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Practice Yoga to Improve Atrial Fibrillation

Practicing Yoga for Heart Health

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Yoga postures and breathing may significantly reduce episodes of atrial fibrillation, suggests a new study—good news for the one in 11 Americans that suffer from its anxiety-producing palpitations, racing pulses, dizziness and shortness of breath. In the study, which was presented to the European Society of Cardiology, 538 patients underwent 12 weeks without yoga and then 16 weeks of attending 30-minute yoga classes every other day. During the yoga period, their fibrillation episodes were halved, dropping on average to eight as compared to 15 in the non-yoga period. Average blood pressure was 11/6 millimeters of mercury lower after yoga training. The patients also reported improved moods and energy. “Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation, and could be added on top of usual therapies,” says study author Naresh Sen, M.D., of Sunil Memorial Superspecialty Hospital, in Jaipur, India.
In-Print Yoga National Content Global and Health Briefs Health Brief Heart Health December 2020
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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