Eva M. Selhub

This book is about the effects of nature on your brain versus internet overload. Although not the most enjoyable read, there is a lot to be considered.

What is happening to our brains as we dive head-long from the industrial age into this age of technology?

I want to know because I have definitely noticed a change in my brain functions ever since I caved and purchased my first iPhone about five years ago and became addicted to scrolling over Facebook just like everyone else I know. I have definitely drawn away from nature and can't even seem to see the beauty in things any more. I have lost my vitality in life...no excitement, no adventure, no feeling alive, no enthusiasm. I feel numb and empathetic. Photography? What's that? Gardening? No longer a desire. Reading books? At times, my brain can't focus or even understand what I'm reading. Writing? I have no thoughts. And I am just plum exhausted all the time. In the beginning of the year 2019, I began slacking off from Facebook and began reading more books to help with my issue of cognitive brain fog, but here I'm still reading books from a digital device and still feeling "the fog". On 14 October, one day before my 55th birthday, I tried deactivating my Facebook account for a while. It's a lonely, lonely world now, but I'd rather try and preserve my brain and reconnect with nature, and even reconnect with "reality". Maybe starting the new year off, I will focus on reading more physical books and lay off even the digital ebooks.

Scientific research is proving that just viewing scenes of nature, and hands on nature...such as gardening, or planting and growing houseplants, does produce psychological and physiological changes in the brain. Seratonin levels, the feel good hormone, go up, reducing stress, anger and feelings of depression or even loneliness. Exercise, and especially nature-based exercises, in general improves cognitive functions in both young and old in an overly distracting world. Scientific reports show that simply walking may be one of the most effective ways to keep the brain cognitively fit, even short daily bouts of walking.

Greenspace exercises (nature walks, gardening) fosters positive thoughts and decreases negative ones associated with exercising and can motivate you to stick to it. It allows you to get outside your head, and creating that "feel good" feeling without pain and suffering and focusing on performing, which leaves you wanting more...on another day.

Medicinal green exercise:
1. Start low, start slow. Start with a walking speed that you enjoy, or a lightweight workout program that is short and doesn't wash you out. The intensity of a workout program can become psychologically stressful. When feeling this with any routine, know that the benefits to the brain are drastically diminished. Change to a new routine or to something completely different to one you can enjoy.
2. Perform just 30 minutes of "moderate-intensity" outdoor physical activity at least 5 days a week. Moderate activities are those that get your heart and breathing rates up a bit but don't interfere with conversation. If walking with a friend, you can still have a conversation. 10,000 steps is five miles, a tough goal to meet every day. A more realistic goal for brain benefits is a goal of 8,000 steps (3.41 miles at a slow pace). Work your way up even if you do it in small increments of 20 minutes of exercises, pushing to more long-term goal of walking for 45 minutes five days a week day or jogging 38 minutes five days a week.
3. Choose activities you love. Don't run if you prefer walking, workout at home if you hate going to the gym, or walk at the park, which gives more brain benefits anyway, if you hate walking on a home machine or the school track.
4. Draw up a scheduled plan with goals and keep a record.
5. You need "exercise snacks" throughout the day. If you do a morning 45 minute walk, but spend the rest of your day sitting on the couch in front of a screen, that 45 minute walk with the benefits is diluted. The health benefits can even get completely undone by sitting too long. Move and move often!

They have now discovered that evergreen trees, such as pines and cypress, actually put off several dozen natural aromatic chemicals, an unseen airborn healer, into the air and collectively known as phytoncide. We don't always smell these chemicals, but, they are there in the air around the trees. Some of the chemicals stimulate and some are known to relax the brain. These phytoncides have been shown to lower stress hormones and reduce anxiety. It increases production of anticancer proteins in the blood and also raises levels of the "frontline immune defenders", our natural killer cells called NK cells known to fight off exposed viruses, flus and colds. Inhaling aromatic plant chemicals also increases the antioxidant defense system. Researchers found that the results in immunity improvement was notably magnified when the forest air trapped moisture.

The bottom line is being in nature, even for brief periods at a time, or simply having it in our view, can reduce the stress hormone cascade and improve immune defense....longevity of life. (p. 21).

ADHD rates in children, and adults, is off the charts. The interrupting act of texting and checking e-mail destroys creativity and leads us down dead ends. When in the middle of a project, say writing, for example, turn off your phone. Stopping to reply to a message or answer a phone call, will slash a person's word recall in half. Not good!! I know for a fact that when I get in my creative, artsie-fartsie mode, I can create some amazing things...as long as I go completely uninterrupted and am completely focused. When I finish the project, I usually can't even recall how exactly I created or finished it, and could probably never do it again. That's what I call me being in my "creative zone". It's this focus that kids need today but have a hard time with, and gaming does not help. Research shows that the so-called brain training games, video games, smartphone apps, and other digital training tools do not work. IQ levels have declined drastically beginning in the late 1990's since the dawn of the digital mania. Also, it's proving that the academic performance drops, especially in young children between ages 6 and 9, who are given a console, controllers, games to play, and also that so-called "brain-boosting video games" actually produce a decline in their memorization skills. Over stimulation of the brain also is very fatiguing on the brain and reduces sleep quality and quantity.

The screen culture, with its high environmental and information overload, has bred insensitivity and quick judgement of others. I can think of a couple examples: road rage because someone is unaware of slowing traffic or driving wrecklessly because they are texting while driving; or someone is walking around, especially in a store, and blocking the isle or running into people because they are looking down at their phone. Nature immersion is just the opposite. It restores the brain and affords opportunuity for contemplation and reflection, and also buffers the stress of environmental overload. As we become insensitive to the distress felt by others, we, at the time, are becoming more self-absorbed (Facebook) and narcissistic....lacking empathy, conversation hogger, self-importance, plenty of shallow friendships, false image projection, a rule breaker, strives for perfection, charming but manipulative, desire for control, and never takes responsibility for their actions (there's an excuse for everything and puts the blame on everyone else).

Why is it so hard to break that internet or electronic addiction? Dopamine, the feel good hormone is to blame. With every "like" for something you've posted on Facebook to every email you open, you get a dose of dopamine. And you will repeatedly check throughout the day because you're afraid you will miss something...What did they say about my post? Who all "liked" it?...to...Look at me how wonderful I am? I'm eating now? I'm cooking now? etc...

CHAPTER 4 - the science and research behind aromatherapy, and it is good news. As I'm reading at 2:45am, I'm also diffusing Siberian Fir Essential Oil in my diffuser with the Christmas tree lights on. It smells amazing and good to know there is science to back the use of essential oils.

Scientists have already been making use of drugs, hormones and vaccines to be inhaled through the nasal...because it works. So, it's safe to say that inhaling essential oils naturally from trees, or even from a diffuser, also works and is very healing. The intranasal is a much wider path to the brain than once thought. Plant-derived vapors are capable of entering the brain and then exiting into wide-body blood circulation. (p. 76)

Isolating individual aromas allows us to have more focused treatments as scientists are just now learning the impacts certain chemicals have on our cognition, mental state and our immunity system. Plant oil vapor can enhance the production of the brain's own calming chemical (GABA) while also boosting seratonin...the moid-regulating hormone. Research showed:
- Rosemary and lemon oil stimulated the brain
- Lavender and rose oil relaxed the brain.
- Peppermint and cinnamon decreased drivers frustration and increased alertness, while fast food and pastries aggravated drivers' frustration
- Jasmine scent produced a more restful sleep and less anxiety upon waking. They also did better on cognitive testing the following day.
And research has shown that it takes only a miniscule amount of these aromatic chemicals to provide health benefits.

But, remember that it would also take a miniscule amount of synthetic chemicals to also influence the brain in a negative way. We have a lot of toxic things inside our homes letting off all kinds of fumes and harmful chemicals: carpet, paint, furniture, electronics, faux wood, plastics, air fresheners, etc...In this case put potted plants throughout your house. Certain plants can actually act as vaccum cleaners and clean as much as 75%, or even more, of the pollutants in the air. BEST PLANTS ARE: (Google this!!!!!!!!!!)

We NEED natural sunlight provided by nature on a daily basis! When light hits our eyes, penetrating our retinas, it sets off a motion of all sorts of biophysical events unrelated to our vision. It influences our sleep, mood, and cognitive functions, and much more. Light as therapy is a real thing and very beneficial for many ailments. Today, bright light therapy is suggested for the depressive and people with serious digestive disorders, and people with eating disorders and anxiety. Sunlight plays a direct role in seratonin, the mood-regulating chemical...the brain chemical that drug companies are attempting to raise seratonin levels with the use of Prozac and all the other happy drugs. GoLITE BLU tabletop and travel-portable light therapy boxes provides the blue portion of the visible light spectrum missing during the winter in as little as 15 minutes a day. Blue light therapy has been proven by fMRI's to specifically fire up areas of the brain that involve attention and memory [Beneficial for Alzheimer's? ADHD in kids?] Depression ratings have decreased by as much as 82%.

We also need complete darkness to produce melatonin, which is inhibited by light. Secretion and levels of melatonin in the blood peak between 2 am and 4 am. It doesn't take much for this to be affected, so be sure to turn off that TV or computer, AND MY KINDLE READER and/or iPHONE (400-1000 lux), which will cause a sharp drop in melatonin levels. Two hours of 300luv Interrupting the normal production of melatonin can result in any of the following: insomnia, cancers (breast), obesity, daytime fatigue, ADD, IBS, fibromyalgia, and depression. Consider taking oral melatonin if experiencing any of these symptoms.

From 4800 mobile phone towers in 1990 to now well over 250,000 springing up all over the place, researchers are now finding that the electromagnetic radiation is damaging to the human brain just as much or more so than a microwave oven which increases the permeability of the blood vessels around the brain. Why is this bad? The primary function of the blood-brain barrier is to keep TOXINS, such as pesticides and other environmental contaminates, out of the brain. Here I worry for my husband who uses the wireless ear plugs to listen to music or videos on his phone and my grandchildren who will be getting special wireless earsets for game playing....all bad news for their little brains. Bad, bad, bad! As it is, we have to already deal with a new powerful wireless meter on the house, a wireless thermostat inside the house, smart TV's, smart cell phones constantly in our hands, wireless printer, wireless computer accessories (keyboard, mouse) and wireless boosters in each room to boost our slow internet. All of this is in MY house.

CHAPTER 7 on gardening and wilderness camping, also considered nature-based therapies benefiting the brain.

GARDENING

Gardening provides "a sense of fascination"...involuntary attention and cognitive restoration, quiet, feelings of peacefulness and tranquility. This engagement with nature, in the old and the young, leads to concern for nature.

GardenIng is a form of exercise and helps to maintain muscle strength and physical health theough the aging process. Gardening for 30 minutes (setting up, planting, watering) is the equivalent of a pickup game of basketball and is considered a moderate-intensity exercise. But, people who garden have a tendency to garden for more than just 30 minutes at a time. I know I do. I'll garden for hours.

Gardening reduces the stress hormone cortisol. And even continues to keep it low post-gardening for quite a while afterwards, which, in turn, will give you a more positive outlook on things, on life even. Gardening promotes a sense of contentment and calm, and at the same time increases your energy levels.

The bacterias, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and its partner Bifidobacteeia, are found in dirt. They are the bacterias now found in the yogurts and beverages sold in the grocery stores today. More research is proving that these bacterias not only are life-promoting and just what the digestive tracts need, but they also influence mood and cognition and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, all of which can cause depression, anxiety, and cognitive brain fog.

NOTE FOR CANCER PATIENTS: Also soil based organisms, such as Myco bacterium vaccae, can improve quality of life, depression, and anxiety when orally consumed by adult cancer patients. (p. 156)

Contact and exposure to soil through gardening - digging, breathing it in, letting it touch our skin - is very beneficial. It provides a portal for beneficial bacteria to gain access to the nasal passages and gastrointestinal tract, which ultimately reaches and affects the brain. The soil is a living, breathing form of nature. (p. 156)

Gardening has proven to help with cognitive functions. At least one study in 1995 showed a 50% reduction in dementia risk among older adults. (p. 156)

Kids gardening learn real knowledge of science, art and of life's relations. But, unfortunately gardening in school went out with the boom of technology. Gardening changes how a child eats, more willing to eat more fruits and vegetables, and how they think about the planet. Garden with your children, even if it's a tiny little plot, or in containers on the porch. Have him, or her, water and care for it and watch it grow. It's a great fascination to kids.

ADVENTURE THERAPY (P. 160)

Adventure therapy is like setting a reset button for those on the daily drudgery of work and home, work and home. They may need a "healthy change for a time in the mode of living" (p. 160). This section focuses more on guided group therapy camping.

NUTRITION FOR THE BRAIN

The Mediterranean Diet (a nature-based diet) is recommended in this book for brain health. It protects against depression and cognitive decline in older adults, and I'm sure will significantly help children with ADHD. This diet was shown to improve "vitality"...mental vigor and feelings of alertness and contentment:

- Whole grains
- Fish and other seafood
- Seeds and nuts
- Colorful fruits and vegetables

Keep in mind that an 8 oz soda can increase oxidative stress and lower blood antioxidant levels for up to four hours after consuming. I would assume that any high-fructose corn syrup product (candies, processed foods, ect...) would also affect your brain and body in the same negative way.

High sources of Omega-3, which is shown to improve mood and helpful for depressive symptoms, learning disorders, and cognition in children:
- Fish
- Seafood
- Free-range eggs
- Wild game
- "Open-pastured" meat only
- Flaxseed
- Walnuts
- Chia seeds
- Purslane
- Berries, nuts, and seeds in small degrees

Nature's brain supportive nutrients, low levels, especially of folate and B12, are associated with depressive symptoms:
- B vitamins
- Selenium
- Zinc
- Vitamin D (mood-regulating)
- Magnesium (linked to dression - dark leafy greens)
- Multi-vitamin-mineral supplement can improve fatigue, mood, and cognitive performance

Fiber in the 5 most colorful range of vegetables and whole-grains:
- Deep red/purple - grapes, blueberries, cherries, beets, etc...
- Deep green - spinach, kale, etc...
- Orange - carrots, pumpkins, etc...
- Whites - radiahes, roots
- Yellow - corn, squash, pineapple, etc...
- 21 to 38 grams a day
- Lack of fiber and consistently elevated blood insulin is associated with inflammation and risk of cognitive decline and depression.
- Fiber rich whole grains break down slowly and does not spike blood insulin levels

Antioxidants:
- Cocoa antioxidants can improve memory and other cognitive functions
- Green tea (protection against cognitive decline and depression)
- Turmeric (improves depression)
- Resveratrol (from grapes can slow brain aging)
- Blueberries (can undo cofnitive deficits)

LEISURE TIME vs. IDLE or SQUANDERED TIME:

Leisure time is well spent - socializing, quiet time alone, communing with nature, etc...

Squandered time leads to compulsively seeking overstimulation...such as in violent video games, extreme vacations, planning and living for the next moment and not the one you're in, extreme anything could possibly be a sign that your bored with your life and disconnected. Extreme anxiety and loneliness can set in and alter hormones. Be careful!

VITAMIN G OF MINDFULNESS FACTOR

The Vitamin G of mindfulness factor is:
- the practice of paying attention to what you are experiencing in the current moment.
- Enhances true connectivity to nature, creating depth to your concerns about the environment
- Brings focus outside of your own self...watch the trees, the grass, the clouds, the winds, the wild animals, etc...
- Vitamin G extra strength - focus on the veins in the leaves, bark on the trees, activities of insects, movement of water, etc...
- Vitamin G promotes "positive" thoughts and solutions to the "leisure problem" can be found in small doses of Vitamin G.

To break away from the sedentary life in front of a screen, you may need to do some volunteering in the outdoors. This will also eleviate stress.… (altro)

A compendium of scientific studies on the importance of access to green spaces or just the sight of green spaces on human behaviour, mental and physical health. I heard a CBC programme on the subject a few months ago and there is now a considerable body of evidence to support the idea that humans need access to natural landscapes for optimum health. Towards the end of the book it went off on a dietary tangent which seemed less well connected to the general theme, but overall it was an interesting read.… (altro)