Unpaved Trails For All - More Equity Needed to Nature's Health Benefits

Unpaved trail in Keene, NH offers river views.

        I recently had the pleasure of meeting Meg Bandarra, of Unpaved Trails For All, an organization she started to promote accessible trails with less constructed elements to help people connect better with nature. Trails designed for mobility devices can often feel like a track laid down in nature, especially when entirely paved or designed with wood edges and boardwalks. We don't have enough accessible trails - whether paved or unpaved - and I too have a deep appreciation for trails that feel as natural as possible. As a person with a disability whose life was changed when she discovered unpaved trails designed for mobility devices, Meg is a perfect spokesperson for this cause.

Hammocking is for Everyone

A big thanks to David St. Martin for sharing his love of “hammocking” with me last summer after we had kayaked on the Charles River with Waypoint Adventure during a Universal Access Program near Boston.  

Hammocking in winter is surprisingly enjoyable even for
just 15 minutes!

David explained to me that due to his lifelong rheumatoid arthritis, he is unable to camp in tents as he cannot get down to the ground and back up again. He opened his car trunk and showed me a pile of small bundles - his hammock collection. Hammock technology has come a long way since I hung a heavy canvas army jungle hammock in a front yard willow tree as a teen. Now they can be compressed down to a softball-sized bundle that can be easily stowed in a daypack! 

David is part of a well-established new movement of hammockers that I had previously been unaware of - comprised of college students, hikers, outdoor enthusiasts, even urbanites - some of whom camp in hammocking groups.  I’m happy to be a new member of this creative subculture in which hammocks are included on various day adventures, used for overnight accommodations and offer 15 minutes or more of vacation-like respite almost anywhere, anytime. Once in Costa Rica, I passed by a truck driver napping in a hammock underneath his semi alongside the highway. Online an air traffic controller reports taking his 15 minute break on the tarmac outside the tower in - you guessed it - his hammock! There is no end to where you can find temporary respite using this simple item! 

This singlenest hammock fit easily into a fannypack and
set up in a minute. Tree-friendly straps
allow for easy adjustability.

Whether you simply rest in a hammock or sleep in it, there are significant health benefits. The bilateral stimulation of rocking side to side soothes the nervous system. When hung in a natural setting, the benefits of forest bathing are easily recieved. Those who sleep in them swear by numerous improvements including faster and deeper sleep and relief from joint pain. Laying in them diagonally across the center line allows for a level resting position.

I’m finding hammocking to be especially fun on winter day hikes, something I never would have considered before. They set up and take down in a minute and offer a chance to rest up off the ground and rock gently under the trees. After a hammock rest in a beautiful spot, I’m ready to resume the hike much more refreshed than if I had stood or sat while taking a break.

Of the various brands of hammocks David had in his trunk, there were single hammocks, double sized, super light and perhaps more. Most outdoor stores are selling hammocks now. My first purchase was a singlenest hammock by Eagles Nest Outfitters, which I totally love. As soon as I started bringing it on hikes with friends, I immediately wanted a bigger hammock to be able to include more people, so I got a doublenest. Now three or four of us can swing upright while we snack or catch a few Zs lying down. Hammock companies offer various accessories - rain flys, mosquito netting, sleep pads, gear stowing slings and more, as well as tree-friendly strapping systems.

My outdoor explorations include a new element - scoping for great hammock spots. This gives me a different sense of destination, one in which I can bask in the beauty of a particular grove of trees or enjoy forest bathing by flowing water - creating more rest time in nature wherever and whenever I like. The portability of this pastime offers an ongoing sense of mini-vacations in an endless series of micro-destinations. 

Hammocks offer new possibilities for people with disabilities, including those with mobility impairments. Some people may need assistance setting up and taking down, and/or getting in and out. Hennessy hammocks makes a bottom entry hammock that allows for easier entry and exit and works well for many who find the conventional top loading style too difficult. For those in wheelchairs, hammocking might be a new frontier worth checking out. For further info, investigate online - you might be surprised by what you find!

When was the last time you enjoyed lying in a hammock? 

Forest Bathing - Prescription for Well-Being

Have you ever taken a bath in the forest?

Chances are, if you like the outdoors, you already have - even if you never got wet at all!

In the midst of leaf peeping season in New England, I chanced upon an article about the practice of forest bathing in Japan. I am often in the woods and it certainly makes me feel better, a sentiment with which all nature lovers would surely agree. Turns out scientific studies in recent years demonstrate that spending time in the forest reduces stress by lowering heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels.

Actively enjoying the visual beauty of the forest, connecting physically with trees, plants and the earth; listening to the sounds of wind, water and birds - all this opens us to bathing in the energy of a place. A healthy forest, as an intact natural system, offers a bounty of good energy, which can elevate our own energies.

Accessible Gyms and Adaptive Fitness - A Ticket to Greater Adventure

While recovering from a serious illness fifteen years ago, I started to work out at my local gym. I've been working out ever since because it feels good and keeps me in reasonable shape. A friend helped me get started and now as my partner supports my regular routine. (A tip-o-the-laptop to you Meb!) Over time, I've come to realize that fitness habits of stretching, cardio, nautilus weight training, and that rewarding sauna afterwards not only contribute to my greater health, but support my outdoor activities, from yard work to long bike rides.

The benefits of good health and fitness can't be underestimated yet it seems that our society is increasingly losing its grip on how to maintain healthy habits. While there are many known factors for this sad trend, people with disabilities have significant risk for poorer health according to a recent report. You don't have to be a serious athlete to benefit from exercise. Those benefits can be as simple as feeling better, making more social connections, gaining strength, endurance, resilience, and self confidence.

Significant Health Disparities for People with Disabilities - Change That Now!



This family attended our cycling program last week in Hadley
- a perfect example of taking on the fun of improving health!
Photo by Nancy Bazanchuk.

In the past few days I received this update from the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire:

Compared to racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities are generally more likely to experience poorer health, according to a new report from the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (IOD). The report, “Health Disparities Chart Book on Disability and Racial and Ethnic Status in the United States,” examines the health status of working-age (18-64) people with disabilities, as reported to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the nation’s premier public health survey."

Among the key findings in the report:

• If people with disabilities were a formally recognized minority group, at 19% of the population, they would be the largest minority group in the United States.
• The highest proportion of people who say their health is fair or poor is found in people with disabilities (40%, compared to 23% of Hispanics, 22% of American Indian/Alaska Natives, 18% of blacks, and 8% of Asians). 
• People with disabilities have the least desirable prevalence rates for 10 of the 14 selected health indicators including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

You can download the full report at IOD's website (link above). Just this much was enough for me to realize painfully (after 16 years of dedicated effort to improving adaptive recreation opportunities!) how important it still is for people with disabilities to find ways to improve their quality of life, get more exercise and enjoy the benefit of the outdoors. With this in mind, I recommend the following upcoming events:

CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES - September 23, Hynes Convention Center, Boston. At this day long conference and free expo you can experience the current state-of-the-art of inclusive products and technologies that transform the lives of people with disabilities and older people and enhance everyone's lives. Focus areas are Home, Work, Learning and Fitness/Recreation/Sport. Here is what I know about it: You can even find me there - with DCR's Universal Access Program in the exhibit area where we will have adaptive recreation equipment on display. This will be a great event for tapping into available resources and networking. I hear the Governor is coming! And it will be a GREAT TIME!

LIFE IS GOOD FESTIVAL - September 24 and 25, Prowse Farm, Canton, Massachusetts. This is a doubly beneficial event for kids of all ages! You go to have fun and at the same time your ticket raises money to help kids overcome trauma and life-threatening challenges by supporting Playmakers. There are musical performances by bands throughout the weekend and activities of all stripes including: Art for All Mural, dog show, BMX stunt show, instrument petting zoo, yoga, an endless variety of games, and more. Here's what I know about it: There is a team of doctors volunteering at the event to ensure that people with disabilities can participate in and enjoy the activities! On-line - check out the FAQ's about access for people with disabilities under "Event Info". Email festivals@lifeisgood.com if you have questions before you go. On site, ask for the "access program" at the Information Tent. And have a GREAT TIME!

Winter Snapshot - Mental Health Through Skiing

We might have been any two women on cross country skis, but if you could hear our conversation, you would you would have witnessed the transformational power outdoor recreation can have in the lives of people with disabilities.

"I used to be incredibly phobic," offered Ginny, as we shushed through the soft snow. "The Universal Access Program has helped me so much. I couldn't have recovered anywhere near as much as I have without it. I've spent years in outpatient clinics. Would you believe I used to weigh 210 pounds?"

We skied along a frozen pond with a beaver lodge and entered the snow covered forest. She took in my look of amazement and continued. " A lot of people on medication are overweight. So much of it is depression you know? And the drugs. You can't feel your feelings or any drive to get out and do things. But one day, I came with a group to kayak. At first I was terrified. Then, I had a great time! I was so isolated in my life I couldn't make connections with people very well, until I started coming to Universal Access programs. I got to know the staff and soon was talking to more people than just those with psychiatric disabilities."

As we passed under towering white pines, Ginny freely shared her story. I realized I was getting a rare view into a life experience few people get to see unless it is their own. She spoke of her misdiagnosis as a child, how the adult stresses of making ends meet led to a clearer psychiatric diagnosis, followed by years of poor treatment in an over-medicated fog. Somehow the tranquil beauty of the forest with its blanket of snow offered her easy access through her story.

"I was fortunate to have my own car. I kept coming. The exercise felt so good. The fresh air. Everything. I tried cycling, hiking, winter activities....each time I struggled through being around more new people, yet there were always the familiar friendly staff and volunteers to help me. I got to know some of the other participants who came regularly. Some of us even talk on the phone now between programs. Gradually I acclimated to people. I still have trouble being in rooms with people talking loudly or in crowds."

I found common ground with Ginny in this last comment, and we skied silently down a series of curving hills. "I really love speed!", she continued when we caught up with each other. "It makes me feel so alive. The release of endorphins actually breaks through the flat line of my emotional life. My medications prevent me from feeling much range."

Ginny had moved beyond the limitations of others managing her disability and was clearly finding her own methods of blazing new trails. We stopped to admire some tracks where a bobcat had crossed the ski trail, then swapped wild animal stories all the way back to the lodge.

Still I wonder, for every Ginny finding a new way in life, how many people are still caught in the fog of medication? Who else out there has improved their mental health through recreation?