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: Prescription (Yet Not) Ordered

[Please note. This article is a 'work in progress'. There may be changes and clarifications but not to the direction and nasic principle. Please share your thoughts and ideas - so that we can make Thailand a better place to live in. ]

In this series of talks, we will look at ways to live in health. Simple ways we all know but somehow we fail to do. Perhaps some of these ways should be 'prescribed' in place of chemical drugs by our medical doctors. On our list is 'good foods'; exercises; Nature or natural environments; music and Mindfulness (meditation) practice.

We have heard of arguments for 'good foods' (please read my series of "Food or Rubbish" in Gotoknow). We have also heard arguments for 'good exercises' (standing up, moving about, ... nothing gymnastic [sr's blogs advocate 'motion' as a mean to develop better brain]). Let us hear some more arguments for "natural environments" (Please see also my "At Home ..." series of blogs in g2k) before we listen to arguments for 'Music' and (no music but silent) Mindfulness (meditation) practice.

Our ancestors came from forests or natural environments. Our evolution adapts us predominantly for living with Nature (not urbans and cities). Countless generations of epigenetic switching fine-tunes us for survival in the wild. Our mindset, instinct, mood and rhythm are deeply rooted in the wild.

[Comment: Germans believe they come form a long line of forest dwellers (at least since the Roman Empire time). This is reflected in their park loving/nature going attitudes and design of urban residential areas.]

The follow notes should remind us that we still need natural environments for our health and wellbeing. Perhaps our medical doctors should now include these as 'prescription' for their patients.

[From 'The Power of Parks': A Yearlong Exploration, National Geographic January 2016]

Being (3 days) in the wild has effects on brain: less stress; lower ECG energy from midline frontal theta waves (thinking and sustained attention) [(Mindfullness) Meditation shows similar effects.]

Nature can increase creativity by 50%; decrease stress hormones by 16%.

Directed Attention (and ignoring distractions) are crucial to problem solving and completing tasks; depends on resources people have; but once depleted leads to mental fatigue, stress, loss of effectiveness/efficiency.

Involuntary attention in peaceful/natural environments relaxes and restores capacity for directed attention. [These are described by cetasikas (of citta) in the Tipitaka. More on this in later posts ;-)]

A study in England found people living near green space reported less mental distress (after adjust for income, education and employment; all related to health). In 2009, a Dutch study reported benefit of living in 'green' city blocks shows a boost in heart and metabolic health equivalent to $20,000 gain in income; lower mortality; fewer stress hormones circulating in blood. A Scot study confirmed that living near parks was just as good as going for a walk in parks and greenspaces.

Patients who can see grass and trees recover quicker; kids perform better; display less violent behaviour; measuremnet of stress hormones (eg cortisol); respiration; heart rate; and sweating suggest a dosage of Naure (even pictures) can calm and sharpen performance.

A Swedish doctor found that solving math problems can cause heart rate variability - which decreases with stress - return to normal after 15 minutes of bird songs in a 3-D Virtual Reality room. A prison in eastern Oregon experiment allowing exercises for 40 minutes several days a week in 'blue room' with nature videos reported calmer behaviour compare to those in open space but without nature videos.

A research in Japan sent 84 subjects to stroll for 15 minutes in various parts of forests; and 84 subjects to stroll in city blocks. Forest strollers showed 16% decrease in stress hormone cortisol; 2% drop in blood pressure; and 4% drop in heart rate.

A doctor in USA now prescribes 'walks in parks'; trains and changes clinical space to change mind-set of medical staff and patients. In many countries nature experiences are promoted in health policy - to combat depression, alcoholism, and suicide. A Finnish study reported 40-50 minute walks are enough for physiological and mood changes; and probably attention. Korean workers suffer long hours, depression, digital addiction, and intense academic pressure in their jobs. Healing with Nature (as in 'Shin to bul ee' - Body and soil are one) has always been a strong tradition; is now regaining again. With health rangers, healing forests and camping out in forests (in Nort America campers would fish or hunt) to engage in yoga, mindfulness practices, and interpersonal relationship enhancement. A Korean study using MRI reported more blood flow in the amygdala (which processes fear and anxiety) among subjects who watched urban scenes, in comparison to natural scenes which lit up the anterior cingulate and the insula (associated with empathy and altruism). Nature makes us calmer?

A US researcher scanned the brains of 38 volunteers before and after they walked for 90 minutes in either urban streets or natural settings. the nature walkers (but not the urban walkers) show decreased activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex - a part of the brain tied to depressive rumination; and the nature walkers beat (blame) themselves less. May be we can help ourselves better?

Another US study suggested 'restful, natural environment help improve problem solving (perhaps by reducing streess and mental fatigue; and 'soft' or gentle fascination helps to generate creativity). EEG measurements are used to confirm this.

In sum, there is evidence to suggest 'natural environments' are supporting factor for performance, health and better living for people.

References:
'The Power of Parks': A Yearlong Exploration, National Geographic January 2016

Research Shows Nature Helps With Stress | The Dirt
dirt.asla.org/2011/09/08/research-shows-nature-helps-with-stress/
Research Shows Nature Helps With Stress. 09/08/2011 by Jared Green. Michael Posner, professor emeritus at University of Oregon who studies attention, says ...

How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing? | Taking Charge of ...
www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/.../nature.../how-does-nature-impact-our...
Jun 25, 2014 - Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only ...

This Is Your Brain on Nature -- National Geographic Magazine
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/call-to-wild-text
When we get closer to nature, be it untouched wilderness or a backyard tree, we ... Within sight of downtown Seoul, capital of South Korea and a hub of stressful ...

Stanford researchers find mental health prescription: Nature
news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/hiking-mental-health-063015.html
Jun 30, 2015 - Study finds that walking in nature yields measurable mental benefits and may reduce risk of depression.

Health Benefits of Nature | asla.org
https://www.asla.org/healthbenefitsofnature.aspx
The idea that spending time in nature can make you feel better is intuitive. ... is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits.