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According to a new study by Occupational & Environmental Medicine, visiting green spaces (i.e. forests, gardens, parks, zoos) or blue spaces (i.e. lakes, rivers, ocean) several times a week can decrease the need for blood pressure medications by 36%, mental health medications by 33%, and asthma medications by 26%. It's not enough to just see nature from inside the home. To enjoy the health benefits, one must fully experience nature by being out in it.
For those of us living in the Upstate, we have a lot of beautiful choices for nature visits. We can walk along the 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail, visit any of our seven state parks, spend the day at or on one of these lakes, see the animals at the Greenville Zoo, and my personal favorite is a short or long hike that ends at one of our area's gorgeous waterfalls! And if you can't get out to these areas very often, even puttering in your garden or taking a walk around your neighborhood will be good for you. So enjoy the beauty of the Upstate AND reap some awesome health benefits as well!