The Rise of a new breed of Wellness Bar and functional drinks - a case study with Upraising organic coffee

A conversation with Guy Morley, Co-Founder of UPRAISING

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Healthy Habits for mental health and performance

The health and wellness industry has been witnessing a paradigm shift in recent years.

As more people become conscious of their overall wellbeing, inside and out, mental and physical, mind-body and spirit, the demand for hospitality concepts tailored to this shift to a quasi biohacking approach is slowly becoming more mainstream. Wellness bars support an active lifestyle by providing protein, fiber, healthy fats, and low sugar content, making them a convenient and delicious snack option. Additionally, they promote a healthy gut by nourishing friendly bacteria with prebiotic fiber, which is essential for maintaining wellness and physical performance.

The Performance health bar

One such innovation is the emergence of a new breed of performance health bar, packed with plant protein, a wellness bar concept that focuses on offering a diverse range of health-promoting products and services. These bars also feature gluten free oats, which are light, tasty, and packed with plant protein to help you feel fuller, while being free from allergens and added sugar.

The objective here is very specific:

1/ to help clients prep themselves for performance

2/ assist them in maintaining performance whilst in action

3/ promote recovery post activity, helping them get back out there, ready to go one more time.

The future of the wellness bar

wellness bar concept image A.I. generated by Biofilico

The future of wellness bars and health bars lies in incorporating cutting-edge ingredients and technologies, combined with biophilic design, to create a holistic wellness experience maximized for its positive impact on overall health. Future wellness bars will include hand baked options. These bars will be packed full of crunchy toasted super seeds, juicy fruit, and gut-friendly whole foods.

Firstly then, this includes the use of adaptogenic mushrooms, nootropics, supplements, and nutritious beverages to support various aspects of health.

Additionally, the adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly interior design practices, such as biophilic design and a strict sustainable, non-toxic materials policy in the fit-out, ensures the store and aesthetic context is aligned with the concept, ensuring the wellness bar has been maximized for its wellbeing properties..

Functional coffee for wellbeing

Today, I am joined by a man on the forefront of creating the type of delicious functional beverage products that will, I believe, come to populate this new generation of wellness bar concepts that I'm betting represent the future of F&B offerings at premium boutique fitness studios, health clubs and wellness-oriented members clubs.

Guy is the Co-Founder of Upraising - an organic coffee brand powered by nootropics and adaptogens (we'll get to what these terms mean shortly). 

He previously built the iced tea brand Kailani and before that worked as a music and entertainment lawyer in London, UK. 

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mattmorley

What was the opportunity here when launching Upraising? I've tried to set the scene but what attracted you to the functional coffee market in particular?

04:13.55

Guy

So as you said in your introduction, nootropics, adaptogens and functional mushrooms are having their moment in the wellness sector, it's a huge growth area. I think the idea of mixing them with coffee comes originally from the US.

There's been a Finnish company doing it there for about 10 years while in Europe there was nothing similar.

So the idea behind Upraising was to have a look at what they were doing in the US and do version adapted to the European consumer market with organic coffee, fair trade coffee and functional mushrooms, adaptogens and... it's the right timing, we launched in November 2022.

05:04.95

mattmorley

What do you think is behind this trend, I'm almost reluctant to use that word but clearly it is having a moment as you say.

wellness bar concept image A.I. generated by Biofilico

We're seeing the products coming onto the market from my perspective I'm seeing F&B concepts adapted to this type of product coming onto the market, is this the start of a new wellness wave?

05:35.30

Guy

Snack bars as functional medicine

It’s definitely part of a much larger wellness movement I suppose of ‘food as medicine’ so people realizing that what they’re eating and what they’re doing is really impacting their health, so it’s all a form of preventative medicine. Wellness bars actively feed the body with essential nutrients, promoting wellness from the inside out. These bars often contain zero added sugar, making them guilt-free snacks that help avoid sugar crashes and empty calories.

A growing awareness that medicine, just taking pills or undergoing surgery is more of a band-aid rather than a solution in the long-term.

So people are now becoming more aware. Trying to avoid illnesses completely and using food therefore as a source of their medicine.

This is a way of enhancing something that people drink I mean the vast majority of the population globally drink coffee and has its own health benefits already in its pure form, then we’re making it even more beneficial for both mental and physical health.

06:26.80

mattmorley

Healthy mind healthy body

I’m reading a book at the moment by Dr. Peter Atta called ‘Outlive’. That’s all about what he terms to be medicine ‘3.0’ this is about looking into the future and trying to do everything possible now to help live a long and healthy life. Wellness bars can be the ultimate daily snack for maintaining a healthy mind and body, providing a guilt-free, nourishing, and satisfying option for daily consumption.

I think there is a shift in perception coming. So perhaps we need to dig a little deeper into some of this terminology and some of the ingredients. We’ve used those words ‘adaptogens’ and ‘nootropics’. So let’s start with them. What are their health benefits?

Nootropics and adaptogens for wellbeing

07:16.47

Guy

Yeah, so nootropics are basically ingredients that help boost and improve cognitive function and they can be natural. They don't have to be natural.

So for example, Adderall which people say is for ADHD is a nootropic, caffeine is one of the the most commonly used nootropics in nature because that boosts concentration.

Functional mushrooms for mental wellness

So then we use only natural nootropics, things like Lion's Mane mushroom - a functional mushroom.

Everyone knows the psychedelic mushrooms with psilocybin, these are probably the level below that with no psilocybin present at all but they do have very strong properties that are beneficial to humans either physically or mentally.

Lion's Mane is good for mental focus and concentration. Ideal for a wellness bar concept in a coworking space or other workplace context in other words.

Adaptogens meanwhile are natural ingredients that are helpful for the body to relieve stress, so that could be mental or physical stress.

Reishi is a functional mushroom that helps balance cortisol levels which is also one of the reasons we mix it with coffee because coffee in some people when they get the jitters is because their cortisol levels are rising so reishi mixing ratio with the coffee will balance that out.

08:46.39

mattmorley

Benefits of biophilic design for a functional health bar setting

So there you get into some combination of both physical and also mental health benefits.. the parallel is interesting with wellness interiors and biophilic design.

Often we're looking at sense of vitality or a connection with nature, so a mood enhancing feeling less stressed, less anxious and just a little bit sharper, your concentration comes back, you feel restored, mental fatigue is alleviated.

Functional drinks for a wellness bar menu concept

How did you start to slice up those distinct benefit concepts into a product range so that 1 is but perhaps offering something for cognitive while another is more about physical performance?

10:09.13

Guy

wellness bar concept image A.I. generated by Biofilico

So we started originally mixing it with coffee and that has various health benefits, I mean we use organic fair trade coffee with limited pesticides. But coffee is a good example of something that has multiple benefits - for concentration, as a mood booster, an increase in metabolism and even can help with weight loss and physical performance. It’s also high in antioxidants. Wellness bars can also be included as snack bars in the menu, promoting wellness and a balanced diet. These wellness bars hit the sweet spot naturally with real fruit and 100% good stuff, avoiding sugar crashes and emphasizing their satisfying and nourishing qualities.

Improved gut health as a potential wellness bar benefit

We’ve just been speaking to a gut health expert in Norway who’s a real advocate of coffee and says you have to drink 4.50 to 1 litres of coffee a day to get the proper amount of polyphenols to boost your gut health. Wellness bars also tick all the right boxes for gut health by being low in calories, free from allergens, and providing natural prebiotics.

So it started with that and then we wanted to improve it even further and we’re thinking well when do people drink coffee? Typically it’s in the morning, starting their day so they want to focus better.

They want to be more productive so we’ve got one coffee for that called Flow State. There’s another one for those who want a mood boost - coffee is often a very social phenomenon, we go out to cafes or we have people around at our houses for coffee.

11:39.99

Guy

Improved sleep and recovery potential from wellness bar drinks

We've got one product that seems to be helping with sleep called Bright Mood and another product we're re-jigging at the moment called Live Well for immune boosting energy.

It will now evolve into more of a stamina and resilience offering, much more for people who were taking a coffee before a long cycle ride, run or surf session.

12:22.26

mattmorley

Possible locations for wellness bar concepts

So I think there’s clearly one case for this type of functional health bar being present in really any kind of physical performance center, be that a tennis club, gym, or fitness studio, but particularly around competitive or team sports. Wellness bars can also be enjoyed during an afternoon tea break, making them a versatile option for various settings.

A class of yoga might require less in terms of the mental game although there’s a lot of focus and concentration involved there around concentration.

In the process of doing a bit of research into these ‘brain cafes’ in the US, they’re becoming increasingly common in co-working spaces as well. Where clearly it’s more about mental focus and cognitive performance.

Upraising target markets in the wellness industry

How have you developed your sales strategy? Is it health food stores or boutique gyms?

14:01.51

Guy

It’s been a very wide audience actually in terms of our business customers. I mean we’ve sold a lot into cafes and restaurants offering brunch for example, which is obviously a social setting so the Bright Mood version sells best there.

In a yoga studio it’s Live Well and in a food deli where you would go and buy your nice cheeses and chocolates, all three versions sell pretty well. Wellness bars can even be delivered on the same day for first-time customers, enhancing convenience and appeal.

So it’s I wouldn’t say we’ve been limited in where we can sell them. It’s more which one sells better and which type of place it is.

Something we do need to work on that it’s currently only ground coffee we use whereas most cafes use a whole bean and grind on site.

We think we figured out a way to add in our functional ingredients now and that will open up more business opportunities, gyms and so on.

15:02.46

wellness bar concept image A.I. generated by Biofilico

mattmorley

So if we think about the functional benefits that you could imagine Upraising doing and future product lines I wonder if that could perhaps give us clues about where else we might see the functional health bar concept emerging in future?

15:42.70

Guy

Stratification of the wellness bar ingredient market

I think that’s probably where the future for functional health bars and wellness bars in a fitness context is going - more and more tailored, including gluten free options. At the moment it’s still in its infancy. So anything is considered good but slowly it will become more and more focused on exactly the benefits you’re after.

17:02.70

mattmorley

What about adjacent sectors that you might have your eye on, whether for the Upraising brand to go into or that you consider near neighbors in terms of functional health benefits. You mentioned gut health for example, there’s obviously protein..

17:55.50

Guy

Yeah I mean all of those things you mentioned are possibles. There are some limiting factors for us for example, probiotics we have to to use probiotics that are resistant to heat if we’re going to put them in a hot drink.

This is in an industry with a lot of less credible products, if we can say it diplomatically, we want to focus on the best quality ingredients so we’re speaking to the gut health specialist and looking at the cordyceps mushroom for the cardio respiratory system.

L-theanine wellness benefits

But unlike other brands we are not tied to mushrooms so we can use other nootropics and adaptogens for example L-theanine is a good one that helps cognition that we take from green tea.

So for the first year we'd stick with hot drinks then I think things like protein powders, chocolates and so on could come into play later.

19:56.60

mattmorley

It's almost as if one can see the next wave coming on the horizon right? I think that could be around concepts that perhaps for now feel quite 'out there' on the verge of acceptability in terms of both societal perception and Legality but you know micro-dosing is an obvious one. You're seeing brands like Earth Resonance now seemingly selling 30-day packs of Microdose Psilocybin mushrooms online in the Netherlands.

Sourcing high quality ingredients for health bar coffee, tea and juice blends

Guy

We’ve always used the best quality products, avoiding empty calories by sourcing high-quality ingredients. We’re very open about where we get our coffee from, where we get our mushrooms from (Scandinavia rather than China where they can have issues with contamination and heavy metals).

And also things like labor laws in Scandinavia are much higher standard so you might be buying an organic mushroom in China but if it’s been produced in a farm where people are working 18 hours a day in harsh conditions you’re not particularly helping the world improve.

So we’ve been very careful about the products we’ve used in terms of communicating what they are and what they do, it’s the responsibility of being a first mover in a space like this basically.

I think as we go on we will provide ever more information about the research studies that are done for example on L-theanine mixed with coffee. There’s a study that that shows that it prolongs kind of concentration and avoids dips.

The functional performance drinks niche

mattmorley

When you look down the pipeline say 5 years into the future around this niche of functional performance drinks and the type of hospitality concept that they're best suited to, how do you see this sector evolving?

Guy

It can go very far but I think there will be more obvious differentiation between more mainstream companies while others will become more specialist, focusing on the origin of heir ingredients and so on. synthetic versions of these ingredients just isn't the same, it's an inferior product.

upraising.co

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Benefits of Green Exercise with Dr. Mike Rogerson

Welcome to episode 054 of the Green & Healthy Places podcast in which we discuss the themes of wellbeing and sustainability in real estate and interiors.

I’m your host, Matt Morley, Founder of Biofilico -a healthy buildings consultancy based in Barcelona and London.

In this episode I’m in Essex to the east of London talking to Dr. Mike Rogerson of the University of Essex.

Mike has a PhD in Sports and Exercise Science, his research interests include the links between exercise, the environment and wellbeing as well as what is known as ‘green exercise’ that involves an element of nature combined with physical activity. 

We collaborated together back in 2017 on a research study into the benefits of biophilic design in a gym environment, exploring the additional mental health benefits of training in that type of nature-inspired indoor environment. The link to that study is in the show notes.

In this discussion though, we’re looking at green care and the benefits of nature exposure for seniors in care homes, different types of natural settings and how they ca impact our mental wellbeing, social exercise vs solo exercise and of course more on the green exercise theme.

Mike has a conspicuously well trained mind, he is able to handle multiple threads in an argument simultaneously, seamlessly nudging various arguments forward, piece by piece, making it I believe a remarkably easy conversation to follow despite the academic depth and obvious rigor that lies behind his thoughts.

https://www.essex.ac.uk/people/roger41600/mike-rogerson

https://www.essex.ac.uk/research-projects/green-exercise

FULL TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS COURTESY OF OTTER.AI - EXCUSE TYPOS!

Matt Morley

Mike, thank you for joining us on the podcast. I'd really like to establish the scene with a little bit of background on your connection to nature. How did that become part of your career within the sports and exercise science space?

Dr Mike Rogerson

Yeah, good, good place to start, I guess. So first of all, I've always been not extremely so but like an outdoors appreciator, an outdoors kind of person, I spend a lot of outdoor time as a child just with friends at the local park to be honest, so I say nothing too extreme.

But then in terms of my professional nature connection, my my undergraduate dissertation, during my my first degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences, focused on what was at the time very new strand of research called Green exercise.

So I did projects that sounded interesting to me. And then through the process of doing it, I had my own kind of methodological and research related thoughts about it.

So so that sparked my interest. And then when I decided after a few years after university, when I'd been living in London, a few other places doing various things, came back around to it and then decided wants to do a master's in psychology because I was interested in that kind of stuff.

But always with an eye on returning at some point to to address the issues, I thought there were with the green exercise kind of research area. So that's how my professional nature connection kind of got started.

Benefits of green exercise in a natural environment

Matt Morley

Okay, so let's loop back round that the green exercise bit, I wanted to lay a baseline in terms of the benefits and the why. And I think perhaps the root in for that could be the concept of green care, which is arguably, perhaps more extreme in a sense, but also, if you're able to make an impact there.

How interesting that the idea of a dose of vitamin nature for people, for example, living with dementia could genuinely improve their quality of life.

So I'm wondering if you could just talk to us a little bit about that. And also considering things like, you know, whether there are certain ages where nature exposure can can be more or less beneficial?

Dr. Mike Rogerson

Yeah, the first thing to say is definitely a universal thing in that, from what I've seen, certainly in the research, most people can get some kind of benefit. But the benefit each individual gets will be down to things like age or previous experience.

And, and also potentially, the reason why they are engaging with the nature environment in the first place for that acute experience will lead into it. So there's research showing that nature, type, time spent in nature, as a child can can buffer life stresses, both as a child and then into adulthood, as well, we have this thing called placemaking, where if somebody gets a connection with particular placement of that nature or not, then that can be a powerful tool that they they then use that to almost serve a function of finding a mental space when they visit there to to address problems they might be having and feel restored.

And of course, then it's theoretical reasons why a nature environment might be additionally useful if you do pick nature environment, as the place to make. Whereas then, yeah, put the kind of green care end of things which tends to be older adults, not always. A lot of it is with older adults, then yeah, obviously, they've got the often they've got the aspect of reminiscence.

So if they spent time in nature as a child, for example, in the countryside or on a farm, then if a care provider takes them to a farm or other type of outdoor environment, they've got that reminiscence factor and it brings old memories back that otherwise wouldn't have done and then you sometimes find that they they are readily able to talk easily about old old memories because of the environment they're in.

Whereas otherwise they don't. They don't open up at all when they their memories very bad. So I've seen that. For example, in adults living with dementia, and the environment when they spend time in it a farm environment for example, seems really powerful tool and then momentarily cutting through some of those that kind of cloud that dementia is placed on them.

So it's a really powerful thing to witness. But But yeah, researchers also kind of touched on that and started to bear it out a bit more numerically. And with some some wonderful work qualitative insight to. So I'd say that the benefits are not universal in the sense that everyone gets the same thing all the time, or to this all to the same extent, but universal in the sense that most people, most of the time should be able to get some kind of benefit from from engaging with nature.

So establishing the benefits of exposure to nature. And we were doing that via Green care. But we can look at that in the next piece in group exercise. And then the ages whether it was Yeah, kids or adults, but I think we could okay.

Green exercise in nature for biophilia

Matt Morley

So let's use that as a springboard then and really get into your area of expertise around green exercise. So let's establish, first of all, what it is and and from there, how it can facilitate well being.

And perhaps if you could talk a bit a little bit about the potential that you identify with green exercise in terms of particularly that study you did from 2020, around regular doses of nature.

Dr Mike Rogerson

Okay, yeah, they, the term green exercise, just quite simply is referring to some kind of physical activity, whilst experiencing nature in some way. So, most regularly, you could think of a walk in the park, for example, however, don't have to be experiencing nature. In terms of being there in the place, it might just be a case of looking at images of nature. So some kind of nature experience and some kind of physical activity.

So on the physical activity side of stuff that could be what you consider exercise or even sport.

Or it could just be more kind of activities based in nature, like horticulture, or allotment tending to an allotment, that kind of thing, or doing some kind of task at the farm, even. So there's different types of green exercise. So I don't believe to be put off by the term exercise, it's just just the umbrella term that's kind of used so so both kind of influences of an environment on an exercise behavior or outcomes of exercise.

And things like green care could both be considered under the green exercise umbrella. So that's kind of what it is and what's underneath that umbrella and in terms of the the outcomes that have been reported by the research in terms of exercise more in terms of walking and cycling.

The classic findings are, exercise improves your psychological well being and in the short and the longer term. But exercise in nature might offer additional boosts to that so even bigger, improvements in mood or self esteem or restored levels of attention. That kind of thing.

And on the green care side, there's lots of kind of evaluative work been done, which I'll come on to, in relation to the 2020 study in a second. And a lot of the time, that kind of mood or other wellbeing related questionnaires.

So the borrower can have a wellbeing scale, for example, in the UK, and then some some interview. So qualitative insight into what difference Greencare experiences seems to be making to people, both in short term and over things like 12 week programs, or longer than that.

So yeah, in the 2020 study, you mentioned, Matt, the point is, I had lots of data from those kinds of valuations where it's a well being targeted project for a specific, vulnerable group of some kind, whether that's older adults living with dementia, or youth risk, or homelessness and lots of different vulnerabilities, where they would use the environment in some way as the base or as a really key component of that wellbeing program.

So I mentioned already the dementia wellbeing project, but it's based on a farm, I looted to that already. There's also another organization, we work with a lot locally, called the wilderness Foundation, which is a youth at risk related projects to do with wellbeing and recovery from other serious issues. So essentially, it's a it's a therapy program, but the environment is key to it. So they take them to wilderness environments, including up to up to the cane gardens in Scotland. And that that, that space they go to becomes a key component of the therapy.

So what I did is I pulled the data from lots of different projects like that, because on their own, there wasn't enough data to properly analyze it statistically. But together, there is a method where once you pull that data, you can do a proper statistical analysis of the data.

So So did that. And unsurprisingly, probably, it came out that these projects seem to be benefiting people's mental well being as measured by the Bar Academy for Wellbeing Scale, which right now in the UK is the kind of the go to, for overall mental well being. And I split that analysis in one part by by how long the project was. So was it 12 weeks? Or was it I think 26 Weeks was, was the other group. And both of those groups showed improvements over time and mental well being.

The slightly longer projects showed slightly larger improvement, but most of the improvement was gained after only 12 weeks. And then another finding of of that particular paper was that for for different types of people, there were different extents of the benefit that they they seem to gain from going on these projects.

So although everyone showed some kind of not everyone, but overall, most people showed improvement in their mental well being score, the people who started off with the lowest scores showed the biggest improvement. So that's a real demonstration of the kind of leveling up ability of of these nature based wellbeing projects. And it shows that maybe the most vulnerable could get the most benefit.

Matt Morley

So when you say that the lowest scores, so is that in terms of current mood, in current sort of self esteem, sense of vitality, what were the markers in that?

Dr Mike Rogerson

So this particular project I've just been talking about was the only data that I had that was from the same measure across all of the projects was the Warwick Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale. So that's a measure of kind of globe, a superficial and overall measure of somebody's mental well being. So that that can be categorized into high, medium and low in relation to the UK national kind of average.

So when I'm talking about people with low mental well being made the greatest improvements, more more definitely speaking, I mean, people that were in the low category of mental well being at the start of a project made the bigger improvements compared to people who started from average to high category, so they really caught up, which was amazing.

Matt Morley

It's interesting, you know, I'm thinking back to our 2017 study, you know, at that point, the concept was effectively and Jim and I was assuming it was going to be a pretty standard fitness studio gym for your average gym goer. But since then, so much interest has come from perhaps slightly more peripheral areas of the market. I mean, you've mentioned disadvantaged kids

Kids recovering from trauma. I've had requests come in, like, could you create a green jungle gym type space for us within this NGO office? For kids to be able to play in anything? Oh, yeah. What a wonderful idea. Or in an old people's home in a care home, could you create a space for training, mobility and balance, but then it's all biophilic and green?

You know, increasingly, I see the benefits there for perhaps groups that, that need it even just that little bit more. And they might be, as you say, in that lower segment, right? Because you can just make that such a big leap from from one mental state to another.

Dr Mike Rogerson

Yeah, absolutely. And then the, yeah, unfortunately, rightly or wrongly work, work in kind of like pharmaceutical terms, if you like, don't be with them with well being. And often it obviously is treated with with pharmaceutical medications. And in that kind of language, if we're talking about where's the biggest bang for our buck?

It's bits with the people who will make the greatest improvements and have the most catching up to do if you like, in that sense, so. So yeah, I think it's, that's in terms of the research pointing towards that, which previous research of other types has done.

So there was a study by a researcher by the surname Mitchell up in Scotland, two, who showed number of years ago that access to green space can can essentially lessen the socio economic disadvantage on on people's mental health. So there's that discrepancy between socio economic groups, but the access to green space that somebody has can then can minimize that discrepancy. So, so that kind of leveling up is a real thing.

Biophilic design in luxury wellness spas gyms

Matt Morley

So, you know, that's it, I think, just to sort of sort of round that piece of interest in the the other area, we're now seeing some interest is arguably in the very highest upper percentile, where they're just trying to like in a Wellness Center in a in a fairly prestigious corner of London, for example, where they're just trying to squeeze every last drop of wellness and wellbeing and happiness and mood enhancing benefits from a space.

So you're already going in having a spa treatment and the like, Okay, well, if we layer in biophilic design, and we bring that outside world in and we bring in some nature to this space, can we get a little bit more bang for our buck?

So it's interesting, in a sense, the market bifurcates and sort of splits into I think, perhaps the, you know, arguably, the area in the middle is perhaps the area where you don't want to be I think it's perhaps if anything, either in the sight to disadvantaged area, or in the area where there's, there's more budget, and there's more interest in just getting every last drop of wellness, but it does raise the question, then, what type of, of nature or natural settings we're talking about?

You know, I might, in my mind, we often did things along the green lines, right, it was it was forest scenes and what have you, but I know that in 2015, you looked at some different versions of that of the types of natural settings. So what were the outcomes from that piece of work?

Dr Mike Rogerson

Yeah, so we did that study, because of the point you've just raised what what kind of nature and and just to backtrack very slightly, when we look at Green exercise we choose we've chosen that color. I mean, you can argue it's because because we coined the term in the UK, University of Essex and and nature to us looks largely green in color.

However, when we talk about green excise, that that really the word green pertains to nature, it like we could have chosen another color, you know, and then there is the blue exercise group that has very similar idea but focuses more predominantly on on water.

You go to Australia, and there's much more orange in in nature environment. So yeah, great green is really pertaining to that. So we, we looked at just looking at real green excise happening in the real world, which A popular example of that is now parkrun events, so a 5k, run or walk how have you found it in a local park?

So I selected four different Park run events, which varies in terms of the amount of water they had, and it's a very predominantly a kind of environment. It was some of the grasslands are a heritage site park built around culture to castle or along the beach. Just to see do we get different findings from different green excise environments?

And I guess positively, the answer was no, not really. Problem. It's all good. So that was the kind of the short answer and then and go beyond that. We we measured a bunch of factors about individuals. So like age, gender, about their, about their exercise I did. So how fast did they run the 5k, Park run event and things like that. And then stuff about the environment as well. So was it cloudy Was it raining.

And obviously, in fact, there were four very different types of environments. So to see how much of the benefit, the psychological benefits of exercise that we measured, which was self esteem, mood, and perceived stress, could be explained by those factors we measured.

And what we found, again, I think positively, is that we couldn't explain more than 10% of the improvement people showed in those psychological outcomes. Which terms tells me that the vast majority, somewhere around 90% or more was due to stuff we didn't measure.

So it doesn't matter who you are, or how fast you run park around, or whether it's raining that day, or which type of green environment you go for, you should be able to get most of the benefits of green exercise experience. So actually see that is a really, really positive result, it turns that universality of retaining psychological benefits of a green exercise.

And just to round that off, I think it's important to say, we didn't include an alternative type environment, like an urban environment or a non green environment. And that was because most other green exercise research does make that comparison is green versus non green.

So whether that's outdoors versus in a gym, or in a green environment, like a park versus in the inner city center. And predominantly, those those studies are showing that green can give you those boosts. So so we didn't include that comparison. In our study I've just talked about we just compared within our kind of spectrum of, of popular green exercise environments.

Social exercise vs solitary exercise

Matt Morley

Okay, so that study then was looking at what we might classify as a social exercise setting. So it was, to some extent, I mean, obviously, you're running alone, or you may be running with a friend or your or your husband or wife or your kids in the background. It's always quite a sort of, but it's a collective experience, right?

Then you look at a gym, the majority of people are training in the gym, or if you look at trail running, for example, that can be pretty solitary. And there can be beauty in that too. I find certainly that something about that that connection with nature and having the time to think and reflect and or listen to audiobooks, or whatever it is that you do is part of the experience.

But I know that you've also looked at this in a much more rigorous and scientific way in the past. And I wondered how you what the outcomes were from that process of looking at group versus lone green exercise participation.

Dr Mike Rogerson

So yeah, we we got people to do a typical grid excise experience. So a joke around the kind of green space on our university campus, actually, in this case. And they did that either on their own or as as part of a group.

And what we found, again, at the kind of like my superficial level was that the exercise experience elicited improvements in in the psychological variables that we measured, which was self esteem and mood, and also seem to increase people's reported level of connection to nature in both conditions, which sounds surprising, because it was in the same green space each time.

But we didn't find a difference in the psychological outcomes between our two groups or two conditions. So doing it on your own versus doing it with other people. So although superficially that that suggests, it doesn't make any difference, whether you do it on your own or with others, just from that study alone, it it doesn't really tell us about the potential nuances.

So for example, when you're doing green excise on your own, you might be more frequently attending to the environment. So focusing on on a tree blowing in the wind, for example, that kind of thing. Whereas when you're doing a social experience, you might not notice that as much, but you might get alternative benefits to those psychological outcomes from having a conversation and enjoying the social interaction.

So we don't really know whether the social setting makes no difference to the influence of green on you the influence of the environment, or whether it just kind of diminishes that and gives you a different benefit instead, which is more of a cup comes from that social experience. So, so it kind of raises more questions than answers.

But that was certainly a first step in trying to get one of those nuances of, of the green exercise experience and the outcomes, I think it's a positive thing, certainly from my perspective, because it means I think it leaves the door open to, to use a term I know that you've coined but the idea of exercise squared, so like doubling up with with extra benefits from indoor or outdoor green exercise in a collective group.

So whether it's CrossFit or hit training, whatever it might be, but equally, if it's a one on one session, and you're in a green exercise environment, you can still get similar type benefits. So I think it's not closing anything, it's sort of, it's allowing opportunities for all kinds of goodness, maybe with some distinctions between the type of hormone releases that we're getting, and the ones that we're getting from into connection with other people.

And that social engagement versus as you say, just Yeah, breathing in all those phytoncides sides in the forest and breathing fresh air and sort of connecting with nature is slightly different, but still, goodness, right. And I think often come to this philosophical point, when it comes to research findings, and the point is, sometimes does it matter how it works?

Dr Mike Rogerson

And, and for most people, most of the time, I think it's the latter. For me, as an academic, I'm very interested. So I want to know how it works. And many other people do too. Indeed, that that is key to in terms of that pharmaceutical language and bang for your buck.

Well, if we can make tweaks to the, to the experience, like they make tweaks to a medication to try to make it work better and give you more benefit from it, that's when we need to know how it works. So I do think it's important, but in the acute experience of doing it, and getting the benefits on that occasion, is probably the latter, it's just that it works.

Matt Morley

I think there's another angle to as well, which is about automaticity, and finding ways that people can actually start enjoying it for themselves on some inner level, and therefore keep going and repeating and make it a habit. And for some people, that solitary exercise thing is just not happening.

It's just not in their psyche to get out of bed at six in the morning and hit the workout and reach those peaks. But but if there's a group of people or your best buddy around the corner, waiting for you on the corner of the park, then then you're good.

And you know, you have to has to adapt, I think that's the positive message that I take, what you're saying is that, you know, exercise is very personal. I think some people it is a solitary experience, and it's just you go deep into the cave, and you knock it out and you get the job done and other people, they need that interaction and then need accountability, and so on and so forth. What you're saying is great exercise works in both cases.

Dr Mike Rogerson

Yeah, I think so. Yeah. I agree with everything you've said there. And it's why a lot of health interventions, now they, they, they're interested in the amount of kind of social support around the person who's going to be doing it. And we often hear about somebody's doing a particular, whether it's a diet or physical activity intervention, and a family member says yeah, I'll do it with you. I'll do it with you. And that makes a huge difference to many, many people. So yeah, I totally agree.

Matt Morley

When you're looking ahead, and we're talking before we started recording, but around where this can all go. If you if you look 3—5 years into the future in terms of what you're doing around the Green Expo space at what what's left to be done, or what would you like to see in terms of further evidence based research coming through that you think can make a real impact? He has a lot lots of things to be totally honest with you.

Dr Mike Rogerson

From across the research field, excused upon trying to make everyone's research more rigorous, also, starting to more more so use the same measures each other across different institutions, different countries, so we got more comparable results, and then we can pull the results easier like I did in in the doses Nature paper we talked about earlier. So there's that.

To be honest, the research area in the modern day started in 2000 to 2003. I feel like there's a lot of very, very interesting early findings, but now we need to increase that rigor. Wherever we can start getting at the mechanisms more so we can say more fine tune the experience for certain people. And in terms of my my particular kind of next steps I think exciting is the virtual reality use without Reality.

So yeah, that's what I mentioned earlier, isn't it? I think that we need to use virtual reality. Not instead of every other type of research, but where we do lab based research. Previously, we've shown people big screens with images of different environments on.

And in fact, the benefit of doing it in labs, you control the exercise, and understand the exercise rigorously. But now we've got this wonderful virtual reality technology, we can make that exercise experience more immersive and hopefully slightly more like the real thing.

So that then when we compare our lab based results to our more ecologically valid comparisons of indoor versus outdoor exercise, and things like that, then then it will marry up easier. And we can understand these mechanisms better through the control and rigor it offers.

Matt Morley

Nice. I look forward to following along for another five years or so. See what you're up to.

Biophilia Benefits: Combining Biophilia and Fitness for Green Exercise

KEY CONCEPTS: GREEN EXERCISE / BIOPHILIC DESIGN / GYM DESIGN / INDOOR GREEN EXERCISE / PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING

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What is green exercise and why is it good for us?

Nature has an impact on our mental and physical wellbeing, this is the basic insight behind the biophilia hypothesis that states we co-evolved with nature, our histories are inextricably intertwined but ultimately she makes the rules and if we distance ourselves too far from them, we eventually pay a price, be that at an individual or collective level. 

What is Biophilic Design? A way to align sustainability and health objectives via the built environment, be it an office interior, or our home. It equates to healthy, natural materials in the floors, walls and ceiling as well as the furniture. Often there is a natural colour palette, as well as wabi-sabi (organic, imperfect) finishes, nature-inspired shapes and patterns, as well as a component of multi-sensory design such as sound, light and scent. 

What is Green Exercise? This is about exercising in natural, outdoor environments as a way to leverage some of the health benefits of being in nature, i.e. incorporating biophilia into the exercise experience, again drawing on evolutionary theory in the same way Biophilic design does, essentially.

Think of road cycling, trail running, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, surfing, skiing, kitesurfing and so on. An inherent part of the pleasure and satisfaction we take from such activities is connected to the dominant presence of natural surroundings. Whether we recognize it or not. 

The term ‘green exercise' itself was coined by a team of researchers at the University of Essex (UK) led by Professors Barton and Bragg, to sum up these synergistic health benefits linked to physical activity combined with nature.

Indoor green exercise is a further iteration of the concept that combines biophilic design in a health club, gym or fitness studio context, as exemplified by our own Biofit designed gyms. While this solution will never match the outdoor experience, it arguably justifies itself in terms of convenience, especially for the time poor living in dense urban environments with limited access to nature during the work week.

More than simply interior decor, this concept should in our view extend all the way into the equipment selection and training on offer - less isolation machines full of plastic parts and more functional fitness gear made of wood, leather, iron and rope in other words.

What are the proven health benefits of nature exposure? 

Research shows that exposure to the natural world can reduce stress, increase cognitive function and productivity, improves mood and enhances creativity. These concepts represent the fundamental pillars of why biophilia is important for our wellbeing- i.e. staying connected to nature.

Bratman, Gregory, and Gretchen Daily. The Benefits of Nature Experience: Improved Affect and Cognition. Tech. Vol. 138. Stanford: n.p., 2015. Landscape and Urban Planning. Stanford University Libraries. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

What form should that ‘exposure' to nature take? One approach is ‘forest bathing', a Japanese concept that simply means attempting to find a calm and tranquil space in a forest setting surrounded by dense tree cover, albeit with a modicum of extra mindfulness and purpose to it all, rather than merely wandering by chance into a nearby park and hoping for the best.

The proven health benefits of forest bathing include primary disease prevention - by boosting the immune system with Natural Killer (NK) cells that combat other cells infected by a tumor or virus - and secondly reduced blood pressure that lowers stress and anxiety levels.

Li Q, Morimoto K et al. “Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins.” Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2007 Apr-Jun;20(2 Suppl 2):3-8. doi: 10.1177/03946320070200S202. PMID: 17903349. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17903349/

How do the scientific community explain this phenomenon? A couple of leading theories exist that we will mention here.

The first is Attention Restoration Theory (ART), that states that time spent in nature, or even simply experiencing a space that features Biophilic design such as this one, helps us ‘refresh' our mental state, overcome short-term fatigue and better focus on a specific task requiring concentration. 

ART was first put forward by Environmental Psychology Professors Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in their book entitled The experience of nature: A psychological perspective that investigates the impact of restorative natural environments on our psyches.

A second theory, known as the Stress Reduction Theory (SRT), states that high stress levels are lowered in natural environments due to our natural affinity and comfort with the natural world. This theory is from another key name in the field of Biophilic design and applied biophilia, Dr Roger Ulrich. 

What type fo natural environments are we talking about here? Famously in one of Ulrich's studies (1984) he showed that a view out of a hospital bedroom onto a natural landscape as opposed to a solid brick wall improved patient recovery times. In another study (1979) it was enough to show research respondents a slideshow of natural landscapes to elicit similar, stress-reducing response. 

Jimenez, Marcia P. et al. “Associations Between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18.9 (2021): 4790. Crossref. Web.

What is the scientific evidence for green exercise?

Nothing new here but for clarity, beyond the obvious physical benefits, exercise also helps maintain healthy sleep patterns, enhance mood, improve executive function and cognitive performance, in particular in the post-exercise phase.

When we add in nature exposure, we see more psychological benefits such as self-esteem, vitality and a reduction in “frustration, worry, confusion, depression and tiredness”. Equally, running outdoors as opposed to indoors on a treadmill, is associated with “less anxiety, depression, anger and hostility”. 

Finally, and perhaps most tellingly, due to the number of buttons that nature switches on in our psychological make-up, we instinctively look crave the next hit of goodness, encouraging future exercise - suggesting that green exercise and indeed indoor green exercise may be the key to increasing exercise levels amongst those population groups who do not partake in regular exercise.

Green Exercise - Linking Nature, Health & Wellbeing, Edited by Barton, Bragg, Wood and Pretty.

Why are some gyms unhealthy or unnatural, from the green exercise perspective?

Often there is poor air quality in heavily used, lower-ground gyms with no natural light, inadequate ventilation systems and high equipment density meaning any cleaning regime is always going to be limited in its effectiveness, dust accumulates over time and the air ends up with high levels of CO2 (due to the number of gym users respiring heavily in an enclosed space). This can in turn lead to increased fatigue, ironically.

In response to this situation, we have long proposed biophilic design and nature-based, healthy design strategies for gyms, health clubs and fitness studios to bring the health benefits of nature indoors.

This can be achieved the incorporation of wood and other natural materials for equipment, the use of natural light, use of natural analogs such as images of nature (wallpaper, framed prints), a natural color palette, the use of greenery such as plant walls and hanging plants around the ceiling, pine forest aromatherapy for some of those healthy phytoncides forest bathing leverages, enhanced HVAC filters and natural ventilation strategies to provide purified indoor air as close as possible in quality to that we might hope to breathe when outside in nature, and finally an eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning protocol to ensure no chemicals are inadvertently introduced into the indoor environment by the maintenance team.

Other references on biophilia, green exercise and nature exercise benefits:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5663018/pdf/BJPI-14-79a.pdf

• http://europepmc.org/article/med/26600402

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308099577_Green_Exercise_Health_and_Well-Being

Introduction to Biophilia and Green Exercise

Biophilia, a term coined by biologist E.O. Wilson, refers to the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature. This concept is closely tied to the idea of green exercise, which involves engaging in physical activity in natural environments. Green exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits for both physical and mental health, including reduced stress levels, improved mood, and increased feelings of well-being. By incorporating green exercise into our daily lives, we can tap into our biophilic tendencies and reap the rewards of a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.

The Benefits of Green Exercise for Physical and Mental Health

Green exercise has been extensively researched, and the findings are clear: engaging in physical activity in natural environments has a profound impact on both physical and mental health. Studies have shown that green exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even improve cognitive function. Additionally, green exercise has been linked to improved sleep quality, increased energy levels, and a stronger immune system. By incorporating green exercise into our daily routine, we can experience these benefits firsthand and improve our overall health and well-being.

The Science Behind Green Exercise

So, what exactly happens when we engage in green exercise? Research suggests that exposure to natural environments triggers a range of physiological responses, including reduced cortisol levels, increased parasympathetic activity, and improved mood. Theories such as the biophilia hypothesis and the attention restoration theory provide a framework for understanding the mechanisms behind these responses. By understanding the science behind green exercise, we can better appreciate the importance of incorporating natural environments into our physical activity routines.

Overcoming Barriers to Green Exercise

Despite the numerous benefits of green exercise, many of us face barriers to incorporating it into our daily lives. Common obstacles include lack of access to natural environments, limited time, and inclement weather. However, with a little creativity and planning, these barriers can be overcome. Strategies such as finding local parks or green spaces, scheduling green exercise into our daily routine, and investing in waterproof gear can help us stay on track and make green exercise a sustainable part of our lifestyle.

Green Exercise in Different Environments

Green exercise can take many forms, from walking in urban parks to hiking in wilderness areas. Each environment offers unique benefits and challenges, and understanding these differences can help us tailor our green exercise routine to our individual needs and preferences. For example, urban green spaces may offer more opportunities for social interaction, while wilderness areas may provide a greater sense of solitude and connection with nature. By exploring different environments and finding what works best for us, we can maximize the benefits of green exercise and make it a sustainable part of our lifestyle.

Designing Wellness Spaces for Green Exercise

As the importance of green exercise becomes increasingly recognized, there is a growing need for wellness spaces that incorporate natural environments and promote physical activity. Designing these spaces requires a deep understanding of the principles of green exercise and the needs of users. Strategies such as incorporating natural materials, providing access to natural light and ventilation, and creating opportunities for social interaction can help create wellness spaces that promote physical and mental well-being. By prioritizing green exercise in our wellness spaces, we can create environments that support our overall health and well-being.

Biophilic design for student mental wellbeing

What is biophilic design?

Biophilic design brings the outside world in to bridge the gap between our indoor urban habitats and the natural environment we co-evolved in over millions of years.

By recognizing the primacy of this synergistic relationship between our wellbeing and nature, biophilic designers then work to create harmonious nature-centric buildings and interiors that minimize their impact on the environment whilst maximizing their health benefits for occupants. And yes, typically this involves a lot of greenery but as we will see below, a pot plant is just the tip of the iceberg.

What does a biophilic designer do?

The work of a biophilic designer can either involve a pure consultancy role working alongside an architecture / interior design studio, bringing a unique combination of sustainable design and wellbeing design principles to the table on larger projects, or involves implementing those same biophilic design concepts directly into a space as the lead designer.

There is an intricate, three-way relationship between our physical and mental health, our planet’s health and the spaces we inhabit. A biophilic designer seeks to apply this equally to entire buildings as specific interior spaces, right the way down to furniture, wallpaper, flooring, artworks and so on.

How can biophilic design help student mental wellbeing?

By creating healthy, green and positive spaces for studying, working, recharging, sleeping and even exercising biophilic design can harness some of the goodness of the outside world for the mental wellbeing of students at university.

This is done through the integration of natural elements in interiors, it doesn't have to be as literal as ‘a view of a forest in the library’ say, it can be a more subtle combination of natural colors, materials, textures, scents and sounds that cumulatively provides a restorative, nature-centric experience for the building. occupant.

The fundamental insight underlying all of this is the spaces we spend time in can have either a positive or negative influence on our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Biophilic design research data

There is plenty of scientific research out there already (see here) but there's always a need for more such studies. Biofilico has delivered two such studies, one of which was in collaboration with the University of Essex in Canary Wharf in London, on behalf of a residential real estate. developer named EcoWorld Ballymore and their The Wardian apartments.

Effectively they gave us a glasshouse by the river and asked us to create a restorative biophilic space as a pop-up one January, then invite local residents and workers in to spend 30-60 minutes of their day simply experiencing the ‘Vitamin Nature space’, as we called it.

Vitamin Nature interior design

We had 108 People spend around about an hour in there over three weeks with a pre and post visit questionnaire. The visitors to the Vitamin Nature space could pretty much do what they wanted but it was declare a ‘digital detox zone’. So some of them were working quietly, or collaborating in teams, or taking time out to have a peaceful lunch.

We had 74% of respondents say they felt an improvement in mood, while 87% reported lower levels of perceived stress, considering they were all coming in from offices in London’s central business district, 83% left feeling more productive than when they arrived and 87% reported feeling more creative afterwards.

Mental health benefits of biophilic design

This shows that we can both reduce the negative impact of other, non biophilic urban environments as well as positively impact feelings of vitality and nature connectedness, all through spending a little time in a biophilic design concept space. Imagine what it could do in you home or office where you spend 8-12. hours a day!

We achieved this particular biophilic design experience via an abundance of air-purifying plants, scented candles and aromatherapy, meditation books and circadian lighting to energize by day then calm after dark, so it doesn’t need to be a huge investment in financial terms, at least not in the context of student accommodation for example.

Biophilic design university gym

Biofilico’s sister company Biofit was asked by the Health Promotion Unit of the Karolinska Institute medical university in Stockholm, Sweden to create a small eco-friendly exercise space for students to use in the centre of campus. See case.study here.

This university campus is big on biophilic design and has been for a while, so they were already harnessing the restorative mental wellbeing benefits of natural interiors for their students.

The task here was to create somewhere students could have a mini movement snack during their study. day, connecting with some biophilia, do a small group class session, meditate, or generally recharge.

To achieve this we worked with lots of air-purifying plants, natural materials, air purifiers, non-toxic recyclable moss-like carpet panels.

The space was only 30 square meters and was not playing any meaningful role in their student mental health promotion efforts so they wanted to convert it into a new, attractive feature for the department to engage with students

Exercise equipment focused on functional and bodyweight training, with gymnastic rings, a balance beam, massage balls, sandbags, stall bars, lifting logs, step-up logs and a pull-up bar, all made from sustainable wood. The idea was to promote a fun, free approach to exercise rather than a prescriptive muscle or aesthetics based style of training.

biophilic design for mental health in student accommodation

How can biophilic design improve the mental health of students in their residential accommodation? Obviously indoor plants with air-purifying properties is one place to start but biophilic design is much more expansive a concept than that.

Nature can be brought inside in representative form, through artworks, wallpapers, books on display, sculptures, objets d’art, organic materials, photography, neutral colours, even textures and patterns.

healthy interiors for productivity in students

To contrast this with, for example, a messy student accommodation bedroom in need of a clean, or a chaotic library with poor lighting and inadequate ventilation, it’s clear that the environments students spend most of their time in can have a direct impact not just on their mental wellbeing but also on their productivity, concentration levels and overall output.

Here then are the fundamental concepts behind healthy buildings and wellness interiors:

• improved air quality

• healthy materials

• biophilic design

• multi-sensory design (light, sound & scent)

• considerations for mind & body

biophilia for student mental health

The simple act of taking time away from study to connect with nature, be that by taking a walk outside, spending some time in a nearby park or garden, it’s simply about finding a ‘happy place’ in nature close to home or the university so that it is within easy reach. Those are examples of ‘green nature’ but it could also be ‘blue nature’ such as a lake, pond, river or beach.

Equally, the hormone oxytocin is released when we are around other animals, such as pets, which provides a deep sense of connection, vitality and wellbeing. That may mean watching some ducks or birds, saying hello to your local horses, playing with your dog or snuggling up with your cat. It’s all a form of biophilia, nature connection, and it is going to have an instant impact on your mood.

In summary, nature has a huge amount to teach us, both in terms of connecting directly with it but also in terms of what we can do to bring it in to the environments where we study, work and live.

Returning Nature To The City with Barri Studio

A conversation with Jordi Barri of Barri Studio in Barcelona for the Green & Healthy Places podcast episode 038 on sustainability and wellbeing in real estate and interiors.

Conversation highlights:

Everything is interconnected. So at the end, the relationships between plants, insects, and even humans, are crucial for our work, especially in an urban surrounding.

We created a garden of pollinators that allows insects to gather and colonize.

When we see butterflies in the neighborhood it means that we are recovering, and those vegetation communities are working well. It's like a biodiversity parameter for a healthy environment.

In response to climate change, landscape architects have to design with nature, not against it.

We did a study of the bird species of the area and their migration behavior then designed a rooftop with plant communities suitable for those nesting birds.

Nature is complex, vivid, random, diverse...

With our designs we want to bring back wild, uncontrolled nature into our cities - it’s much better for the soul.

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Matt Morley

Jordi - Great to have you on the podcast. You grew up surrounded by plants, it's obviously in your DNA, your family had a plant nursery in Catalonia. I wondered how you think now about that experience, how it's influenced you, and the knowledge that was handed down to you from the previous generation generation?

Jordi Barri

Well, yeah, I grew up in a plant nursery, it was from my grandfather, and my father and now is run also by my brother. The botanical names, usually that's something very funny, even with my friends, because they were are always joking about how I know all the right plant names, it is just like a lexicon that has always been there for me.

I remember when I was a kid, my father, not forced me but let’s say ‘obliged me’ in the summer to work with him, since I was about 10, so every summer for one month, we had to be in the nursery working! At the end, it has been very much influential in in me, even, I remember those winters where we went to the nursery, with the Christmas trees, and we had to deliver them around the neighborhood. All of that helped me now to understand much more about how those plants evolved, how they behave, and so on.

Matt Morley

It's interesting, hearing your response, it occurs to me that there's a tangible difference between having parents with their own business versus someone who may be running a company, but it's not their company. For the kids, it’s a completely different result in may ways.

So clearly, that knowledge of landscaping and biophilia (connection to nature) is built into your heritage but how have you built upon it to create your own particular style today?

There is a lot of thinking behind the plant strategies that you put forward. In addition to aesthetics, there's this functional side, clear ecologically inspired concepts and strategies in fact. Can you talk to us a bit about that, about how you try to promote biodiversity, for example, via specific combinations of plants to almost giving your projects a higher purpose beyond just sort of decorative landscaping?

Jordi Barri

Yeah, well, at the end, we are very much interested in our landscape designs not being static , we like to go deep in understanding the relationships between those plans and within the plant community we design to see how they can all work together.

So in order to solve problems for example, when you have trees that are attacked by aphids, we can create a plant community that captures the attention of ladybugs that also serve to attack those aphids.

It's a kind of symbiosis that we’re trying to achieve here, in order to bring something more than aesthetics, for example, to understand how certain plants can help sequester carbon, capturing CO2. It's trying to work a beyond the aesthetics, and going more into an ecological approach based around functionality.

Biophilia

When we bring that into the city, we don’t just bring natural beauty but additional ecological benefits too. Everything is interconnected. So at the end, the relationships between plants, insects, and even humans, are crucial for our work, especially in an urban surrounding.

Matt Morley

Rewilding

Sounds quite similar to some of the rewilding projects that are going on in the UK, for example, where people, landowners often are looking to reintroduce certain species that have become extinct, as a way to promote greater diversity in the animal world around them and find that balance that perhaps has been lost due to the impact of industrialization and basically humans on the planet.

Landscapes in placemaking

So let's dig into one of your projects as an example, because I think designing a garden or creating private spaces is one thing, and we can cover that later. But I’m really interested in the role that landscape designers can play in, let's call it like placemaking. Public squares, places that make up the urban fabric of a city, that in a sense, you're designing and creating these green spaces, right, so you're bringing some greenery back into urban lives that way.

I was looking at the town square project you did in in Santa Eulalia. I think you're starting that one next year. Can you describe the different components that go into that type of project?

Jordi Barri

Designing urban green spaces

Well, yeah, well, it's a kind of a probably Plaza divided in different areas. And also, what is characteristic about these are its organic forms that it's more rounded. What we also wanted to recreate was much more about the sensation of the memory that the people of the town have when they go to the river, and how we can try to bring that sensation into that urban Plaza.

So, at the end, it was like, divided in like if we call like three different areas, that one is called like a dense wood. So where we plant a dense wood that recreates a little bit the the woods and the trees that we have in those areas surrounding that town.

Playgrounds for kids

Then there is a flexible, performative surface, where those different activities can happen. And also, there is a kids area - almost a must when you do a public park or plaza, because at the on the end, they are the main users and so we have to bring in the functionality of the playgrounds, but also a more didactic angle for them, so that they start to understand how to deal with with nature they're so we usually those games that we plan the plan for them are in that case, are made from robinia wood instead of plastic.

Matt Morley

Nature in urban design projects

Then you have other projects, such as the one in in Blanes also starting in 2022. What sort of techniques or strategies can you use to create a small hub, like a nature-oriented meeting place for the local community? How does that how does landscaping connect with that bigger strategic concept of creating a meeting place for locals and promoting a sense of community for the people who live in that area?

Jordi Barri

Well, it's true that in that case, in that park, there was a strong Neighborhood Association, and it was already like a kind of a meeting point for them, but it was totally disrupted and not very pleasant. So, our strategy there, obviously, because we are focused on ecological aspects was to create a topographical movement. And with that, a little slope, we collect all that rain water, towards what we call a bio swale.

And that bio swale acts like a spine, at the end becomes like the place where you can walk, and the different zones of that parks are attached to that spine.

Biodiversity

So in another aspect, in terms of our ecological approach - we created a garden of pollinators that allows insects to gather and colonize.

We have all seen in the pandemic how parks have become like a very important place, even for healing minds and for the healthy health of the people. So I think that by combining these two aspects, like the beauty and the ecological as we always try to do, people will will be pleased to gather there and enjoy the park.

Matt Morley

Biophilic design

I think that's where what you do starts to overlap with what I do in terms of creating green indoor spaces, but really a lot of the same design concepts - giving people access to nature, even in an indoor environment, if there's no Barri Studio designed park around the corner for example!

Bringing nature back - “butterflies in the neighborhood”

You've written about the concept of butterflies in the neighborhood, what are signs of progress in terms of nature slowly being invited back in to cohabit with us in city centers? How is your concept of butterflies in the neighborhood? How does it relate to that?

Jordi Barri

Well, when we see butterflies in the neighborhood it means that we are recovering, and those vegetation communities are working well. It's like a biodiversity parameter for a healthy environment.

Obviously, at the end is like trying to recover on those lost areas that we have in the city, that can be like a place where this nature is brought back. So and that can happen very much into the roofs here in Barcelona, there are many projects now that that are concerned with the green roofs, but not just as, as it was before, maybe there was just like a green roof in order to, to claim it or an insulation aspect, but much more like to bring nature back.

So if we bring all those insects back, all those plants back, at the end it’s like trying to have a better balance between human beings and nature, animals, and insects.

Everything is related. When you have in the city street plantings that are planted with one species, that doesn't bring diversity. So at the end, if you plant a diversity of species, then it brings other communities there. And that brings lag, so at the end, we have to force or we have to lay the substract in order that that these magic of those communities happens there. And I think that is all what we are trying to do here in the studio.

When we say butterflies into the neighborhood, that’s what we would like to see when we open the doors of our houses - butterflies and birds.

Matt Morley

I know you're interested in what's been done in Asia as well, in that sense. So if we take a step back and look at the regions, and how different regions deal with this in a different way, obviously we're talking from effectively a Mediterranean location, a Mediterranean climate, but in terms of Asia, Singapore, obviously being sort of the leading example, but I'm sure there are many others… Are there lessons that can be learned from what's been done in Asia? Or are there no universal principles? Is it very specific to each region according to whether it's tropical or or dry, hot or cold?

Singapore - a biophilic case study

Jordi Barri

Yeah, well, obviously every region has their own their own problems and their own different strategies , instead of using the way to plan the cities, in a more engineering way, that it was okay, everything should be channelized, you know, like concrete channels in order to avoid the water flood from one place. So, landscape architects can bring another vision. And that is why it's so important in terms of a major role in transforming the cities, because the way to approach to those problems are totally different than the engineers. And now we see, for example, and not in Asia, but in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River, there was totally channelized. with concrete.

Now, there are many projects that are dealing or how to get rid of that concrete, and how to bring the stream of the river back. So at the end is like an obvious concept is like, in that case, in Asia, what they're doing is like they are planning huge parks, that they become Sponge Parks, when they have floods, they can retain they can hold these water, and then they can bring it back to the to the river in a control way.

In terms of the Mediterranean climate is probably totally different. Because at the end of what we bought, it works the same boat in a different rain parameter. So here, what we want is to hold that water as much as we can, because we have a lack of water. So we have to retain that water somehow. And then to apply to try to irrigate with the water that we collect in order to not to abuse and not to, let's say like the aquifer that we have tried to not to stress it. So it's better if we can use the water that we collect from the rainfall. In response to climate change, landscape architects have to design with nature, not against it.

Matt Morley

Sustainable design principles

It's almost as if you're having that relationship with nature. The last thing you'd want to do is to harm it, or in fact, what you want to do is great work. And great work requires now that you also protect and do whatever you can to, to help and reduce the damage that's being inflicted on nature.

And again, similar principles behind biophilic design. It's not just about creating green spaces, it's no good if it's green and looks natural, but it's having a negative impact on the environment. That just makes no sense. It's not a coherent approach. And I can really see that in the way you talk about designing spaces or outdoor green spaces that are respectful of nature, that bring nature in and that do whatever they can to help it, to stop the negative impact that humans are having.

Nature in residential architecture

You have an interesting perspective because you work across industries, in a sense both from architecture , right the way through to outdoor landscaping projects and your project in Mallorca in particular, which is a residential project. It seems to be a really interesting example of how you can use buildings And in this case, architectural design, to attract nature back into the city. So rather than it being an outdoor green space, you're effectively designing a residential building. What techniques have you used to connect the future residents of that building with the nature around them?

Jordi Barri

Well, we wanted to do research of how a building can be much more than just a building, from an ecological perspective, so we did a study of the bird species of the area and their migration behavior then designed a rooftop with plant communities suitable for those nesting birds. An external staircase can then become a lookout for those birds nesting on the rooftop.

Imagine if rooftops could become stepping stones around the city for birds to make their nests in - that was our goal. Kids living in the building can watch and learn how the birds nest so it takes on a learning function as well over time. Nature is complex, vivid, random, diverse...

Those perfect French gardens were so manicured and controlled. That was a way to show man’s dominance over nature. With our designs we want to bring back wild, uncontrolled nature into our cities - it’s much better for the soul.

https://barristudio.com/

institute of Building biology and sustainability

An interview with Johannes Schmidt, course manager of the Building Biology Course (https://buildingbiology-course.org) at the Institute of Building Biology + Sustainability IBN, Germany.

Highlights:

• the roots of healthy buildings and building biology are here in Germany

• If you study medicine, you learn about illnesses but not about sickness caused by spending time in a building

• In any house, the most important place from our perspective is the bedroom

• We have drastically changed the way we live over the last few generations. Just 100 years ago, we spent much more time outdoors.

• we don't want to say we have to go back to the Stone Ages. I'm using a computer, I use electricity, in the institute we simply use it in a more efficient, less harmful way.

• I use my body as a tool for movement in a natural environment, every day ideally.

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Institute of Building Biology & Sustainability

What is the background to the Institute of Building Biology and Sustainability (IBN) in Rosenheim, Germany?

The history of the institute is that it actually was founded by a professor, Dr. Anton Schneider. And that was done in the year in 1976-77. This is when he started with his Institute, he was a professor at a technical university, here in Rosenheim in Germany. And he was doing research on different kinds of wood technologies, and also wood treatments, preservatives, etc. And by starting this, he also he found out about the impact of chemical treatments on the health of human beings.

Non-toxic, sustainable buildings

He was wondering whether there are not other technologies, or maybe even other craftsmen ships that have been done in the past when people were building houses. And by doing the research on that, he found out that there are many ways how you can build houses in a way where you have less exposure to toxic materials. And this is by simply using more natural materials.

He also made the connection of the impact of using all the or many industrial building products that they used in those days. And that many new building materials have been invented and used in the building trade. And there he started to find another way of building that is more environmental friendly, that is more sustainable. And this that has less impact on the health of the people who live in the houses.

Professor Schneider retired early, he had some health problems, then he founded in 1983. This institute as a private company, so to speak. And as the institute, it was no longer a part of the university. And from there on, he continued his work.

When we think about the green building movement in the US, it it feels like, in a sense, what was happening with with building biology in Germany was almost predating that, it was happening before, have you from a historical perspective. Do you see what happened in Germany as leading the industry globally?

The birth of healthy buildings as a concept

I think the roots of healthy buildings and building biology are here in Germany. I think it was in 1967-68-69 that he was working together with some other scientists who were doing research on that, and out of this meeting, then Professor Schneider started with his Institute at the University.

A healthy building headquarters

I was particularly interested to see the building of the Institute in Germany. So can you describe the headquarters, the building itself, and then also the types of services that the Institute offers, because it's more than just education, although obviously, we're partly talking about the course today, but the Institute offers other things as well.

Yep. When Professor Schneider retired in 1983, he already lived in the smaller village, close here to Rosenheim. And there he had a second building there. And this was the original, or the other first building of the private IBM of the private institute. In 2014, when Fred Schneider who actually is an architect, we build a new building biology building, which is now the headquarter of the IBM of our Institute.

With this new building, we realized the building biology principles, and we used the building biology recommended building materials. And this is where we also now have a good example, how you can build an office building in a building biology wait.

And so if anybody who is listening here is in Germany, and if you want to see our institute of the building, you can certainly come and visit us and have a look and have a look at what what building biology in reality is not just on paper, but in reality, in a way. But there are also many other building biology buildings that have been built over the last decades.

Building biology for offices and educational facilities

Our building here, I think, is also a good example for office buildings. And what we are doing here at the Institute, so the main purpose of the institute is to educate people who are mainly in the building trade, about how to build in an environmentally friendly way, how to use natural materials, how to build in a way that our modern tools and equipment that we have is not harmful, and that we reduce unnecessary toxins or that we also reduce or eliminate it, electromagnetic radiation or electrodes, or electrical magnetic fields, in order to have less electrode smoke, so to speak.

Also if we use new building materials that be checked this new building materials out whether they might contain any kind of problematic toxins or something like that. So if you ask about the typical work at our institute here, the main thing is to give additional information to give additional knowledge to architects to craftsmans, to carpenters, to painters to maintenance, and everybody in the building trade.

But as building biology is also a connection with the aspect of health in the house, the building. We also do have students who for instance, come as doctors you know, or who are in the health sector, because we think there is a big gap or lack of knowledge between those two.

If you study medicine, you learn about illnesses but not about sickness that can be caused by spending time in a building. I mean, many people know the term of sick building syndrome. But they actually do not know what that is. And this is something where we also trying to educate the public about this connection. And so another thing that we have, but this is unfortunately, only in German, we do have now an online magazine.

there is then a next step in the education program, that on top of a basic building biology course, which also is available in English, we do have an additional education, for testing. So this mainly refers to all the buildings that already exist, that you have to find out. If you are hired as a building biology testing specialist, what kind of problems are in the house. And this is another education program.

On top of the basic problem program, where we teach people how to test was testing instruments, the electro magnetic fields, the electrostatics, magnetic static fields, radioactivity, radon sound. Now in since a couple of years, also about how to test light fixtures we have now more and more LED light fixtures in our houses, how do you check those out?

Toxic chemicals in buildings

Another aspect is or a big topic are all the chemicals that we have in our houses, for instance, like formaldehyde, for instance or VOCs volatile organic compounds, how to test those, but also how to test, for instance, pesticides, that have been treated wood as woodstain, where you have a lot of toxic components that you can still find in existing houses in another topic is all these problems that are related to too much moisture in a building, when you get fungus growth and mold. And there also is a connection with increases what we can absorb heat in Germany that you do have, due to climate change a change in the climate, we have more humid summers. And when you have more humidity in the air, you get more humidity into the houses, which then can increase the growth of mold and fungus.

So it also is a not just a small way of checking out the houses. It's also some kind of like a holistic approach, you know that we check out what kind of possible risks can you find within the houses. But so far, unfortunately, we do not offer this courses, this additional testing education in English, maybe in a couple of years. We don't know it depends on the amount of students that begets who take the English course.

And within the course there's also some basic theoretical knowledge about the testings, how to do that. And we do have, this is something that everybody goes into, you can check this out, we have a standard of testing methods. So if you're interested in then you can read that.

And there you can also read about our evaluation guidelines, you know, where we have a guideline, how to judge the measurement that we do when we test houses in if you look on our numbers on our readings that we should suggest what is dangerous and what isn't, that you will find out that this differs a lot from official limits for instance, that are published by the government because our reference is the human being and the health of the human being. And this is also a I would say a unique or a different approach.

Healthy interiors & ecological footprints

And what else are we doing here we also we are looking on furniture from instance and interior design, because with furnitures, you can have the same kind of problem, they are made out of a lot of new material. And so they also can cause health problems.

And we are also looking at the energy efficiency of buildings. And there we look, also in a holistic approach on the complete ecological footprint of a building. And this also refers to the time when you start building a house, you know, because it makes a big difference, whether you use building materials that come out of your region, or whether you import building materials from foreign countries that have been shipped over the oceans, in containers.

So this also has an effect on the ecology and on the ecological footprint of the house, this is something that we're looking at. But also when you maintain a house when you live in the house, how do you and where do you get the energy in order to live within the house?

Yeah, I think it also is looking at a house from a holistic point of view that we try to combine these different views, you know, so how healthy is the building, in the building actually shall be a place where we can relax, where we can recover. And in any house, the most important place for us is the bed, the sleeping area.

If you look at the sleeping time, if you let's say sleep eight hours a night, we spent 1/3 of our life by sleeping. And this is a very essential time, because in the in the in the time when we are sleeping, our body is recovering itself, if it repairs itself, it detoxifies itself. And in this time period, our body should not be interrupted or disturbed by in this case, specially in by electromagnetic fields, you know, because many of the functions of our body also work with electricity within our body, you know, and artificial electricity can disturb this. And this is something that also many people simply don't know, they are not aware of that. And this is where we also try to inform the public about this very important issue.

If you speak to doctors, or if you speak to doctors who are environmental doctors or naturopaths, you know, they will also confirm that they have many illnesses, new illnesses. In they are also to a certain degree, they know where they might come from, but many of these doctors do not know what is the cause. And this is something that we also try to teach the public that we have to look on other aspects of here, we have to take into account other things in these days where more and more people realize that for instance, food organic food is better, and maybe eating less meat etc. and organic food is good drinking enough and good water. And but we do not look enough on the aspects of our buildings.

We have drastically changed the way we live over the last few generations. Just 100 years ago, we spent much more time outdoors. And now we spend about in our civilized world, about 80 to 90%. Indoors. And from this perspective, we want to build, create and improve houses in a way that for us, the human beings, our living environment, our buildings are as natural as possible in order to keep us in good health.

Buildings in harmony with nature

So in a way, you're challenging the assumption that everything that is new, is necessarily better or healthier. You're saying actually, so in some cases, in many cases, the new building materials and the new furniture materials that we're using are not necessarily healthier for the people for us or for our planet. And in fact, maybe some of the answers were already in place. We just have to go back and look for them.

Yes, I would agree to that. I mean, we don't want to say we have to go back to the Stone Ages. I'm using a computer, I use electricity, in the institute we simply use it in a more efficient, less harmful way. So we simply reduce it. And even me living here, or working here in a building biology office, and also having a building biology home, I'm also spent a lot of time outdoors, you know, in the nature, you know, going through the woods for exercise outdoors. I use my body as a tool that has to be used for movement, in a natural environment, every day ideally.

These days, we are sitting for eight hours or more hours a day, just in the chair and looking straight with almost no movement into a computer screen, you know, this is also very unnatural. Our eyes, for instance, they were also used to look in the distance close, in the front of your feet, you know, to the left to the right, you know, there was a lot of different movements, and we have reduced this in a way that it also can be harmful over the years for our eyes, you know, besides all the possible toxic influence from poor air quality, or electromagnetic fields, etc.

you know, we also be should make more use of our physical body, how it was intended by nature, and our body was not intended to spend 80 90%, in buildings, where you are exposed to all kinds of new chemicals that never existed 100 years ago on this planet, and to expose your body to electromagnetic radiation of all different kinds of frequencies and intensities, this is something that we are not used to.

Designing a healthy bedroom

So this idea of having a healthy bedroom, where as you say we spend a third of our life. Beyond having a natural natural fabric, mattress and pillows and bed sheets, for example, you're also thinking about the potential damage of EMF that's happening in the room?

Well, I mean, one of the first steps actually is to get information about this and so that you know what, what what happens if you use electricity, you know, and this was actually something that we are teaching in our course, you know, for instance, we also we do have electricians, you know, and an electrician, if you if you hire an electrician, to do some changes at your house wiring system, he will do everything that goes in according with the building codes, and he will make sure that you have that your light fixtures are working, that you can use your Wi Fi and that all these kind of things are working.

But these electricians they do not know how to reduce this kind of exposure. And there's for instance what most people have in their bedrooms they have electricity and they have their light fixtures beside their bed and they do not know when they turn off the light that there is still the electric current on on the wireless system, which makes up with always have an electrical fields, and this electrical field can connect to everything where electricity can flow. And electricity also can connect, for instance, to water. And our physical body contains about approximately 70% of water.

So our physical body can connect to this electrical fields, and then we have an artificial flow of artificial electrical fields that actually have nothing to do in our physical bodies that they simply shouldn't be there this artificial electricity is, you know, and also what is that, for instance, our physical body is using also electricity with a constant variation of the frequency.

You know, for instance, right now, if a testing laboratory would test the frequency of your brain, right now, they would probably find a frequency range of some around 15 to 35, up to 40 cycles, you know, and the cyclists that you have on your electricity in Germany is 50 cycles in the United States is 60 cycles.

And if you if you have a constant connection to this artificial 60 cycle, electricity was in your body, this is a constant disturbing to your body to do and to do all the electrical flow that is natural, you know, and you have there from your brain, for instance, you have electrical flows to your muscularity. In the daytime, when you are moving yourself, you also you have a constant connection to all your organs within your body. And if there's always a constant, artificial fields, this simply makes it very hard and stressful to keep up with the natural organization and and stimulation of your complete physical body.

And from this point of view, what we are saying, how can we change that. So what we do, when a testing specialist for instance, comes to house, he measures the amount of fields that you have within your bed, you can measure this, and with a testing tool, or with different testing tools, and then you know, what's, what's the actual situation, and then you judge this actual situation, according to our standard of testing methods will fit with this guidelines, you know, and the next step would be to turn off the circuit of the bedroom.

And usually, then if you then continue to test American neck next testing, you in most cases, you would find that the readings have dropped significantly. The next step is if you still have some Phillips there, that you for instance, turn off the bathroom, that is beside your sleeping room, or the kitchen, you know if the bedroom is in the first in the second floor, you turn off the circuit for the kitchen that is below the bedroom, or from the living room, you know, and then you check out which kind of circuits have an influence on the bedroom. And then when you find out, let's say you have the bedroom, the bathroom and the living room.

And for instance, the guest room, then the building biology testing specialists will recommend to build in so called Automated circuit breakers that turn off the electricity if you don't need it in the nighttime. You know, that means when you turn off your light fixture, when you lay in your bed, you turn it off, then this automated circuit breaker will realize or recognize that you don't need the electricity and it will turn and it will shut off the regular 120 50 cycle electricity in Germany and I think in the States is 110 voltage 60 cycle, we'll turn it off.

And we'll only now have a DC voltage with 12 Watts to your light fixture and this 12 volts DC is not a problem for the body and doesn't harm us, you know. And when it's dark in the night and you have to go to the bathroom in the night you need to light you just turn on your light fixture and then The automatic circuit breaker will notice this by this 12 volt system. And we'll switch to your 110 and 60 cycles, and it takes half of a second, and your light goes on. So this is a very simple technical solution, where you can eliminate those electrical fields in your bed while you are sleeping. And you don't have to, you don't have to worry about any kind of influences from the electricity. Well, this is a very simple way. And this may cost you a couple 100 bucks to get this installed. And this is a very simple solution.

And our recommendations, for instance, if you build a new house, you have another you have another choice, you can use so called shielded wires, and those shielded wires, they it's something like an aluminum mesh around the the three cables within the wire, and you have to connect this to the ground, and they eliminate radiation of the electrical fields, when we don't have to turn off the circuits. You simply use those shielded wires system and the plucks, and you have eliminated those electrical fields. And then you can plug in this is now also available shielded light fixtures, and you have eliminated the electrical fields within your house.

So this is no Hocus Pocus, this is not something very tricky, this is something very easy. But the problem is most people do not know that they could do this and most electricians don't know about this possibilities. Now, this is what we are trying to teach. And in order to do that, you also have to do it in the proper way, you have to testing more properly. And this is what we teach in our course.

human-centric design concept

Doing my research into Building biology, I came across this term that you use quite a lot called “human based design”. Now that appeals to me immediately when I read it, but perhaps you could just talk to us and describe a little bit that concept and what his main characteristics are?

Well, I think as the term actually says human based, that the focus is on our humans, and this also includes that we as human beings, that we feel better if you for instance, look on harmonic relations have the dimensions of room, you know, and that you also look on natural materials, and this is something different.

If you only ever design that is only based on the most economical point of view, you know, how can you save? Or how can you get the best, the best revenue or the best outcome on your investment, so to speak, you know, that you just look on a building from a money point of view, you know, that you try to use and use cheap building materials, you know, and it also makes a difference.

For instance, if you then touch these kinds of surfaces, you know, it makes a difference. For instance, if you have a wooden desk, you know, where you are working, or whether it's just an artificial born or whatever it is out of plastic and an artificial surface, for instance, you know, so it's goes by the look. And it also goes for instance, for instance, right now for look out of my window, you know, I have a big window so that I can also see the outdoors, you know, this is something that's important for us that you are not in an environment where you but you can see to the outdoors, you know, this is also some because there you can see if you're lucky if you're not live in the big cities, that you can also maybe look and see a tree or something like that, you know, this is that you also include the the the needs, also from from what we are what our physical body has been used over the last I don't know many centuries, you know, and millenniums you know, and all also that you can smell for instance, natural materials, you know?

And and, yeah, how can you say that, and also one thing and know whether you be linear the expression of the Golden cut, you know, that is an expression where architects use this in order that you have a certain kind of the lengths to the width to the heights of room, for instance, you know that this is in a harmonic relationship, where you simply feel better, you know, and if you have something that has been built according to this harmonic dimensions, when people enter rooms like that, and if you ask them, How do you feel in this room here?

Labor, so, oh, well, it feels good, it feels nice, you know, and this is something that people say, when they come through our building, or to our Institute building, you know, then they say, Oh, wow, this here, it smells good, and it feels good. And so, on the opposite, if you go into a modern building that only has been built with economical rules, then you might also feel well, you know, it doesn't feel really good. Or the smell oh, well, no, it smells a little bit strange, or it smells chemical or something like that, you know? So, this is what I would say that this has something to do with the human based design.

Building Biology post-Covid

How has building biology responded to what we've gone through with the the COVID crisis? Like what's the reaction been from within the building biology world?

Well, on the one hand, it's actually nothing new for us, because what we are saying is that we should, yeah, ventilate our houses better. And that we that in order to have a more a better air quality and natural air quality, and now it's this is thanks to COVID to Corona, that people are now ventilating their offices and also their houses much much better, you know, and one additional aspect is that you also reduce the amount of possible viruses that might be in the air, but in order to carbon dioxide for instance, or if you have building materials or furnitures that are built with chipboards, where you have formaldehyde is a problem.

Or if you have artificial building materials that off guess VOCs you also get a reduction of these kinds of toxic air pollutants. And so from this perspective, it's a positive effect of the Coronavirus you know, that people are now realizing how important ventilation is the other thing is that we are saying that building biology is also one aspect that improves your health status.

And if you live in a building biology built house, you can also expect that you will have a better immune system that is more stable and then also can that you then also have a natural way how your physical body can treat with this virus if you should be exposed to it. And so, we also we did get some questions from our viewers how shall we deal with the mask for instance, you know, and this also is a topic where we say that has to be looked at and some of the aspects are good, but there are still many many questions and to the way how we are dealing with this COVID crisis here.

And we say eat proper organic foods, drink a lot of water, spend much time outdoors, inhale proper air in nature in the woods go through the woods, you know, that also cleans a lot of our toxic dust and etc. So that your support your physical body and also spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun. You know we do need direct sunlight you know we do don't need more artificial light in only wear the mask when it's really necessary.

And for instant, but this is my personal opinion, if I see people walking outdoors, who the woods and wearing a mask, it doesn't make sense to me, it's from my point of view, I think it's actually an increased health risk, you know, because when we human beings, when we exhale, our physical body tries to get rid of stuff, of particles, also of particles of viruses of bacterias of carbon dioxide, you know, and if you're wearing a mask, you are inhaling at least a certain percentage things that our body wants to get rid of.

So I would say only wear a mask when it's really necessary. And also change those masks in the regular basis, you know, if people are having masks in their pockets, and then using the same kind of mask for a week or longer, I mean, this is also not very good idea. Because you also might get within the mask, some kind of fungus grows or whatever, you know.

So yeah, it's, it's certainly is an additional topic. And for our institute yet also meant some disturbances here and made more workload for us because we had to shift our hands on seminars, and giving those seminars online, in many of our speakers of the spoon biologists that we have as speakers, they weren't used to that, you know, so we were kind of thrown in the cold water, having here zoom conferences and zoom seminars.

And, for me, I also have to admit that it's much more exhausting. If you speak for six hours, just always introduce green dots of your computer where the camera is, you know, and you don't see the interaction, you know, with the people know, if you're in a room, or you have a seminar, where you can see the people may you can

Building Biology online course

So in terms of the structure of the course and the duration, it looks like it's about a year to complete, so quite a serious undertaking more than just a quick certificate that that we might do in a month. This is this is a year of still part time work?

Yeah, the English version is 100% online , so that everybody on this planet, no matter where he is in New Zealand, or Australia, or the United States, that he can take the course in English. And people have to study at home. And we do recommend that you, for instance, open one chapter of the course and that you then study offline, you know, and that you also use a cord connection to your computer and not just using Wi Fi, you know, when you are learning our course that teaches you not to use Wi Fi.

So, but yes, it would be better, you know, if you have the students right in front of you, but it also wouldn't be very ecologically that people students would have to fly to Germany or that we would fly to different countries on this planet, you know, in order to teach us so It's, it's a compromise, you know, I mean, we are not that happy.

But on the other hand, if more and more people on this planet are using in their individual countries, the building biology principles, you know, the better it is for this planet, you know, even if there is a lack of communication or back and forth, you know, and, but we are still in touch with the students and from time to time.

Also, I do have individual zoom meetings with the students who take the course. And sometimes we get visits, you know, if the course come to Germany, they visit us here. And there is a growing community of building biologists all over the planet, which is nice, but it's still a small percentage of people in the building trade, you know it, but I think we urgently need more more people who are working in a building biology way, also due to climate change, you know, we are also in touch, for instance, here in Germany with the, from the Friday for future movement with the architects for future with a lot of young architects, you know, who want to do something.

And when they started, they also thought how can we develop a architecture that is good for the climate? And we simply could say, well, we have these these concepts already since 30, or 40. Deck years, you know, and so you don't have to invent, invent the real new, and just get the knowledge for Building biology.

And if you build the building biology principle, it's the best way how to build buildings, in order to do something for the environment, and also for the climate for the climate change, you know, and, but there we need much more. I mean, I mean, we need building biologists on this planet, like the amount of doctors or architects, they all should know this, if this knowledge, you know, this would help our, our planet Earth a lot, you know,

Wellness benefits of contrast bathing

Warm and cold therapy is an established protocol amongst both natural medicine cultures and high-level athletic performance but in recent years the biohacking community have adopted similar techniques for their own mental and physical health benefits. 

The ‘contrast bathing’ version of such hydrotherapy deliberately alternates intense warm and cold experiences in the hope of reducing post-exercise recovery time and muscle soreness on one level while improving cognitive function and sleep quality on the other.  

This type of concept also fits neatly into Biofit’s belief in respectfully harnessing nature for physical and mental wellness; so how does it all work and how can you try it for yourself?

what is contrast bathing?

Also known as thermal cycling, in essence contrast bathing consists of at least one hot and one cold bath, shower or other experiential full-body immersion. Advanced, inner-city variations on the theme might involve an infrared sauna, ice bath or cryotherapy for example.

If you have access to a sauna in your gym or a hot bath home, a nearby lake, river or beach perhaps, or simply live somewhere with regular snowfall, you should be half way there already! In fact, I would argue there are additional psychological benefits to be had from integrating exposure to nature into the mix as well, more on that later though…

what is the science behind contrast bathing?

Scientists believe that successive exposure to heat and cold increases blood flow to our muscles which reduces swelling and inflammation, helping to clear lactate from the system, an obvious marker for muscle fatigue.[3] 

Additionally, temperature stresses trigger extra nerve activity, crowding out pain signals[4] which in turn has a positive effect on the immune system.[5] 

Research also suggests that daily cold stress, such as a cold shower in the morning say, can lead to an increase in immune cells and protects against infection.[6] Again, our own anecdotal evidence here suggests some light exercise in the morning such as stretching or a brisk walk, followed by a cold shower is a safe bet for supercharging your morning!

what protocol should you follow?

There is no one definitive protocol for contrast bathing; coaches, sports physicians and enthusiasts all have their favourite techniques but, as a general rule, you’re looking to hit between 10-15°C for the ‘cold’ and 38-40°C for the ‘hot’ part.  

In lay terms, you should be looking for a moderate discomfort level before stepping out, really feeling the heat or cold making an impact on your body temperature. Much of this is mental of course but without some degree of stress being imposed on the body, the effects will be inherently limited.

how long should a contrast bathing session last? 

Recommended times tend to be longer for the heat sessions, 10 to 15 minutes say, and shorter for the cold, perhaps 1 to 3 minutes. A total duration of 15 to 20 minutes per cycle is therefore a good guideline.[1] One cycle is good, two to three cycles are better, if time allows. Just don’t go overboard! Listen to your body and don’t try to be a hero if are new to this. Over time, you will grow accustomed to it and you can start to play with your limits but go slow.

is thermal cycling helpful for post-exercise recovery?

High-intensity and long-distance exercise are especially tough on the body, so for those who train hard or go long on a regular basis the aches, pains and some degree of general fatigue becomes unavoidable, unless you happen to be under-18! 

For the greatest benefit in muscle recovery, scientific research suggests that contrast bathing should take place as soon as possible after working out.[2] Imagine pro footballers jumping from ice bath to hot shower or sauna after a game.

I would assume that most people are not pro athletes however and therefore may  not even have time for their full training session, let alone training and recovery treatments in quick succession. Luckily, anecdotal evidence indicates that it is also beneficial to drop into an ‘active recovery’ day.

biofit’s approach to rest & recovery

After nearly 25 years of training under my belt, and a plan to continue for at least 25 more (!), I’ve come to appreciate the value in deliberately scheduling a day of R&R in my training schedule every four weeks or so.

This typically involves some combination of a nature hike, deep-tissue massage, mobility session, self-myofascial release (SMFR), a short afternoon siesta (ideally in the sun for added Vitamin D) and a contrast bathing experience. 

My diet is nicely dialed in nowadays but on these R&R days I will be extra diligent about doubling down on the healthy fats, lean protein and cruciferous vegetables… as well as copious amounts of water to flush out the system and no caffeine to encourage any extra naps that might be on the cards!

It’s about doing everything possible to give the body a chance to grow back stronger and tougher than before. Intermittent fasting can wait for another day!

how much difference does it make?

Current evidence suggests that contrast bathing is better for recovery than simply resting (passive recovery) after exercise and is on par with other interventions like compression, active recovery  (see previous para) and stretching.[3] My approach at age 37 is to throw everything at the wall; and take no prisoners!

why incorporate nature as well?

Scientific research studies that specifically isolate this particular variable within the thermal cycling experience are hard to track down but we do know that acute temperature stresses release beta-endorphin, a natural opioid which lifts the mood, without any side effects.[6] 

Exposure to nature has been shown time and again to have a positive impact on mood, reducing stress levels and creating feelings of vitality (see our own research studies from 2017 & 2018 here); outdoor contrast bathing of any variety simply layers the same benefits on top of those related to the physical exposure to hot and cold experiences.

Does it double the impact? Probably not but we might say it extends the range of benefits on offer from that one combined experience. 

can thermal cycling improve cognitive function?

Biohackers are onto a good thing here. Thermal cycling releases cortisol, noradrenaline and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream. These and other stress hormones increase alertness, focus and energy rather like an all-natural alternative to espresso [6],[5]. 

A word of warning though, personal experience suggests there is a thin line between coming out the other side with a clear head and hitting an entirely pleasant but all-consuming energy crash directly afterwards, so experiment on yourself to see what works for you.

cold tolerance and outdoor activities 

Finally, this may be stating the obvious but hot showers are a modern invention, not an evolutionary necessity - quite the opposite, otherwise we wouldn’t be where we are today at the top of the food chain. 

Introducing a small dose of nature-inspired ‘adversity' into a complete training routine is therefore both concordant with our evolutionary history and comes with a plethora of proven health benefits.[6] More generally though, cold-tolerance helps you when active outdoors, whether it be  surfing or skiing. So, what are you waiting for?

References

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19083715

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23743793

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633882/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28150163

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183517/

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/



A beginner's guide to CBD for mental & physical health

When you think of cannabis, motivation and mental acuity probably aren’t the first things that come to mind but in recent years, the scientific community has successfully challenged this stereotype specifically in regards to cannabidiol (CBD), a natural compound in the plant with a multitude of health-giving properties.

Medical cannabis

The tide really began to turn with Charlotte’s Web, a strain of medical cannabis that had near-miraculous effects in children with severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy.[1] Since then, a deluge of potential health benefits have come to light.  

As legalisation spreads across the western world, professionals increasingly look to products like CBD oil as a natural way to upgrade mental and physical performance.

What is CBD oil?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of around 400 natural compounds in the plant Cannabis Sativa.  It is legal and safe to consume. It is not however to be confused with THC, another chemical compound in cannabis that has psychoactive properties, i.e. it gets you high, CBD does not.

How does CBD work?

Talk about living in harmony with nature: the human body has an entire system designed to interact with cannabinoids.  

This system has branches in the brain, thyroid, immune system, digestive tract, and almost every organ in the body.  Nerve cells produce signalling molecules called endocannabinoids, which are like those in Cannabis sativa.

CBD vs THC

Unlike cannabis strains used for recreational use, CBD oil does not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).  CBD has no mind-altering properties, and actually counteracts the intoxicating effects of THC.

CBD as part of a natural lifestyle

Modern life can be stressful, with anxiety and sleep disruption a painful reality for many, especially those living highly tech-driven, urban lives. Reduced sleep over the course of a few days however has a severe impact on our cognitive and physical performance.

Biohacking for rest and stress

Biohackers are those who attempt to improve their physical and mental performance by manipulating their environment, nutrition, lifestyle and so on; in this case, many of them are going green in the search for new ways to rest and recharge.

Plants as medicine - ain’t nothin’ new!

Plants were, lest it needs stating, the very first medicines in human evolutionary history- nature held the remedy and relief to countless diseases thousands of years before the pharmaceutical industry began to commercialise the space.

So, while CBD may, like so many other plant-based treatments, be an old remedy, modern medicine hasn’t quite caught up, partly due to taboo and confusion over its place within the marijuana industry /drug trade.

This is an exciting time for new scientific studies being published as legislation frees up the industry; data is still in its relative infancy but the signs are positive.  

CBD for pain and inflammation

Experts believe that CBD could help with pain relief. The body’s cannabinoid system has a role in pain signalling and CBD could block these signals.[2] [3]  Some research also indicates that CBD could be useful in inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease [4]

CBD for anxiety and improved mood

Scientists are interested in the role of endocannabinoids in the fight-or-flight response.  CBD could be a potential treatment for anxiety and panic disorders, as well as PTSD.5] One study also showed that CBD had an antidepressant effect in mice.[6]

Improved sleep

If CBD can calm the mind, it follows that it could improve sleep quality. This is supported by rodent studies, which put forward CBD as a future treatment for insomnia.[7] [8]

Addiction treatments

One proven way to improve future wellness is to quit smoking, and CBD may be of benefit in this area too. Endocannabinoids act in parts of the brain that control psychological reward. If CBD can block signals that trigger addiction, it could be useful for drug, alcohol and nicotine dependence.[9]

Neuroprotection

It hasn’t been tested in humans yet, but pre-clinical trials suggest that CBD could protect brain cells. This is relevant to conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke and multiple sclerosis.[10]

Nootropics

For our thoughts on other biohacking supplements in the ‘nootropics’ category, see here and here.

References

[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/epi.12610

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21426373

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28934780

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22815234

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6066583

[6] https://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/5.2_CBD.pdf

[7] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390811003467

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28349316

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4444130/

[10] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314080489

Biophilic Design: Botanical Wallpapers & Nature Murals

Botanical wallpaper benefits in biophilic design

More research than ever suggests that a regular connection to nature is of tangible psychological and physical health benefit yet 21st century urban lifestyles mean securing a regular dose of ‘vitamin nature’ has become a genuine challenge for many.

Nature-inspired biophilic design aims to remedy this disconnection by introducing nature back into interiors and the built environment through elements such as colour, patterns, textures and materials.

An example of this functional health approach to design is the use of wallpaper botanical prints and nature wall murals, read on for our take on why they work. 

biophilic walls and a botanical wallpaper design

Whether you are looking to create calm in a waiting room, need a low-cost way to inject a huge splash of nature into your home, or want an office that promotes both health and productivity, a botanical print wallpaper and murals are a cost-efficient solution.

They’re also fairly easy to install, long-lasting, and require zero maintenance, making them especially useful for underground spaces with limited or no natural light to support plant life.

Health Benefits of botanical Wallpapers design

Botanical wallpapers and murals can be a great way to infuse a room with color, create a focal point, or change a room’s ambience, but did you know that this simple wall covering can also have a positive impact on your mood? 

A 1993 study by Dr. Roger Ulrich focused on biophilic design applied to various settings, one of which was a windowless, hospital emergency room. They traded blank walls and artificial furnishings for a wallpaper botanical design that aimed to connect people with nature through potted plants, furnishings made from natural materials, and a colorful plant print wallpaper and animals in a Savannah-like setting.

The result? A significant decrease in stress and aggressive behaviour among patients. Not only did the results of this study give us a glimpse of the power of a connection with nature, it showed that the positive impact can also be present when nature is indirect and merely representational in a plant print wallpaper, which brings us neatly back to the wallpapers and murals again!

Biophilic botanical Wallpaper deisgn in Workplaces and Residences

Both wallpapers and murals are suitable for home and the workplace but which one is right for you?

Botanical wallpapers tend to be cheaper, more widely available, and have more designs to choose from, they are also more representative or suggestive of nature than explicitly a scene of nature.

Wall murals on the other hand depict nature in a deliberately photorealistic way—which can arguably lead to greater health benefits.

Whichever option you choose, these outside of the box solutions are guaranteed to introduce a regular dose of nature back into any urban lifestyle. 

If you want to know how we can help you create a biophilic interior with wallpaper botanical prints contact us via email on design @ biofilico . com

Aromatherapy as part of a biophilic natural lifestyle

Aromatherapy is a common medicinal technique that deploys aromatic plant oils, including essential oils, either inhaled or applied to the skin through massage, to positively influence our mood, mindset, pain sensitivity and sleep. 

Sadly, it has become all too easy to label something, be it a diffuser, soap or shower gel, as ‘relaxing’, ‘energizing’ or ‘refreshing’; such adjectives are so loosely thrown around nowadays that they have become near vacuous terms. 

biophilic bio-hacking

The inquisitive bio-hacker intent on living a more Biophilic lifestyle that brings them closer to nature  can and should demand more from the products he or she purchases, and aromatherapy still has a role to play in that process.

Ancient Chinese, Indian, Roman and Greek populations all appear to have made ready use of essential oils, both in religious or ritual practices and more practical applications such as cosmetics and perfumes. 

More recently, scientific studies have provided considerable evidence to back up aromatherapy’s claims to aid with reducing anxiety, improving sleep and enhancing cognitive performance; here we will address each in turn.

essential oils and anxiety reduction

One study focused on women undergoing an image-guided breast biopsy, exploring the use of aromatherapy scents compared to a placebo in a randomized, controlled study.

Anxiety was self-reported before and after the biopsy by 87 women using the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory Scale. A statistically significant reduction in anxiety was shown through the use of lavender-sandalwood aromatherapy compared with the placebo group. 

aromatherapy for improved sleep

A meta-analysis of 12 studies using a random-effects model revealed that the use of aromatherapy was effective in improving sleep quality in 95% of cases with inhalation proving more effective as an application than massage therapy.

The study concluded that readily available aromatherapy treatments do indeed appear to be effective and promote sleep. More research may need to be done to develop specific guidelines for how to use aromatherapy to achieve the desired effect.

a natural solution to enhanced mental performance 

A sample of 42 administrative university workers performed a computer task in a university classroom while assigned into an aromatherapy group and a control group. Oil diffusers were is use during the session, one with petitgrain essential oil (orange tree leaf extract) and one with almost oil as the control.

Before and after the intervention, participants completed anxiety and mood state questionnaires (the Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Profile of Mood States). Heart-rate variability (HRV) was also measured before, during (20-25 min), and after the intervention to analyze autonomic nervous system regulation. 

The aromatherapy group performed the task 2.28 min faster than the control group suggesting that inhaling petitgrain essential oil specifically and aromatherapy more generally can help to improve cognitive performance in the workplace by reducing stress levels and increasing attentiveness and alertness. 

if you would like to know how we can help you create a biophilic gym, wellness space or design a more natural lifestyle, simply contact using the email icon below.

Nootropics - learn all about natural performance enhancers

What are natural nootropics, a.k.a. “smart drugs”?

In short, nootropic supplements are cognition enhancers originally intended to help improve cognitive function in aging individuals and/or those with age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 

Aside from that, they are used by bio-hackers, entrepreneurs, and other early-adopters looking for natural ways to boost physical and mental performance in everyday life.

Are nootropics for you if you are generally healthy?

To place this trend in perspective, it is the ability of nootropics to improve the prognosis (expected development of a disease) in patients that led to the hypothesis that they could also improve levels of attention/cognition in those who do not have a cognitive disease or have not yet been diagnosed with one.

How do nootropic supplements affect productivity?

Natural nootropics in the form of nootropic drinks or supplements are a great way to maintain productivity levels high, as these supplements are known for their influence on cognition. These sorts of cognitive enhancers can help optimize mental concentration and motivation, by reducing levels of stress and anxiety at the same time. 

Anyone who is out to change the culture in some way by making a contribution, be it small or large, to the world around them has got to be interested in productivity, especially those working in highly strategic, mentally engaging professions, be it start-ups, tech, legal, medicine or finance. 

Making an impact on the world is not going to happen all by itself, especially as a solo entrepreneur. Instead, it will almost invariably require blood, sweat, tears, moments of existential self-doubt, and a break-up or two. There will likely be caffeine too, lots of caffeine.

Nootropic drugs - the smart drug solution

Enter smart drugs, stage left. Nootropic drugs claim to offer a cognitive edge; even a 5% boost in productivity and concentration can make a big difference over the course of a workday, especially when the number of work hours is limited by another job, relationships, fitness commitments, and so on.

A list of common and best nootropics

Here is a list of common nootropic supplements that we will investigate in a series of forthcoming articles to address their effects as part of a functional health and mental performance program based on natural ingredients only: 

1. L-theanine 

2. Bacopa Monnieri

3. Ashwagandha

4. Choline

5. Gingko Biloba

6. Lion’s Mane Mushroom

7. Rhodiola Rosea

Some of these are the best nootropics for energy, some produce the best results when it comes to memory, while some are the best choice when it comes to improving focus and concentration whilst studying. Either way, what all of these nootropics have in common, is that they boost productivity following bio-mechanisms.

Biophilic living and the pervasive effect of nootropics

As we’ve made an introduction to the subject of nootropics, now we will dig deeper into the subject with a look at the more commonly available organic nootropics ingredients. Why should this be of interest to you? 

Firstly, these natural ingredients are small bio-hacks to help you live a healthier life and therefore represent a way to integrate nature back into our lives, creating a biophilic lifestyle (earth-friendly, connected to nature, with a focus on improved mental and physical health).

Secondly, anyone with a family history of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s’ may find some inspiration in the concept of bolstering their brainpower early on in life. It certainly won’t do any harm.

What follows is an explanation of the main and the best nootropics, their history, and traditions, as well as the scientific evidence backing up their claims to enhanced mental and/or physical performance.

The best all-in-one nootropics

Before we dive into our list of the leading nootropics contenders, a short note on how to get started. Various options exist today for easily accessible, online purchases that give you a generalist, quick win nootropic. These all-in-one nootropic supplements cover, to a greater or lesser extent, most bases and are in our opinion a great starting position, and arguably some of the most effective nootropics. Examples include products by the likes of Form for example, or GoPrimal to name but two.

How to build your own nootropic supplements  ‘stack“

For newbies to the subject, a simple all-in-one nootropic may be enough to get you started. It requires minimal time and even less thinking. As you start to dig deeper into the subject, however, you may wish to go big on certain doses, doubling down on some ingredients and that will require buying individual, high-dose, and premium quality nootropics. Place several of these together and you have your first ‘stack’, a term borrowed from the tech community, as in a ‘full-stack developer’.

l-theanine - a natural nootropic found in green tea

L-theanine is an amino acid found most commonly in green tea leaves (Camellia Sinensis) and in small amounts in Bay Bolete mushrooms. Reassuringly, it is readily available in both pill and tablet form in your average health food stores.

Research indicates that L-theanine promotes relaxation without drowsiness, reducing stress, and taking the edge off the famous caffeine jitters.

In a 2018 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 46 participants diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), results showed significant improvements in self-reported sleep satisfaction as a result of daily 450-900mg doses of L-theanine over a 10-week period.

Improvements to brain serotonin, dopamine, and GABA levels (neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and concentration) have only been shown in animal neurochemistry trials to date, as far as we can see, which is primarily where L-theanine’s reputation for cognitive enhancement comes from.

Bacopa flower brought to us by Ayurvedic medicine

Bacopa monnieri is a perennial herb native to India with a long history in Ayurvedic medicine linked to cognitive abilities. Ayurveda never set out to be a scientific tradition but we would be amiss to discount this philosophy entirely. Studies have shown that this herb has both antioxidant and cell-protective qualities as well as stimulating long-term increased hippocampus activity, which could equate to overall learning abilities.

Ashwagandha - another natural nootropic introduces by Ayurvedic tradition

Another big gun in the Ayurvedic tradition, also known as Indian Ginseng Ashwagandha is said to have similar properties to Bacopa monnieri. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 adults with mild cognitive impairment were treated with 300 mg twice daily or a placebo for eight weeks with significant improvements in both immediate recall and general memory in those treated with the root.

Choline - nootropic brain booster

Essential for the proper functioning of the brain, Choline is thought to improve cognition and is considered to be one of the best nootropics for memory. Studies have shown that ingesting Choline during gestation and early postnatal development in mice helps to protect the brain from neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ginkgo biloba - the ancient cure

Gingko leaves are an ancient and isolated species, making them something of an anomaly in modern day biology. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed 24 participants with improved executive functioning in females especially. Another study on patients with dementia or cognitive impairment showed that a dose of over 200mg per day over a period of at least 22 weeks had potential benefits on cognitive performance.

Lion’s mane mushroom with medicinal properties

Hericium Erinaceus is an edible mushroom with medicinal qualities that belongs to the tooth fungus group. Studies have shown that it can have significant improvements in novelty-seeking behaviors, general locomotor functions, and enhanced recognition memory. The exact mechanism through which it achieves this, however, is not yet fully understood.

Contact us if you wish to know more about biophilic living in conjunction with nootropics

For more information on how we create Biophilic spaces designed to maximize the mental and physical health benefits of connecting with nature, or If you would like to talk to us about how to live a more biophilic life, inspired by natural health principles, be it in diet, fitness training, gyms or lifestyle, simply email us.”

In the meantime, if you are looking for a one-stop-shop to get into them, rather than trying to build your own bespoke ‘stack’ of smart nootropic supplements, check out Earthly Biotics for an innovative, all-in-one solution we have had our eye on for a few months now.

This article will be followed by a series of others addressing each nootropic in turn. Stay tuned!

Smart circadian lighting

smart circadian rhythm lighting

The potential benefits of circadian lighting are vast, which is why this type of lighting is now explored in various real estate and interior design sectors around the world. Circadian rhythm lighting systems are strategically designed to positively affect our health, alertness and productivity, which is why this particular concept is getting much deserved attention lately. Read on to find out more..

What is circadian lighting?

Circadian lighting is an innovative new trend within the world of biophilic design and its near cousin, healthy design, especially in the home and workplace where we now spend the vast majority of our lives.

So what is it all about and how is smart technology helping us live urban lives that are more closely aligned with our evolutionary past?

A circadian lighting system is created in way that follows the human so called circadian rhythm - something like a 24-hour internal clock.

It is controlled by hypothalamus that works by receiving signals from the eyes that report when it’s day or nighttime. In turn, hypothalamus can control the amount of melatonin released to correlate sleepiness with darkness and alertness with light.

Circadian rhythm

The body’s circadian rhythm is essentially our 24-hr body clock; we’re not the only ones to have one either - plants, animals and even funghi share their own version too. It’s literally a part of our DNA, evolving over millions of years as a way of connecting us to the daily ebb and flow of sun and moon.

Certain research has shown that light affects both our visual and non-visual systems, while artificial lighting can well impact our circadian rhythm.

While each one of us is different, with some experiencing sleepy mornings and others hitting a wall of drowsiness in the afternoon for example, standard hours of activity and rest for the vast majority of people are fairly regulated.

However, circadian lighting is the concept that artificial lighting can be used to support human health by minimizing the effect of electric light on human circadian rhythm.

How? Well, scientists have discovered that a long-term exposure to certain wavelengths of blue light, at specific intensity, can have a negative impact on circadian rhythm.

circadian light therapy for increased productivity

Circadian rhythm and light are closely connected, meaning  this natural flow in each 24hr cycle also influences our day-to-day productivity.

Mental productivity during the hours of work is therefore crucial, as is, conversely, ensuring a solid night’s sleep.

Twenty-first century urban lives full of technology and an always on culture however can mean that, if we are not careful, we can all too easily expose ourselves to disrupting factors, especially as the body does not distinguish between natural and artificial light.

This is where a circadian lamp, or a circadian lighting system comes in. By implementing a circadian lighting design into your working space, you can increase productivity at your office. Since circadian lighting is imitating natural lighting, employees who are exposed more to it have a better recollection of memories and mental function.

Wellness lighting & circadian rhythm light therapy

Enter circadian or wellness lighting is specifically designed to reflect nature’s daily light cycle, prompting periods of mental alertness in the morning and afternoon with light from the blue-white end of the spectrum, before slowly fading into amber hues in the evenings and again in the early mornings.

In practical terms this means you wake up to a soft, gentle light of white-amber, spend your days working in energising white-blue light and relax before bed in the evenings in amber light. Avoiding sources of blue-white light an hour before going to sleep is also recommended, meaning no TV, smartphone or other screen activity!

Circadian rhythm lighting is also great for the purpose of therapy - allowing you to reset your mind and body, and have a better night sleep. When used like a treatment, circadian rhythm lighting can really improve mood and boost your energy levels throughout the day.

Smart circadian rhythm lighting systems

A number of smart circadian rhythm light systems are now readily available in the market making this technology accessible to the general public.

Our favourite is the Philips HUE that involves one ‘bridge’ box between your wifi router and the lightbulbs in your home (up to 50), plus a simple remote control and an app. We used this set-up in our Biofit nature gyms in Calgary and Stockholm, to great effect.

The two main benefits of introducing this kind of light therapy for circadian rhythm are improved mental focus by day and sleep quality at night.

For more information on how we can help you integrate this type of healthy design solution into your office or home, contact us via the Contact page.