Revisit the Present Tense

The United States never ranks that well in regard to overall health. The world’s healthiest countries include Singapore, Australia, Japan and a number of places in Europe. The reasons we fall short in health are complicated, but one culprit seems to be that Americans don’t spend enough time outdoors.

Research shows that going outside can have a positive impact on creativity and problem solving, reduce stress and generally improve the body and mind. One study by the U.S. Forest Service found higher mortality rates for people living in areas with fewer trees, a pattern they found repeated over and over in counties with different demographic makeups. Even looking at images of nature can purportedly make us feel better and function better cognitively.

Much like eating healthy and exercise, this research seems self-evident. Of course, wandering in forests, along beaches or desert trails is better for us than fixing our eyes on HDTV or an iSomething. But somehow we still forget that nature is a cure-all, so, as this video reminds us: Unplug and revisit the present tense.

Yelp: With Apologies to Alan Ginsberg’s “Howl”