{"id":33751,"date":"2024-01-12T16:08:54","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T15:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/f1ac9f5b-407d-42f0-aec5-b2cd03b0cf6d"},"modified":"2024-01-12T16:39:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T15:39:24","slug":"the-secret-of-happiness-channel-your-inner-caveman","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/the-secret-of-happiness-channel-your-inner-caveman\/","title":{"rendered":"The secret of happiness? Channel your inner caveman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our prehistoric ancestors hold the key to health and happiness. Sam Pyrah reveals seven ways to go back to basics with your lifestyle. <\/p>

By Sam Pyrah\n <\/p>

Published: Friday, 12 January 2024 at 15:08 PM<\/p>

\n\n

You have been walking all day, wading through the long grass that shimmers in the sun to crest a hill and drink in the view, before slipping into the coolness of dappled woodland. You picnicked by the river, where dragonflies darted and hovered. Now, as you make your way home, your fingers are red-stained and jammy-scented from the blackberries you picked. You feel tired but happy: a rare sense of peace and contentment in body and mind.<\/p>

It\u2019s no wonder that walking feels so uplifting and restorative: we evolved, quite literally, on two feet.<\/p>

\u201cUp until around 12,000 years ago \u2013 the blink of an evolutionary eye \u2013 everybody, everywhere, was a hunter-gatherer,\u201d says Professor Daniel Lieberman, chair of the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. \u201cYour ancestors survived by foraging for plants, hunting and fishing, regularly moving from one camp to the next.\u201d<\/p>

Our bodies and brains were shaped by this lifestyle. We became efficient long-distance walkers and runners, which allowed us to range further and find a wider variety of foods.<\/p>

“There are 20,000 nerve endings on the sole of each foot. Walking barefoot stimulates these nerves,” says Hannah Beadle, CEO of WildFitness and an expert on natural movement. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Modern malaise<\/h3>

\u201cYou had to be smart to track animals, find food, water and other resources,\u201d says Lieberman. \u201cYou had to remember where things were. You had to be able to communicate with language and to cooperate with others. All these demands selected for our cognitive abilities, helping us develop bigger brains.\u201d<\/p>

But between 4,000-9,000 years ago, something changed. Europe transitioned into a continent of farmers (though a few hunter-gatherers, like the Saami and Inuit, remained in marginal habitats). For the first time in the history of our species, we stayed put and we have been shaping our environment ever since.<\/p>

In England, more than 80% of us now live in urban areas. We spend most of our time indoors (the average Brit spends less than 40 minutes a day outside) with artificial light, heat and cooling; we travel by car or train or plane; we sit for hours on end, staring at screens.<\/p>

The physically active lifestyle we evolved for is now a thing of the past: more than 40% of us don\u2019t meet minimum physical activity guidelines for health. Our nature-depleted, sedentary lives aren\u2019t making us happy. One in four people in the UK experiences a mental-health problem each year, most commonly anxiety or depression \u2013 6.6 million people are on anti-depressant medication. <\/p>

Our physical health is suffering, too. In the UK, two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese \u2013 and while we live longer, we also suffer more preventable diseases such as cancers, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>

\u201cMany of today\u2019s afflictions are caused or aggravated by a mismatch between modern lifestyles and our bodies\u2019 ancient biology,\u201d says Lieberman. <\/p>

\u201cWe evolved to crave energy-rich foods because they were often scarce, and it takes calories to make babies. But now, with unlimited access to such foods, our evolutionary inheritance has become a liability.\u201d <\/p>

So should we revert to cave-dwelling? No one is suggesting that. \u201cModern society offers many advantages,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cWe must not get caught up in the false romantic notion that hunter-gatherers lived \u2013 or live \u2013 blissful lives. But our evolutionary history does provide clues on how to avoid getting sick. Get plenty of physical activity and eat mostly plants; avoid processed foods with lots of sugar, no fibre and added saturated fat. And don\u2019t smoke.\u201d<\/p>

\"Find
\u201cMany of today\u2019s afflictions are caused or aggravated by a mismatch between modern lifestyles and our bodies\u2019 ancient biology,\u201d says Professor Daniel Lieberman, chair of the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. Credit: Stuart Jackson-Carter<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Natural health<\/h3>

Apart from diet and exercise, time spent in nature \u2013 our ancestral home \u2013 can be medicine for mind and body. \u201cA strong body of evidence now shows that time in nature has positive health and wellbeing benefits,\u201d says Jules Pretty, professor of environment and society at the University of Essex.<\/p>

Combining movement with nature \u2013 so-called \u2018green exercise\u2019 \u2013 seems particularly powerful. Studies show that the very act of moving forward in an environment helps to generate growth in the hippocampus \u2013 the area of the brain associated with learning and memory.<\/p>

When researchers compared the effects of walking in natural surroundings to exercise indoors and viewing nature scenes on a screen, they found the nature walk reduced cortisol (the \u2018stress\u2019 hormone) and improved mood the most.<\/p>

One University of Washington study found that spending time in a natural environment reduces \u2018rumination\u2019 \u2013 the tendency to go over and over worries \u2013 and that walking or running in nature restores focus and promotes stress recovery and resilience. The study\u2019s authors note that \u201cwhen our hunter-gatherer forbears moved through the landscape, their safety depended on them being fully present in their surroundings in a receptive and attentive way\u201d and suggest that this offers an evolutionary reason as to why being in nature reduces rumination on negative thoughts.<\/p>

\u201cGood things happen when we put nature and physical activity together,\u201d says Pretty.<\/p>

If you\u2019re ready to embrace your inner caveman, and spend time outdoors, here are seven ways to go Stone Age as part of your daily life…<\/p>

\"Young
\u201cStudies show that green (eg forests) and blue (eg lakes and coastlines) environments are especially relaxing and restorative,” says Beadle. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>

How to go caveman\u2026<\/h3>

1. Move more, more often<\/strong> <\/h4>

\u201cOur bodies evolved to move,\u201d says Hannah Beadle, CEO of WildFitness and an expert on natural movement. Members of the Hadza tribe in Tanzania, who still live as hunter-gatherers, walk around 15km a day. \u201cRather than thinking of movement as exercise or a \u2018workout\u2019, make it part of your life,\u201d advises Beadle. \u201cWalk to work, or at least part of the way. Do errands on foot; meet a friend for a walk or jog instead of for lunch or a drink.\u201d If you already walk or run regularly, explore different routes: hunter-gatherers roamed widely, exploring and building a mental map of their surroundings.<\/p>

2. Go barefoot \u2013 sometimes<\/strong><\/h4>

Shoes protect the feet but, says Beadle, can also restrict and weaken them. \u201cOur feet are our foundation \u2013 our interface with the earth. There are 20,000 nerve endings on the sole of each foot. Walking barefoot stimulates these nerves, helping to bring you into your body and feel connected to your environment.\u201d Start small by standing or walking in the garden, before experimenting with different textures underfoot.<\/p>

3. See green<\/h4>

\u201cTry to spend some time in nature every day,\u201d says Beadle. \u201cStudies show that green (eg forests) and blue (eg lakes and coastlines) environments are especially relaxing and restorative, but a lap of the park will do.\u201d Leave your phone switched off, or out of reach.<\/p>

4. Connect with nature<\/h4>

Hunter-gatherers had a deep connection to nature \u2013 they needed it to survive. That may be why a strong sense of nature connectedness is associated with good emotional and psychological wellbeing. \u201cThe key is attentiveness and immersion,\u201d says Professor Jules Pretty. \u201cNature is never the same. Something is always happening, both good and bad. Taking time to pay attention helps embed you in your environment. Stand still and close your eyes. Count 10 different sounds that you can hear. You don\u2019t have to know what they are \u2013 you aren\u2019t judging, just noticing.\u201d<\/p>

5. Be a naturalist<\/h4>

Few people today know much about the animals and plants that live around them, but, says Richard Prideaux, professional forager and bushcraft expert, such knowledge was vital for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. \u201cThey would have consumed a vast range of plant species, and needed to know what could be found where, and at what time of year, what was good to eat, what to avoid, what could be used for medicine.\u201d Don\u2019t know your glow worm from your slow worm? Join your local Wildlife Trust to learn about the flora and fauna in your area, be it city park or Lakeland fell. It will offer guided walks and talks on identifying different species. Apps can be great, too: try Seek (all species), Merlin (birds) or Picture This (plants).<\/p>

6. Bring it home<\/h4>

\u201cThe urge to gather is innate,\u201d says Prideaux. \u201cWhile we no longer need to forage for food, it is immensely satisfying to do so because it taps into our hunter-gatherer roots.\u201d Forage conscientiously. \u201cDon\u2019t take all of what you need from one location and be mindful of habitats you might be disturbing,\u201d Prideaux advises. \u201cAnd don\u2019t put anything in your mouth if you aren\u2019t sure what it is.\u201d<\/p>

7. Don\u2019t just sit there<\/h4>

While our ancestors were active, when there wasn\u2019t work to do, they rested. Research suggests the Hadza spend almost 10 hours of their waking time resting. But rather than lounging on sofas, they adopt \u2018active resting postures\u2019 on the ground. \u201cThere is more muscle activity when you sit on the ground, be it cross-legged, kneeling, in a low squat or with legs outstretched,\u201d says Beadle. \u201cAnd unlike when sitting on a comfy chair, your body will periodically tell you to vary your position.\u201d <\/p>

\"Woman
\u201cYour ancestors survived by foraging for plants, hunting and fishing, regularly moving from one camp to the next,” says Lieberman. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>