Thriving with Nature
Nature is a calming, spacious, and relaxing environment that helps your mind to recharge and put you in a positive mood. Spending time in nature helps you to take time away from the digital world- whether that be through gardening, reading, exercising, and even eating outdoors!
Exploring nature comes with a heap of benefits to our health too, such as enhancing our mood, reducing our stress levels, boosting our self esteem and even improving our physical health through the activity that find ourselves doing (1).
There are lots of ways that you can give it a go.
If you’re near a beach, why not go for a refreshing swim in the sea to kickstart your day, or, if you’re by the mountains, try a sunrise hike and bring a picnic to experience the calmness of being outdoors. Check out our crunchy, refreshing kale, apple, and hazelnut salad recipe, it is ideal for picnics and al-fresco dining! Other ways to explore nature, especially if you’re on holidays, is to rent bikes, go kayaking, or horse trekking through different terrains.
Remember!
Remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, and even more if you are exercising. It is also vital to wear SPF sun cream when outdoors, even if the sun isn’t directly shining on you. Sun cream protects your skin from UV rays, which are rays from the sun that can be harmful to your skin
If activities aren’t for you, take a book outside to read, be present and take in the sounds and smells of nature with some deep breathing exercises. Simply listening to birdsongs and observing animals in nature has been shown to promote wellbeing, reduce stress, improve mood, and reduce attention fatigue. The natural aromas from wood and plants have calming effects and reduces mental fatigue. (2)
Seasonal fruit and vegetables
A visit to a farmer’s market near you can be a great way to spend an afternoon and will provide you with the freshest seasonal fruit and vegetables. Taking advantage of when certain fruit and vegetables are in season is also important, as seasonal fruit and vegetables not only taste better and fresher, but they also use less air miles and have a positive effect on climate change.
Another great way to get seasonal fruit and vegetables is to have your own allotment, where you can grow what you want and look after it yourself. Allotments are wonderful because they can be rented for a short period of time, or bought in whole, depending on how permanent your residence is.
Get out and explore the natural beauty of our planet this summer, and why not pair that exploring with our kale and apple salad that we created this month.
References:
(2.) https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0149777
