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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Purpose and Meaning Help Seniors Live Longer

Connection to Longevity

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] study of 9,050 people by researchers at Britain’s University College of London (UCL), Princeton University and Stony Brook University has determined that a sense of purpose and meaning in the lives of older individuals can significantly reduce the risk of earlier mortality. The researchers called this greater sense of purpose “evaluative well-being”.

The study followed subjects that averaged 65 years old at the start for eight-and-a-half years. During that period, 9 percent of those with the highest levels of well-being died. Among those with the lowest levels of well-being, 29 percent passed away during the same period.

The study was led by Professor Andrew Steptoe, director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, who explains, “These analyses show that the meaningfulness and sense of purpose that older people have in their lives are also related to survival.” The mechanisms for this effect are still largely unknown. “There are several biological mechanisms that may link well-being to improved health, such as through hormonal changes or reduced blood pressure,” he says.

Health Briefs
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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