Plants beautify our world offering us so many benefits in terms of nutrition and health. The walks in vegetation can offer tranquility and release of stress. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham Women's Hospital women that have plants in their homes live longer. The researchers carried out this study for 8 years and they have come to the conclusion that spending your day surrounded with vegetation increases longevity. Not only that you breathe in fresh air but staying in nature allows you to have better social engagement and physical activity. Moreover, the forests are for sure less polluted than your neighborhood. In terms of mental well-being the vegetation is a great therapy reducing the risk of depression. The best would be to be outdoors, but if that is not possible for you, then you...

Experts in the emotional needs of small children say increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol in babies and small children who are separated from their parents, especially their mothers, could have a long-term genetic impact on future generations. In a commentary published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the authors say that several studies show that small children cared for outside the home, especially in poor quality care and for 30 or more hours per week, have higher levels of cortisol than children at home. Professor Sir Denis Pereira Gray, Emeritus Professor of General Practice at the University of Exeter, and President of the children's charity 'What About the Children?' who wrote the paper with two colleagues, said: "Cortisol release is a normal response to stress in mammals facing an emergency and is usually useful. However,...

Monday kicked off Children's Mental Health Week, an opportunity for various lobby groups and organisations (and there are many) to air their increasingly apocalyptic claims about childhood. In an appearance last week, the Duchess of Cambridge informed children that the world is a 'scary and daunting place' and encouraged parents to tell their children to 'feel confident about seeking support'. For at least two decades, we have been subject to increasingly shrill claims about a crisis of childhood. However, it is difficult to disentangle the truth about what appears to be relatively small increases in diagnoses of childhood mental illness and some underhanded claims-making by interested parties. For instance, back in 2007, claims appeared based on a UNICEF study that, Britain has the 'unhappiest children in the developed world'. The study was criticised for being manipulated toward a predetermined conclusion,...

We live in a chaotic world, characterized by roller coaster rides of alternating terror and exhilaration. Our culture has become exponentially more hurried, with a constant drive to camp out in the fast lane despite the well-known consequences of never slowing down. To keep up with this frenzy and avoid being trampled, we have developed an almost undetectable technique of refusing accountability for our actions. No one takes accountability anymore because to do so has somehow become an indication of weakness, a trait avoided at all costs to survive the hectic environment we live in. Immediate Gratification The sheer accessibility of information today is a main cause of the chaos. Our ability to ping-pong between current events, health news, and constant entertainment all while simultaneously working and eating our dinner is incredible. We have perfected the art of immediate gratification:...