The Great Outdoors

Nature can be enjoyed in the wild, your backyard, a park or even in artwork or a movie. The benefits of nature and being outside are many and vary from person to person. To immerse oneself in nature, to release one’s mind into the natural world is a delight most of us have experienced at some point. Let’s not forget it.

Benefits of nature include…

• Experiencing awe from the sights and sounds of nature sparks joy

• Encourages creativity. We can become inspired by open spaces, sights, sounds and smells. Not only can creativity provide more satisfaction in life, it can be helpful in problem solving too.

• Increases Vitamin D due to exposure to natural light

• Reduces stress

• Improves blood pressure, can also reduce pain and cardiovascular risk

• Visual health benefits from outdoor activity, particularly because we are spending time away from computers, phones and other digital devices

• Improves sleep, especially when you also exercise outside

• Strengthens the immune system

• Reduces inflammation

• Develops a deeper sense of spirituality

• Allows you to see that there is something bigger than yourself and your small part of the world

• Helps you appreciate diversity “The quieter you become the more you are able to hear” ~Rumi

Forest Bathing Yes, it’s a thing! Forest bathing is a

Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku.

Shinrin in Japanese means “forest,” and yoku means “bath.” So shinrin-yoku means bathing in a forest environment. This is not an actual bath, rather it is about experiencing the forest through your senses. It is done slowly and mindfully. The origin of the practice dates to the 1980s and is regarded as a form of nature therapy or ecotherapy. Other types of nature therapy are garden therapy, horticultural therapy and ocean

therapy.

Try this experience:

Find a comfortable place to sit or stand outdoors where your feet touch the earth. Close your eyes and be conscious of the feel of the air. Is it cool, warm, dry? What smells are there? Is there a more dominant scent and a more sublet scent? What sounds do you hear? Is there a distant and near sound? Is there a patten to the sound? Once you open your eyes notice the view before you. Do you have a different perspective of the

place you are in now?

Other activities to try this month:

• Learn the names and songs of local birds. Try an app with bird songs or a

YouTube video

• Check out a library book on nature identification such as: Sibleys’ Guide to

Trees

• Watch Spy in the Wild-documentary series which uses animal-like robots to

learn more about animals in the wild.

• Collect leaves, stick, rocks and other

natural items to feel in your hand

Source: nationalgeographic.com

June is Great Outdoors Month and June 5th is World Environment Day. It’s a month-long celebration of mother nature and its many wonders. Hope-fully this encourages you to embrace the outdoor spirit, and if possible, head outside into the natural world. Reconnecting to nature is good for the

mind, body and soul. Wide open spaces help create inward space, releasing feelings of tension and constriction. It just may inspire you too.

Sun Bathing and Vitamin D Confused about the use of sunscreen and adequate vitamin D levels? You are not alone. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in aiding the absorption of calcium and promoting strong bones. Vitamin D also gives a boost to the immune system. The main way our body produces it is through exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light. UVB rays interact with a protein called 7-DHC in the skin, converting it into vitamin D3, the active form of vitamin D. By the way, tanning beds expose you to UVA, so not only are you exposed to all the harmful rays, there is no benefit. Protection from the sun is as important as vitamin D production. How can you have both, without skin damage or nutritional deficiency? Along with other forms of sun protection like shade, hats, sun protective clothing, sunglasses, it is recommended to use sunscreen SPF 15 or higher. Even if used optimally, you will still get 2 to 7 percent of solar UVB. Diets rich in fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are good sources of vitamin D. Fortified drinks can also be a source. Look for fortified orange juice, nut milks and milk. Smaller amounts are found in egg yolks, beef liver and cheese. If you are considering a supplement, ask your healthcare provider for

guidance.

Source: skin cancer foundations/skincancer.org

JUNE 2020 Brought to you by HCIactive

Recipe of the Month:

Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Cup Frozen strawberries

1 Berry Chobani Champions Greek

Yogurt (3.5-ounce, 100 calories, 1g sat

fat, 12 grams carb)

1 Cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender

and puree until smooth and thick

Vary the berries to what is available

Place in a glass or a bowl. Use ice

and a blender if a thicker ice cream-

like consistency is desired

Garnish to taste

Nutrition Information, 1 serving:

Calories 100 Fat 2.5 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium

110mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 5 g;

Source: Diabetes.org

JUNE 2020

World Environment Day

World Environment Day is June 5th, 2020. It is widely celebrated in more than 143 coun-tries. The United Nations encourages aware-ness and action for the protection of our environment. This year the theme is biodi-versity. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. The planet on a whole is healthier with a wide variety of life from plants to animals to

microorganisms.

How can we protect the environment at home? Rethink-Refuse-Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

• Consider packaging when buying prod-ucts. If the item is over packaged look for another option

• Plant a tree, a garden, flowers or herbs

• Consider less lawn and more native vege-tation-you’ll save mowing time

• Avoid fertilizers that use phosphorus

• Consider planting a 5X5 area for endan-gered Monache butterflies

• Compost

• Bike or walk instead of driving errands

• Turn off water and lights when not need-ed. Unplug items not being used. Elec-tronics continue to draw electricity when off and plugged in. Consider energy effi-ciency when buying products.

• Remember your reusable bottle. Plastic water bottles end up in landfills and the ocean

• Buy local

• Eat more plants

• Reduce your food waste. It is estimated 40% of food is thrown away.

Source: Un.org

“Study Nature, love Nature, stay close to Nature. It will never fail you.” ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Exercise Challenge

This month’s challenge is a progressive plank. Try taking this outside. Planks work almost every muscle in your body. Maintain a neutral spine. Draw your waist in like a corset for stability. Avoid straining the shoulders by keeping length between your shoulders and

your ears. Breath smoothly and evenly.

Week 1 prep with strengtheners

• Crunches

• Bridge

• Cobra -back extensions

• Modified kneeling push ups

• Leg lifts (any variation) Week 2 modified version

• Try planking on the wall first. Lean on the wall with your forearms and walk back adjusting the angle. Breath and hold 1-3 minutes

Week 3 progress to the floor

• Place your forearms on the floor with the elbows under your shoulders, palms are down

• Straighten the legs with ankles flexed

• You should be a straight line from your heels to the crown of your head

• Now drop your knees into an extended kneeling position-modified plank. Hold and breath 30 seconds to 1 min

Week 4

• Full plank 1-3 minutes

• Continue to hold for longer periods this week

• Remember to breath, keeping proper position to avoid shoulder strain

• Engage the corset muscles

Source:8fit.com