families flourish.