Come with me on one of my favorite hikes in Sonoma County, California in the below YouTube video. As we walk the woods together, we’ll talk about the healing power of Mother Nature and how simply spending time outdoors, ideally in nature, can improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health…
but I believe she offers so much more than that.
After a decade with two autoimmune diseases, Lupus and Hashimoto’s, I am now disease-free for 7 years. It became my personal mission to empower you to learn to self-heal naturally. You can learn more about working with me to achieve optimal health and live symptom-free below here.
We will cover all of the benefits of nature, the optimal amount of time to reap the most benefit, and how to incorporate more time outdoors creatively throughout the day, even if you live in a big city or work a 9 to 5 job.
Green Spaces & Blue Spaces
First, there are terms such as green spaces and blue spaces mentioned throughout the video.
Even if you live in a dense population like NYC, there are parks, open spaces, and the option to simply be outside vs. inside. These pockets of trees and vegetation are what is called “green spaces”.
Blue spaces are locations near bodies of water, like oceans, rivers, creeks, and lakes. Each has unique benefits and I could easily dive into the health benefits of fresh air, sunlight, trees, and bodies of water individually, but to stay on topic – today, we will stick to the benefits of being outdoors.
The Modern Dilemma
In modern times, computer screens stare back at us more often than our skies and the natural elements around us.
Health has declined in an era where we spend more time indoors, under artificial lights, largely sedentary, and with the heat or air conditioner blasting.
The US population alone is increasingly overweight, diseased, with high blood pressure, anxious, stressed, energy-deprived, caffeine-dependent, and, well, understandably… depressed.
But what if stepping outside more often could help us with all of that? Science is showing us impressive and quantifiable benefits mother nature continues to generously give us.
There is a cultural emphasis to examine diet and exercise alone to answer all of our health concerns and not all of the other factors impacting our health, like the modern dilemma of spending more time in a man-made environment, than in a natural one like our ancestors did.
It seems reasonable and even logical that elements like fresh air, sunlight exposure, the sounds of birds chirping, and the calming effects of being in a peaceful environment would have a few health benefits, but there is so much more than meets the eye and science is still working to unravel all of Mother Nature’s innumerable gifts.
In fact, there was so much information to share, it was hard to narrow it down even with the most conservative, science-backed lens. That’s just how much magic there is to being in nature.
MENTAL
You may have noticed the calming impact nature has and It turns out there is extensive research showing remarkable mental health benefits.
Nature-connectedness or ecopsychology has been shown to reduce levels of depression, anxiety, stress, cortisol levels, and even loneliness. Studies have shown people with mild to severe depression had significant mood upliftments from spending time in nature.
Nature improves emotional regulation and generates positive emotions such as calmness, joy, and can encourage creativity, facilitate concentration, improve cognitive function, mood, and self-esteem.
Additionally, a term called “Green exercise” which is simply moving your body outside for 5 minutes minimum, even with exercise as gentle as walking, has been shown to boost willpower.
PHYSICAL
Aside from our mental health, there are even physical health benefits with spending time outdoors that are quite remarkable.
In Japan, studies have shown “forest bathing”, essentially immersing yourself and spending quality time in nature, has been positively associated with improving immune function.
The exposure to phytoncides – a substance emitted by plants and trees – have antibacterial and antifungal qualities which aid plants in combating disease – can have a positive impact on the body’s immune system. When humans breathe in phytoncides, white blood cells called NK (or natural killer cells) increase in number and activity, which plays a major role in our immune system. NK cells are responsible for killing tumor and virus-infected cells in our bodies.
Additionally, the Japanese study showed a day trip in the forest to lower stress hormones and increased intracellular anti-cancer proteins.
With physical activity like walking, hiking, or running along with exposure to nature, beyond improvement of immune function, observational studies have shown lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Next time you do cardio – could you take that workout outdoors vs on a treadmill in a gym to gain even more health benefits than simply calorie expenditure?
Consistent evidence is reflecting exposure to green and blue spaces is associated with lower cardiovascular incidence. In other words, you don’t have to be in a forest to reap benefits just outside near trees, vegetation, or water.
One Australian study showed significant lower odds of high blood pressure of adults in urban populations with visits to green spaces an average of 30 minutes or more.
What science is showing us is that time spent in nature, in green or blue spaces reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, reduces heart rate, and the production of stress hormones.
We also happen to breathe deeper when outdoors, not to mention fresh air. When indoors, studies have shown we gravitate towards shallow breathing. Oxygenation of our cells is the source of energy. With improper breathing alongside a surplus stale, manufactured air – we are doing our lungs and our energy stores a disservice. Getting outdoors and moving the body encourages deep breathing to naturally facilitate more energy.
There are promising future developments for nature and health research with nature’s positive impact on reducing mortality, obesity, cancer, diabetes, improving sleep, and more. We have yet to reveal just how impactful Mother Nature is for the entire human body, including the mind and spirit.
Spirit/Spiritual
I understand that the word spiritual means different things to different people.
What I can say personally is when I spend time in nature I feel a universal connectedness; a connection to something greater to myself, a connection to all living things, and a connection to self by simply being in and with the elements.
I also receive most of my creative inspiration and downloads when I am in nature, aside from meditation. I am calm and at peace which is a perfect receptacle for creative energy.
Spending time in nature has invited an intrinsic sense of wonder, purity, and simplicity. She also encourages mindfulness, gratitude, creativity, and inner peace – as if Mother Nature herself placed a warm blanket of calm over my shoulders to comfort me.
The Optimal Amount of Time To Aim For
In a study of 20,000 people at the University of Exeter, people who spent 2 hours a week in green spaces were considerably more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those that did not.
This wasn’t just any study – its profile was robust, pulling from diverse populations; different ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
The conclusion? With just 120 minutes a week of green exposure one can reap numerous health benefits, which seems achievable, even feasible in modern society.
How to Weave More Outdoor Time Into Your Life
There are many creative ways to spend more time outdoors whenever possible.
Aim for 2 hours a week total of time outdoors or more, to reap as much health benefit as possible.
If you work a 9 to 5 or even if you work for yourself, try taking breaks outside. Take short walks. Eat outdoors. Facilitate standing or walking meetings outside. Open windows and let fresh air in.
At home, could you take some of your activities outside – working with your laptop or phone, walking your pet or sitting outside together, reading, grounding, creative activities, scheduling your next day, stretching, working out, walking, meditation, prayer, meal times, picnics, snacks, play with kids, a conversation, journaling, watching the clouds, taking a nap, listening to music, your favorite podcast, or watching a YouTube video from yours truly.
Some other ideas – Visit local parks, explore a new outdoor hike, take a quick break to walk around the block at the office or at home, get your kids outside, bbq or have a dinner party outside, visit a local forest, lake, or a day at the ocean so the whole family can benefit from simply stepping outside.
I’m not saying you have to live in a remote cabin in the woods, live off the grid or dwell in the country for that matter, but doing something as simple as opting to spend more time outside, can do wonders for your health and vitality the more you do it.
A fresh, clean breeze, a spot of sun, the smell of trees are treasures that are accessible and free to all with a little creativity.
Reap the benefits of Mother Nature; her healing gifts are generously plentiful and will keep giving.
Mother Nature is the answer. Her altruistic gifts are beyond compare and I believe we have yet to learn how much she truly and wondrously bestows upon us. Listen to her call and let her beckon you home to your truest, healthiest self.
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