green

This morning we sent out our first "log your weekly mileage for the office marathon" email. A million years ago, when the world was new and we could walk maskless, I taught a class at George Washington University on running. And I got paid for it! (Ok, not much.) And I got an excellent rating from the students! 

In addition to teaching them how to run in proper form so it would be easier and gentler, I taught them things in the classroom about running. It was very long ago so I don't remember all the lessons. One was how to increase your mileage safely. One was the impact of running on mental health. I got a really good review from one student for that one, she (do I know which student it was? I think I do) said that no other professor had ever addressed the issue in the classroom with such sensitivity and seriousness. One was running in green space.

For our encouraging message this morning we mentioned the differential health impact of running in green space vs running in an urban area. There are many benefits to parks. 

Green spaces provide cognitive rest, helping to improve happiness and mental health and physical health. Time in parks can reduce symptoms of dementia and depression. Kids who play outdoors develop stronger reasoning and observational skills. People who live in neighborhoods with more trees live longer. The causal relationship on some of these might be suspect, but there are so many examples that it becomes irrefutable that humans do well with green. 

Unless of course you are so allergic that it kills you. 

Or you touch poison ivy. 

There are always exceptions. 

I was looking for a nice citation for this morning's message and found 
https://depts.washington.edu/hhwb/Thm_Mental.html


The World Health Organization found all the above plus noise buffering and improved pregnancy outcomes! 

Twenty minutes in a park will improve your happiness  https://time.com/5539942/green-space-health-wellness/

Exercise in a green space and it will seem easier  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3710158/

All of this reading even before I began the work day. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that it includes an excursion someplace green.