STUDY SHOWS BENEFITS OF NATURE

In a book I read recently, one of the characters complained about how flat and square our indoor spaces tend to be, making her feel very uncomfortable. For most of us city-dwellers, we spend most of our time in the unnatural surroundings of houses, offices, cars, shops, etc. But it turns out that a small dose of being in nature is good for your overall health. A review of 10 studies done in the UK showed that spending only five minutes a day in a natural environment improved people's mood, self-esteem, mental and physical health. Activities included things such as gardening, hiking, biking, etc. And apparently the strongest effect was around water, such as lakes, ponds, or streams. So if you're not getting your regular dose of nature, you owe it to your mind and body.

(The panoramic picture as seen above was taken in November 2009 on the way to the Drakensberg, overlooking the Sterkfontein Dam. We were only there for about 15 minutes, but it was peaceful and relaxing. And as this study shows, that short stop on our journey was actually good for our health, too. )