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A little bit of rain 'might' be good for you

28/4/2020

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Although we may accept a bit of rain, “suppose the garden needs it”, but did you know that our bodies also need the rain for its negative ion benefits?

Remember catching rain on your tongue and that connection with the elements as a child. Maybe you instinctively connected with nature more because if felt so good, without knowing what it was doing for you on a deeper level, before life’s conditioning made you kick good habits like this as you got older?

Negative ions are the only example I can recall in which a negative is a positive. Yes, that’s correct. Negative ions are a very good thing; they produce a net positive effect on our health.

Negative ions are tasteless, odourless and invisible molecules that we inhale when we are in environments that contain moving water, like rain. Once the negative ions reach our bloodstream, they are believed to produce biochemical reactions that help to relieve stress, alleviate depression and even boost our energy.

Not only rain enables an abundance of negative ions to be released but also waterfalls, the ocean and even dew and mist in the mountains.

Have you ever noticed how you experience a sense of euphoria by being around these beautiful settings and away from the everyday pressures of work, school or home?

The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report improved mood.

That’s because the air circulating around moving water contain tens of thousands of negative ions — unlike a closed home or office, with all its electronics produce 'positive' ions.

Imagine if scientists (most funded by business) and the media had named these ions the opposite way around? Who would surround themselves with lots of technology, stay in their houses and offices around these ions so much - if you knew they were damaging your body, without a healthy break outside?

'Positive' ions from computers, wifi, telecommunications are not good for our health, some even attack our cells at molecular level (e.g. microwaves, basically radiation - the stuff they use to kill cells in your body to get rid of areas of cancer). Your body can recover exposure from ‘positive ions’ at low level, healing itself, with breaks from it, if you look after yourself with exercise, healthy diet and.... surprise, surprise, regular contact with nature makes a positive difference in so many ways. 

Few doctors 'prescribe' getting outdoors into nature as a simple preventive treatment. There is little funded research into the benefits of contact with nature, compared to the investment in pharmaceuticals. The media are rarely cover and promote good evidence that's out there, when they do, often they are dismissive and make a bit of joke about it (e.g. after doing a piece on 'Blue Gym' research, the reporter scoffed at the end of a national breakfast news interview, "now I'm off for a bit of extra Black Gym", after travelling over night to cover this public health research in Cornwall early on summer morning.

It's not hard to understand why..... it's FREE! What contributions could a GP surgery get for referring their patents? They may even be asked to pay someone to put on activities to help build confidence and interest amoungst people for whom, getting into nature more often might need some encouragement, mentoring and confidence building. Sad, but ncreasingly true. 

Who would the media go to for adverts, or other funding to pay for their time running stories? Nature is accessible to everyone and may even increase our natural ability to fend of disease, age better, stay fitter, longer, without the need for a pill or a vaccine.

Walking in the rain might sound crazy, but these healthy reasons to take a stroll during a rain shower will change the way you view a walk on a drizzly day. A host of health benefits that soothe the mind, body and soul.

8 More Healthy Reasons To Take A Walk In The Rain
  1. here are are typically less people: Most people run for cover when it starts to rain, meaning it’s only the brave souls who continue strolling during a storm. If you crave peace and quiet during your walks, rainy days are the best. You're left alone with your thoughts and are able to destress much quicker and easier than when there are hundreds of other people out taking strolls.
  2. The air is scientifically proven to be cleaner and fresher: An MIT study published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics showed that the air is truly cleaner during and after heavy rainfall. The reason is that as raindrops fall through the atmosphere, they have the ability to attract hundreds of particles of pollutants like dander, soot, sulfates and bacteria before hitting the ground. Proof that invigorating breaths of rainy air actually are better!
  3. The smell of rain has a calming effect: You’re not the only one who loves the scent of the air during rainfall. In fact, the distinct smell even has a name: Petrichor, which was coined by two Australian scientists in the 1960s. The scent, according to Live Science, is a mixture of chemicals released by soil-dwelling bacteria, oils released from plants during dry spells and ozone that is created when lightning splits oxygen and nitrogen molecules that then turn into nitric oxide. 
  4. The humidity is good for your skin and health: High levels of humidity in the air help keep your skin fresh, young and supple. And some researchers believe that when humidity levels are 43% and higher, nearly 3/4 of airborne virus particles are left powerless. 
  5. Rainy walks help with acceptance: Taking a walk in the rain often makes a person feel powerless. But taking rainy day walks on a regular basis help train your mind to give up control and go about life, no matter what the weather — or anything else — throws your way. Additionally, the temporary nature of rain can help some deal with personal loss and bad moments. Just like with a rain shower, everything has its moment and will eventually pass. 
  6. Walks in rainy weather burn more calories: Believe it or not, Japanese researchers published a piece in the International Journal of Sports Medicine that proved when a person does physical activity in cold, rainy weather, he or she actually burns more calories and fat than doing the same activity in moderate weather.
  7. Walks in the rain help you see things with a different perspective: Whether it’s the darker lighting, the gloomy mood, or the reflection of streetlights in puddles, almost everything looks different on rainy days. This can perhaps help some people to view their life problems, challenges and other daily aspects in a different light. 
  8. It feels rebellious: Sometimes you just want to break the rules, and taking a walk in the rain is a safe and healthy way to do so. Just be sure to wear the right gear and thoroughly dry off once you are home.

A study by Columbia University used negative ion generators to see their effect on people with winter and chronic depression. The study showed that these generators helped relieve depression as much as antidepressants. The best part is that there are relatively no side effects, but scientists are still trying to figure out appropriate doses and which people it works best on.

Elsewhere experiments have been conducted with negative and positive ions using a cross-section of men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. When they were put in a room that contained primarily positive ions, they became irritable and fatigued.

However, when they were confined to a room containing primarily negative ions, their brainwaves suggested increased alertness and relaxation. Their alertness and work capacity were tested by various means.

What is significant is that they all scored higher during and immediately after their exposure to increased levels of negative ions.

So the next time you think you don’t want to get wet when it rains, I say forget the umbrella, open your arms to the sky and say, “Hello, negative ions, do your magic!”

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