Nature Prescription
Nature - a MUST for Any Healing Regimen.
As I sat down to write this, I was managing a wave of irritability resulting from inane annoyances. Today, I am in the Catskills, admiring the slow-moving ripples of a pond, listening to the background sounds of cicadas, a grey owl's hoots, and the low peeps of grasshoppers. I often like to write outside, as my creativity and life force seem to flow better when I'm in nature.
After about 20 minutes of listening, observing and pondering a newsletter topic, that cement block of irritability and frustration lifted and was replaced by a wave of calm, peace, and centeredness. This medicine that changed my mood is right here in front and all around me. The best medicine for my ill mood; being in nature, outside and in the stillness of the trees, plants, birds, and wildlife.
I think most of us intuitively know that a weekend out of the city, spending time on the grass in a park, hiking, or planting our feet in the sand on the beach has a profound effect on our well-being. We know it, but many of us don't make attempts to get outdoors into nature enough.
Numerous studies have proven that nature is medicine. Frances E. Kuo, an associate professor at the University of Illinois' Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, found in a 2004 study involving 452 children, that ADHD symptoms were reduced across the board having more access to natural environments. Further studies by Kuo and her colleague Andrea Taylor, Ph.D., (2011) have also proven the benefits of kids routinely being exposed to nature and the lasting effects on their mental and physical health and increasing attention span.
Research coming out of Switzerland on "forest kindergartens," where kids are spending most of their school day learning outside (in all of the seasons), reveals that these kids are more socially adapted. They have a much better attention span and are learning at quicker rates than their counterparts in indoor school settings.
Extensive research has shown that nature can help to reduce stress, blood pressure, and blood glucose numbers. Studies have shown the positive impact of nature on Alzheimer's and dementia, asthma and respiratory ailments, cognition, depression, fatigue, anxiety, heart health, immune cells, hormonal health, autism, and obesity.
David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah, notes that 50 Outward Bound participants performed 50 percent better on creative problem-solving tasks after three days backpacking in the wilderness.
Participants in a study conducted by the University of Sussex were analyzed using an fMRI brain scan. The research summarized that "Playing 'natural sounds' affects the bodily systems that control the flight-or-fright and rest-digest autonomic nervous systems, with associated effects in the resting activity of the brain." The study found that "It's true: The sound of nature helps us relax," ScienceDaily, 30 March 2017. Also, what was noted is that nature sounds produced an outward-directed focus as opposed to an inward-directed focus that is often seen with anxiety and depression. The nature sounds created less rumination and less negative thoughts.
There are numerous studies at the University of Washington's "Green Cities: Good Health" website, which show evidence of the great health benefit that we experience from our interaction with plants and trees.
I believe one of the most overlooked reasons why many people feel so relaxed during and after they have spent the day on the beach is because it is one of the few times that their bare feet have direct contact with the earth. The earth is filled with (healthy) ions that are directly transferred through our feet and into our bodies when we have direct contact with the earth. If you have the opportunity to be barefoot on the earth, it is extremely beneficial for your physical and emotional well-being (being mindful of ticks in certain areas).
How to Get Your Medicinal Dose of Nature in an Urban Area:
1- Sit next to a tree in a park or directly on the grass.
2- Listen to nature sounds (YouTube, streaming services) while at work, during your commute, during meditation, or while exercising.
3- Look at scenes of nature on your computer or tv screen.
4- Get lots of plants and herbs for your indoor space and physically touch them every day.
5- Get involved with a community garden: Gardeners have an 80 percent higher life satisfaction vs. non-gardeners. Also, studies have shown that there are beneficial bacteria in soil that transfer their positive neurochemicals to us when we are handling soil for 20 minutes.
6- Day trips out of the city: Places like Cold Spring, N.Y. (Putnam County), Harriman State Park (Orange County), N.Y., etc., are only about an hour outside Manhattan and offer great accessible nature walks and hiking options.
Getting into an outdoor setting in nature should be a part of every healing regimen.
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