In recent years, a lot has been written about neuroscience in regards to emotional well being and stress. Understanding how our brains work, the brain’s connection to the rest of our body’s health and moreover, how the human brain has adapted to -adaptively and maladaptively- to increasing technology and the stresses of modern way of life. From an evolutionary perspective, our well-being (dependent on both the health of our mind and body and their relationship) was managed by factors that fortunately still exist today.
Unfortunately, these factors are not necessarily a natural and easily accessible part of everyday day life anymore. A few examples include: daily physical movement of body, ample Vitamin D from the sun, daily social interaction and community, a sense of belonging and purpose, natural oxidants from naturally produced edibles and effective release and management of Cortisol (the fight-flight hormone) that has served as our body’s natural mechanism for warning, protecting and managing life threatening dangers.
Being outside… in nature… it won’t hurt to read this article. It doesn’t claim to have some definitive ALL answer to why being outdoors, connected to nature is good for us, decreases stress and makes us feel good. But, it provides some reasons I hadn’t heard before — and I really don’t think we can be reminded too often about this wonderful, still accessible, endangered medicine for stress related ails.