Nature Heals

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Our world today often exists out of communion nature. Commuting on highways, walking in paved-over cities, and spending free time indoors on screens have become a norm. Unfortunately, this disconnect can take its toll on health as nature provides healing benefits from multiple angles. Getting back in touch with nature doesn't have to involve extremes, though, and can be easily accomplished even while maintaining modern conveniences.

Many people know they just feel good in nature, returning refreshed after a long beach vacation or even just reinvigorated after a walk outside. Scientists have studied the ways in which nature impacts health extensively, finding that time spent in nature leads to better mental and physical health.

From a holistic perspective, there are quite a few reasons why this happens: Negative ions neutralize free radicals to decrease inflammation, sunlight stimulates the body's production of vitamin D, etc. Being near plants means inhaling their aromas - basically essential oils - and cleaner air, and being near water induces a mildly meditative state according to Blue Mind Theory (which you can read about in detail in the Blue Mind book). Ancient healing practices like Traditional Chinese Medicine advocate living in harmony with nature, and people often feel a heightened sense of spirituality when immersed in the natural world. 

Reconnecting to nature may feel like a chore at first as you get used to incorporating it back into your life, but in reality it's as easy as making the conscious choice to adjust your routine. Simply start by adding the outdoors into what you're already doing:

• If regular walks are part of your exercise, take them in wilder areas. Practice shinrin yoku (forest bathing) on a wooded trail, or even your local park.
• Spend more time near water, even if it's only a small, local pond. (Technically even a pool can induce a "blue mind" state if you let yourself become mentally immersed in the pattern of the sunlight on its water.)
• Do "indoor" things outside. Eat a meal outdoors, drink your morning tea or coffee in your backyard, go for a walk while on a conference call...
• Engage in outdoor hobbies. Birdwatching, kayaking, cycling... There are a lot of fun things that you can do in nature to have fun and escape day-to-day minutiae.
• Rethink vacations. Travel is a great reset on multiple levels, and even a trip to a famous city can involve nature if you make sure to include local parks and wildlife attractions in your itinerary. To really dive into the environment, consider visiting state or national parks. (Not the camping type? Look for parks that offer cabins or "glamping" options.)

If your schedule doesn't allow enough free time to be in nature - or if being outside isn't accessible for any other reasons - you can bring some of its health benefits inside. Think about what you most miss about the environment, and brainstorm ways to replicate it. For instance, houseplants literally add life to an indoor space, diffusing essential oils mimic the smells of the outdoors, taking a salt bath can have benefits similar to those of the ocean, and grounding mats provide negative ions. These can hold you over until you have the free time again, when you can embrace nature wholeheartedly.