Taking the Heat : How Climate Change Is Affecting Your Mind, Body, and Spirit and What You Can Do About It

**From meteorologist and Peabody Award–winning journalist Bonnie Schneider, an innovative look at how climate change is already threatening our mental and physical health and practical tips for you to tackle these challenges head on.** The impacts of climate change have become dire. Rising temperatures, volatile weather, and poor air quality affect our physical and mental health in dangerous new ways. From increasing the risk of infectious disease to amplifying emotional stress and anxiety—even the healthiest among us are at risk. Bonnie Schneider has tracked environmentally-linked physiological impacts throughout her career as a TV journalist, meteorologist, and the founder of Weather & Wellness©—a platform that explores the connection between weather, climate change, and health. In __Taking the Heat__, Schneider provides crucial advice from science experts and medical professionals to help you: -Cope with the mental anguish of “eco-anxiety” and other climate change fears for our planet’s future, particularly expressed by millennials and Gen-Z -Identify health hazards caused by extreme heat and air pollution that disproportionally affect low-income and minority communities -Uncover the science behind longer and stronger allergy seasons and learn new ways to reduce your risk of adverse allergic reactions -Detect the increased threat of dangerous pathogens lurking in unexpected places and why we may face future pandemics -Understand how seasonal fluctuations of sunlight, heat, and humidity can not only factor into feelings of depression and anxiety but also can trigger flare-ups for certain auto-immune diseases -Discover how meditation and mindfulness practices can ease the psychological stress that often occurs in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters -Explore how the Earth’s rising temperatures may rob you of restorative sleep and impair mental sharpness -Learn why increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere may reduce the availability of what you choose to eat; learn sustainable solutions—from food to fitness - And more! Anchored in the latest scientific research and filled with relatable first-person stories, this book is the one guide you need to navigate the future of your own health—mind, body, and spirit, in a rapidly changing environment. Meteorologist and Peabody Award-winning journalist Bonnie Schneider looks at how climate change is already threatening our mental and physical health, and offers helpful tips to tackle these new challenges. As the impacts of climate change become more urgent, rising temperatures, volatile weather, and worsening air quality is affecting our physical and mental health in dangerous new ways. From increasing the risk of infectious disease to amplifying anxiety and psychological distress--even the healthiest among us are vulnerable to climate-related ailments. As the founder of Weather & Wellness(c), a platform that explores the connection between weather, climate change, and health, meteorologist Bonnie Schneider has tracked these environmental effects for years, and in Taking the Heat, she gathers crucial advice from climate science experts and medical professionals to help you: -Cope with the mental anguish of eco-anxiety and other fears for our planet's future, particularly expressed by millennial and Gen-Z -Learn how low-income and minority communities are at greater risk for the health consequences of extreme heat and air pollution -Discover why the loss of biodiversity contributes to the spread of pathogens and the potential for more pandemics -Understand how temperature, sunlight, and humidity can not only factor into feelings of depression and anxiety, but also trigger flare-ups for certain auto-immune diseases -Explore how the Earth's rising temperatures can affect sleep patterns and our brains' ability to store memories -Learn why increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere may influence the choices you make of what to eat and how to exercise -And more! Anchored in the latest science research and filled with relatable first-person stories, this book is an accessible guide for anyone looking to navigate the future of their own health--mind, body, and spirit, in a rapidly changing environment