This post is just a friendly reminder of the obvious…
It’s not man versus nature, but rather man and nature. We can not and do not exist apart from this world, and yet it seems that most modern humans have forgotten this basic principle. If you want to maximize your wellness, you need to stop standing apart.
For those of you that want to jump to the extreme example of space travel, to show me that we can indeed live apart from this work, I would ask you to do some quick research, as it will show you that human health rapidly and severely declines when we are removed from earth. This is one of the great challenges that we (NASA, etc.) are still trying to figure out for space travel, and we are very far from solving it.
Being part of this world is the way to be healthy. Isolating ourselves in concrete boxes (i.e. homes, office buildings, gyms, etc.) and eating manufactured food stuff is not conducive to good health. Get your feet on the earth, breath some fresh air, and eat real whole foods… as often as you can.
Not only that, but do more to engage with the world. We are social creatures that reap huge benefits from physical contact and close proximity to other people and other creatures in our world. Our DNA and microbiome is influenced by the environment that we reside in, which includes all the other creatures in it. Studies show that people with pets are happier, have greater diversity in their gut biome, are more resistant to disease, and tend to live longer. And as I have mentioned before, in Japan the doctors are actually prescribing ‘forest bathing’ as treatment for various ailments. This is not just ‘feel good’ nebulous advice from ‘tree hugging’ hippies, but rather scientific fact… we now know that the trees, animals, etc. provide us with beneficial organisms that unquestionably improve our wellness. And we also do know that for most of us, the harmony and relaxation are extremely beneficial.
The more you engage with the world around you, the healthier you will be.
