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Is Mother Nature a Friend or Foe?


I love the phrase, “Mother Knows Best”--probably because growing up I trusted that my mother knew best. She was very nurturing and wise! Now that I study and teach about the role Mother Nature plays regarding our health, the “Mother Knows Best” phrase stands out even more.

Mother Nature does seems to be quite wise--offering profound truths and solutions with regard to living well.

Here are a three facts I’ve learned that demonstrate how Mother Nature is our friend:

1. Social interaction is brain boosting. 

The brain is blessed with an increase in happy neurochemicals (like dopamine, a pleasure-providing neurotransmitter) when we socially interact with others in positive ways. For example, when we gather for a home cooked family meal and visit with close friends for hours on end, our brain is quite happy and we are flooded with neurochemicals that make us feel good. Close, loving relationships that foster cooperation and kindness are super helpful to our neurochemistry!

Then there’s the romantic closeness in relationships that lead to procreation. This type of relationship bonding launches the brain into an all new high! Of course it does … it’s intimacy that propels our human race, so of course Mother Nature will reward it! When we bond intimately, our brain gets flooded with the feel-good neurochemicals and we experience tremendous amounts of joy. Conversely, when intimacy is based in abuse or unhealthy emotional entanglement, our neurochemistry can take a nose dive in the opposite direction and depression can set in quickly.

Bottom line, healthy social interaction is necessary for our survival and Mother Nature is our friend to reward us for doing what we should do to live happy and productive lives.

2. Nutrition & sleep bring big rewards. 
Let’s talk about the basics … eating and sleeping. We must do them to survive. Our friend Mother Nature knows that and so we naturally experience an increase of dopamine when we eat well, suggesting to the mind and body that we should do that again. We can’t survive if we don’t eat, so the kind reminder keeps us going. And sleep, well, when we get good sleep at the appropriate times (when the sun is down), our bodies naturally regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone melatonin—both of which are required for us to think clearly, live happy, and feel calm.

3. We get warning signs, like emotions.
Emotions often get a bad wrap. Many want to ignore them and pretend they don’t exist. But really, emotions are like alarm signals, setting off inside us for the purpose of letting us know that our system is experiencing something and we need to listen up. Mother Nature isn’t a fan of turning off our internal emotional signals, so the payback for not listening are consequences that move us to notice. For example, our body and mind may become affected when we turn off these important signals. We may feel at this point that Mother Nature is our foe here, but if we consider the opposite, we might begin to see how paying attention to our emotions is one of the ways we find success. For example, our emotions protect us from danger, guide us to find the right partners, jobs, and long-term relationships. Some claim that through intuition, we can even tap into an inner compass of direction. So learning to “tune in” to our feelings can make all the difference in our happiness, if we decide to notice and work with them. So yes, in this case, Mother Nature is really our friend.

We all know I love essential oils so I can’t leave them out of this blog post. Mother Nature has given us a great gift in essential oils. These aromatic compounds contain thousands of chemical constituents that can be used to support all that I’ve talked about here. See my list below of essential oils that work with all of the above.

Essential Oils for Social Interaction

Lavender is the oil of communication.
Bergamot is the oil of self-assuredness.
Lemon is an essential oil the breeds confidence.

Essential Oils for Eating and Sleeping

Fennel, Ginger, and Peppermint are terrific oils for healthy gut function.
Lavender, Cedarwood, Roman Chamomile, and Vetiver are fantastic for rest.

Essential Oils for Emotion

Lavender, Bergamot, Neroli, Wild Orange, Frankincense, and Petitgrain are just a few of my favorite essential oils for mood. Plus, doTERRA has a kit of blends that are amazing for mood.

Bottomline, it’s true, I do believe that Mother Nature knows best and plays a role of friend!

Have a great week!

XOXO,
Rebecca 

PS For more information on Emotions and Essential Oils check out my course or purchase one of my books online:


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