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With our technological advances and fast-paced lives, modern living can sometimes leave us feeling frazzled, disconnected and separate from the natural world. However, humans have always been and still remain a part of nature. We have basic biological needs and requirements that can only be obtained from the natural world through nutritious food that is grown or raised on the land, natural sunlight that regulates our sleep patterns and provides vitamin D, and fresh air and green spaces for movement, rest and recuperation. We experience primal, instinctive reactions such as the fight or flight stress response to real or perceived threats just like other animals, and science shows us that our nervous systems respond positively to being in natural, green environments. We have a gut consisting of its own miniature ecosystem of gut microbes that helps to keep us healthy, providing we take care of it by eating a variety of plant fibres to support its biodiversity. We are inherently connected to the natural world in multiple ways. Approaches to wellness such as human re-wilding, plant medicine, forest therapy, nature-based mindfulness and forest schools have risen in popularity in recent years as people seek a deeper connection with the natural world and a return to simpler, more sustainable lifestyles. If you feel like you have been neglecting that wilder part of yourself and you are looking to connect more deeply with nature for a healthier body and mind, this article offers some tips and ideas to help you get started.Try these activities to re-wild yourself and connect with nature more deeply to give your health a boost: <h3>Forest therapy</h3>Also known as Shinrin-Yoku, forest therapy involves immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest and includes elements of mindfulness, such as focusing on the present moment, deep breathing and being aware of the sights, sounds and smells of your natural surroundings. The term was introduced in Japan in 1982 and there has since been a magnitude of scientific studies looking at the health-promoting benefits of spending time in forests, woodlands or other natural spaces, with particular emphasis on stress reduction for those living in urban environments. A recent study found significant evidence for the positive effects of forest therapy on human health. Benefits included improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, improved immunity through increased activity of white blood cells called natural killer cells (NKC), reduced activity of the ‘fight or flight’ stress response and stimulation of the part of the nervous system responsible for relaxation, rest and digestion. Phytoncides are essential oils released by plants and trees into the forest atmosphere and it is thought that these oils are responsible for some of the positive health effects of forest bathing, particularly the benefits for immunity.1 You don’t have to live in a cabin deep in the forest to fully experience the benefits of forest therapy. Find a local nature reserve, park, woodland or forest to visit and enjoy a gentle walk. Whilst you’re walking, pay attention to your surroundings and your breath, notice the smells, sounds, sights, colours and how being in the natural elements feels. For a guided experience, look in your local area for forest-bathing walks led by a forest therapy guide. <h3>Get some indoor plants </h3>Introducing greenery in the form of indoor plants can help to improve your mood and emotional wellbeing, particularly if you spend a lot of time indoors. A recent review of 45 studies found that an indoor space with plants is associated with positive emotions such as friendliness, happiness, cheerfulness, relaxation and peacefulness and reduced negative emotions such as anxiety, pressure and fatigue, compared to indoor spaces without plants. Greater concentration and productivity was also found in people living in homes with indoor plants compared to those with no indoor plants.2 House plants don’t cost too much and are a great way to bring nature indoors to promote a feeling of calm!<h3>Give gardening a try </h3>Gardening is a pastime associated with a wide array of health benefits such as reduced depression and anxiety, weight management, increased life satisfaction and better quality of life.3 Learning to grow and care for plants can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and brings you into direct contact with nature, the seasons and the natural cycles of life, whilst also keeping physically active. Physical contact with natural materials such as soil and moss can improve the diversity of the skin microbiome, which helps to keep the skin healthy and reduce inflammation and redness.4 Who knew gardening could help your skin too!To try your hand at gardening, you just need a small patch of land, either your own garden or you could apply for an allotment or help out at a community garden. <h3>Learn to forage </h3>Foraging is a great way to connect with your local landscape. Different plants grow at different times of the year so it can also be a fun way to follow nature where you live throughout the changing seasons. Edible foods that can be foraged include elderberries, sloe berries, blackberries, rosehips, hazelnuts, wild strawberries, nettle, wild garlic, dandelion and chamomile, to name just a few, which can be used in all manner of tasty dishes.However, it’s important that you know what you’re picking and to never munch on a hunch as there may be toxic look-alike plants, and some plants require careful preparation before they are safe to consume. For safe foraging, consult a reliable plant identification book and follow these guidelines from the <a href="https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging/foraging-guidelines/" target="_blank">Woodland Trust </a>to look after yourself and your environment.There may even be some expert-led foraging walks in your local area that you can join.<h3>The power of plants: herbs, oils, mushrooms and teas for a healthy body and mind</h3>Essential oils are created through the distillation or mechanical pressing of plant parts to create a highly aromatic, concentrated oil that has specific properties. Essential oils may be used in aromatherapy, in oil diffusers or oil burners to release a fragrance, added to a bath, or they can be included as ingredients in skincare products and massage oils. <h3>Aromatherapy </h3>Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy that uses aromatic essential oils via inhalation or skin application to support physical and mental health. Specific aromas are chosen for their desired effect. For example, essential oils can be used to lift the mood, relieve stress, rejuvenate or improve concentration and memory. It is believed that essential oils exert this effect by stimulating olfactory nerve receptors in the nose connected to the brain, affecting areas of the brain such as the limbic system and hypothalamus, triggering the release of neurotransmitters – the brain’s messengers. Alternatively, diluted oils may exert their effect when applied to the skin via massage.5 Here are several essential oils and their potential benefits, backed by research:5,6Lavender oil<ul><li>Stress relief </li><li>Anti-anxiety</li><li>Remedy for burns</li><li>Supports sleep</li></ul>Lemon/Citrus<ul><li>Mood lifting</li><li>Nausea relief </li><li>May help with first stage labour pain</li><li>Antiseptic and astringent for oily skin </li></ul>Tea Tree oil<ul><li>Antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal </li><li>Immune stimulating </li></ul>Rosemary oil<ul><li>Memory enhancer</li><li>Improved cognition</li><li>Reduced cortisol (stress hormone)</li><li>Anti-anxiety </li><li>Improved mood </li></ul>Whilst essential oils are usually seen as safe to use because they are natural, they should not be applied neatly to the skin or taken internally due to their strong concentration and ability to burn or cause damage to delicate tissues. Furthermore, it is advisable to seek the guidance of a qualified aromatherapist when working with essential oils for safety reasons. For example, some essential oils should not be used during pregnancy. Dilution of essential oils requires a carrier oil that can create a safe blend – water is not sufficient to dilute oils.<h3>Herbal teas </h3>Herbal teas are another great way to make use of nature’s bounty to boost your health. They offer a gentler way to experience the power of medicinal herbs, can help you to stay hydrated, are a source of antioxidants and can help to soothe the nervous system and digestion. Some popular herbal teas include chamomile, peppermint and ginger tea.Chamomile tea is traditionally drunk to ease digestive complaints such as bloating and flatulence due to its antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. It may also help with relaxation.7 Peppermint too can help with digestive issues, such as an upset stomach, and can also freshen the breath.8 Ginger is another tea that aids digestion and can help with nausea such as morning sickness and motion sickness (8). However, there are many different types of herbal teas available, sold as loose tea or in teabags. If you have a herb garden you can also make your own tea by steeping fresh leaves in hot water, for example, peppermint, lemon balm, mint and even rosemary are good options for digestive support and their anti-inflammatory properties. <h3>Herbal medicine </h3>Herbal medicine is a complementary therapy that makes use of medicinal plants, in the form of tinctures or standardised herbal extracts, to support health and to prevent disease. Herbal medicine may be used to support a whole host of issues such as skin health, liver detoxification, reproductive function, hormone balance, energy production, cardiovascular health and digestive function. Many people consider herbal medicine to be safe since herbs are natural products, however medicinal herbs have chemical constituents that can be potent in their effects and may interact with other medications or be contraindicated during pregnancy. Therefore it is a good idea to seek the guidance of a qualified medical herbalist before trying out a herbal supplement and this should not replace medical advice. <h3>Medicinal mushrooms </h3>Mushrooms aren’t just pretty to look at in Autumn when walking in the woods. Dried mushroom powders, blends and mushroom extracts containing fungi such as Reishi, Chaga, Maitake and Shiitake varieties are available as dietary supplements and have increased in popularity over the years. Whilst more clinical research in humans is required, studies indicate that specific compounds in mushrooms may be able to enhance and regulate the immune system favourably and may have anti-cancer properties.9,10 Other studies support the potential for mushrooms to help lower cholesterol for cardiovascular health.10 Additionally, mushrooms are high in antioxidant compounds which may help to reduce inflammation and support cell health and function. <h3>Summary</h3>In summary, the benefits of nature on health are wide and varied. Connecting with nature through forest therapy, gardening, indoor plants and wild foraging can support emotional wellbeing, improve mood and reduce the risk of health problems such as depression and high blood pressure. Products derived from nature such as essential oils, herbal teas, herbal medicines and medicinal mushrooms have the potential to support mind and body through reducing stress and anxiety, improving digestion, regulating the immune system and nudging the body back into a state of balance.

Connect with the natural world both inside and out for a healthy body and mind. 

The Benefits Of Nature: Lifestyle Practices, Herbs, Oils, Mushrooms And Teas

<h3>Women’s Urogenital Health</h3>From bacterial vaginosis to chronic urinary tract infections, women’s urogenital problems can be painful and life limiting. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can help optimise women’s urogenital health and wellbeing and alleviate symptoms.Urinary tract infections, thrush, and bacterial vaginosis are some of the most common health issues affecting women. The term ‘urogenital health’ covers any condition relating to the urinary tract and genital region, including:<ul><li>Cystitis</li><li>Bacterial vaginosis</li><li>Interstitial cystitis (IC) </li><li>Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS)</li><li>Thrush</li><li>Vulvodynia</li></ul><h3>Cystitis, Interstitial Cystitis, and Bladder Pain Syndrome </h3>Cystitis is the medical name for inflammation of the bladder. A bacterial urinary tract infection is usually the cause of this inflammation, with E. Coli species commonly responsible for cystitis. Symptoms include pain when peeing, urgency to pee, only passing a small amount of urine, and lower abdominal pain. Drinking lots of water and other self-help measures can help (<a href="https://www.vitaminology.co/articles/kidneys-bladder/food-and-supplements-to-support-utis-and-cystitis" target="_blank">read more here</a>), but in some cases antibiotics may be needed to clear the infection.Interstitial cystitis, also known as Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS), is a chronic form of inflammation and pain not typically caused by bacterial infection.1 It mostly affects women aged over 30 but can affect men and women of any age. <h3>Symptoms of Bladder Pain Syndrome:</h3><ul><li>Intense pelvic area pain</li><li>Sudden urgency to pee</li><li>Needing to pee frequently through the night</li><li>Blood in urine (haematuria) </li><li>Pain in the lower abdomen as the bladder is filling up, which is relieved by peeing</li><li>Pain in other areas such as the vagina, vulva, rectum, and lower back</li></ul>These symptoms can come and go with weeks and months of remission between flare-ups. It is important to see a GP if there is blood in your urine as this can be a sign of infection. <h3>What causes Bladder Pain Syndrome?</h3>In some cases, BPS can be caused by a previously undetected bacterial infection. As the symptoms of BPS relate to many other conditions, testing is important to investigate other potential underlying causes such as:<ul><li>Pelvic floor dysfunction: the pelvic floor muscles need to be able to relax for normal urination to happen. Muscle spasms in the pelvic floor interrupt the muscular co-ordination needed for normal urination, and can lead to pain, incomplete urination, and urinary urgency.2 Tension in the pelvic floor muscles also contributes to pain in the rectum, perineum, vulva, and vagina. Disrupted nerve signalling between the muscles can stimulate mast cells in the bladder wall to release proinflammatory substances, leading to localised bladder inflammation and further pain. </li><li>Chronic constipation and/or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): the bladder and bowel have closely related nerve pathways and bowel conditions can affect both bladder and pelvic floor function. Neural crosstalk between the organs means that constipation and IBS can contribute to BPS.2 The microbial imbalance in the gut microbiome seen in constipation and IBS also increases the risk of bacterial imbalance in the urinary tract, predisposing it to infection. </li><li>Medication side effects: certain medications can impact bowel function, which in turn can contribute to symptoms of BPS. </li></ul><h3>Bacterial vaginosis and thrush</h3>Bacterial vaginosis (BV) develops when the natural bacterial balance in the vaginal tract is disturbed. A normal vaginal microbiome is dominated by Lactobacilli species which maintain a slightly acidic pH level, inhibiting the growth of potentially harmful microbes. In BV, this balance is disrupted, allowing the pH to rise and species such as Gardnerella vaginalis – the most common BV pathogen - to proliferate.The vaginal microbiome can be affected by sexual activity, when using perfumed hygiene products, douching, or by hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and menopause. Many women have no symptoms of BV. The most common symptom is a change to the normal vaginal discharge: in BV, discharge becomes watery, grey, and has a fishy odour.Thrush also causes changes to vaginal discharge, but with thrush discharge becomes thicker and may look like cottage cheese. Unlike BV, thrush is caused by yeast overgrowth in the vaginal tract.<h3>Vulvodynia</h3>Vulvodynia describes chronic pain in the vulva, the area just outside the vagina.3 Symptoms include burning, stinging, sore sensations, and pain during sex, even though the vulva looks normal. These symptoms may occur alongside BPS, IBS, and vaginismus (involuntary tightening and spasming of muscles in the vagina). The cause of vulvodynia often relates to nerve damage in the vulva caused by:<ul><li>Childbirth</li><li>Surgery</li><li>Trapped nerves</li><li>A history of severe thrush infections</li></ul>In some cases, the exact cause remains unclear. However, it is important to understand that vulvodynia has nothing to do with personal hygiene and is not contagious.<h3>The role of the microbiome</h3>Women’s urogenital health is closely connected to the health of the gut and vaginal microbiomes. Any imbalances (known as ‘dysbiosis’) in these microbial communities can allow pathogenic species of bacteria and yeasts to proliferate and translocate between the different areas, causing symptoms. The vaginal microbiome has a lower diversity than the gut microbiome because of the dominance of Lactobacilli species. Lactobacilli and their metabolites keep in check the other species within the vagina such as Candida, Gardnerella, Actinobacteria, Prevotella, Veillonellaceae, Streptococcus, Proteobacteria, Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, and Burkholderiales.4 The levels and composition of these microbe communities varies over the course of the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy and menopause and between different ethnicities.4Bacterial vaginosis has been shown to be responsive to the use of probiotic supplements. One review concludes that the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GR-1, and Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14 at a dose of at least 10 CFU/day for 2 months provided the best results for managing BV.5 Probiotics for BV can be used alongside antibiotic treatments. A small-scale study of 125 premenopausal women diagnosed with BV showed that a combination of antibiotics and probiotics provided better outcomes than antibiotics alone, with 88% of the antibiotic/probiotic group demonstrating full remission of BV symptoms compared to 40% in the antibiotic/placebo group.6Recurrent UTI’s may also benefit from probiotic supplementation. The research into using probiotics for UTIs is mixed, however there is evidence that probiotics can be as effective as antibiotics, without increasing the problem of antibiotic resistance.7 <h3>The impact of perimenopause and menopause</h3>The hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause have a significant impact on women’s urogenital health. During perimenopause, oestrogen fluctuations and elevated levels of follicle stimulating hormone can increase the risk of vaginal candida overgrowth and thrush. As perimenopause progresses and oestrogen levels decline, the vaginal lining gets thinner and more sensitive, and loss of collagen and elastin affects the muscular structure. Pelvic floor muscles can weaken too, affecting bladder and bowel function and increasing the risk of prolapse.<h3>Nutrition and lifestyle support for urogenital health</h3>Nutrition and lifestyle changes can help optimise urogenital health at any stage in a woman’s life. These steps work alongside mainstream medical treatments and may help alleviate symptoms and strengthen protection against infection.Anti-inflammatory foodsUTI’s, BV, and cystitis all involve inflammation. Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into the diet on a regular basis provides the body with the nutrients it needs to help manage inflammation and repair damaged cells.Anti-inflammatory foods include:<ul><li>Berries: blueberries, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, haskap berries, and blackberries</li><li>Oily fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovy, trout, and herring are rich in omega-3 oils that form anti-inflammatory prostaglandin molecules</li><li>Herbs and spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, black pepper</li><li>Nuts and seeds: good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 oils</li></ul>PhytoestrogensDuring perimenopause and menopause, phytoestrogen compounds can help the body adapt to fluctuating oestrogen levels. Plant-based oestrogens latch onto oestrogen receptors, helping modulate the oestrogen response, providing a weaker response when normal oestrogen is high, and a gentle boost when it is low. <a href="https://www.vitaminology.co/articles/menopause/5-best-phytoestrogen-foods" target="_blank">Read more about phytoestrogen foods here</a>. Top sources of phytoestrogens are:<ul><li>Ground flaxseeds</li><li>Red clover sprouts</li><li>Fermented soya products</li><li>Broccoli</li><li>Alfalfa and mung bean sprouts</li><li>Chickpeas </li></ul>Cranberry extractCranberry extract has a long history of use for managing UTI’s as it reduces the ability of E. Coli to cling to the bladder wall. The juice is usually sweetened with sugar which can feed pathogenic bacteria, so opt for unsweetened juice or cranberry extract supplements.d-MannoseIn a study of 308 women with a history of recurrent UTI’s, d-mannose powder was shown to significantly reduce the risk of recurrent UTI and was comparable to antibiotic treatment.8Prebiotic and Probiotic foodsPrebiotic foods such as oats, stewed apple, banana, asparagus, onions, and garlic provide soluble fibre for gut bacteria to feed and ferment on. Probiotic foods are foods that naturally contain species of beneficial bacteria to support the levels and diversity of our own gut microbiome. These include sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and natural yoghurt.Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)A small-scale randomized controlled trial has demonstrated that MBSR techniques may be a helpful adjunctive therapy for women managing BPS (Bladder Pain Syndrome).9 As BPS is a chronic and painful condition, a regular MBSR practice can foster a sense of empowerment and strengthen the ability to cope with symptoms. YogaHatha Yoga can be useful for increasing bodily awareness, coping with ongoing stress and chronic pain, and improving the tone and strength of the pelvic floor.10 Women with pelvic floor dysfunction, lower back or genital area pain, and urinary incontinence may benefit from a tailored Hatha yoga programme to support symptom management. <h3>Summary</h3>Urogenital conditions can be painful, distressing, and life limiting. Chronic conditions have a significant impact on work life and personal relationships, and the exact cause of many of these issues can be hard to find. Nutrition and lifestyle changes offer simple steps that can alleviate symptoms and help prevent conditions from recurring.

Suffering from cystitis, thrush or bacterial vaginosis? Find out how to alleviate your pain and discomfort naturally.

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