If your child is feeling too stressed lately, it may be a good idea to take him/her out for a walk in the woods. Being close to nature could do wonders to uplift mood, a latest study led by a team from the University of Hong Kong noted.The study suggested that children who developed a closer connection with nature had less distress, less hyperactivity and had a healthy lifestyle with regard to active play and eating habits. They also had fewer behavioural and emotional difficulties, as well as improved pro-social behaviour.
The study published in the PLOS ONE journal said that despite adjacent greenness, not many families are using these areas. A walk in these areas could bring about positive and significant changes in a child's behavior.
"We noticed a tendency where parents are avoiding nature. They perceive it as dirty and dangerous, and their children unfortunately pick up these attitudes," said Tanja Sobko from the University's School of Biological Sciences.
In addition, the green areas are often unwelcoming with signs like "Keep off the grass", Sobko added.For the study, the team prepared a new 16-item parent questionnaire (CNI-PPC) to measure "connectedness to nature' in very young children. The questionnaire identified four areas that reflect the child-nature relationship: enjoyment of nature, empathy for nature, responsibility towards nature and awareness of nature.
A number of studies in the recent past have suggested that spending time in close association with nature could bring about a number of health benefits. Additionally, there are many programs around the world that is working towards
decreasing 'nature-deficit' and 'child-nature disconnectedness' in order to improve children's health.
These findings offer a fresh insight into the benefits of this association. They also lay grounds for investigating
the link between the outdoor environment and well-being in pre-school children.Post these findings, the team is now planning to test the effect of exposing children to nature and changes in their gut microbiota.
Foods For Stress
What you include in your diet is also one of the factors that may determine your mood and stress patterns. Stress and anxiety have become an intrinsic part of today's world, and children are not spared either. If your problem of stress is chronic it is advised to seek medical help at the earliest. But if it is not so serious, then here are some foods that are known to help manage stress and keep you in a good mood. Most of these foods are enriched with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that could help stave off stress.
1. Oats
2. Banana
3. Yogurt
4. Cherries
5. Coconut
Include these foods in your diet and see the results yourself.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
(With inputs IANS)