Reaping nature’s bounty

Even as school kids, we were taught that the colors of nature were soothing. Use green or blue in artworks to evoke a cool feeling. Rest your eyes by looking at a bunch of trees. Think more clearly with a “nature break.”

Familiar experiences prove our belief that being in nature and incorporating or mimicking it promote ease and healing. Hence, city-based policymakers, developers and homeowners have taken steps to embrace nature: establishing parks, eco trails and gardens, and opting for natural color schemes in the design process. But there’s only so much the limited in-city spaces can take. As urban congestion increases and government builds road networks between capitals and nearby communities, more have opted for the peri-urban and countryside addresses.

Builders met the renewed yearning for the greens and blues of nature with vertical and horizontal developments in swaths of land amid fields, on spaces minutes away from ecotourism hotspots and even at the ends of expressways. They’ve penetrated areas like Cavite, Laguna and Batangas south of Metro Manila; and Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija up north.

You don’t have to rely on anecdotes anymore if you are mulling to relocate outside city bounds. Researchers have zeroed in on the benefits of living near nature. Although the body of work mostly proves correlation rather than causality, it can still inform your choice.

Physical health

Green spaces can provide better air quality and natural insulation, which lower the risk of respiratory and heat-related illnesses. A Harvard study found that living near vegetation lowers the risk of mortality, especially from respiratory disease, cancer and kidney disease. Several studies also found a lower incidence of obesity, better immunity and faster physical healing for people residing near nature. In children, living near forests and farms decreases allergies.

Active living

Sceneries, parks and trails encourage people to move around. Add to that, several pieces of research found that people sweating it out in open spaces achieve recommended levels of physical activity more than those working out at home. Furthermore, those exercising outdoors do so for longer periods and more intensely than those getting fit indoors.

Mental wellness

Studies in New Zealand, the United States and Hong Kong also found that residents living in homes with ocean views had lower psychological distress. Proximity to vegetation also connects to better well-being, happiness and cognitive performance. Nature relieves mental health illnesses, such as depression, attention deficit and mood disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease; and lessens reliance on medication. In kids, growing up near nature relates to better self-discipline, impulse control and academic success. A study in Denmark noted a 55-percent lower risk of mental disorders among those who grew up near nature.

Stress reduction

Chronic stress has been linked to mental health concerns, cardiovascular diseases, chronic pain and diabetes. Science proves that views of nature lower fatigue, anxiety, blood pressure, muscle tension and pulse rate. Some destressing choices are also convenient for those living near nature. They can work out outdoors, which is a known mood booster and allows socialization. Proximity to nature also promotes longer, better sleep. The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or forest bathing—spending time in forests—is said to decrease stress, elevate natural moods and even strengthen the immune system.

Social health

Literature relates green spaces with better social ties, cohesion and even resilience to disasters. When green spaces are communal, civic engagement and ecological literacy also increase. Some studies further relate well-maintained green spaces to reduced crime and aggression. In 2011, environment and behavior researcher Frances Kuo found that greener settings promoted greater cordiality, generosity and trust. Wouldn’t a greener rustic address be a paradise?