In our nature

One thing I believe we modern humans have lost in our quest for comfort and capitalist growth is our connection to nature. This is an opinion shared by the vast majority of people in the world, but fewer and fewer are benefiting from regular intakes of the most simple and effective of therapies; time spent in natural environments.

As of 2012 over half the worlds population now live in cities. The UN predicts that 68% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050. This urbanisation of humans has many benefits to the economy but I dare say very few to our physical and mental health, in the majority of cities at least. Some cities such as Copenhagen of Denmark are leading the way in sustainability and green focus which may well contribute to the outstanding happiness ratings of the people of Denmark. According to the 'annual world happiness report', Denmark sits in second place behind neighbouring Finland.

When considering wellbeing and ones purpose in life it seems logical to imagine what our bodies and minds are designed to do. When taken out of our bodies natural patterns of behaviour, built up through genetic memory for tens of thousands of years it's no wonder we feel something is amiss. So what are we designed to do?

In his book 'born to run' Christopher McDougal argues that the primary physical function of the human body is to run very far for a very long time. Like 50 miles over 2 days very far and very long. He argues that 'persistence hunting' whereby our ancestors would slowly but surely out run a wounded or tired and dehydrated animal over many miles of jogging is what our bodies are built for, from the formation of our beautiful and complex feet and the upright nature of our spines and ribs, the latter allowing for incredibly efficient breathing.

So how about the rest of our lifestyles? Well, observing the last nomadic tribes that are clinging on in certain areas Africa for example we can perhaps assume that we are also designed to live in a very physically active way in large natural spaces within closely knit groups of 100-200. This number is hypothesised by British evolutionary anthropologist Robin Dunbar in 1993 in 'Co-evolution of neocortex size and language in humans' where it's suggested group sizes are restricted by the maximum number of stable interpersonal relationships that the individual members can maintain.

So, we've got close, trusting relationships with a large number of people, regular and possibly very intense exercise and vast, wide open natural spaces in which to roam. Sound familiar? Me neither.

If we are to believe this is the humans natural state of being we must surely have some serious questions about the lifestyles we are born into and encouraged to live in this modern era.