Photo Challenge, H2O: Autumn’s Mirror — Spirit in Politics

The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. –Michelangelo Photo Challenge: Autumn’s Mirror

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CMV Is a Greater Threat to Infants Than Zika, but Far Less Often Discussed by CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS

By CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS

Every year in the U.S., 20,000 to 40,000 infants are born with the CMV virus. Yet most doctors don’t talk with pregnant women about how to prevent it.

Published: October 23, 2016 at 08:00PM

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You’ve Been Washing Your Hands Wrong by JONAH BROMWICH

By JONAH BROMWICH

The World Health Organization recommends a six-step, 42.5-second method of cleaning or washing, rather than the C.D.C’s three-step, 35-second method.

Published: April 20, 2016 at 08:00PM

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An E.R. Kicks the Habit of Opioids for Pain by JAN HOFFMAN

By JAN HOFFMAN

Instead of opioids, an E.R. in New Jersey now treats many pain patients with alternatives like laughing gas, trigger-point injections and even a therapy harp.

Published: June 13, 2016 at 08:00PM

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It’s Time to Talk About Mental Healthcare

Today, it’s expected that you visit your doctor regularly to get a physical checkup. You’ll get some bloodwork done that will give your doctor insight into lifestyle changes you might need to make. You might set a new weight goal, or even tell your doctor about that weird pain in your back. The point is, no matter the details, you visit the GP or specialist with the goal of getting, or remaining, healthy.

So why don’t we hoist the same expectations on our mental health?

It can’t be because of visibility. After all, a disease that attacks our bodies is invisible. When we feel something even slightly off, we don’t hesitate to go to the doctor. Granted, there are some ailments that can have an effect on our physical appearance. But internalized illness is real and we accept it as such— friends, family, and employers wouldn’t fault you for missing something because you weren’t feeling up to snuff. But when something is off in our minds? We may get a response to encourage us to press on— after all, “it’s all in your head.”

Strangely enough, “it’s all in your head” isn’t a falsehood. But just because it’s in your head doesn’t make it any less real. Forbes contributor Kenneth L. Davis recently took our societal habit to task in an article where he explores the great divide between physical healthcare and mental health care. His conclusion? Mental health is considered an “auxiliary” to physical well-being, and this reflects in how both are treated by insurance companies. The ramifications of the divide are vast, on both an individual and societal level. Patients suffering from mental health issues often need long-term treatment in order to keep their physical bodies in the best possible shape. And as a society, we spend a lot of tax dollars on institutions and programs that support the mentally ill without providing any lasting treatment for them. It’s a vicious cycle that’s letting hundreds of thousands of people down.

These issues are further compounded when you look at the how varied mental health care is in many parts of the country. A schizophrenic patient who lives in rural Maine shared her story with Vice, and the situation typifies just how different life can be in a rural versus urban areas. An underwhelming minority of doctors that can treat mental illness decide to work in rural areas. Because the countryside is usually geographically isolated, the closest mental health facilities are often hours away. On top of that, research shows that rural populations have higher rates of mental illness than their urban cousins. It turns out that people who need accessible mental health care the most, often have the hardest time getting it.

 

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World Rowing Championships 2017, Where Home is the Host

In a little under a year, the World Rowing Championships will return to the United States for just the second time in the regatta’s 54-year history. Sarastota’s Nathan Benderson Park will host the event.

After the olympics, many rowing enthusiasts were left with the question— where do we go from here? During the Rio Games, rowing events weren’t featured in NBC’s most accessible coverage, but fans of the sport haven’t yet given up hope. Right now rowing lacks star power on an international stage, but it just may need a quick spark to pique overall American interest.

That spark could come from the Championships.

Benderson is a world-class venue for a rowing event of this caliber. The 600-acre park contains one of the nation’s finest rowing courses, and it’s not a facility that the local government is going to forget any time soon. Over $40 million worth of funding has flowed into Benderson, providing the Sarasota park with a boathouse and training facility that can make any rower feel at home.

The championships begin next September, but the local community is already in full swing for preparation. A recent Herald-Tribune article captured the buzz surrounding the coming event. Amanda Polk, a 2016 Olympic rowing gold medalist, delivered a speech to get the local community excited by a Championship on American soil. A new sculpture that, with a countdown clock affixed to the base, was ceremoniously unveiled.

The last time the World Rowing Championships were stateside was in 1994, at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. Relatively speaking, it wasn’t that long ago. But we are living in a vastly more connected world today than in the mid-90’s. That’s sure to have an impact on the event’s reception next fall.

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Explain it to Me: Coastal Rowing

When you think about crew, you’ll probably conjure images of boats sweeping across the scenic waters of the River Thames, the Charles, or maybe even Sarasota’s own Nathan Benderson Park! Indeed, rowing is traditionally done on rivers or tailored, man-made waterways fit for the sport. But there is a variation that is quickly gaining popularity—coastal rowing.

What is it?

It’s all in the name. Instead of the restricted boundaries provided by an enclosed area of water, coastal rowing is done at sea. By “at sea”, we mean near the shoreline— open ocean rowing would be a bit too much. But even rowing close to the shore means that your boat is subject to the volatility of the ocean. In order to deal with the conditions, the boats themselves are typically lighter and faster than their flat water cousins. There are also several design changes that make them safer for the crew on board.

Is it new?

Yes and no. Boats meant for rowing at sea have been around for quite a while, and places like Spain and Scotland actually have a deep coastal rowing tradition. In many cases, these traditions are left over from a nation’s seafaring heritage. In Spain, for example, there are several types of boats that were initially designed for fishing, but have since been outfitted for racing on the open water.

However, organized competition is something that’s relatively modern. The first North American Open Water Rowing Championship was held in 2006. Across the pond, the Scottish held their first championships in 2013.

If you’re looking for the cutting edge in coastal rowing developments, France is the place to be. The well-engineered Yule is a near-perfect vessel for coastal rowing. It’s modeled after historic vessels from Northern Europe and Scotland, and has been adopted as the standard coastal rowing shell by FISA, the international governing body for rowing.

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