Nature for Positive Body Image

Can time in nature change the way we view ourselves?

The answer seems to be yes – and it’s backed by research.

Having a positive body image – meaning a love and respect for one’s body, appreciation for it’s uniqueness and functionality, and acceptance for aspects that may not meet stereotypical beauty ideals – can have significant benefits for our health and well-being.

We know that exposure to nature can improve our health through decreased blood pressure, enhancing our immune responses, and reducing stress. It also seems to improve cognitive function, lower rates of depression and anxiety, improve self-esteem, sleep and increase happiness. Not bad!

There are theories that suggest that humans have an evolutionary preference for environments with depth, complexity and structure. We love beauty!

These environments reduce stress and support the parasympathetic nervous system functioning – our rest and digest side of our nervous system. This can partly explain why being in nature can be so restorative. Being in these environments captures our attention and allows certain parts of our brain to rest.

In a new context, negative emotions and thoughts are able to be replaced by more positive ones. When we step into nature, we are able to physically and mentally distance ourselves from the more appearance-focused social contexts and reduce negative thoughts and feelings that tend to come up in those environments.

Take these benefits a step further? Moving our bodies in nature helps us further shift our attention from how our body looks, to how it functions and feels. Activity in nature helps us feel good in our body.

Our favourite places to access nature here in our city? You don’t necessarily have to go far! Take a walk, jog, cycle through high park, the martin goodman trail on the lakeshore, brickworks or the don valley trails, the humber river etc. Do you have any favourite pockets of nature in Toronto? Let us know!