It’s wonderful to again be able to take our residents for an “outdoor walk!” During the winter, we confine ourselves to walking the first floor halls of St. Anne’s. While they are spacious, it’s not the same as getting some good, fresh air. I am looking forward to seeing the blossoms on our flowering ornamental crab tree someday soon when I walk with them. I’ll probably even pick some to set on the reception desk here.
Trees, in fact, are very healthy. According to a study cited in a Huffington Post article, 850 lives were saved and almost 700,000 acute repertory symptoms were prevented in a single year by their mere presence. Did you know that trees actually remove pollution and make the air healthier to breathe, especially for people living in the city? This same article would have us believe so. It also shared the fact that polluted air can cause difficulty breathing for asthma victims as well as cancer, birth defects, lung injury and brain/nerve damage. Oxygen gained from a breath of fresh air can help energize you as well.
Stepping outside can be beneficial, even to one’s immune system. Being in close quarters with other people “exposes you to all sorts of germs,” according to . Exercise stimulates numbers of “natural killer cells.” Also, the scents of flowers can help your mood, and even pine can help with relaxation and lowering stress. Actually, with greater oxygen intake, more serotonin is produced, which also helps your mood and sense of well-being, according to yourstandardlife.com.
Fresh air actually cleans your lungs and gets more oxygen to your cells, improving your lungs’ cleansing action. Breathing fresh air can help your mental clarity. Your brain, in fact, uses 20% of the body’s oxygen. Fresh air also helps with effective food digestion, according to this source. Consequently, according to goodrelaxation.com, fresh air can even help you lose weight. Furthermore, it is noted, that blood pressure and heart rate are improved by fresh air.
So, be advised, don’t just stay indoors all the time, breathing the same air over and over. According to yourstandardlife.com, “breathing this stale air will not supply your body with enough oxygen to keep your cells fueled and functioning properly.” When you get a chance, get outside and enjoy some fresh air and exercise. If you live in the area, you could even take a walk over to St. Anne’s and visit our residents!