Nature is a magical thing and can have incredible healing powers — such as improving mood and boosting the immune system. Being outdoors in nature can be healing and beneficial for both the body and mind. Whether at the beach, forest, or in a neighbourhood park, nature offers a calming effect. Here are some reasons why you should get up close and personal with Mother Nature.
It encourages exercise:
Walking outside makes you more likely to exercise. You don’t need a gym membership, transportation, or special equipment: Just walk right out of your door. The push of the wind and the uneven ground can help you vary your workout and burn more calories. And when you have few vehicles, zero traffic, everything close by, and amazing biking routes there is nothing stopping you exercising while you cycle to work or take a detour to work through the park.

It assists your body with its Vitamin D supply:
It benefits your body through the absorption of certain minerals, like calcium and phosphorus. Your body needs sunlight to manufacture certain elements, but you don’t need much. In the summer, just getting sun for 5 to 15 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week, should do it. In the winter, you might need a bit more time in the sun. In St Lucia, with more days of sunlight than there are rainy overcast days you are bound to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

It’s social:
When outside your home, it’s not only Mother Nature you see. Because of the small size of the town and the intimacy brought about by such a small local population who all know each other one tends to connect more with the people and places in your community. Human contact and a sense of community are important for your mental health. And what a better way than to exercise in the open when the sun is shining with friends in your community! Plan a walking route to a friend’s house, and then cycle around town and on the local cycling paths with a group of friends. Finish up at the local coffee shop. You might be surprised how good it makes you feel.

It improves your focus:
It makes sense, if only for the bit of exercise you get when you do something outside. But studies show that it’s not just the activity, it’s the “greenness” of the outdoor space that assists with focus.

Spending time outdoors gives you better immunity:
Better vitamin D production because of more sunlight is already good for your immune system. The outdoors however seems to help in other ways too. Many plants put substances, including organic compounds called phytoncides, into the air that seem to boost immune function. Sunlight also seems to energise special cells in your immune system called T cells that help fight infection.

It boosts your creativity:
Do you have a problem you can’t solve, a mental block or just feeling a bit flat and unable to concentrate…? Spend time outside. Studies show that time in nature can boost your creative problem-solving abilities. This is partly because the outside world engages your attention in a quieter way that lets your attention St. Lucia Eco Lodge, Eco lodge, St. Lucia, St. Lucia Estuary, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Africa, iSimangaliso, World Heritage Site, Conservation, Travel Africa, Travel South Africa, Tourism, Shakabarkerrefocus. The more time you spend, the bigger the benefit, but even just “getting out for some air” can nudge your brain into a new thought pattern.
