Make the Most of Great Outdoors Month in Middleberg and Loudon County

What’s your definition of the “great outdoors”?

Okay, now hold that thought for just second as we point out that June has been set aside as Great Outdoors Month. So whether you define the great outdoors as your own backyard, a hike through a Civil War battlefield, a day or week at the beach, ultimately it doesn’t matter so long as you do more of it. Or at least those among us content to watch movies about the outdoors and call it a day.

Need a little friendly persuasion? Okay, then straight from a popular fitness website (fitness.mercola.com), here are five excellent reasons to increase the amount of time you spend outdoors:

• A great way to boost creativity and focus. Ever find yourself behind a desk where no amount of concentration can help you solve a particular problem? Well, try taking the problem outdoors with you, especially since research shows that the change of scenery alone will help you think more clearly, confidently, and creatively.

• Puts you in a better mood. Okay, so maybe not so much if there’s a blizzard in progress, but you get the idea. Because even in the dead of winter, even just a walk around the block can brighten your mood, especially if you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

• Can help build your self-esteem. No doubt about it: spending time indoors can be extremely relaxing, especially after a long and difficult day. The kind of day when it would take a supreme effort to get outdoors, even for just 15 minutes. But again, studies show that it will be well worth your while for the added sense of self-esteem you’ll get simply by going outside your comfort zone and stepping outdoors.

• Boost your Vitamin D levels. Prepare to be startled: it’s estimated that more than 95% of US senior citizens have Vitamin D deficiency, as does 85% of the entire American public. So what’s the big deal about more Vitamin D. By increasing your levels, you can help prevent chronic diseases while you’re your body fight off colds and the flu.
• See what you’ve been missing. Once spending more time outdoors becomes a habit, try changing up your scenery and going places you haven’t been to before, or often enough. Yes, like the beach, historical landmarks, marked hiking trails, or whatever jazzes you up the most.

Here at Your 1 Plumber, we fully support more active and healthier lifestyles for our many hundreds of customers and, of course, anyone else who could benefit by embracing the spirit of Great Outdoors Month – not just in June, but all year long.