natural living
cannot.Andthebenefits
gofurther.‘Whenwelook
outofa window,weget
outofourownheads
andconnectwiththe
worldbeyondtheself,’
saysPeck.‘Observing
naturecanmakeour
problemsfeelsmaller.
Wegetoutofourownheads
andconnectwiththeworld
beyondtheself.’OPEN A WINDOW
Thebenefitsgrowwhenyouopenthe
windows.‘TakevitaminD,forexample,’
saysPeck.‘Althoughsunshinecanpass
throughglass,theultravioletwaves(which
stimulatevitaminD productionin theskin)
cannot,soif youwanttoincreaseyour
intakeofvitaminD,sitbyanopen
window.’What’smore,theWorldHealth
Organizationrecommendsfresh-air
ventilationasa waytodiminishthe
transmissionofcommunicablediseases,
shecontinues.‘Whenaircan’t
circulate,theoddsofgermscyclingand
recyclingthroughoursystemsincrease
exponentially.’Thesedays,indoorairis
regularlyfoundtobemorepollutedthan
thatoutdoors,evenif youlivein thecity.
Thiscanleadtoconditionssuchas
headaches,fatigueandasthma.
Trytokeepa windowopenduringthe
dayor,atleast,openit atintervals.And
don’tcloseit whenyougotobed!‘Werest
moredeeplyandforlongerif thereis a
constantflowoffreshairduringthenight,’
saysPeck.‘Astudypublishedin the
journalIndoorAirfoundthat,in ventilated
spaceswheretheaircirculates,thereis
lesscarbondioxidebuild-up.Lowercarbon
dioxidelevelsin theairaround us lead to
deeper, longer and less interrupted sleep.
Our bodies don’t have to work so hard
to do their jobs of cleansing our cells,
lungs and blood, and so we can better
settle and rest.’
TIP: Set reminders on your phone to
schedule window time. ‘Purposefully
and mindfully take 30 seconds to gaze
out,’ says Peck.BE AN INDOOR
GARDENER
There are many other ways of incorporating
the green cure into your everyday life.
Greening your home or office with flowers,
plants or nature-related artwork is a great
start. A vase of flowers is an instant mood
booster, and it’s not just psychological
health that benefits – introducing greenery
and plants into your living space is provento improve physical health.
‘Studies show that
potted plants help purify
the air,’ says Peck.
‘According to
research by NASA,
the best plants for this
are the peace lily and
chrysanthemums.
Alsogood are bamboo
palms,spider plants and
Kimberly Ferns.
Peck also recommends creating
a terrarium [a glass container housing
soil and plants]. ‘Find a glass
container such as a large mason
jar or deep wide vase,’ says Peck.
‘Spread pebbles or small stones in
the bottom of the container (rather
like you’d use at the bottom of a
flowerpot). Top with a layer of
potting soil, then add some plants
with similar light and moisture
requirements – experiment with
things such as succulents or
moss. Water about once a week,
keeping the soil moist but
not waterlogged.’BORROW
FROM NATURE
Did you know that simply
touching natural materials such
as wood can have a healing
effect? Incorporating them into
your living environment, along
with light and greenery,
can have transformative
effects. ‘According to a study
on the effect of touching wood
compared to artificial materials, handling
wood resulted in changes to systolic
blood pressure, an indicator of decreased
physiological stress,’ says Peck. ‘Even
looking at wood in a home – beams or
panels in a living room, for example, had
a beneficial effect on blood pressure
and pulse rate.’ But you don’t have to
renovate your home, there are easy,
inexpensive ways to get the benefits.
Try swapping a plastic chair for
a wooden one or keep some pebbles
or driftwood near you, on a shelf or desk.
Not only will they help ground you in
moments of stress; they can also
trigger happy memories of moments
spent in nature.
TIP: We’ve been conditioned to turn
on the light when we enter a room,
but try just enjoying the natural
light streaming in at the window, or
appreciating an orange sunset you
might have otherwise missed. nThe Green Cure,
by Alice Peck, is
published by CICO
Books (£12.99)WORDS: Mary Comber