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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Healthy Living as a Spiritual Discipline

Feb 29, 2024 09:27AM ● By Marlaina Donato

Activedia from Getty Images / CanvaPro

The human body enables us to fulfill daily functions and perform unseen feats autonomically. Our hearts beat 100,000 times a day, and our 60,000 miles of blood vessels transport nutrition and oxygen to our tissues and organs so they can do their superhero jobs. Taking time to eat better, exercise and get more rest feels like a tall order when life keeps us busy, but when we see food, movement and intention as sacred choices instead of Herculean tasks to be postponed, investing in our health can become a joyous endeavor.

 

Appreciating our arms, legs, eyesight, tastebuds and all of our other amazing physical assets can be a daily spiritual practice that incentivizes us to maintain our corporeal foundation. Research shows that moments of gratitude are catalysts for improvements in the nervous system, including vagal nerve tone, which positively impacts heart rate and blood pressure. For those struggling with chronic pain or illness, gratitude for what they can do gives them a greater sense of control and uncovers blessings they might have overlooked while dwelling upon limitations.

 

While millions of cells in the body die every day, millions more take their place. We are walking wonders of physiological orchestration, and this alone deserves our highest respect and commitment to our well-being. Here are a few inspirations for the journey.

 

·      With a daily prayer, thank the body for its wonders and efforts. Be specific by acknowledging distinct areas like the heart, brain and skin, as well as different functions such as breathing, hearing and seeing.

·      Think of the gym, treadmill, yoga studio or hiking trail as sacred spaces.

·      Consider better food choices as divine offerings to the body’s temple.

·      Make the act of food shopping a mindful activity.

·      Tune into the body for five-to-10-minute intervals to acknowledge its beauty and accomplishments.

·      Please the senses with nontoxic aromas, soft organic fabrics and splashes of beauty.

·      Befriend any body part that is disliked or has been ignored.

 

Marlaina Donato is a body-mind-spirit author, visionary artist and composer. Connect at BluefireStudio.art.

In-Print, Inspiration National Content March 2024
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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