1. Try forest bathing

Known as shinrin-yoku in Japan, forest bathing and spending time in nature has been shown to help lower stress hormones like cortisol, (1) calm inflammation levels, (2) and improve a variety of other biomarkers involved in overall health.

Since most of us can’t spend hours hiking every day, I recommend carving out 10-15 minutes of uninterrupted time outside. For me, I take a walk during lunch without my phone or any other distractions. Even better, take your lunch outside instead of eating in front of your computer so you can get back to work as quickly as possible. Work can wait. Your health can’t.

2. Find your own God art

If you follow me on Instagram, you’re familiar with God art. Whether it’s a colorful sunset, sunrise, or the waves of an ocean, nature and its artwork is all around us. Sometimes all it takes to reconnect to the Earth is opening our eyes and expressing gratitude for the beauty that has been in front of us all along.

A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology (3) found that when people expressed gratitude for nature, it lead them to be more environmental in their actions by increasing their willingness to sacrifice and protect the environment. Plus, gratitude has been linked to its own set of health benefits such as reduced (4) pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-a!

2. Surround yourself with purposeful plants

Raise your hand if you are a proud plant parent! Houseplants are one of the most obvious ways to connect with nature by bringing the outside in. Take it a step further and choose plants that pull double duty by purifying the air inside your house. Spider plant is one of my favorites that requires minimal light and water and has been shown (5) to purify the air by removing harmful gasses like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

3. Eat seasonally

With the rise of box stores, grocery delivery, and meal kits, most of us have become so disconnected from the food we eat on a daily basis. Even if we are making an effort to buy local and organic, the way we access food nowadays is a far cry from how our ancestors lived for thousands of years. Instead of having whatever produce available to them 24/7, people had to rely on what they could grow and harvest each season in their own climate. 

Not only will buying whatever is in season taste better, it will force you to try produce that you might not eat otherwise. This will help keep your immune system balanced by exposing your body to different nutrients that are essential for your body to thrive. Check out my article to find out what foods to choose each season!