“Go out in the woods, go out. If you don’t go out in the woods nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin.” - Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run with the Wolves.
humans, nature and health
Many of us live our lives in urban areas (54% of us per a 2014 United Nations report), largely disconnected from nature. Too many of us have a major case of "nature deficit disorder". For most of human history we have lived in close connection with nature, but our connection to nature has been fading with each generation. This disconnection can lead to health problems like anxiety, depression, attention problems and a plethora of stress-related illnesses (hypertension, cardiovascular disease and addiction, to name just a few). And no wonder - what else would we expect from a life spent mostly in stuffy, confined buildings, under artificial lights, largely sedentary and glued to our screens?
How Nature Impacts the Immune System
There are so many ways in which connecting with nature is good for our health. Hiking in the forest, playing in a creek, walking in the countryside and swimming in the ocean at sunset are all interactions with nature that support our wellbeing, re-connect us with our wild selves and make us feel more alive. Spending time in nature is relaxing and grounding, lowers the stress response and elevates mood, all of which supports the immune system. Additionally, there are a number of ways in which being in nature directly impacts our immune systems.
In Japan, the health benefits of spending time in nature are well known and the practice of Shirin-yoku, "forest bathing," is popular. Forest bathing is the practice of spending time amongst trees for the health benefits. Forest bathing has been shown to support the immune system by increasing NK (natural killer) cells, which are a type of white blood cell that kill cancerous and virus infected cells. These immune benefits are due to the fact that trees produce chemicals called phytoncides that affect our immune system. Historically, humans have spent 99.9% of their existence in direct interaction with nature, so it should not be surprising that, just as we have an impact on nature, nature has an impact on us. We have evolved alongside the trees and the phytoncides, which are chemicals produced by trees to protect themselves, also help to protect us.
"Earthing" is being in direct contact with the earth, be it walking barefoot, gardening, or sitting on the grass. There is emerging research that indicates that the exchange of electrons while earthing can result in physiological changes that are essential for immune health, including modulating inflammation, increasing parasympathetic tone and supporting better sleep. Going deeper into the earth, the soil also has benefits on our health. Playing in the dirt or gardening exposes us to beneficial microbes like Mycobacterium vaccae, which can positively impact your microbiome which we know plays a key role in modulating your immune function.
Re-connecting with Nature
Get out in your garden if you’re fortunate enough to have access to outdoor space. Plant things. Sink your fingers into the earth. Watch your garden grow. Consider growing vegetables or herbs to support you family’s health.
Instead of drinking your coffee indoors, take it outside and drink it while walking barefoot in the grass in the dew of the morning, watching the sunrise and listening to the birds.
Talk a walk in your local park, the forest, coast or mountains. Wherever calls to you and you have access to. What can you see, smell, hear and feel? Be intentional in experiencing the natural world around you.
Working from home? Take your work outdoors. Create your own little outdoor office.
Lie down on the earth and watch the moon and stars. Allow your muscles to release all their tension into the earth. Breathe slowly and deeply. Feel your feelings. Allow your stress, overwhelm, grief and anxieties to sink into mother earth. She will recycle what you no longer need. Allow yourself to be held.
Practice paying attention. Do you know the names of the birds singing around you, the plants growing through the cracks in the pavement, the vines creeping along your fence, the trees growing in your neighborhood or plants native to your bioregion? If not, perhaps you get spend time answering those questions to expand your knowledge of the natural world around you. The app iNaturalist can be a great way to start learning about the plants, fungi and animals around you. Being in connection with nature is enriched by paying attention and being curious.