3 WAYS CONTACT WITH NATURE IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH AWALK IN THE WOODS IS THE PRESCRIPTION
Our ancestors were deeply connected to their natural environment, mostly because their survival depended on it. With no Whole Foods available, those who could best track a mammoth, find water, and forage for edible plants kept themselves alive and passed on their genes. Given our history as hunter-gatherers, it’s no wonder contact with nature provides us with several health benefits. AMEMORY BOOST In a University of Michigan study, a group of students were asked to take a memory test that involved repeating numbers back to researchers. Next, researchers separated the students into two groups. Group A took a walk around an arboretum and Group B walked along busy city streets. Afterward, they were asked to take the memory test again. Group A, the students who had walked in the arboretum, performed 20 percent better on the memory test. Group B didn’t show any marked improvement. Additional research has corroborated the memory-enhancing effects of nature. AMOOD BOOST Observing the benefits nature has for cognitive function, scientists wondered what effects it might have on individuals diagnosed with depression. In one study from the University of Essex, participants with major depressive disorder
reported an improvement in self-esteem and mood after spending time in nature. Exercising while in nature resulted in even more of a mood boost for participants. A CALMING EFFECT Research also shows that spending time in nature reduces stress. In a study conducted by Chiba University in Japan, participants spent two nights in the forest. Researchers evaluated their levels of stress hormones during and after this period and compared it to their normal work days in the city. Across the board, participants’ stress levels were much lower during the days spent in the forest and for several days afterward. Today, we’re less connected to our natural environment than our ancestors were. Modern comforts and technology mean we don’t have to go outside to get our food. But nature is still accessible and you don’t have to go far to find it. In many of the studies, even minor exposure to the outdoors, like adding plants to your home or looking out a window during work, showed health benefits. This winter, find ways to bring a little more nature into your life each day. Your brain will thank you. a spinoff. First appearing in “Breaking Bad” and now the star of “Better Call Saul,” Saul Goodman’s quips and ferocious attitude make him a fierce fighter for his clients. You find yourself rooting for his dirty clients, and we never knew a criminal lawyer — and we don’t mean a lawyer who defends people accused of crimes — could be so good. Rudy Baylor Since Erin Brockovich is real and therefore exempt from this list, Rudy Baylor is the next obvious choice. When the case of a lifetime lands in his lap just after graduating law school, Baylor fights hard for a seemingly forgettable elderly couple up against a big corporation. Baylor’s resilience and tenacity to fight for his clients reminds us why we got into law and compels us to not become another shark in dirty water. Do you disagree with our list or think we’re missing Vinny Gambino and Atticus Finch? Let us know who your top three would be! And when you need a real dedicated lawyer in your corner, call the Law Office of William F. Underwood, III, P.C. at 229-888-0888.
ALL RISE
TO HEAR OUR 3 FAVORITE FICTIONAL LAWYERS
Despite courtroom dramas emphasizing the theatrics of legal proceedings, the real courtroom is actually
a bit mellow. Still, we can’t ignore the antics and bravado of the following fictional lawyers. If we ever found ourselves needing legal representation in their universes, we know who we would call. Jack McCoy While he rose to “Law & Order” fame as a prosecutor against murderers, we love the fight Jack McCoy puts up for the people he’s responsible for. His character was so good at his job that the writers of his former show’s sibling series, “Law & Order: SVU,” brought him back in 2018 to prosecute a fellow district attorney. No one is above the law when McCoy is in the courtroom, and his multiple gut- wrenching episodes across a 16-season span prove he doesn’t give up easily. Saul Goodman You know a fictional lawyer is worth the hype when his original minor appearance on a show about a high school teacher selling methamphetamines turns into
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