Drugs and Nature

Outdoor Professsor's Tips

Drugs vs Nature

Hello, I'm the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

Here's your outdoor tip on drugs vs nature.

Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused category of drugs. The National Institutes of Health reports that nearly 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. Once someone begins taking pills for managing blood pressure and cholesterol, it becomes easier to take narcotic pain killers, prescription sleep aids and other, more addictive drugs. It also increases the risk of negative and possibly fatal interactions between drugs.

There are a growing number of psychologists that believe many of our modern-day problems of depression, stress and anxiety can be partially tracked to our alienation from nature. Violence and aggression is seen in urban settings lacking trees and grass. The bond between humans and other living organisms is being lost. Contact with nature can stop many of these mental difficulties.

Seniors may have some of the greatest potential to benefit from connection with our natural world. Returning to the abuse of drugs, persons over the age of 65 make up only 13 percent of the population and account for about one-third of all medications prescribed in the United States. Elderly are at risk for prescription drug abuse by taking medications that are not medically necessary. Older individuals may be reluctant to report depressive symptoms to their doctors, and instead misuse prescription and over-the-counter drugs to self-medicate. Interaction with nature may curb the need for many medications.

Outdoor activities are now thought to slow aging. Endorphins in the brain stimulated by walks in the park can help improve mood, increase self-confidence, and fight depression. Outdoor activity can help ward off heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure and obesity. Returning to our natural roots can yield an almost unlimited number of benefits to the individual.

This is the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

Additional outdoor tips can be received by subscribing to the Outdoor Professor Tips on iTunes or Stitcher. If you enjoy outdoor tips, you’ll also find an e-book at Amazon.com with a collection of the Outdoor Professor Tips.

References-Additional Reading

Bothel, R.T. (2013). Nature Quotient.eBook @Amazon.com

The Difference Between Herbs and Drugs
http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/difference-between-herbs-and-drugs.html

Reduce Depression, Avoid Cancer, and Relax with Nature
http://consciouslifenews.com/reduce-depression-avoid-cancer-relax-nature/

Prescription Drug Abuse. (2009). CRC Health Group's Comprehensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment programs .
http://www.prescription-drug-abuse.org/