The health problems that most often affect the modern man, who lives in an urban environment, are diseases of immobility (cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension - high blood pressure), stress, depression, tension and stiffness of the neck and muscles, myopia. Being in nature has a beneficial effect on health, but few people really know how good it is to walk in the woods and stay in forests. Forests are the "lungs" of our planet, and in addition to purifying the air, they prevent soil erosion and keep climate conditions stable.
In his book The Nature Principle, Richard Lowe considers the connection between man and nature essential for mental and physical health and calls this connection vitamin N (nature-nature). Just as we need vitamins and minerals from food for normal growth and development and health, we also need vitamin N - being in nature. The author cites numerous studies that confirm how much vitamin N we need (especially emphasizing the role of being among trees and even looking at trees from the window.
- Spending time in nature together strengthens the bond between friends and family members
- Women and men who have a view of trees from the window of the family home are kinder to their partners and children
- School children who can stay among the trees in the school yard and who have a view of the trees from the school windows have better learning results and better memory
- Patients who have a view of trees from the sick room recover faster
- Patients who can stay in nature recover faster.
- People who work in offices with a view of the forest or trees have better concentration and results
- Birdsong has a beneficial effect on calming the mind, mental rest and causes joy. Listening to sounds in the forest helps develop hearing abilities and orientation in space, and has a positive effect on the psyche.
Staying in coniferous forests is beneficial for everyone, especially people with respiratory problems, because the air in these forests is rich in essential oils of pine, fir and spruce, which makes breathing easier and deeper. The air in them is purified (essential oils from coniferous trees destroy microorganisms), therefore in these forests prevent respiratory tract infections and treat existing ones. There is a well-known folk remedy made from honey and pine needles, as well as homemade pine needle syrup. White pine essential oil helps breathing with blocked sinuses and airways. Essential oils of coniferous trees are also used by many spa centers, because they have a relaxing effect on the mind.
A walk in the forest is free and effective therapy for the mind, joy for the heart and an elixir of health for our lungs. In addition to all the mentioned benefits of being in the forest, moving while breathing clean air, as well as calming the mind, singing birds, looking at a distance, have a beneficial effect on overall health. If you don't have a forest nearby, even a park with trees or a tree under the window can become an oasis of peace for a person.
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