I crave nature and I crave being outdoors. I don't know the science behind it but I feel better and I'm happier when I'm outside. There are plenty of studies out there that say that exposure to nature helps with depression, high blood pressure, anxiety, ADD, and just about any other infliction that comes to your mind. Recently I read a book by Richard Nouv entitled Vitamin N: Essential Guide to a Nature Rich Life....kind of a guidebook for those who need reminding that daily exposure to nature is fun, exhilarating, and potentially one of the most powerful drugs available. 

I'm not just talking about how exercise increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine in my brain...which helps me battle ADD. All that is true...but it doesn't explain why I feel better, both mentally and physically, simply by stepping outside on the porch. It doesn't explain why reading a book while sitting on a rocking chair in the garage with garage doors wide open is more appealing for me than reading a book while sitting in the house. Nor does it explain why sitting around the fire pit in my back yard is more exhilarating that sitting on the couch in my living room. Some might just say that these things are my preference.  Maybe so...but I know others who believe a healthy dose of Vitamin N is not just beneficial, but essential. Here's what some of my friends and family had to say when I asked them what benefit (physically or mentally) they derive from nature.