Can you live healthy in an apartment?
The city never sleeps. It pulsates with life and energy. Endless opportunities, endless entertainment, endless new friendships. Cities are melting pots for everything under the sun. Cities are exciting.
We are drawn to cities for work, education, culture, or just for the excitement. Given the dense population, commuter times and living expenses, most people end up living in an apartment.
It makes complete sense, I did the same.
But what are you missing?
Living a sterile life is degrading our health
Bacteria
Apartment city living tends to be clean. In fact many people may prefer to live in an apartment for this reason. You create a little sterile box within a box with filters for everything that comes in — i.e. water and air. You feel it is under your control, your own micro climate.
The ability to live such clean sterile lives also comes at a cost. Our immune system needs to be challenged in order to maintain it’s strength. Think of it like muscles — if you don’t work out they loose their strength. Living a sterile life is degrading our health by lowering our body’s ability to defend its self.
Mud
Mud is the delightful combination of soil and rain. This is hard to come by in apartment lifestyle. When we get our hands dirty with soil, there is a transfer of microbes through our skin and our respiratory system and potentially also our digestive system (if you have a snack without washing your hands).
Not only do these microbes help build a healthy immune system, their presence in our gut stimulates our brain to release serotonin — the happy/relaxed hormone. So mud also reduces stress.
Stillness
It is rare that a city is perfectly still. Our senses are continuously overloaded with sounds and movement. Even at night the sound of traffic, music, neighbours and sirens does not stop. Most people are extremely uncomfortable being in a still place because they are so overstimulated.
This takes a toll on your mental health. When we are in a silent space we stimulate brain growth, relieve stress by reducing cortisol and adrenaline, lower blood pressure, increases our creativity and focus.
How to live healthier
don’t fret about getting a bit muddy
For many people, moving out of an apartment and the city is just not an option. There are still many ways you can improve your health.
Bring nature indoors
Get some house plants and make sure to repot them so you get your hands dirty. Or if you are not into decorative plants, try growing rosemary or basil on your windowsill. Or if you want even lower maintenance, go for some cacti. The options are endless. My suggestion is get whatever plant appeals to you. Make sure to buy a bigger pot and some potting compost when you buy it and repot immediately. A bathtub or shower is a great place for repotting plants!
Go to a park every day
Do a detour on the way back from work to pass through a park. The bigger the park the better. Take your headphones out, put your phone away and just enjoy the nature as you pass through. Take is the smells (think good microbes) the sounds (peaceful wind rustling in the leaves) and the beauty (the simple sight of a tree is grounding). A park may be the stillest place in the city.
Hug a tree
Ok don’t skip over this section — I know it sounds ridiculous. If you are not comfortable wrapping your arms around a tree that’s ok. Just stop and lean against it for as long as feels natural, or just place your hand while you pretend to fix your shoe. Why? Firstly, good microbes. But secondly, there is something very grounding about trees. Large trees may be hundreds of years old. Just let that sink in.
City farms
City farms are everywhere now. Some may offer volunteering days for kids or adults. Or they may just be a great place to visit for an extra dose of friendly microbes. Enjoy the smells, feed the animals, have a coffee and don’t fret about getting a bit muddy. Remember mud is good for you!
Happy getting your hands muddy xx
