March 2021 - A Beautiful Voice

Food for Life
A healthy microbiome builds a strong immune system that could help defeat COVID-19

"As a Latina scientist investigating interactions between diet, microbiome and immunity, I must stress the importance of better policies to improve access to healthy foods, which lead to a healthier microbiome. . . While a good-quality diet might not prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, it can treat the underlying conditions related to [...]

Susan Troyer2021-04-07T22:29:27-05:00March 29th, 2021|Categories: Food For Life|Tags: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, Bacteria, Coronavirus, COVID, Cytokine storm, Diet, Heat, Immune response, Microbes, Microbiome, Probiotic, Viruses|0 Comments

Mindful Presence
Anxiety and depression: why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs

"And the evidence base for such treatments is growing – with research indicating that social prescribing can help to improve patient’s anxiety levels and general health. Findings also seem to suggest that social prescribing schemes can lead to a reduction in the use of NHS services." Author, Yvonne Black, University [...]

Susan Troyer2021-04-06T23:49:30-05:00March 26th, 2021|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Anxiety, Community gardens, Depression, Gardening, Gardens, nature, NHS, Outdoors, Social prescribing, Urban gardening|0 Comments

Food For Life
Great Time To Try Starting a Vegetable Garden – 6th in a Series

Today there is yet another resurgence in backyard and small-plot food growing, canning, bottling and preserving. Growing your own food at home may not solve all of your family’s food needs, but the practice of picking, preserving and cooking one’s own food brings a sense of control and calm. Author: Rachel Goldlust, PhD [...]

Susan Troyer2021-04-06T22:23:45-05:00March 22nd, 2021|Categories: Food For Life|Tags: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Gardening, Great time to try, Growing vegetables, Growing your own food, Urban gardening, Vegetables|Comments Off

Creating Community
A Tribute to Two Matriarchs – My Mother and Grandmother

In response to the request for submission of “Tributes to Matriarchs, Healers, and Heroes,” Gaby has submitted this lovely tribute to her mother and grandmother. A talented graphic designer, she works with Zyan, her friend since high school days. Together they have created all of the memes found on the [...]

Susan Troyer2021-03-19T23:52:11-05:00March 19th, 2021|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: and Heroes, Healers, international womans day, March 8th, strong woman, Tributes to Matriarchs|0 Comments

Mindful Presence
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the pressures faced by female care partners

Validation, appreciation, and respite - all would go a long way in supporting the 24/7 female care partner. Take a moment, check in on the care partners in your life and offer your support and aid. July 29, 2020 1.23pm EDT Author: Victoria Atabakhsh, PhD Student in Aging, Health, [...]

Susan Troyer2021-05-10T11:47:03-05:00March 15th, 2021|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Caregivers, Coronavirus, coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19|0 Comments

Mindful Presence
Still – a great time to try knitting your first woolly scarf – 5th in a series

It might still be a great time to try something new! In this series, we get the basics on hobbies and activities to start while you’re spending more time at home. Author: Emily Brayshaw, University of Technology Sydney May 3, 2020 3.50pm EDT First, a warning: knitting can be highly [...]

Susan Troyer2021-04-05T15:36:03-05:00March 12th, 2021|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: hand-knitted garments, knit garments, knitting, Knitting for Dummies, Knitting is associated with comfort, knitting needles, knitting pattern., meditation and relaxation, popularity of knitting|0 Comments

Creating Community
On Women’s Day, Kate Swaffer speaks candidly to a global community: Choose to challenge!

In 2020, Kate Swaffer joined the Influencers included in our magazine. A prolific author and spokesperson for people living with dementia, she speaks openly and candidly to a global community. Read Kate’s powerful message: “The OECD response concluded in 2015 that ‘people with dementia receive the worst care of any [...]

Susan Troyer2021-03-23T16:48:13-05:00March 8th, 2021|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: ‘people with dementia receive the worst care of any disease in the developed world.’, #ChooseToChallenge, International Women's Day, Kate Swaffer|0 Comments

Mindful Presence
Religion may reduce stress and increase longevity

This survey included questions on church attendance (a surrogate for religiosity) and 10 stress factors that can be measured in a clinical setting, such as blood pressure and levels of stress-related hormones. Together these factors are known as allostatic load (AL). Previous studies have found a higher AL associated with higher [...]

Susan Troyer2021-03-06T23:29:58-06:00March 6th, 2021|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: interaction between stress and longevity and church attendance, Marino Bruce of Vanderbilt University, Religiosity affects AL (Allostatic Load) and longevity|0 Comments

Music as Medicine
The arts are a shadow health service – here’s why

Just imagine for a moment a world robbed of facilities, resources and activities in the creative arts and humanities: no music, no singing, no art, no stories to read or share, no dancing, no theatre, no film, no galleries or museums, no crafts. It should be clear that health and [...]

Susan Troyer2021-03-05T21:10:50-06:00March 5th, 2021|Categories: Music as Medicine|Tags: Arts, Creative Interdisciplinarity, National Health Service, NHS, Wellbeing health services|0 Comments

Creating Community
You are invited to submit your story for online publication!

We are celebrating International Women’s Day - Monday, March 8 - with a call for submission of personal stories from our readers on the subject: "Tributes to Matriarchs, Healers and Heroes” International Women's Day is a day of global celebration of the achievements of women and a call to action [...]

Susan Troyer2021-03-03T21:54:20-06:00March 3rd, 2021|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: A "writing celebration", Call for submission of personal stories, International Women's Day, March 8th, Tributes to Matriarchs-Healers-Heroes|0 Comments

Monthly Archives: March 2021