HEALTH & WELLNESS
Grow a Garden
Alyson Breisch
Southern Conference Minister
for Health and Wellness
April 22nd, was Earth Day. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 was intended to be a way to engage the public and push green issues to the national agenda. One focus is to advocate for greater support of organic, local, and sustainable agricultural techniques. What can one person do? Grow a garden. You might plant vegetables or you might consider a garden spot for native plants that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. A garden makes us feel grounded, wiser, and more grateful for life. “A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world.” - Wendell Berry.
Consider installing a rain barrel as a way to conserve water for watering your garden. You can also use a drip irrigation system as a water-efficient way to water plants in the garden. It delivers water directly to the roots of plants, reducing water waste and evaporation. Mulching reduces evaporation, helps to retain moisture in the soil, helps to improve soil health, and suppress weeds. Planting marigolds with vegetables can help repel pests and reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Composting is a great way to create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Instead of throwing away kitchen scraps, such as fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, and coffee grounds, add them to a compost bin. Your local county cooperative extension can share information on building compost containers and the steps in composting.
Gardening workshops and educational activities are a fun way to celebrate Earth Day. You might invite neighbors to a seed-sharing session or participate in plant swaps offered by your local library or county cooperative extension. These are a good way to learn about how to store and label seeds and tips for germinating them in the future. Another way to celebrate Earth Day may be to help start or maintain a community garden. It’s a great way to meet new people and to share the yield with those with need. Hosting a garden potluck meal is a gratifying way to share the community garden's harvest with others. If the garden yield is generous, you can preserve produce for later by freezing, canning, or dehydrating methods to enjoy the crops throughout the year.
“In almost every garden, the land is made better, and so is the gardener.“ —Robert Rodale
Good Morning
Alyson Breisch
Southern Conference Minister
for Health and Wellness
Our regular habits significantly impact our lives. A recent article described 8 ways that some people stay mentally sharp as they age. It reported that morning routines largely set the tone for the entire day. Today we’ll examine 4 of these morning routines (mindfulness, lifelong learning, connecting with loved ones, and appreciating nature). Next week we’ll review the remaining 4 routines (physical activity, healthy breakfast, adequate hydration, and a consistent sleep schedule) that help people stay mentally astute well into their 70’s and beyond.
1. Morning mindfulness: Starting the day with a clear, calm mind can do wonders for our mental health. We live in an age of information overload. Our brains are constantly bombarded with notifications, news, and noise. A few moments of quiet can help reset your brain, clearing the way for better focus throughout the day. A daily dose of mindfulness can occur through meditation, breathwork, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea.
2) Lifelong learning: People who stay mentally sharp tend to have a common trait – they never stop learning. This could be through reading a book, trying a new hobby, or even doing daily crossword puzzles. The key is to keep the brain stimulated and challenged, which promotes cognitive function and mental agility. Consider incorporating some form of learning into your morning routine. It could be as simple as reading a chapter of a book or learning a new word every day. A curious mind is an active mind!
3) Connecting with loved ones: Staying socially engaged is crucial for maintaining mental sharpness as we age. It stimulates our mind, uplifts our spirits, and reminds us of our place in the world. Many people in their 70s and beyond make it a point to connect with their loved ones and friends every morning. This could be a phone call with a grandchild, a text message, a morning walk with a partner, or even a quick chat with a neighbor. Reach out and connect.
4) Appreciating nature: Make time to appreciate the natural world around you. Watching a sunrise or listening to the morning birdsong can be a gentle reminder of the world’s vastness and our smallness within it. Starting your mornings with a moment of nature appreciation can ground you. It’s sense of calm and perspective can continue throughout the day. You might tend to a garden, enjoy a quiet moment on a balcony or patio, or simply gaze out the window at the sky. Take a close-up look at the natural world by enjoying the variety of birds at a bird feeder. These simple acts can reduce stress, increase feelings of relaxation, and stimulate your mind. Incorporate a dose of nature’s beauty into your morning routine.
Tomorrow is a good time to begin these new habits. Start your days with routines that will have you saying, “Good morning!”
Three Good Things
Alyson Breisch
Southern Conference Minister
for Health and Wellness
Over the last 10 years, I have read numerous articles by researchers and clinicians describing the benefits of positive thinking, positive emotions, and gratitude. Five years ago the COVID pandemic emerged and dramatically changed our lives. People who were isolated from others were apprehensive and distressed. As a response, a group developed an online journal app, “3 Good Things”, for people to share the three good things that happened to them each day. The approach was simple –write down or think about three good things that happened to you each day. Studies have shown this simple exercise, practiced daily, leads to higher satisfaction and sense of fulfillment. Martin Seligman (Ph.D.), considered the “father” of positive psychology, showed during a 1-week intervention that when participants took time at the end of each day to write down “three good things” (three things that went well) and why those good things happened, they experienced a significant improvement in happiness and reduced depression. This impact was sustained for 6 months after the intervention.
Today, the COVID epidemic is less threatening because of highly-effective vaccines and infection-control practices. But now many in our country are experiencing anxiety and concerns because of the current governmental actions occurring in the United States and around the world. A friend of mine told me on Monday that she has resumed her activity of ending each day by naming three good things that happened to her that day. She said writing down and reflecting on the good things in her day gives her a balance against the upsetting news stories that are so prevalent. You may want to use this simple way to tune into the positive events in your life.
Step 1. Look back upon your day. Recall what you did, what things happened.
Step 2. Ask yourself, “What went well today?” Pick out the three most positive highlights of your day.
Step 3. Write down your “3 good things”. What made you smile? What are you grateful for? You may just write a few words to capture the event or you can take time to describe it in more detail. Take a moment to reflect on how these moments brought peace/joy/gratitude.
Taking the time to list 3 Good Things each day can provide a rational lens for viewing events and lead to improved mood, better sleep, and decreased depression.
Victory Christian Partners for Health and Wellness
Pastor Rose Wright-Scott and Victory Christian UCC Food Ministry were Blessed to have Phillip Grotz (M.D.) from Bon Secure St. Francis Medical Family Practice to come out and volunteer his services at the congregation's Food Bank. All were thankful that he gave up time away from his practice to help with serving the local community. Victory Christian UCC Food Bank was adopted by the Bon Secure St. Francis Community Advisory Committee as the primary organization in which doctors and interns would volunteer on a monthly basis. Plans for the future will include presentations on various Medical Diseases and Illnesses, and a Health Fair. Gratitude is extended to the good doctor!
SMILE
Alyson Breisch
Southern Conference Minister
for Health and Wellness
I’ve had the word “Smile” on my working list of topics for my newsletter article for quite a while. Today I decided I would write about smiles. When I looked on the internet, I was surprised to discovered that October 4th was World Smile Day 2024. The theme was “Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.” I may have missed the “official” day, but it’s always a good time to talk about smiles! World Smile Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday in October. It was started by Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, who created the iconic smiley face symbol in 1963 for a local company. The design was never trademarked. Lots of people liked it and began to use it. It became a very well-known symbol and morphed into the many emotion emojis we all know today. As his creation became too commercialized, he wanted to devote an annual day to genuine smiles and acts of kindness.
Turns out smiling is good for your health! It lifts your spirit and also boosts your immune system. Smiling increases mood-enhancing hormones like dopamine while decreasing stress-enhancing hormones, including cortisol, and adrenaline. Smiling helps reduce the body’s response to stress and lowers heart rate in tense situations. Studies have linked smiling to lower blood pressure and suggest that smiling leads to longevity.
Smiling is “contagious”. A smile is something that is easy to pass on. A smile often puts us and others at ease. When someone smiles at you, you feel the good vibes from them, which makes you want to pass a smile on to the next person. Your smile can draw others to you. A smile is the most international language that everyone knows. A smile’s contagion is so potent, we may even be able to catch one from ourselves. It is suggested that smiling at yourself in the mirror can help shift your mood in only a few seconds by triggering your mirror neurons which can re-center and calm you down if feeling low or anxious.
We need to smile more! Research shows that children smile an average of 400 times per day, compared to the average happy adult who smiles 40-50 times per day and the typical adult who smiles only 20 times per day. When you notice beauty and kindness around you, smile! When you have a quiet moment, give yourself a smile! Find ways to invite another person to smile. Brighten someone’s day by leaving kind notes for them to find ; surprise someone with an unexpected card or gift that you’ve made; share your musical talents by visiting a residential home and offering to perform for their residents; send a card to a friend to thank them for being great; smile at everyone you encounter for a day and just see how many smiles you get back! A single act of kindness can transform someone's day and one smile can brighten the world. Louis Armstrong was on to something when he sang, “When you’re smiling the whole world smiles with you.” Smile! Spread Happiness!