In this episode, Dr. Jeff Taekman explores the concept of environmental wellness, illustrating how our surroundings profoundly affect our mental and physical health.
Sharing personal experiences and scientific research, Taekman highlights the subtle impacts of environmental cues on our nervous system and stress levels. He offers practical ‘microdoses’ to enhance environmental wellness, such as attention resets, awe pauses, and incorporating greenery into living spaces.
Taekman invites listeners to reflect on how their environments shape their wellbeing and encourages participation in a broader wellness community.
00:11 OPENING SCENE -DILLON BEACH
00:49 TRANSITION – MUIR WOODS
01:41 FRAMING
02:22 DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS
03:07 THE SCIENCE OF NATURE AND NERVOUS SYSTEMS
04:25 PERSONAL REFLECTION – THE CLUTTERED OFFICE
05:04 INTERCONNECTION – HOW ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS TOUCHES THE OTHER DIMENSIONS
05:35 THE PARADOX OF MODERN COMFORT
06:15 MICRODOSES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS
08:23 REFLECTION – RECONNECTING TO PLACE
08:54 CLOSING
09:35 OUTRO
References
* National Institutes of Health. Environmental Wellness Overview. NIH Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 2023.
* Li Q et al. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2007;20(2):3–8.
* Bratman GN et al. Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(28):8567–8572.
* Lederbogen F et al. City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans. Nature. 2011;474(7352):498–501.
* Stothard ER, McHill AW et al. Circadian entrainment to the natural light-dark cycle across seasons. Curr Biol. 2023;33(2):295–304.
* Pessoa L, Adolphs R. Emotion and the brain: multiple levels of processing. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2010;11(9):773–783.
* van Elk M, et al. Neural correlates of awe: reduced self-focus and increased salience network coupling. Hum Brain Mapp. 2021;42(13):4144–4156.
* Piff PK, et al. Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2015;108(6):883–899.
* Shiota MN, et al. Beyond happiness: Building a science of awe. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017;12(1):27–53.
* Bringslimark T, Hartig T, Patil GG. Psychological benefits of indoor plants in workplaces: a review. J Environ Psychol. 2009;29(4):422–433.
Links
Send a voicemail to HealthHippieMD (response to episode prompt)
Overview of the Nine Dimensions (article | podcast)
Comprehensive Nine-Dimension Wellness Assessment
Get full access to HealthHippieMD at healthhippiemd.substack.com/subscribe
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