In her new book,听听($27; W.W. Norton), Florence Williams presents the science behind something most of us know intuitively: nature is the most useful听cure we have. Sure, many have waxed eloquent on the restorative properties of the trail. But ask a doctor or psychologist鈥攖he specifics are even more fascinating. From ADHD camp in West Virginia听to ecotherapy in Scotland, Williams discovers that the outdoors can heal, improve relationships, make us happier and more creative in more ways than we ever knew.听
Now more than ever, we can all benefit from learning how to harness the life-improving power of the outdoors. But where to start? Try this primer of our best stories about your brain on nature.
Forest Bathing: The Radically Simple Cure for Stress
鈥淚 was supposed to be listening to the cicadas and the sound of a flowing creek when a Mitsubishi van rumbled across a small steel bridge just downstream. It was probably depositing campers at a nearby tent village, where kids were running around with their fishing poles and pink bed pillows. This was nature, Japan style.鈥
ADHD Is Fuel for Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料
鈥淶ach Smith's听parents fed him a series of medications for ADHD, many of which didn鈥檛 work. Twice suspended, he was miserable. He didn鈥檛 seem to care about anything at school. When his parents realized that his path would likely lead to worse trouble, they pulled the ripcord on eighth grade.听Where Zack eventually landed is clinging spread-eagle to an east-facing slab of quartzite in the West Virginia panhandle.鈥
It's Time for Doctors to Prescribe Nature
鈥淚f we could package the outdoors and call it a pharmaceutical, it would be sold widely.鈥
Six Ways to Put Your Brain on Nature听Right Now
Start by getting dirty听and finding the closest body of water near you.
Bonus: A Preview of 鈥楾he Nature Fix鈥 with Florence Williams
国产吃瓜黑料听Editor Chris Keyes talks with Williams about the research being done around the world to investigate how spending more time in nature can make us healthier, happier, and even more creative.