DIGGING CALM
Going green can beat the blues
BY:MARY ELIZABETH TERZELLA
Communing with nature may be all it takes to calm your nerves or get you out of the dumps. Here, easy ways to reap the healing powers of “going green”:
Plant flowers. According to an old Chinese proverb, “He who plants a garden plants happiness.” And this ancient wisdom about tilling the soil holds true today. “Those involved in gardening find life more satisfying,” concludes a recently published study of urban vegetable gardeners in The Journal of Nutrition Education.
Weed the garden. Getting a whiff of a bacteria commonly found in soil may improve your mood and help you weather stressful situations, suggests an intriguing lab study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. As antidepressants did in prior studies, inhaling M. vaccae bacteria motivated mice to try harder to overcome a challenge. It also increased the mood-boosting brain chemical serotonin—good reason to grab a trowel and start digging!
Walk in the park. Many studies show that aerobic exercise reduces depression, but “eco-exercise” may be the best way to lift your spirits. In a recent study, 71 percent of subjects said they felt less tense and depressed after a country walk. Only 45 percent reported feeling better after strolling in a shopping mall—and half felt even more tense.
Get some fresh air. Eating lunch in your backyard or walking in the woods may be an easy antidote for stress. People who spend time outdoors have lower blood pressure and feel less anxious than those who hole up inside, notes Roger Ulrich, PhD, of Texas A&M University.
Buy a bouquet. Fresh blooms may brighten your outlook as well as a room, according to a recent Harvard Medical School study. People who lived with flowers reported fewer episodes of anxiety and depressed feelings, say researchers.
Put plants in your cubicle. Various studies show that office workers who are surrounded by flowers or leafy plants are less stressed and more productive.