We already hit the longest day of the year and now we’re barreling down the hill towards short, cold, and forced indoor days. On a positive note, we’re in the thick of summer vacation time and there’s no better moment than now to reap the health benefits of spending time outside! Regardless if it’s a week of accumulating gritty sand in every item and crevasse you have, or if deeply rooted in the depths of the forest, or even around the corner of your local pharmacy in Powell, TN, your body will reap the benefits of outdoor living.
Spending the days outside in general helps your health out in several ways. For example, improved physical health, better sleep, and vitamin D absorption (you don’t always need a pharmacy in Powell, TN for that vitamin!).
Let’s look at a couple of typical vacation spots and what they can do for your wellbeing.
The Beach!
Like millions of others, you may be booked to flock to the beach. Break out that suntan lotion and must-haves you bought from a pharmacy in Powell, TN and remind yourself you’re vacationing for your health. Just tell yourself you’re gaining…
- Happiness. Examine the hoards of beachgoers swarming around (before you try to score a secluded spot) and it’s unlikely you’ll cross many grumpy faces. One interesting fact you may not know is that waves from the ocean may play a part in this. The waves create negative ions in the air and can be thanked for increasing mental energy… for a better mood.
- Improved mental health. There are few better places to find some peace of mind than at the beach.
- Stress relief. Spending time in the sand doesn’t lend opportunity to obsess over work, school, or general headaches of life. Though perusing the store for stress relief in a pharmacy in Powell, TN, like Vaughn Pharmacy might offer some stress-relief options (such as CBD oil), there’s no arguing that hanging out in the sun and sand can’t be beaten.
- Physical activity. Just trudging through the sand and digging those flip-flopped feet in will burn more calories than pacing around your house. Add in some swimming or horseplay in the water and possibly a little beach volleyball and all of the sudden you have a workout on your hands.
- Social interaction. Yes, beaches often welcome droves of people from all over the place and you’ll surely bump into populations of all backgrounds. With a seemingly endless supply of people, it won’t be hard to align yourself with someone who may click with you and make your time outside more memorable.
The Forest!
Bathing in a bathtub isn’t the only way to catch a bath. Here’s a word you may not be aware of but it contains a powerful concept – shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. Exploring this concept promises to deliver many benefits to your health. This is something that you won’t accomplish with a pharmacy in Powell, TN. Simply put, the concept is to lose yourself in the forest. And doing so delivers a powerfully positive punch to your health –
- Cancer prevention. There’s actually a study with people who walked in the forest in relation to their immune system and cancer prevention. After participants spent a couple days deep in the woods, blood samples were examined and NK cell activity increased. And what does that mean? It means there was an increase in cancer fighting cells compared to blood samples taken at the start of the study.
- Stress reduction. This is a universal one and not limited to the beach. Smells and scents in the forest can actually lower stress levels.
- Help with depression. One study actually showed lower prescription for anti-depressants amounts for those living near trees than those who didn’t. Though any pharmacy in Powell, TN will happily fill your script, maybe spending some time out in the woods can reduce the need for antidepressants.
- Improve learning and memory. Studies show that children who spend time living and playing in the forest have better cognitive skills than others. Germany has actually established “Forest Kindergartens” and it’s a concept slowly taking off in the U.S. and U.K.
Summer Activity Ideas
Are you a non-creative type and struggle with ideas on what to do with the family outside? Don’t let your creative block keep your family prisoner inside. There’s a seemingly endless list of options for you to get outside and have a little fun while helping your health. You might even be able to find a few supplemental supplies at a pharmacy in Powell, TN to jump start your adventures. Here are just a few suggestions…
- Get dirty. Play in the mud or dirt! Don’t worry…. You can take a bath later. Make mud pies and creations with the earth’s free offerings.
- Draw with chalk. You’re never too old to cake your hands in the dust in an array of chalk colors. Draw on the driveway! Create games or sketch whatever enters your imagination.
- Water balloon fight. Fill up buckets of balloons and prepare to soak yourself. You’ll find yourself running around, burning calories, and cooling off all at the same time.
- Picnic outside. Pack up a basket full of fresh, healthy goodies and make a day of it. Spread out an old blanket on the grass and spend the time in the shade relaxing with your tasty selections.
No matter if you’re at the beach, forest, or near a pharmacy in Powell, TN, by spending time outdoors, your body will smile with all the action you pack into this summer. Going from relaxing and relieving stress to an action-packed day, there are so many benefits you’ll experience from doing it all.
Your Hometown Pharmacy Since 1966
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Vaughn Pharmacy is a local, family-owned pharmacy serving the community in Powell, TN. Specializing in providing personalized and attentive prescription programs to our patients, we believe you are more than just a number – you’re part of our family!
(865) 947-1581