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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Teen Voices: Shall We March?

Mar 01, 2020 05:40PM ● By Isabella Dussias

To march or not to march, that is the question. Are millennials like the children of the 60s who were ready to stand up for what they believed in? Are they happy to take a backseat and watch the world go by with apathetic eyes? 

I recently asked my peers what they were passionate about and how far they would go to uphold their beliefs. The causes ranged from preventing ocean pollution to sexual assault, bullying, discrimination of sexual orientation, the promotion of women’s rights and autism advocacy. A third of them felt a compelling desire to stand up for what they believe in, while the rest would rather keep their opinions to themselves. Some of those who would abstain from marching said that, if pushed, they would act on their beliefs but otherwise would prefer to quietly support what they believed in in a non-demonstrative manner. 

I believe this small sampling accurately reflects society. Albeit vocal, most protesters are still the minority. While it often takes just a few profound voices, most people, both then and now, would not make waves in the ocean of society. However, those that are engaged in the promotion of their cause feel a responsibility to try to effect change. They’ll tread water; they’ll march; they’ll do whatever they need to do. 

Because of the human spirit and inherent idealism of youth, the times and causes may have changed, but there may be less of a generational gap than you might think. 


Isabella Dussias is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter/composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com




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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