[5] Boost Your Health & Fight Disease

[5] Boost Your Health & Fight Disease

REWARD & REASON [#5] Boost Your Health & Fight Disease

How do wild spaces help our health and well being over urban spaces? Juyoung Lee of Chiba University found that leisurely forest walks, compared with urban walks, yield a 12.4 percent decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a seven percent decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4 percent decrease in blood pressure, and a 5.8 percent decrease in heart rate. On subjective tests, study participants also report better moods and lower anxiety. – Source

Spending time in nature can even help fight disease and cancer by increasing NK (Natural Killer) cells that are innate and essential to a healthy immune system. During one study, participants who agreed to regular a.m. & p.m. nature hikes, showed a 40% increase in their NK cells thru blood tests. A month later, their NK count was still 15% higher than when they started the study. However, those who participated in urban walking trips showed no change in NK levels. – Source

 

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