Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Nature's Ritalin

Who would have thought that one of the worlds most prevalent childhood disease can be cured by nature? Before reading this except I was skeptical as to how nature could heal a cognitive disease involving the brain and nervous system. The chemical imbalance in charge of firing off neural impulses is something that can only be fixed with medications like Ritalin, or so I thought. After reading this excerpt by Richard Lou and learning about the substantial research behind this movement, I have gained a better understanding about the relationship between nature and urban life.

"Some of the uninformed public tends to believe that poor parenting and other social factors produce the immature behavior associated with ADHD, but ADHD is now considered by many researchers to be an organic disorder associated with differences in the brain morphology of children." (Louv, 3)

I agree that a lot of people choose to blame parents when children experience behavioral problems associated with ADHD. This quote highlights the ignorance that some parts of society still hold on to and focuses on the scientific background of the disease in itself. Every child is unique in personality, attitude, growth, and even development. In addition, everyone's brain develops at a different rate, is composed of a different mass, and has a different dominance. There is nothing a parent nor doctor can do to speed up the development of the brain.


"Our brains are set up for agrarian, nature-oriented existence that came into focus five thousand years ago." (Gurian, 5)

I wouldn't exactly say that the human brain is automatically nature-oriented because many people could care less about the outdoors or their environment. Not everyone has the same fascination or appreciation for their surrounding ecosystem. This statement is too bold to assume that all brains are hardwired the same way in regards to agrarian culture. In terms of cultivation, society has taken a drastic turn from using land to harvest food into using land for municipal growth and recreation. Less land is being preserved or recycled for crops as it was hundreds of years ago. I do believe, however, that as human beings we have a relationship with nature; I just don't  think it's a one size fits all approach.
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"Those with a window view of trees, bushes, or large lawns experienced significantly less frustration and more work enthusiasm than those employees without such views." (Louv, 6)

I completely agree that having a window with a decent view of greenery can make a boring office space ten times better. The feeling of being a room without natural lighting or any windows is cold and unpleasant. With respect to my apartment, I like that my office faces the direction of a group of large robust oak trees with yards of Spanish moss dangling from the limbs. When I find myself overwhelmed with schoolwork it's nice to be able to enjoy the scenery and relax for a little.
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"To take nature and natural play away from children may be tantamount to withholding oxygen." (Louv, 11)

This statement is a little extreme because it is trying to make an exaggerated correlation between nature deficit and living without oxygen. If a child isn't exposed to nature at a young age, that doesn't mean he/she will not survive. There are plenty of people who choose to stay inside and play video games or watch television instead of enjoying the outdoors. This may not be the best choice when it comes to raising a child but it certainly isn't a matter of life or death. In regards to ADHD, going outdoors isn't a proven form of prevention. To my recollection, people who are not environmentally cautious or eco friendly are still healthy living members of society. I do believe that getting involved with nature at an early age is a great experience, however, I just don't think it's as great of a necessity as is oxygen.
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