Here at CG, we love nature – getting outside, getting our hands dirty, and enjoying a big breath of fresh air! Research shows that time outdoors, even for a short period, can improve your gut health and mental wellbeing. Here’s how:
1. Being In Nature Boosts your Immune System
Your immune system develops in response to exposure to microbe-rich environments.1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5635058/ For instance, phytoncides are antimicrobial compounds released from certain trees that can boost your body’s production of natural killer cells when inhaled, therefore, boosting your body’s immune function.2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793341/
2. Nature Increases Your Microbiome Diversity
Exposure to the microbes in soil increases your microbiome diversity.3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5635058/ The more diverse your gut microbiome, the happier and healthier you’re likely to be!4https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-28550-3
3. Being Outdoors Boosts Your Happy Hormone!
Being outside equals more exposure to vitamin D, which plays a big part in serotonin production in your body.5https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713056/ Serotonin is also known as the HAPPY hormone 🙂
4. Nature Can Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress can affect your gut motility and alter the make-up of your microbiome, reducing levels of beneficial lactobacillus bacteria.6https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352289516300509
Getting out in nature can help reduce stress levels AND increases your exposure to nature’s microbes – diverse and happy gut bugs equals a happy you!7https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01178/full
5. Being Outdoors Improves Digestion
Walking, running, and working outdoors all help regulate digestion and reduce inflammation.8https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22840583/
With more hours of daylight and Summer in the air, what better time to start benefiting from the great outdoors? Pass us our wellies!
References
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
