How to eliminate stress with nature and sun

About alberto de leon(health & Nutrition)vox-40     http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/stress-management/stress-nature-and-sun       .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

How Do I Eliminate Stress with Nature and Sun?

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Stress Management Through Nature

Natural stress relief is great when you can get it. You can do a lot to relieve stress, from exercise to massage therapy. How about just sitting? That works too. And, where you sit can make even more of a difference. Nature provides great stress relief. The wind through the branches of majestic trees, the blossoms of flowering plants, the blue-jays flying and the frogs leaping all play a soothing symphony and all you have to do is step out into it. And if you're near flowing water, then you are really fortunate!

What Nature & Sunlight Can Do¹ For You

• Nature and sunlight can greatly improve your mood.
• Being close to nature lets you feel removed from the things that cause you stress.
• Being in the sun is a natural source of vitamin D.

Did You Know?

Being outside in nature when you meditate lets you quiet your thoughts, open your mind and connect with the power that your surroundings hold.²

The sun is a powerful weapon in our arsenal against stress. It has powers that we can wield just by being in its light. Just as sunlight is needed for plants, it's needed for humans too. It's exhilarating to be out in the sunlight and excitement is an obstacle to stress. Improve your health, get some sun.

The Effects of Stress

It's become clear that stress is a part of most of our lives. But, are you embracing it as a necessity instead of realizing the power that you have to fight against it? If you keep stress, you run the risk of developing serious ailments. You can opt to combat stress. Any of these symptoms can indicate that you're stressed: sleep disorders, pain and abnormal muscle tension, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances, or increased smoking or drinking.

How to Eliminate Stress with Nature and Sun

Nature and sunlight provide us with beauty, energy, vitamin synthesis, and clean, fresh air. In nature we have chance to relax and release our stress to the open air. Below are a few ideas to get you into the natural flow of things. The list is by no means exhaustive, only some really simple ideas that can easily get you started.

• You don't have to be a jogger or swimmer or even a walker. You just have to be outside and you are doing good things for your body and your spirit.
• Take your meditation times outside. Experience the magic of nature and let the sunlight work in your body. You know, 20 minutes in the sun will cause your body to manufacture vitamin D naturally, which is necessary for your good health.
• When you're outside, walking to the store, work or to a neighbor's house, take time to notice the trees, leaves, plants, animals along the way. When was the last time you were stopped in your tracks by a lovely spider web, or the things that insects do? Be open; let it take you for a moment. As it does, you can feel your stress passing out of you.
• Putting a birdfeeder in your backyard is a way of inviting birds to come and be present with you.
• You can take up gardening or landscaping. While you're gardening, you may want to consider planting a vegetable garden. Organic fruit and vegetables are the healthiest produce to eat. And what better way to interact with nature!
• If you find that you spend much of your time indoors, bring nature in with you. Bring a water fountain inside to bring you close to nature. The natural sound of moving water can relieve stress easily.
• Indoor plants are beneficial relieving stress in several ways:
• There are kinds that can cleanse the air you're breathing
• Caring for plants, like gardening, is a therapeutic, soothing activity
• Salt lamps are designed to increase negative ions in the air and this enhances your relaxed, calm sense of being.
• Nature sounds on compact discs are developed with the understanding that nature is critical to stress relief. If you cannot be in it, you can use these sounds to recall the experiences of being in nature and sun. At your desk, or wherever you choose, close your eyes, listen and breathe deeply and for a few minutes work can be a distant memory.
• What does your desktop and screensaver look like? Try putting up pictures of nature and in your times between activities you can briefly drift off into nature.

REFERENCES

1. Information taken from http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/a/gardening.htm
2. http://www.mkprojects.com/fa_meditation.html         

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