Step Outside... It's Good For You!

I spent this past weekend in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. We hiked until I could hardly walk the next day. It was indescribably beautiful though. I came home feeling like I had not only had a great time and did something good for my body, but also just generally happy. It's ironic that I should come across an article in the April 2008, issue of Fitness entitled, "Are You Nature Deprived?" The article explains why I felt so good, and why we should all get outside more often. Did you know that Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors? In 1987 the average American made more than one visit to a national park over the course of a year, but park use per capita is down 25 percent! And one-quarter of Americans engaged in no leisure-time physical activity at all in 1996. And our bodies are now paying the price, two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Biophilia is the innate affinity humans have for other living things. Science shows that when you take a walk outdoors, you lower stress-hormone levels and are in a better position to adapt and adjust to life's constant changes. Natural surrounding can also motivate us to move more. Pamela Peeke, M.D., says, " Outside, you're connecting with something much bigger, and there's a sense of joy. The last thing on your mind at times like these is, 'Let's score a Snickers bar.'" Even the getting dirty part of being outside may be good for you. When lung cancer patients were injected with a common soil microbe, they felt not only less sick but more optimistic. And moderate exposure to the sun boosts the body's production of vitamin D, which is linked to higher bone density and decreased risk for some cancers as well as multiple sclerosis. "Even a view of a few trees can help a mentally fatigued person become effective again," says University of Michigan professor Rachel Kaplan, Ph.D. Fill your life with nature, no matter where you are. You'' find that almost any exercise that can be done in the gym can be done outdoors, often more effectively. If possible, walk or bike to work, instead of driving, or just plant something and watch it grow.