Connecting to health by connecting with nature
HOW MUCH EXPOSURE to nature do you get on a daily basis? If you are depressed, in pain, or suffering in any way, connecting with nature can help. Human beings are natural, after all, and allowing ourselves to connect with our natural side allows us to benefit from a rich legacy of health and rejuvenation. Connecting with nature is connecting with life itself, and when we lose that connection, it takes a toll on us.
What do you think of when you think “nature?” Is it being in the forest? Perhaps healthy food, or herbal supplements? Exercise outdoors? It is all this and more. Think unprocessed food full of nutrients. Think natural rhythms. Think movement, and fully engaging in low-tech activities. Think real. Think life. Whatever you do, connecting to what is vibrant, alive and low-tech will bring you closer to health.
Here are some ideas on how to make a connection with nature:
- Be physically in nature — whatever you can muster! Take a walk, run or bike ride, go for a swim in a lake, or simply sit in your yard or a park. Be in as much green space as possible, as often as possible. It will make a big difference.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables — organic when possible, please! At best, spraying food with harmful chemicals — or altering food’s genetics (GMOs) — takes away from the food’s natural healing abilities; at worst, it actually makes the food toxic to our system.
- Experience holistic healing practices, such as meditation, naturopathy, yoga, energy healing, etc., which will connect with your body’s natural healing rhythms and support your body’s innate ability to heal itself.
- Engage with plants, either in your home or a garden. Indoor plants are great for indoor air quality, and help dissipate negative energy, too.
- Let fresh air into your home. Turn off the air conditioning and open up the windows. Air out your home on the warmer winter days, too.
- Take part in any kind of low-tech activity you really enjoy that involves being physically and mentally present.
- Interact with animals and people — friends and family as well as co-workers and others in your community.
To be healthy, our body just needs the right tools — it can do the rest on its own! And nature is one of these wonderful tools. The key to health lies within our natural healing abilities. Our bodies understand the language of nature, even if our minds don’t. So remember that you are a creature of nature, and get outdoors to connect with your inner health.
