Studies have long shown that nature has many benefits that affect our physical and mental health. Now a new Israeli study has found that high exposure to a green environment may reduce the chance of contracting different types of cancer
Studies many The positive effect of a green environment on our physical and mental health has already been tested; They found, for example, that women who were exposed to green areas during their pregnancy his child Babies Weight gain High יותר, adults living near green environments were found as vulnerable less for dementia and deterioration cognitive, And exposure to nature has even proven itself as efficient in reduction Diseases breathing and heart, and as a positive factor for an increase in mental well-being. On top of that, the natural environment sleeps effect Positive About the resilience the mental in periods crisis Like war, since it contributes to slowing down the pulse, reducing stress due to the decrease in the level of the hormone cortisol and increasing the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine which is responsible for feelings such as motivation and pleasure.
"There are several hypotheses regarding the mechanism by which a green environment lowers the risk of cancer," says Chial-Terbia. "A natural environment reduces air pollution, lowers pressure and stress levels and encourages physical activity and social connections. All of these were found to be related to protection against cancer morbidity, so we hypothesize that these are the mechanisms leading to lower morbidity."
The current study of Kiel-Terbia continues the her research the previous in the same the subject, which focused on exposure to a green environment and cancer incidence in the Tel Aviv area. "In addition to breast and prostate cancer, we found strong connections between a green environment and less morbidity in lung cancer, skin cancer and bladder cancer," she says. "It is possible that the difference in the findings between the two studies depends on the type of vegetation or the changing spatial distribution in different geographical areas of Israel, therefore there is room for further research that will examine the effect of the various types of green areas such as parks, agricultural fields and natural environments as well as an understanding of the most beneficial types of vegetation."
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