Page 15 - Boca Exposure - November '24

Boca Exposure, Page 15
Book Review

What The Chicken Knows: described award-winning author Sy Montgomery

A New Appreciation Of The as “a combination of Indiana Jones and Emily
Dickinson” for the beautiful way in which she
World’s Most Familiar Bird has written about such experiences as being
chased by a silverback gorilla in Africa, hunted by
man-eating tigers in India (National Geographic
By Nils A, Shapiro produced a TV special about that), worked in a
All you need to know pit with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, swam with
is that the author is Sy piranhas and dolphins in the Amazon, studied
Montgomery. octopuses in their Gulf of Mexico habitat for her
For millions of readers classic National Book Award finalist Soul of an
around the world, and Octopus, was undressed by a wild orangutan, learned the once again in making us aware of what unrealized wonder and
I do mean millions, the art of falconry so she could hunt as a partner with one of beauty surrounds us, all too often under-appreciated.
name Sy Montgomery is the world’s most feared predators … and too many more to For those not yet familiar with Montgomery’s background,
associated with more than touch on here. I should point out that she and her author-historian husband,
35 books, many of which So, I was more than a little surprised when I learned Howard Mansfield, live in New Hampshire and for decades
have climbed the bestseller that Sy’s new book, published this month, is devoted to … have shared their home’s property from time to time with an
lists in 25 countries around chickens! My first thought was, what could there possibly be assortment of animals, from their border collie dog, Thurber,
the world – most describing her exciting adventures with to learn about these birds that all of us already know so well? to a pig that they raised from a tiny runt to 500-plus pound
some of nature’s most fearsome creatures. How wrong I was! And how fortunate we all are to have so Volkswagen-sized Christopher Hogwood who wandered
It is with good reason that the Boston Globe has knowledgeable a guide as Sy Montgomery to enrich our lives the town on his own getting handouts from the butcher, pet
scratches from the kids and became the subject of a bestselling
If You Want Protection From The Flu, Get book by Montgomery.
But always among her favorites have been the small flock

Your Shot Now Ahead Of Peak Season of egg-laying hens that she calls her “little ladies,” who have
their own chicken coop but are allowed free run of the backyard
under the protection of several of the latest team of roosters.
And one could not want a better protector than a rooster, as
While winter in Florida diseases like asthma, COPD, and for the elderly. “It’s best two episodes described by Montgomery make very clear: one
is warmer and more to get your flu shot in September or October,” she advises. in which a fox that had sneaked onto the property with chicken
humid than most parts of This timing allows your body to build immunity before flu dinner in mind got the shock of its life facing an angry, charging
the country, the common season peaks. rooster and did a rapid about-face … and another time, when
wintertime sicknesses are For those considering the COVID-19 vaccine boosters, Sy’s husband, Howard, was lying on the ground repairing a
still prevalent here and especially patients with respiratory diseases, Brito lawnmower. As she describes it:
there are steps you can recommends consulting with your healthcare provider. “Just beyond the narrow space between the grass and the
take right now to protect Other preventive measures like washing hands machine’s metal undercarriage, movement catches your eye.
yourself. frequently, wearing a mask in group settings, and Scaley reptilian, yellow feet, heavily armed with long, pointed
Dr. Luisa Brito, maintaining social distance can also help reduce the spread claws – and, just above the toes, curved, knife-sharp spurs –
an internal medicine of illness. These strategies, learned from the COVID-19 are purposefully striding toward you at face level. It feels like
physician with the Palm pandemic, remain effective during flu season. that scene from Jurassic Park, where the humans are hiding
Beach Health Network The RSV vaccine, available as a one-time shot, is from the hunting velociraptor – an animal from which, in fact,
Physician Group and on recommended for people over 60 with increased health your avian assailant is descended.
staff at West Boca Medical Center, shares insights on risks or anyone over 75 too. “You have been detected. The ominous feet hurry now,
common wintertime illnesses and how to protect your When should you seek medical attention? Brito pounding the ground in a frenzy. There is no mistaking it; this
health during colder months. warns that symptoms like high fevers, chest pain, trouble is a rooster on a rampage – the bane of many an otherwise
Winter brings a surge in respiratory diseases like breathing, severe body aches, dizziness, drowsiness, and peaceful barnyard.”
COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, but also the common cold. persistent fatigue may require a visit to your doctor. What to do? The answer, shockingly, is to pick it up and
The cooler weather is a risk factor, as people tend to stay Stay healthy this winter by following these tips and cuddle it!
indoors more, increasing exposure to viruses. Additionally, being proactive with your healthcare. It is from Montgomery’s several decades of her own
cold and drier than usual air can irritate the respiratory tract, For more information on Luisa Brito, M.D. at Palm experience raising her “ladies,” many from chicks, plus her
making those with conditions like asthma or COPD more Beach Health Network Physician Group – Primary roosters and all that she has studied about her ever-changing
susceptible. This is especially concerning because less Care practice, visit https://www.pbhnphysiciangroup. flocks, that she has filled the pages of this deceptively slim
time in the sun and reduced physical activity can weaken com/find-a-doctor#term=Luisa%20Brito%20 72-page book with an extraordinary number of surprising facts
immune defenses. MD&detail=1649841057. Dr. Brito’s office is located at about the birds we all – mistakenly – thought we knew.
To protect yourself, Dr. Brito emphasizes the importance 9970 Central Park Blvd., North, Boca Raton, FL 33428, Within the first few pages you will readily understand why
of flu shots, particularly for individuals with respiratory (561) 487-7931.
more families than you might imagine throughout the nation

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Book Review on page 16

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