The Natural Health Service

Just bought this book which I hope to read over the next few weeks. It follows on a bit from what I was thinking about last week-how nature can improve our health in many ways, and how the science is catching up with what many of us instinctively feel when we take some time outside.  I have been reading a lot about why nature is so good for us-there is talk about the repeating patterns, the colour green, the elements in the soil, the use of herbs for various ailments, the positive benefit of a view of nature from a window to aid recovery during a hospital stay. It is endless, and I do think that Covid has focused our attention on the natural world more-lets face it, we haven't had much else to focus on when our own view has been our garden, or when we have been out walking!

 Isobel Hardman is a journalist for The spectator magazine, and became very unwell. After various attempts of different treatments, she speaks about the benefits of being outdoors, and how this helped her greatly in her recovery. 

A number of years ago, I visited the Chelsea Physic garden in London. I had heard about it and thought it would be interesting to visit. It was great to see the variety of plants, all of which are used for medicine now or in the recent past. Foxglove (Digitalis), has been used to treat heart conditions, daffodils are grown in Wales to make a drug for dementia treatment and the list goes on. 

Many of us, me included, have always felt that all of this can be a bit 'tree huggy'-my daughter is concerned that I am turning into a hippy!! For me, it makes me realise that all of these benefits of modern medicine have a nature base, something we should embrace and maybe, instead of going to the complex, synthesised option, go straight to source on a more regular basis.