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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Eco-Friendly Beach Tips: Maximizing Sun and Surf During Crises

Couple Taking Selfie at Beach

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Flocking to beaches is a normal urge with summer in full swing. While practicing social distancing due to the coronavirus crisis, don’t neglect regular health precautions. It’s more important now than ever to soak up vitamin D to bolster the immune system, and it can also reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease or diabetes, according to the UK University of Warwick Medical School.

Sun Protection

Mother Earth News says we can augment the body’s natural sun protection by increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins C and B, which are depleted when exposed to the sun. It also recommends natural tanning creams such as a combination of sesame nut oil, anhydrous lanolin and water; the liquid of one large cucumber added to rose water and glycerin; or a blend of fresh mint leaves, water, sesame or coconut oil, one egg yolk, wheat germ oil and lemon juice. Natural sunscreen innovations are emerging: the European Journal of Organic Chemistry reports that synthesizing discarded cashew-nut shells holds promise.

Effective UV protection can be attained by donning hats, sunglasses and protective clothing, including neck-to-knee swimsuits for children. Seek shade, cover up and avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Be extra careful when the UV index is high; check the daily National Weather Service forecast assessing the risk of sun overexposure, which offers a widget for smartphones.

Respect Wildlife

Respect wildlife that may be present. Be cognizant of designated turtle hatching areas; their prime nesting season continues through October. Also, tell kids not to disturb shorebirds and other winged friends that may be on the sand; some may be resting or eating after flying many miles on a long migratory journey.

Leave No Trace

Don’t leave any trash behind, especially plastic straws or bags; it’s best to use metal or bamboo straws and cloth bags. With a stiff breeze, plastics can end up in the water to entangle and choke marine life or break into toxic microplastics that pollute drinking water supplies. The online journal PLOS ONE estimates there are 5 trillion pieces, or approximately 269,000 tons of plastic, already in Earth’s oceans.
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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