The sentinel stood stock still, slightly hidden from view behind some grassy vegetation on the riverbank until, disturbed by our presence, it, the night heron, languidly took off, long legs trailing behind it, to find a more peaceful spot.
We were a small group kayaking along the mighty Douro River; from the Spanish border to Porto in Portugal as our final destination.
Taking time out in nature is something I’ve always savoured and this trip, two years in the making was extra special because it was an adventure undertaken with a close group of friends who share a love for being out on the water and exploring new environments and happy to help me celebrate a significant birthday.
Eight days paddling 130kms.
Were we nuts?
If you hate being on the water or would see our expedition as a test of endurance rather than something that you would love to participate in, you’d probably choose something different.
However, studies have shown that spending 120 minutes a week in a blue or green space is the minimum threshold required to maintain mental wellbeing. That translates to just over 15 minutes a day to assist in elevating your mood and calm your mind, reduce stress levels and stimulate insight, creativity and adaptability.
Enjoying good mental health is something none of us can take for granted. We know that 1:2 of us will experience some form of mental illness in our lifetime and 1: 5 of us will experience a mental health challenge in any given 12 months.
Being proactive to stay well is vital.
The question being how to achieve that in this crazy busy world that demands so much of us all the time and never allows us time to draw breath.
In Lifestyle Medicine, which is totally evidence-based, we, as practitioners, want to know,
“What keeps you well?”
Our focus is entirely on prevention and the mitigation of the risk of chronic disease.
There are six core pillars of human well-being; healthy nutrition, adequate physical exercise, sufficient restorative sleep, adequate stress management, strong social connection and avoiding risky behaviours like drinking alcohol to excess or smoking.
Your answer to which facet of what you consider important to your own health and well-being will be unique to you. It depends on what you consider most important i.e what matters?
The magic here, is that time with nature underpins ALL of these.
The Landscape – the Douro region in Portugal
How nature influences the six pillars.
We derive our food from the land and how much better does that food taste, if we have grown it ourselves or plucked it directly from a tree, still warm from the sun?
In addition, exposure to nature strengthens the immune system and influences the human microbiome building resistance versus pathogenic attack and reducing allergies.
We use our body to move in nature to travel to different destinations. A green prescription can include activities like gardening, cycling, walking, running, hiking, sailing and kayaking.
We sleep better and more soundly when we have spent time outdoors during the day.
We manage our stress better because of the physiological impact nature exposure has on our body and mind. You not only feel better, but you are also better. Healthier, happier and if you’ve been exercising, fitter too. You’re more focused and have better access to your cognitive resources.
Nature even boosts social connection. Studies have shown it strengthens our connection to the world at large, to ourselves and to other people. Think of a time when you experienced awe from something you witnessed outdoors. Was it a beautiful sunset, a glorious vista, a tiny-jewelled beetle or dewdrops glistening in the early morning sunlight?
A daily dose of awe does wonders for well-being.
And yes, time with nature also helps reduce risky behaviours, decreasing impulsivity and increasing self-control as you slow down and relish what nature has to offer.
The fishing boats coming in – Porto, Portugal
Our adventure ticked all the boxes.
If you’ve ever been to the Douro region in Portugal, you’ll know just how stunning it is. We were exposed to beautiful green landscapes and a magnificent river.
We enjoyed sensational Portuguese food, fresh, locally sourced and served with love (and gigantic portions!)
We were engaged in physical activity. Yes, the arms and legs and glutes certainly got more than an average workout, but we had purpose and a shared goal – to reach Porto!
We slept like proverbial logs after being outside all day in the fresh air and sunshine.
We shook off any stress from other places, our worries about work and the world floated away downstream. Not having access to all the negative media and other distractions certainly helped.
Friendships strengthened as we laughed and shared our experiences as we paddled along.
As one friend noted, everything had its own rhythm, from the synchronised strokes of our paddles to the movement of the current, the direction of the wind, the winding of the river, the sculpted terraces of olive groves and vines, and even the sightings of the sentinels who appeared to be positioned at 10 km intervals along the riverbank.
Paddling into Porto on that last day, I was left with mixed feelings.
A sense of achievement – we did it!
A deep sense of gratitude to my paddling pals and our amazing support crew.
A sense of sadness, knowing this special time was now drawing to a close. As I watched the fishing boats entering the harbour at sunset, their wakes rippling in unison on the sea, I was reminded again of the rhythm of life.
That tomorrow would reveal another dawn, another opportunity to explore and take the time to step outside and marvel at the wonder that is nature.
Thank you, Wave Rider, Powerhouse, Water Baby, Chanteuse, Champion, Synchroniser, Dady Long-legs, Sunshine, Adventure Girl, Stoic, Happy Chappy and Smiler for making this, the best birthday adventure EVER.
We made it!
If you’re a health practitioner interested to find out more about how time in nature boosts health and well-being, there’s still time to register for LM26 being held in beautiful Hobart November 13th -15th.
This year’s theme is appropriately, “The Nature of Health”, and it would be great to see you there!
