waywateng| ae ‘The feel-good factor A Homans are hard, instinet so deep with natu a clear purpose tasks upon which the supported them, relied. consequence of the advand and technology is a more sedent life, where the average person sp. hunter-gatherers, an I feel a strong bond nild also have had the outdoors, leading many people ~ unemployed, stay-at-home mothers or the to feel increasingly lonely, undervalued and In addition, the number of people on Earth’ in urban settings is expected to rise to about percent in the next three decades, bringing with yet more artifical noise, air pollution and traffic. All of these factors will undoubtedly be a threat to both physical and psychological well-being and although the human body will eventually adapt to its changed circumstances, many people would agree with Paracelsus, the I6th-century | German-Swiss hysician, wha wrate, “The art nFhealing comes from ratuse, wot (rou de plysiciau,” a claint bayed less on science than on intuition but which has nevertheless been a pervasive sentiment throughout the ages. B Health professionals have long expressed concern about the potential effects of chronic stress, which can lead to diabetes, obesity, depression, dementia and heart disease in two distinct ways. First, under stress we change ont hehavionr: we start to crave sugar and fat, we arc too tired to exercise and we may indulge in bad habits such as smoking or alcohol. The second way in which we are affected is more direct, The hormone cortisol is released: this causes toxic far to be laid down in our stomachs, which in cui nay sesull in a wialfunccivn of he bacterium present in our cells, known as mitochondria. ‘his means we become more prone to disease and start to age more quickly. C In recent years, as a result of the sharp rise in widespread health issues such as depression, obesity and nearsightedness, scientists have begun to investigate more closely the effects of nature on our physical and psychological state. Developments in neuroscience and psychology have meant that what once appeared solely intuitive can now he quantified; several research studies confirm that being surrounded by trees and flowers, positively impacts oon people’s well-being. A team of Dutch researchers also found a lower incidence of 15 diseases, including stress and depression, in those who lived near a green space, and in a series of landmark studies in Chicago, itwas found that residents living in large tower blocks surrounded by gardens were more likely to know and support their neighbours and experience less crime than those who overlooked concrete. In addition, bing able to look out onto trees rather than concrete is believed to lead to increased concentration from rs, a faster recovery for hospital patients, ired less pain relief, a lower incidence yngst inmates in prison cells and less ning and community iayives are already , schemes which Fcle_and inventive in outdoor development. In; underway, inclu encourage people to walk or ways t0 get children more pursuits. A less widesprea ‘more innovative, approach empowers doctor ‘prescribe nature’ t0 those requiring medical treatment, in the hope that this will help stem an increase in the prevalence of stress, chronic discases and mental health issues; several pioneering schemes encourage patients and their families to visit nearby parks, providing them with transportation and programmes to follow, such ‘outdoor conservation work or ‘health walks’. In inland, a country which has high vates uf depression, nature experiences have become part ot government health policy, with people being recommended to spend five hours a month engaged in walking, mindfulness and reflection, We may never know the precise relationship berween nature and health and ethaps itis irrelevant but we do know how nature makes us feel and the challenge is now to incorporate this into every aspect of our daily lives.