#love

A Happier, Healthier Love

After we make our New Year’s resolutions and are just starting the new habits of better nutrition and physical activity, Valentine’s Day is lurking around the corner. If you ask children what they love about Valentine’s Day, the most common answer is “candy”. If you ask adults, you will often receive the same answer!  Indulge yourself, your family, “Valentine”, “Galentine”, or “Palentine” with a heart-healthy alternative. How can you have a happier, healthier Valentine’s Day?

Close up of hands holding ripe red apple with carved heart shape over wooden table
Close up of hands holding ripe red apple with carved heart shape over wooden table

Here are a few ideas to be a healthy Valentine:

At School

  • Teach students about foods that support a healthy heart.
  • Hold a taste test with red fruits and veggies!  Apples, blood oranges, cherries, grapes, pink grapefruit, pomegranates, raspberries, red peppers, tomatoes, beets, and more!  Have a vote for the class favorite!
  • Make (or serve) heart sandwiches using whole grain bread and any red 100% fruit spread.  Make the sandwich using regular bread, then cut into a heart shape with cookie cutters or a knife.
  • Make yogurt parfaits with low-fat berry yogurt and fresh or dried berries. 
  • Add some fun messages to lunch boxes with “fruity” puns!  Use markers to write on peelable fruits, fruit cups, or 100% juice boxes.  Messages could be “You’re so sweet!” or “You’re the apple of my eye!”
  • Instead of sending candy consider mini bags of pretzels or crackers, pencils, or stickers as tokens of affection. No worries about food allergies!

At Home

  • Make heart shaped pancakes or waffles in the morning, top with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
  • Avoid the crowds and celebrate with a dance party at home.  Crank up your favorite tunes and groove around the house.  Burn off some energy or cuddle close with your love.
  • Show your love by making a healthier dinner at home-containing a heart-healthy protein (such as salmon), whole-grains, and fruits and vegetables.
  • If you choose to eat out, be aware the restaurant portions can be much larger than most people need.  Make like Lady and the Tramp and share that giant entrée for a healthier option.
  • Keep desserts fruit- based with little to no added sugar. Try using an indoor grill to grill bananas, pineapple, peaches or plums.
  • If you do receive chocolates or candy, remember it is ok to eat them in moderation. Keep your servings small or within the recommended serving size. Consider freezing some to enjoy later.

February is Heart Health Month so Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to show some love for yourself and the ones that are near and dear to your heart. Proper diet and activity is the key to a healthy heart!

Written by: Kate Shumaker, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Holmes County

Reviewed by: Caitlin Mathews-Smith, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension.

Biophilia: Bringing Nature Home

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

sitting in nature

If you were asked to picture a place where you felt most calm and content, what would you say? A beach? Your favorite chair? Outside in a garden? It is amazing to hear people describe their “happy place.” Most of the time they describe something that is outdoors … a warm, sandy beach, being under the stars or reading on the porch. And yet, they do not realize the deep connection that exists between nature and their health. But it does exist…and it is called biophilia.

Biophilia simply means love of life. The word biophilia was first used by Erich Fromm and made popular by Harvard naturalist Edward Wilson. It is defined as the “love of living things and nature, which some people believe humans are born with.” It is theorized that humans have an innate connection to nature which make us feel content. Perhaps this is why I have a collection of seashells and rocks on the windowsills in my home. Or why I always have an herb on my desk at work and enjoy smelling their fragrance. Nature simply makes me feel better and more alive. And I don’t need to read books or conduct research to know this because I feel it inside me and trust its healing power.

More people are becoming aware of this as well, as there have been four decades of scientific studies which document that spending time in nature clearly improves our health and can (among many things), lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and increase longevity. But how much time is needed to reap these benefits, you might be asking yourself. There are several schools of thought, but according to one evidenced based study, 120 minutes per week is what is needed to notice the health benefits (about 17 minutes a day or 2 hours a week). The good news is that this time spent outdoors in nature can be as simple as sitting on a park bench or walking around your back yard.

It is easy to incorporate biophilia in your home, work, and in your community. You just need to have a direct contact with nature and live in a way that connects you to outside spaces. For example, at home you can open the blinds and let in more natural sunlight! You can also begin to use natural things such as linens, stones, and driftwood to decorate a home. At work, consider moving your desk, so it is facing an outdoor window that allows you to look outside, see nature and let in fresh air to help you to feel more inspired. And in your community, almost any community space can benefit from a community garden or by simply adding plants to social spaces.

Nature is important for all of us and for many reasons. But today, I hope you will consider spending 17 minutes under a tree! Or at least consider eating your lunch outside because nature matters.

For more information and resources on nature and spending time outdoors, visit the Nature Matters website at go.osu.edu/nature-matters.

Written by: Shari Gallup, Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension, Licking County.

Reviewed by: Laura Stanton, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension, Warren County.

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock, 418228306

References:

Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/biophilia

Colino, Stacey. (2023). Brining Nature inside can improve your health. Here’s how to do it. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2023/06/02/how-to-outdoors-nature-home/

Morris, B. (2020, 02-14). For better health during the pandemic, is two hours outdoors the new 10,000 steps? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-better-health-during-the-pandemic-is-two-hours-outdoors-the-new-10-000-steps-11613304002

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture. Plants do that inside where we live.  https://consumerhort.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/PlantsDoThat-Indoors-WhereWeLive.pdf

Sutte, J. (2016). Greater Good Magazine Science Based Insights For a Meaningful Life. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_nature_makes_you_kinder_happier_more_creative

Weir, K. (2020). Nurtured by Nature. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature

White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3.

Falling in Love with Nature

When was the last time you fell in love? Maybe it was when you found a special someone, got a new puppy or saw a beautiful grand-baby for the first time. What about falling in love with nature? It only takes a moment to stop and notice things happening in nature, and the good news is you do not have to be a naturalist to reap the benefits of bringing nature into your daily life!

Experiencing nature can be a simple as stopping to notice the big, puffy white clouds in the sky or watching the sun set from your window. The other day I found beautiful bright pink pinecones on a tree that I walk by every single day and never noticed. When we stop and notice the little things in nature, we begin experiencing a deeper connection to something more.

Pink pinecones
Photo source: Shari Gallup, 2021. “Pink Pinecones.”

Nature has a way of calming and healing the human mind and body. Have you ever noticed that you feel happier when you spend time in nature?

Spending time in nature can reduce blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension. Research done in hospitals, offices and schools found that the presence of a plant in a workroom can decrease stress and anxiety, and office plants have been shown to reduce employee sick days and improve work productivity.

It is easy to let daily life go by with the busyness of ballgames, work, and other activities, but it only takes a moment to stop and “smell the roses.”  If it is not possible to get outside, here are a few ways to bring nature inside:

Bring plants indoors: I keep a mint plant on my desk and between meetings, I scratch the leaf to release the oil scent and take a few deep breaths in through my nose. My eyes naturally begin to close, and I become calm. Plants help reduce stress and tension. Choose plants that you enjoy and that are easy to grow indoors, or bring in fresh flowers and place them in a container where you can see them.  

Bring the smell of nature indoors: Bring in aromatic flowers, herbs, or pinecones, or use diffusers, candles, or sprays in natural scents like pine, citrus, lavender, or lemon.

Watch the birds:  Set up a bird or suet feeder near a popular window, grab a pair of binoculars if you have one, and watch nature from indoors. There is a lot of great information available from the National Audubon Society if you are new to bird watching, and there are many benefits to becoming a bird nerd! 

If you want to fall in love with nature, start with something small at first, or choose just one of the suggestions above and go slow…that’s the whole idea!

If you would like to learn more, please join me for a free class on Nature and Nutrition on June 9th at noon!  Register at https://go.osu.edu/wellnessweds.

Written by Shari Gallup, MS, Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Licking County

Reviewed by Jenny Lobb, MPH, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County and Laura Stanton, MS, Family and Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Warren County.

Sources:

Beans, Laura (2014).  Study Shows Living Close to Nature Improves Mental Health. https://www.ecowatch.com/study-shows-living-close-to-nature-improves-mental-health-1881858780.html

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (2015). #PlantsDoThat. https://consumerhort.org/plantsdothat-3/

University of Minnesota. Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing. Healing Environment. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/healing-environment