From concrete jungle to the wide open

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Beyond the concrete jungles, the ultimate creation of urbanity and modernization, lies a world often taken for granted—nature. Urbanites have gotten so caught up with the haste that they have forgotten to pause and breathe in its wonders.

Nature is said to be God’s greatest theater. It is where all majestic and beautiful things are supposed to be found: trees, birds, flowers. Sometimes, they are deemed insignificant or mundane for being too little. However, mundane or insignificant, nature offers various benefits that people should ponder. Some of these are the following:

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1. Nature makes one appreciative. Nature in all its glory makes people appreciative of life—of the sunlight, rain, and air. Reconnecting with nature seems to bring anyone back to the basics, to the origin of life.

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2.Nature nurtures. A study found at the Oxford Journals shows that nature nurtures and plays an important role in human health and well-being. It has been said that people who have closer access to nature are healthier than those who don’t.

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3. Nature restores. Studies have shown that nature offers relaxation, stress reduction, and mental restoration. Whether it is a simple walk along the riverbanks or a climb over the hill, the restorative effects of natural environment leads to a renewed attention and positivity.

Nature, hence, while it may be deemed as just a part of everyday living, is crucial. With the countless benefits it gives, it is therefore important to care or start caring for it.

Charles Crispin is a former CEO of Evergreen Re Optimal Reinsurance Analysis. He is an outdoor enthusiast and a rancher.

To know more about nature and its benefits, visit this Facebook page.

The Claim: Exposure to Plants and Parks Can Boost Immunity

This New York Times article discusses some of the ways how nature benefits people's health.

This time of year, allergies and the promise of air-conditioning tend to drive people indoors.

But for those who can take the heat and cope with the pollen, spending more time in nature might have some surprising health benefits. In a series of studies, scientists found that when people swap their concrete confines for a few hours in more natural surroundings — forests, parks and other places with plenty of trees — they experience increased immune function.

Stress reduction is one factor. But scientists also chalk it up to phytoncides, the airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect them from rotting and insects and which also seem to benefit humans.

One study published in January included data on 280 healthy people in Japan, where visiting nature parks for therapeutic effect has become a popular practice called “Shinrin-yoku,” or “forest bathing.” On one day, some people were instructed to walk through a forest or wooded area for a few hours, while others walked through a city area. On the second day, they traded places. The scientists found that being among plants produced “lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure,” among other things.

A number of other studies have shown that visiting parks and forests seems to raise levels of white blood cells, including one in 2007 in which men who took two-hour walks in a forest over two days had a 50-percent spike in levels of natural killer cells. And another found an increase in white blood cells that lasted a week in women exposed to phytoncides in forest air.

THE BOTTOM LINE   

According to studies, exposure to plants and trees seems to benefit health.


Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/health/06real.html