Episode 12: Matching Heartbeats: Mindful Birding, Heart Health, & Hummingbirds

The Mindful Birding Podcast

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In this episode of the Mindful Birding Podcast, Holly & Holly share why birds are truly heart healthy, both in the way they fill our hearts with joy and love, but also with cardiac fitness in mind.
How can wild birds help make our hearts stronger? Our connections to other people and animals can sometimes synch our biorhythms, and even our heartbeats, and we wonder if this also happens when we connect with the wild birds around us.

We spotlight the bird with the biggest heart, and Holly Merker shares a guided hummingbird visualization adapted from the book Ornitherapy

The poet Julia Travers generously shared some of her writing with us, and she’ll read a beautiful piece of her work honoring birds in this episode.

In the Mindful Birding Nerding Science Segment, Holly Thomas delves into some of the research surrounding green spaces and cardiac health and specifically the effect of nature prescriptions on cardiometabolic health in particular

In the Joy of Birdsong, Holly Thomas brings us with her as she enjoys the beautiful song of the Crissal Thrasher in her backyard in New Mexico

Other references mentioned:
Joseph Campbell
Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
Music and Heartbeat
Two Hearts Beat as One - Dogs and their Humans

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas