PLANTS, NATURE & MENTAL WELLBEING
The symbiotic relationship between plants & humans
Countless scientific studies demonstrate the benefits of being around plants and in nature on our mental, social, physical and emotional function. Even when I was working back in an office job, I noticed that my day would start in a much more positive way if I walked through the park to catch the train in the morning. Something about being amongst the trees and plants calmed me down and made me less anxious and more grounded.
During the recent pandemic, I have been lucky enough to have access to a park for daily walks in nature and it’s one of the things that has made this whole experience, not only bearable, but in many ways a joy. Reconnecting with nature and slowing down.
Different cultures integrate plant therapy into their way of life e.g. in Japan Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) is one of the core pillars of their culture.
Plant and humans have a symbiotic relationship; on a basic level, plants emit oxygen for humans to breathe and in return, humans produce carbon dioxide which the plants take in.
Plants also produce valuable chemicals and compounds that work with our own systems, hormones and cells. This can be beneficial from a medical point of view, using plants to treat and support our physical health.
When I first started my business last year, as well as working with corporates and individuals, I wanted one of the main goals and pillars of the business to involve working with my local community to improve mental health. Some people may think London is an unfriendly place with little left in the way of community. I know this isn’t true and I have always believed you can create and build a life that you want for yourself, including a supportive, local community and network. The particular area I live in is a great example of this and it’s never been more evident than during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2019, I started working at Sydenham Gardens as part of a Volunteer project called Growing Lives. This is a weekly social, therapeutic and vocational horticultural session that enables people suffering from mental health, to improve their confidence and integrate them back into the community (if that is their goal).
Mental health is defined by the World Health Organisation as “a state of well-being in which [an] individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”. Conceived in this way, mental health encompasses (i) the absence of mental illness and (ii) the presence of psychological well-being.
The programme at De Frene Market Garden in Sydenham enables people suffering from mental distress to:
Improve their mental, physical health, and general wellbeing,
Learn new horticultural and transferable skills, to gain qualifications, and to improve their employability, self-confidence, and self-esteem,
Learn food growing and experience healthy eating and improved diet, and
Increase their social inclusion in the communities they live in.
Amongst many of the activities that were carried out at the gardens, planting, arranging and caring for the plants seemed to have the biggest impact on people’s wellbeing and social interaction skills. You could literally see people coming to life, more easily able to hold conversations, less anxious and more engaged. The project recently won a Queens Award for Voluntary service. You can find out more about the Sydenham Gardens project here as well as similar local projects in your area here. There are many other charities and organisations supporting similar initiatives but these are a good place to start.
In addition to my work at the Gardens, I have also been lucky enough to run wellbeing workshops with incredible organisations like The House of St. Barnabus; a social enterprise Member’s Club in Soho that is focused on mental health and breaking the cycle of homelessness through employment. Their mission is; to create the strongest community of people who are invested in creating a fair and equal society, and a future where lasting work is a reality for people affected by homelessness. To find out more about this and the potential to run wellbeing, natural health workshops with your company or organisation, please get in touch.
There are plenty of studies to support the fact that interacting with nature improves cognition and depression in individuals. Not only being in nature, but the consumption of plant-based medicine too. To find out more either get in touch or simply get out to your local park, field, garden or beach to experience it for yourself.