What makes you happy?
For me, nature does the wonder.
So Mr. Lunch and I decided to embark on a 30-day road trip across America
to reconnect with nature.
Our first destination was Zion national park.
Zion national park is the Utah's First National Park.
It’s known for its sheer canyon walls, steep red cliffs,
and brilliant blue skies.
The best way to experience these enchanting beauties is on foot.
We set out on a three day backcountry trip along the West Rim Trail of Zion.
Our fast-paced, modern life often leaves us breathless and overly stressed.
Nature is a great remedy to destress.
According to a recently published article in National Geographic Magazine, Research
shows that a 15 min walk in the woods decreases the stress
hormone, cortisol.
It also lowers one’s blood pressure and heart rate.
Amazingly, a study shows that time spent in nature can
also improve creativity by a whopping 50%.
After a long day of hiking, Mr. lunch began preparing a mouth watering
camp dinner.
The menu for the evening was smoked herring with creamy rice risotto.
Whilst I was waiting for dinner to be served I opted for a pre-dinner snack.
One of my favorite hiking snacks, Chomperz by Seasnax.
I love it.
it’s Delicious seaweed curls wrapped in rice and lightly seasoned with a pinch
of sea salt.
It’s a satisfying snack that works with my dietary restrictions,
so I have no worries about any skin irritation.
The sunset was about to happen and it was time for “dinner and a show”.
These massive sandstone cliffs saturated with orange hues at sunset was
such a treat.
Being in nature truly reinforces the idea of ‘living in the moment’.
Checkout hungrygopher.com
for Mr. Lunch’s backcountry smoked herring and risotto recipe.
The next day arrived with a sunny sky.
After a morning stretch, we were headed out to our next camp site some
six miles to the East..
This scenic canyon country offers high plateaus, a maze of narrow,
deep, sandstone canyons, and the Virgin River and its tributaries.
The next morning, our quaint campsite had some visiting guests.
This mule deer was particularly curious about what we were
having for breakfast.
There is something irresistible about an animal with such big ears...
Although we all love all of our parks, visits to park are down per capita.
We as a people are also making fewer visits to the backyard.
One recent survey found that only 10 percent of American teens
spend time outside everyday.
Nature nurtures, and there is a lot of research supporting this philosophy.
Outside of what science says, I know how I feel when I am in nature.
Get outside and enjoy the beautiful world around you.
Remember guys, Eat Real, Be Real.
Thanks for watching.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of this adventure through the American West.
I’ll see you in the next episode..
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