Once upon a time, the world was not made of concrete roadways, cars, cubicles and shopping centers.

Nope, it was just dirt. You know, dirt: that stuff we are taught to wash our hands of, the stuff our bodies all come from -- and someday - hopefully not anytime soon - will all return back to.

But a little bit of dirt -- or more specifically, green spaces, tall trees, flowers blooming, birds chirping … life in its actual form --- goes a long way to centering our senses, putting our minds at ease and relieving stress. 

Indeed, research shows that becoming a little more “one with nature” has some nice and natural health benefits … and no, you don’t have to become a tree-hugging, granola-eating hippie to take advantage of them. Here’s why and how using nature to your advantage helps you be your best self.

Find your forest -- wherever that is:
A practice called “forest bathing” originating in Japan -- which is exactly how it sounds -- is starting to catch on as a popular practice -- and recent studies have found that participants who walked in a forest showed lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol (your stress hormone) than those who walked around in a crazed urban city. 

So maybe look up your nearest forest or favorite hike if you have a few hours next weekend. If not, make your forest wherever you are -- give yourself an hour to slowly explore your neighborhood park, simply sit under a tree for a few minutes to break up the chaos of the city or move your yoga mat out of the studio and onto your nearest patch of grass -- and reconnect to something more natural than your computer.

Stop and smell the roses - literally:
Being in nature, quite obviously, awakens the senses -- whether its roses or rosemary, pine trees or palms -- and allows our minds (and noses) to soak in the real world in a real way. Breathing in the scents of nature may even be able to strengthen your immune system. Giving your immune system a few breaks every week (or day) by smelling something a little more pure than your overworked office fragrance, gives you the best chance to stay healthy and thrive.  

Same goes for buying plants for our homes - be it an orchid or a big bouquet or small hand-picked daisies from the park down the street - indoor plants can bring a dose of physical and scented beauty. 

So keep it simple and keep finding ways to go green. The more we put ourselves in the middle of nature, chances are, the less stress we’ll experience - and the better we’ll feel.