 It’s a New Year and according to statista, the number one New Year’s resolution Americans will make is to “do more exercise or improve my fitness”. Fifty percent of those who participated in the poll mentioned exercise as their main goal. Losing weight was a close second, at 48%. With over 74% of us , age twenty or older, being overweight, or obese, that is not a bad idea. The truth is, however, there are said to be four pillars of health; nutrition, exercise, relaxation, and sleep. These four elements work together to keep our minds and bodies healthy. Focusing on just one pillar will not lead us to the overall wellness goals we are really trying to achieve. There is one element that is central to achieving success in each of these four pillars. That key element is nature. Connecting with nature can help us successfully enhance and integrate each of these pillars so we can lead a healthy lifestyle.  So why not set the intention of increasing our connection with nature this new year? Start the new year off by experiencing the many holistic benefits that Mother Nature is willing to share with us so that we can lead a healthier, more joy-filled life? We invite you to sign-up now for our free, e-newsletter at www.TheNatureNurse.com. Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and enter your email address. You will receive occasional emails with information, research, resources, tips, and much more on how you can deepen your relationship with nature, and by extension enhance your health and well-being. Looking for information right now, so you can get started right away while your motivation is hot? Visit The Nature Nurse™, PLLC website and perhaps one of these options will be just what you are looking for:
We love nature and have experienced the many holistic benefits she offers. With over 1000 studies showing that connecting with nature is an essential part of living a healthy lifestyle, we are committed to sharing this joyful way to practice self-health. This year we will be launching new programs and opportunities so be sure to stay in touch! Let’s start the New Year off in a healthy direction. By setting the intention to deepen our relationship with nature we are sure to invite amazing new experiences into our lives which will enrich our health and well-being. Author: Susan Allison-Dean, MS, RN, AHN-BC, CCAP. Susan is a Board Certified Advanced Holistic Nurse with over thirty years of nursing experience. She is also a Certified Clinical Aromatherapy Professional.
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 For many of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, the world outside our doors is going through its annual Autumn rituals. The full Hunter’s Moon just beamed in the dark cool sky, then lingered long into the morning before setting. Pumpkins, gourds and other fall vegetables are bountiful. The magnificent foliage show is performing right before our eyes. Following the lead of the trees, we too can shed what no longer serves us in order to store up energy to grow stronger. Deciduous trees of all types are cutting of their connection with the leaves that grew on their fingertips, once lush and green; allowing them to metamorphosize into blazing shades of reds gold, orange, eventually into brown. We can lighten our load, too, so we can retain our positive energy for the darker months ahead. Let’s take a look at how each of us can do this, letting go of one leaf at a time. First, we need to identify what no longer serves us. Maybe we aren’t eating the food that best nourishes our bodies and we need to let go of unhealthy choices. Who are the people in our life that we may love, but they are constantly dragging us down with their drama? What limiting beliefs are we allowing to invade our minds, filling us with doubt or fear? As you identify your dying leaves, write them down if you need to. There’s no rush. Notice how all the leaves don’t fall off a tree in one moment. It’s a slow process. We can shed our leaves slowly too. Next, go outside and pick up some leaves, then stand next to a pond or river. Pick one of the items on your list, let’s say, for example, “I am letting go of doing for others what they can do for themselves.” Toss the leave into the water, mentally releasing this burden, and watch as the leaf floats away. Repeat, release, as often as you desire over this Autumn season. Notice the relief you may feel, a sense of newfound inner strength, perhaps space to fill with new, more positive thoughts, relationships, or behaviors.  As the days ahead continue to darken, we may want to use this time to go deeper inside ourselves. Reflect on the year that has passed, write down what we are grateful for, and explore what exciting ideas and desires are starting to stir inside our newly cleared space. Learn more holistic ways to experience joy, enhance your health and well-being by subscribing to our free newsletter! Visit our home page for the link.
 Writing is a wonderful craft that allows us to share thoughts, information and maybe even inspire others in some way. It requires discipline, tenacity, and if we are to practice this craft long-term, self-care. The act of writing often requires long sessions of sitting, most often in front of a computer. Lucky for us, there is an antidote for the potential job hazards a writer may incur. It lies right outside our door. Let’s take a look at three, although there are many more reasons, we may want to stop what we are doing right now, or schedule breaks during our day, to go outside and take a walk. ONE: A walk outdoors can boost our creativity. A study comparing walking in different settings found that walking outdoors has the most beneficial impact on stimulating the free flow of ideas. Do you take a stroll in nature to enhance your writing? I know I do. I always venture outdoors and meander, or power walk around the neighborhood, or in a local park. The ideas that flow into my mind can be almost overwhelming at times. The ideas that I want to hold onto, I dictate into the Voice Memos app on my phone to record them in rough draft. Some, I transcribe later for various writing projects. TWO: Writing is generally a solo journey. Isolation and loneliness can be a side-effect. Walking outdoors often leads to contact with other people, which may present a chance to have a chat, especially if they have a cute puppy with them.  THREE: Taking steps in natural surroundings is good for our overall health. According the Center for Disease Control, one in four American adults sits for longer than eight hours every day. Our sedentary habit even has a new name, sitting disease, and has been called the new smoking. The American Heart Foundation outlines the many negative consequences of sitting and ways you can improve breaking the habit of prolonged sitting.
Does walking outdoors awaken your creativity? Share how in the comments section below. To learn more about how walking can enhance your health and well-being, I invite you to listen to this podcast, while you are outside taking your walk: The Joys and Benefits of Walking with no Destination from 1a. Don't stop there. Visit The Nature Nurse™, PLLC website where there are an enormous amount content on how engaging with nature can enhance your joy, and improve your holistic health. Be sure to sign up for our free e-newsletter. "We sit in the mud...and reach for the stars." - Ivan Turgenev The thrill of spring is upon us. Rivers roar, bursts of green in every shade emerge from the earth, and birdsong plays amongst the trees.
We don't want to miss this energy, and show, just because of a little mud, do we? Throw on some boots and head outside. Go ahead- get a little muddy, splash in a puddle. It can be fun and invigorating. You don't have boots for the mud? Let's take a look at three of my favorite, which are popular amongst other nature lovers as well. Merrell Hiking Boots Sturdy, thick soled, and waterproof, these are my favorite boots to play outside in, especially if there is rocky terrain or hard surfaces. They absorb the shock well. If they get muddy, just let it dry and wipe it off.  Lowa Hiking Boots Great ankle support and lightweight so they make walking on trails enjoyable. Go ahead, walk through that muddy section or across the wood bridge covered in water, your feet will stay nice and dry.  Wellies Boots Created in the 1800's by the first Duke of Wellington, "wellies" have withstood the test of time. These rubber boots have gone far beyond the United Kingdom. They come in classic, solid colors, or fun patterns. Easy to slip on and hose off.  So don't just sit there in the mud, go ahead and walk in it, play in it, under the stars. Want to learn more about how engaging with nature can help enhance your health, well-being, and add more joy into your life? Subscribe to our e-newsletter on our home page.
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Author:Susan has published a two-novel series in which she includes her love of nature. I Know You're There & By The Sound Of The Crow Are Available on Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Most E-Reader Stores. Archives
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