‘Long overdue’: lawmakers declare racism a public health emergency – Guardian, June 12, 202
Long before the George Floyd tragedy, and long before COVID-19 began killing black people at twice the rate of their white counterparts, health experts were raising alarms that systemic racism is itself a deadly pandemic—one that kills both instantaneously and insidiously, burdens black and brown Americans with generational trauma, contributes to higher rates of infant mortality and heart disease, and even speeds up the aging process. Now, US lawmakers are finally hearing those alarms—and officially declaring racism a public health emergency.
Six months of Coronavirus: Here’s some of what we’ve learned – New York Times, June 3, 2020
Much remains mysterious about the Coronavirus, but after half a year, there are a few things we’re pretty sure of. They are summarized in 10 short, very helpful articles, including (1) we’ll have to live with it for a long time, (2) the virus produces more symptoms than expected, and (3) we have a long way to go to fix virus testing.
The trauma of racism: Countless studies have shown the adverse (mental health) effects – Psychology Today, June 4, 2020
In the US, many black people are born into a life of trauma. This article explains key studies that show the wide-ranging impact on their mental health—from anxiety disorders to PTSD. And how mental health services for black communities remain profoundly unmet
Why is no one talking about agriculture as a solution to climate change? – AFN, May 28, 2020
The CEO of an agtech company ponders why there isn’t more interest in agriculture’s capacity to be a climate solution through the production and maintenance of healthy living soil. The world’s soils contain 2,500 gigatons of carbon (which is 3X more than what is currently in the atmosphere). It has the capacity to hold much more through simple practices, including no-till farming, crop rotation, crop diversity and rotational grazing. These are relatively easy to put in place and have the added benefit of leading to more nutritious and abundant food and more resilient ecosystems.
How the ‘lost art’ of breathing can impact sleep and resilience – NPR, May 27, 2020
A new book (Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art) sheds fascinating light on something to which most of us pay little attention but is fundamental for our mental and physical wellbeing (we typically take about 25,000 breaths per day—often without a second thought). Some insights: Taking “slow and low” breaths through the nose can help relieve stress and reduce blood pressure; exhaling relaxes the body.
A Striking Stat:
Loneliness in Lockdown: Seventy-six percent of people report that they are significantly lonelier during the pandemic.
Source: SocialPro survey of English-speaking countries, April 2020
