Falling Back In

After taking an unintended hiatus from writing the last month or so, I’m returning to writing like non-90 degree weather has returned to Washington, DC – finally! I have missed writing and the possibility it provides me to discuss and think about healthy stuff outside my day-to-day realm. And after a whirlwind summer, I’m hoping that like going back to school, I can get back to a regular schedule of posting. When thinking about this post, there have been so many things making headlines recently (MDGs, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Syphilis, The Social Network, IVF, etc.), I found it difficult to zero in on just one of them.  Both here at home and globally, health and well-being have come to the forefront of our collective psyche (which is great!), and something that has come to the forefront of my personal psyche is my recent return to swimming.

I’ve mentioned my swimming history in the past – it has played a major role in my life. For the last 18 months however, I have spent my longest period of extended time out of the water since about 1992! Even in just 3 weeks of regular training there has been a noticeable change in both my physiology and mentality. I have literally been experiencing, in a micro-kind of way, what thousands of health experts tell millions of people every day – “just a small increase of regular physical activity will have a positive impact on your weight/heart/mood/you name it.”

I however, have the means to make this happen. The fees for joining a masters team and having access to a pool. The tools I need to appropriately participate (swimming suit, goggles, etc.). And the time to devote a few hours a week to getting in the water. Most of you can probably tell where I’m going with this, but I’m still going to say it… I am socio-economically and culturally situated in a position to swim. Many of those around us are not, and no amount of “advice” can change that overnight. A clear argument about social determinants and cultural perspectives on exercise – but perhaps a tired one?

I’ve fallen back into the water, but hoping not to fall back into the same patterns and arguments I’ve been making here. Broken records are not going to solve our local and global challenges, understandings and experiences with health. Fall is about getting back into routines, but it is also about starting fresh. My body knows how to move in the water and yet it is having a totally new experience. This blog is going to strive to continue starting fresh – I hope all of my colleagues do the same!

In the News: Here Comes Summer

Summer is just around the corner and here are some healthy news items to get you thinking, as the days heat up!

*Last week it was announced that scientists had witnessed the first cell produced entirely from synthetic DNA. I am not even going to pretend to understand the science behind it, but I’m happy to ponder the implications for human health (waaaaay down the road). Encouraging progress in technologies that have the potential to improve human health is important (really important!), yet at the same time it is also important to examine the systems and cultures in which these improvements are made and what implications they may have beyond healing.

*I grew-up spending my summers swimming…in pools, in Lake Michigan, in the ocean. If you ask me, in the water is the best place to spend the summer. NPR reported last week that a shocking number of American pools are not up to snuff when it comes to water cleanliness. Pools can be an easy place to catch an infection, the kind that can ruin any kids summer. Let’s hope that pools around the U.S. clean-up their act – swimming and days at the pool are an essential element of the American summer and it would be a shame if kids started to miss out because their pools weren’t being kept clean!

*Summer is the best season (unless you live somewhere super hot!) to get outside. We all know that exercise, even a little bit, can do wonders for our health, right now and down the road. We also know that you can’t simply make people exercise. However, if you look at where people go, what they like to do to begin with, and why they may or may not be exercising, there are simple (and dare I say, culturally appropriate) solutions to getting people moving. Last week in London, an “adult playground” opened in Hyde Park. Designed for low impact exercises, the machines at this playground include stationary bikes and ellipticals, are free, and easy to use. Hopefully this idea will catch-on in the UK and other western countries, and more and more adults will get moving outside.

*Fresh fruits and veggies are abundant in many areas all summer long and this provides us with the perfect opportunity to try-out new recipes. The NYTimes’ Recipes for Health page is a great resource for finding new, tasty, and healthy recipes (check-out Court’s Kitchen for other great ideas). We should remember, though, that many around us are struggling just to put enough food on their tables. Maybe this summer we can all do a small part to help those in need of a meal!

Happy Summer!

*Image is author’s own: Duck, North Carolina, USA.