BK 14 (Aug 6, 2019): The Nature Fix - Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative

Hi Everyone...

We will discuss Florence Williams' book "the Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative" (Feb 7 2017) at our August meeting. Our first book over a year ago now was Dr. Wallace J. Nichols' book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do so this book will broaden our scope of the research demonstrating the benefits of nature in general.

With 258 reading pages it is approximately 9 pages a day.

Check out the Bio & Videos Below.

"An intrepid investigation into nature’s restorative benefits by a prize-winning author.

For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; and Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams set out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.

In this informative and entertaining account, Williams investigates cutting-edge research as she travels to fragrant cypress forests in Korea to meet the rangers who administer “forest healing programs,” to the green hills of Scotland and its “ecotherapeutic” approach to caring for the mentally ill, to a river trip in Idaho with Iraqi vets suffering from PTSD, to the West Virginia mountains where she discovers how being outside helps children with ADHD. The Nature Fix demonstrates that our connection to nature is much more important to our cognition than we think and that even small amounts of exposure to the living world can improve our creativity and enhance our mood. In prose that is incisive, witty, and urgent, Williams shows how time in nature is not a luxury but is in fact essential to our humanity. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas―and the answers they yield―are more urgent than ever.

12 illustrations"



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Here is what we discussed at the meeting...

* Discussion of what other countries are doing that the US does not seem to be doing yet & Why (Japan's Forest Bathing, South Korea's Healing Forests, Fineland's laws on Nature/walking, corporations & health care system, & Singapore's Botanic Gardens & Garden city).

* Concerns with Research designs (Correlational vs. Experimentation), those who are Anti-Science, looking at actual studies (Number or subjects, Variables Controlled etc).

* 5 Hour minimum in Nature a month..."Ecotherapy."

* Some of the Health benefits (decrease in obesity, diabetes, chronic pain, migraines, fear, aggression, depression, loneliness, anxiety, mental fatigue, vitamin D deficiency, high blood pressure, pulse rate, cortisol levels, job stress, cardiovascular & lung disease, & increase in mental health, energy, immune system/NK & T cells cells, sleep, cognitive clarity, processing & resilience, attention/focus, memory, creativity/divergent thinking, self-esteem, empathy, hope, happiness, generosity, time-pressure, worker productivity, academic grades), how they would help not only people, but hospitals and companies if they created programs (sickcare vs wellness).

* Children with ADHD benefiting from Nature.

* Vets with PTSD benefiting from Nature

* Programs such as Outward Bound, Power Trail, Branching Out, Higher Ground, Cognition in the Wild, hospital use, prisons, public housing, doctors prescribing local park activities, Outdoor Afro, GirlTrek, CityKids, Nature Bridge, the Children & Nature Network,

* How Sounds of Nature help (Soundscapes) & why we are losing our hearing.

* How Sight of Nature helps (Hospital Windows, Myopia in children, Fractals, VR, Murals etc.).

* How Smell of Nature helps (pine scent, tree scents, earth/soil smell, etc.).

* How much time children today vs the past spend outside & in Nature.

* Benefit of Nature for prisoners

* Benefits of Awe & how to create more moments of Awe & Dr. Paul Piff (from Dr. Nichols docuseries!).

* Local areas to take in Nature & funding for programs.

* Walking alone vs with others.

So what did you think of the book? What did you like the most? Questions? ETC!