Join the upcoming LIVE Breaking the Cycle discussion on August 15, 2022 from 3 - 4 p.m. ET p.m. ET, REGISTER to join. Visit the www.BreakingtheCycleFilm.org for more science, film guides, and resources.
August 2022
A Note from Darcia...
Dear Friends,

I hope you are enjoying Breastfeeding Month. Breast milk and breastfeeding are truly amazing, as the quote below indicates. 

This month is a good time to educate yourself further about breast milk. We have several elements in the newsletter to help you. See the book review of Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race and Justice. Read one or more of the blog posts about breastfeeding or infant formula. Watch the video from a prominent set of infant feeding researchers from Australia. Read the poster on the benefits of nighttime breastfeeding.

Please support mothers and babies in any manner you can wherever you are. Even smiling and greeting children is helpful to make them feel part of the community. The same goes for mothers. In an airport a couple of weeks ago, an inconsolable tired young boy was making the mother miserable. As a member of the village, I conveyed words of empathy to her about the situation. It visibly reassured and calmed her. 

We can all connect to a mother or father or child momentarily, if not longer, and reknit the fabrics of our communities.

Happy Connecting!
Darcia

About the photo, from Rita, "Here is your book enjoying the view of Arctic Circle of Norway!"

Darcia Narvaez, PhD
Evolved Nest, Founder
"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by consumers' needs, the announcement of this find would send its shares rocketing to the top fof the stock market. The sceintists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence, yet they form the least wealthy and least powerful half of humanity."

– Gabrielle Pamer, The Politics of Breastfeeding:
When Breasts are Bad for Business, p. 1
Notable RESEARCH
Human breast milk: A review on its composition and bioactivity
Free article: Andreas NJ, Kampmann B, Mehring Le-Doare K. Human breast milk: A review on its composition and bioactivity. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Nov;91(11):629-35. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.08.013.
Abstract

Breast milk is the perfect nutrition for infants, a result of millions of years of evolution, finely attuning it to the requirements of the infant. Breast milk contains many complex proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, the concentrations of which alter dramatically over a single feed, as well as over lactation, to reflect the infant's needs. In addition to providing a source of nutrition for infants, breast milk contains a myriad of biologically active components. These molecules possess diverse roles, both guiding the development of the infants immune system and intestinal microbiota. Orchestrating the development of the microbiota are the human milk oligosaccharides, the synthesis of which are determined by the maternal genotype. In this review, we discuss the composition of breast milk and the factors that affect it during the course of breast feeding. Understanding the components of breast milk and their functions will allow for the improvement of clinical practices, infant feeding and our understanding of immune responses to infection and vaccination in infants.

Beyond trauma-informed: Returning to indigenous, wellness-informed practices. International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology
Narvaez, D. (2022). Beyond trauma-informed: Returning to indigenous, wellness-informed practices. International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, 11(1).

ABSTRACT: The dominant culture has forgotten evolution’s pathway to wellness that comes about through meeting humanity’s basic needs (animal, mammalian, social mammalian, and human needs), shaping a well-functioning psychosocial neurobiology, heart centeredness, and thriving that lead to wise, sustainable, and earthcentric lifeways. Our ancestors worldwide followed this pathway for millions of years in a cycle of cooperative companionship. Instead, with the rise of static hierarchical civilizations, the dominant culture eroded the wellness pathway, increasingly following a cycle of competitive detachment. The dominant culture follows a trauma-inducing pathway by not meeting basic needs, beginning in infancy when 75% of brain volume grows, fostering stress reactivity and minimal psychosocial neurobiological functioning, leading to illbeing and narcissistic destructive lifeways. The multiple planetary ecological crises are a result of the trauma-inducing pathway that has been passed across generations through colonialism and globalized capitalism. We start back on the wellness-promoting pathway by providing children with our species-evolved nest.

Upcoming EVENTS
Biology of Trauma Summit
August 8 - 14, 2022
We all know that everyone experiences some life trauma and that trauma is stored in the body. In this free online Summit, host Dr. Aimie Apigian interviews over 40 experts on all kinds of trauma from pre-birth to betrayal in marriage and how it becomes our biology, not just psychology. With the focus on knowledge and tools to accelerate the healing journey, this is a Solution Series on Mental Health, Addictions and Burnout. Darcia will be presenting at this event. You can view her invitation to you above.

Free Registration:
Podcast INTERVIEWS
The Nine Components of a Whole Human Experience, Overcoming Childhood Trauma, Instilling a Sense of Purpose in Youth and Much More with Dr. Darcia Narvaez
Many of us believe that the culture we live in mirrors innate human nature. But today’s dominant cultures of competitive destructive detachment are rare and recent. Nearly every other culture that has ever existed during our species history over millions of years has been one of connected cooperative companionship. We evolved in cooperative bands of kin and nonkin where we were nurtured and welcomed by all members of the community. We lived together, we gathered food together, we sang together, and we danced together. We knew it would have been impossible to survive on our own. But together, we thrived.

Why Our Sense of Connection Matters 
This is the central question that guides the conversation you will hear today, another session in our Psychedelic Café series, where we featured a curated selection of guests to explore how “whether or not we feel connected affects everything”.

We also explore the neurobiological origins of our sense of connection/disconnection with each other and how that is wrapped up in personal and collective traumas; our sense of connection with nature and the consequences that our lack of it is having on our lives and all life on this planet; as well as strategies and pathways of increasing our sense of connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world.

Admirable NESTER
Kimarie Bugg, DNP, FNP-BC, MPH, FAAN, IBCLC
Kimarie Bugg, DNP, FNP-BC, MPH, IBCLC, is Chief Empowerment (CEO) and Change Leader of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, Inc. (ROSE), a nonprofit corporation developed in 2011, to address breastfeeding inequities and disparities in the African American community.

Dr. Bugg previously worked for Emory University, School of Medicine, as a nurse practitioner, private practice pediatrics as an NP, as a perinatal nurse consultant for the state of Georgia, perinatal educator, hospital nurse administrator, special care nursery staff, bedside breastfeeding consultant and pediatric emergency clinic staff nurse. Kimarie was a board member of the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) and faculty for CHAMPS (communities and hospital's advancing maternal practices) a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. She also provided training for WIC Breastfeeding administrative staff and Peer Counselors nationally.

You can hear Dr. Bugg's story of breaking breastfeeding advocacy barriers in hospital culture, and her creation of Reaching Sisters Everywhere, ROSE, in this month's Meet the Wayfinder Oral History Series here.
Conference PRESENTATIONS
APA 2022 Conference Poster: Women's Evolved Developmental Niche and Autonomic Regulation
American Psychological Association Conference, Minneapolis, August 2022

Early life adversity impairs adult health outcomes (Felitti & Anda, 2005) but what experiences support healthy outcomes? The Evolved Developmental Niche (EDN), identified worldwide among human groups, represents the human species’ millions-years-old evolved system of care that meets the basic needs of children and optimizes biopsychosocial development. The EDN includes a set of social ecological characteristics under which human neurobiological systems evolved.

Infant Feeding Practices: Rates, Risks of Not Breastfeeding, and Factors Influencing Breastfeeding
Pranee Liamputtong Human Nature and Early Experience. A presentation at the University of Notre Dame Symposium on Evolution, Early Experience and Human Development. Pranee is a medical anthropologist and has interests in the health of women, children, immigrants, refugees, older people, and transgender individuals. In terms of health issues, Pranee is very interested in issues relating to motherhood, reproductive health, sexuality, sexual health, and mental health. See the video above and here.
Evolved Nest EXPLAINED
Positive Social Climate: Our Need for Belonging and Support
POSITIVE SOCIAL CLIMATE: Need for sense of BELONGING and support

Positive Social Climate refers to a family or group atmosphere of joy, serenity and connection (rather than dread, anger or despair). A positive climate supports wellbeing of all family or group members. It is one of the nine components of our Evolved Nest.

Human mothers evolved to have a built-in safety net of other adult support (Hrdy, 2009). Supportive social contact is known to be a positive influence during birthing and post-natal mother-child communication (Klaus & Kennel, 1976), and in fact, three attentive adults (parents and/or alloparents) appear to be optimal for children to thrive (Sagi et al., 1995; van Ijzendoorn, Sagi, & Lambermon, 1992). 

See the video and learning center resources here.
Evolved Nest PODCASTS
A Two-Part Podcast: What Is Downshifting & The Scope of Healing
This is part one of a two part podcast: 

1. What Is Downshifting? We can all become self-protective when we feel threatened and downshift to our survival systems which affect our perceptions and actions. 

2. The Scope of Healing: Stress or adverse experiences can negatively impact our brains, bodies and emotions.  To help restore our brains, bodies and emotions, we discuss different ways and methods that foster healing.  We discuss intrapersonal, interpersonal, imaginative healing, interpersonal co-regulation and structural healing.

Our Evolved Nest is our Evolutionary Pathway to Wellbeing and Thriving

Kindred POSTS
Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race And Injustice, 
A Book Review
It’s hard to find any mother adequately supported in the USA, but conditions have always been worse for African American mothers. Many African Americans live in “first food deserts,” neighborhoods bereft of government services for new mothers, as well as in “fast-food swamps,” where fast food and convenience stores are prevalent, instead of grocery stores with nutritious options. These factors undermine mothers’ and families’ capacities to provide healthy food to children and are associated with health disparities across the life span.

Although at first formula was not marketed to Black mothers, this changed in 1946 when the Fultz quadruplets were born and their delivery doctor, seeking fame for himself, took over their naming and their lives, arranging with the Pet Milk company to use them in advertising. They were taken away from their family and for years were continually required to be on display. Though they had been promised college scholarships, the years of interruptions undermined their education and when the time came, they did not qualify for college. Despite their making profits for PET, their family of origin remained impoverished. 

It's National Breastfeeding Month!
Join Our LIVE Discussions!
See the Evolved Nest's Short Film - Breaking the Cycle!
Below is your invitation to LIVE discussion about Breaking the Cycle, the Evolved Nest's short film, with Darcia Narvaez, PhD, and Lisa Reagan.

About Breaking the Cycle

"Breaking the Cycle" contrasts the two basic ways societies can function: the optimal approach, which most human societies through time have followed, is the Cycle of Cooperative Companionship, where children’s basic needs are met, they grow into well-functioning, cooperative community members (from neurobiology and on up), and as healthy adults, they maintain the cooperative system. Currently in the United States, the opposite pattern is in place—children’s basic needs are not met and ill-being and dysregulation ensue, creating adults who are detached and distracted and keep this Cycle of Competitive Detachment going. Not surprisingly from a transdisciplinary perspective on childhood adversity and its effects, the United Nations ranks the United States as 41st out of 41 developed countries for child and adult wellness.

See the Evolved Nest's six minute film and discover resources, including a film guide and a Spanish version of the film, at www.breakingthecyclefilm.org 

JOIN MONTHLY LIVE DISCUSSIONS

Join Darcia Narvaez and Lisa Reagan for a discussion of the Evolved Nest's short film, Breaking the Cycle. You can watch the film and find resources, including a film guide on this website.

August 15, 2022 from 3 - 4 p.m. ET, REGISTER

The live discussions are free, but you must register to join.
Evolved Nest SONG
A Song Honoring Plants
This song honoring plants is written and performed by Darcia Narvaez. It was included in Chapter 9 in her new book with Four Arrows, Restoring the Kinship Worldview: Indigenous Voices Introduce 28 Precepts for Rebalancing Life on Earth.

Many plant species are increasingly threatened with extinction. Humans often act mindlessly toward plants, as if they do not have feeling or purpose. Native American communities honored plants as life givers and teachers. They practiced the “honorable harvest,” a way to treat plants and animals with respect. This song describes what the honorable harvest looks like. Sing and play this song with one or more partners.

Learn more about the new book here.

Fresh EYES on the Evolved Nest
Benefits of Nighttime Nursing Poster
What would a new generation, pre-parenthood, say about The Evolved Nest? What can we learn from their insights?

This poster on Benefits of Nighttime Nursing was created for the Morality, Parenting and Nature Connection in the Anthropocene by Kaitlyn Deherrara.

Visit Fresh Eyes on the Evolved Nest website where you can download this poster and read posts, children's stories, and other presentations by Darcia's students at the University of Notre Dame.

Evolved Nest RESOURCES
Moving Toward Primal-Indigenous-Kinship Wisdom and Worldview
We've collected Darcia's posts, interviews, videos, and podcasts on Indigenous Wisdom and Worldview onto one webpage for your viewing and sharing enjoyment!

Check out the Indigenous Worldview Resource Collection here.

Visit the Evolved Nest Self-Directed Learning Center here.
Join the Evolved Nest COMMUNITY
Join Our Mighty Networks' Evolved Nest Community
We are in the process of creating a safe, kind, and stimulating space to engage and connect with our Evolved Nest community through Mighty Networks!

This platform is ad-free, algorithm-free, and owned by us. You can download the app to the network and post and stay up-to-date with group discussions, research, and upcoming events.

Many organizations are charging a membership fee for these Mighty Networks' platforms, but we are opening up our group to you for free.

DONATE and Support the Evolved Nest!
Read 88 Five-Star Reviews of Our Work and Kindred World!
The Evolved Nest is an educational initiative of Kindred World, an American 501C3 nonprofit that has Served the Re-Generation Since 1996. Darcia Narvaez, PhD, is the founder of the Evolved Nest and the current president of Kindred World.
Learn more about what we've learned in a quarter century of exploring the creation of a wisdom-based, wellness-informed society, here.
Read our more than 88 five-star reviews here.
Our gratitude to everyone who has supported The Evolved Nest's work over these past four years.
The Evolved Nest - www.EvolvedNest.org