Going Outside Can Change Our Hormones and Improve Microbiome Diversity
Jan 8, 2025
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Join Kathy Willis, a biodiversity professor at the University of Oxford and author of *Good Nature*, as she explores the profound impact of nature on our health and well-being. Discover how even a simple houseplant or a stroll through a city park can enhance your microbiome and improve mental health. Willis shares insights on the sensory connections with plants and their surprising healing powers, from boosting recovery rates to shaping our gut health. Dive into the wonders of nature and learn how to incorporate its benefits into everyday life.
Interacting with nature, even through simple elements like houseplants, can significantly reduce stress and promote overall health benefits.
Exposure to diverse natural environments improves microbiome diversity, which is essential for physical and mental well-being.
Deep dives
The Impact of Nature on Human Health
Interacting with nature can significantly enhance physical and mental well-being. Research indicates that simply looking at green spaces, like trees from a hospital window, can lead to faster recovery rates for patients. This connection suggests that visual exposure to natural elements triggers physiological changes, such as reduced heart rates and lower stress hormone levels, promoting relaxation and healing. These findings underline the profound impact that natural environments can have on overall health, emphasizing the need for increased access to green spaces as a health resource.
Senses and Microbiomes: A Deeper Connection
Engaging with nature stimulates multiple senses, each of which has unique benefits for human health. Studies demonstrate that exposure to plant-derived scents can improve emotional states and even modify biochemical responses in the body, mimicking the effects of certain medications. Additionally, environments rich in biodiversity contribute to more diverse microbiomes, which are essential for good health. Interacting with soil and plants can elevate beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, thus supporting both physical and psychological fitness.
Practical Applications of Nature in Daily Life
Bringing nature into daily routines can be highly beneficial, even in urban settings where access to green spaces may be limited. Simple actions, like incorporating plants into indoor environments, can enhance air quality and promote mental well-being. Various scents from plants can be used for specific health benefits, such as lavender for relaxation or rosemary for alertness. This practical approach suggests that even small changes, like taking a more scenic route to work or using air-purifying plants, can lead to significant improvements in overall well-being.
Going outside has many benefits, from positively affecting our nervous system to diversifying our microbiome. But you don’t need a forest preserve to benefit from nature—sometimes even a houseplant or the smell of lavender can improve our life. Kathy Willis, a professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford, joins host Rachel Feltman to discuss her new book Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants Is Good for Our Health. Willis suggests ways for even city dwellers to reap the benefits of nature, such as strolling through urban parks or keeping plants in their office.
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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman with guest Kathy Willis. Our show is edited by Fonda Mwangi with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.