HEALTHY IS WELLNESS
WELLNESS
Healthy is Wellness Health Coach: Becky Ketterling, Certified Personal Trainer
Nourished BY NATURE Many of us from Big Sky Country grew up on family farms and ranches or in small towns. As kids, we didn’t know the term ‘green space’ nor Becky Ketterling it meant Certified Personal Trainer, what Health Coach – we just knew Healthy Is Wellness, Inc. our moms were always shoo-ing us out the door saying, “Go outside and play!” And that’s what we did. We walked on grass in our bare feet; we put our fingers in the dirt; we climbed trees, and we ran through sprinklers. We didn’t need scientific studies to tell us that nature was good for us; we felt it! We are instinctively drawn to the world outside our windows and deep down, we know why… Nature simply makes us feel better. Even so, it’s easy to lose touch with this simple fact. Consider that Americans spend about 87% of their time indoors and another 6% in vehicles. That adds up to an alarming 93% of our time inside and only 7% spent outside! So maybe we need a reminder of why the humannature connection is so important. From the mountain of research available on the topic, here are just a handful of its benefits on our health and wellbeing. • Physical benefits: improved heart function, reduced blood pressure,
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more balanced hormones, better respiratory function and improved cognitive abilities. • Psychological benefits: better regulation of emotions and increased stress management, resilience and positive thinking. • Spiritual benefits: a deeper sense of self, a heightened feeling of gratitude, and greater insight into the positive and negatives of life. • Social benefits: stronger bonds and attachments with others, a greater sense of empathy, and lessened conflict and aggression. The Positive effects of Nature on Your Mental Well-being” PositivePsychology.com 2/19/2021
Some Fun New Vocabulary: Blue Space, Nature Prescriptions & Eco-Therapy? Let’s start with Blue Space. Chances are you can guess what it is… Water! Oceans, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, streams even small water fountains count! Studies confirm spaces with the element of water enhance mental health and decrease feelings of depression and anxiety. There is even some indication that blue spaces may be more restorative than green ones. If you’ve ever heard ocean waves crashing on a shore or seen trees reflected on a mountain lake, you know the soothing
