Nature of Wellness ™️ Podcast
Throughout history, cultures around the world have turned to nature as a source of increased health and well-being. While science continues to support this connection, and more programs are emerging to help us understand it, humans continue to spend the majority of our time indoors. Welcome to the Nature of Wellness, Podcast, where we will explore the relationship between the natural world and the human experience. Join Mark, Steve, and their expert guests as they discuss all things nature, conservation, life, health, and well-being. The future of health is NOW.
Nature of Wellness ™️ Podcast
Episode Forty One- Adversity and The Power of Swimming with Paralympic World Record Holder Elizabeth Marks
We'd love to hear from you about this episode.
Swimming is one of our most popular recreational activities. It is a healthy, low-impact movement that we can continue throughout life.
Aside from being a lot of fun, swimming is a great way to enhance health and wellness holistically.
The mental health benefits of swimming include a release of endorphins and serotonin, an active form of mindfulness, lower stress and anxiety, and an overall sense of increased happiness. Simply hearing flowing water can induce a flood of neurochemicals, making us happier and healthier and lowering stress levels.
While aquatic therapies are standard for physical rehabilitation, more evidence shows successful management of mental and emotional challenges such as PTSD, addiction, and various anxiety disorders.
Welcome to Episode Forty-One of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.
In this episode, we sat down with Soldier, Medic, and Paralympic swimmer Elizabeth Marks. Injured in Iraq, Ellie discovered her love for swimming as part of her rehabilitation. After a few years, she was named to the Army's World Class Athlete Program and began competing at the International level as part of Team USA.
Ellie received the 2016 ESPY Pat Tillman Award, a 2017 induction into the Army Woman's Hall of Fame, the 2023 Soldier for Life award, and the 2024 Military Times Soldier of the Year award. She is a 12x World Record Holder, 16x American Record Holder, 2x Paralympic Games Record Holder, and 1x World Championships Record Holder.
We talk to Ellie about her journey through adversity, how "doing hard things" helped her effectively manage the multiple adversities associated with traumatic injury, how sport has allowed her to thrive in all areas of her life, and how "success is a team sport."
She shares the importance of "choosing your family" as a support system, how challenges can help us determine who we can and should be, and how our values factor impact our trajectory.
We couldn't wait to "dive right in" with this unbelievable human.
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We appreciate you all.
Be Well
-NOW
Ellie's Team USA Profile: https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=93c33c50d09bd4562&q=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/elizabeth-marks-858203&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiw2NfpoqWGAxXQF1kFHfoFDdYQFnoECAAQAg&usg=AOvVaw0Q0Afaq0G9La_KXXMbKZ6B&fexp=72519171,72519168
Fisher House Foundation Website: https://fisherhouse.org/
US Olympic and Paralympic Committee: https://www.usopc.org/
DoD Warrior Games: https://dodwarriorgames.com/
Invictus Games Foundation: https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/
* The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast, making us sound so good.
** The NOW theme song was penned, performed, produced, and provided by the dynamic duo of Phil and Niall Monahan.
*** This show wouldn't exist without our amazing guests and all of you who listen. Please like, subscribe, follow, and review to help us get these important messages out to more folks who can benefit from them. Thank you all.
