“Man is not himself only…He is all that he sees; all that flows to him from a thousand sources…He is the land, the lift of its mountain lines, the reach of its valleys.” – Mary Hunter Austin
We are a part of nature. That is the essence of our existence. We think that we need more than that to actually survive, but we are mistaken. Think about it.
Back in the day, way way way back when technology wasn’t an essential part of our lives when capitalism wasn’t there to poison our existence, and when we only needed water, fire, and food to survive, there was a perfect natural equilibrium in the world. Everything flowed exactly the way it supposed to and every living being on earth respected the rules of nature.
People back then were healthier and happier. They did not need anything more than what they already had to be happy. They had nature. And that was more than everything.
Nature is truly the cure for everything. And luckily, we have science to back us up on this.
A study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives discovered that women who lived in rural areas surrounded by nature had lower mortality rates than women who lived in more urban areas.
Yup, you’ve read it right. Abandoning the city life and moving to the woods can really improve your health and help you live longer.
Researchers conducted a longitudinal study in which they followed 108,630 women and analyzed their causes of deaths between 2000 and 2008. Additionally, they used data from the U.S.-based Nurses’ Health Study prospective cohort to measure the greenness and determine the vegetation around each participant’s home.
The data they gathered showed significantly lower mortality rates in areas that were surrounded by vegetation and nature. Women who lived in greener surroundings that were in the 250-m area around their homes had a 12% lower rate of respiratory-related diseases and deaths from cancer.
It is obvious, isn’t it?
First off, people who live in greener environments don’t face the same wrath of air, soil pollution and extreme heat as the people who live in more urban areas. That is one of the reasons why high levels of green vegetations are linked with decreased mortality.
Secondly, planting trees is truly important for the earth since it can mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
But the greatest advantage of living surrounded by nature is the opportunity to become an equal part of that natural equilibrium. The ones who live in greener surroundings are truly blessed to have the opportunity for more physical activity like hiking, outdoor exercising or just enjoying the woods. These activities lower the levels of stress and depression, improve our overall well being and as a result help us live longer.
In fact, when you put it like that, spending time in nature is the key to everlasting happiness and health. I don’t know about you, but I believe that it is time for me to pack my backpack and fulfill my lifelong dream of moving to the wilderness.
