We live in a very unnatural world. We wake up, we jump on social media, we put on clothes made of artificial fibers, drive to work, sit in front of a computer all day, eat processed foods, come home, and watch TV all night. How much time do you spend looking at a device? Phones, tablets, computers, TV, ….now many household appliances have computers in them too. Smart homes can talk to you and keep your home running. Nature and the environment have been stripped, cut, and polluted. Many of our fellow creatures that reside on this planet are gone or on the brink of extinction.
Since the word “natural” has no LEGAL meaning, let’s consider what that means. I am not anti-technology, but I also admit I’m addicted to the web and spend too much time online. Sometimes I just want everything turned off, and I spend time outside walking, listening, and watching in nature. No phone, no device at all. I don’t want to take photos. I just want to be part of the greater living environment. If there is water whether a pond, stream, or lake, then I am over joyed. This supports a healthier mind and body. I guess it is what the Japanese like about “forest bathing.” Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is simply spending time outdoors under the canopy of trees. In Japanese, “shinrin” means forest and “yoku” means bath, or immersing oneself in the forest and soaking in the atmosphere through the senses.
Back in 1854, Henry David Thoreau wrote a classic prescription for health in his essay, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods. I had to read that back in high school a hundred years ago ( well, not quite but it feels like it). Now there’s scientific evidence supporting eco-therapy. The Japanese practice of forest bathing is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormone production, boost the immune system, and improve overall feelings of well being.
It feels like we are now on a cusp of doing a full reverse of our lifestyle and moving back to a more natural way of living that supports healthier bodies, healthier minds, and decisions that help the environment, not further damage it.
Today let’s look at some simple ways to live a more natural life.
- Eat Whole Foods
One of the most unnatural aspects of our current culture is the food we eat. For too many of us, processed foods are becoming the staples of our diet. This is a serious issue not just for our health but also for our planet. There is something wrong when most of your diet consists of food with a list of ingredients you cannot pronounce.
Humans once lived for thousands of years on a mostly plant-based diet that consisted of small amounts of meat when it could be hunted or scavenged. Today, highly processed meat and dairy products are the majority of our diet. Whole foods are natural foods that have had minimal processing such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Research has shown whole foods can play an integral role in our health and wellness, reducing our risk of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension.
Acai Frozen Smoothie Bowl
- Avoid Plastic
Photo National Geographic
One of the most unnatural and dangerous materials we humans produce and use is plastic. While very useful and practical, plastic takes almost 500 years to decompose meaning that landfills are growing exponentially. Plastic is also damaging our oceans creating human phenomena like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is polluting our oceans and harming marine life. It’s time to ditch the plastic and start opting for reusable bags and eco-materials such as hemp, bamboo, and recycled paper. See Green Education Foundation’s post on Tips to Use Less Plastic for great ideas. Did you know modern gum is made from synthetic rubber aka PLASTIC? I say we can do without plastic in the environment and in our bodies. Buy products in boxes as much as possible. The cardboard boxes are much easier to recycle.
- Green Cleaning
Are you aware of how many damaging and toxic chemicals are inside your everyday cleaning products? Many of today’s cleaning products are highly damaging to both our environment and your family’s health. Thankfully, the “green cleaning” revolution is well on the way and many popular supermarkets now sell eco-friendly cleaning products that are no more expensive than your regular ones. Want to make your own? See Cheap & Eco-Friendly DIY Fresh Citrus Cleaner for the recipe for your own cleanser.
Cheap & Eco-Friendly DIY Fresh Citrus Cleaner
Traditional personal care products like soap, body wash, and shampoos also are chemical-based. The “green cleaning” revolution is also very popular in personal care. See Are Natural Ingredients Better For Your Skin? for a discussion of natural skin care. Want to make your own products? Check out The Spruce’s post, How To Make Soap and my simple recipes for DIY organic hair rinse, homemade face wash, homemade facials, and tomato astringent.
- Beware the Drugs
This discussion is a little tricky. I am not a doctor, and I would never say don’t listen to your own physician. I do want to say from my experience, if you can find a way to deal with your physical ailments without prescriptions, that is best. I have avoided cholesterol medicine through diet and fish oil supplements for the last 8 years. Trying natural treatments did not work for me as far as blood pressure, and unhappily last year, I started a mild drug to lower my blood pressure. My goal is outlive my grandmother who was 89 when she died. High blood pressure kills you with heart attacks and strokes. It’s that simple. We all know that big pharmaceutical companies do not want to research natural treatments as they cannot make money from that. If the ailments you suffer from can be solved using natural remedies that are just as effective, try them. As I’ve discussed before, I have arthritis, allergies, and asthma. I have prescriptions for a rescue inhaler, a thyroid supplement, my blood pressure, and more. I also take MSM/Glucosamine for my back and knees, fish oil for my cholesterol, turmeric capsules and tart cherry concentrate for inflammation, and other natural supplements to help me feel my best without a new prescription or increasing my dosage of current medications. Every pill has a side effect. Read the inserts to your meds. One medication can give you symptoms that lead to more medications. It happens all the time.
Be knowledgeable and ask questions of your pharmacist and physician. Pharmacists are trained in drug interactions, and are a second line of defense in caring for yourself. Those TV ads for drugs always have a swift mind numbing list of bad reactions at the end as it is required by law. Amazing how many anti-depressants can make you suicidal. The risks associated with prescription drugs are varied and worrying. For example, cancer and Zantac are increasingly being linked and many young people have become severely dependent on drugs like Vicodin. When possible, say no to prescription drugs, and be an informed patient who is in charge of his own care. Have a reaction to a medicine? Call your doctor immediately and tell him your reaction. There may be another option to help your symptoms.
In conclusion…
To summarize, look at your lifestyle. Set limits to your time on any type of screen. Set a goal to spend more time talking to people face to face, and enjoying time outdoors. Find activities that nurture your mind and body like camping, hiking, swimming, and other outdoor past times. Be aware of your body and be knowledgeable about diet and medications that can help or hinder you in achieving your goal of being the best you possible. Extend that care to our planet and fellow residents. Think green and be kind to yourself and the rest of the world. April 22nd is Earth Day and you can register and find activities in your area at EarthDay.org.
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What an informative and useful post. I’m especially interested in the cleaners — the citrus sounds interesting! Thanks, Carol.
happy weekend!
…nature knows best.
I loved this post! I have a special interest in forest bathing and even wrote about it in my latest book. There is something about being surrounded by a forest of trees that gives one such a feeling of exhilaration and peacefulness at the same time. The use of natural remedies when possible is also beneficial. There is a long history of the use of plants for treating ailments.
If big pharmacy corporations could make money on treatments based on plants, there would be lots more of them. Have a great weekend.
I loved this post! I have a special interest in forest bathing and even wrote about it in my latest book. There is something about being surrounded by a forest of trees that gives one such a feeling of exhilaration and peacefulness at the same time. The use of natural remedies when possible is also beneficial. There is a long history of the use of plants for treating ailments. Well done!
Thanks so much for the kind words Lee – I agree being out in nature changes everything!
Great and informative post!
Great post with a lot of helpful tips. I have personal experience with drugs. My brother suffered viral encephalitis last November and it affected him greatly. He was very unstable mentally right at first and a psychiatrist at the acute care hospital prescribed several psycho-active drugs that may or may not have been effective but I had a devil of time getting a doctor to countermand the order later on. He still has problems but since the drugs were stopped, he is at least himself again.
Drugs are a necessary evil sometimes. We can need them and then must deal with the side effects. I’m glad he’s better. I’ll say a prayer for him and your family.
Hi Carol, I first heard of forest bathing from someone I met last year and they paid for the experience! It just brought it home to me just how lucky I am to be able to walk in nature almost on a daily basis. There is not much more pleasing to the senses than a wander in the trees at sunrise.
I do agree that we have to take responsibility for ourselves and the planet by eating more healthily, limiting screen time and reducing the use of plastics.
xx
I do envy your location – Greece always looks so beautiful…even in winter.
We practice much of what you mention above every day, and I have spent my entire life committed to and involved with nature, so I may well have many years of benefit of forest bathing before the term was ever invented.
I think birders have a gift and nature repays your kindness.