Did you know, that a new study out this year has pegged humans as the first ever completely indoor species! Thats a jarring label when you consider that our ancestors used to practically live outside!

It makes you wonder, if the obesity epidemic is at a world wide high, and things like school administered recess are getting thrown to the wayside more everyday, what could possibly come next?

Why is it that getting outdoors has become such a struggle?

The REI Co-op journal claims as much as 95 percent of a humans life is now spent inside. What a life we lead caged by walls, surrounded by uninspiring stale air, and a bitter lack of nature.

Luckily they, like many, have created the Path Ahead campaign in an effort to bring awareness to a truly crippling statistic.

You can check out REI’s The Path Ahead to learn more about the effort, which includes a home page littered with striking images of starry night skies, and lush green mountains all accompanied by stirring quotes from journalist, naturalists, and outdoor advocates.

With human health carrying more wieght than ever (pun intended),  besides the asthetic allure there are seven health positive benefits that come from just a short walk among the great outdoors!

SEVEN REASONS TO TAKE A HIKE

• Decreases symptoms of anxiety, OCD, depression, eating disorders (especially binging), ADHD, and PTSD among other mental health issues.

• Hiking can burn up to 800 calories an hour and is less stressful on the body and its joints.

• A hike can increase brainpower, enable better problem solving, improve memory, and can actually act as a preventative for decreased cognitive functions that occur as we age. 

• Improves self-esteem and releases endorphins which are essentially our happy emotions. 

• Hiking not only strengthens the core, but also targets neglected muscles not usually used when covering primarily flat ground, making it the perfect full body workout.

• Hiking can actually heal and repair the body and the brain. Antioxidant production and capacities are actually increased from a walk among nature.

• Provides an outlet for disconnection from technology and our busy over stimulated world encouraging deeper connections socially and creatively, as well as providing extreme stress relief. 

America, separate of many other places in the world, is littered with local parks, refuges’, wilderness conservations, and other areas of green space made to be frequented by people. National Park Service Director, Jonathan Jarvis, warns that National Parks could become obsolete among our increasingly distracted demograhic.  With over 610 million acres of public lands available, Americans have no excuse.

Its beyond important to give gratitude and find use for the incredible nature surrounding us, and jst as important is advocating for it so that it sticks around, but more so, it is essential that we take care of ourselves both physically and mentally in the best ways possible and that means utilizing these outdoor spaces in a respectful and benificial manor.

Take advantage of the incredible benifits via body and mind from a walk and some fresh air.  Its as simple as 45 minutes among the trees, thats less time then most of us spend scorlling our instagram, and its actually healing our brains in the process. How cool is that!

Happy Hiking!