Health and Wellness

The guided meditation space at EFOC was the perfect place to find healing

Published

4 months ago

July 14, 2024

Courtney Cheatham

On the first day of the ESSENCE Cultural Festival, at 8:45 AM, as I walked into the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans and watched the lines of individuals form, I could hear the commotion starting. People were there… But as I walked inside and walked up to the activation of the Health House and into the covered space with raised stages, fluffy orange seat cushions, singing bowls arrange around the perimeter, and sage opened up, it was a very different scene and feel. The practitioners, beautiful black women from New Orleans, who were preparing to teach guided meditation and use sound therapy, were wearing ethereal white robes, greeting individuals with warmth and calm voices. They too were ready. They were there and can be there every morning throughout the ESSENCE Fest weekend to help guests heal.

The guided meditation space at the ESSENCE Culture Festival was the perfect place to find healing

Courtney Cheatham

“Meditation doesn’t necessarily mean doing anything,” says Dirieal Perkins of Yoga Stretch Galore a few practice she’s been doing for about five years. As we talk, her two-and-a-half-month-old son Yiannis, also in white, is asleep on her chest in a carrier. “It’s more, not necessarily what your thoughts are, but really just dwelling on those thoughts and not dwelling on them so much as just letting them flow and just letting them pass. It’s not like, we have to sit down and just think about the good things. That’s literally not it. It’s kind of impossible. Your mind is going; it’s all over the place. It has the right to be, but just let yourself come back to the center at some point. Like I said, dwell on it. And then let it pass. Let it pass. But don’t dwell on it or hold on to it.”

One way to reflect and free yourself from these thoughts is thru breathwork, which is finished by Aries D, considered one of the practitioners working at NOLA Divine Essential Magicsays it’s essential.

“We take our breath for granted. It’s something we’re born with. It’s the last thing we do when we leave this earth. But at the same time, it’s the main way that you can allow yourself to release not only oxygen but also different endorphins to help you relax,” she says. “As difficult as it sounds, we have the ability to tell our minds, ‘next.’ So if it’s a thought that you don’t want to have, say, ‘next,’ move it to another place. You have so many things that you encounter on a daily basis, let alone endure throughout your life. So even if some unwanted memories or thoughts come up, you have so many others that you can call upon to manifest different beautiful realities for yourself.”

Practicing meditation and learning to recognize and dismiss the thoughts that occupy our minds has modified the lifetime of the master instructor Shan-coa BurkeShe has been doing this since 2016 and guided ESSENCE Fest guests through some moving experiences.

Courtney Cheatham

“I needed healing. I needed real healing,” the Stretch Galore leader recalls. “I was ready to grow and I saw how the power of manifestation had changed my life, and I wanted to take that to our people because it wasn’t popular in our community. I was just a black girl from New Orleans and I thought I had to take that to our people. Because our people really needed healing. And I know one thing about God, He connected it and connected me to every one of these women.”

The practice not only provides mental clarity, but may have physical advantages. This was obvious from the very young Burke, who could possibly be mistaken for a young college student but is definitely a mother of three who will soon turn 30.

“Even though I look so young, it’s because I don’t let stress get to me. Meditation is about detachment,” Burke says. “I imagine detaching myself from these situations and pushing out the negativity. Pushing it out, breathing in that light and breathing out that darkness.”

The meditation worship space was quiet, and vendors across the street were asked to turn down their music to preserve the sanctity of the space. But the ladies made it clear that such introspection needn’t take place exclusively in quiet spaces.

“The best way is to just do it, no matter what you’re doing. Most people think that you have to be in a certain area or place and it has to be quiet. I once read a book that talked about different meditations. So I learned a lot. But you can literally sit down, eat, and meditate on your food, focus on the food that you’re eating. You can meditate while walking. You can literally meditate while exercising, in the bathtub, sitting at your desk working. You can meditate literally anywhere. So this whole ideology that it has to be calm, quiet, just a certain environment, that’s not true. So it’s about just implementing it in your daily life, no matter what you’re doing, just knowing that you can do it anywhere,” Perkins says.

While the guided meditation began with only a couple of participants, after I opened my eyes at the end, the room was full. People were sitting wherever they may find a seat, whether it was on an orange cushion to rest on or on the hard floor. But they were focused and calm, ready to experience the Festival in a superb way of thinking. This influence is the goal of all the women’s work.

Courtney Cheatham

“It’s the way you start your day. You’re in control of your day because you can meditate and say, ‘I’m going to have a day like this.’ I just believe in the power of manifestation and positive thoughts,” Burke says. “I learned this trick and I want to share it with you so you can see how it changes your life. If you want balance, ask yourself every day, ‘Why is my life balanced the way I need it to be?’ Ask yourself that question because the ‘why’ reveals itself. The why reveals the answers.”

He adds, “Whenever you ask the question why, your brain starts working. It helps you cultivate the answer. It starts finding answers and it starts revealing things too. So I want you to get there. I want everyone to be there. I want our people, especially, to be there, because we really, really need this. We’re doing this for our people.”

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com

Health and Wellness

Ant stings can be painful. Here’s how to avoid getting stung this summer (and what to do if it happens)

Published

6 hours ago

November 22, 2024

IAM

The starting of summer is just a couple of days away, and plenty of of us will be looking forward to long, sunny days spent on the beach, by the pool, camping or having a picnic within the park.

Insects love summer too. Most of them right then grow and feed. However, this shared appreciation of the season can sometimes lead to conflict.

Insects have long been preyed upon by many species, including birds, mammals, amphibians, and other insects. Accordingly, quite a lot of defense mechanisms have evolved – perhaps none more familiar to humans than the sting.

Many ants have a stinger on their rear end which they use to deliver venom. It will not be the sting itself that causes pain, but relatively venom. Ant venom accommodates a mix of various chemicals, a few of which have evolved specifically to manipulate the nerve endings in our skin to cause pain.

Let’s take a have a look at the several ant stings chances are you’ll experience this summer in Australia and how to respond.

Bull ants

Bull ants (also often called bulldog ants, jumper ants, or jumper ants) are large for an ant. Some species can grow to length 4 centimeters. They are easily identified by their large eyes, long mandibles (jaws), and aggressive nature.

Their sting is immediate, hot, sharp and unambiguous, similar to that of a honey bee. The intense pain will only last a couple of minutes before being replaced by redness and swelling across the sting site.

There are many differing kinds of bull ants in Australia.
Sam Robinson

Green-headed ants

Green-headed ants are also called green ants (but not to be confused with green ants). green tree ants northern Australia, which do not sting). Green-headed ants are common and love our lawns.

About Length 6 millimetersthey’re much smaller than bull ants. They can be recognized by their shiny green-purple exoskeleton.

Green-headed ants are frequently less aggressive than bull ants, but they can still deliver a big sting. The pain from a green ant sting can construct up step by step and cause intense, sticky pain.

Fire ants

Fire ants (or imported red fire ants) are native to South America. They were detected first in Brisbane in 2001it probably moved in containers and has since spread across south-east Queensland.

Fire ants are reddish brown and black and range in size from Length 2–6 millimeters.

You will almost certainly encounter fire ants of their nests, which appear like a pile of loose dirt. A hearth ant nest has no obvious entrance, which is way to distinguish it from other similar ant nests.

Disturbing a hearth ant nest will awaken an offended mass of a whole bunch of ants and expose you to being stung.

The initial pain from a single sting seems like an intense, hot itch, although it can be controlled. However, fire ant stings rarely occur in the only digits. One ant can sting multiple times, and plenty of ants can sting one person, which can lead to a whole bunch of stings. A hearth ant sting can cause pus-filled ulcers and scarring in the next days.

If you reside in an area where fire ants are present, it’s price taking a couple of minutes to learn how to do this recognize and report their.

Electric ants

Electric ants is one other nasty random import, coming from Central and South America. Currently limited to Cairns and surroundingsthese are tiny (1.5 millimeters long) yellow ants.

Like fire ants, these ants are frequently defensive, so lots of them will sting without delay. Their sting is more painful than you’ll expect from such a tiny creature. I compare it to being showered with red, hot sparks.

If you think that you see electric ants, please report it Biosecurity in Queensland.

Australian ants should not the worst

You may be surprised to hear that Australian ants don’t even make it to the rostrum when it comes to essentially the most painful ant stings. The winners include: harvester ants (North and South America), which cause severe, sticky pain, comparable to a drill slowly rotating in a muscle – for up to 12 hours.

The gold medal goes to the sting of the South and Central American bullet ant, which has been described How:

Pure, intense, sensible pain. It’s like walking on burning charcoal with a 3-inch nail stuck in your heel.

How to avoid getting stung (and what to do if you do)

Fortunately, the answer is frequently quite simple. Look around before you sit on the bottom or unfolded a picnic blanket, avoiding places where you see ant nests or a lot of foraging ants.

The selection of footwear might also be necessary. In my experience, most stings occur on the feet of those wearing thongs.

If you get stung, generally the situation will improve by itself. The pain often subsides after a couple of minutes (sometimes slightly longer within the case of a green ant sting). The redness, swelling and itching that sometimes follows may last for several days.

In the meantime, if mandatory, ice pack it will help with the pain. If it’s particularly bad, a topical numbing cream containing lidocaine may provide temporary relief. You can get it over-the-counter at a pharmacy.

A small proportion of individuals may experience an allergic response to ant stings. In very severe cases this may include respiratory problems or ingestion. If you or a loved one experiences these symptoms after an ant sting, you need to seek urgent medical attention.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com

Health and Wellness

Health matters: WNBA star Napheesa Collier on her commitment to women’s reproductive health

Published

13 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Minnesota lynx

Napheesa Collier will not be only a WNBA superstar for the Minnesota Lynx and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, but additionally the mother of her daughter Mila and an advocate for women’s reproductive health rights.

It recently decided to partner with Opill®, the primary and only every day contraceptive pill available over-the-counter within the United States. This breakthrough represents a major step forward in women’s health care by providing a convenient and accessible contraceptive option. With Opill, women not need to visit health care facilities for prescriptions, making it easier than ever to take control of their reproductive health.

The collaboration relies on Opill®’s long-standing partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). “One of the reasons Opill® partnered with the WNBA is the great passion of players who use their platform to support causes they believe in,” said Leila Bahbah, leading women’s health brand at Perrigo within the US. “Napheesa exudes this passion, and together we plan to educate and empower people to take control of their reproductive health.”

Collier advocates for girls and says she is willing to have conversations, even in the event that they are difficult. “I just truly believe in everything they do at Opill®. I believe it’s important to talk to people who may become pregnant and to women about the reproductive health and contraceptive options available to them,” Collier tells ESSENCE.

He continues: “I want people to know that if they want contraception, Opill® is a great option. It is the first over-the-counter drug approved by the FDA. It is inexpensive, available. You don’t need a prescription to get it. I think that’s a key thing in today’s climate.”

Collier notes that within the off-season, he tries to travel to various colleges to talk to students about their reproductive freedoms. “Talking about this topic is essential to remove the stigma as it should not be considered a shameful topic or something that should not be discussed openly. My mother was a nurse, so it was casual to talk about it in our house, and I want to pass it on to other people too, so I’m very excited about it,” she says.

In the present political climate, many ladies with daughters are concerned about their future and reproductive health. Collier, included. “Especially because I am the mother of a young girl, it is very important to me to be able to raise her in an atmosphere where she knows her reproductive rights and health, that she has access to affordable health care and contraception if she wants it and that she can ask me these questions and have open conversations.”

Collier continues: “It’s back to education. Again, I think it’s harmful that we can’t have open conversations about birth control and other issues that are usually taboo. I think it’s harmful. I think this does a lot of harm to women. It hurts. This is harmful to our society. Being able to talk about these issues and empowering women to learn about their rights and bodies creates a safer and healthier society.”

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com

Health and Wellness

Yes, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok, you still need to use sunscreen

Published

13 hours ago

November 21, 2024

IAM

Summer is nearly here. But as an alternative of using sunscreen, some TikTokers just do that encouraging followers throw it away and forgo sunscreen.

They argue that it’s healthier to forgo sunscreen to get the complete advantages of the sun.

Here’s what the science really says.

How does sunscreen work?

Due to the acute UV environment in Australia, most individuals with pale to olive skin or other risk aspects for skin cancer must accomplish that protect yourself. Applying sunscreen is a key approach to protecting areas that aren’t easily covered by clothing.

Sunscreens work by absorbing or scattering UV rays before they reach the skin and damage DNA or supporting structures corresponding to collagen.

In this photo I (Katie) apply sunscreen only to the appropriate side of my face. Sunscreens absorb and scatter UV light (right side), although it can’t be seen with the naked eye (left side). The photo on the appropriate also shows where sun spots (dark spots) accumulate on my skin and where I do not care to apply sunscreen evenly – under the attention, on the cheek and completely missing the ear.
The creator provided/UQ

When UV molecules hit DNA, the surplus energy can damage our DNA. This damage might be repaired, but when the cell divides before the error is repaired, it causes a mutation that may lead to skin cancer.

The energy of the UV particle (photon) causes the DNA strands to break and reconnect incorrectly. This causes a tumor within the DNA strand, which makes accurate copying difficult and might introduce mutations.
NASA/David Herring

The most typical skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Melanoma is less common but most definitely spreads throughout the body; this process known as metastasis.

Two against three At least the Australians will one skin cancer during their lives they usually reconcile 80% all cancers in Australia.

About 99% of skin cancers in Australia are attributable to overexposure to UV radiation.

Excessive exposure to UV radiation also affects the looks of the skin. UVA rays are able to penetrate deep into the skin, where they break down supporting structures corresponding to elastin and collagen.

This causes signs premature agingcorresponding to deep wrinkles, brown or white spots and broken capillaries.

Sunscreen may also help prevent skin cancer

Consistently used sunscreen reduces the danger of skin cancer and slows skin aging.

In Queensland studyparticipants either used sunscreen day by day for nearly five years or continued their usual use.

After five years, the danger of squamous cell cancer was reduced within the day by day group 40% compared to the second group.

Ten years later, the danger of developing invasive melanoma was reduced within the group of individuals taking the drug day by day 73%

Do sunscreens block the health-promoting properties of sunlight?

The answer is a little more complicated and involves a personalised risk-benefit trade-off.

First, the excellent news: spending time within the sun has many health advantages don’t rely under the influence of UV radiation and aren’t affected by the use of sunscreens.

A woman applies sunscreen — Sunscreens only filter out UV rays, not all light.
Ron Lach/Pexels

Sunscreens only filter UV rays, not visible light or infrared light (which we feel as heat). Importantly, a number of the advantages of sunlight are obtained through Eyes.

Visible light improves mood and regulates and possibly reduces circadian rhythm (which influences the sleep-wake cycle). myopia (myopia) in children.

Infrared light is being researched as a treatment for several conditions skin, neurological, psychiatric AND autoimmune disorders.

So what is the good thing about exposing your skin to UV radiation?

Sun exposure produces vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bones and muscles.

Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common amongst Australians, peaking in Victoria at 49% in winter and lowest in Queensland at 6% in summer.

Fortunately, individuals who deal with sun protection can avoid vitamin D deficiency taking a complement.

Skin exposure to UV radiation could have advantages independent of vitamin D production, but these haven’t been proven. It may reduce the danger of autoimmune diseases corresponding to multiple sclerosis or cause the discharge of a chemical that may lower blood pressure. However, there aren’t enough details about these advantages to say whether sunscreen can be an issue.

What does this mean for you?

Exposure of the skin to UV radiation may provide some advantages that could be blunted by sunscreens. This determines whether it’s value giving up these advantages to avoid skin cancer how susceptible you have skin cancer.

If you have pale skin or other aspects that increase your risk of skin cancer, try to use sunscreen day by day on all days when the forecast UV index reaches 3.

If you have darker skin that rarely or never burns, you might want to skip using sunscreen on daily basis – although you’ll still need protection when you’re outdoors for prolonged periods of time.

For now, the balance of evidence suggests that it is healthier for people susceptible to skin cancer to proceed using sunscreen, supplementing with vitamin D as needed.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com