Today's post is inspired by an email newsletter I received from Kripalu, the largest yoga ashram in North America. I have visited Kripalu once, up in the beautiful Berkshire mountains of western Massachusetts. The natural setting there is enough to heal all one's ills with just a quick glance. But even if you live in the heart of the city, getting outside and finding some natural beauty to bask in will make you feel better.
Although it appears that we have evolved far from our original animal selves, in reality we are still creatures of this earth. Our health and wellbeing are intimately tied to the planet. And sitting indoors, behind four walls in cubicles, is just not natural! Our very cells crave the outdoors. The natural light is easier on our eyes and uplifting for our mood. The sunlight on our skin produces Vitamin D. The color green is calming and relaxing for our nervous systems. The air outdoors, especially in a forest, away from the traffic and industrial pollution, is cleaner for our lungs. We were designed to be outdoor creatures, like all living things on this earth!
I have written in several past posts about some of the benefits of exercising, or even just sitting and contemplating, in the great outdoors. Here are some more, as shared by Tresca Weinstein in the Kripalu newsletter for July. After reading these, let's all get outside and get healthy!
Although it appears that we have evolved far from our original animal selves, in reality we are still creatures of this earth. Our health and wellbeing are intimately tied to the planet. And sitting indoors, behind four walls in cubicles, is just not natural! Our very cells crave the outdoors. The natural light is easier on our eyes and uplifting for our mood. The sunlight on our skin produces Vitamin D. The color green is calming and relaxing for our nervous systems. The air outdoors, especially in a forest, away from the traffic and industrial pollution, is cleaner for our lungs. We were designed to be outdoor creatures, like all living things on this earth!
I have written in several past posts about some of the benefits of exercising, or even just sitting and contemplating, in the great outdoors. Here are some more, as shared by Tresca Weinstein in the Kripalu newsletter for July. After reading these, let's all get outside and get healthy!
Natural Selection: The Health Benefits of Being Outdoors
- Spending time in nature has been proven to be one of the most consistent remedies for some mental illnesses: A Dutch study found that people who lived within .6 miles of a park or wooded area experienced less anxiety and depression.
- The contact of bare skin with the ground has been shown to reduce inflammation and stress, according to the book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?.
- Studies show that spending several hours in natural surroundings can increase immunity, producing as much as a 50 percent spike in “natural killer cells,” which support immune function.
- A study conducted in Japan, where visiting nature parks has become a popular practice known as shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” showed that being in wooded areas produced lower concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure.
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