GREEN
Green is good for us... in more ways than one
Have you noticed? The re-greening? After a tinder-dry hot summer, a fresh flush of green has returned to Shropshire's hills and lanes. How does it make you feel? Relief? Refreshed? Let's explore the impact of green on our health....
Green impacts our physiology.
Our brain and body chemistry respond to green. Mounting research illustrates this. Time in green spaces can lower blood pressure, reduce cortisol, improve immune function and stabilise mental wellbeing. Does this ring true for you? You may feel intuitively better when you take a walk, or sit under a tree and notice nature for a while. Health services around the world are waking up to this fact and green social prescribing projects are increasingly popular. The charitable group 'Dose of nature' has summarised the benefits of nature beautifully here: https://www.doseofnature.org.uk/the-evidence2
Green feeds the microbiome.
'Eat your greens' means so much more than just boiled cabbage or soggy peas. There are so many amazing varieties of plants we can eat. Most of these will be high in fibre, which the gut bacteria (microbiome) thrive upon. The microbiome is like a rainforest, a complex ecosystem, a web of interactions... hugely influencing all aspects of health including immune responses and mental health. Diversity is key - eat as many different plants as possible! It's not all just about chlorophyll either ... aim for a wide rainbow of colours to maximise the intake of beneficial bioactive plant compounds (phytochemicals). Does this sound boring? It's easy to get stuck in a rut cooking the same things in the same way. Check out local markets, farmshops or local producers for inspiration, dig out some new recipes, and give your friendly gut bacteria a boost.
Green calms the mind.
Colour therapy suggests that the colour green is calming, stabilising and soothing. You may have noticed that the walls in Shropshire Health Clinic are a beautiful soft pale green helping a visit to the clinic feel relaxed and unhurried. Humans perceive colour via the process of light (electromagnetic radiation) activating photoreceptors (cone cells) in the retina. Three different types of cone cells respond to different wavelengths; This process that allows us to differentiate colour. How does the colour green make you feel? Have you ever noticed just how many different shades of green surround us in Shropshire? The colour green can be put to good effect indoors too, with green plants, pictures, decorative objects and paint schemes all theoretically influencing our mood and state of mind. Furthermore, exposure to the self-repeating patterns (fractals) found throughout nature such as in fern fronds, flower buds, pine cones etc. activates areas of the brain involved in emotional regulation. The next time you buy a Romanesco Broccoli take a really good long look at it!
Green is the future.
Human health and planetary health cannot be separated. We are part of nature. Our environment affects health in so many ways, direct and indirect. The air we breathe, water we drink and food we eat are all directly impacted by climate and pollutants. Lack of biodiversity, unhealthy soils, and pollinator loss all impact health. The distribution of infectious diseases (especially vector bourne pathogens) shifts with environmental change. We can see the direct impact of heat stress, floods and environmental degradation on human lives. Microplastics accumulate in tissues. A cocktail of toxins, 'forever chemicals' and hormone disrupters are found in our bodies and have untold effects. These are just a few examples... This can all feel overwhelming. Let's start by acknowledging that we have no future without green. Let's nurture green and notice green.
Enjoy Green!
Step outside today, if you can, and really notice the green all around you. All of the shades and tones and textures in this green and pleasant land will soon be journeying towards autumn, which is of course also a time of amazing colour. Let's enjoy this green September moment while it lasts, and welcome the rain.
