Walking in a forest or among plants lowers your cortisol stress hormone level, pulse rate, and blood pressure. It also supports your immune function, partly caused by phytoncides, airborne chemicals produced and emitted by plants to protect them against rotting and insects.
Simply reading your writing just now has had a positive effect on me. Reading your descriptions & tale of President Roosevelt & John Muir & looking at the lovely images made me feel as though I’d had a bit of time in nature & I found myself smiling. Thank you for such beautiful descriptions & photos!
This is my favourite newsletter so far! I love forest bathing. :) Muir woods is really lovely. I am lucky to have seen it twice. John Muir was a phenomenal person and I am grateful that Teddy Roosevelt took an interest in Muir's work, as that, combined with the camping trip you have written about has resulted in one of the greatest gifts to humankind in North America. Sadly, I have not seen Yosemite with my own eyes, yet! However, I am sure that I will. I put my travelling priorities overseas, as I thought that I can always see America. Now that I am overseas myself, it is proving more difficult, especially with Covid-19 and our borders being closed for the foreseeable future. Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favourite presidents, too. He was a Texas Ranger, I believe. A real outdoorsman. Sadly, he liked to hunt. But, I suspect he would not support today's canned hunts. It was a different time and now, I feel sure he would not be a hunter but an animal rights person. That he was a voracious reader does not surprise me, but I think he must have been speed reading! :) 2-3 books a day is challenging, otherwise. ;) I have a treasured book of his speeches. It is quite old. In it, my favourite speech is one he made in Chicago where he mentions the bravery of the person in the ring who is sweating and being beat up and how when we are the observers of the fight, we cannot really criticize them, as we are not the ones who are in there. It is true. I had forgotten it... A good lesson, really. Thank you for bringing it to mind with this wonderful writing, Alexander! I learn so much from you.
Roosevelt had this Hemmingwayish thing about him that he liked the excitement of a fight.
Roosevelt became blind in one eye after a boxing injury while in the White House. A practice he started while the governor of New York. He enjoyed boxing with young military aides. In 1908, at age 50, his opponent landed a punch to his left eye that caused severe hemorrhaging, resulting in a detached retina. The incident was kept a secret to protect the identity of the sparring partner. In his autobiography, he wrote, “Fortunately, it was my left eye, but the sight has been dim ever since, and if it had been the right eye, I should have been entirely unable to shoot.” I guess you would have preferred it to have been his right eye ;-)
Probably, yes. ;-).... I didn't realize he was really a fighter. And, definitely didn't know he was boxing during the times he was governor of N.Y. & President. Wow. I read a biography of his brother, FDR, but obviously missed a lot about Teddy. Thank you for more background information on his love of fighting. It certainly explains his speech. ... on another subject, I really enjoyed Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I knew he was a man's man, but also had no idea he was a fighter. Interesting how the boys used to look like girls as babies in those days and almost always ended up uber masculine. There were questions about Hemingway's sexuality, but i believe they are unfounded.
Another interesting read! Love those kinds of stories. Yosemite is one of my favorite National Parks
and I also just remembered walking in Muir Woods north of San Francisco.
I usually bike around here, but about a year ago I started going on longer walks - 3 to 5 hours. Usually alone and trying to (!) stay off my phone. It makes such a huge difference. And I think you might have inspired me to walk at least part of the way back along the river between Brugg and Aarau tomorrow. It's beautiful out there right now. Thank you!
Living on Long Island I have visited Teddy Roosevelt’s home many times. It Is a beautiful spot, wooded and near the LI Sound. Nearby is the T. Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary where you can watch and hear the birds in the natural habitat. I am lucky to have these wonderful places so near to where I live. It is becoming more expensive to leave this island and having so many nature spots here is gratifying. Nature refreshes us and heals the soul.🌿
Being in nature just makes everything better! 🌿 Walking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding is wonderful therapy for the soul 👍 I'm very thankful for president Roosevelt and John Muir's great preservation efforts! I lived in California for many years and was lucky to visit both Yosemite and Muir woods with its spectacular Redwood trees! 🌲 Nature heals 🍃
Good morning, I'm glad you decided to go for a walk and found these blue budding and butting flowers reaching for the afternoon sun. Is that Siberian Squill?
Conscious breathing in Nature on a daily basis, ought to be thought in schools. Every moment when I have a chance I go on a camping spree, already did this as a teenager. Most of my work has been outside the confines of cities. And today enjoy living next to a National Park. Lucky me.
President Roosevelt must have written about 6.8 letters a day in his lifetime of 60 years. About 1 letter every 4hrs(Hoping the math is close to it)
I like to spray some Rosewater on my pillow before going to sleep.
An occasional whiff of an essential oil is also helpful in getting something from the outdoors . . . as a mood enhancer.
Reading the study from the Vrije University, thank you for the pointer!
Be happy, breath deeply and smell, and don't let the dogs do the smelling for you when you walk with them. This is what happened to us in our evolution. When the dogs joined us, we lost most of our smell skills because we left it up to the dogs from then on (-:
Alexander, this is WONDERFUL! You covered so much, History, Medicine, Sociology,Biology, Education. I am excited to share this piece! Stay well and keep writing! Peace, Annie
Fabulous message, Alexander, which I subscribe to 100% with or without the studies. Thanks very much for reminding all of us to get outside.
Simply reading your writing just now has had a positive effect on me. Reading your descriptions & tale of President Roosevelt & John Muir & looking at the lovely images made me feel as though I’d had a bit of time in nature & I found myself smiling. Thank you for such beautiful descriptions & photos!
This is my favourite newsletter so far! I love forest bathing. :) Muir woods is really lovely. I am lucky to have seen it twice. John Muir was a phenomenal person and I am grateful that Teddy Roosevelt took an interest in Muir's work, as that, combined with the camping trip you have written about has resulted in one of the greatest gifts to humankind in North America. Sadly, I have not seen Yosemite with my own eyes, yet! However, I am sure that I will. I put my travelling priorities overseas, as I thought that I can always see America. Now that I am overseas myself, it is proving more difficult, especially with Covid-19 and our borders being closed for the foreseeable future. Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favourite presidents, too. He was a Texas Ranger, I believe. A real outdoorsman. Sadly, he liked to hunt. But, I suspect he would not support today's canned hunts. It was a different time and now, I feel sure he would not be a hunter but an animal rights person. That he was a voracious reader does not surprise me, but I think he must have been speed reading! :) 2-3 books a day is challenging, otherwise. ;) I have a treasured book of his speeches. It is quite old. In it, my favourite speech is one he made in Chicago where he mentions the bravery of the person in the ring who is sweating and being beat up and how when we are the observers of the fight, we cannot really criticize them, as we are not the ones who are in there. It is true. I had forgotten it... A good lesson, really. Thank you for bringing it to mind with this wonderful writing, Alexander! I learn so much from you.
Roosevelt had this Hemmingwayish thing about him that he liked the excitement of a fight.
Roosevelt became blind in one eye after a boxing injury while in the White House. A practice he started while the governor of New York. He enjoyed boxing with young military aides. In 1908, at age 50, his opponent landed a punch to his left eye that caused severe hemorrhaging, resulting in a detached retina. The incident was kept a secret to protect the identity of the sparring partner. In his autobiography, he wrote, “Fortunately, it was my left eye, but the sight has been dim ever since, and if it had been the right eye, I should have been entirely unable to shoot.” I guess you would have preferred it to have been his right eye ;-)
Probably, yes. ;-).... I didn't realize he was really a fighter. And, definitely didn't know he was boxing during the times he was governor of N.Y. & President. Wow. I read a biography of his brother, FDR, but obviously missed a lot about Teddy. Thank you for more background information on his love of fighting. It certainly explains his speech. ... on another subject, I really enjoyed Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I knew he was a man's man, but also had no idea he was a fighter. Interesting how the boys used to look like girls as babies in those days and almost always ended up uber masculine. There were questions about Hemingway's sexuality, but i believe they are unfounded.
Oops. Franklin wasn't Teddy's brother.
FDR was his 5th cousin. Hmm. I hadn't realized they were so distantly related. Another tidbit of knowledge. :)
Another interesting read! Love those kinds of stories. Yosemite is one of my favorite National Parks
and I also just remembered walking in Muir Woods north of San Francisco.
I usually bike around here, but about a year ago I started going on longer walks - 3 to 5 hours. Usually alone and trying to (!) stay off my phone. It makes such a huge difference. And I think you might have inspired me to walk at least part of the way back along the river between Brugg and Aarau tomorrow. It's beautiful out there right now. Thank you!
Living on Long Island I have visited Teddy Roosevelt’s home many times. It Is a beautiful spot, wooded and near the LI Sound. Nearby is the T. Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary where you can watch and hear the birds in the natural habitat. I am lucky to have these wonderful places so near to where I live. It is becoming more expensive to leave this island and having so many nature spots here is gratifying. Nature refreshes us and heals the soul.🌿
Being in nature just makes everything better! 🌿 Walking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding is wonderful therapy for the soul 👍 I'm very thankful for president Roosevelt and John Muir's great preservation efforts! I lived in California for many years and was lucky to visit both Yosemite and Muir woods with its spectacular Redwood trees! 🌲 Nature heals 🍃
Good morning, I'm glad you decided to go for a walk and found these blue budding and butting flowers reaching for the afternoon sun. Is that Siberian Squill?
Conscious breathing in Nature on a daily basis, ought to be thought in schools. Every moment when I have a chance I go on a camping spree, already did this as a teenager. Most of my work has been outside the confines of cities. And today enjoy living next to a National Park. Lucky me.
President Roosevelt must have written about 6.8 letters a day in his lifetime of 60 years. About 1 letter every 4hrs(Hoping the math is close to it)
I like to spray some Rosewater on my pillow before going to sleep.
An occasional whiff of an essential oil is also helpful in getting something from the outdoors . . . as a mood enhancer.
Reading the study from the Vrije University, thank you for the pointer!
Be happy, breath deeply and smell, and don't let the dogs do the smelling for you when you walk with them. This is what happened to us in our evolution. When the dogs joined us, we lost most of our smell skills because we left it up to the dogs from then on (-:
err (thought) = be taught in school
Rosewater is lovely and calming. I enjoy it, too. It heals the heart, as well. :)
Alexander, this is WONDERFUL! You covered so much, History, Medicine, Sociology,Biology, Education. I am excited to share this piece! Stay well and keep writing! Peace, Annie