Beloved Pharaoh. Born: June 3rd., 2003 – Died: June 19th., 2017. A very special dog that will never be forgotten.
Dogs live in the present – they just are! Dogs make the best of each moment uncluttered by the sorts of complex fears and feelings that we humans have. They don’t judge, they simply take the world around them at face value. Yet they have been part of man’s world for an unimaginable time, at least 30,000 years. That makes the domesticated dog the longest animal companion to man, by far!
As man’s companion, protector and helper, history suggests that dogs were critically important in man achieving success as a hunter-gatherer. Dogs ‘teaching’ man to be so successful a hunter enabled evolution, some 20,000 years later, to farming, thence the long journey to modern man. But in the last, say 100 years, that farming spirit has become corrupted to the point where we see the planet’s plant and mineral resources as infinite. Mankind is close to the edge of extinction, literally and spiritually.
Dogs know better, much better! Time again for man to learn from dogs!
For many years I lived in South Devon, England. I never thought twice about hedgerows because they were so common.
Then today I read an article in The Economist about Brexit and the one thing that was favourable was this “Brexit delivers a win for British wildlife.“
Here’s a small extract from the magazine:
No other country matches the rich heritage of hedgerows that weave across the damp (ideal for hedges) British Isles. Since the Bronze Age, Britons have reared sheep and cattle and have used hedges to mark the boundaries of fields and keep livestock in place. Some of these ancient bushes still stand. In West Penwith, one such prehistoric hedge, a gurgoe, might be over 4,000 years old. Most, though, were planted in the 18th century, when landowners enclosed the commons, an event that turned the country into a chequerboard of small, irregular fields. America, by contrast, passed a law prohibiting private landowners from enclosing public land in 1885, protecting its open ranges.
Here in Oregon hedges are not so common. But I did some research as to the cause and came upon this article by Oregon State University.
I trust it may be shared with you.
ooOOoo
A Guide to Hedgerows: Plantings That Enhance Biodiversity, Sustainability and Functionality
We see them at the edges of farm fields or along roads: long rows of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses known as hedgerows. They are living fences with the ability to grow food, shelter wildlife, save water, manage weeds and look beautiful all year round.
Hedgerows are sometimes called shelter belts, windbreaks or conservation buffers. These layers of plant life enhance the beauty, productivity and biodiversity of a landscape.
Hedgerows originated in medieval Europe and are enjoying a modern resurgence. People in England planted hawthorn cuttings and allowed them to grow about 6 feet. They were bent and trained to fill gaps in the trees, yielding a living fence. They called these fences “hagas” or hedges, form the word “hawthorn.” As the birds settled in the hawthorns and dropped seeds. more plants sprung up. Today, many farms in England are surrounded by ancient hedgerows that shelter beneficial organisms and conserve soil and water.
Hedgerow plantings were uncommon in the early United States. In the 1930s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Shelterbelt Program briefly supported planting trees for windbreaks to prevent soil erosion in the Midwest. Today, as interest surges in sustainable farming methods, more people are turning to this age-old practice.
Hedgerows can serve several ecological functions. Among their many benefits, hedgerows:
Enhance ecological biodiversity.
Offer food for livestock, humans and wildlife.
Provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators.
Facilitate water conservation.
Provide windbreaks.
Help manage invasive weeds.
Provide erosion control and improve soil health.
Support the health of aquatic habitats.
Enhance carbon sequestration.
Create borders and privacy screens.
Reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other types of pollution.
Diversify farm income.
Generate year-round beauty.
Let’s look at these benefits in detail.
Benefits of hedgerows
Enhance ecological biodiversity
Biodiversity describes the variety of life forms within a specific ecosystem and the relationship of these organisms to one another and the broader environment. Hedgerows can be designed to attract a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants, many of which offer beneficial relationships to each other. They also create more edges, or “ecotones,” between different habitats, which increases species diversity. Trees and shrubs provide shelter for larger mammals, and nesting sites and perches for raptors, which are important predators of rodents. Dense or thorny shrub thickets can offer songbirds a refuge to escape predators as well as a place to nest. The diverse composition and structure of a hedgerow creates a functional habitat where species experience vital interconnections with one another and the environment.
Offer food for livestock, humans and wildlife
Hedgerows provide undisturbed refuge for species of all kinds, creating wildlife corridors, travel lanes or habitat islands. Hedgerows help protect wildlife from predators and provide sheltered access to riparian zones or other water sources. These corridors are especially important in fragmented landscapes, such as fields where only a single crop is grown. Hedgerows provide shade to reduce heat stress and help to block wind currents. These measures support a healthier wildlife population. Berry-producing plants encourage insectivores, such as birds, that also prey upon common crop pests. The hedgerow habitat creates cover for wildlife so they can feed, nest and care for their young.
Provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators
Planting a variety of flowering trees, shrubs, forbs and perennial plants provides insect habitat, and nectar and pollen sources throughout the year for beneficial insects and pollinators. Plants in the family Umbelliferae attract parasitic wasps; predator flies such as hover flies, lacewings and ladybeetles; and true bugs, like ambush or minute pirate bugs. Flowering plants in this family include coriander, dill, fennel, parsnip, parsley and carrots. These plants are useful in the kitchen and are also very attractive to pollinators. Over 75% of successful production of food requires pollination. Increasing plant habitat for pollinator species improves fruit set, size and quality, as well as general biodiversity. Pollinator habitat also attracts beneficial insects, which prey on many crop pests. Increasing the numbers of beneficial insects can help farmers manage crop pests and cut down on insecticide use.
Facilitate water conservation
Hedgerows retain water and reduce evaporation by reducing wind speed and providing cover over the ground surface. Plants also catch and store water in their root systems, leaves and branches, slowing the rate of excess rainwater entering waterways and reducing the risk of flooding. Decaying matter from the roots, stems and branches of hedgerow plants increase the organic matter in the soil over time. This increases the soil’s ability to absorb and retain water. Planting hedgerows on hillsides helps conserve water and soil by reducing erosion. If planting near adjacent cropland, periodic root pruning can reduce competition for nutrients and water.
Provide windbreaks
Properly designed hedgerows can reduce wind speed by as much as 75% and improve crop performance. This is especially effective when plantings reach a density of 40%–50% and are planted perpendicular to the prevailing wind. Wind-resistant trees usually have flexible, wide-spreading, strong branches and low centers of gravity. Wind-tolerant shrubs often have small, thick or waxy leaves or very narrow leaves or needles, to help control moisture loss. Wind can disturb pollination and damage fruit and flowers when plant parts thrash against each other. During times when soil is exposed, a windbreak can protect topsoil from erosion. Crops under wind stress also put energy into growing stronger roots and stems, resulting in smaller yields and delayed maturity. Strong winds also cause lodging of grain and grass crops, bending the stems and making harvest more difficult. Winds dry out crops on the field edges, increasing pests such as two-spotted spider mites.
Help manage invasive weeds
Hedgerows planted along roads or between crop fields may prevent weed seeds from blowing into the field. The weed seed pods collect on hedgerow plants, where a farmer could remove and burn them. Hedges can prevent millions of weed seeds from entering the crop field. As hedgerows mature, these plantings displace invasive weeds. If well maintained, this weed management lasts the lifetime of the hedgerow.
Provide erosion control and improve soil health
Rain, irrigation, clean cultivation and vacant field borders can all increase erosion potential in an agricultural system.
Hedgerow plantings can significantly reduce the amount of soil erosion on a landscape. They can also provide a barrier to filter out pollutants, such as pesticides, and slow down sediments and organic material that can flow from farm fields into waterways. This is accomplished by increasing the surface water infiltration rate and improving soil structure around the root zone. This, in turn, decreases fertilizer runoff from farm fields. The biomass that plants shed acts as a soil conditioner and can enhance plant growth. In urban or suburban environments, hedges similarly reduce pollutants from neighboring sites.
Support aquatic habitat
Hedgerows can provide shade to riparian areas. Shade reduces water temperatures, prevents water evaporation and improves watershed quality. Though many factors influence watershed temperatures, studies have proven that lowland streams bordered by trees and tall shrubs exhibit cooler temperatures. The hedgerow’s latitude, stream aspect, leaf density and the height of its vegetation from the water surface all affect water temperature.
Enhance carbon sequestration
During photosynthesis, trees, shrubs and grasses absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, allowing the carbon to become part of the plant’s tissue. As plants die or shed tissue — either through natural processes or pruning — the carbon that was stored in the plant breaks down and enters the soil. Plants store relatively large amounts of carbon in their biomass, helping to offset some of the effects of climate change. A tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year and can sequester, or store, 1 ton of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches 40 years old.
Create borders and privacy screens along roads and between properties
Hedgerows are attractive borders and can block undesirable views. Evergreens offer year-round screening. When selecting plants, consider the height at maturity for optimum screening. Evergreens can be pruned to control height and density. Plant a diverse mix of species to help protect against damage from a single pest or disease.
Reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other types of pollution
As hedgerows mature and become dense, they can create barriers to reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other pollutants. Open canopy trees are effective barriers to dust and pesticides; air and particles slowly filter through them instead of depositing clouds of pollutants on the other side of the hedge.
Plant hedges as close as possible to any areas where pollutants are a concern. This can help alleviate neighborhood conflicts where agriculture intersects with urban areas.
Hedgerows can act to contain contaminants from urban or suburban environments and keep them from entering agricultural areas.
Diversify farm income
Trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in a hedgerow can also serve as sources of income. Potential products include nuts, fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, seeds, bark and medicinal herbs. You can grow plants to be propagated as seeds, rootstock, cuttings and transplants. Other potential crops are nursery stock and floral materials, including ferns, broadleaf evergreens, flowers and willows grown for craft material and furniture. You can grow fruits, berries and nuts for food. Hedgerows can shelter bees and encourage a higher pollination rate. Consider planting trees for secondary wood products such as lumber, veneer, firewood, chips for bedding and mulch. Game birds such as quail, pheasant and sage grouse are attracted to hedgerows. Managed hunting can provide a potential source of food and off-season revenue for landowners.
Generate year-round beauty
Hedgerows in the landscape add continuous beauty. You can design a hedge for year-round interest, considering the color and texture of leaves and bark, bloom color and timing, and the general growth habit or form of plants.
Hedgerow design Graphic: Kerry Wixted with graphics from Tracey Saxby, IAN Image Library, courtesy of the Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Whether in rural or urban settings, the principles of planning a hedgerow are the same: Evaluate the site, determine what you would like to accomplish with the plantings, match the right plant with the right place, and properly prepare the site.
Design
There are many essential components to consider when designing a multifunctional hedgerow. The first step is to observe the site where the hedge is to be planted and take into consideration the ecological and environmental conditions listed below. These elements influence the design, plant selection, location and the size of the area to be planted. Although a single line of trees will provide some benefits, four or more rows of plants are optimal for windbreaks, water and soil conservation, wildlife habitat and general biodiversity. When it works for the situation, place plants tallest at maturity in the center row, with shorter ones inter-planted between and along the edges. A diverse selection of plant sizes and characteristics is most beneficial. When possible, orient rows perpendicular to prevailing winds.
Hedgerows following land contours create meandering lines on the landscape, producing a natural appearance and larger buffer for wildlife habitat. If the goal is to attract pollinator species, reserve approximately one half-acre for every 40 acres planted in crops.
Plant selection
Plant a wide variety of multi-tiered plants for maximum habitat. Avoid varieties that are susceptible to common pests and diseases and choose plants that are non-invasive. Some perennial species such as blackberry can provide excellent wildlife habitat and food crops but are highly invasive and require frequent maintenance. See the plant lists on page 7 for plantings suited to the Pacific Northwest.
When selecting plants, consider the conditions plants need to survive in specific habitats:
Range: place of origin (indigenous, native/non-native).
Hardiness zones: frost dates.
Light requirements: sun or shade.
Size of plants at maturity, growth.
Soil type (pH, fertility, erosion concerns).
Drainage.
Water movement and moisture needs.
Planting time.
Bloom time: seasonal interest.
Day length.
Productivity.
Tolerance to heat, cold, salt, drought, pollution, wind and wild or domestic animals.
Evergreen or deciduous.
Plant structure: form or shape, texture, leaf and bark type.
Edible or poisonous: what parts.
Insect and disease resistance.
Plant size, costs and availability.
Maintenance needed.
Allellopathy: a chemical inhibitor of one plant to another which can impact germination or plant growth.
Ultimately, place plants together that have similar soil, water, sun and drainage needs.
General planting recommendations:
Plant trees and shrubs about 6 to 8 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart.
Plant one or two rows of tall trees flanked by a row or two of shrubs. A 20-foot wide hedgerow can have two rows of shrubs flanking a row of trees.
Hedgerows work best for wildlife when they are wider than 20 feet.
Depending on the site’s prevailing winds, a winter windbreak could have at least two rows of evergreen trees and a row of deciduous trees or shrubs. A summer windbreak could have at least one row of tall deciduous trees and a row of deciduous shrubs.
Make sure the planting holes are deep and wide enough to accept and cover the roots of each plant. Be sure to water in each new planting.
In a small area, place a 3-inch layer of straw mulch or cardboard around each tree and shrub after planting to discourage weeds and encourage plant survival.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation is one of the keys to plant survival. On a smaller site, an easy way to establish planting areas in existing grass or pasture is to apply a thin layer of compost or manure, followed by several layers of cardboard, and mulch such as straw or leaves. Worms are attracted to the manure and will work over the winter to decompose grasses and fertilize the soil. However, this method may not be practical on a large scale. In this instance, prepare the area for planting by tilling the ground in spring and planting an early cover crop such as crimson clover, followed by buckwheat. In late summer, till or disc in the cover crop and replant an overwintering cover crop such as crimson clover, field peas or vetch. Cover crops improve soil fertility, reduce weeds, stabilize the soil and attract beneficial insects. Till again the following spring and install the first set of plantings for the hedgerow.
Another option for sites with high weed pressure is solarization. Closely mow the ground and put down UV-stabilized anti-condensation greenhouse plastic in midsummer for several weeks to kill the weeds. After solarization, remove the plastic and follow with a fall planting.
Planting time
In more temperate environments, fall planting allows roots to become established before foliage emerges and gives plants the benefit of winter rains. In extreme cold climates, early spring may be the ideal time for planting. At the time of planting, apply amendments such as compost or manure as a top dressing.
Irrigation
To increase the success rate of your hedgerow planting, provide supplemental water for the first two or three years. Irrigate once a week during the heat of the summer during the first year. For the second year, water every two weeks. In the third year, irrigate once a month. Irrigation needs depend on the location and the plants selected. Be sure to water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Most hedgerow plantings may not survive if they do not get supplemental water in the first few years. Water can be supplied by swales, furrows, flood, drip irrigation or hand watering. If the hedgerow is next to cropland, overhead irrigation from the crop can be extended to water the hedge.
Keeping out weedy plants and destructive wildlife
One of the biggest challenges in establishing a hedgerow is keeping unwanted plants from taking over the new plantings. There are a variety of techniques to inhibit these weedy plants. The simplest method is to leave alleys between plant rows for mowing, cultivation or mulching until plants are well established. Ideally, an area 6 to 8 feet wide around the hedgerow should be mowed, flailed or tilled for weed management, fire protection and rodent control. It is also important to mulch heavily with a minimum of 3 inches of leaves, straw, sawdust or cardboard around each plant. As plants mature, they will eventually shade out most annual weeds. This is the ideal time to infill with low-growing, shade-tolerant plants.
If needed, protect plants from beaver and nutria with hardware cloth, and use partially buried plastic-coated cardboard or tubing around tree trunks to protect from voles and mice. If applying pesticides, follow the label in order to protect riparian zones along rivers, creeks and ponds from contamination.
Managing a hedgerow in the first few years is similar to managing a crop. Good weed management during establishment results in less labor to control weeds in seasons to come.
Cost of establishment
Planting hedgerows does not have to be expensive. Seedling plants are available at low cost, and you can propagate new plants from existing plantings. The larger the plant, the sooner it will reach maturity, which is especially important in creating a fast-growing privacy screen. This can be achieved by purchasing dormant bareroot plants and 1-gallon potted plants or larger. Remember, these larger plants will most likely require summer irrigation. Government programs are available to assist landowners with hedgerow development. Many counties have tax exemption programs for riparian lands, along with wildlife habitat conservation and management programs. See “Incentive programs to help with hedgerow establishment” and Estimated Costs To Establish Pollinator Hedgerows, in “Resources,” pages 9–10.
Conclusion
A hedgerow is a long-term commitment. With proper planning and care, it will take approximately four to eight years to establish a hedgerow and 30 or more years for it to reach maturity. To encourage success, draft a plan with planting installments for each year, depending on your goals and budget.
Hedgerows in rural agricultural or urban settings provide many benefits that increase over time, including the opportunity for supplemental income. With benefits for wildlife, humans and the planet, hedgerows are a practice that has stood the test of time.
Hedgerow plants
Hedgerows can contain native and non-native plants, although plants should not be invasive. The following trees, shrubs, groundcovers and perennial plants are appropriate for hedgerows in the Pacific Northwest. Remember to consider proper site selection and plant requirements. Plants that tolerate wet soil are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Sun-tolerant plants under 25 feet
Arbutus unedo Strawberry tree
Aronia Chokeberry Schubert
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea Coyote brush
Ceanothus velutinus Tobacco brush
Cornus stolonifera Red twig dogwood
Diospyros kaki Japanese persimmon
Diospyros virginiana American persimmon
Elaeagnus multiflora Goumi
Elaeagnus umbellata Autumn olive
Ficus carica Fig
Fuchsia magellanica Hardy fuschia
Lonicera caerulea Blue honeyberry
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry
Malus fusca West Coast crabapple
Malus sp. Apple
Morus Mulberry
Myrica pensylvanica Bayberry
Oemleria cerasiformis Osoberry
Philadelphus lewisii Mock orange
Prunus avium Cherry
Prunus domestica Plum
Pyrus pyrifolia Asian pear
Ribes sanguineum Red-flowering currant
Ribes divaricatum Black gooseberry*
Ribes nigrum Black currant*
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose
Salix fluviatilis Columbia River willow*
Salix hookeriana Hooker’s willow*
Sambucus cerulea Blue elderberry*
Spiraea douglasii Western spiraea*
Vaccinium corymbosum Blueberry*
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen huckleberry
Viburnum opulus Highbush cranberry
Sun-tolerant plants 25+ feet tall
Abies grandis Grand fir
Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf maple
Alnus rubra Red alder*
Arbutus menziesii Madrone
Asimina Pawpaw
Calocedrus decurrens Incense-cedar
Castanea Chestnut
Chrysolepis chrysophylla Golden chinkapin
Diospyros virginiana Persimmon
Fraxinus latifolia Oregon ash*
Juglans regia English walnut
Picea species Spruce
Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa pine
Populus trichocarpa Black cottonwood
Prunus subcordata Klamath plum*
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir
Quercus garryana Oregon white oak
Robinia pseudoacacia Black locust
Thuja plicata Western redcedar
Groundcovers
Fragaria chiloensis Strawberry
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Mahonia nervosa Oregon grape
Polystichum munitum Sword fern
Vaccinium vitis idaea Lingonberry
Vines
Lonicera Honeysuckle
Akebia Five-fingered akebia*
Plants for pond edges
Typha latifolia Cattail*
Ledum glandulosum Labrador tea
Plants that tolerate shade
Chrysolepis chrysophylla Golden chinkapin
Cornus nuttallii Western flowering dogwood*
Corylus cornuta Hazel*
Physocarpus capitatus Ninebark
Polystichum munitum Sword fern
Sambucus racemosa Red elderberry*
Prunus virginiana Chokecherry
Plants for partial shade to shade
Acer circinatum Vine maple *
Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry
Berberis aquifolium Oregon grape
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Cornus stolonifera Red-osier dogwood
Holodiscus discolor Oceanspray
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry
Oemleria cerasiformis Indian plum
Philadelphus lewisii Mock orange
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara sagrada
Taxus brevifolia Western yew*
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen huckleberry
Edge plantings
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick
Berberis nervosa Cascade Oregon grape
Calendula officinalis Calendula
Cichorium intybus Chicory
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Fragaria chiloensis Wild strawberry
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Lavandula angustifolia English lavender
Medicago sativa Alfalfa
Nuts
Carya illinoinensis Northern pecans
Carya ovata Shagbark hickory
Castanea Chestnuts
Ginkgo biloba Gingko
Juglans ailantifolia Heartnut
Juglans regia English Walnut
Xanthoceras sorbifolium Yellowhorn
Plants for arid environments
Plantings around vineyards
Some flowering plants attract specific kinds of beneficials, for example, carnivorous flies (Oregon sunshine), predatory bugs (stinging nettle) and Anagrus wasps (sagebrush). Research shows trends of reduced pest abundance and increased beneficial insect diversity and abundance in vineyards with a diversity of native flowering plants compared to vineyards lacking native plants.
Incentive programs to help with hedgerow establishment
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
In exchange for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and establishing permanent resource-conserving plant species, farmers and ranchers are paid an annual rental rate along with other federal and state incentives. This program is administered through the USDA Farm Service Agency and local Soil and Water Conservation districts.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
This program provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat. The program is administered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service via local field offices.
Guard, J.B. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington. 2010. Lone Pine Publishing.
Imhoff, D. and R. Carra. Farming With The Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches. 2011. Sierra Club Books.
Kruckenberg, A. Gardening With Natives of the Pacific Northwest. 1982. University of Washington Press.
Lee-Mäder, E., J. Hopwood, M. Vaughan, S. Hoffman Black and L. Morandin. Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions. 2014. Storey Publishing.
Link, R. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. 1999. University of Washington Press,
Mader, E., M. Shepherd, M. Vaughan, S. Black, G. LeBuhn, Attracting Native Pollinators. 2011. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Martin, A., H.S. Zim, A.L. Nelson. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide To Wildlife Food Habits. 1951. Dover Publications.
Pendergrass, K., M. Vaughan and J. Williams. Plants for Pollinators in Oregon.2007. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation,
Here are a collection of photographs taken by me at home. They show wave clouds.
Wave clouds are brilliant for glider pilots. Rarely at a low altitude (below two to three thousand feet) but nonetheless a soaring ambition when they appear within range. Here’s the AI description:
Cloud waves, or Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds, are rare, transient formations that resemble breaking ocean waves in the sky. They occur when a faster layer of air moves over a slower, denser layer, creating shear that curls the top of the cloud. Often appearing as a series of curls, they are considered a sign of high atmospheric instability and turbulence.
I was born in 1944 and that makes me 81. I am still relatively healthy but find myself wondering how long I will live. My father died in 1956, aged 55, and my mother died when she was 97.
The website Super Age recently spoke of foods that slow biological ageing. I quote:
The gut microbiome is the collection of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in your digestive tract. These microbes help regulate inflammation[in-fluh-mey-shuhn]nounYour body’s response to an illness, injury or something that doesn’t belong in your body (like germs or toxic chemicals). LEARN MORE, blood sugar, immune function, mood, and metabolism. Research increasingly links microbiome diversity to longevity and reduced risk of chronic disease.
Researchers have come up with a simple way to measure how your diet supports your gut. One science-backed framework being studied right now is the Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota (DIGM). It’s designed to help people (and researchers) better understand the connection between diet and gut microbial health.
Developed by a team from the University of South Carolina, the DIGM pulls together two decades of research linking specific foods and food groups with positive or negative impacts on gut microbiome diversity, richness, and functionality.
Then there is the emotional health of a person. Here’s an extract from Equinox.
HOW EMOTIONS INFLUENCE LONGEVITY
The most popular scientific study on how emotions influence longevity is the “Nun Study,” a longitudinal study that involved 687 Catholic nuns. Researchers found that the sisters who experienced positive emotions (like happiness) lived longer than the sisters who experienced negative emotions (like depression). Another scientific study found that people with a high level of optimism were associated with “exceptional longevity,” which means surviving to 85 years old.
The way emotions influence health is not fully understood, says Robert Levenson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California Berkeley. But what is known is that continuously experiencing negative emotions (like sadness, stress, or anger) can cause wear and tear on the body, which can accumulate over time. He explains that chronically high levels of stress or depression cause sustained levels of autonomic nervous system activation. This, he says, can raise blood pressure (bad news for your heart) and weaken the immune system. “On the flip side, experiencing feelings of positive emotions, like happiness, can undo that activation,” Dr. Levenson says.
One emotion that’s well-documented to shorten lifespan: anger. “People who are angry or show a lot of hostility are more likely to experience heart attacks and get coronary artery disease,” Dr. Levenson says. These emotions cause blood vessels to constrict, which raises blood pressure and makes the heart work harder. Over time, this can put too much stress on the heart.
Besides the physical reactions emotions can have on health, negative emotions can cause people to neglect taking care of themselves, adds Dan Blazer, M.D., Ph.D, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral science at Duke University. This can, in turn, negatively impact their health. For example, someone who is depressed may not have the energy to go to the gym to make nutrient-rich meals. They may stop seeing friends or doing anything social, something that is associated with a shorter lifespan. Dr. Blazer says that people who are depressed are more likely to have trouble sleeping—and getting consistent, good sleep is very important for longevity.
So staying positive isn’t only good emotionally but it has benefits for our body.
For me, I just welcome the deer each morning when I go out to feed them.
This is a two-minute review, courtesy of YouTube, to the most important part of the brain.
I write purely as a layman, interested in the brain. It is wonderful how much has been understood, and documented, about the human brain.
Here is Part Three.
I was thinking earlier today when feeding the deer how the brain is predominant in so many species. And from that the rich return we have from evolution.
I ought not to call it an episode because I have a different presenter for today’s YouTube.
“The human brain is puzzling — it is curiously large given the size of our bodies, uses a tremendous amount of energy for its weight and has a bizarrely dense cerebral cortex.
But: why? Neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel puts on her detective’s cap and leads us through this mystery. By making “brain soup,” she arrives at a startling conclusion.”
Learning from Dogs 