The health benefits of nature

I live in Penguin, which is at the base of the Dial Range. I absolutely love the Dial Range. Living there it's just a place where you can come up and connect with nature at any time. 

For people in the area, you don’t have to go for hours to be able to get there. Therefore, all of the community can access this. It's not just for hardcore hikers, this is what everyday people can access to contribute to their well-being, and it's far better than going to any gym.

Physically, my heart rate gets up, I build my muscle strength, I use my legs. But it’s not only for physical health, but for mental health and wellbeing. There’s been a lot of studies done to prove the impact nature has on well-being. But honestly I’m not really sure why they need to do a study, because anyone who spends time in nature could just tell you that. 

We know that 7000 steps a day has tremendous health benefits. So any degree of walking that people can do is beneficial. But then you combine that with the environment of nature and that connection to the earth, and the mindfulness aspect of it. 

It’s the time when I feel completely at peace. And for people who live along the Northwest Coast, we have that right at our back door here in the Dial Range.