Boost that immune system just by going outdoors!
Summer has sprung and many of us are finding ourselves getting outdoors to spend quality time in the sun and warmth. However, where we spend our time outdoors may have a greater impact on our health than perhaps realized. Not only does the sun provide our skin with that ever important vitamin D, but recent studies have discovered the health benefits go even deeper than the all important vitamin D. If you have access to natural spaces such as parks, a nearby forest, or simply an area dense with trees and greenery can actually help you by supporting your immune system.
Spending time surrounded by Mother Nature herself has for some time been associated with reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. That it does, but also by spending time surrounding yourself with these natural settings, you can see an increase in white blood cells. This natural phenomenon occurs within us when we are exposed to phytocides, “a antimicrobial allelochemic volatile organic compound derived from plants which prevent them from rotting or being eaten by some insects and animals.” 1 According to an article in the New York Times, studies have found such impacts of subjects being subjected to this organic compound. “One study in 2007 in which men who took two-hour walks in a forest over two days had a 50-percent spike in levels of natural killer cells. Another study found an increase in white blood cells that lasted a week in women exposed to phytoncides.” 2
So, the next time you are thinking about taking a walk and have the option of walking along a tree lined route, remember you are doing your body good. Not only by assisting in weight management in being physically active, and or reducing any stored stress, but also by assisting your body in producing immunity functions against those pesky ailments that seem to always be hovering around us.
1. Phytoncide. (n.d.) In Reference online. Retrieved from http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Phytoncide
2. O'Connor, A. (2010, July 5). The Claim: Exposure to plants and parks can boost immunity. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/to-curb-allergies-more-time-outdoors/?ref=health
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