An Unconventional ‘Bacon’ of Hope THE STORY OF THE DANISH PROTEST PIG
In the 19th century, Denmark and Prussia couldn’t agree on where to draw their border. Both countries refused to concede or couldn’t reach an agreement on which country would ultimately control Southern Jutland, which today is Germany’s northernmost state called Schleswig-Holstein. This refusal to compromise ultimately led to war, and in 1848, Denmark won control. However, their victory was short-lived, as roughly a decade later, the Second Schleswig War was underway. This time, though, Prussia was victorious.
farmers began to crossbreed their pigs to create a new breed, one that had the same markings as the Danish flag. These pigs were red in color, with one white vertical stripe and one white horizontal stripe. The farmers named their new pigs Protestschwein, or the Danish Protest Pig. This protest pig quickly became the mascot of Danish cultural independence, and their efforts didn’t go unnoticed by Prussian authorities. In 1881, a local Prussian police station sent communications back to the government in Berlin that farmers were breeding strange-looking pigs. However, while they could not prove that farmers were knowingly breeding the pigs to look like the Danish flag, “it was believed that the farmers were well aware of this and that this pig represented an affront to the Prussians,” according to records from the Red Holstein Breeders Association. Today, the Danish Protest Pig is recognized as its own breed but has a different name: the Husum Red Pied. And, the now-German state of Schleswig-Holstein supports the protection of this pig due to the cultural significance it offered its Danish ancestors so many years ago.
After their victory, the Prussian authorities slowly began to move into the peninsula, implementing new laws over the Danes living there. These new laws
prohibited anything Danish, including all uses of the Danish flag. Needless to say, the Danes were not happy — especially the farmers.
These Danish farmers knew they had to protest this oppressive Prussian government, but
they couldn’t just publicly wave the Danish flag. So, they got crafty. Danish
QUIET YOUR MIND, IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH Why Meditation Is a Must for Older Adults
Reduced Chronic Pain It’s not uncommon for people to experience pain as they age. The most common sources of pain include neurodegenerative and musculoskeletal conditions, osteoarthritis, and peripheral vascular diseases (PVD). While meditation can’t treat the cause of the pain, it can help reduce the amount of pain you feel. According to a study from The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 89% of participants reported that meditation helped them cope with their chronic pain, drastically reducing their overall pain levels. Better Memory It’s normal for older adults to experience some lapse in memory as they age, but it doesn’t make the experience any less stressful or frightening. Meditation helps to boost memory as it increases blood flow to areas of the brain in charge of attention and executive function. By giving these areas of the brain more “power” through increased blood supply, they can work more efficiently to help you retain and recall information. If you don’t know how to start, close your eyes and focus on counting your inhalations 10 times before restarting. You can set a timer or continue as long as you feel comfortable. You can also find several guided meditation apps if you need a bit more help. It only takes a few minutes to complete a meditation exercise and begin reaping its incredible health benefits!
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years and offers many benefits. The best part is that it’s accessible to anyone; you don’t
need special equipment or a membership to practice, just your mind and body!
While meditation is great for everyone, meditation can be
particularly powerful for older adults due to its emotional and cognitive perks. Here are some key benefits you can expect.
Less Anxiety For some, anxiety can be a response to a specific life event, such as a health scare or losing a loved one. For others, anxiety can appear later in life for no apparent reason. Regardless of why it starts, anxiety is both uncomfortable and harmful to your health. Anxiety often involves worrying about the future, and meditation helps alleviate it by pushing you to focus only on how your body feels at that precise moment. Focusing only on the now is an excellent way to help combat those intrusive “what if” and “when” thoughts.
2 • www.garryliday.com
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