Amidst pandemic conditions, we all know that health is the most treasured asset we could ever have. But is there any fun way to boost our health besides taking vitamins?
Yes. There are other ways beside taking supplementary vitamins to boost your immune system. And one of them is by letting nature do its magic.
Going outside and getting in touch with nature will benefit you in a lot of ways. Doing sports such as trekking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, cycling to simply just enjoying nature or breathing the fresh air for a few hours are considered beneficial outdoor activities for your overall health.
1. Stress reliever
Doing sports is by far one of the best ways to relieve stress, especially outdoor ones. It will lessen your cortisol levels while also providing you with a better energy boost. Being active in nature will also increase your happiness while burning your calories that will chase your stress away.
2. A daily dose of vitamin D
We get almost 90% of our Vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight. And vitamin D is crucial for our body to absorb calcium to prevent osteoporosis and maintain a well-functioning healthy body. So, being under the sun will definitely help your body to function better.
3. Reinvent your focus and creativity
Are you struggling with writer’s block? Or do you feel the need to find a brand new focus and creativity? You may need a little bit of castaway to the woods or the beach for a while. Creative problem-solving and other cognitive functions can be improved to almost 50% by spending more time in tranquil nature for several days.
How is that improving your health?
To put it simply, all of those benefits will be resulting in a boost of serotonin levels in the brain which triggers the feelings of happiness.
When your mind is happy and content, your whole body mechanism will follow suit. It applies vice versa. Therefore, a happy mind and body will likely produce and maintain a stronger immune system that we all need during this pandemic.
Bumi Journey envisions climate positive ecotourism by providing carbon-conscious ecotourism experiences focusing on conservation, education, and community empowerment so travelers can contribute positively to the earth’s climate. Learn more about our story here.
Writer: Virda Risyad
Editor: Faiz Karim
Instagram: Bumi Journey
References:
11 Scientific Benefits of Being Outdoors https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/70548/11-scientific-benefits-being-outdoors
10 Reasons Why Being Outside is Important https://askthescientists.com/outdoors/
Penckofer, S., Kouba, J., Byrn, M., & Estwing Ferrans, C. (2010). Vitamin D and depression: where is all the sunshine?. Issues in mental health nursing, 31(6), 385–393. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908269/
White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019). https://rdcu.be/cxCgP