We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

The written word has always been a distinct part of the human experience, capturing our history and creating beautiful stories to escape into. Some of the earliest discovered writings were poetry, with many celebrating the natural world as its muse.

Humans have a complex and symbiotic relationship with nature, although the modern understanding of nature can often oversimplify our relationship with our environment.

Poetry is a beautiful way to bolster mental and emotional wellness by providing comfort and boosting mood during periods of stress and trauma. The powerful combination of meter, metaphor, and imagery helps us make sense of the world around us and how we fit into it.

Different studies have found that poetry can be therapeutic for patients dealing with various types of adversity.

Welcome to Episode Forty of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

On this episode, we sat down with nature poet and wellness advocate Jennifer Gordon. Jennifer is a yoga instructor, meditation guide, fitness instructor, avid hiker, and runner.

Born out of "writing to process personal trauma," Jennifer has published three poetry collections since 2021, mainly covering themes of love, loss, and the natural world. Her third project, "Blue-Colored Muse," collaborates with different Michigan visual artists to celebrate the natural world.

Join us as we talk to Jennifer about her connections to nature and wellness, how advice from a mental health provider prompted multiple published works, and how nature inspires her to quiet her mind and "just keep going."

She shares the importance of finding joy in self-care, how learning to process emotions can lead to a beautiful life trajectory, the power of communities, and her advice for anyone who wants to begin writing…she even reads a couple of her nature poems.

This conversation was a beautiful start for soothing our souls and filling our hearts.

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Website: www.jennifergordonpoetry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifergordonpoetry?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Instagram: @jennifergordonpoetry

Jennifer’s List of “Favorite Poets to Follow on Instagram”:

Lauren Bowman (@l.e.bowman.poetry)

Blake Auden (@blakeaudenpoetry)

Steph Klees (@s.m.klees_poetry)

Alix Klingenberg (@alixklingenberg)

Joy Sullivan (@joysullivanpoet)

Alexa Hoggatt (@alexa.hoggatt)


* The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast and makes us all sound so good.

** The NOW theme song was penned, performed, produced, and provided by the dynamic duo of Phil and Niall Monahan.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

Cycling is a healthy, low-impact activity that people of all ages can enjoy.

Cycling has been proven to improve strength and flexibility, build coordination and balance, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, foster social connection, strengthen the immune system, and enhance cardiovascular health.

Human-powered transportation is also fun, cheap, and good for the environment.

For many of us, a bicycle was the first step to freedom. Do you remember the feeling of getting on a bike as a kid, riding into a day filled with unknown adventures?

What if I told you that you could still have those adventures on two wheels, exploring new places and discovering the incredible history of those who came before us?

Welcome to Episode Thirty-Nine of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

On this episode, we sat down with “The Bicycle Nomad” Erick Cedeño, an accomplished explorer, historian, and storyteller. Born in Panama, Erick has become known for blending long-distance cycling, history, and cultural immersion. He has made life-altering trips from Vancouver, BC, to Tijuana, Mexico, and a 2,220-mile journey from New Orleans to Niagara Falls, retracing a route of The Underground Railroad. His lifelong love for history led him to research those who have traveled long distances on bicycles before him.

In 2022, he honored the 125th anniversary of the Buffalo Soldier Bicycle Corps–the all-Black regiment of U.S. soldiers–who rode 1,900 miles from Montana to Missouri in 1897. Using a journal he discovered, which chronicled details of the trip, Erick retraced the route exactly. He did not stop there, continuing to research these fantastic figures to pay them (and their descendants) the tribute they deserve.

Join us as we talk to Erick about his meaningful mission of “peddling through history,” how “bike-packing” across the country has helped him connect with people and places in surprising ways, and how long-distance trips in nature have helped him “discover himself.”

He shares emotional discoveries he has made in archives and on roads, the humbling experience of joining the Explorer’s Club, and his future trips based on those who came before him.

This conversation with The Bicycle Nomad left us wondering about wandering.

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Truth and Dignity-Bicycle Nomad Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cla9yDVrW2U

NY Times Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/travel/25th-infantry-bicycle-corps.html

Men's Journal Article:
https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/buffalo-soldiers-bike-ride

Underground Railroad Church Video from Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbAHGVPTZUc

* The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast and makes us all sound so good

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

What if we told you that there was a healthcare system of over 400 locations that manages more than 325 million people each year and offers resources that are proven to positively impact every dimension of your health and well-being, with an annual cost (for unlimited visits) of less than $100...if not completely free?

Sound too good to be true?

The National Park Service, responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments, was established in 1916. In just over one hundred years, it has expanded to manage 429 individual units (often called parks), covering more than 85 million acres across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all US territories.

While these parks are primarily known for recreation and beautiful scenery, an underlying message of health and well-being has historically been part of the NPS mission. A formal agreement between NPS and the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was signed in 1921 and is considered one of the oldest agreements in the federal government. For more than a century, this partnership has protected, promoted, and advanced the health of NPS employees and the visiting public.

Welcome to Episode Thirty-Eight of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

On this episode, we sat down with Dr. Sara Newman, an active duty Commissioned Corps Captain in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) who has served for more than 30 years in public health positions with the private and public sectors. Captain Newman is the Director of the Office of Public Health at the National Park Service, leading public health protection, disease prevention, emergency response, and health promotion policy and programming for thousands of NPS employees and millions of annual visitors.

Join us as we talk to Captain Newman about her personal and professional journey, the unique and critical missions of the "Invisible Corps" (USPHS), how our national parks are vital for continued health and well-being, and how time in the natural world benefits patients and caregivers alike.

Captain Newman discusses the National Parks Service's many offerings, including the upcoming National Parks Week events happening April 20-28 across the country and some of her incredible memories of practicing public health in some of our country's most beautiful "offices."

We could not get outside fast enough after hearing this fantastic conversation (for the best possible reasons).

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

National Park Week: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.htm

National Park Week Calendar of Events: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/4-8-2024-national-park-week.htm

Captain Newman Article: https://thebatt.com/featured/life-on-the-frontline/

Invisible Corps Documentary: https://invisiblecorps.com/


* The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast.

** The NOW theme song was penned, performed, produced, and provided by the dynamic duo of Phil and Niall Monahan.