“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein

Taking a walk in nature was something I managed maybe 4 times a year before the brain tumor rocked my world.  We all get stuck in ruts.  We all get crazy busy between jobs, family responsibilities, taking care of children or the elderly.  The daily grind of life tends to suck the motivation right out of us.  The first thing we tend to eliminate when we have too much on our plates is self-care.

Suburban life has removed many of us from nature too.  I know very few families that actually hike together in the woods or on a trail.  I rarely did it before my diagnosis.  Now, walking in nature is a daily ritual.  I rarely miss it.   I am like a mail-carrier.  Rain, sleet, snow and even artic wind chills don’t stop me from visiting my beloved Bay Farm nature preserve with my dogs most days.  Admittedly, there have been a few days where my smaller dog has refused to get out of the car in the driving rain with a stare that says “you’re kidding me, right?”, but we press on even if it is a short walk.

The earth has potent revitalizing electrons to share with us if we allow it.  When we are in nature we breath in the oxygen-rich air provided by the trees and vegetation.  When we are in nature, our bodies de-stress.  When we are in nature, we can often find solutions to problems that had us feeling trapped because our senses are being revitalized by stimuli other than stress and worry.

I honestly believe the best thing you can do when you receive bad news is to take a walk in nature, by yourself or with someone who won’t make you talk about it.  It gives you a chance to get centered.

Want to take the benefits up a notch?  Try ‘Grounding’.  Yes indeed, I am about to get Age of Aquarius on you.  Throughout history, humanity lived in harmony with the land.  Connecting with nature wasn’t even an option.  Grounding or ‘earthing’  is the hippie name given to walking barefoot on grass, rock, dirt or sand.  Don’t let the hippie nature fool you though.  When we are barefoot, the earth transfers healing electrons to our bodies.  These electrons help to balance our sympathetic (fight or flight )and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems.

Sadly, many of us, due to our modern lifestyle, live in a constant low-grade state of fight or flight stress.  This creates a viscous cycle of manic, adrenaline-fueled bursts of energy followed by adrenal crashes.  Grounding  provides a side-effect free way to balance ourselves. The earth’s surface is rich in negative ions which also helps to offset emf (cell phone etc…) pollution.  Studies have found a connection between grounding and better quality sleep, less body inflammation, and reduced cortisol (stress hormone sometimes known as the ‘death’ hormone).

I know you’ll say you don’t have the time, but I can’t encourage you enough to connect with nature on a daily basis even for just 5 minutes.  This is such a huge benefit to not only you, but if you are a parent, what better lesson can you give your children than dragging their butts away from their electronic devices or copious amounts of homework to recharge their REAL batteries?

It’s free and available to all of us.  Now get outside, take off your shoes, and embrace your inner flower child.

xo,

Erin