If I told you that you could start your morning with the easiest immunity boost, would you be interested?

Now that summer has arrived I like to get out for an early morning walk before things heat up. I’m not the only one: there are birds singing, rabbits breakfasting in the fields, and an occasional heron hunting for fish in the pond.

 

Science tells us that time in nature has a profound effect on our immunity and well-being.

 

The Japanese have taken it one step further with the art of forest bathing, which regards time in nature as a sacred ritual.

 

Time in nature is the easiest immunity boost, but it’s relaxing and pleasurable as well. There are many benefits from spending time in any green space, whether large or small, and the results are measurable:

 

• Improved focus and concentration
• Enhanced feelings of connection
• Reduced anger, fear, and stress
• Improved mood
• Lower blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension
• Reduced production of stress hormones.

 

It’s not so surprising if you think about it. We relax when we’re in nature. It’s peaceful and quiet, so our nervous systems get a break. There is more oxygen available to us as plants and trees work tirelessly to produce it for us.

 

Even if you’re short on time, you can still experience these benefits.

 

Recent studies show that as little as 17 minutes in green space per day is enough. Those 17 minutes can even be broken down into smaller, bit-sized “nature snacks.”

 

• Take a short walk during your lunch break

• Picnic under a tree.

• Relax in your backyard or a neighborhood park.

• Ride your bicycle, hike, float in the ocean… enjoy the outdoors however you like.

 

Since I was a kid, nature has been the gift that keeps giving. Even though I often take the same walk each day holds new surprises. It’s a place where I experience a feeling of connection to something larger than myself, losing myself in the beauty around me.

 

I’m immersed in what I’m seeing and with that comes a deep sense of peace. Time stands still.

 

In 2022 I created a yearlong nature photo series called “ Beauty All Around Us” which was photographed in the garden of the house we were renting at the time.  It was a dry, dusty piece of land when we arrived, but as we began to care for it and explore it, I never ran out of inspiration or surprising discoveries:

• One morning my husband found a praying mantis.

• Another morning we discovered the largest, most decorative spider, I’ve ever seen.

• There were butterflies of every shape, size, and color.

• Dragonflies loved to perch on the clothesline, and I noticed their wings look like stained glass when viewed up close through a macro lens.

 

I shared these photos on Facebook, one each day. The project brought me so much joy, and it was fun to share it with others as well.

 

There’s a whole wild, beautiful world out there waiting for us to notice and appreciate it.

 

• Majestic oaks

• Towering pines,

• A wealth of creatures great and small.

• Colorful blossoms, sparkling waters, sunrises, and sunsets.

 

All of these natural wonders are just for us, to experience pleasure, inspiration, and perhaps, most importantly of all: rest and rejuvenation. Relaxing in nature really is the easiest immunity boost. Clock in your 17 minutes. Your immunity will thank you for it.

Ready for the Next Step?

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