9 minute read
STRONG AND HEALTHY
teen voices
Under-Scheduled and Overwhelmed
by Isabella Dussias
So, how are teens feeling this summer? Certainly, there are teens who definitely feel overwhelmed. While we might have gotten more free time due to the pandemic, it has also allowed more time to focus on uncertainties. There are so many things to think about these days. Keeping things in perspective is important for us all.
Many of our settled decisions have been uprooted by COVID-19. In looking to the future there is now a struggle to decide whether to go away to college or attend a Isabella Dussias community college to stay closer to home. Some are considering a gap year before pursuing higher education. These difficult decisions have gotten more complex for my generation. As we become young adults, getting advice from those that are older is helping us with this process. Knowing that we are all in this together and the reminder that we just need to take it one step at a time is helpful as we decide our best moves into the future. It is more complicated in these uncertain times, but it is good to try to not become overwhelmed.
Wishing you good health!
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.
Strong and Healthy Five Ways to Strengthen Kids’ Immunity
by Ronica O’Hara
With American children increasingly afflicted with asthma and allergies, it’s critical to help them build up their natural immunity. Microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert, Ph.D., of the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, cofounder of the crowdsourced American Gut Project, advises, “Furry pets, the outdoors, dirt in the backyard, forests—life!”
As the co-author of Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for
Your Child’s Developing Immune System, Gilbert is part of an emerging scientific consensus called the “hygiene hypothesis”, which posits that excessive sterility—being overzealous in protecting our children from germs and other microbes—can dampen the ability of their bodies to fight off allergens and infections. “As a species, we have evolved in a world full of microbes, and our immune systems have developed to cope with that,” he says. “The immune system needs to be used and trained by exposure to the world around it.” From birth onward, here are some proven strategies that strengthen kids’ immune systems.
1Start off right with natural birth and breastfeeding: One in three babies in the U.S. is born by caesarean section, and about half the time it’s optional rather than necessary—perhaps because parents don’t understand that babies born in this manner have been shown to have altered immune development, reduced gut microbiome diversity and a higher risk of developing allergies, atopy and asthma in the short term, with a long-term risk of obesity, according to a study published in The Lancet. Likewise, breast-feeding protects against the likelihood of viruses, eye and urinary tract infections, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroenteritis, lymphoma, leukemia, and Type 1 and 2 diabetes, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2Feed them the right foods:Provide lots of antioxidantrich fruits, veggies and fiber—organic when possible—while avoiding processed foods. “The intestinal lining of the gastrointestinal tract serves as the body’s first line of defense against many pathogens. Through certain strains of probiotics and prebiotics found in whole food, we can help landscape our child’s intestinal microbiome to create a positive effect on their innate and adaptive immune
responses,” says Krystal Plonski, a Seattle naturopathic physician with a pediatric focus.
3Avoid cleaning toxins:The COVID-19 pandemic has many of us reaching for virus-zapping bleach disinfectants, but Gilbert advises not to overuse them. Once the viral threat is past, it’s wise to go back immediately to natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda. A 2015 study in Occupational & Environmental Medicine of more than 9,000 children ages 6 to 12 in Spain, Holland and Finland found the incidence of infections such as flu, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia was more prevalent in homes where bleach was used.
4Get them outside around dirt: Whether toddlers are making mud pies, older kids are growing gardens or teens are kicking up dust on the sports field, childrens’ immune systems thrive when they meet the microbial richness of dirt and the vitamin-D boost of the sunny outdoors. In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine that focused on two technology-free communities, Amish children that lived and worked at old-fashioned family dairy farms had a quarter and a fifth the rate of asthma and allergies, respectively, as Hutterite children that lived off-site from their community’s large industrialized farms. Georgetown University researchers report that sunlight, besides producing vitamin D, energizes infection-fighting T-cells in the skin that play a central role in human immunity.
5Get them a pet:The dirt, germs and fur that dogs and cats bring to a house may be just what young immune systems need. Finnish researchers following 397 babies found those that grew up in homes with pets were 44 percent less likely to develop an ear infection and 29 percent less likely to receive antibiotics than pet-free babies. Canadian researchers found that babies from families with pets—70 percent of which were dogs—showed higher levels of two types of microbes linked to lower risks of becoming allergic and obese. They theorize that exposure to dirt and bacteria early in life—for example, in a dog’s fur and on its paws—can create early immunity.
Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
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YOGA corner The Koshas
by Nicole Zornitzer
Often one comes to a yoga class for tial when practicing yoga. Our breathing the physical aspects—to stretch, is just as important as our movement, and sweat or become more flexible. all will experience the maximum benefit However, what is not commonly discussed of their yoga practice by manipulating the are the five koshas (sheaths or layers) of breath properly. the human being. An awareness of these Manomayakosha subtle energies within our bodies can bring The third layer is manomayakosha (mind). any physical yoga practice beyond the Learn to withdraw the senses and allow mat. When I was in training 15 years ago, thoughts to come and go without forming this concept resonated with me so much attachment. In a mindful manner, acthat I incorporated an awareness of these knowledge a thought but then release that concepts in every asana practice. thought and remain centered in yoga prac
For a body to be whole and healthy, tice allows for the opportunity to “just be”. it is necessary for the five koshas to be in harmony with one another. When the body is in disharmony dis-ease occurs; therefore, I believe it is essential to introduce and experience each kosha individually and collectively in a yoga program. As B.K.S. Iyengar discusses in Light on Life, true health requires not only effective functioning of the physical exterior of our being, but also the vitality, strength and sensitivity of the subtle levels within. Vijnanamayakosha The fourth layer is vijnanamayakosha (wisdom self; third eye). This involves focused awareness on the space between the eyebrows to become the witness to the physical body and the mind. As one separates the ego from the self, one finds the ability to become the witness to all that is. Here there is no judgment; we are cultivating kindness towards our bodies and all that exists. Annamayakosha The outermost layer is annamayakosha (physical body). In yoga asana class, the various shapes the body is put into directly affect the physical body. It is important for the physical body to be strong yet flexible, all the while creating open channels of energy to support our skeletal system, nervous system and internal organs. Anandamayakosha The final layer is anandamayakosha (bliss body). This is the most difficult to explain or achieve, as it is absolute peace. It is important to keep expectations reasonable, so start with becoming aware of the smallest of moments where bliss may occur. The ultimate goal of yoga is to find this comfortable “seat” and rest, truly rest, and be at ease. The definition of yoga is the yolking together, or union, Pranamayakosha of mind, body and spirit. The The second layer is five koshas of the body are the pranamayakosha (energy foundation to creating this body). This is directly harmony of self. related to breath. An awareness of each inhaNicole Zornitzer, ERYT lation and each exhala1000, yoga therapist, founder tion and the breath’s of Niyama Yoga & Wellness power to directly affect Studio in Randolph, New Jerour physical body is essensey. NiyamaYogaStudio.com.
