Natural Healing Brought to you by Mother Nature

Natural Healing Brought To You By Mother Nature

    Are you looking for something to do after work or on the weekends around Wake Forest that gets you outside?  I know how it feels to be cooped up in the house with a dog, husband, and kids. My stress relief is Mother Nature.  Even if you only have 15-30 minutes of exercise per day, it definitely has long term benefits for your mind, body, & soul.  You can decrease your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, & arthritis which are unfortunately all too common in the United States.

    Being out in Mother Nature also increases the quality of your sleep. Poor sleep habits can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, compromised immune system, obesity, heart attack, or stroke. We also know what lack of sleep means---irritability and the inability to focus.  Whenever I go on a walk, I can tell it restores my focus--whether it be personally or professionally. Putting on a sound machine before you go to sleep with Mother Nature noises such as a thunderstorm, a trickling stream, or ocean waves also has the power to bring in the calm to help you relax. Mother Nature is truly amazing.

    We all spend too much time in front of a screen whether it is on our phones, laptops, or television. Getting out in nature is a wonderful way to “disconnect” from technology and reconnect with your family and friends to have face-to-face conversations.  It helps us hit the reset button when our eyes are going buggy from looking at a screen :) 

    Your body produces vitamin D naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight. Getting enough vitamin D strengthens your bones, muscles, & immune system.  It can also lower your risk of certain cancers, lower blood pressure, & reduce your risk of diabetes. There have also been studies suggesting it can help fight against the flu and COVID-19 by reducing the severity & duration of symptoms.  We have been giving our kids 1,000 IUs of Vitamin D drops since they were infants (they are now 9 & 11).  I truly believe the drops have helped them stay very healthy year after year. My husband and I take 5,000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. This combined with good old sunshine keeps the doctor away!

    There have even been studies among office workers who have a view of Mother Nature out their window. They suggest that a Mother Nature view is connected with lower stress and higher job satisfaction.  The peaceful window view also provides natural light which means no dingy fluorescent lighting that can make you strain your eyes while trying to look at your computer. I totally agree with this. Your environment affects your mood and having a view that is serene is a game changer.

Here are some of my favorite places around Wake Forest to go for walks. Just click to learn more!

1. Joyner Park Trails
2. Wake Forest Reservoir Soft Trail
3. Mills Bridge Nature Park (connected to the WF Trail System)
4. Durant Nature Preserve

Are you ready to get some sunshine? Remember even a little time outside walking adds up.  You don’t have to be a 5K or 10K runner. Go at your own pace and you will find yourself enjoying the quiet time to just shut everything down.  It is so cool how you notice things in nature that you never have before when you just stop, be present in the moment, and grateful for all that you have.  Enjoy your walk!

Keri Nelson Client Care Manager keri.welcometocarolina.com