Mental Health
When I started this blog almost two years ago, I briefly mentioned something about mental health in one of my posts. You can read that post here. This is a single post specifically about mental health.
What we think about is very important. We are not only what we eat; we are also what we think about. We are encouraged in God's Word to think about things that are: true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, and praise. (Philippians 4:8) Isn't that beautiful?!
That made me think... when God created the world, He not only created plants for food and medicine (as mentioned in my last blog post), God also created plants for beauty.
Can you imagine what the world would be like without plants? Me neither. I shudder to think what this earth would look like without plants. It would look a lot like death, I think. Plants give life; they are life giving. Plants are beautiful! And the Giver of the good gift of plants and nature is God Himself. I now understand why God said that it was good twice on the day that He created dry land and plants. (Tuesday - the third day of creation)
What we think about is very important. We are not only what we eat; we are also what we think about. We are encouraged in God's Word to think about things that are: true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, and praise. (Philippians 4:8) Isn't that beautiful?!
God gave us other things that also help mental health. Can you guess what another one is?
If you guessed nature, the outdoors, God's marvelous gift of creation, you are correct.
There are many sites online that reference this. The link given below is just one of many sites that confirm this fact:
When I was working for friends of mine this past spring in California, I helped to ship and pack seeds - vegetable, flower, grass, and herb seeds. About half of the seed packs at my work place were wildflower seeds. While gathering seed packs for orders one day, I noticed a certain wildflower that had the same name as a supplement I have. I began to wonder... do these wildflowers have medicinal properties? I decided to ask the owner. Sure enough! "Yes, they do!" he said. Nearly all wildflowers have medicinal use, but most people are not aware of that. Most people simply order flower seeds for beauty and enjoyment alone.
Think about it for a minute. Before a zucchini plant yields its produce, what does it do first? It blossoms into a beautiful, bright, yellow flower for bees to pollenate! To my knowledge, most plants bloom before yielding produce. God didn't have to do that, but He did! That tells me that God loves beauty.
Plants are not only good for our physical health (as mentioned in my last blog post), they are also good for our mental health, especially when we spend time outside.
God didn't intend for people to stay inside all day long; God intended people to spend time outside in nature! In the United States, it's very easy to do that, especially this time of year, when the weather is so nice!
Thankfully, you do not have to spend hours outside to receive those mental health benefits. Just spending 30 minutes a day outside (weather permitting) can have an affect on your mental health!
In the northern hemisphere, that is very do-able in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. In the winter, that doesn't usually work. (unless you live in a state with a warmer climate) I think that is one reason why people tend to get a little more depressed in the winter. Not only is there usually less sunshine in the winter, but people are not able to go outdoors as much in states where there is colder weather. I like to think of winter as a season of rest - a great time to work on indoor projects and snuggle inside! Thankfully, in the USA, we have three seasons when we can spend time outside.
Live in a big city in a small house or apartment? Walk, bike, or drive to a nearby park to get some time outside in nature.
Don't have a park nearby that you can access? Set up a lawn chair in your backyard or on your back deck and read a book, spend time in prayer, watch your children play, or catch up on phone messages. There are many, simple ways to go outside.
There are, of course, many other aspects of mental health, but I do not plan to write about those in this post. An important one is spending some time outside each day, when possible.
Many years ago, before modern technology, most men worked outside in the fields or in orchards. Today, many jobs are indoors, such as online and office type work. Those are all well and good. But if you have a job like that, it is good to take a little time each day, perhaps on a lunch break or in the evening, to go outside.
Take time to go outside today if you can! God gave us the gift of nature for many reasons - one of those reasons is for our mental health!
Our mental health has an effect on our physical health as well as our emotional health. Stay tuned as I plan to write a single post about emotional health next.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.
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