Bringing nature to your indoors

It goes without saying that the ongoing pandemic and how it has put our lives in disarray make us want to just curl up into a ball in one corner of the room and cry.

Feelings of defeat and hopelessness against COVID-19 and the various heart-wrenching issues that our world is facing today however should be pushed out the door, flushed down the toilet and crushed with our favorite pair of house slippers. This time calls for us to be stronger in mind and body more than ever. In his column, “Medical Files,” medical expert Dr. Rafael Castillo wrote that “when our defenses are weakened because of anxiety, it’s a walk in the park for this virus.” Dr Castillo advised on the importance of conditioning our bodies that it has a strong immune system, “as we think and believe, so our body becomes.” (Are we losing the psywar to COVID-19?”, May 12, 2020)

In addition to being more mindful of eating healthy and taking vitamins to fortify our body’s defenses against illnesses, it is important as well that our living spaces are able to contribute to our sense of well-being. According to Ar. John Ian Lee Fulgar, our homes have a significant impact on our health and wellness on a daily basis. Biophilic design, which incorporates nature indoors, is one design concept that encourages health and well-being in residential spaces. “Wood paneling, natural stone treatments, lush greenery and indoor water features are some of the elements that blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces,” Fulgar wrote.

Given the situation we are in right now, it may be challenging to have a home makeover to integrate nature into your living spaces. Consider some easy and budget-friendly hacks that you can do in order to give your shelter the ambiance of nature.