We know that physical exercise is one of the pillars of health, but did you know that simply being out in nature is good for us too?
Let’s take a look at the data and why we should really make the effort to get outside!
Being in Nature
Our species has existed for thousands upon thousands of years – but even the oldest cities have only been around a fraction of that. What this means is that we largely evolved in nature, and this environment therefore shaped our brains. Going back to nature takes us back to our roots.
What the data says:
– Being in nature improves sleep scores,
– Spending time in green spaces makes us happier,
– Mental stress scores significantly reduce when we live in urban areas with increased green spaces,
– Time in nature improves our relationships with others and improves our cognitive functioning.
It is also thought that exposure to green spaces reduces the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death and high blood pressure.
Spending time outside is also beneficial for our microbiomes and when these communities influence every system in our body, it pays to give them some attention.
Nature and The Microbiome
The skin can be seen as an ecosystem and disruptions of this ecosystem can result in skin disorders or infections. These issues call the immune system to action, creating inflammation. Sadly, chronic inflammation is linked to a range of issues throughout the body.
Exposure to toxins can disrupt this ecosystem, but it can become imbalanced simply by not having exposure to enough of the “good guys” too.
We can find these good guys outside, in nature. It is well established that those who live in rural locations possess more diverse bacteria on their skin and this is why letting children play in the mud is great for their immune tolerance!
But this similarly applies to the microbiome found in the lungs too!
A particular study wanted to explore the impact of nature on allergic disease suffered in the lungs. Two groups of mice were housed, one group with potted soil, one with sterile bedding.
Mice who had lived on clean bedding were more susceptible to developing lung inflammation in response to asthma-triggering allergens than those housed with soil!
Now, we’re not mice so we must be realistic with the conclusions we draw across to humans, but there is increasing clinical data available showing the role of probiotic (beneficial bacteria) supplementation in conditions like asthma.
As an aside, in this particular study, those housed with soils also scored lower on standard stress tests too.
In short, what we see is that exposure to soil supports immune tolerance and stress resilience.
However, playing in nature does have a dark side.
Pesticide Use
Many countries are managing to significantly reduce their usage of pesticides, but others are increasing it. For example, Armenia have seen a 2650% increase in pesticide use since 1990. The USA have seen a 125% increase, and Australia have noted a 97% increase in use.
What we know is that exposure to pesticides can significantly affect our health; not only through altering our communities of bacteria but also placing undue pressure on our detoxification systems (that which processes any toxins we are exposed to). So limiting exposure where possible is important.
In addition, we also find increased air pollution in urban locations.
Air Pollution
In rural locations, trees remove pollutants from the air and plants are often seen as the “lungs” of an ecosystem because they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. They also act as an ecosystem’s “liver,” filtering atmospheric pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide through their leaves.
Trees are particularly effective at removing particulate matter (PM). PM comes in the form of tiny particles of organic chemicals, acids, metals and dust which are emitted from fossil-fuel-burning vehicles and factories, as well as construction sites.
Fine particulate matter can easily permeate the respiratory system, causing lung and cardiovascular issues, but it has also been linked to inflammation and heart disease, so reduced exposure is particularly important and those trusty trees can help!
It is clear that spending time in nature ticks all boxes for all our bodily systems; it supports immune function, sleep, cardiovascular health, relationships, mental health, cognitive function and more! Be mindful of pesticide exposure along with air pollution when you’re out and about, but all things considered, being outside is good for you.
