Sep 10, 2022 2 min read ALL NEWSLETTERS

The Nutrient: Nature reduces stress, Plant-based reduces CRP, Burns not bites

Research

How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature

Your brain and your mental health adapts to your environment. Living in a city, for example, is associated with anxiety, whereas spending time in nature is associated with peace and calm. Why is that? What's going on in the brain?

In this study, brain activity was measured in 63 participants, before and after a one-hour walk in nature and a one-hour walk on a busy street. The piece that makes this study interesting is that the walks took place after a stress-inducing test, allowing researchers to see which type of walk can lower the stress response.

"Our findings reveal that amygdala activation decreases after the walk in nature, whereas it remains stable after the walk in an urban environment."

I was surprised to see that being in an urban area doesn't exacerbate stress, but it doesn't reduce it either. Spending time in nature, however, has a positive impact on the brain by decreasing amygdala activation, which can help you feel relaxed after a stressful day.

Takeaway
The amygdala, the area of your brain that processes fearful and threatening stimuli, is turned off when you feel safe and relaxed. This study shows that your brain senses safety in nature, not in urban areas, which might explain why a 60-minute walk in the woods (or a city park) reduces stress.

News

Association of dietary and nutrient patterns with systemic inflammation in community dwelling adults

Last week I shared a study that showed inflammatory markers in the blood, not being overweight, was a greater predictor of early death. How do you lower levels of inflammation? Eat more plants.

"A plant-sourced nutrient pattern was independently associated with lower inflammation. The association was stronger in men, and those classified as obese and metabolically unhealthy obese. Increasing consumption of plant-based foods may mitigate obesity-induced inflammation and its consequences."

Article

The U.S. diet is deadly. Here are 7 ideas to get Americans eating healthier

"The U.S. can't "fix" hunger by just feeding people cheap, high-calorie, processed foods – the food that's so abundant in our food supply, they say. Instead, it's got to find ways to nourish people with healthy, nutrient-dense foods."

Words of the week

"Their leading cause for medical evacuations wasn’t snakebites, bear attacks, or even hypothermia. It was cooking accidents, usually burns."
–Steven Rinella in The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival