We all get depressed sometimes. Life is not easy and as human beings we are driven by emotions which move up and down frequently. However, do you feel sad, isolated and depressed regularly? In the short video above you can see a few tips I practice as part of my green lifestyle which help reduce the symptoms of depression by getting you out in the garden or in nature.
Our society is emotionally unhealthy. Listed in the 2006 version of the U.S. Health and Human Services publication, Health, United States, is a shocking truth—the largest number of physical office and hospital outpatient visits occurs for working men and women age eighteen to forty-five. Over 200 million visits per year. Out of these visits in the years 2003 and 2004, the most frequently prescribed drug type for all outpatient visits was the antidepressant. Yet according to this very same study, only a small percentage of Americans report severe psychological distress.
For some people with truly severe psychological disorders and stress-related illnesses like diabetes, depression and heart disease, medication can be a partial, yet critical, solution. It seems clear that too many seek medication as the only solution. Why are so many people unhappy with the life they are living and seeking pills to solve their problems? It is my belief that by improving our lifestyle practices, we can also improve our emotional mindset and happiness level. Pills are not the only solution.
When I am out in my garden digging, touching the Earth, planting, and all the things that go along with it I feel wonderful. This great energy rush is surely a result of being exposed to daylight and exercise. It encourages a surge of serotonin and other feel-good chemicals to leap through the brain. I also receive positive energy knowing that the things I do which are “green” and conservation oriented are better for the people in my community.
In fact, feeling better is easy when I am gardening, recycling, and conserving. The lower garbage and utility bills are a nice side-effect of my “green” actions as well. When you are being environmentally conscious, you are caring and giving to our world. Caring for the earth, caring for your health, and caring for and building community—THIS is the beginning of what “gardening nude” means and is why I feel so fantastic in the garden and in nature. You can do this too.
Make a difference for yourself and for those around you – get outside in nature.
Today’s post is a “Two For Tuesday” – this blog is on both my greening blog – www.gardeningnude.com AND my gardening blog – http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com – ENJOY!
Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com.
So true - I guess caring for nature is as much a stress-reliever as caring for other people is to most of us...
Posted by: Chris | May 26, 2009 at 09:00 AM