Page 104 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2024
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HEALTHY LIVING
HEALTH BENEFITS
story by Dr. Nickie Harris-Ray
One of the treasures of living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is the year-round access to the beautiful beaches. The ability to pick up and go at a moment’s notice to sunbathe, splash around, or go fishing is a luxury in your own backyard! Many plan vacations to come here, but you live here.
In addition to the fun aspects of beach life, the ocean has many health benefits – more specifically, the sand and the cool breeze!
Breathing in the ocean mist helps lung function and thins mucus. Salt air has natural antibacterial aspects, which
can help with sinus pressure and airway clearance. Readers Digest and their consortium of consulting physicians state that sea air contains tiny droplets of iodine, magnesium, salt, and other trace elements. The wind and waves move these combinations. Concentrated periods of breathing the air help to loosen mucus and aid in coughing and airway clearing.
Like to run on the beach? What about the kiddos? Well, running and walking on the sand burns about three times more energy than walking on flat surfaces. Why? It takes more effort for your limbs to lift off the sand’s loose surface.
If done on the beach, that can quickly turn the 170 calories burnt in a 30-minute neighborhood walk to upwards of 400 calories. Women’s Fitness UK even suggests that beach walks in colder weather increase your metabolism, therefore burning even more calories.
Beach sand offers additional benefits for the kids. Dr. Kim Brown, a pediatrician in Ocean Springs, notes that sand play encourages sensory development in toddlers, tunes fine motor skills, and encourages exploration.
Other small benefits of beach life include digestive aid, immune system boosts, and, of course, mental health improvement. Scientists have found that the sound of waves stimulates the same areas of the brain that cause relaxation during meditation. So go ahead and play in the sand, run on the beach, breathe in the air, and take full advantage of nature’s free hospital in your own backyard.
104 | March 2024 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
