Can Our Country Hurt Our Health?

[Bailey Vincent]

I know we all live in different parts of the globe right now, but since I live in America and our nation has had a state-of-crisis these last couple of weeks… it feels sort of weird to be posting and not acknowledging what’s been going on.

As I watched some of the recent violence and turmoil play out (which impacted my family directly since my brother works for the Capital), I couldn’t help but wonder how much the state of our personal country impacts our health?

Have you ever experienced a down turn in health based around a global crisis?

For example, former wars… stressful national situations… or even terrorist acts.

Do you recall if your health remained the same, or if the stress of what’s going on around you had an effect?

[Jenny Livingston]

Thanks for mentioning these things, Bailey. It does feel strange to post about everything BUT current events. However, many of our members aren’t from the US and I haven’t wanted to bring political/social issues onto the discussion table if others didn’t want that to happen here. So again, I thank you sincerely for being the one to do so. It’s nice to acknowledge the not-so-nice things happening right now.

I don’t know that my physical health has ever been directly affected by stressful events like this, but my mental health definitely takes a nosedive. And, as we know, sustained mental health issues can lead to a decline in physical health. The best thing I can do for my overall health right now is focus on ways to nurture and care for myself. Recently that has included plenty of time spent in nature, keeping my dogs and kiddos nearby (seriously, pets are so comforting), staying informed and connected to loved ones, and sessions with my therapist.

What about you, Bailey? Do circumstances like these have an affect on your health?

[Author]

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