There is a reason Finland is the world’s happiest country for the fifth year in a row in a UN-sponsored happiness index, and that may be because it is 75 per cent forest.
Poets, nature lovers and medicine has from time immemorial extolled the virtues of the healing, both physical and mental, of Mother Earth’s many treasures. Greek physician Hippocrates put it very simply: “Nature itself is the best physician.”
In reality however, our day-to-day life is steeped in electricity, traffic fumes, plastic use.
Finland is a country of vast forests and lakes has a population of 5.5 million people. But much of the rest of the world has fumes, traffic, waste, pollution and too much plastic or too much agriculture.
Did you know that the blue light your devices emit may be what prevents you from falling and staying asleep? You need to give your brain and body time to recharge and rest. Unplug from your phone, iPad, laptop, anything electronic or technological. Read a book, go outdoors, draw a picture or talk to your neighbour. TikTok and Instagram aren’t going away.Plus: cutting down on electricity use reduce your footprint on the environment because electromagnetic radiation is also emitted from electric wires, mobiles and household electronics. It is nearly impossible to avoid these harmful waves if you live in the city. EMR changes our cells metabolism and disrupts our electrons and antioxidants’ effectiveness. (source)
What can you do?
· Limit handheld electronic use (especially for babies and young children) or at least keep phones at a safe distance from the brain (at least 12 inches)
· Use phone on speaker and do not keep your phone in your pocket (especially during pregnancy)
· Invest in a personal EMF reduction card and/or get a whole room EMF reduction card for your bedrooms and car
· Limit microwave usage to the minimum
Recent studies show that sleep deprivation is linked to weight gain, poor concentration and productivity, depression, compromises immune function and your ability to interact socially as well.
So please, sleep earlier, sleep more! Plus: every hour your lights are turned off is an hour of greenhouse emission, EMF radiation and energy resource saved.
What we don’t realise is that everything we eat, use, play with and come within close proximity to could contain toxins that disrupt your hormones, health and even mental wellness. These toxins harm our planet and wildlife and get released into our sewage, water and marine ecosystems. Everyone is exposed to millions of toxins every day. Get clued into toxin and chemical-free living, which is to reduce the amount of toxins your come into contact with, which include your cosmetics, cleaning products, household products, food and drink. Apart from their disastrous effect on plants and animals, toxins have been studied and linked to all sorts of diseases from cancer to lung and heart disease as well as diabetes, obesity and other health issues.
To avoid this, look for naturally occurring ingredients and organic products. As a rule of thumb:
Exercise gets your endorphins pumping, which boosts your mood and relieves stress. Not to mention the immune boosting benefits of Vitamin D from the sun and all the toxins being flushed out of your body along with the perspiration. And of course, by riding a bike instead of driving, by walking outdoors instead of using up more lighting or air-conditioning in a fitness class (think electricity) indoors, you are having zero impact on the planet!
Food production is a major contributor to harmful emissions that have contributed to climate change and environmental damage, thanks to greenhouse gases from livestock, agricultural pollution, deforestation to make way for livestock and water shortages caused by farming. Human population is set to rise to 2.3 billion people by 2050, and worsening environmental damage is a clear danger.
It is clear that we need to eat less meat and replace it with more plant-based, or even sustainable lab-produced foods. If you’re not ready to go vegan, try the Flexitarian route extolled by Arlene –beginning with meatless Mondays, or a one day a week without meat diet.
As for the ultimate way to loving yourself, a plant-based diet may:
· Help you lose weight
· Decrease cancer, stroke, diabetes and hypertension risk
· Improve your cholesterol, heart and brain function
· Let you live longer
